BFAR coordinates TGFβ signaling to modulate Th9-mediated cancer immunotherapy

Age-related decline in CD8+ tissue resident memory T cells compromises antitumor immunity

Aging compromises antitumor immunity, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that aging impairs the generation of CD8+ tissue resident memory T (TRM) cells in nonlymphoid tissues in mice, thus compromising the antitumor activity of aged CD8+ T cells, which we also observed in human lung adenocarcinoma. We further identified that the apoptosis regulator BFAR was highly enriched in aged CD8+ T cells, in which BFAR suppressed cytokine-induced JAK2 signaling by activating JAK2 deubiquitination, thereby limiting downstream STAT1-mediated TRM reprogramming. Targeting BFAR either through Bfar knockout or treatment with our developed BFAR inhibitor, iBFAR2, rescued the antitumor activity of aged CD8+ T cells by restoring TRM generation in the tumor microenvironment, thus efficiently inhibiting tumor growth in aged CD8+ T cell transfer and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)-resistant mouse tumor models. Together, our findings establish BFAR-induced TRM restriction as a key mechanism causing aged CD8+ T cell dysfunction and highlight the translational potential of iBFAR2 in restoring antitumor activity in aged individuals or patients resistant to anti-PD-1 therapy.

Benefit delayed immunosenescence by regulating CD4+T cells: A promising therapeutic target for aging-related diseases

CD4+T cells play a notable role in immune protection at different stages of life. During aging, the interaction between the body's internal and external environment and CD4+T cells results in a series of changes in the CD4+T cells pool making it involved in immunosenescence. Many studies have extensively examined the subsets and functionality of CD4+T cells within the immune system, highlighted their pivotal role in disease pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic interventions. However, the underlying mechanism of CD4+T cells senescence and its intricate association with diseases remains to be elucidated and comprehensively understood. By summarizing the immunosenescent progress and network of CD4+T cell subsets, we reveal the crucial role of CD4+T cells in the occurrence and development of age-related diseases. Furthermore, we provide new insights and theoretical foundations for diseases targeting CD4+T cell subsets aging as a treatment focus, offering novel approaches for therapy, especially in infections, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and other diseases in the elderly.

Th9 Cytokines Inhibit Proliferation, Promote Apoptosis, and Immune Escape in Thyroid Carcinoma Cells

To investigate the regulatory effects of T helper 9 (Th9) cytokines on the proliferation, apoptosis and immune escape of thyroid cancer cells. The survival rate of human thyroid cancer cell line TPC-1 after treatment with 0, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 ng/ml IL-9 (or IL-21) was determined by CCK-8 method and suitable concentrations of IL-9 and IL-21 were screened out. The TPC-1 cells cultured in vitro were randomly grouped into control group, IL-9 group, IL-21 group and IL-9+IL-21 group. After treatment with IL-9 and IL-21 factors, the proliferation and apoptosis of TPC-1 cells in each group were detected by CCK-8 method and flow cytometry, respectively. The flow cytometry was applied to detect the proportion of Th9 and activated CD8+ T cells in human peripheral blood lymphocytes co-cultured with TPC-1 in each group. The expression of TPC-1 and IL-9R and IL-21R protein in each group and human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Compared with the control group, the cell viability PCNA and Bcl-2 protein expression in TPC-1 cells were lower in the IL-9 group, IL-21 group and IL-9+IL-21 group (P<0.05). The apoptosis rate, proportions of Th9 and activated CD8+ T cells, killing rate of human peripheral blood lymphocytes, the expression of Bax and caspase-3 proteins in TPC-1 cells, the expression of TPC-1 and human peripheral blood lymphocytes IL-9R and IL-21R proteins were all higher (P<0.05) in IL-9+IL-21 group compared with the IL-9 group and the IL-21 group. The cell viability, PCNA and Bcl-2 protein expression in TPC-1 cells in the IL-9+IL-21 group were all lower (P<0.05). Th9 cytokines can promote the differentiation of Th9 cells and CD8+ T cells, enhance their lethality, reduce the immune escape of thyroid cancer cells, and then inhibit their proliferation and promote their apoptosis.

Ubiquitin modification in the regulation of tumor immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets

Although immune checkpoint-based cancer immunotherapy has shown significant efficacy in various cancers, resistance still limits its therapeutic effects. Ubiquitination modification is a mechanism that adds different types of ubiquitin chains to proteins, mediating protein degradation or altering their function, thereby affecting cellular signal transduction. Increasing evidence suggests that ubiquitination modification plays a crucial role in regulating the mechanisms of resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Drugs targeting ubiquitination modification pathways have been shown to inhibit tumor progression or enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. This review elaborates on the mechanisms by which tumor cells, immune cells, and the tumor microenvironment mediate resistance to cancer immunotherapy and the details of how ubiquitination modification regulates these mechanisms, providing a foundation for enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy by intervening in ubiquitination modification.

Chemoradiotherapy-induced ACKR2+ tumor cells drive CD8+ T cell senescence and cervical cancer recurrence

Tumor recurrence after chemoradiotherapy is challenging to overcome, and approaches to predict the recurrence remain elusive. Here, human cervical cancer tissues before and after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing reveal that CCRT specifically promotes CD8+ T cell senescence, driven by atypical chemokine receptor 2 (ACKR2)+ CCRT-resistant tumor cells. Mechanistically, ACKR2 expression is increased in response to CCRT and is also upregulated through the ligation of CC chemokines that are produced by activated myeloid and T cells. Subsequently, ACKR2+ tumor cells are induced to produce transforming growth factor β to drive CD8+ T cell senescence, thereby compromising antitumor immunity. Moreover, retrospective analysis reveals that ACKR2 expression and CD8+ T cell senescence are enhanced in patients with cervical cancer who experienced recurrence after CCRT, indicating poor prognosis. Overall, we identify a subpopulation of CCRT-resistant ACKR2+ tumor cells driving CD8+ T cell senescence and tumor recurrence and highlight the prognostic value of ACKR2 and CD8+ T cell senescence for chemoradiotherapy recurrence.

Combination of percutaneous thermal ablation and adoptive Th9 cell transfer therapy against non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the predominant malignancies globally. Percutaneous thermal ablation (PTA) has gained widespread use among NSCLC patients, with the potential to elicit immune responses but limited therapeutic efficacies for advanced-stage disease. T-helper type 9 (Th9) cells are a subset of CD4+ effector T cells with robust and persistent anti-tumor effects. This study proposes to develop PTA-Th9 cell integrated therapy as a potential strategy for NSCLC treatment.

METHODS

The therapeutic efficacies were measured in mice models with subcutaneously transplanted, recurrence, or lung metastatic tumors. The tumor microenvironments (TMEs) were evaluated by flow cytometry. The cytokine levels were assessed by ELISA. The signaling molecules were determined by quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The translational potential was tested in the humanized NSCLC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model.

RESULTS

We find that PTA combined with adoptive Th9 cell transfer therapy substantially suppresses tumor growth, recurrence, and lung metastasis, ultimately extending the survival of mice with NSCLC grafts, outperforming both PTA and Th9 cell transfer monotherapy. Analysis of TMEs indicates that combinatorial therapy significantly augments tumor-infiltrating Th9 cells, boosts anti-tumor effects of CD8+ T cells, and remodels tumor immunosuppressive microenvironments. Moreover, combinatorial therapy significantly strengthens the regional and circulation immune response of CD8+ T cells in mice with tumor lung metastasis and induces peripheral CD8+ T effector memory cells in mice with tumor recurrence. Mechanically, PTA reinforces the anti-tumor ability of Th9 cells primarily through upregulating interleukin (IL)-1β and subsequently activating the downstream STAT1/IRF1 pathway, which could be effectively blocked by intercepting IL-1β signaling. Finally, the enhanced therapeutic effect of combinatorial therapy is validated in humanized NSCLC PDX models.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, this study demonstrates that combinatorial therapy displays robust and durable anti-tumor efficacy and excellent translational potential, offering excellent prospects for translation and emerging as a promising approach for NSCLC treatment.

Oral probiotics microgel plus Galunisertib reduced TGF-β blockade resistance and enhanced anti-tumor immune responses in colorectal cancer

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), a versatile immunosuppressive cytokine, has gained increasing attention as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. However, current strategies are constrained by tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance. Therapeutic probiotics, such as Escherichia coli Nissle1917 (EcN), not only regulate the gut microbiota to increase beneficial bacteria with anti-tumor effects, but also modulate immune factors within the body, thereby enhancing immunity. In this study, we developed an oral microgel delivery system of EcN@(CS-SA)2 by electrostatic interaction between chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA), aiming to enhance its bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Notably, EcN@(CS-SA)2 microgel showed a synergistic enhancement of the anti-tumor efficacy of Galunisertib (Gal, a TGF-β inhibitor) by inducing apoptosis and immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells, as well as promoting increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Single-cell and bulk sequencing analyses reveal the immune suppressive role of PTPN6 in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly malignant brain cancer with a poor prognosis despite standard treatments. This investigation aimed to explore the feasibility of PTPN6 to combat GBM with immunotherapy. Our study employed a comprehensive analysis of publicly available datasets and functional experiments to assess PTPN6 gene expression, prognostic value, and related immune characteristics in glioma. We evaluated the influence of PTPN6 expression on CD8+ T cell exhaustion, immune suppression, and tumor growth in human GBM samples and mouse models. Our findings demonstrated that PTPN6 overexpression played an oncogenic role in GBM and was associated with advanced tumor grades and unfavorable clinical outcomes. In human GBM samples, PTPN6 upregulation showed a strong association with immunosuppressive formation and CD8+ T cell dysfunction, whereas, in mice, it hindered CD8+ T cell infiltration. Moreover, PTPN6 facilitated cell cycle progression, inhibited apoptosis, and promoted glioma cell proliferation, tumor growth, and colony formation in mice. The outcomes of our study indicate that PTPN6 is a promising immunotherapeutic target for the treatment of GBM. Inhibition of PTPN6 could enhance CD8+ T cell infiltration and improve antitumor immune response, thus leading to better clinical outcomes for GBM patients.

The Emerging Role of IL-9 in the Anticancer Effects of Anti-PD-1 Therapy

PD-1 blockade rescues failing anticancer immune responses, resulting in durable remissions in some cancer patients. Cytokines such as IFNγ and IL-2 contribute to the anti-tumor effect of PD-1 blockade. IL-9 was identified over the last decade as a cytokine demonstrating a potent ability to harness the anticancer functions of innate and adaptive immune cells in mice. Recent translational investigations suggest that the anticancer activity of IL-9 also extends to some human cancers. Increased T cell-derived IL-9 was proposed to predict the response to anti-PD-1 therapy. Preclinical investigations accordingly revealed that IL-9 could synergize with anti-PD-1 therapy in eliciting anticancer responses. Here, we review the findings suggesting an important contribution of IL-9 in the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy and discuss their clinical relevance. We will also discuss the role of host factors like the microbiota and TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the regulation of IL-9 secretion and anti-PD-1 treatment efficacy.

Goliath induces inflammation in obese mice by linking fatty acid β-oxidation to glycolysis

Obesity is associated with metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation. However, the obesity-associated metabolic contribution to inflammatory induction remains elusive. Here, we show that, compared with lean mice, CD4+ T cells from obese mice exhibit elevated basal levels of fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO), which promote T cell glycolysis and thus hyperactivation, leading to enhanced induction of inflammation. Mechanistically, the FAO rate-limiting enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a) stabilizes the mitochondrial E3 ubiquitin ligase Goliath, which mediates deubiquitination of calcineurin and thus enhances activation of NF-AT signaling, thereby promoting glycolysis and hyperactivation of CD4+ T cells in obesity. We also report the specific GOLIATH inhibitor DC-Gonib32, which blocks this FAO-glycolysis metabolic axis in CD4+ T cells of obese mice and reduces the induction of inflammation. Overall, these findings establish a role of a Goliath-bridged FAO-glycolysis axis in mediating CD4+ T cell hyperactivation and thus inflammation in obese mice.

Enhancement of T cell infiltration via tumor-targeted Th9 cell delivery improves the efficacy of antitumor immunotherapy of solid tumors

Insufficient infiltration of T cells severely compromises the antitumor efficacy of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) against solid tumors. Here, we present a facile immune cell surface engineering strategy aiming to substantially enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of Th9-mediated ACT by rapidly identifying tumor-specific binding ligands and improving the infiltration of infused cells into solid tumors. Non-genetic decoration of Th9 cells with tumor-targeting peptide screened from phage display not only allowed precise targeted ACT against highly heterogeneous solid tumors but also substantially enhanced infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells, which led to improved antitumor outcomes. Mechanistically, infusion of Th9 cells modified with tumor-specific binding ligands facilitated the enhanced distribution of tumor-killing cells and remodeled the immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors via IL-9 mediated immunomodulation. Overall, we presented a simple, cost-effective, and cell-friendly strategy to enhance the efficacy of ACT against solid tumors with the potential to complement the current ACT.

Role of K63-linked ubiquitination in cancer

Ubiquitination is a critical type of post-translational modifications, of which K63-linked ubiquitination regulates interaction, translocation, and activation of proteins. In recent years, emerging evidence suggest involvement of K63-linked ubiquitination in multiple signaling pathways and various human diseases including cancer. Increasing number of studies indicated that K63-linked ubiquitination controls initiation, development, invasion, metastasis, and therapy of diverse cancers. Here, we summarized molecular mechanisms of K63-linked ubiquitination dictating different biological activities of tumor and highlighted novel opportunities for future therapy targeting certain regulation of K63-linked ubiquitination in tumor.

The role of Th9 CD4+ T cells and IL-9 during primary Sjogren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to investigate the expression levels of Th₉ CD4⁺ T cells and IL-9 secretion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome. Further, this study aimed to investigate the role of Th₉ cells in the occurrence and development of pSS.

METHODS

A total of 20 pSS patients and 20 healthy people, matched with age and gender, were selected as the experimental and control group, respectively. Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to detect the expression of Th₉ cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and IL-9 in serum, respectively. These factors were then correlated to other clinical indicators.

RESULTS

The levels of Th₉ CD4⁺ T cells and IL-9 of pSS patients were significantly higher than those of the control group. Th₉ CD4⁺ T cells and IL-9 levels in peripheral blood of pSS patients were negatively correlated with salivary flow rate, while IL-9 level was positively correlated with globulin. The transcription levels of IL-9 and immune-related genes including IL-4, IL-7, IL-17, SMAD3, STAT5 and JAK3 were dramatically increased in serum of pSS patients.

CONCLUSION

The expression levels of Th₉ in peripheral blood and serum IL-9 of patients with pSS were significantly increased, which were correlated with clinical immunological indexes. Together, these data suggest that Th₉ cells and IL-9 may be involved in the pathogenesis of pSS.

The Love-Hate Relationship Between TGF-β Signaling and the Immune System During Development and Tumorigenesis

Since TGF-β was recognized as an essential secreted cytokine in embryogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis a decade ago, our knowledge of the role of TGF-β in mammalian development and disease, particularly cancer, has constantly been updated. Mounting evidence has confirmed that TGF-β is the principal regulator of the immune system, as deprivation of TGF-β signaling completely abrogates adaptive immunity. However, enhancing TGF-β signaling constrains the immune response through multiple mechanisms, including boosting Treg cell differentiation and inducing CD8⁺ T-cell apoptosis in the disease context. The love-hate relationship between TGF-β signaling and the immune system makes it challenging to develop effective monotherapies targeting TGF-β, especially for cancer treatment. Nonetheless, recent work on combination therapies of TGF-β inhibition and immunotherapy have provide insights into the development of TGF-β-targeted therapies, with favorable outcomes in patients with advanced cancer. Hence, we summarize the entanglement between TGF-β and the immune system in the developmental and tumor contexts and recent progress on hijacking crucial TGF-β signaling pathways as an emerging area of cancer therapy.

Identification of Potential Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Targets in Gliomas via Bioinformatic Analyses

Background. Glioma is a common tumor originating from the glial cells of the brain. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can potentially be used to treat gliomas, although no drug is currently approved. Methods. The expression levels of the immune checkpoint genes in glioma and normal tissues, and their correlation with the IDH mutation status and complete 1p/19q codeletion, were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Survival analyses were conducted using the CGGA database. Protein-protein interaction and functional enrichment analyses were performed via the STRING database using GO, KEGG, and Reactome pathways. The correlation between the immune checkpoints and the immune cell infiltration was determined using the TISIDB and TIMER databases. Results. HAVCR2 was overexpressed in the gliomas compared to normal brain tissues, as well as in the high-grade glioma patients and significantly downregulated in IDH mutant or 1p/19q codeletion patients. Overexpression of HAVCR2 was associated with poor survival in tumor grades II, III, and IV and was the most correlated with immune infiltration of B and T cells. Conclusion. HAVCR2 can be a potential therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy for glioma patients.

Changes in tumor suppressors and inflammatory responses during hydrogen peroxide-induced senescence in rat fibroblasts

Cell proliferation and senescence are processes induced by oxidative stress. In this study, we aimed to establish a cellular model of rapid proliferation and senescence of rat tail-tip fibroblasts by hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂), a well-known oxidant. On this basis, changes in oxidative stress, inflammatory response and cell cycle of fibroblasts were studied. After H₂O₂ treatment, cell counting and flow cytometry results showed that 50μM of H₂O₂ for 12h and 100μM for 8h effectively promoted fibroblast proliferation, while 500μM rapidly led to cell cycle arrest. In addition, stimulation with H₂O₂ at a concentration of 50μM also promoted the inflammatory effects of the cells. At a concentration of 100μM H₂O₂, the cellular antioxidant system began to collapse at 8h and began to affect cellular activity. 500μM of H₂O₂ at 4h the levels of senescence-associated β-galactosidase, a marker of senescence and oxidative stress, were almost positive in fibroblasts. In addition, we found that the risk of fibroblasts carcinogenesis increased with increased H₂O₂ stimulation. The results of this study indicate that H₂O₂ can cause rapid proliferation and senescence of fibroblasts and that its mechanism of action may be mainly through influencing cellular antioxidant systems, cellular inflammatory responses and cell cycle.