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Zhang M, Liu C, Li Y, Li H, Zhang W, Liu J, Wang L, Sun C. Galectin-9 in cancer therapy: from immune checkpoint ligand to promising therapeutic target. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1332205. [PMID: 38264357 PMCID: PMC10803597 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1332205] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a vital member of the galectin family, functioning as a multi-subtype galactose lectin with diverse biological roles. Recent research has revealed that Gal-9's interaction with tumors is an independent factor that influences tumor progression. Furthermore, Gal-9 in the immune microenvironment cross-talks with tumor-associated immune cells, informing the clarification of Gal-9's identity as an immune checkpoint. A thorough investigation into Gal-9's role in various cancer types and its interaction with the immune microenvironment could yield novel strategies for subsequent targeted immunotherapy. This review focuses on the latest advances in understanding the direct and indirect cross-talk between Gal-9 and hematologic malignancies, in addition to solid tumors. In addition, we discuss the prospects of Gal-9 in tumor immunotherapy, including its cross-talk with the ligand TIM-3 and its potential in immune-combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minpu Zhang
- College of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cun Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Ye Li
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Huayao Li
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Jingyang Liu
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Liquan Wang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Weifang People’s Hospital, Weifang, China
| | - Changgang Sun
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, China
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Mackinnon AC, Tonev D, Jacoby B, Pinzani M, Slack RJ. Galectin-3: therapeutic targeting in liver disease. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:779-791. [PMID: 37705214 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2258280] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The rising incidence of liver diseases is a worldwide healthcare concern. However, the therapeutic options to manage chronic inflammation and fibrosis, the processes at the basis of morbidity and mortality of liver diseases, are very limited. Galectin 3 (Gal-3) is a protein implicated in fibrosis in multiple organs. Several Gal-3 inhibitors are currently in clinical development. AREAS COVERED This review describes our current understanding of the role of Gal-3 in chronic liver diseases, with special emphasis on fibrosis. Also, we review therapeutic advances based on Gal-3 inhibition, describing drug properties and their current status in clinical research. EXPERT OPINION Currently, the known effects of Gal-3 point to a direct activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome leading to its activation in liver macrophages and activated macrophages play a key role in tissue fibrogenesis. However, more research is needed to elucidate the role of Gal-3 in the different activation pathways, dissecting the intracellular and extracellular mechanisms of Gal-3, and its role in pathogenesis. Gal-3 could be a target for early therapy of numerous hepatic diseases and, given the lack of therapeutic options for liver fibrosis, there is a strong pharmacologic potential for Gal-3-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dimitar Tonev
- Galecto Biotech AB, Cobis Science Park, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brian Jacoby
- Galecto Biotech AB, Cobis Science Park, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert J Slack
- Galecto Biotech AB, Cobis Science Park, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Dong J, Zhang R, Xia Y, Jiang X, Zhou K, Li J, Guo M, Cao X, Zhang S. The necroptosis related gene LGALS3 can be used as a biomarker for the adverse progression from chronic HBV infection to HCC. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1142319. [PMID: 37180150 PMCID: PMC10169569 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1142319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains large, despite the remarkable effectiveness of antiviral drugs and vaccines for HBV in preventing and treating HBV infection. Necroptosis is closely related to the occurrence of inflammation, clearance of viral infection, and tumor progression. Presently, little is known about the changes in necroptosis-related genes in the progression from chronic HBV infection (CHI) to HBV-related hepatic fibrosis (HBV-HF) and HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). In this study, Cox regression analysis was performed using GSE14520 chip data and a necroptosis-related genes survival prognosis score (NRGPS) was established for HBV-HCC patients. NRGPS was constructed using three model genes (G6PD, PINK1 and LGALS3), and verified by data sequencing in the TCGA database. The HBV-HCC cell model was established by transfection of pAAV/HBV1.2C2, constructed by homologous recombination, into HUH7 and HEPG2 cells. The expression levels of G6PD, PINK1, and LGALS3 were detected using RT-qPCR. We further analyzed the expression of the model genes in GSE83148, GSE84044, and GSE14520 and found that LGALS3 was consistently highly expressed in CHI, high fibrosis score and high NRGPS. In addition, immune microenvironment analysis showed that LGALS3 was not only associated with the infiltration of regulatory T cells in the immune microenvironment but also with expression of CCL20 and CCR6. The expression levels of model genes, FOXP3 and CCR6, were analyzed using RT-qPCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 31 hepatitis B surface antibody positive patients, 30 CHI, 21 HBV-HF, and 20 HBV-HCC. In further cell-model experiments, we analyzed the expression of CCL20 by RT-qPCR and the changes in cell proliferation and migration by CCK8 and transwell assays, respectively, in HBV-HCC cell models after LGALS3 knockdown. The findings of this study suggest that LGALS3 could be a biomarker for adverse progression following chronic HBV infection and may also be involved in the regulation of the immune microenvironment, making it a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Dong
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Rongzheng Zhang
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan Xia
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xu Jiang
- Department of Parasitology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Kun Zhou
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Beidahuang Industry Group General Hospital Department of Clinical Laboratory, Harbin, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Mengrui Guo
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xinyang Cao
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Shuyun Zhang
- Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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Morishita A, Oura K, Tadokoro T, Shi T, Fujita K, Tani J, Atsukawa M, Masaki T. Galectin-9 in Gastroenterological Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076174. [PMID: 37047155 PMCID: PMC10094448 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunochemotherapy has become popular in recent years. The detailed mechanisms of cancer immunity are being elucidated, and new developments are expected in the future. Apoptosis allows tissues to maintain their form, quantity, and function by eliminating excess or abnormal cells. When apoptosis is inhibited, the balance between cell division and death is disrupted and tissue homeostasis is impaired. This leads to dysfunction and the accumulation of genetically abnormal cells, which can contribute to carcinogenesis. Lectins are neither enzymes nor antibodies but proteins that bind sugar chains. Among soluble endogenous lectins, galectins interact with cell surface sugar chains outside the cell to regulate signal transduction and cell growth. On the other hand, intracellular lectins are present at the plasma membrane and regulate signal transduction by regulating receptor–ligand interactions. Galectin-9 expressed on the surface of thymocytes induces apoptosis of T lymphocytes and plays an essential role in immune self-tolerance by negative selection in the thymus. Furthermore, the administration of extracellular galectin-9 induces apoptosis of human cancer and immunodeficient cells. However, the detailed pharmacokinetics of galectin-9 in vivo have not been elucidated. In addition, the cell surface receptors involved in galectin-9-induced apoptosis of cancer cells have not been identified, and the intracellular pathways involved in apoptosis have not been fully investigated. We have previously reported that galectin-9 induces apoptosis in various gastrointestinal cancers and suppresses tumor growth. However, the mechanism of galectin-9 and apoptosis induction in gastrointestinal cancers and the detailed mechanisms involved in tumor growth inhibition remain unknown. In this article, we review the effects of galectin-9 on gastrointestinal cancers and its mechanisms.
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Zhu J, Livasy C, Donahue EE, Symanowski JT, Grigg CM, Brown LC, Matulay JT, Kearns JT, Raghavan D, Burgess EF, Clark PE. Prognostic value of galectin-1 and galectin-3 expression in localized urothelial bladder cancer. Transl Androl Urol 2023; 12:228-240. [PMID: 36915891 PMCID: PMC10005997 DOI: 10.21037/tau-22-494] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Galectin-3 (Gal-3) are carbohydrate binding proteins with a wide range of biological activity, including regulation of cellular adhesion, proliferation, and apoptosis in solid tumors. Prior small studies have reported that Gal-3 expression is associated with progression of disease in urothelial carcinoma (UC), from non-muscle invasive UC progression to muscle invasive UC. We assessed Gal-1 and Gal-3 protein expression H-score utilizing a tissue microarray (TMA) created from 301 cystectomy specimens. Methods Immunohistochemistry for Gal-1 and Gal-3 was performed on TMA generated from tumor blocks from chemotherapy naïve cystectomy specimens. The variable of interest, H-score, was defined as the product of the percentage of cells staining positive (0-100) and intensity score (0-3) scored by a single pathologist. Survival end points were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox Proportional Hazards methods. Clinical data including Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), pathologic tumor (T) stage, tumor size, node stage, and surgical margins, were included in multivariable analysis. Results We found that Gal-1 and Gal-3 expression correlated with intratumoral T stage (median Gal-1 H-score was 0 across non-invasive tissue types and 200 in invasive, P<0.01 and median Gal-3 score was 270 across non-invasive tissue types and 70 in invasive, P<0.01). However, the highest intratumoral H-score per cystectomy core did not independently predict for recurrence-free survival (RFS) (Gal-1: HR =1.02, P=0.44, Gal-3: HR =1.01, P=0.65) or OS (Gal-1: HR =1.02, P=0.44, Gal-3: HR =1.01, P=0.72) in this cohort. Significant intratumoral heterogeneity was present for both Gal-1 and Gal-3, with an average difference between the highest and lowest H score was 95 for Gal-1 and 109 for Gal-3 for cystectomy specimens with more than one biopsy. Conclusions Gal-1 and Gal-3 H-score per bladder did not independently predict for RFS or OS. Intra-tumoral Gal-1/Gal-3 heterogeneity complicates the use of Gal-1 and Gal-3 expression as a prognostic biomarker. Future studies should consider the evaluation of serum and urinary galectins as an approach to mitigate tumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Zhu
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Chad Livasy
- Carolinas Pathology Group, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Erin E Donahue
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - James T Symanowski
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Claud M Grigg
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Landon C Brown
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | | | - James T Kearns
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Derek Raghavan
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | | | - Peter E Clark
- Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
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Akbar A, Asgarian-Omran H, Valadan R, Dindarloo MM, Najafi A, Kahrizi A, Poursheikhani A, Karami H, Naderi M, Sabeti S, Tehrani M. Expression of Galectin-9-related immune checkpoint receptors in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2023; 26:1468-1474. [PMID: 37970435 PMCID: PMC10634052 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2023.73159.15901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Exhausted CD8+ T-cells over-express immune checkpoint receptors (ICRs), which interact with their ligands on malignant cells. However, some ICRs have been reported to be expressed on both T-cells and tumor cells, including V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), Galectin-9, and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3). We aimed to evaluate the mRNA expression of VISTA, Galectin-9, and TIM-3 on CD8+ T-cells and leukemic cells in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Materials and Methods Samples were obtained from 26 untreated B-ALL patients and 25 control subjects. CD8+ T-cells were isolated using Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting (MACS). Relative gene expression was then evaluated by qRT-PCR with specific primers for VISTA, Galectin-9, and TIM-3. Also, the mRNA expression profile and clinical data of 154 B-ALL patients were obtained from the TARGET. Results mRNA expression of Galectin-9 on CD8+ T-cells in B-ALL patients was significantly lower than those in the control group (P=0.043), while VISTA expression was not significantly different between the two study groups (P=0.259). Besides, TIM-3 expression was significantly higher in B-ALL patients than in the control group (P<0.001). Also, data obtained from TARGET showed that the relapse incidence was not significantly different between patients with high and low expression of Galectin-9 and TIM-3 in leukemic cells (P=0.360 and P=0.655, respectively). Conclusion Collectively, gene expression results suggest an important role for TIM-3, but not VISTA and Galectin-9, in B-ALL and it seems that TIM-3 could be a candidate for immune checkpoint therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Akbar
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hossein Asgarian-Omran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Reza Valadan
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Mehdi Dindarloo
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Najafi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Amir Kahrizi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Arash Poursheikhani
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Karami
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Thalassemia Research Center (TRC), Hemoglobinopathy Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohammad Naderi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Thalassemia Research Center (TRC), Hemoglobinopathy Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shayan Sabeti
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohsen Tehrani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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Wang X, Ji C. Construction of a prognostic risk model based on apoptosis-related genes to assess tumor immune microenvironment and predict prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Gastroenterol 2022; 22:400. [PMID: 36028814 PMCID: PMC9414141 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-022-02481-w] [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: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious malignant disease with high incidence, high mortality and poor prognosis. This study aimed to establish a novel signature based on apoptosis-related genes (ARGs) to predict the prognosis of HCC. METHODS Expression data of HCC from TCGA database and the list of 160 ARGs from MSigDB were downloaded. The genes included in apoptosis-related signature were selected by univariate Cox regression analysis and lasso Cox regression analysis. Subsequently, a prognostic risk model for scoring patients was developed, and then separates patients into two groups. Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the model in TCGA, GEO and ICGC databases. The characteristics of immune cell infiltration between two groups of HCC were investigated. Finally, a nomogram was plotted to visualize the prognosis prediction. RESULTS Nine genes (CDC25B, DAP3, ETF1, GSR, LGALS3, MGMT, PPP2R5B, SQSTM1 and VDAC2) were included in the prognostic risk model. Survival was lower in the high-risk group. Surprisingly, the high-risk group was significantly more in immune cell infiltration and with higher immunoscore and stromalscore than in the low-risk group. In addition, the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for HCC. CONCLUSIONS Prognostic signature comprising nine ARGs could be used as a potential prognostic factor for HCC. It also provides an important idea for further understanding the immunotherapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiqin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215, Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, China.,Internal Medicine, Yuhua Yunfang Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Clinic, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chenguang Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215, Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, China.
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Guo H, Zhang C, Tang X, Zhang T, Liu Y, Yu H, Li Y, Wang R. HHLA2 Activates the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway by Binding to TMIGD2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Inflammation 2022; 45:1585-1599. [PMID: 35175496 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-022-01644-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
HHLA2, a member of the B7 family of immune checkpoint players, has been implicated in various cancers. The study set to determine the expression and biological function of HHLA2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its connection to TMIGD2. First, after HHLA2 knockdown or overexpression in Huh-7 or HepG2 cells, we co-cultured T cells with HCC cells after transfection for 48 h. T cell proliferation and cytokine release were detected using flow cytometry and the FlowCytomix assay kit. Subsequently, we screened differentially expressed genes in cells overexpressing or under-expressing HHLA2 using GSEA database and analyzed the pathways enriched by them. We further detected the nuclear translocation of STAT3 and STAT2 using immunofluorescence. After that, we observed the subcellular localization of HHLA2 and TMIGD2 in HCC cells by laser confocal microscopy, followed by RIP and rescue experiments. We found that the proliferation of T cells and the release of cytokines were significantly reduced after co-culture with HCC cells overexpressing HHLA2, while co-culture with cells low in HHLA2 expression had the opposite results. HHLA2 bound to TMIGD2, thus inhibiting T cell proliferation and activation. Overexpression of HHLA2 significantly promoted the nuclear translocation of STAT2 and STAT3, thereby activating the JAK/STAT pathway. Subsequently, we showed that the immune tolerance of HCC cells was significantly attenuated after using a JAK/STAT signaling pathway antagonist. Aberrant overexpression of HHLA2 activates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway by binding to TMIGD2, thereby promoting immune tolerance in HCC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Guo
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotong Tang
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanbing Yu
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Yumei Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233004, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
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Jiang X, Xu Y, Chen D, Wang M, Qiu M, Xiong L, Zhang L, Yu H, Xiong Z. A Novel Angiogenesis-Related Prognostic Signature Associated with the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Immune Microenvironment and Survival Outcome. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:311-323. [PMID: 35027841 PMCID: PMC8752972 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s349210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized solid tumor characterized by neovascularization and vascular invasion. Angiogenesis plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of liver cancer. Our study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of angiogenesis-related genes in liver cancer. Patients and Methods The transcriptome data and corresponding clinical information of patients with liver cancer were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. In the TCGA cohort, differential expression and prognostic analyses were used to screen angiogenesis-related candidate prognostic genes. We then used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis to construct a prognostic signature using 10 angiogenesis-related prognostic genes. The reliability of the prognostic signature was assessed in the TCGA and ICGC cohorts. In addition, we comprehensively analyzed the correlation of the prognostic signature with the tumor microenvironment, chemotherapy drugs, and specific genes. Results We identified 37 angiogenesis-related differentially expressed genes that were remarkably associated with prognosis. Ten of these genes were used to establish a survival and prognostic signature. This signature can distinguish between high-risk and low-risk groups and performs well in overall survival prediction, as demonstrated by internal and external validations. In addition, we observed that the high-risk group was remarkably associated with immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and had a different sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents compared with the low-risk group. Moreover, the high-risk population was positively correlated with the expression of several special genes, such as immune checkpoint-related genes. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that prognostic signatures based on angiogenesis-related genes are involved in the development of HCC and may provide new insights into accurate clinical decision-making and therapeutic evaluation of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yushuang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengjun Qiu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lina Xiong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Honglu Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifan Xiong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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Sun LY, Cen WJ, Tang WT, Deng L, Wang F, Ji XM, Yang JJ, Zhang RJ, Zhang XH, Du ZM. Alpha-Fetoprotein Ratio Predicts Alpha-Fetoprotein Positive Hepatocellular Cancer Patient Prognosis after Hepatectomy. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:7640560. [PMID: 35059044 PMCID: PMC8766187 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7640560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study was conducted to investigate the effect of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ratio on the prognosis of AFP-positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after hepatectomy. METHODS We retrospectively included 879 HCC patients with AFP-positive who underwent hepatectomy from February 2012 to October 2017 and randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort. AFP ratio was equal to the AFP level within one week before hepatectomy to AFP level within 20-40 days after surgery. The end point of follow-up was disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS AFP ratio was not associated with clinical characteristics in training cohort and validation cohort. According to the X-tile software, the optimum cut-off point was 17.8 for AFP ratio. Significant differences between AFP ratio high and AFP ratio low were observed in DFS and OS in both cohort (p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves and receiver-operating curves were showed that AFP ratio was better than AFP level preoperation in predicting the prognosis of AFP-positive HCC patients after hepatectomy. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that AFP ratio was a significant independent risk factor for both OS and DFS in HCC patients with AFP-positive. CONCLUSIONS AFP ratio might be a prognosis predictor for HCC patients with AFP-positive after hepatectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Yue Sun
- Second Department of Oncology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, 466 Xingang-Zhong Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Jian Cen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Ting Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Meng Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ren-Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu-Hui Zhang
- Second Department of Oncology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, 466 Xingang-Zhong Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ming Du
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Morishita A, Nomura K, Tani J, Fujita K, Iwama H, Takuma K, Nakahara M, Tadokoro T, Oura K, Chiyo T, Fujihara S, Niki T, Hirashima M, Nishiyama A, Himoto T, Masaki T. Galectin‑9 suppresses the tumor growth of colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. Oncol Rep 2021; 45:105. [PMID: 33907832 PMCID: PMC8072828 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and the prognosis of advanced colon cancer has remained poor in recent years. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a tandem-repeat type galectin that has recently been shown to exert antiproliferative effects on various types of cancer cells. The present study aimed to assess the effects of Gal-9 on human colon and colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as to evaluate the microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) associated with the antitumor effects of Gal-9. We examined the ability of Gal-9 to inhibit cell proliferation via apoptosis, and the effects of Gal-9 on cell cycle-related molecules in various human colon and colorectal cancer cell lines. In addition, Gal-9-mediated changes in activated tyrosine kinase receptors and angiogenic molecules were assessed using protein array chips in colon and colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, miRNA array analysis was performed to examine Gal-9-induced miRNA expression profiles. We also elucidated if Gal-9 inhibited tumor growth in a murine in vivo model. We found that Gal-9 suppressed the cell proliferation of colon cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Our data further revealed that Gal-9 increased caspase-cleaved keratin 18 levels in Gal-9-treated colon cancer cells. In addition, Gal-9 enhanced the phosphorylation of ALK, DDR1, and EphA10 proteins. Furthermore, the miRNA expression levels, such as miR-1246, miR-15b-5p, and miR-1237, were markedly altered by Gal-9 treatment in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, Gal-9 suppresses the cell proliferation of human colon cancer by inducing apoptosis, and these findings suggest that Gal-9 can be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asahiro Morishita
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Kei Nomura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Joji Tani
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Koji Fujita
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Hisakazu Iwama
- Life Science Research Center, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Kei Takuma
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Mai Nakahara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Tomoko Tadokoro
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Kyoko Oura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Taiga Chiyo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Shintaro Fujihara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Toshiro Niki
- Department of Immunology and Immunopathology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Mitsuomi Hirashima
- Department of Immunology and Immunopathology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Akira Nishiyama
- Department of Pharmacology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
| | - Takashi Himoto
- Department of Medical Technology, Kagawa Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Mure‑cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761‑0123, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Masaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University, Faculty of Medicine, Miki‑cho, Kita‑gun, Kagawa 761‑0793, Japan
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12
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Pharmacological Effects of Guava ( Psidium guajava L.) Seed Polysaccharides: GSF3 Inhibits PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cell Growth through Immunotherapy In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073631. [PMID: 33807287 PMCID: PMC8036945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The inhibitory effects of purified fractions isolated from guava seed polysaccharides (GSPS) including guava seed polysaccharide fraction 1 (GSF1), GSF2, and GSF3 on prostate cancer cells remain unclear. To clarify the anti-prostate cancer potential, GSPS, GSF1, GSF2, and GSF3 were isolated using Sepharose 6B gel filtration chromatography to assay their inhibitory effects on prostate PC-3 cell growth with direct action or indirect immunotherapy using either splenocyte conditioned media (SCM) or macrophage conditioned media (MCM). Correlations between cytokine profiles in the conditioned media and pro-apoptotic gene expression levels in the corresponding treated PC-3 cells were analyzed. Results showed that GSPS, GSF1, GSF2, and GSF3, particularly GSF3, through either direct action or indirect treatments using SCM or MCM, significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited PC-3 cell growth. GSF3 direct treatments increased pro-apoptotic Bax/anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratios in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Either SCM or MCM cultured with GSF3 increased Fas mRNA expression levels in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Both Th2-polarized and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 either secreted in SCM or MCM were positively correlated with Fas mRNA expression levels in corresponding treated PC-3 cells. Our results suggest that GSF3 is a potent biological response modifier to decrease PC-3 cell growth through inducing apoptosis.
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13
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Targeting galectins in T cell-based immunotherapy within tumor microenvironment. Life Sci 2021; 277:119426. [PMID: 33785342 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few years, tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative tumor treatment and owned incomparable advantages over other tumor therapy. With unique complexity and uncertainty, immunotherapy still need helper to apply in the clinic. Galectins, modulated in tumor microenvironment, can regulate the disorders of innate and adaptive immune system resisting tumor growth. Considering the role of galectins in tumor immunosuppression, combination therapy of targeted anti-galectins and immunotherapy may be a promising tumor treatment. This brief review summarizes the expression and immune functions of different galectins in tumor microenvironment and discusses the potential value of anti-galectins in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in tumor immunotherapy.
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14
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Liu R, Wang G, Zhang C, Bai D. A prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma based on apoptosis-related genes. World J Surg Oncol 2021; 19:70. [PMID: 33712023 PMCID: PMC7955636 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-021-02175-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dysregulation of the balance between proliferation and apoptosis is the basis for human hepatocarcinogenesis. In many malignant tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is a correlation between apoptotic dysregulation and poor prognosis. However, the prognostic values of apoptosis-related genes (ARGs) in HCC have not been elucidated. Methods To screen for differentially expressed ARGs, the expression levels of 161 ARGs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database (https://cancergenome.nih.gov/) were analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to evaluate the underlying molecular mechanisms of differentially expressed ARGs in HCC. The prognostic values of ARGs were established using Cox regression, and subsequently, a prognostic risk model for scoring patients was developed. Kaplan–Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the prognostic value of the model. Results Compared with normal tissues, 43 highly upregulated and 8 downregulated ARGs in HCC tissues were screened. GO analysis results revealed that these 51 genes are indeed related to the apoptosis function. KEGG analysis revealed that these 51 genes were correlated with MAPK, P53, TNF, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, while Cox regression revealed that 5 ARGs (PPP2R5B, SQSTM1, TOP2A, BMF, and LGALS3) were associated with prognosis and were, therefore, obtained to develop the prognostic model. Based on the median risk scores, patients were categorized into high-risk and low-risk groups. Patients in the low-risk groups exhibited significantly elevated 2-year or 5-year survival probabilities (p < 0.0001). The risk model had a better clinical potency than the other clinical characteristics, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC = 0.741). The prognosis of HCC patients was established from a plotted nomogram. Conclusion Based on the differential expression of ARGs, we established a novel risk model for predicting HCC prognosis. This model can also be used to inform the individualized treatment of HCC patients. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02175-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Guifu Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Dousheng Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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