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Baranasic J, Niazi Y, Chattopadhyay S, Rumora L, Ćorak L, Dugac AV, Jakopović M, Samaržija M, Försti A, Knežević J. Germline variants of the genes involved in NF-kB activation are associated with the risk of COPD and lung cancer development. ACTA PHARMACEUTICA (ZAGREB, CROATIA) 2023; 73:243-256. [PMID: 37307368 DOI: 10.2478/acph-2023-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer (LC) are closely related diseases associated with smoking history and dysregulated immune response. However, not all smokers develop the disease, indicating that genetic susceptibility could be important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to search for the potential overlapping genetic biomarkers, with a focus on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the regulatory regions of immune-related genes. Additionally, the aim was to see if an identified SNP has potentially an effect on proinflamma-tory cytokine concentration in the serum of COPD patients. We extracted summary data of variants in 1511 immune-related genes from COPD and LC genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from the UK Biobank. The LC data had 203 cases, patients diagnosed with LC, and 360 938 controls, while COPD data had 1 897 cases and 359 297 controls. Assuming 1 association/gene, SNPs with a p-value < 3.3 × 10-5 were considered statistically significantly associated with the disease. We identified seven SNPs located in different genes (BAG6, BTNL2, TNF, HCP5, MICB, NCR3, ABCF1, TCF7L1) to be associated with the COPD risk and two with the LC risk (HLA-C, HLA-B), with statistical significance. We also identified two SNPs located in the IL2RA gene associated with LC (rs2386841; p = 1.86 × 10-4) and COPD (rs11256442; p = 9.79 × 10-3) but with lower significance. Functional studies conducted on COPD patients showed that RNA expression of IL2RA, IFNγ and related proinflammatory cytokines in blood serum did not correlate with a specific genotype. Although results presented in this study do not fully support our hypothesis, it is worth to mention that the identified genes/SNPs that were associated with either COPD or LC risk, all were involved in the activation of the NF-κB transcription factor which is closely related to the regulation of the inflammatory response, a condition associated with both pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurica Baranasic
- 1Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Yasmeen Niazi
- 2Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg, Germany
- 3Division of Pediatric Neurooncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Subhayan Chattopadhyay
- 3Division of Pediatric Neurooncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Heidelberg, Germany
- 4Departments of Clinical Genetics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lada Rumora
- 5Department of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lorna Ćorak
- 6Clinical Department for Respiratory Diseases Jordanovac, University Hospital Zagreb, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Andrea Vukić Dugac
- 6Clinical Department for Respiratory Diseases Jordanovac, University Hospital Zagreb, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Jakopović
- 6Clinical Department for Respiratory Diseases Jordanovac, University Hospital Zagreb, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Miroslav Samaržija
- 6Clinical Department for Respiratory Diseases Jordanovac, University Hospital Zagreb, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Asta Försti
- 2Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg, Germany
- 3Division of Pediatric Neurooncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jelena Knežević
- 1Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- 7Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
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Polygenic Risk Scores Associated with Tumor Immune Infiltration in Common Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225571. [PMID: 36428664 PMCID: PMC9688863 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is largely unknown whether genetic susceptibility contributes to tumor immune infiltration in common cancers. We systematically investigated the association between polygenic risk scores (PRSs) and tumor immune infiltration in common cancers. First, we constructed a PRS for common cancers using the risk variants identified in previous genome-wide association studies. Then, we analyzed 139 immune traits predicted by previous studies by examining gene expression data in tumor tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We applied regression analyses to evaluate the associations between PRS and immune traits for each cancer overall and stratified by stage, including 2160 pathologically confirmed cases of breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers in the White population. At a nominal (p < 0.05) significance level, we identified 31 significant associations between PRS and immune traits. In the analyses stratified by stage for breast, colorectal, lung adenocarcinoma, and lung squamous cell carcinoma, we identified 65 significant associations, including 56 associations that were undetected by the overall analysis. This study provides evidence for genetic risk factors affecting immune infiltration and provides novel insights into the role of genetic susceptibility in immune responses, underlying cancer development, prognosis, and the potential role of an early diagnostic or therapeutic targeting strategy.
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García-Sancha N, Corchado-Cobos R, Gómez-Vecino A, Jiménez-Navas A, Pérez-Baena MJ, Blanco-Gómez A, Holgado-Madruga M, Mao JH, Cañueto J, Castillo-Lluva S, Mendiburu-Eliçabe M, Pérez-Losada J. Evolutionary Origins of Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012063. [PMID: 36292921 PMCID: PMC9603151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic changes that facilitate tumor growth are one of the hallmarks of cancer. These changes are not specific to tumors but also take place during the physiological growth of tissues. Indeed, the cellular and tissue mechanisms present in the tumor have their physiological counterpart in the repair of tissue lesions and wound healing. These molecular mechanisms have been acquired during metazoan evolution, first to eliminate the infection of the tissue injury, then to enter an effective regenerative phase. Cancer itself could be considered a phenomenon of antagonistic pleiotropy of the genes involved in effective tissue repair. Cancer and tissue repair are complex traits that share many intermediate phenotypes at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels, and all of these are integrated within a Systems Biology structure. Complex traits are influenced by a multitude of common genes, each with a weak effect. This polygenic component of complex traits is mainly unknown and so makes up part of the missing heritability. Here, we try to integrate these different perspectives from the point of view of the metabolic changes observed in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia García-Sancha
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Roberto Corchado-Cobos
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Aurora Gómez-Vecino
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Alejandro Jiménez-Navas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Jesús Pérez-Baena
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Adrián Blanco-Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marina Holgado-Madruga
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCyL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jian-Hua Mao
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Berkeley Biomedical Data Science Center, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Javier Cañueto
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente 58-182, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sonia Castillo-Lluva
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Mendiburu-Eliçabe
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.-E.); (J.P.-L.)
| | - Jesús Pérez-Losada
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (IBMCC-CIC), Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.-E.); (J.P.-L.)
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Xu T, Dai T, Zeng P, Song Q, He K, Hu Z, Li Y, Li Z. Identification of RHEX as a novel biomarker related to progression and immunity of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Transl Cancer Res 2022; 10:3811-3828. [PMID: 35116680 PMCID: PMC8797495 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-21-1316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The therapeutic response and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) are widely related to immunity. To improve the prognosis of patients and provide reliable information to guide appropriate personalized treatment strategies, it is necessary to identify reliable prognostic or predictive indicators closely related to tumor phenotype and immune traits in NSCLC. Methods Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-NSCLC mRNA expression profile data, a novel approach combining differential gene expression analysis, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to screen hub genes. Subsequently, the regulator of hemoglobinization and erythroid cell expansion (RHEX) was identified as a key gene using the log-rank test and confirmed in the ArrayExpress database. The relationship between RHEX and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. More importantly, through gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithms, and with reference to the Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database, we explored the relevant pathways of RHEX and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs). Finally, we depicted the association between RHEX and immunomodulators in the TCGA and a web portal TISIDB. Results The RHEX mRNA expression levels in tumor tissues were lower than those in normal tissues and declined with the progression of NSCLC. Meanwhile, RHEX overexpression was associated with high immune infiltration levels and a favorable clinical prognosis. RHEX may participate in tumor microenvironment (TME) regulation through multiple tumor-immune related pathways, especially the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Furthermore, RHEX expression affected the infiltrating abundance of multiple TICs and positively correlated with most of the immunomodulators in NSCLC. Conclusions Our study is the first to propose that RHEX is an immune-related gene with prognostic value in NSCLC and reveals the underlying mechanism between RHEX and tumor-immune system interactions. These results ultimately provide guidance for prognosis and immunotherapy for NSCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Tianyang Dai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Peiyuan Zeng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qi Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Kaiming He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhi Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhou Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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5
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Liang SK, Chien LH, Chang GC, Tsai YH, Su WC, Chen YM, Huang MS, Lin HC, Fang WT, Hung HH, Jiang SS, Chen CY, Chen KY, Chang IS, Hsiung CA, Chen CJ, Yang PC. Programmed Death Ligand 2 Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated With Lung Adenocarcinoma Risk in Female Never-Smokers. Front Oncol 2021; 11:753788. [PMID: 34631591 PMCID: PMC8497977 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.753788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Lung cancer in never-smokers is a distinct disease associated with a different genomic landscape, pathogenesis, risk factors, and immune checkpoint inhibitor responses compared to those observed in smokers. This study aimed to identify novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of programmed death-1 (encoded by PDCD1) and its ligands, programmed death ligand 1 (CD274) and 2 (PDCD1LG2), associated with lung cancer risk in never-smoking women. Materials and Methods During September 2002 and July 2012, we enrolled never-smoking female patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) (n=1153) and healthy women (n=1022) from six tertiary hospitals in Taiwan. SNP data were obtained and analyzed from the genome-wide association study dataset and through an imputation method. The expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was performed in both tumor and non-tumor tissues for the correlation between genetic expression and identified SNPs. Results A total of 12 PDCD1LG2 SNPs related to LUAD risk were identified in never-smoking women, including rs2381282, rs4742103, rs4237162, rs4742104, rs12237624, rs78096119, rs6476988, rs7857315, rs10975178, rs7854413, rs56001683, and rs7858319. Among them, six tagged PDCD1LG2 SNPs rs2381282, rs4742103, rs4237162, rs4742104, rs78096119, and rs56001683 were significantly associated with LUAD risk. Specifically, two PDCD1LG2 SNPs, rs12237624 and rs78096119, were associated with previous pulmonary tuberculosis infection in relation to LUAD susceptibility. Through an eQTL assay, we found that rs2381282 (p < 0.001), rs12237624 (p = 0.019), and rs78096119 (p = 0.019) were associated with the expression levels of programed death ligand 2. Conclusions Novel SNPs of programed death ligand 2 associated with lung adenocarcinoma risk were identified. Among them, two SNPs were associated with pulmonary tuberculosis infection in relation to lung adenocarcinoma susceptibility. These SNPs may help to stratify high-risk populations of never-smokers during lung cancer screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Kai Liang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Medicine, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Hsin Chien
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Gee-Chen Chang
- Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Huang Tsai
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Chou Su
- Department of Oncology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Min Chen
- Department of Chest Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, and Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Shyan Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Chih Lin
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Tsen Fang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Han Hung
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Sheng Jiang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yi Chen
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, and Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Yu Chen
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - I-Shou Chang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan.,Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chao A Hsiung
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Jen Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pan-Chyr Yang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Meireson A, Ferdinande L, Haspeslagh M, Hennart B, Allorge D, Ost P, Sundahl N, Spaas M, Demeyer A, Brochez L. Clinical Relevance of Serum Kyn/Trp Ratio and Basal and IFNγ-Upregulated IDO1 Expression in Peripheral Monocytes in Early Stage Melanoma. Front Immunol 2021; 12:736498. [PMID: 34557196 PMCID: PMC8453201 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.736498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune escape is an early phenomenon in cancer development/progression. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is a normal endogenous mechanism of acquired peripheral immune tolerance and may therefore be tumor-promoting. This study investigated the clinical relevance of IDO1 expression by immune cells in the lymph nodes and blood and of the serum kynurenine/tryptophan (Kyn/Trp) ratio in 65 systemic treatment naïve stage I-III melanoma patients. Blood samples were collected within the first year of diagnosis. Patients had a median follow-up of 61 months. High basal IDO1 expression in peripheral monocytes and low IFNγ-induced IDO1 upregulation correlated with worse outcome independent from disease stage. Interestingly studied factors were not interrelated. During follow-up, the risk of relapse was 9% (2/22) in the subgroup with high IFNγ-induced IDO1 upregulation in monocytes. In contrast, if IDO1 upregulation was low, relapse occurred in 30% (3/10) of patients with low basal IDO1 expression in monocytes and in 61.5% (8/13) in the subgroup with high basal IDO1 expression in monocytes (Log-Rank test, p=0.008). This study reveals some immune features in the blood of early stage melanoma that may be of relevance for disease outcome. These may offer a target for sub-stratification and early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel Meireson
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Dermatology Research Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Marc Haspeslagh
- Dermatology Research Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Dermpat, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Hennart
- Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille (CHU), Unité Fonctionnelle de Toxicologie, Lille, France.,Université de Lille, ULR 4483 - IMPECS - IMPact de l'Environnement Chimique sur la Santé humaine, Lille, France
| | - Delphine Allorge
- Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille (CHU), Unité Fonctionnelle de Toxicologie, Lille, France.,Université de Lille, ULR 4483 - IMPECS - IMPact de l'Environnement Chimique sur la Santé humaine, Lille, France
| | - Piet Ost
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Radiation Oncology and Experimental Cancer Research, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nora Sundahl
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Radiation Oncology and Experimental Cancer Research, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Spaas
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Radiation Oncology and Experimental Cancer Research, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annelies Demeyer
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Dermatology Research Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lieve Brochez
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Dermatology Research Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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Behrouzfar K, Burton K, Mutsaers SE, Morahan G, Lake RA, Fisher SA. How to Better Understand the Influence of Host Genetics on Developing an Effective Immune Response to Thoracic Cancers. Front Oncol 2021; 11:679609. [PMID: 34235080 PMCID: PMC8256168 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.679609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Thoracic cancers pose a significant global health burden. Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have improved treatment outcomes, but durable responses remain limited. Understanding how the host immune system interacts with a developing tumor is essential for the rational development of improved treatments for thoracic malignancies. Recent technical advances have improved our understanding of the mutational burden of cancer cells and changes in cancer-specific gene expression, providing a detailed understanding of the complex biology underpinning tumor-host interactions. While there has been much focus on the genetic alterations associated with cancer cells and how they may impact treatment outcomes, how host genetics affects cancer development is also critical and will greatly determine treatment response. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants associated with cancer predisposition. This approach has successfully identified host genetic risk factors associated with common thoracic cancers like lung cancer, but is less effective for rare cancers like malignant mesothelioma. To assess how host genetics impacts rare thoracic cancers, we used the Collaborative Cross (CC); a powerful murine genetic resource designed to maximize genetic diversity and rapidly identify genes associated with any biological trait. We are using the CC in conjunction with our asbestos-induced MexTAg mouse model, to identify host genes associated with mesothelioma development. Once genes that moderate tumor development and progression are known, human homologues can be identified and human datasets interrogated to validate their association with disease outcome. Furthermore, our CC-MexTAg animal model enables in-depth study of the tumor microenvironment, allowing the correlation of immune cell infiltration and gene expression signatures with disease development. This strategy provides a detailed picture of the underlying biological pathways associated with mesothelioma susceptibility and progression; knowledge that is crucial for the rational development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Here we discuss the influence of host genetics on developing an effective immune response to thoracic cancers. We highlight current knowledge gaps, and with a focus on mesothelioma, describe the development and application of the CC-MexTAg to overcome limitations and illustrate how the knowledge gained from this unique study will inform the rational design of future treatments of mesothelioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiarash Behrouzfar
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD), University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Kimberley Burton
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD), University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Steve E. Mutsaers
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Grant Morahan
- Centre for Diabetes Research, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Richard A. Lake
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD), University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Scott A. Fisher
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD), University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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Tian J, Cai Y, Li Y, Lu Z, Huang J, Deng Y, Yang N, Wang X, Ying P, Zhang S, Zhu Y, Zhang H, Zhong R, Chang J, Miao X. CancerImmunityQTL: a database to systematically evaluate the impact of genetic variants on immune infiltration in human cancer. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D1065-D1073. [PMID: 33010176 PMCID: PMC7778991 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating immune cells as integral component of the tumor microenvironment are associated with tumor progress, prognosis and responses to immunotherapy. Genetic variants have been demonstrated to impact tumor-infiltrating, underscoring the heritable character of immune landscape. Therefore, identification of immunity quantitative trait loci (immunQTLs), which evaluate the effect of genetic variants on immune cells infiltration, might present a critical step toward fully understanding the contribution of genetic variants in tumor development. Although emerging studies have demonstrated the determinants of germline variants on immune infiltration, no database has yet been developed to systematically analyze immunQTLs across multiple cancer types. Using genotype data from TCGA database and immune cell fractions estimated by CIBERSORT, we developed a computational pipeline to identify immunQTLs in 33 cancer types. A total of 913 immunQTLs across different cancer types were identified. Among them, 5 immunQTLs are associated with patient overall survival. Furthermore, by integrating immunQTLs with GWAS data, we identified 527 immunQTLs overlapping with known GWAS linkage disequilibrium regions. Finally, we constructed a user-friendly database, CancerImmunityQTL (http://www.cancerimmunityqtl-hust.com/) for users to browse, search and download data of interest. This database provides an informative resource to understand the germline determinants of immune infiltration in human cancer and benefit from personalized cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Tian
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yimin Cai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Zequn Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jinyu Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yao Deng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Pingting Ying
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Huilan Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Rong Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jiang Chang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaoping Miao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Key Laboratory of Environmental Health of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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