Expression of Treg-associated lncRNAs in breast cancer

The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Modulating the Immune Microenvironment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Potential

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive subtype of breast cancer that faces therapeutic challenges due to a shortage of effective targeted therapies. The complex biology of TNBC renders its clinical management fraught with difficulties, especially regarding the immune microenvironment of the tumor. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been recognized as important gene regulators with key roles in tumor development and microenvironmental regulation. Previous studies have shown that lncRNAs play important roles in the immune microenvironment of TNBC, including the regulation of tumor immune escape and the function of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. However, despite the increasing research on lncRNAs, there are still many unanswered questions, such as their specific mechanism of action and how to effectively utilize them as therapeutic targets. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the mechanisms of lncRNAs in the TNBC immune microenvironment, explore their regulatory roles in tumor immune escape and immune cell infiltration, and explore their prospects as potential therapeutic targets. By integrating the latest research results, this study aims to provide new ideas and directions for future TNBC treatment.

Tissue levels of regulatory T cell related lncRNAs in lung cancer: evidence for dysregulation of immune responses

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy among males and females and the leading cause of cancer deaths. Due to its high mortality, identification of novel therapeutic options is of critical value. Regulatory T cells and their associated transcripts are among possible targets for design of targeted therapies.

METHODS

Here, we assessed expression of lncRNAs that are possibly involved in Treg lineage commitment and their plasticity in lung tumor tissues (TT) and normal tissues adjacent to the tumor (NTAT).

RESULTS

We found up-regulation of TH2-LCR, IFNG-AS1, and MAFTRR in TT samples compared with NTATs. The highest difference in the expression between two sets of samples belonged to MAFTRR with expression ratio (95% CI) of 6.48 (2.67-15.7). TH2-LCR ranked second in this list with expression ratio (95% CI) of 5.23 (1.92-14.24). Finally, IFNG-AS1 was up-regulated in TT samples compared with NTATs with expression ratio (95% CI) of 3.3 (1.56-6.95). Then, the suitability of MAFTRR, TH2-LCR and IFNG-AS1 in the separation of TT samples from NTATs was assessed through plotting sensitivity values against 1-specifiicity values in ROC curves. The obtained AUC values were 0.74, 0.71 and 0.7, respectively.

CONCLUSION

In brief, we demonstrated dysregulation of three Treg-related lncRNAs in lung cancer tissues and suggested them as possible candidates for biomarker discovery investigations.

Treg Cell Therapeutic Strategies for Breast Cancer: Holistic to Local Aspects

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a key role in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity through their immunosuppressive function. There have been numerous reports confirming that high levels of Tregs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are associated with a poor prognosis, highlighting their role in promoting an immunosuppressive environment. In breast cancer (BC), Tregs interact with cancer cells, ultimately leading to the suppression of immune surveillance and promoting tumor progression. This review discusses the dual role of Tregs in breast cancer, and explores the controversies and therapeutic potential associated with targeting these cells. Researchers are investigating various strategies to deplete or inhibit Tregs, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, cytokine antagonists, and metabolic inhibition. However, the heterogeneity of Tregs and the variable precision of treatments pose significant challenges. Understanding the functional diversity of Tregs and the latest advances in targeted therapies is critical for the development of effective therapies. This review highlights the latest approaches to Tregs for BC treatment that both attenuate Treg-mediated immunosuppression in tumors and maintain immune tolerance, and advocates precise combination therapy strategies to optimize breast cancer outcomes.

Long Non-Coding RNAs as Regulators for Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Immune Microenvironment: Biological Properties and Therapeutic Potential

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) is a subpopulation of cancer cells with self-renewal and differentiation capacity, have been suggested to give rise to tumor heterogeneity and biologically aggressive behavior. Accumulating evidence has shown that BCSCs play a fundamental role in tumorigenesis, progression, and recurrence. The development of immunotherapy, primarily represented by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, has greatly changed the treatment landscape of multiple malignancies. Recent studies have identified pervasive negative associations between cancer stemness and anticancer immunity. Stemness seems to play a causative role in the formation of cold tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The multiple functions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating stemness and immune responses has been recently highlighted in breast cancer. The review focus on lncRNAs and keys pathways involved in the regulation of BCSCs and TIME. Potential clinical applications using lncRNAs as biomarkers or therapies will be discussed.

Secretome analysis of breast cancer cells to identify potential target proteins of Ipomoea turpethum extract-loaded nanoparticles in the tumor microenvironment

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of frequent malignancy and morbidity among women across the globe, with an increment of 0.5% incidences every year. The deleterious effects of traditional treatment on off-target surrounding cells make it difficult to win the battle against breast cancer. Hence, an advancement in the therapeutic approach is crucial. Nanotechnology is one of the emerging methods for precise, targeted, and efficient drug delivery in cells. The previous study has demonstrated the cytotoxic effect of Ipomoea turpethum extract on breast cancer cells delivered via NIPAAM-VP-AA nanoparticles (NVA-IT). Manipulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) to inhibit cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis seems to be very insightful for researchers these days. With the help of secretome analysis of breast cancer cells after treatment with NVA-IT, we have tried to find out the possible TME manipulation achieved to favor a better prognosis of the disease. Method: MCF-7 and MDA MB-231 cells were treated with the IC50 value of NVA-IT, and the medium was separated from the cells after 24 h of the treatment. Nano LCMS/MS analysis was performed to identify the secretory proteins in the media. Further bioinformatics tools like GENT2, GSCA, GeneCodis 4, and STRING were used to identify the key proteins and their interactions. Result: From the nano LCMS/MS analysis, 70 differentially expressed secretory proteins in MCF-7 and 191 in MDA MB-231 were identified in the cell's media. Fifteen key target proteins were filtered using bioinformatics analysis, and the interaction of proteins involved in vesicular trafficking, cell cycle checkpoints, and oxidative stress-related proteins was prominent. Conclusion: This study concluded that I. turpethum extract-loaded NIPAAM-VP-AA nanoparticles alter the secretory proteins constituting the TME to cease cancer cell growth and metastasis.

The current advances of lncRNAs in breast cancer immunobiology research

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Breast cancer development and progression are mainly associated with tumor-intrinsic alterations in diverse genes and signaling pathways and with tumor-extrinsic dysregulations linked to the tumor immune microenvironment. Significantly, abnormal expression of lncRNAs affects the tumor immune microenvironment characteristics and modulates the behavior of different cancer types, including breast cancer. In this review, we provide the current advances about the role of lncRNAs as tumor-intrinsic and tumor-extrinsic modulators of the antitumoral immune response and the immune microenvironment in breast cancer, as well as lncRNAs which are potential biomarkers of tumor immune microenvironment and clinicopathological characteristics in patients, suggesting that lncRNAs are potential targets for immunotherapy in breast cancer.

A review on the role of GHET1 in different cancers

Gastric cancer High Expressed Transcript 1 (GHET1) is an RNA gene located on chromosome 7q36.1. This non-coding RNA is involved in the pathology of different cancers. It can regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle transition. Moreover, it induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Up-regulation of GHET1 has been correlated with poor prognosis of patients with different malignancies. Besides, its up-regulation has been mostly detected in later stages and advanced grades of cancers. This review summarizes recent studies on the expression of GHET1, its in vitro functions, and its impact on the beginning and progression of cancer based on xenograft models of cancer.