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Yavuz A, Simsek K, Alpsoy A, Altunay B, Gedik EO, Unal B, Bassorgun CI, Tatli AM, Elpek GO. Prognostic significance of tumor budding, desmoplastic reaction, and lymphocytic infiltration in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2024; 15:91237. [PMID: 38682027 PMCID: PMC11045359 DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.v15.i1.91237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment significantly influences the behavior of solid tumors. In this context, Accumulated data suggests that pathological evaluation of tumor budding (TB), desmoplastic reaction (DR), and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) may be crucial in determining tumor behavior in the gastrointestinal tract. Regarding gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), although some results suggest that TB and TILs may be effective in determining the course of the disease, the data do not agree. Moreover, very few studies have investigated the relationship between DR and survival. At present, the associations between tumor TB, DR and TILs in GAC patients have not been determined. AIM To establish the relationships between TB, DR, and TILs in patients with GAC and to assess their influence on prognosis. METHODS Our study group comprised 130 patients diagnosed with GAC. The definition of TB was established based on the International TB Consensus Conference. The DR was categorized into three groups according to the level of tumor stroma maturation. The assessment of TILs was conducted using a semiquantitative approach, employing a cutoff value of 5%. The statistical analysis of the whole group and 100 patients with an intestinal subtype of GAC was performed using SPSS version 27. RESULTS A significant correlation between peritumoral budding (PTB) and intratumoral budding (ITB) was noted (r = 0.943). Tumors with high PTBs and ITBs had a greater incidence of immature DRs and low TILs (P < 0.01). PTB and ITB were associated with histological subtype, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and stage (P < 0.01). ITB, PTB, LNM, DR, and stage were significant risk factors associated with poor prognosis. The multivariate Cox regression analysis identified ITB, PTB, and LNM as independent prognostic variables (P < 0.05). In intestinal-type adenocarcinomas, a positive correlation between PTB and ITB was noted (r = 0.972). While univariate analysis revealed that LNM, stage, PTB, ITB, and DR were strong parameters for predicting survival (P < 0.05), only PTB and ITB were found to be independent prognostic factors (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION TB may be a potential prognostic marker in GAC. However, further studies are needed to delineate its role in pathology reporting protocols and the predictive effects of DR and TILs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysen Yavuz
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Kubra Simsek
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Anil Alpsoy
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Busra Altunay
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Elif Ocak Gedik
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Betul Unal
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | | | - Ali Murat Tatli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
| | - Gulsum Ozlem Elpek
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
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Duan Z, Li Y, Qiu Y, Shen Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhu B, Yu X, Tan X, Chen W, Zhuang Y, Cheng P, Zhang W, Zou Q, Ma D, Peng L. CD39 expression defines exhausted CD4 + T cells associated with poor survival and immune evasion in human gastric cancer. Clin Transl Immunology 2024; 13:e1499. [PMID: 38501063 PMCID: PMC10945883 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives CD4+ T cell helper and regulatory function in human cancers has been well characterised. However, the definition of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cell exhaustion and how it contributes to the immune response and disease progression in human gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unknown. Methods A total of 128 GC patients were enrolled in the study. The expression of CD39 and PD-1 on CD4+ T cells in the different samples was analysed by flow cytometry. GC-infiltrating CD4+ T cell subpopulations based on CD39 expression were phenotypically and functionally assessed. The role of CD39 in the immune response of GC-infiltrating T cells was investigated by inhibiting CD39 enzymatic activity. Results In comparison with CD4+ T cells from the non-tumor tissues, significantly more GC-infiltrating CD4+ T cells expressed CD39. Most GC-infiltrating CD39+CD4+ T cells exhibited CD45RA-CCR7- effector-memory phenotype expressing more exhaustion-associated inhibitory molecules and transcription factors and produced less TNF-α, IFN-γ and cytolytic molecules than their CD39-CD4+ counterparts. Moreover, ex vivo inhibition of CD39 enzymatic activity enhanced their functional potential reflected by TNF-α and IFN-γ production. Finally, increased percentages of GC-infiltrating CD39+CD4+ T cells were positively associated with disease progression and patients' poorer overall survival. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that CD39 expression defines GC-infiltrating CD4+ T cell exhaustion and their immunosuppressive function. Targeting CD39 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen‐quan Duan
- Department of OncologyAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical CollegeNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yu‐xian Li
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yuan Qiu
- Department of General Surgery of Xinqiao HospitalThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yang Shen
- Department of OncologyAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical CollegeNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of General Surgery of Xinqiao HospitalThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yuan‐yuan Zhang
- Department of OncologyAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical CollegeNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
| | - Bao‐hang Zhu
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Xiao‐hong Yu
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
- College of PharmacyChongqing University of TechnologyChongqingChina
| | - Xue‐ling Tan
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
- College of PharmacyChongqing University of TechnologyChongqingChina
| | - Weisan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and GeneticsLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneVICAustralia
| | - Yuan Zhuang
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Ping Cheng
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Wei‐jun Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Quan‐ming Zou
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Dai‐yuan Ma
- Department of OncologyAffiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical CollegeNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
| | - Liu‐sheng Peng
- National Engineering Research Center of Immunological Products, Department of Microbiology and Biochemical Pharmacy, College of PharmacyThird Military Medical UniversityChongqingChina
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Xu W, Chen S, Jiang Q, He J, Zhang F, Wang Z, Ruan C, Shi B. LUM as a novel prognostic marker and its correlation with immune infiltration in gastric cancer: a study based on immunohistochemical analysis and bioinformatics. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:455. [PMID: 38129820 PMCID: PMC10740220 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-03075-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is considered the sixth highly prevailing malignant neoplasm and is ranked third in terms of cancer mortality rates. To enable an early and efficient diagnosis of GC, it is important to detect the fundamental processes involved in the oncogenesis and progression of gastric malignancy. The understanding of molecular signaling pathways can facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies for GC patients. METHODS The screening of genes that exhibited differential expression in early and advanced GC was performed utilizing the Gene Expression Omnibus databases (GSE3438). Based on this, the protein and protein interaction network was constructed to screen for hub genes. The resulting list of hub genes was evaluated with bioinformatic analysis and selected genes were validated the protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Finally, a competing endogenous RNA network of GC was constructed. RESULTS The three genes (ITGB1, LUM, and COL5A2) overexpressed in both early and advanced GC were identified for the first time. Their upregulation has been linked with worse overall survival (OS) time in patients with GC. Only LUM was identified as an independent risk factor for OS among GC patients by means of additional analysis. IHC results demonstrated that the expression of LUM protein was increased in GC tissue, and was positively associated with the pathological T stage. LUM expression can effectively differentiate tumorous tissue from normal tissue (area under the curve = 0.743). The area under 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival relative operating characteristics were greater than 0.6. Biological function enrichment analyses suggested that the genes related to LUM expression were involved in extracellular matrix development-related pathways and enriched in several cancer-related pathways. LUM affects the infiltration degree of cells linked to the immune system in the tumor microenvironment. In GC progression, the AC117386.2/hsa-miR-378c/LUM regulatory axis was also identified. CONCLUSION Collectively, a thorough bioinformatics analysis was carried out and an AC117386.2/hsa-miR-378c/LUM regulatory axis in the stomach adenocarcinoma dataset was detected. These findings should serve as a guide for future experimental investigations and warrant confirmation from larger studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shasha Chen
- Department of Pathology, Longyan Second Hospital, No.8 Shuangyang West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuju Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Longyan Second Hospital, No.8 Shuangyang West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinlan He
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Feifei Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuying Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Caishun Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Longyan People's Hospital, No.31 Denggao West Road, Longyan, Fujian, 364000, People's Republic of China.
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Piroozkhah M, Gholinezhad Y, Piroozkhah M, Shams E, Nazemalhosseini-Mojarad E. The molecular mechanism of actions and clinical utilities of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in gastrointestinal cancers: a comprehensive review and future prospects toward personalized medicine. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1298891. [PMID: 38077386 PMCID: PMC10704251 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1298891] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remain a significant global health burden, accounting for a substantial number of cases and deaths. Regrettably, the inadequacy of dependable biomarkers hinders the precise forecasting of patient prognosis and the selection of appropriate therapeutic sequencing for individuals with GI cancers, leading to suboptimal outcomes for numerous patients. The intricate interplay between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has been shown to be a pivotal determinant of response to anti-cancer therapy and consequential clinical outcomes across a multitude of cancer types. Therefore, the assessment of TILs has garnered global interest as a promising prognostic biomarker in oncology, with the potential to improve clinical decision-making substantially. Moreover, recent discoveries in immunotherapy have progressively changed the landscape of cancer treatment and significantly prolonged the survival of patients with advanced cancers. Nonetheless, the response rate remains constrained within solid tumor sufferers, even when TIL landscapes appear comparable, which calls for the development of our understanding of cellular and molecular cross-talk between TIME and tumor. Hence, this comprehensive review encapsulates the extant literature elucidating the TILs' underlying molecular pathogenesis, prognostic significance, and their relevance in the realm of immunotherapy for patients afflicted by GI tract cancers. Within this review, we demonstrate that the type, density, and spatial distribution of distinct TIL subpopulations carries pivotal implications for the prediction of anti-cancer treatment responses and patient survival. Furthermore, this review underscores the indispensable role of TILs in modulating therapeutic responses within distinct molecular subtypes, such as those characterized by microsatellite stability or programmed cell death ligand-1 expression in GI tract cancers. The review concludes by outlining future directions in TIL-based personalized medicine, including integrating TIL-based approaches into existing treatment regimens and developing novel therapeutic strategies that exploit the unique properties of TILs and their potential as a promising avenue for personalized cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moein Piroozkhah
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasaman Gholinezhad
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mobin Piroozkhah
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Shams
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Nazemalhosseini-Mojarad
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Frankowska K, Zarobkiewicz M, Dąbrowska I, Bojarska-Junak A. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and radiological picture of the tumor. Med Oncol 2023; 40:176. [PMID: 37178270 PMCID: PMC10182948 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02036-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex entity that includes besides the tumor cells also a whole range of immune cells. Among various populations of immune cells infiltrating the tumor, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a population of lymphocytes characterized by high reactivity against the tumor component. As, TILs play a key role in mediating responses to several types of therapy and significantly improve patient outcomes in some cancer types including for instance breast cancer and lung cancer, their assessment has become a good predictive tool in the evaluation of potential treatment efficacy. Currently, the evaluation of the density of TILs infiltration is performed by histopathological. However, recent studies have shed light on potential utility of several imaging methods, including ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), and radiomics, in the assessment of TILs levels. The greatest attention concerning the utility of radiology methods is directed to breast and lung cancers, nevertheless imaging methods of TILs are constantly being developed also for other malignancies. Here, we focus on reviewing the radiological methods used to assess the level of TILs in different cancer types and on the extraction of the most favorable radiological features assessed by each method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Frankowska
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Michał Zarobkiewicz
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Izabela Dąbrowska
- Department of Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Relationship of FDG Uptake of the Reticuloendothelial System with Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Prognosis in Patients with Gastric Cancer. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030771. [PMID: 36983926 PMCID: PMC10053773 DOI: 10.3390/life13030771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) uptake of the reticuloendothelial system, including the bone marrow (BM) and spleen, on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has been shown to be a significant prognostic factor in diverse malignancies. However, the relationship between FDG uptake of the BM and spleen and histopathological findings, including the tumor immune microenvironment, has not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of FDG uptake in the BM and spleen with histopathological findings and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with gastric cancer. Seventy patients with gastric cancer who underwent pre-operative FDG PET/CT and subsequent curative surgery were retrospectively enrolled. On image analysis, the BM-to-liver uptake ratio (BLR) and spleen-to-liver uptake ratio (SLR) were measured from PET/CT images, and on immunohistochemical analysis, the densities of immune cell infiltration in the tumor tissue were graded. The BLR and SLR showed significant positive correlations with the grades of CD163 cell and CD8 cell infiltration in the tumor tissue, respectively (p < 0.05). In multivariate survival analysis, both BLR and SLR were significant predictors of RFS (p < 0.05). FDG uptake in the BM and spleen might be potential imaging biomarkers for evaluating tumor immune microenvironment conditions and predicting RFS in patients with gastric cancer.
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Yoshizawa T, Uehara T, Iwaya M, Asaka S, Nakajima T, Kinugawa Y, Shimizu A, Kubota K, Notake T, Masuo H, Sakai H, Hosoda K, Hayashi H, Nagaya T, Ota H, Soejima Y. IgG4 expression and IgG4/IgG ratio in the tumour invasion front predict long-term outcomes for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Pathology 2023; 55:508-513. [PMID: 36842875 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2022.11.007] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
IgG4-positive plasma cells are reportedly increased in the tumour microenvironment, and a high number of these cells in tumours is a poor prognostic factor in several cancers. However, there are no reported analyses of IgG4 expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study aimed to analyse the correlations between prognosis-related clinicopathological features of patients with ICC and IgG4 expression. We identified 37 ICC patients who underwent surgical resection between January 2010 and December 2020. The number of IgG-positive and IgG4-positive plasma cells in the tumour, invasion front, and stroma near the tumour was analysed by immunostaining. Furthermore, we examined the association of prognosis-related clinicopathological data with the number of IgG4-positive plasma cells and IgG4/IgG ratio in ICC patients. The IgG4-positive plasma cell percentages for the intra-tumour area, invasion front, and non-cancerous area (NCA) near the tumour were 91.9%, 56.8%, and 81.1%, respectively. IgG-positive plasma cells were observed in each region for all cases, except for NCA tissue in one case. A high IgG4 expression level and IgG4/IgG ratio in the invasion front were significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (log-rank test p=0.0438 and p=0.0338, respectively). Multivariate analysis for OS revealed that high IgG4 expression (p=0.0140), lymph node metastasis (p=0.0205), and positive surgical margin (p=0.0009) or a high IgG4/IgG ratio (p=0.0051), lymph node metastasis (p=0.0280), and positive surgical margin (p=0.0009) were independent poor prognostic factors. In conclusion, a high IgG4 expression level and IgG4/IgG ratio in the invasion front are independent poor prognostic factors for ICC. Targeted therapy for IgG4 may improve the prognosis for patients with ICC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Yoshizawa
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Takeshi Uehara
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
| | - Mai Iwaya
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Shiho Asaka
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Nakajima
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kinugawa
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Akira Shimizu
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Koji Kubota
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Notake
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Masuo
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sakai
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Hosoda
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hikaru Hayashi
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tadanobu Nagaya
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Ota
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan; Department of Biomedical Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Yuji Soejima
- Division of Gastroenterological, Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic, Transplantation and Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
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Nerves in gastrointestinal cancer: from mechanism to modulations. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:768-784. [PMID: 36056202 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Maintenance of gastrointestinal health is challenging as it requires balancing multifaceted processes within the highly complex and dynamic ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract. Disturbances within this vibrant environment can have detrimental consequences, including the onset of gastrointestinal cancers. Globally, gastrointestinal cancers account for ~19% of all cancer cases and ~22.5% of all cancer-related deaths. Developing new ways to more readily detect and more efficiently target these malignancies are urgently needed. Whereas members of the tumour microenvironment, such as immune cells and fibroblasts, have already been in the spotlight as key players of cancer initiation and progression, the importance of the nervous system in gastrointestinal cancers has only been highlighted in the past few years. Although extrinsic innervations modulate gastrointestinal cancers, cells and signals from the gut's intrinsic innervation also have the ability to do so. Here, we shed light on this thriving field and discuss neural influences during gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. We focus on the interactions between neurons and components of the gastrointestinal tract and tumour microenvironment, on the neural signalling pathways involved, and how these factors affect the cancer hallmarks, and discuss the neural signatures in gastrointestinal cancers. Finally, we highlight neural-related therapies that have potential for the management of gastrointestinal cancers.
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Keshavjee SH, Moy RH, Reiner SL, Ryeom SW, Yoon SS. Gastric Cancer and the Immune System: The Key to Improving Outcomes? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235940. [PMID: 36497422 PMCID: PMC9739366 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric adenocarcinoma is by far the most common form of gastric cancer (GC) and is a highly lethal form of cancer arising from the gastric epithelium. GC is an important area of focus of the medical community, given its often late-stage of diagnosis and associated high mortality rate. While surgery and chemotherapy remain the primary treatments, attention has been drawn to the use of immunologic therapies, which have shown promise in the treatment of other malignancies. The role for immune-based therapies has become clearer as we obtain a greater understanding of the role of the immune system in gastric cancer formation and growth. A variety treatment to augment the immune system are under evaluation in clinical trials, and these include immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and immune cell-based therapies. Here, we review the immune landscape and immune-based therapies for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara H. Keshavjee
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ryan H. Moy
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Steven L. Reiner
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sandra W. Ryeom
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Division of Surgical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sam S. Yoon
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Correspondence:
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Shi G, Scott M, Mangiamele CG, Heller R. Modification of the Tumor Microenvironment Enhances Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2429. [PMID: 36365247 PMCID: PMC9695203 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to checkpoint-blockade treatments is a challenge in the clinic. Both primary and acquired resistance have become major obstacles, greatly limiting the long-lasting effects and wide application of blockade therapy. Many patients with metastatic melanoma eventually require further therapy. The absence of T-cell infiltration to the tumor site is a well-accepted contributor limiting immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. In this study, we combined intratumoral injection of plasmid IL-12 with electrotransfer and anti-PD-1 in metastatic B16F10 melanoma tumor model to increase tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and improve therapeutic efficacy. We showed that effective anti-tumor responses required a subset of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Additionally, the combination therapy induced higher MHC-I surface expression on tumor cells to hamper tumor cells escaping from immune recognition. Furthermore, we found that activating T cells by exposure to IL-12 resulted in tumors sensitized to anti-PD-1 treatment, suggesting a therapeutic strategy to improve responses to checkpoint blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilan Shi
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Megan Scott
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA
| | - Cathryn G. Mangiamele
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA
| | - Richard Heller
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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11
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Zhao Y, Bai Y, Shen M, Li Y. Therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer targeting immune cells: Future directions. Front Immunol 2022; 13:992762. [PMID: 36225938 PMCID: PMC9549957 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.992762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and mortality, and the emergence of immunotherapy has brought survival benefits to GC patients. Compared with traditional therapy, immunotherapy has the advantages of durable response, long-term survival benefits, and lower toxicity. Therefore, targeted immune cells are the most promising therapeutic strategy in the field of oncology. In this review, we introduce the role and significance of each immune cell in the tumor microenvironment of GC and summarize the current landscape of immunotherapy in GC, which includes immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, reduction of M2 tumor-associated macrophages (M2 TAMs), N2 tumor-associated neutrophils (N2 TANs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), effector regulatory T cells (eTregs), and regulatory B cells (Bregs) in the tumor microenvironment and reprogram TAMs and TANs into tumor killer cells. The most widely used immunotherapy strategies are the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibody, cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibody, and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) in ACT, and these therapeutic strategies have significant anti-tumor efficacy in solid tumors and hematological tumors. Targeting other immune cells provides a new direction for the immunotherapy of GC despite the relatively weak clinical data, which have been confirmed to restore or enhance anti-tumor immune function in preclinical studies and some treatment strategies have entered the clinical trial stage, and it is expected that more and more effective immune cell–based therapeutic methods will be developed and applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuansong Bai
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Meili Shen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Yapeng Li, ; Meili Shen,
| | - Yapeng Li
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Synthesis Technology of High Performance Polymer, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Yapeng Li, ; Meili Shen,
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12
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Li J, Han T, Wang X, Wang Y, Chen X, Chen W, Yang Q. H19 may regulate the immune cell infiltration in carcinogenesis of gastric cancer through miR-378a-5p/SERPINH1 signaling. World J Surg Oncol 2022; 20:295. [PMID: 36104825 PMCID: PMC9472414 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-022-02760-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing studies have indicated that noncoding RNA (ncRNA)-mediated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network serves as a significant role in cancer progression, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms of which in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unclear. Methods Based on Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets, potential biomarkers for GC were screened and validated by machine learning. Then, upstream regulatory ncRNA of potential biomarkers was identified to construct a novel ceRNA network in GC through means of stepwise reverse prediction and validation. Ultimately, tumor immune cell infiltration analysis was performed based on the EPIC algorithm. Results A total of 188 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, and three candidate diagnostic biomarkers (FAP, PSAPL1, and SERPINH1) for GC were identified and validated. Subsequently, H19 and miR-378a-5p were identified as upstream regulatory ncRNAs that could potentially bind SERPINH1 in GC. Moreover, Immune infiltration analysis revealed that each component in the ceRNA network (H19/miR-378a-5p/SERPINH1) was significantly correlated with the infiltration abundances of diverse tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Conclusions H19 may regulate the immune cell infiltration in carcinogenesis of GC through miR-378a-5p/SERPINH1 signaling. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-022-02760-6.
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13
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Yuan L, Xu J, Shi Y, Jin Z, Bao Z, Yu P, Wang Y, Xia Y, Qin J, Zhang B, Yao Q. CD3D Is an Independent Prognostic Factor and Correlates With Immune Infiltration in Gastric Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:913670. [PMID: 35719985 PMCID: PMC9198637 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.913670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein encoded by CD3D is part of the T-cell receptor/CD3 complex (TCR/CD3 complex) and is involved in T-cell development and signal transduction. Previous studies have shown that CD3D is associated with prognosis and treatment response in breast, colorectal, and liver cancer. However, the expression and clinical significance of CD3D in gastric cancer are not clear. In this study, we collected 488 gastric cancer tissues and 430 paired adjacent tissues to perform tissue microarrays (TMAs). Then, immunohistochemical staining of CD3D, CD3, CD4, CD8 and PD-L1 was conducted to investigate the expression of CD3D in gastric cancer and the correlation between the expression of CD3D and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1. The results showed that CD3D was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues compared with paracancerous tissues (P<0.000). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that CD3D was an independent good prognostic factor for gastric cancer (P=0.004, HR=0.677, 95%CI: 0.510-0.898 for univariate analyses; P=0.046, HR=0.687, 95%CI: 0.474-0.994 for multivariate analyses). In addition, CD3D was negatively correlated with the tumor location, Borrmann type and distant metastasis (P=0.012 for tumor location; P=0.007 for Borrmann type; P=0.027 for distant metastasis). In addition, the expression of CD3D was highly positively correlated with the expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, and PD-L1, and the combination of CD3D with CD3, CD4, CD8 and PD-L1 predicted the best prognosis (P=0.043). In summary, CD3D may play an important regulatory role in the tumor immune microenvironment of gastric cancer and may serve as a potential indicator of prognosis and immunotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yuan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingli Xu
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunfu Shi
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyuan Jin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhehan Bao
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengcheng Yu
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Wang
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuhang Xia
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangjiang Qin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Yao
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Head and Neck Cancer Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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14
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Comprehensive Analysis of PDLIM3 Expression Profile, Prognostic Value, and Correlations with Immune Infiltrates in Gastric Cancer. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:2039447. [PMID: 35647201 PMCID: PMC9135576 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2039447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein PDZ and LIM domain 3 (PDLIM3) is a cytoskeletal protein, colocalizing with α-actinin on the Z line of mature muscle fibers. It plays a key role in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), muscular dystrophy, and tumor progression. However, correlations between PDLIM3 expression, prognosis, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in gastric cancer are unknown. Therefore, we leveraged the Oncomine, GEPIA, GEO, and HPA databases to evaluate PDLIM3 expression in tumors. We also quantified PDLIM3 expression in 15 matched pairs of gastric tumor and nontumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to determine the relationship between PDLIM3 expression and clinical outcomes. GO and KEGG analyses were performed to illuminate the molecular mechanisms of action of PDLIM3. TIMER2.0 and GEPIA were applied to investigate correlations between PDLIM3 expression and gene marker subsets signifying immune infiltration, with TIMER2.0 exploring the correlations between PDLIM3 and related signaling pathways. Gastric cancer tissues were found to express more PDLIM3 than nontumor tissues. PDLIM3 overexpression was associated with shorter OS and PFS of gastric cancer patients (OS
,
; PFS
,
). PDLIM3 was also positively correlated with worse OS and PFS according to gastric cancer staging, Her-2 overexpression, differentiation grade, and Lauren classification. PDLIM3 was shown to be associated with immunological responses by GO, while it was related to PI3K/Akt signal pathways by KEGG analysis. Furthermore, increased PDLIM3 expression was significantly correlated with greater infiltration of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. PDLIM3 expression had significant positive correlations with a variety of immune marker subsets. Finally, correlations were found between PDLIM3 and crucial markers of signaling pathways involving PI3K/Akt and p38 MAPK. Thus, upregulation of PDLIM3 was significantly associated with poor prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and activation of two key signal pathways in gastric cancer. We propose that PDLIM3 could be used as a biomarker to predict prognosis and immune cell infiltration in gastric cancer.
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15
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Xu C, Wang J, Zheng T, Cao Y, Ye F. Prediction of prognosis and survival of patients with gastric cancer by a weighted improved random forest model: an application of machine learning in medicine. Arch Med Sci 2022; 18:1208-1220. [PMID: 36160349 PMCID: PMC9479734 DOI: 10.5114/aoms/135594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is essential to predict the survival status of patients based on their prognosis. This can assist physicians in evaluating treatment decisions. Random forest is an excellent machine learning algorithm even without any modification. We propose a new random forest weighting method and apply it to the gastric cancer patient data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. We evaluated the generalization ability of this weighted random forest algorithm on 10 public medical datasets. Furthermore, for the same weighting mode, the difference between using out-of-bag (OOB) data and all training sets as the weighting basis is explored. MATERIAL AND METHODS 110 697 cases of gastric cancer patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2016 obtained from the SEER database were included in the experiment. In addition, 10 public medical datasets were used for the generalization ability evaluation of this weighted random forest algorithm. RESULTS Through experimental verification, on the SEER gastric cancer patient data, the weighted random forest algorithm improves the accuracy by 0.79% compared with the original random forest. In AUC, macro-averaging increased by 2.32% and micro-averaging increased by 0.51% on average. Among the 10 public datasets, the random forest weighted in accuracy has the best performance on 6 datasets, with an average increase of 1.44% in accuracy and an average increase of 1.2% in AUC. CONCLUSIONS Compared with the original random forest, the weighted random forest model shows a significant improvement in performance, and the effect of using all training data as the weighting basis is better than using OOB data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Xu
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, China
- School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jing Wang
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, China
| | - Tianlong Zheng
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, China
| | - Yue Cao
- School of Higher Vocational Education, Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China
| | - Fan Ye
- School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
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16
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MicroRNA and Other Non-Coding RNAs in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153909. [PMID: 34359809 PMCID: PMC8345394 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
EBV is a direct causative agent in around 1.5% of all cancers. The oncogenic properties of EBV are related to its ability to activate processes needed for cellular proliferation, survival, migration, and immune evasion. The EBV latency program is required for the immortalization of infected B cells and involves the expression of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including viral microRNAs. These ncRNAs have different functions that contribute to virus persistence in the asymptomatic host and to the development of EBV-associated cancers. In this review, we discuss the function and potential clinical utility of EBV microRNAs and other ncRNAs in EBV-associated malignancies. This review is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to provide examples of the importance of ncRNAs.
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Rihawi K, Ricci AD, Rizzo A, Brocchi S, Marasco G, Pastore LV, Llimpe FLR, Golfieri R, Renzulli M. Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Inflammatory Microenvironment in Gastric Cancer: Novel Translational Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083805. [PMID: 33916915 PMCID: PMC8067563 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) represents the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide, with a poor prognosis in patients with advanced disease despite many improvements in systemic treatments in the last decade. In fact, GC has shown resistance to several treatment options, and thus, notable efforts have been focused on the research and identification of novel therapeutic targets in this setting. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in several malignancies including GC, due to its pivotal role in cancer progression and drug resistance. Therefore, several agents and therapeutic strategies targeting the TME are currently under assessment in both preclinical and clinical studies. The present study provides an overview of available evidence of the inflammatory TME in GC, highlighting different types of tumor-associated cells and implications for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Rihawi
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (K.R.); (A.D.R.); (A.R.); (F.L.R.L.)
| | - Angela Dalia Ricci
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (K.R.); (A.D.R.); (A.R.); (F.L.R.L.)
| | - Alessandro Rizzo
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (K.R.); (A.D.R.); (A.R.); (F.L.R.L.)
| | - Stefano Brocchi
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (S.B.); (L.V.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Giovanni Marasco
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Luigi Vincenzo Pastore
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (S.B.); (L.V.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Fabiola Lorena Rojas Llimpe
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (K.R.); (A.D.R.); (A.R.); (F.L.R.L.)
| | - Rita Golfieri
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (S.B.); (L.V.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Matteo Renzulli
- Department of Radiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (S.B.); (L.V.P.); (R.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0512142958; Fax: +39-0512142805
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18
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Ghidini M, Petrillo A, Botticelli A, Trapani D, Parisi A, La Salvia A, Sajjadi E, Piciotti R, Fusco N, Khakoo S. How to Best Exploit Immunotherapeutics in Advanced Gastric Cancer: Between Biomarkers and Novel Cell-Based Approaches. J Clin Med 2021; 10:1412. [PMID: 33915839 PMCID: PMC8037391 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10071412] [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: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research efforts, advanced gastric cancer still has a dismal prognosis with conventional treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment landscape for many solid tumors. Amongst gastric cancer subtypes, tumors with microsatellite instability and Epstein Barr Virus positive tumors provide the strongest rationale for responding to immunotherapy. Various predictive biomarkers such as mismatch repair status, programmed death ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, assessment of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and circulating biomarkers have been evaluated. However, results have been inconsistent due to different methodologies and thresholds used. Clinical implementation therefore remains a challenge. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastric cancer is emerging with data from monotherapy in the heavily pre-treated population already available and studies in earlier disease settings with different combinatorial approaches in progress. Immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations with chemotherapy (CT), anti-angiogenics, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, anti-Her2 directed therapy, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors or dual checkpoint inhibitor strategies are being explored. Moreover, novel strategies including vaccines and CAR T cell therapy are also being trialed. Here we provide an update on predictive biomarkers for response to immunotherapy with an overview of their strengths and limitations. We discuss clinical trials that have been reported and trials in progress whilst providing an account of future steps needed to improve outcome in this lethal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Ghidini
- Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Botticelli
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, 00189 Rome, Italy;
- Medical Oncology (B), Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Dario Trapani
- Division of Early Drug Development for innovative therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Parisi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
- Medical Oncology Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Anna La Salvia
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital 12 De Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Elham Sajjadi
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.P.); (N.F.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Piciotti
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.P.); (N.F.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Division of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (E.S.); (R.P.); (N.F.)
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Shelize Khakoo
- Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, London and Surrey, Sutton SM25PT, UK;
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19
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Wang Z, Li X, Xu Y. Prediction of overall survival and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors: An immune-related signature for gastric cancer. Transl Oncol 2021; 14:101082. [PMID: 33784584 PMCID: PMC8027281 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As is known to us, this is the first immune-gene-related signature of gastric cancer which was validated in various ways. This signature was linked to the mutation status, and we found the difference of mutation between two risk groups. The signature has similar function with TMB.
Gastric cancer (GC) is common in East Asia and South and Central America. Most GC patients miss the opportunities for surgery. Despite their therapeutic potential, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) only work in part of patients with GC. Thus, this study was aimed at constructing a signature for diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of response to ICIs. A multivariate analysis showed that the 8-immune-related-gene (IRG) signature was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival among GC patients. In the high-risk group of 8IRG signature risk score, the fractions of CD4 T cells, macrophage M2 and monocyte, which is associated with the progression of cancers, were higher. The low-risk group had a higher immunophenoscore, which meant a better response to ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200, Cailun Road, 200120 Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200, Cailun Road, 200120 Shanghai, China; Laboratory of TCM Four Processing, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Li X, Huang Q, Lei Y, Zheng X, Dai S, Leng W, Liu M. Locally advanced gastroesophageal junction cancer with pathological complete response to neoadjuvant therapy: a case report and literature review. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:513. [PMID: 33850910 PMCID: PMC8039689 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Most gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma (GEJ) patients are already in the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Thus, the probability of radical gastrectomy is low, and surgical treatment alone has a poor prognosis due to the high recurrence rate. In order to reduce the recurrence and distant metastasis after surgery, there have been many attempts made to improve the perioperative treatment of advanced localized gastric cancer, but no uniform criteria exist. Over recent years, immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown excellent efficacy across various types of tumors, becoming a potential treatment after surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, the efficacy of single-agent ICIs for gastric cancer is still unsatisfactory. As comprehensive, chemotherapy-based treatment has become the standard care for locally advanced gastric cancer, exploring combination treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may be valuable to improving survival outcomes. Here, we report a 66-year-old male with dysphagia diagnosed with GEJ and was defined as clinical stage (cT4N2M0) and Siewert type II, characterized as mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) negative; surprisingly, with anti-PD-1 antibody plus SOX (S-1: a combination of tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil+ oxaliplatin) as perioperative therapy, the patient achieved pathological complete remission (pCR), which indicates that the addition of ICIs to chemotherapy as a perioperative comprehensive treatment might provide a promising strategy option for GEJ. In addition, we review the current status of perioperative comprehensive treatment, in hope that this may provide some reference value for clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Li
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanna Lei
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiufeng Zheng
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuang Dai
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weibing Leng
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Ulase D, Behrens HM, Krüger S, Zeissig S, Röcken C. Gastric Carcinomas with Stromal B7-H3 Expression Have Lower Intratumoural CD8+ T Cell Density. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042129. [PMID: 33669921 PMCID: PMC7924590 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are the main effector cells of anti-cancer immune response that can be regulated by various costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules, including members of the B7 family. B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3) appears as a promising marker for immunotherapy; however, its significance in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear yet. We evaluated the spatial distribution of CD8+ T cells in relation to the expression of B7-H3 by double immunohistochemical staining. The level of B7-H3 intensity was scored manually (0–3) and dichotomized into B7-H3-low and B7-H3-high groups. The distribution and density of CD8+ T cells was analysed using whole slide digital imaging. B7-H3 was expressed mainly in the stromal compartment of GC (n = 73, 76% of all cases). Tumours with high expression of B7-H3 showed larger spatial differences of CD8+ T cells (86.4/mm2 in tumour centre vs. 414.9/mm2 in invasive front) when compared to B7-H3-low group (157.7/mm2 vs. 218.7/mm2, respectively) (p < 0.001). This study provides insight into the expression pattern of B7-H3 in GC of Western origin. In GCs with higher level of B7-H3 expression, CD8+ T cells were spatially suppressed in the tumour centre suggesting that B7-H3 might be involved in tumour escape mechanisms from the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dita Ulase
- Department of Pathology, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24105 Kiel, Germany; (D.U.); (H.-M.B.); (S.K.)
- Department of Pathology, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia
| | - Hans-Michael Behrens
- Department of Pathology, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24105 Kiel, Germany; (D.U.); (H.-M.B.); (S.K.)
| | - Sandra Krüger
- Department of Pathology, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24105 Kiel, Germany; (D.U.); (H.-M.B.); (S.K.)
| | - Sebastian Zeissig
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Dresden, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph Röcken
- Department of Pathology, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24105 Kiel, Germany; (D.U.); (H.-M.B.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-431-50015501
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Díaz Del Arco C, Ortega Medina L, Estrada Muñoz L, García Gómez de Las Heras S, Fernández Aceñero MJ. Is there still a place for conventional histopathology in the age of molecular medicine? Laurén classification, inflammatory infiltration and other current topics in gastric cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Histol Histopathol 2021; 36:587-613. [PMID: 33565601 DOI: 10.14670/hh-18-309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In western countries, more than half of GC patients are diagnosed at advanced stages and 5-year survival rates range between 20-30%. The only curative treatment is surgery, and despite recent advances in oncological therapies, GC prognosis is still poor. The main prognostic tool for patient categorization and treatment selection is the TNM classification, but its limitations are being increasingly recognized. Early recurrences may occur in early-stage disease, and patients at the same stage show heterogeneous outcomes. Thus, there is a need to improve GC stratification and to identify new prognostic factors, which may allow us to select drug-susceptible populations, refine patient grouping for clinical trials and discover new therapeutic targets. Molecular classifications have been developed, but they have not been translated to the clinical practice. On the other hand, histological assessment is cheap and widely available, and it is still a mainstay in the era of molecular medicine. Furthermore, histological features are acquiring new roles as reflectors of the genotype-phenotype correlation, and their potential impact on patient management is currently being analyzed. The aim of this literature review is to provide a modern overview of the histological assessment of GC. In this study, we discuss recent topics on the histological diagnosis of GC, focusing on the current role of Laurén classification and the potential value of new histological features in GC, such as inflammatory infiltration and tumor budding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Díaz Del Arco
- Department of Surgical Pathology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. .,Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Ortega Medina
- Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Surgical Pathology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Mª Jesús Fernández Aceñero
- Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Surgical Pathology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
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