IL-27, a pleiotropic cytokine for fine-tuning the immune response in cancer

IL-27 increases energy storage in white adipocytes by enhancing glucose uptake and fatty acid esterification

The cytokine interleukin (IL)-27 has been reported to induce thermogenesis in white adipocytes. However, it remains unknown whether IL-27-mediated adipocyte energy dissipation is paralleled by an elevated energy supply from lipids and/or carbohydrates. We hypothesized that IL-27 increases lipolysis and glucose uptake in white adipocytes, thereby providing substrates for thermogenesis. Unexpectedly, we found that treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with IL-27 reduced intra- and extracellular free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations and that phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was not affected by IL-27. These results were confirmed in subcutaneous white adipocytes. Further, application of IL-27 to 3T3-L1 adipocytes increased intracellular triglyceride (TG) content but not mitochondrial ATP production nor expression of enzymes involved in beta-oxidation indicating that elevated esterification rather than oxidation causes FFA disappearance. In addition, IL-27 significantly increased GLUT1 protein levels, basal glucose uptake as well as glycolytic ATP production, suggesting that increased glycolytic flux due to IL-27 provides the glycerol backbone for TG synthesis. In conclusion, our findings suggest IL-27 increases glucose uptake and TG deposition in white adipocytes.

Oligonol ameliorates liver function and brain function in the 5 × FAD mouse model: transcriptional and cellular analysis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease worldwide and is accompanied by memory deficits, personality changes, anxiety, depression, and social difficulties. For treatment of AD, many researchers have attempted to find medicinal resources with high effectiveness and without side effects. Oligonol is a low molecular weight polypeptide derived from lychee fruit extract. We investigated the effects of oligonol in 5 × FAD transgenic AD mice, which developed severe amyloid pathology, through behavioral tests (Barnes maze, marble burying, and nestle shredding) and molecular experiments. Oligonol treatment attenuated blood glucose levels and increased the antioxidant response in the livers of 5 × FAD mice. Moreover, the behavioral score data showed improvements in anxiety, depressive behavior, and cognitive impairment following a 2-month course of orally administered oligonol. Oligonol treatment not only altered the circulating levels of cytokines and adipokines in 5 × FAD mice, but also significantly enhanced the mRNA and protein levels of antioxidant enzymes and synaptic plasticity in the brain cortex and hippocampus. Therefore, we highlight the therapeutic potential of oligonol to attenuate neuropsychiatric problems and improve memory deficits in the early stage of AD.

Identification and validation of a novel overall survival prediction model for immune-related genes in bone metastases of prostate cancer

Immunotherapy has become a revolutionary treatment for cancer and brought new vitality to tumor immunity. Bone metastases are the most prevalent metastatic site for advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Therefore, finding new immunotherapy targets in PCa patients with bone metastasis is urgently needed. We conducted an elaborative bioinformatics study of immune-related genes (IRGs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in PCa bone metastases. Databases were integrated to obtain RNA-sequencing data and clinical prognostic information. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to construct an overall survival (OS) prediction model. GSE32269 was analyzed to acquire differentially expressed IRGs. The OS prediction model was established by employing six IRGs (MAVS, HSP90AA1, FCGR3A, CTSB, FCER1G, and CD4). The CIBERSORT algorithm was adopted to assess the proportion of TIICs in each group. Furthermore, Transwell, MTT, and wound healing assays were employed to determine the effect of MAVS on PCa cells. High-risk patients had worse OS compared to the low-risk patients in the training and validation cohorts. Meanwhile, clinically practical nomograms were generated using these identified IRGs to predict the 3- and 5-year survival rates of patients. The infiltration percentages of some TIICs were closely linked to the risk score of the OS prediction model. Some tumor-infiltrating immune cells were related to the OS. FCGR3A was closely correlated with some TIICs. In vitro experiments verified that up-regulation of MAVS suppressed the proliferation and metastatic abilities of PCa cells. Our work presented a thorough interpretation of TIICs and IRGs for illustrating and discovering new potential immune checkpoints in bone metastases of PCa.

From bench to bedside: targeting lymphocyte activation gene 3 as a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoints negatively regulate immune response, thereby playing an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis. Substantial studies have confirmed that blockade or deficiency of immune checkpoint pathways contributes to the deterioration of autoimmune diseases. In this context, focusing on immune checkpoints might provide alternative strategies for the treatment of autoimmunity. Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), as a member of immune checkpoint, is critical in regulating immune responses as manifested in multiple preclinical studies and clinical trials. Recent success of dual-blockade of LAG3 and programmed death-1 in melanoma also supports the notion that LAG3 is a crucial regulator in immune tolerance.

METHODS

We wrote this review article by searching the PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases.

CONCLUSION

In this review, we summarize the molecular structure and the action mechanisms of LAG3. Additionally, we highlight its roles in diverse autoimmune diseases and discuss how the manipulation of the LAG3 pathway can serve as a promising therapeutic strategy as well as its specific mechanism with the aim of filling the gaps from bench to bedside.

Study on the Key Genes and Molecular Mechanisms of IL-27 Promoting Keratinocytes Proliferation Based on Transcriptome Sequencing

Background

IL-27 involves psoriasis pathogenesis potentially by promoting excessive keratinocyte proliferation. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore the key genes and molecular mechanisms of IL-27-induced keratinocyte proliferation.

Methods

Primary keratinocytes and immortalized human keratinocyte HaCaT cells were treated with different concentrations of IL-27 for 24 h and 48 h respectively. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability and Western blot was used to detect the expression of CyclinE and CyclinB1. Primary keratinocytes and HaCaT cells were treated with IL-27, and their differentially expressed (DE) genes were obtained by transcriptome sequencing. Then Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis was performed to predict related pathways, and the long non-coding RNA-microRNA-messenger RNA network and protein-protein interaction network were constructed to screen key genes. Biochemical experiments were performed to assess the content of glucose (Glu), lactic acid (LA), and ATP. Flow cytometry and Mito-Tracker Green staining were used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential and the number of mitochondria respectively. Western blot was performed to assess the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), hexokinase 2 (HK2), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), phosphorylated dynamin-related protein 1 (p-DRP1) (s637) and mitofusin 2 (MFN2).

Results

IL-27 concentration-dependently increased keratinocyte viability and the expression of CyclinE and CyclinB1. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the enriched pathways of DE genes were closely associated with cellular metabolism. miR-7-5p, EGFR, PRKCB, PLCB1 and CALM3 were key genes. IL-27 increased the content of LA, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the expression of GLUT1, HK2, LDHA, PGK1, p-DRP1 (s637), and MFN2, accompanied by decreased contents of Glu and ATP (P<0.001).

Conclusion

IL-27 potentially promotes keratinocyte proliferation by enhancing glycolysis, mitochondrial function, and mitochondrial fusion. The findings of this study may be conducive to revealing the role of IL-27 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Bone marrow microenvironment: roles and therapeutic implications in obesity-associated cancer

Obesity is increasing globally and has been closely linked to the initiation and progression of multiple human cancers. These relationships, to a large degree, are mediated through obesity-driven disruption of physiological homeostasis characterized by local and systemic endocrinologic, inflammatory, and metabolic changes. Bone marrow microenvironment (BMME), which evolves during obesity, has been implicated in multiple types of cancer. Growing evidence shows that physiological dysfunction of BMME with altered cellular composition, stromal and immune cell function, and energy metabolism, as well as inflammation and hypoxia, in the context of obesity contributes to cancer initiation and progression. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying the obesity-BMME-cancer axis remain elusive. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in understanding the evolution of BMME during obesity, its contributions to cancer initiation and progression, and the implications for cancer therapy.

IL-27 suppresses spring viremia of carp virus replication in zebrafish

Interleukin (IL) 27 is a member of the IL-12 family and is a heterodimeric cytokine composed of IL-27A and Epstein-Barr virus-induced 3 (EBI3). It plays an important role in regulating inflammation and cancer progression. IL-27A not only functions by dimerizing with EBI3 but also acts alone. Here, we report that IL-27A and EBI3 suppress spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) replication in zebrafish. Expression analysis reveals that il-27a and ebi3 were significantly upregulated in the ZF4 cells by SVCV and poly(I:C), and in the zebrafish caudal fin (ZFIN) cells overexpressed with SVCV genes. Interestingly, il-27a and ebi3 were not modulated by IFNφ1, indicating that they are not IFN stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, overexpression of IL-27A and EBI3 alone inhibited SVCV replication in the EPC cells, but less potent than co-expression of IL-27A and EBI3. Intriguingly, IL-27A could not induce the expression of irf3, ifn, isg15 and mx1. Taken together, our results demonstrate that IL-27A and EBI3 activate innate antiviral response in an IFN independent manner in zebrafish.

IL-27 Improves Prophylactic Protection Provided by a Dead Tumor Cell Vaccine in a Mouse Melanoma Model

The protocol used to induce cell death for generating vaccines from whole tumor cells is a critical consideration that impacts vaccine efficacy. Here we compared how different protocols used to induce cell death impacted protection provided by a prophylactic whole tumor cell vaccine in a mouse melanoma model. We found that melanoma cells exposed to γ-irradiation or lysis combined with UV-irradiation (LyUV) provided better protection against tumor challenge than lysis only or cells exposed to UV-irradiation. Furthermore, we found that the immunoregulatory cytokine, IL-27 enhanced protection against tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner when combined with either LyUV or γ-irradiated whole tumor cell vaccine preparations. Taken together, this data supports the use of LyUV as a potential protocol for developing whole tumor cell prophylactic cancer vaccines. We also showed that IL-27 can be used at low doses as a potent adjuvant in combination with LyUV or γ-irradiation treated cancer cells to improve the protection provided by a prophylactic cancer vaccine in a mouse melanoma model.

Addition of camrelizumab to docetaxel, cisplatin, and radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a phase 1b study

Patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) show poor survival after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. This study investigated the safety and feasibility of combining concurrent chemoradiotherapy with the anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab as first-line treatment for these patients. In this phase 1b study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03671265), patients received concurrent chemotherapy (cisplatin [25 mg/m²] plus docetaxel [25 mg/m²] for 4 weeks) and radiotherapy (2.0 Gy/fraction, total 60 Gy) with camrelizumab (200 mg every 2 weeks for 32 weeks). Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability, and health-related quality of life. Secondary endpoints were radiological and pathological response rates, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Candidate biomarkers in tumor and peripheral blood were monitored at baseline and after 40 Gy radiation. Twenty patients were enrolled. The most common treatment-related grade 3 adverse events included radiation esophagitis (20%) and esophageal fistula (10%). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in eight (40%) patients. No treatment-related deaths were reported. Health-related quality of life did not deteriorate. Thirteen (65%) patients had an objective response after 40 Gy radiation. At a median follow-up of 23.7 months (95% CI 21.9–24.5), OS and PFS time ranged from 8.2–28.5 and 4.0–28.5 months, respectively. The 12-month and 24-month OS rate was 85.0% and 69.6%; PFS rate was 80.0% and 65.0%. Tumor PD-L1 expression and CD11c⁺ dendritic cells and peripheral-blood IL-27, IL-15, Eotaxin-3, and IL-22 were associated with OS. First-line concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus camrelizumab had a manageable safety profile and promising antitumour efficacy for ESCC, and deserves further study.

Interleukin-27 promotes autophagy in human serum-induced primary macrophages via an mTOR- and LC3-independent pathway

Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a cytokine that suppresses human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection in macrophages and is considered as an immunotherapeutic reagent for infectious diseases. It is reported that IL-27 suppresses autophagy in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages; however, a role for IL-27 on autophagy induction has been less studied. In this study, we investigated the impact of IL-27 in both autophagy induction and HIV-1 infection in macrophages. Primary human monocytes were differentiated into macrophages using human AB serum (huAB) alone, macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) alone, or a combination of IL-27 with huAB or M-CSF. Electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that a 20-fold increase in autophagosome formation was only detected in IL-27 + huAB-induced macrophages. Western blot analysis indicated that the autophagosome induction was not linked to either dephosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) or lipidation of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), an autophagosomal marker, implying that IL-27 can induce autophagy through a novel non-canonical pathway. Here we show for the first time that IL-27 induces autophagy during monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation in a subtype-dependent manner.

Identification of the correlations between interleukin-27 (IL-27) and immune-inflammatory imbalance in preterm birth

Preterm birth (PTB) is an immune-inflammatory disease that needs to be resolved. This study aimed to identify the role of interleukin-27 (IL-27), an immunomodulatory factor, in PTB and its associated mechanisms. Here, we analyzed the high-throughput of samples data from the maternal-fetal interface to the peripheral circulation obtained from public databases and reported that the elevated IL-27 was involved with the onset of PTB. Further bioinformatics analyses (e.g. GeneMANIA and GSEA) revealed that IL-27 overexpression in the peripheral circulation as well as maternal-fetal interface is related to the activation of the immune-inflammatory process represented by IFN-γ signaling, etc. In addition, IL-27 and immune infiltration correlation analysis demonstrated that IL-27 mediates this immune-inflammatory imbalance, plausibly mainly through monocyte-macrophage and neutrophils. This finding was further validated by analyzing additional datasets. Overall, this is the first study to elaborate on the role of IL-27-mediated immuno-inflammation in PTB from the perspective of bioinformatics, which may provide a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of PTB.