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Schreiber M, Vajs V, Horák P. How tapeworms interact with cancers: a mini-review. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17196. [PMID: 38563013 PMCID: PMC10984186 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, with an estimated 19.3 million new cases and 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020 alone. Approximately 2.2 million cancer cases are attributed to infectious diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite the apparent involvement of some parasitic helminths (especially trematodes) in cancer induction, there are also records of the potential suppressive effects of helminth infections on cancer. Tapeworms such as Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia crassiceps, and more seem to have the potential to suppress malignant cell development, although in a few cases the evidence might be contradictory. Our review aims to summarize known epidemiological data on the cancer-helminth co-occurrence in the human population and the interactions of tapeworms with cancers, i.e., proven or hypothetical effects of tapeworms and their products on cancer cells in vivo (i.e., in experimental animals) or in vitro. The prospect of bioactive tapeworm molecules helping reduce the growth and metastasis of cancer is within the realm of future possibility, although extensive research is yet required due to certain concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Schreiber
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Vajs
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Horák
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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Hernández-Aceves JA, Cervantes-Torres J, Torres-García D, Zuñiga-Flores FJ, Patiño-Chávez OJ, Peña Agudelo JA, Aguayo-Flores JE, Garfias Y, Montero-León L, Romero-Romero L, Pérez-Torres A, Fragoso G, Sciutto E. GK-1 effectively reduces angiogenesis and prevents T cell exhaustion in a breast cancer murine experimental model. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:3825-3838. [PMID: 37736849 PMCID: PMC10576684 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03538-9] [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] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the leading malignancy in women worldwide, both in terms of incidence and mortality. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the type with the worst clinical outcomes and with fewer therapeutic options than other types of breast cancer. GK-1 is a peptide that in the experimental model of the metastatic 4T1 breast cancer has demonstrated anti-tumor and anti-metastatic properties. Herein, GK-1 (5 mg/kg, i.v.) weekly administrated not only decreases tumor growth and the number of lung macro-metastases but also lung and lymph nodes micro-metastases. Histological analysis reveals that GK-1 reduced 57% of the intra-tumor vascular areas, diminished the leukemoid reaction's progression, and the spleens' weight and length. A significant reduction in VEGF-C, SDF-1, angiopoietin-2, and endothelin-1 angiogenic factors was induced. Moreover, GK-1 prevents T cell exhaustion in the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) decreasing PD-1 expression. It also increased IFN-γ and granzyme-B expression and the cytotoxic activity of CD8+ TILs cells against tumor cells. All these features were found to be associated with a better antitumor response and prognosis. Altogether, these results reinforce the potential of GK-1 to improve the clinical outcome of triple-negative breast cancer immunotherapy. Translation research is ongoing towards its evaluation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Hernández-Aceves
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jacquelynne Cervantes-Torres
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Diana Torres-García
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisco J Zuñiga-Flores
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Tisular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Osiris J Patiño-Chávez
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jorge A Peña Agudelo
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Yonathan Garfias
- Unidad de Investigación, Conde de Valenciana, Instituto de Oftalmología, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Laura Montero-León
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Laura Romero-Romero
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Escolar, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Armando Pérez-Torres
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Tisular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Gladis Fragoso
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Edda Sciutto
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Cervantes-Torres J, Gracia-Mora I, Segura-Velazquez R, Montero-Montoya R, Espinosa-Aguirre J, E. Gonsebatt M, Camacho-Carranza R, Rivera-Huerta M, Sanchez-Bartez F, Tinoco-Méndez M, Ostrosky-Wegman P, Fragoso G, Sciutto E. Preclinical evidences of safety of a new synthetic adjuvant to formulate with the influenza human vaccine: absence of subchronic toxicity and mutagenicity. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2019; 41:140-149. [DOI: 10.1080/08923973.2019.1566359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel Gracia-Mora
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - René Segura-Velazquez
- Unidad de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Regina Montero-Montoya
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Javier Espinosa-Aguirre
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - María E. Gonsebatt
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Rafael Camacho-Carranza
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Marisol Rivera-Huerta
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - Mabel Tinoco-Méndez
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gladis Fragoso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Edda Sciutto
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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