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Tan L, Zhang H, Ding Y, Huang Y, Sun D. CRTAC1 identified as a promising diagnosis and prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11223. [PMID: 38755183 PMCID: PMC11099150 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61804-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
CRTAC1, one of the pyroptosis-related genes, has been identified as a protective factor in certain kinds of cancer, such as gastric adenocarcinoma and bladder cancer. The study aimed to investigate the role of CRTAC1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). LUAD datasets were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), pyroptosis-related genes from GeneCard. Limma package used to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and weighted genes co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify CRTAC1 as hub gene. CRTAC1 expression was confirmed in a real-world cohort using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western Blot (WB) analyses. Cellular experiments were conducted to investigate CRTAC1's potential oncogenic mechanisms. CRTAC1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in LUAD tissues (p < 0.05) and showed high accuracy in diagnosing LUAD. Reduced CRTAC1 expression was associated with a poor prognosis. Higher CRTAC1 expression correlated with increased immune cell infiltration. Individuals with high CRTAC1 expression showed increased drug sensitivity. Additionally, qPCR and WB analyses showed that CRTAC1 expression was lower in tumor tissue compared to adjacent normal tissue at both the RNA and protein levels. Upregulation of CRTAC1 significantly inhibited LUAD cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in cellular experiments. CRTAC1 has the potential to serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Tan
- Tianjin Medical University Graduate School, Tianjin, China
- Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Tianjin Medical University Graduate School, Tianjin, China
- Clinical School of Thoracic, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yun Ding
- Tianjin Medical University Graduate School, Tianjin, China
- Clinical School of Thoracic, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yangyun Huang
- Tianjin Medical University Graduate School, Tianjin, China
- Clinical School of Thoracic, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Daqiang Sun
- Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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Szentkereszty M, Ladányi A, Gálffy G, Tóvári J, Losonczy G. Density of tumor-infiltrating NK and Treg cells is associated with 5 years progression-free and overall survival in resected lung adenocarcinoma. Lung Cancer 2024; 192:107824. [PMID: 38761665 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2024.107824] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Surgical resection of pulmonary adenocarcinoma is considered to be curative but progression-free survival (PFS) has remained highly variable. Antitumor immune response may be important, however, the prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating natural killer (NK) and regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes is uncertain. Resected pulmonary adenocarcinoma tissues (n = 115) were studied by immunohistochemical detection of NKp46 and FoxP3 positivity to identify NK and Treg cells, respectively. Association of cell densities with clinicopathological features and progression-free survival (PFS) as well as overall survival (OS) were analyzed with a follow-up time of 60 months. Both types of immune cells were accumulated predominantly in tumor stroma. NK cell density showed association with female gender, non-smoking and KRAS wild-type status. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, PFS and OS proved to be longer in patients with high NK or Treg cell densities (p = 0.0293 and p = 0.0375 for PFS, p = 0.0310 and p = 0.0448 for OS, respectively). Evaluating the prognostic effect of the combination of NK and Treg cell density values revealed that PFS and OS were significantly longer in NKhigh/Treghigh cases compared to the other groups combined (p = 0.0223 and p = 0.0325, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that high NK cell density was independent predictor of longer PFS while high NK and high Treg cell densities both proved significant predictors of longer OS. The NKhigh/Treghigh combination also proved to be an independent prognostic factor for both PFS and OS. In conclusion, NK and Treg cells can be components of the innate and adaptive immune response at action against progression of pulmonary adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márton Szentkereszty
- Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University Clinical Center, Budapest, Hungary; Tumor Pathology Center, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea Ladányi
- Tumor Pathology Center, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary; National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Gálffy
- Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University Clinical Center, Budapest, Hungary; Pulmonology Hospital of Törökbálint, Törökbálint, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Losonczy
- Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University Clinical Center, Budapest, Hungary.
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Mulholland EJ, Leedham SJ. Redefining clinical practice through spatial profiling: a revolution in tissue analysis. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2024; 106:305-312. [PMID: 38555868 PMCID: PMC10981989 DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2023.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Spatial biology, which combines molecular biology and advanced imaging, enhances our understanding of tissue cellular organisation. Despite its potential, spatial omics encounters challenges related to data complexity, computational requirements and standardisation of analysis. In clinical applications, spatial omics has the potential to revolutionise biomarker discovery, disease stratification and personalised treatments. It can identify disease-specific cell patterns, and could help risk stratify patients for clinical trials and disease-appropriate therapies. Although there are challenges in adopting it in clinical practice, spatial omics has the potential to significantly enhance patient outcomes. In this paper, we discuss the recent evolution of spatial biology, and its potential for improving our tissue level understanding and treatment of disease, to help advance precision and effectiveness in healthcare interventions.
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Monkman J, Moradi A, Yunis J, Ivison G, Mayer A, Ladwa R, O'Byrne K, Kulasinghe A. Spatial insights into immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by multiplexed tissue imaging. J Transl Med 2024; 22:239. [PMID: 38439077 PMCID: PMC10910756 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05035-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The spatial localisation of immune cells within tumours are key to understand the intercellular communications that can dictate clinical outcomes. Here, we demonstrate an analysis pipeline for highly multiplexed CODEX data to phenotype and profile spatial features and interactions in NSCLC patients that subsequently received PD1 axis immunotherapy. We found that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are enriched in non-responding patients and this was consistent with their localization within stromal and peripheral tumour-margins. Proximity-based interactions between Tregs and both monocytes (p = 0.009) and CD8+ T cells (p = 0.009) were more frequently found in non-responding patients, while macrophages were more frequently located in proximity to HLADR+ tumour cells (p = 0.01) within responding patients. Cellular neighbourhoods analysis indicated that both macrophages (p = 0.003) and effector CD4+ T cells (p = 0.01) in mixed tumour neighbourhoods, as well as CD8+ T cells (p = 0.03) in HLADR+ tumour neighbourhoods were associated with favorable clinical response. Evaluation of the inferred regulatory functions between immune cells relative to the tumour suggested that macrophages exhibit an immunosuppressive phenotype against both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and that this association scores more highly in ICI refractory patients. These spatial patterns are associated with overall survival in addition to ICI response and may thus indicate features for the functional understanding of the tumour microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Monkman
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Afshin Moradi
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Joseph Yunis
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Ian Frazer Centre for Children's Immunotherapy Research, Children's Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Rahul Ladwa
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ken O'Byrne
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Arutha Kulasinghe
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia.
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Cho U, Im S, Park HS. Exploring histological predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy response in non-small cell lung cancer. J Pathol Transl Med 2024; 58:49-58. [PMID: 38389279 PMCID: PMC10948248 DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2024.01.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatment challenges persist in advanced lung cancer despite the development of therapies beyond the traditional platinum-based chemotherapy. The early 2000s marked a shift to tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting epidermal growth factor receptor, ushering in personalized genetic-based treatment. A further significant advance was the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially for non-small cell lung cancer. These target programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4, which enhanced the immune response against tumor cells. However, not all patients respond, and immune-related toxicities arise. This review emphasizes identifying biomarkers for ICI response prediction. While PD-L1 is a widely used, validated biomarker, its predictive accuracy is imperfect. Investigating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tertiary lymphoid structure, and emerging biomarkers such as high endothelial venule, Human leukocyte antigen class I, T-cell immunoreceptors with Ig and ITIM domains, and lymphocyte activation gene-3 counts is promising. Understanding and exploring additional predictive biomarkers for ICI response are crucial for enhancing patient stratification and overall care in lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uiju Cho
- Department of Pathology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
| | - Soyoung Im
- Department of Pathology, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hyung Soon Park
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
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Ji S, Shi Y, Yin B. Macrophage barrier in the tumor microenvironment and potential clinical applications. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:74. [PMID: 38279145 PMCID: PMC10811890 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01424-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) constitutes a complex microenvironment comprising a diverse array of immune cells and stromal components. Within this intricate context, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) exhibit notable spatial heterogeneity. This heterogeneity contributes to various facets of tumor behavior, including immune response modulation, angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, and metastatic potential. This review summarizes the spatial distribution of macrophages in both the physiological environment and the TME. Moreover, this paper explores the intricate interactions between TAMs and diverse immune cell populations (T cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, natural killer cells, and other immune cells) within the TME. These bidirectional exchanges form a complex network of immune interactions that influence tumor immune surveillance and evasion strategies. Investigating TAM heterogeneity and its intricate interactions with different immune cell populations offers potential avenues for therapeutic interventions. Additionally, this paper discusses therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages, aiming to uncover novel approaches for immunotherapy. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Ji
- Department of Urinary Surgery, The Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110022, China
| | - Yuqing Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenyang 10th People's Hospital, Shenyang, 110096, China
| | - Bo Yin
- Department of Urinary Surgery, The Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110022, China.
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Wu L, Xia W, Hua Y, Fan K, Lu Y, Wang M, Jin Y, Zhang W, Pan S. Cellular crosstalk of macrophages and therapeutic implications in non-small cell lung cancer revealed by integrative inference of single-cell transcriptomics. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1295442. [PMID: 38044943 PMCID: PMC10690610 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1295442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibits heterogeneity with diverse immune cell infiltration patterns that can influence tumor cell behavior and immunotherapy. A comprehensive characterization of the tumor microenvironment can guide precision medicine. Methods: Here, we generated a single-cell atlas of 398170 cells from 52 NSCLC patients, and investigated the imprinted genes and cellular crosstalk for macrophages. Subsequently, we evaluated the effect of tumor cells on macrophages and verified the expression of marker genes using co-culture experiments, flow cytometry and RT-qPCR assays. Results: Remarkable macrophage adaptability to NSCLC environment was observed, which contributed to generating tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We identified 5 distinct functional TAM subtypes, of which the majority were SELENOP-positive macrophages, with high levels of SLC40A1 and CCL13. The TAMs were also involved in mediating CD8+ T cell activity and form intercellular interaction with cancer cells, as indicated by receptor-ligand binding. Indirect coculture of tumor cells SPC-A1 and THP-1 monocytes, produced M2-like TAMs that highly expressed several markers of SELENOP-positive macrophages. The abundance of this type TAMs seemed to be associated with poorer overall survival rates [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.98-1.83, p = 0.068] based on deconvolution of TCGA-LUAD dataset. Discussion: In summary, we provided a high-resolution molecular resource of TAMs, and displayed the acquired properties in the tumor microenvironment. Dynamic crosstalk between TAMs and tumor cells via multiple ligand-receptor pairs were revealed, emphasizing its role in sustaining the pro-tumoral microenvironment and its implications for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenying Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yiting Hua
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Fan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanfei Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuexinzi Jin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shiyang Pan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Gray S, Ottensmeier CH. Advancing Understanding of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Multiplexed Antibody-Based Spatial Imaging Technologies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4797. [PMID: 37835491 PMCID: PMC10571797 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194797] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a cause of significant morbidity and mortality, despite significant advances made in its treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) over the last decade; while a minority experience prolonged responses with ICIs, benefit is limited for most patients. The development of multiplexed antibody-based (MAB) spatial tissue imaging technologies has revolutionised analysis of the tumour microenvironment (TME), enabling identification of a wide range of cell types and subtypes, and analysis of the spatial relationships and interactions between them. Such study has the potential to translate into a greater understanding of treatment susceptibility and resistance, factors influencing prognosis and recurrence risk, and identification of novel therapeutic approaches and rational treatment combinations to improve patient outcomes in the clinic. Herein we review studies that have leveraged MAB technologies to deliver novel insights into the TME of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Gray
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Ashton St., Liverpool L69 3GB, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Pembroke Pl., Liverpool L7 8YA, UK
| | - Christian H. Ottensmeier
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Ashton St., Liverpool L69 3GB, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Pembroke Pl., Liverpool L7 8YA, UK
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