Targeting the lipid metabolic reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages: A novel insight into cancer immunotherapy

Nanoparticles in tumor microenvironment remodeling and cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development have significantly improved the fight against cancers. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, particularly in the clinical delivery of immunomodulatory compounds. The tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising macrophages, fibroblasts, and immune cells, plays a crucial role in immune response modulation. Nanoparticles, engineered to reshape the TME, have shown promising results in enhancing immunotherapy by facilitating targeted delivery and immune modulation. These nanoparticles can suppress fibroblast activation, promote M1 macrophage polarization, aid dendritic cell maturation, and encourage T cell infiltration. Biomimetic nanoparticles further enhance immunotherapy by increasing the internalization of immunomodulatory agents in immune cells such as dendritic cells. Moreover, exosomes, whether naturally secreted by cells in the body or bioengineered, have been explored to regulate the TME and immune-related cells to affect cancer immunotherapy. Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, activated by pH, redox, and light conditions, exhibit the potential to accelerate immunotherapy. The co-application of nanoparticles with immune checkpoint inhibitors is an emerging strategy to boost anti-tumor immunity. With their ability to induce long-term immunity, nanoarchitectures are promising structures in vaccine development. This review underscores the critical role of nanoparticles in overcoming current challenges and driving the advancement of cancer immunotherapy and TME modification.

Advanced insights on tumor-associated macrophages revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing: The intratumor heterogeneity, functional phenotypes, and cellular interactions

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is an emerging technology used for cellular transcriptome analysis. The application of scRNA-seq has led to profoundly advanced oncology research, continuously optimizing novel therapeutic strategies. Intratumor heterogeneity extensively consists of all tumor components, contributing to different tumor behaviors and treatment responses. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), the core immune cells linking innate and adaptive immunity, play significant roles in tumor progression and resistance to therapies. Moreover, dynamic changes occur in TAM phenotypes and functions subject to the regulation of the tumor microenvironment. The heterogeneity of TAMs corresponding to the state of the tumor microenvironment has been comprehensively recognized using scRNA-seq. Herein, we reviewed recent research and summarized variations in TAM phenotypes and functions from a developmental perspective to better understand the significance of TAMs in the tumor microenvironment.

Deciphering Breast Cancer Metastasis Cascade: A Systems Biology Approach Integrating Transcriptome and Interactome Insights for Target Discovery

Breast cancer is the lead cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally. Breast cancer metastasis is a complex and still inadequately understood process and a key dimension of mortality attendant to breast cancer. This study reports dysregulated genes across metastatic stages and tissues, shedding light on their molecular interplay in disease pathogenesis and new possibilities for drug discovery. Comprehensive analyses of gene expression data from primary breast tumor, circulating tumor cells, and distant metastatic sites in the brain, lung, liver, and bone were conducted. Genes dysregulated across multiple stages and tissues were identified as metastatic cascade genes, and are further classified based on functional associations with metastasis-related mechanisms. Their interactions with HUB genes in interactome networks were scrutinized, followed by pathway enrichment analysis. Validation for their potential as targets included assessments for survival, druggability, prognostic marker status, secretome annotation, protein expression, and cell type marker association. Results displayed critical genes in the metastatic cascade and those specific to metastatic sites, revealing the involvement of the collagen degradation and assembly of collagen fibrils and other multimeric structure pathways in driving metastasis. Notably, pivotal cascade genes FABP4, CXCL12, APOD, and IGF1 emerged with high metastatic potential, linked to significant druggability and survival scores, establishing them as potential molecular targets. The significance of this research lies in its potential to uncover novel biomarkers for early detection, therapeutic targets, and a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the metastatic cascade in breast cancer, and with an eye to precision/personalized medicine.