Mining immune-related genes with prognostic value in the tumor microenvironment of breast invasive ductal carcinoma

Evaluation of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes as Predictors of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

Background This study aimed to evaluate tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Methods Overall, 35 patients with LABC were included in the study. Information on demographic profile, medical history, and signs and symptoms was collected for each patient, and a complete clinical evaluation was conducted, which involved physical examination, imaging studies (mammogram/ultrasound imaging), biopsy of each patient, and a metastatic workup. Patient consent was obtained for core-needle biopsy under local anesthesia, followed by a pathologic assessment of the type of breast cancer, before NACT and after mastectomy. Patients treated with NACT were followed up for response using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 and were scheduled for modified radical mastectomy (MRM) on completion of NACT. MRM specimens were sent for immunohistopathologic analysis for CD3 and CD5, and for grading. Subsequently, correlations between TILs and grading with NACT response and type of cancer were analyzed. Results Of the 35 patients, 24 were positive for CD3. A correlation was identified between NACT in LABC patients and CD3 TILs, as 68.6% of patients were CD3-positive, with 54.3% showing stromal CD3 variants and 14.3% showing intramural CD3 variants. This result indicates that CD3 TILs can be an indicator of response to NACT in LABC patients. In the sample, 48.6% of patients showed CD5 positivity, with stromal predominance. Overall, 17 patients (48.6%) had a RECIST complete response to NACT, 16 (45.7%) had a partial response, and 1 (2.9%) had progressive disease. Therefore, the study showed a significant response to NACT in LABC patients (p-value < 0.0001), and reductions in tumor size could be evaluated using RECIST criteria. Conclusions NACT had a significant effect on tumors, as shown by RECIST assessments in patients with LABC. TILs can be used as promising prognostic markers to evaluate and predict patients' responses to NACT. Evaluating TILs is expensive but may be useful for the diagnosis and prediction of immunologic responses in breast cancer and other types of carcinomas following chemotherapy.

Galloflavin Relieves the Malignant Behavior of Colorectal Cancer Cells in the Inflammatory Tumor Microenvironment

Background: In this study, we mainly aimed to explore the correlation between galloflavin and NLRP3 and its effect on colorectal cancer.

Methods: NLRP3 was overexpressed in SW480 cells; LPS + ATP was used to mimic the inflammatory microenvironment. Wound healing assay and Transwell assay were utilized to detect cell migration and invasion abilities; CCK-8 assay was performed to detect cell viability alterations; colony formation assay was conducted to detect colony formation ability; Western blot was used to detect the levels of NLRP3, ASC, C-Myc, and P21. SW480 cells were pretreated with high-dose and low-dose galloflavin, followed by observation of their effects on cell metastasis and invasion. NLRP3 was knocked out in SW480 to construct the SW480-NLRP3^−/− cell line, followed by high-dose galloflavin treatment and subsequent observation of cell metastasis and invasion abilities. Small molecule–protein docking and pull-down assay were performed to confirm the targeting relationship between galloflavin and NLRP3. After constructing a tumor-bearing mice model, galloflavin was intragastrically administered, followed by detection of tumor growth, expression of NLRP3 and ASC by immunohistochemistry, and tumor histopathology by H&E staining.

Results: After NLRP3 overexpression and LPS/ATP induction in SW480, the cell migration and invasion abilities were significantly enhanced, and cell viability was also enhanced. The activation of NLRP3 could promote the malignant behavior of colorectal cancer cells in the inflammatory microenvironment. Galloflavin treatment could significantly attenuate the malignant behavior of SW480 in the inflammatory microenvironment and inhibit the migration and invasion capabilities of SW480. The knockout of NLRP3 inhibited the effect of galloflavin, which did not significantly change the migration and invasion abilities. Molecular docking and pull-down assay revealed a targeted binding relationship between galloflavin and NLRP3 and that galloflavin is bound to NLRP3 not ASC protein. Moreover, galloflavin could inhibit tumor growth and decrease the expression of NLRP in tumor-bearing mice.

Conclusion: In this study, we found that NLRP3 could promote the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells in the inflammatory microenvironment. Galloflavin could inhibit the malignant behavior of colorectal cancer cells by targeting NLRP3.