Comprehensive analysis of tumor necrosis factor-α-inducible protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2): A potential novel pan-cancer immune checkpoint

Understanding the immunosuppressive microenvironment of glioma: mechanistic insights and clinical perspectives

Glioblastoma (GBM), the predominant and primary malignant intracranial tumor, poses a formidable challenge due to its immunosuppressive microenvironment, thereby confounding conventional therapeutic interventions. Despite the established treatment regimen comprising surgical intervention, radiotherapy, temozolomide administration, and the exploration of emerging modalities such as immunotherapy and integration of medicine and engineering technology therapy, the efficacy of these approaches remains constrained, resulting in suboptimal prognostic outcomes. In recent years, intensive scrutiny of the inhibitory and immunosuppressive milieu within GBM has underscored the significance of cellular constituents of the GBM microenvironment and their interactions with malignant cells and neurons. Novel immune and targeted therapy strategies have emerged, offering promising avenues for advancing GBM treatment. One pivotal mechanism orchestrating immunosuppression in GBM involves the aggregation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), glioma-associated macrophage/microglia (GAM), and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Among these, MDSCs, though constituting a minority (4-8%) of CD45+ cells in GBM, play a central component in fostering immune evasion and propelling tumor progression, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. MDSCs deploy intricate immunosuppressive mechanisms that adapt to the dynamic tumor microenvironment (TME). Understanding the interplay between GBM and MDSCs provides a compelling basis for therapeutic interventions. This review seeks to elucidate the immune regulatory mechanisms inherent in the GBM microenvironment, explore existing therapeutic targets, and consolidate recent insights into MDSC induction and their contribution to GBM immunosuppression. Additionally, the review comprehensively surveys ongoing clinical trials and potential treatment strategies, envisioning a future where targeting MDSCs could reshape the immune landscape of GBM. Through the synergistic integration of immunotherapy with other therapeutic modalities, this approach can establish a multidisciplinary, multi-target paradigm, ultimately improving the prognosis and quality of life in patients with GBM.

The Future of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Uveal Melanoma: A Narrative Review

INTRODUCTION

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have made tremendous progress over the last decade in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, but their application in uveal melanoma treatment is less successful, owing in part to the immunological privilege of the eye and the liver, the most frequent site of metastasis. Nevertheless, the therapeutic outcomes reported currently are less pessimistic.

METHODS

In this review, we provide an overview of recent studies of immune checkpoint inhibitors in uveal melanoma and its metastasis and classify studies in this field into three groups: monotherapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, dual-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with other systemic or regional therapies.

RESULTS

Briefly, monotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors performed poorly. Dual-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors had slightly better outcomes than traditional treatments, especially in specific patient populations. As for the combination therapy, the combination with other systemic therapies did not show superiority over dual-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors, but combination with hepatic regional therapies was quite promising. Moreover, research on emerging checkpoints is currently limited to the stage of mechanistic studies.

CONCLUSION

We propose that immune checkpoint inhibitors remain alternative treatments for patients with uveal melanoma, but factors such as cost-effectiveness should also be taken into account. The combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors deserves to be further explored.

Enhanced protein-metabolite correlation analysis: To investigate the association between Staphylococcus aureus mastitis and metabolic immune pathways

Mastitis is a disease characterized by congestion, swelling, and inflammation of the mammary gland and usually caused by infection with pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, the development of mastitis is closely linked to the exogenous pathway of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing the gut-metabolism-mammary axis remain incompletely understood. The present study revealed alterations in the gut microbiota of mastitis rats characterized by an increased abundance of the Proteobacteria phylum. Plasma analysis revealed significantly higher levels of L-isoleucine and cholic acid along with 7-ketodeoxycholic acid. Mammary tissue showed elevated levels of arachidonic acid metabolites and norlithocholic acid. Proteomic analysis showed increased levels of IFIH1, Tnfaip8l2, IRGM, and IRF5 in mastitis rats, which suggests that mastitis triggers an inflammatory response and immune stress. Follistatin (Fst) and progesterone receptor (Pgr) were significantly downregulated, raising the risk of breast cancer. Extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors and focal adhesion signaling pathways were downregulated, while blood-milk barrier integrity was disrupted. Analysis of protein-metabolic network regulation revealed that necroptosis, protein digestion and absorption, and arachidonic acid metabolism were the principal regulatory pathways involved in the development of mastitis. In short, the onset of mastitis leads to changes in the microbiota and alterations in the metabolic profiles of various biological samples, including colonic contents, plasma, and mammary tissue. Key manifestations include disturbances in bile acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism. At the same time, the integrity of the blood-milk barrier is compromised while inflammation is promoted, thereby reducing cell adhesion in the mammary glands. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the metabolic status of mastitis and provide new insights into its impact on the immune system.

TIPE2: A Candidate for Targeting Antitumor Immunotherapy

TNF-α-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2 or TNFAIP8L2) is a recently discovered negative regulator of innate and adaptive immunity. TIPE2 is expressed in a wide range of tissues, both immune and nonimmune, and is implicated in the maintenance of immune homeostasis within the immune system. Furthermore, TIPE2 has been shown to play a pivotal role in the regulation of inflammation and the development of tumor. This review focuses on the structural characteristics, expression patterns, and functional roles of TIPE proteins, with a particular emphasis on the role and underlying mechanisms of TIPE2 in immune regulation and its involvement in different diseases. However, the current body of evidence is still limited in providing a comprehensive understanding of the complex role of TIPE2 in the human body, warranting further investigation to elucidate the possible mechanisms and functions of TIPE2 in diverse disease contexts.

Identifying molecular subtypes and tumor microenvironment infiltration signatures in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma based on stemness-associated disulfidptosis genes by integrating machine learning, single-cell analyses and experimental validation

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an aggressive malignant tumor. Disulfidptosis is a new programmed cell death mechanism, which is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of intracellular disulfides that are highly toxic to cells. However, the contribution of disulfidptosis to ccRCC progression has not been fully clarified. In this study, two different molecular subtypes related to disulfidptosis were identified in ccRCC patients by the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm. The cluster 1 was characterized by a worse prognosis and higher mRNAsi levels. Then, difference analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were conducted to search modular genes that are highly associated with tumor stemness and tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, a SADG signature containing nine genes was constructed stepwise by WGCNA and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. The high-risk score group had a worse outcome, and immune regulation and metabolic signatures might be responsible for cancer progression in the high-risk group. After that, a predictive nomogram was constructed, and the predicting power of the risk model was verified using inter and three independent external validation datasets. Nine SADGs were shown to significantly correlate with immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune checkpoint. In addition, based on the single-cell RNA sequencing dataset (GSE139555), the distribution and expression of nine hub genes in various types of immune cells were analyzed. Finally, the expression level of the nine genes was verified in clinical samples by qRT-PCR.

Breakthrough of solid tumor treatment: CAR-NK immunotherapy

As the latest and most anticipated method of tumor immunotherapy, CAR-NK therapy has received increasing attention in recent years, and its safety and high efficiency have irreplaceable advantages over CAR-T. Current research focuses on the application of CAR-NK in hematological tumors, while there are fewer studies on solid tumor. This article reviews the process of constructing CAR-NK, the effects of hypoxia and metabolic factors, NK cell surface receptors, cytokines, and exosomes on the efficacy of CAR-NK in solid tumor, and the role of CAR-NK in various solid tumor. The mechanism of action and the research status of the potential of CAR-NK in the treatment of solid tumor in clinical practice, and put forward the advantages, limitations and future problems of CAR-NK in the treatment of solid tumor.

Comprehensive pan-cancer investigation: unraveling the oncogenic, prognostic, and immunological significance of Abelson interactor family member 3 gene in human malignancies

Background: Abelson interactor Family Member 3 (ABI3) encodes protein that not only suppresses the ectopic metastasis of tumor cells but also hinders their migration. Although ABI3 had been found to modulate the advancement of diverse neoplasms, there is no comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of its effects. Methods: The transcriptomics data of neoplasm and normal tissues were retrieved from the Genomic Data Commons (GDC) data portal, and UCSC XENA database. To gather protein information for ABI3, Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and GeneMANIA websites were utilized. Additionally, Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub (TISCH) database was consulted to determine the primary cell types expressing ABI3 in cancer microenvironments. Univariate Cox regression approach was leveraged to evaluate ABI3's prognostic role across cancers. The Cbioportal and Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) website were leveraged to scrutinize the genomic landscape information across cancers. TIMER2.0 was leveraged to probe the immune cell infiltrations associated with ABI3 across cancers. The associations of ABI3 with immune-related genes were analyzed through Spearman correlation method. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) were utilized to search associated biological pathways. The CellMiner database and molecular docking were implemented to identify potential interactions between the ABI3 protein and specific anticarcinogen. Findings: ABI3 expression and its ability to predict prognosis varied distinct tumor, with particularly high expression observed in Tprolif cells and monocytes/macrophages. Copy number variation (CNV) and methylation negatively correlated with ABI3 expression in the majority of malignancies. Corresponding mutation survival analysis indicated that the mutation status of ABI3 was strongly connected to the prognosis of LGG patients. ABI3 expression was linked to immunotherapeutic biomarkers and response in cancers. ESTIMATE and immune infiltrations analyses presented ABI3 association with immunosuppression. ABI3 was significantly correlated with immunoregulators and immune-related pathways. Lastly, prospective ABI3-targeted drugs were filtered and docked to ABI3 protein. Interpretation: Our study reveals that ABI3 acts as a robust tumor biomarker. Its functions are vital that could inhibit ectopic metastasis of tumor cells and modulate cellular adhesion and migration. The discoveries presented here may have noteworthy consequences for the creation of fresh anticancer suppressors, especially those targeting BRCA.

Research progress of TIPE2 in immune-related diseases

The tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) family, which consists of TNFAIP8 (TIPE), TNFAIP8L1 (TIPE1), TNFAIP8L2 (TIPE2) and TNFAIP8L3 (TIPE3), has recently emerged as a regulatory factor involved in immune response and tumorigenesis. Among its members, TIPE2 acts as a negative regulator of both innate and adaptive immunity, playing a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis by negatively regulating T cell receptor (TCR) and toll-like receptor (TLR) signal transduction. Immune homeostasis is an indispensable characteristic of the immune system, which prevents harmful inflammatory reactions and ensures the proper functioning of the body. A large number of studies have shown that abnormal TIPE2 expression exists in a variety of inflammation-related diseases such as asthma, colitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, highlighting the importance of comprehending its function for the prevention and treatment of immune-related conditions. This review aims to provide an overview of the in vivo distribution and expression of TIPE2, its regulatory role in central and peripheral immune-related diseases, and the underlying mechanisms that govern its function in the inflammatory response. By delving into these aspects, a deeper understanding of the role and functionality of TIPE2 in inflammatory responses can be achieved.

Identification of genetic mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism-mediated tumor immunity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To identify the genetic mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism-mediated tumor immunity in head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RNA sequencing data and clinical characteristics of HNSC patients were procured from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Lipid metabolism-related genes were collected from KEGG and MSigDB databases. Immune cells and immune-related genes were obtained from the TISIDB database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HNSC were identified and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify the significant gene modules. Lasso regression analysis was performed to identify hub genes. The differential gene expression pattern, diagnostic values, relationships with clinical features, prognostic values, relationships with tumor mutation burden (TMB), and signaling pathways involved, were each investigated.

RESULTS

One thousand six hundred sixty-eight DEGs were identified as dysregulated between HNSC tumor samples and healthy control head and neck samples. WGCNA analysis and Lasso regression analysis identified 8 hub genes, including 3 immune-related genes (PLA2G2D, TNFAIP8L2 and CYP27A1) and 5 lipid metabolism-related genes (FOXP3, IL21R, ITGAL, TRAF1 and WIPF1). Except CYP27A1, the other hub genes were upregulated in HNSC as compared with healthy control samples, and a low expression of these hub genes indicated a higher risk of death in HNSC. Except PLA2G2D, all other hub genes were significantly and negatively related with TMB in HNSC. The hub genes were implicated in several immune-related signaling pathways including T cell receptor signaling, Th17 cell differentiation, and natural killer (NK) cell mediated cytotoxicity.

CONCLUSION

Three immune genes (PLA2G2D, TNFAIP8L2, and CYP27A1) and immune-related pathways (T cell receptor signaling, Th17 cell differentiation, and natural killer (NK) cell mediated cytotoxicity) were predicted to play significant roles in the lipid metabolism-mediated tumor immunity in HNSC.

TIPE2 acts as a tumor suppressor and correlates with tumor microenvironment immunity in epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers. The etiology of EOC has still not been elucidated thoroughly. Tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like2 (TNFAIP8L2, TIPE2), an important regulator of inflammation and immune homeostasis, plays a critical role in the progression of various cancers. This study aims to investigate the role of TIPE2 in EOC.

METHODS

Expression of TIPE2 protein and mRNA in EOC tissues and cell lines was examined using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The functions of TIPE2 in EOC were investigated by cell proliferation assay, colony assay, transwell assay, and apoptosis analysis in vitro. To further investigate the regulatory mechanisms of TIPE2 in EOC, RNA-seq and western blot were performed. Finally, the CIBERSORT algorithm and databases including Tumor Immune Single-cell Hub (TISCH), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Tumor-Immune System Interaction (TISIDB), and The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) were used to elucidate its potential role in regulating tumor immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

RESULTS

TIPE2 expression was shown to be considerably lower in both EOC samples and cell lines. Overexpression of TIPE2 suppressed EOC cell proliferation, colony formation, and motility in vitro. Mechanistically, TIPE2 suppressed EOC by blocking the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, according to bioinformatics analysis and western blot in TIPE2 overexpression EOC cell lines, and the anti-oncogenic potentials of TIPE2 in EOC cells could be partially abrogated by the PI3K agonist, 740Y-P. Finally, TIPE2 expression was positively associated with various immune cells and possibly involved in the regulation of macrophage polarization in ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

We detail the regulatory mechanism of TIPE2 in EOC carcinogenesis, as well as how it correlates with immune infiltration, emphasizing its potential as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.