Increased tumor-infiltrating plasmacytoid dendritic cells promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion via TNF-α/NF-κB/CXCR-4 pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Type I conventional dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells predict favorable clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common tumor entities worldwide, with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection contributing to cancer development. Conventional therapies achieve only limited efficiency, especially in recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. As the immune landscape decisively impacts the survival of patients and treatment efficacy, this study comprehensively investigated the immunological tumor microenvironment (TME) and its association with patient outcome, with special focus on several dendritic cell (DC) and T lymphocyte subpopulations. Therefore, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples of 56 HNSCC patients, who have undergone resection and adjuvant radiotherapy, were analyzed by multiplex immunohistochemistry focusing on the detailed phenotypic characterization and spatial distribution of DCs, CD8+ T cells, and T-helper cell subsets in different tumor compartments. Immune cell densities and proportions were correlated with clinical characteristics of the whole HNSCC cohort and different HPV- or hypoxia-associated subcohorts. Tumor stroma was highly infiltrated by plasmacytoid DCs and T lymphocytes. Among the T-helper cells and CD8+ T cells, stromal regulatory T cells and intraepithelial exhausted CD8+ T cells expressing programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1+) and/or lymphocyte-activation gene-3 (LAG-3+) were the predominant phenotypes, indicating an immunosuppressive TME. HPV-associated tumors showed significantly higher infiltration of type I and type II conventional DCs (cDC1, cDC2) as well as several CD8+ T cell phenotypes including exhausted, activated, and proliferating T cells. On the contrary, tumors with hypoxia-associated gene signatures exhibited reduced infiltration for these immune cells. By multivariate Cox regression, immune-related prognostic factors were identified. Patient clusters defined by high infiltration of DCs and T lymphocytes combined with HPV positivity or low hypoxia showed significantly prolonged survival. Thereby, cDC1 and CD8+ T cells emerged as independent prognostic factors for local and distant recurrence. These results might contribute to the implementation of an immune cell infiltration score predicting HNSCC patients' survival and such patient stratification might improve the design of future individualized radiochemo-(immuno)therapies.

Dendritic cells as orchestrators of anticancer immunity and immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous group of antigen-presenting innate immune cells that regulate adaptive immunity, including against cancer. Therefore, understanding the precise activities of DCs in tumours and patients with cancer is important. The classification of DC subsets has historically been based on ontogeny; however, single-cell analyses are now additionally revealing a diversity of functional states of DCs in cancer. DCs can promote the activation of potent antitumour T cells and immune responses via numerous mechanisms, although they can also be hijacked by tumour-mediated factors to contribute to immune tolerance and cancer progression. Consequently, DC activities are often key determinants of the efficacy of immunotherapies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Potentiating the antitumour functions of DCs or using them as tools to orchestrate short-term and long-term anticancer immunity has immense but as-yet underexploited therapeutic potential. In this Review, we outline the nature and emerging complexity of DC states as well as their functions in regulating adaptive immunity across different cancer types. We also describe how DCs are required for the success of current immunotherapies and explore the inherent potential of targeting DCs for cancer therapy. We focus on novel insights on DCs derived from patients with different cancers, single-cell studies of DCs and their relevance to therapeutic strategies.

Exploring the function of myeloid cells in promoting metastasis in head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a challenging disease that lacks effective treatment, particularly in the cases that spread locoregionally and metastasize distantly, dramatically reducing patient survival rates. Expanding the understanding of the mechanisms of the metastatic cascade is critical for creating more effective therapeutics that improve outcomes for HNC patients. A true grasp of cancer metastasis requires the consideration of all cell types that contribute to the inflammatory HNC microenvironment as drivers of this process. More emphasis now is being placed on exploring the roles of the different immune cells in cancer control, tumorigenesis and metastasis. Myeloid cells are the most numerous immune cell types in the body, and they are actively recruited and reprogrammed by tumor cells to behave in a variety of ways. These cells are remarkably diverse in phenotype and function, and the part they play in tumor spread greatly differs based on the cell type. This review will focus on summarizing the roles of macrophages, neutrophils, myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and dendritic cells (DCs) in driving HNC metastasis by examining the current knowledge base and offering potential new routes through which to target and treat this deadly process.

The Role of Inflammation-Associated Factors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which originates in the head or neck tissues, is characterized by high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Inflammation is important in HNSCC prognosis. Inflammatory cells and their secreted factors contribute to the various stages of HNSCC development through multiple mechanisms. In this review, the mechanisms through which inflammatory factors, signaling pathways, and cells contribute to the initiation and progression of HNSCC have been discussed in detail. Furthermore, the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of targeting inflammation in HNSCC has been discussed to gain new insights into improving patient prognosis.

Targeted therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) originates from the squamous epithelium of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. HNSCC in the oral cavity and larynx is strongly associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, while oropharyngeal cancer is increasingly attributed to infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly HPV-16. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex network of cancer cells, immune cells, stromal cells, surrounding blood vessels, and signaling molecules, and plays a critical role in tumor cell survival, invasion, and recurrence. Therefore, it is critical to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between tumor cells and the TME in order to develop innovative anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.

The Three-Dimensional In Vitro Cell Culture Models in the Study of Oral Cancer Immune Microenvironment

The onset and progression of oral cancer are accompanied by a dynamic interaction with the host immune system, and the immune cells within the tumor microenvironment play a pivotal role in the development of the tumor. By exploring the cellular immunity of oral cancer, we can gain insight into the contribution of both tumor cells and immune cells to tumorigenesis. This understanding is crucial for developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies to combat oral cancer. Studies of cancer immunology present unique challenges in terms of modeling due to the extraordinary complexity of the immune system. With its multitude of cellular components, each with distinct subtypes and various activation states, the immune system interacts with cancer cells and other components of the tumor, ultimately shaping the course of the disease. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture methods fall short of capturing these intricate cellular interactions. Mouse models enable us to learn about tumor biology in complicated and dynamic physiological systems but have limitations as the murine immune system differs significantly from that of humans. In light of these challenges, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems offer an alternative approach to studying cancer immunology and filling the existing gaps in available models. These 3D culture models provide a means to investigate complex cellular interactions that are difficult to replicate in 2D cultures. The direct study of the interaction between immune cells and cancer cells of human origin offers a more relevant and representative platform compared to mouse models, enabling advancements in our understanding of cancer immunology. This review explores commonly used 3D culture models and highlights their significant contributions to expanding our knowledge of cancer immunology. By harnessing the power of 3D culture systems, we can unlock new insights that pave the way for improved strategies in the battle against oral cancer.

Identification of key genes and pathways in atherosclerosis using integrated bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that might induce severe cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. These risk factors in the pathogenesis of AS remain uncertain and further research is needed. This study aims to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of AS by bioinformatics analyses.

METHODS

GSE100927 gene expression profiles, including 69 AS samples and 35 healthy controls, were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database and indenfied for key genes and pathways in AS.

RESULTS

A total of 443 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control and AS were identified, including 323 down-regulated genes and 120 up-regulated genes. The Gene ontology terms enriched by the up-regulated DEGs were associated with the regulation of leukocyte activation, endocytic vesicle, and cytokine binding, while the down-regulated DEGs were associated with negative regulation of cell growth, extracellular matrix, and G protein-coupled receptor binding. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the up-regulated DEGs were enriched in Osteoclast differentiation and Phagosome, while the down-regulated DEGs were enriched in vascular smooth muscle contraction and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. Using the modular analysis of Cytoscape, we identified 3 modules mainly involved in Leishmaniasis and Osteoclast differentiation. The GSEA analysis showed the up-regulated gene sets were enriched in the ribosome, ascorbated metabolism, and propanoate metabolism. The LASSO Cox regression analysis showed the top 3 genes were TNF, CX3CR1, and COL1R1. Finally, we found these immune cells were conferred significantly higher infiltrating density in the AS group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed the pathway of Osteoclast differentiation and Leishmaniasis was involved in the AS process and we developed a three-gene model base on the prognosis of AS. These findings clarified the gene regulatory network of AS and may provide a novel target for AS therapy.

CCR9-CCL25 mediated plasmacytoid dendritic cell homing and contributed the immunosuppressive microenvironment in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVES

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a crucial role in the microenvironment of tumor. Evidences has been shown that chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) is an important molecule that attracts pDCs homing to the digestive tract and the latter are involved in the formation of digestive tract immune tolerance. The aim of this study was to explore the role of CCR9-CCL25 interaction in pDC-mediated immunosuppression microenvironment of gastric cancer (GC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and pDCs were detected by immunohistochemistry. CCR9, which expressed on pDC was visualized by immunofluorescence. Western Blot was applied to evaluate the expression of CCL-25. Total pDCs, CCR9+pDCs, CCR9-pDCs, total Tregs, inducible costimulator + (ICOS) Tregs and ICOS-Tregs in peripheral blood and draining lymph nodes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Plasma concentration of the cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay RESULTS: Total Tregs, pDCs and CCR9+pDCs were higher in GC tissue. CCL-25 was over-expressed in carcinoma tissue. Peripheral total pDCs, CCR9-pDCs, total Tregs, ICOS+ Tregs, ICOS- Tregs were significantly increased in GC patients. More total pDCs, CCR9+ pDCs, total Tregs, ICOS+ Tregs were found in metastatic lymph nodes. Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly higher in GC patients. More CCR9+ pDCs were found infiltrating carcinoma tissue in patients with later T staging and lymph node metastasis and conferred a poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

CCR9-CCL25 interaction might play an important role in mediating PDC homing to metastatic lymph nodes and carcinoma tissue, which contributed to the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment and poor prognosis.

The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.

Immunology of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-A Comprehensive Insight with Recent Concepts

This review aims to understand the concept of oral cancer immunology through the notion of immune profiling, immunoediting and immunotherapy, and to gain knowledge regarding its application for the management of oral cancer patients. Oral cancer is an immunogenic tumor where the cells of the tumor microenvironment play an important role in tumorigenesis. Understanding the mechanism of these modulations can help design immunotherapeutic strategies in oral cancer patients. This article gives an overview of immunomodulation in the oral cancer tumor microenvironment, with concepts of immune profiling, immunoediting and immunotherapy. English literature searches via Google Scholar, Web of Science, EBSCO, Scopus, and PubMed database were performed with the key words immunology, tumor microenvironment, cells, cross talk, immune profiling, biomarkers, inflammation, gene expression, techniques, immunoediting, immunosurveillance, tumor escape, immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines in cancer, oral cancer, and head and neck cancer. Original research articles, reviews, and case reports published from 2016-2021 (n = 81) were included to appraise different topics, and were discussed under the following subsections. Literature published on oral cancer immunology reveals that oral cancer immune profiling with appropriate markers and techniques and knowledge on immunoediting concepts can help design and play an effective role in immunotherapeutic management of oral cancer patients. An evaluation of oral cancer immunology helps to determine its role in tumorigenesis, and immunotherapy could be the emerging drift in the effective management of oral cancer.

Immune Cells in Head-and-Neck Tumor Microenvironments

Head-and-neck cancers constitute a heterogeneous group of aggressive tumors with high incidence and low survival rates, collectively being the sixth most prevalent cancer type globally. About 90% of head-and-neck cancers are classified as squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). The innate and adaptive immune systems, indispensable for anti-cancer immune surveillance, largely define the rates of HNSCC emergence and progression. HNSCC microenvironments harbor multiple cell types that infiltrate the tumors and interact both with tumor cells and among themselves. Gradually, tumor cells learn to manipulate the immune system, either by adapting their own immunogenicity or through the release of immunosuppressive molecules. These interactions continuously evolve and shape the tumor microenvironment, both structurally and functionally, facilitating angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis. Our understanding of this evolution is directly related to success in the development of advanced therapies. This review focuses on the key mechanisms that rule HNSCC infiltration, featuring particular immune cell types and their roles in the pathogenesis. A close focus on the tumor-immunity interactions will help identify new immunotherapeutic targets in patients with HNSCC.

Understanding the functional inflammatory factors involved in therapeutic response to immune checkpoint inhibitors for pan-cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) fight tumor progression by activating immune conditions. The inflammatory factors are playing a functional role in programmed death-1 (PD-1) or other immune checkpoints. They are involved in regulating the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), the only predictor recognized by the guidelines in response to ICIs. In addition, abundant components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) all interact with various immune factors contributing to the response to ICIs, including infiltration of various immune cells, extracellular matrix, and fibroblasts. Notably, the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients receiving ICIs is increasingly observed in sundry organs. IrAEs are often regarded as an inflammatory factor-mediated positive feedback loop associated with better response to ICIs. It deserves attention because inflammatory factors were observed to be different when targeting different immune checkpoints or in the presence of different irAEs. In the present review, we address the research progresses on regulating inflammatory factors for an intentional controlling anti-cancer response with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The Role of Immune Modulatory Cytokines in the Tumor Microenvironments of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Simple Summary

Malignant phenotypes of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are regulated by the pro- and anti-tumoral activities of immune modulatory cytokines associated with tumor microenvironments (TMEs). We first present the immune modulatory effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines, pro- and anti- (pro-/anti-) inflammatory cytokines, and anti-inflammatory cytokines upon HNSCC phenotypes. We then report our evaluation of the functions of cytokines and chemokines that mediate the crosstalk between tumors and stromal cells, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). In HNSCCs, the status of lymph node metastasis is an important hallmark of a worse prognosis. Several chemokines mediate lymph node metastases in HNSCC patients. There are therapeutic approaches, using antitumoral cytokines or immunotherapies, that target cytokines, chemokines, or signal molecules essential for the immune evasion of HNSCCs. Finally, modulation by human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in HNSCC phenotypes and the prognostic significance of serum cytokine levels in HNSCC patients are discussed.

Abstract

HNSCCs are the major progressive malignancy of the upper digestive and respiratory organs. Malignant phenotypes of HNSCCs are regulated by the pro- and anti-tumoral activities of the immune modulatory cytokines associated with TMEs, i.e., a representative pro-inflammatory cytokine, interferon (IFN)-γ, plays a role as an anti-tumor regulator against HNSCCs; however, IFN-γ also drives programmed death-ligand (PD-L) 1 expression to promote cancer stem cells. Interleukin (IL)-2 promotes the cytotoxic activity of T cells and natural killer cells; however, endogenous IL-2 can promote regulatory T cells (Tregs), resulting in the protection of HNSCCs. In this report, we first classified and mentioned the immune modulatory aspects of pro-inflammatory cytokines, pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines, and anti-inflammatory cytokines upon HNSCC phenotypes. In the TME of HNSCCs, pro-tumoral immune modulation is mediated by stromal cells, including CAFs, MDSCs, pDCs, and TAMs. Therefore, we evaluated the functions of cytokines and chemokines that mediate the crosstalk between tumor cells and stromal cells. In HNSCCs, the status of lymph node metastasis is an important hallmark of a worse prognosis. We therefore evaluated the possibility of chemokines mediating lymph node metastases in HNSCC patients. We also mention therapeutic approaches using anti-tumoral cytokines or immunotherapies that target cytokines, chemokines, or signal molecules essential for the immune evasion of HNSCCs. We finally discuss modulation by HPV infection upon HNSCC phenotypes, as well as the prognostic significance of serum cytokine levels in HNSCC patients.

Genetic Cross-Talk between Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Type 2 Diabetes: The Potential Role of Immunity

Background. This bioinformatics study was aimed at evaluating type 2 diabetes (T2D) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with regard to related immune cells and prognosis. Methods. We downloaded the data on OSCC from TCGA and for T2D from GEO database. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed, i.e., for OSCC genes with $p\text{value}<0.01$ , $\left|\log 2\left(\text{FC}\right)\right|>0$ ; and for T2D, genes with $p\text{value}<0.05$ , $\left|\log 2\left(\text{FC}\right)\right|>0$ . The intersected genes between OSCC and T2D were cross-talk genes. The expression values of immune-related genes in case samples in OSCC and T2D were assessed and underwent multivariate and univariate analysis (Cox-PH model). The intersection between the immune genes and cross-talk genes was taken and further analyzed by recursive feature elimination (RFE), survival analysis, and ROC analysis. Results. 1008 cross-talk genes were acquired, including 28 common upregulated, 440 common downregulated, and 540 differently regulated DEGs. We extracted the gene expression value of 782 immune-related genes, of which seven increased immune cells were obtained. From the results, plasmacytoid dendritic cells and effector memory CD8 T cells were highly negatively correlated in both OSCC and T2D. After estimating a low- and high-risk model for survival, we found that activated dendritic cell was significantly different between high and low groups ( $p=0.0095$ ), followed by plasmacytoid dendritic cell. We integrated DE_Immune genes set 1 and DE_Immune genes set 2 and eight key immune-related cross-talk genes (C1QC, ABCD1, NOS2, PDIA4, IL1RN, ALOX15, CSE1L, and PSMC4) were evaluated. After ROC analysis, we obtained that ABCD1, C1QC, CSE1L, and PSMC4 had higher classification and prediction effects on OSCC and T2D. Conclusion. This study revealed a close relationship between T2D and OSCC. Thereby, plasmacytoid dendritic cell and activated dendritic cell-related genes were associated with the survival of T2D-related OSCC, while ABCD1, C1QC, CSE1L, and PSMC4 were the most important immune-related cross-talk genes.

Tumor-associated human dendritic cell subsets: phenotype, functional orientation, and clinical relevance

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in orchestrating innate and adaptive antitumor immunity. Activated DCs can produce large amounts of various proinflammatory cytokines, initiate T cell responses, and exhibit direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells. They also efficiently enhance the antitumoral properties of natural killer cells and T lymphocytes. Based on these capabilities, immunogenic DCs promote tumor elimination and are associated with improved survival of patients. Furthermore, they can essentially contribute to the clinical efficacy of immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer patients. However, depending on their intrinsic properties and the tumor microenvironment, DCs can be rendered dysfunctional and mediate tolerance by producing immunosuppressive cytokines and activating regulatory T cells. Such tolerogenic DCs can foster tumor progression and are linked to poor prognosis of patients. Here, we focus on recent studies exploring the phenotype, functional orientation, and clinical relevance of tumor-infiltrating conventional DC1, conventional DC2, plasmacytoid DCs, and monocyte-derived DCs in translational and clinical settings. In addition, recent findings demonstrating the influence of DCs on the efficacy of immunotherapeutic strategies are summarized. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Role of the Tumor Microenvironment and the Influence of Epigenetics on the Tumor Microenvironment in Oral Carcinogenesis: Potential Implications

Oral cancer has become a significant problem throughout the world, particularly in countries that are still developing. Recent literature supports the contribution of components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the effect of epigenetic changes happening in the cells of the TME on oral cancer development and progression. In this review, we comprehensively examine the significance of TME in the development of OC along with the current understanding of the epigenetic modifications that regulate the TME and their cohesive impact on tumor traits and their potential as therapeutic targets.

The expression and clinical value of tumor infiltrating dendritic cells in tumor tissues of patients with esophageal cancer

Background

As dendritic cells (DCs) are the major antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, understanding their role in esophageal cancer is essential for the development of preventative and treatment strategies. This study investigated the expression level and clinical value of tumor infiltrating dendritic cells (TIDCs) in tumor tissues of patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods

From January 2019 to January 2021, 184 patients with esophageal cancer treated were prospectively enrolled as the observation group and 184 patients with benign esophageal tumors were selected as the control group. Tumor tissue samples were obtained and the expression level and phenotypes of the TIDCs were analyzed. The correlation between TIDC expression and clinical characteristics of patients with esophageal cancer was investigated.

Results

The density of the TIDCs in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (8.76±2.25 vs. 9.97±2.19; P=0.000). Furthermore, the percentage of major histocompatibility complex-II (MHC-II) positive DCs and the percentage of CD54 positive DCs were relatively lower in the observation group compared to the control group (6.60%±2.12% vs. 9.34%±2.41%; P=0.000 and 7.41%±2.36% vs. 9.98%±2.47%; P=0.000, respectively). Esophageal cancer patients with lymph node metastasis had lower TIDC density, lower percentage of MHC-II positive DCs, and lower percentage of CD54 positive DCs compared to patients without node metastasis (P<0.05). Patients with stage III esophageal cancer also showed significantly lower TIDC density, lower percentage of MHC-II positive DCs, and lower percentage of CD54 positive DCs compared to patients with stage I/II esophageal cancer (P<0.05). Esophageal cancer patients with tumor diameter ≥4 cm presented with decreased TIDC density, decreased percentage of MHC-II positive DCs, and decreased percentage of CD54 positive DCs compared to patients with tumor diameter <4 cm (P<0.05). In addition, the density of TIDCs, the percentage of MHC-II positive DCs, and the percentage of CD54 positive DCs were significantly negatively correlated with the percentage of CD4⁺ T-lymphocytes and positively correlated with the percentage of CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Patients with esophageal cancer had low expression and function of TIDCs, and this was related to the imbalance of T-lymphocyte subsets, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and lesion size.

Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation proteomics reveals protein modification alteration in the actin cytoskeleton pathway of oral squamous cell carcinoma

As the most commonplace malignant carcinoma in the oral cavity, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is highly invasive and prone to recurrence. The nosogenesis of OSCC are affected by epigenetics. Recently, a newly-found post-translational modification of lysine, 2-hydroxyisobutylation (Khib), has been proved to play a critical role in biological regulation. However, no research has evaluated the mechanism of Khib in oral cancer. Here, we performed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics combined with bioinformatics analysis to reveal and evaluate Khib protein alterations in OSCC. Numerous proteins in OSCC undergo up-regulated modification of Khib. We quantified and identified 967 proteins with differential expression levels, and 617 2-hydroxyisobutylated proteins with 938 Khib sites. Among them, 125 proteins both differentially expressed and accompanied by obvious Khib modification were further identified and analyzed through KEGG-based and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). These proteins are enriched in the actin cytoskeleton regulatory pathway, and IPA predicted that they alter the state of actin aggregation and stability, hence impacting and regulating the actin cytoskeleton in OSCC. This is the first 2-hydroxyisobutylated modification proteomics performed for OSCC. Khib protein is significantly concentrated in the actin cytoskeleton regulatory pathway, indicating that this pathway may mediate the tumorigenesis or exacerbation of OSCC. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study that revealed the alterations of Khib protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma through LC-MS/MS-based modified proteomic. Our data showed that the protein in the actin cytoskeleton regulatory pathway was underwent significant Khib modification and abundance changes. We applied predictive function in IPA software to analyze and clarify that the aggregation of actin and the regulation of actin stability that mediated by the actin cytoskeleton regulatory pathway may be the potential mechanism of the occurrence and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Our research broadens the understanding of the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma and provides new insights for future research.

YAP1 Overexpression Is Associated with Kidney Dysfunction in Lupus Nephritis

OBJECTIVE

The goal of the present study was to determine the expression of yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) in renal tissues of mice with lupus nephritis (LN) and elucidate its role in the progression of renal fibrosis.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice and MRL/lpr mice were selected for experimental comparison. Mouse kidney tissues were removed and sectioned for hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichome staining, Sirius staining, and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein levels of YAP1 in mouse kidney tissues were detected, and the correlation between YAP1 and fibronectin (FN) mRNA levels was analyzed. Mouse renal epithelial cells were used for in vitro experiments. After transfection and stimulation, the cells were divided into 4 groups, namely the C57BL/6 serum group (group 1), the MRL/lpr serum group (group 2), the MRL/lpr serum + siRNA-negative control group (group 3), and the MRL/lpr serum + siRNA-YAP1 group (group 4). Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in each group were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and urinary protein levels were detected and assessed for their correlation with YAP1 mRNA levels by Spearman's analysis.

RESULTS

Compared to C57BL/6 mice, MRL/lpr mice exhibited obvious changes in fibrosis in renal tissues. In addition, YAP1 expression was significantly higher in the renal tissues of MRL/lpr mice than in those of C57BL/6 mice, and YAP1 mRNA levels were positively correlated with those of FN. YAP1 silencing in lupus serum-stimulated cells could effectively relieve serum-induced EMT. Finally, we observed that YAP1 mRNA levels in mouse kidney tissue were significantly and positively correlated with the degree of renal function injury.

CONCLUSION

YAP1 expression in the kidney tissues of LN mice was higher than that observed in normal mice, indicating that YAP1 may play an important role in the occurrence and development of LN.