IL10-modified Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells inhibit Pancreatic Cancer growth through Angiogenesis Inhibition

Role of Interleukins in Pancreatic Cancer: A Literature Review

PURPOSE

This review article summarizes the pathophysiological aspects of interleukins (ILs) including IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, and IL-10 in pancreatic cancer (PC).

METHODS

Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar were used for the literature review. The search was conducted until August 12, 2024, and particular keywords such as "Pancreatic Cancer," "Interleukins," "Pathophysiological Aspects," "Immunosuppression," "Invasiveness," and "Metastasis" were used. Focusing on interleukins related to pancreatic cancer, 61 original studies were included: 32 studies for human patients, 16 studies for animal models, and 13 studies for both animal models and human patients. All types of PC were considered. The timeframe of 1991 to 2024 was chosen for clinical studies.

RESULTS

In epithelial pancreatic tumors, IL-1 is a major inflammation factor. Serum concentrations of soluble interleukin-2-receptor were considerably greater in patients with PC and chronic pancreatitis than in healthy individuals. In comparison to controls, pancreatic cancer patients had considerably greater levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor and significantly lower levels of stem cell factor and IL-3. The tissues and cells of pancreatic cancer have higher concentrations of IL-4 receptors. IL-5 has a role in the accumulation of pancreatic fibrosis. For individuals with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a high serum level of IL-6 may be a separate risk factor for the development of widespread liver metastases. PDAC patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibit a substantial upregulation of IL-7 receptor. The role of IL-8 in the growth and spread of PC in humans. The miR-200a/β-catenin axis may be the mechanism by which IL-9 stimulates the proliferation and metastasis of PC cells. Blocking IL-10 in the local microenvironment appears to result in a significant reversal of tumor-induced immunosuppression.

CONCLUSION

The article concludes that interleukins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 played significant roles in the pathogenesis of PC.

Cytokines and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Exploring Their Relationship with Molecular Subtypes and Prognosis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by its poor prognosis. The current challenge remains the absence of predictive biomarkers. Cytokines are crucial factors in the pathogenesis and prognosis of PDAC. Furthermore, there is growing interest in differentiating between molecular subtypes of PDAC. The aim of our study is to evaluate the association between the analyzed cytokines and the molecular subtypes of PDAC and to determine their prognostic value. Cytokine levels were measured in 73 patients, and molecular subtypes were analyzed in 34 of these patients. Transforming Growth Factor Beta 2 (TGF-β2) levels were independently associated with the basal-like and null subtypes. In patients with locally advanced and metastatic PDAC, elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, and IL-15 were associated with a higher risk of progression during first-line treatment, and increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, and IL-15 were related to increased mortality. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between higher percentiles of IL-6 and IL-8 and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) during first-line treatment, and between higher percentiles of IL-8 and shorter overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis, only elevated levels of IL-8 were independently associated with a higher risk of progression during first-line treatment and mortality. In conclusion, the results of our study suggest that cytokine expression varies according to the molecular subtype of PDAC and that cytokines also play a relevant role in patient prognosis.

Nanotechnology and bioengineering approaches to improve the potency of mesenchymal stem cell as an off-the-shelf versatile tumor delivery vehicle

Targeting actionable mutations in oncogene-driven cancers and the evolution of immuno-oncology are the two prominent revolutions that have influenced cancer treatment paradigms and caused the emergence of precision oncology. However, intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity are the main challenges in both fields of precision cancer treatment. In other words, finding a universal marker or pathway in patients suffering from a particular type of cancer is challenging. Therefore, targeting a single hallmark or pathway with a single targeted therapeutic will not be efficient for fighting against tumor heterogeneity. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess favorable characteristics for cellular therapy, including their hypoimmune nature, inherent tumor-tropism property, straightforward isolation, and multilineage differentiation potential. MSCs can be loaded with various chemotherapeutics and oncolytic viruses. The combination of these intrinsic features with the possibility of genetic manipulation makes them a versatile tumor delivery vehicle that can be used for in vivo selective tumor delivery of various chemotherapeutic and biological therapeutics. MSCs can be used as biofactory for the local production of chemical or biological anticancer agents at the tumor site. MSC-mediated immunotherapy could facilitate the sustained release of immunotherapeutic agents specifically at the tumor site, and allow for the achievement of therapeutic concentrations without the need for repetitive systemic administration of high therapeutic doses. Despite the enthusiasm evoked by preclinical studies that used MSC in various cancer therapy approaches, the translation of MSCs into clinical applications has faced serious challenges. This manuscript, with a critical viewpoint, reviewed the preclinical and clinical studies that have evaluated MSCs as a selective tumor delivery tool in various cancer therapy approaches, including gene therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Then, the novel nanotechnology and bioengineering approaches that can improve the potency of MSC for tumor targeting and overcoming challenges related to their low localization at the tumor sites are discussed.

Bioengineered Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Anti-Cancer Therapy: Current Trends and Future Prospects

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are one of the most widely used cell types in advanced therapies due to their therapeutic potential in the regulation of tissue repair and homeostasis, and immune modulation. However, their use in cancer therapy is controversial: they can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, but also potentially promote tumour growth by supporting angiogenesis, modulation of the immune milieu and increasing cancer stem cell invasiveness. This opposite behaviour highlights the need for careful and nuanced use of MSCs in cancer treatment. To optimize their anti-cancer effects, diverse strategies have bioengineered MSCs to enhance their tumour targeting and therapeutic properties or to deliver anti-cancer drugs. In this review, we highlight the advanced uses of MSCs in cancer therapy, particularly as carriers of targeted treatments due to their natural tumour-homing capabilities. We also discuss the potential of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles to improve the efficiency of drug or molecule delivery to cancer cells. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the therapeutic potential of these cells and setting the stage for future advances in MSC-based cancer treatment. It is critical to identify the broad and potent applications of bioengineered MSCs in solid tumour targeting and anti-cancer agent delivery to position them as effective therapeutics in the evolving field of cancer therapy.

Prognostic Value of Histone Acetyl Transferase 1 (HAT-1) and Inflammatory Signatures in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a type of gastrointestinal tumor with a growing incidence and mortality worldwide. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) constitutes 90% of cases, and late-stage diagnosis is common, leading to a 5-year survival rate of less than 10% in high-income countries. The use of biomarkers has different proven translational applications, facilitating early diagnosis, accurate prognosis and identification of potential therapeutic targets. Several studies have shown a correlation between the tissue expression levels of various molecules, measured through immunohistochemistry (IHC), and survival rates in PDAC. Following the hallmarks of cancer, epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming, together with immune evasion and tumor-promoted inflammation, plays a critical role in cancer initiation and development. In this study, we aim to explore via IHC and Kaplan-Meier analyses the prognostic value of various epigenetic-related markers (histones 3 and 4 (H3/H4), histone acetyl transferase 1 (HAT-1), Anti-Silencing Function 1 protein (ASF1), Nuclear Autoantigenic Sperm Protein (NASP), Retinol Binding Protein 7 (RBBP7), importin 4 (IPO4) and IPO5), metabolic regulators (Phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM)) and inflammatory mediators (allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), IL-12A and IL-18) in patients with PDAC. Also, through a correlation analysis, we have explored the possible interconnections in the expression levels of these molecules. Our results show that higher expression levels of these molecules are directly associated with poorer survival rates in PDAC patients, except in the case of IL-10, which shows an inverse association with mortality. HAT1 was the molecule more clearly associated with mortality, with a hazard risk of 21.74. The correlogram demonstrates an important correlation between almost all molecules studied (except in the case of IL-18), highlighting potential interactions between these molecules. Overall, our study demonstrates the relevance of including different markers from IHC techniques in order to identify unexplored molecules to develop more accurate prognosis methods and possible targeted therapies. Additionally, our correlation analysis reveals potential interactions among these markers, offering insights into PDAC's pathogenesis and paving the way for targeted therapies tailored to individual patient profiles. Future studies should be conducted to confirm the prognostic value of these components in PDAC in a broader sample size, as well as to evaluate the possible biological networks connecting them.

Could senescence phenotypes strike the balance to promote tumor dormancy?

After treatment and surgery, patient tumors can initially respond followed by a rapid relapse, or respond well and seemingly be cured, but then recur years or decades later. The state of surviving cancer cells during the long, undetected period is termed dormancy. By definition, the dormant tumor cells do not proliferate to create a mass that is detectable or symptomatic, but also never die. An intrinsic state and microenvironment that are inhospitable to the tumor would bias toward cell death and complete eradication, while conditions that favor the tumor would enable growth and relapse. In neither case would clinical dormancy be observed. Normal cells and tumor cells can enter a state of cellular senescence after stress such as that caused by cancer therapy. Senescence is characterized by a stable cell cycle arrest mediated by chromatin modifications that cause gene expression changes and a secretory phenotype involving many cytokines and chemokines. Senescent cell phenotypes have been shown to be both tumor promoting and tumor suppressive. The balance of these opposing forces presents an attractive model to explain tumor dormancy: phenotypes of stable arrest and immune suppression could promote survival, while reversible epigenetic programs combined with cytokines and growth factors that promote angiogenesis, survival, and proliferation could initiate the emergence from dormancy. In this review, we examine the phenotypes that have been characterized in different normal and cancer cells made senescent by various stresses and how these might explain the characteristics of tumor dormancy.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Based Targeted Therapy Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with high mortality rates and poor prognoses. Despite rapid progress in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, the efficacy of current therapeutic strategies remains limited. Hence, better alternative therapeutic options for treating pancreatic cancer need to be urgently explored. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have recently received much attention as a potential therapy for pancreatic cancer owing to their tumor-homing properties. However, the specific antitumor effect of MSCs is still controversial. To this end, we aimed to focus on the potential anti-cancer treatment prospects of the MSC-based approach and summarize current challenges in the clinical application of MSCs to treat pancreatic cancer.

Interleukin gene delivery for cancer gene therapy: In vitro and in vivo studies

Cytokine-mediated cancer therapy has the potential to enhance immunotherapeutic approaches and cancer elimination plans through the endowing of the immune system by providing improved anticancer immunity. Despite the encouraging pioneer studies on interleukins (ILs), the influence of ILs-originated therapeutics is still restricted by a class of potent immunoregulatory cytokines, systemic dose-limiting toxicities, ILs pleiotropy, and administration issues. During previous years, the area of transferring genes encoding immunostimulatory ILs was fundamentally widened to overcome these challenges and expedite ILs-based tumor regression. Numerous viral and non-viral delivery systems are currently available to act as crucial elements of the gene therapy toolbox. Moreover, cell-based cancer therapies are recruiting MSCs in the role of versatile gene delivery platforms to design one of the promising therapeutic approaches. These formulated gene carrier systems can provide possible alternatives to diminish dose-limiting adverse effects, promote administration, and enhance the therapeutic activity of ILs-derived treatment modalities in cancer treatment. This review provides a discussion on the advances of ILs gene delivery systems while focusing on the developing platforms in preclinical cancer immunogene therapy studies.

Application of mesenchymal stem cells in tumor therapy

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that exist widely in the human body, which can self-renewal and differentiate into different types of cell. Due to its advantages of tumor tissue tropism and easy to be engineered, it has been widely used in cancer treatment research recently. However, the tumor-promoting or anti-tumor effect of MSCs is controversial, especially for unmodified MSCs. Therefore, researchers are more inclined to use MSCs as carriers to engineer them. With the deepening in understanding of vesicles, it is found that the vesicles derived from MSCs seem to have greater advantages as carriers. Although the current research of MSCs in the treatment of tumors has been initiated in the clinic, there are still many problems to be solved in the pre-clinical application.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Derived Exosomes Promote Malignant Phenotype of Polyploid Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells through AMPK Signaling Pathway

Chemotherapy is an important method for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it can lead to side effects and polyploid cancer cells. The polyploid cancer cells can live and generate daughter cancer cells via budding. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells with repair and regeneration functions and can resist tissue damage caused by tumor therapy. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of MSCs and their derived exosomes on the biological characteristics of polyploid NSCLC cells and the potential mechanisms. We found that MSC conditioned medium (CM), MSCs, and MSC-exosomes had no effect on cell proliferation of the polyploid A549 and H1299 cells. Compared with the control group, MSCs and MSC-exosomes significantly promoted epithelial mesenchymal transformation, cell migration, antiapoptosis, and autophagy in the polyploid A549 and H1299 by activating AMPK signaling pathway, but no significant changes were observed in MSC-CM treatment. These results revealed that MSCs and MSC-exosomes promoted malignant phenotype of polyploid NSCLC cells through the AMPK signaling pathway.

The Roles of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were reported to have strong immunomodulatory ability, and inhibit the proliferation of T cells and their immune response through cell-to-cell interactions and the generation of cytokines. With high differentiation potential and self-renewal ability, MSCs are considered to function in alleviating inflammatory responses, promoting tissue regeneration and inhibiting tissue fibrosis formation. As the most common malignancies, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers have high incidence and mortality. The accurate diagnosis, exact prognosis and treatment of GI cancers have always been a hot topic. Therefore, the potential applications of MSCs in terms of GI cancers are receiving more and more attention. Recently, there is increasing evidence that MSCs may serve as a key point in the growth, metastasis, inhibition, treatment and prognosis of GI cancers. In this review, we summarized the roles of MSCs in GI cancers, mainly focusing on esophageal cancer (EC), gastric cancer (GC), liver cancer (LC), colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic cancer. Besides, we proposed MSCs as potential targets and treatment strategies for the effective treatment of GI cancers, which may provide better guidance for the clinical treatment of GI cancers.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy: Hope for Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease. Although previous studies have demonstrated that SLE is related to the imbalance of cells in the immune system, including B cells, T cells, and dendritic cells, etc., the mechanisms underlying SLE pathogenesis remain unclear. Therefore, effective and low side-effect therapies for SLE are lacking. Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for autoimmune diseases, particularly SLE, has gained increasing attention. This therapy can improve the signs and symptoms of refractory SLE by promoting the proliferation of Th2 and Treg cells and inhibiting the activity of Th1, Th17, and B cells, etc. However, MSC therapy is also reported ineffective in some patients with SLE, which may be related to MSC- or patient-derived factors. Therefore, the therapeutic effects of MSCs should be further confirmed. This review summarizes the status of MSC therapy in refractory SLE treatment and potential reasons for the ineffectiveness of MSC therapy from three perspectives. We propose various MSC modification methods that may be beneficial in enhancing the immunosuppression of MSCs in SLE. However, their safety and protective effects in patients with SLE still need to be confirmed by further experimental and clinical evidence.

The Current Status of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Controversies, Unresolved Issues and Some Promising Solutions to Improve Their Therapeutic Efficacy

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) currently constitute the most frequently used cell type in advanced therapies with different purposes, most of which are related with inflammatory processes. Although the therapeutic efficacy of these cells has been clearly demonstrated in different disease animal models and in numerous human phase I/II clinical trials, only very few phase III trials using MSCs have demonstrated the expected potential therapeutic benefit. On the other hand, diverse controversial issues on the biology and clinical applications of MSCs, including their specific phenotype, the requirement of an inflammatory environment to induce immunosuppression, the relevance of the cell dose and their administration schedule, the cell delivery route (intravascular/systemic vs. local cell delivery), and the selected cell product (i.e., use of autologous vs. allogeneic MSCs, freshly cultured vs. frozen and thawed MSCs, MSCs vs. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles, etc.) persist. In the current review article, we have addressed these issues with special emphasis in the new approaches to improve the properties and functional capabilities of MSCs after distinct cell bioengineering strategies.