Stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems for amplifying immunogenic cell death in cancer immunotherapy

Multiomics Approach Distinguishes SPTBN4 as a Key Molecule in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Immune Suppression of Testicular Seminomas

Background: Testicular seminomas, a common germ cell tumor, poses clinical challenges due to its molecular heterogeneity and limited biomarkers for precise diagnosis and prognosis. Leveraging multiomics approaches enables the comprehensive dissection of tumor complexity and facilitates the identification of key molecules influencing disease progression and therapeutic response. Methods: Single-cell RNA transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA-seq) was utilized to explore the cellular and transcriptional heterogeneity of testicular seminomas. High-dimensional weighted gene coexpression network analysis (hdWGCNA) identified gene modules linked to tumor progression. Public datasets were integrated for gene expression and survival analyses, and drug sensitivity patterns were assessed using the GDSC database. Results: scRNA-seq analysis revealed heterogeneous epithelial populations, with Epi1 cells exhibiting SLC5A5 and SPTBN4 as risk factors for advanced progression of seminomas. hdWGCNA identified nine gene modules, with the M6 module significantly enriched in Epi1 cells, implicating pathways such as negative regulation of ERAD and selective mRNA degradation. SPTBN4 was markedly upregulated in seminoma compared to nonseminomatous tumors and normal tissues, and its high expression was associated with poorer clinical outcomes and immunosuppressive microenvironments. Immune pathway analyses highlighted reduced antigen presentation and increased neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in the SPTBN4-high group, suggesting diminished immunotherapeutic efficacy. Conversely, the SPTBN4-high group exhibited increased sensitivity to multiple chemotherapeutic agents, including thapsigargin and sorafenib, indicating its potential as a predictive marker for chemotherapy. Conclusion: In conclusion, this multiomics study identifies SPTBN4 as a central biomarker in testicular seminomas, encompassing diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic dimensions. The integration of single-cell transcriptomics, hdWGCNA, and drug sensitivity analyses underscores the molecular complexity of seminomas and highlights the translational potential of SPTBN4 in guiding personalized treatment strategies. These findings provide a foundation for leveraging multiomics approaches to advance the clinical management of testicular seminomas and other heterogeneous malignancies.

KLX ameliorates liver cancer progression by mediating ZBP1 transcription and ubiquitination and increasing ZBP1-induced PANoptosis

Liver cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor survival rates. Current treatments, including liver transplantation, immunotherapy, and gene therapy, are often limited by late-stage diagnosis and significant side effects, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic agents. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Kanglexin (KLX), a novel anthraquinone derivative, in the treatment of liver cancer. In vitro, KLX inhibited the proliferation and migration of HepG2 and Hep3B cells in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, KLX upregulated Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1) expression, inducing PANoptosis by directly binding to ZBP1, altering its conformation, and reducing its affinity for the E3 ubiquitin ligase ring finger protein 180 (RNF180). This interaction decreased ZBP1 ubiquitination, thereby increasing its stability. Additionally, KLX upregulated the expression of the transcription factor homeobox D10 (HOXD10), which further increased ZBP1 expression. Elevated ZBP1 levels significantly suppressed liver cancer cell proliferation and migration, whereas the inhibitory effects of KLX were reversed upon ZBP1 knockdown. In a xenograft model, KLX significantly inhibited tumor growth with a lower toxicity than oxaliplatin (OXA). In conclusion, KLX promoted PANoptosis in liver cancer cells by upregulating ZBP1 and preventing its degradation, thereby inhibiting liver cancer progression and migration. These findings suggest that KLX is a promising therapeutic agent for liver cancer.

Synthesis and Characterization of N-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots and its Application for Efficient Delivery of Curcumin in Live Cell

To improve bioavailability, enhance the solubility and stability of the hydrophobic drug curcumin, nanoparticles such as carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are unique choices. In this study, we present a simple, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method for synthesizing nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) and their application in the efficient delivery of hydrophobic drugs curcumin into live cancer cells. The N-CQDs produced in this study exhibit excellent water solubility, remarkable stability, and high biocompatibility. To synthesize the N-CQD, we use a carbon source found naturally (lemon juice) and for doping, we use N-rich doping agents such as ethylene diamine and urea by using eco-friendly chemical oxidation methods. The resulting N-CQDs, with particle sizes under 10 nm, exhibit a good quantum yield, reinforcing their utility for biomedical applications. N-CQDs and drug-loaded particles are evaluated using various techniques like UV-Vis, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) as well. Additionally, we report a remarkable method to use N-CQDs as carriers for the anticancer drug curcumin, significantly enhancing the solubility in live cells. Our research also delved into the application of N-CQDs in in vivo bioimaging and drug release studies within live cancer cells, with a particular focus on their pH-dependence behavior.

Supramolecular Nano-Tracker for Real-Time Tracking of Drug Release and Efficient Combination Therapy

Real-time tracking of drug release from nanomedicine in vivo is crucial for optimizing its therapeutic efficacy in clinical settings, particularly in dosage control and determining the optimal therapeutic window. However, most current real-time tracking systems require a tedious synthesis and purification process. Herein, a supramolecular nano-tracker (SNT) capable of real-time tracking of drug release in vivo based on non-covalent host-guest interactions is presented. By integrating multiple cavities into a single nanoparticle, SNT achieves co-loading of drugs and probes while efficiently quenching the photophysical properties of the probe through host-guest complexation. Moreover, SNT is readily degraded under hypoxic tumor tissues, leading to the simultaneous release of drugs and probes and the fluorescence recovery of probes. With this spatial and temporal consistency in drug loading and fluorescence quenching, as well as drug release and fluorescence recovery, SNT successfully achieves real-time tracking of drug release in vivo (Pearson r = 0.9166, R2 = 0.8247). Furthermore, the released drugs can synergize effectively with fluorescent probes upon light irradiation, achieving potent chemo-photodynamic combination therapy in 4T1-bearing mice with a significantly improved survival rate (33%), providing a potential platform to significantly advance the development of nanomedicine and achieve optimal therapeutic effects in the clinic.

Targeting immunogenic cell stress and death for cancer therapy

Immunogenic cell death (ICD), which results from insufficient cellular adaptation to specific stressors, occupies a central position in the development of novel anticancer treatments. Several therapeutic strategies to elicit ICD - either as standalone approaches or as means to convert immunologically cold tumours that are insensitive to immunotherapy into hot and immunotherapy-sensitive lesions - are being actively pursued. However, the development of ICD-inducing treatments is hindered by various obstacles. Some of these relate to the intrinsic complexity of cancer cell biology, whereas others arise from the use of conventional therapeutic strategies that were developed according to immune-agnostic principles. Moreover, current discovery platforms for the development of novel ICD inducers suffer from limitations that must be addressed to improve bench-to-bedside translational efforts. An improved appreciation of the conceptual difference between key factors that discriminate distinct forms of cell death will assist the design of clinically viable ICD inducers.

Nanoparticle-mediated immunogenic cell death for cancer immunotherapy

The field of cancer therapy is witnessing the emergence of immunotherapy, an innovative approach that activates the body own immune system to combat cancer. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has emerged as a prominent research focus in the field of cancer immunotherapy, attracting significant attention in recent years. The activation of ICD can induce the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), such as calreticulin (CRT), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), and heat shock proteins (HSP). Subsequently, this process promotes the maturation of innate immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), thereby triggering a T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. The activation of the ICD ultimately leads to the development of long-lasting immune responses against tumors. Studies have demonstrated that partial therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy with doxorubicin, specific forms of radiotherapy, and phototherapy, can induce the generation of ICD. The main focus of this article is to discuss and review the therapeutic methods triggered by nanoparticles for ICD, while briefly outlining their anti-tumor mechanism. The objective is to provide a comprehensive reference for the widespread application of ICD.

Innate immunity of vascular smooth muscle cells contributes to two-wave inflammation in atherosclerosis, twin-peak inflammation in aortic aneurysms and trans-differentiation potential into 25 cell types

Introduction

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type in the medial layer of the aorta, which plays a critical role in aortic diseases. Innate immunity is the main driving force for cardiovascular diseases.

Methods

To determine the roles of innate immunity in VSMC and aortic pathologies, we performed transcriptome analyses on aortas from ApoE-/- angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced aortic aneurysm (AAA) time course, and ApoE-/- atherosclerosis time course, as well as VSMCs stimulated with danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs).

Results

We made significant findings: 1) 95% and 45% of the upregulated innate immune pathways (UIIPs, based on data of 1226 innate immune genes) in ApoE-/- Ang II-induced AAA at 7 days were different from that of 14 and 28 days, respectively; and AAA showed twin peaks of UIIPs with a major peak at 7 days and a minor peak at 28 days; 2) all the UIIPs in ApoE-/- atherosclerosis at 6 weeks were different from that of 32 and 78 weeks (two waves); 3) analyses of additional 12 lists of innate immune-related genes with 1325 cytokine and chemokine genes, 2022 plasma membrane protein genes, 373 clusters of differentiation (CD) marker genes, 280 nuclear membrane protein genes, 1425 nucleoli protein genes, 6750 nucleoplasm protein genes, 1496 transcription factors (TFs) including 15 pioneer TFs, 164 histone modification enzymes, 102 oxidative cell death genes, 68 necrotic cell death genes, and 47 efferocytosis genes confirmed two-wave inflammation in atherosclerosis and twin-peak inflammation in AAA; 4) DAMPs-stimulated VSMCs were innate immune cells as judged by the upregulation of innate immune genes and genes from 12 additional lists; 5) DAMPs-stimulated VSMCs increased trans-differentiation potential by upregulating not only some of 82 markers of 7 VSMC-plastic cell types, including fibroblast, osteogenic, myofibroblast, macrophage, adipocyte, foam cell, and mesenchymal cell, but also 18 new cell types (out of 79 human cell types with 8065 cell markers); 6) analysis of gene deficient transcriptomes indicated that the antioxidant transcription factor NRF2 suppresses, however, the other five inflammatory transcription factors and master regulators, including AHR, NF-KB, NOX (ROS enzyme), PERK, and SET7 promote the upregulation of twelve lists of innate immune genes in atherosclerosis, AAA, and DAMP-stimulated VSMCs; and 7) both SET7 and trained tolerance-promoting metabolite itaconate contributed to twin-peak upregulation of cytokines in AAA.

Discussion

Our findings have provided novel insights on the roles of innate immune responses and nuclear stresses in the development of AAA, atherosclerosis, and VSMC immunology and provided novel therapeutic targets for treating those significant cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

CCL19: a novel prognostic chemokine modulates the tumor immune microenvironment and outcomes of cancers

BACKGROUND

CCL19 is a chemokine involved in cancer research due to its important role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and clinical relevance in cancers. This study aimed to analyze transcription expression, genomic alteration, association with tumor immune microenvironment of CCL19 expression and its prediction value for prognosis and responses to immunotherapy for patients with cancers.

METHODS

RNA sequencing data and corresponding clinicopathological information of a total of large-scale cancer patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) was implemented to identify differential infiltration of Treg, CD8+ T cells, and tumor-associated macrophages, while CCL19 immunohistochemistry was conducted on 182 breast cancer samples from a real-world cohort.

RESULTS

Based on large-scale multi-center survival analysis of cancer patients, we found the prognosis of patients with high CCL19 expression was prominently better than those with low CCL19 expression. For patients from multiple independent cohorts, suppressed CCL19 expression exerts significant progressive phenotype and apoptosis activity of cancers, especially in breast and ovarian cancer. Interestingly, anti-tumor immune cells, specifically the CD8+ T cells and macrophages, were clustered from TME by elevated CCL19 expression. Additionally, higher CCL19 levels reflected heightened immune activity and substantial heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our findings support the notion that elevated CCL19 expression is linked to favorable outcomes and enhanced anti-tumor immunity, characterized by increased CD8+ T cells within the TME. This suggests the potential of CCL19 as a prognostic marker, predictive biomarker for immunotherapy, therapeutic target of cancers.

Deciphering the implications of mitophagy-related signatures in clinical outcomes and microenvironment heterogeneity of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The role of mitophagy in various cancer-associated biological processes is well recognized. Nonetheless, the comprehensive implications of mitophagy in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) necessitate further exploration.

METHODS

Based on the transcriptomic data encompassing 25 mitophagy-related genes (MRGs), we identified the distinct mitophage patterns in 763 ccRCC samples. Subsequently, a mitophage-related predictive signature with machine learning algorithms was constructed, designated as RiskScore, to quantify the individual mitophagy status in ccRCC patients. Employing multispectral immunofluorescence (mIF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, we detected the effect of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of ccRCC.

RESULTS

Our analysis initially encompassed a comprehensive assessment of the expression profiling, genomic variations, and interactions among the 25 MRGs in ccRCC. Subsequently, the consensus clustering algorithm was applied to stratify ccRCC patients into three clusters with distinct prognostic outcomes, tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics, and underlying biological pathways. We screened eight pivotal genes (CLIC4, PTPRB, SLC16A12, ENPP5, FLRT3, HRH2, PDK4, and SCD5) to construct a mitophagy-related predictive signature, which showed excellent prognostic value for ccRCC patients. Moreover, patient subgroups divided by the RiskScore showed contrasting expression levels of immune checkpoints (ICPs), abundance of immune cells, and immunotherapy response. Additionally, a nomogram was established with robust predictive power integrating the RiskScore and clinical features. Notably, we observed that PINK1 expression markedly correlated with favorable treatment response and advanced maturation stages of tertiary lymphoid structures, which potentially shed light on enhancing anti-tumor immunity of ccRCC.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, this study initially developed a signature associated with mitophagy, which demonstrated an excellent ability to predict the clinical prognosis, TME characterization, and responsiveness to targeted therapy and immunotherapy for ccRCC patients. Of particular note is the pivotal role of PINK1 in mediating the treatment response and immune microenvironment for ccRCC patients.