Design of aggregation-induced emission materials for biosensing of molecules and cells

In recent years, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials have gained significant attention and have been developed for various applications in different fields including biomedical research, chemical analysis, optoelectronic devices, materials science, and nanotechnology. AIE is a unique luminescence phenomenon, and AIEgens are fluorescent moieties with relatively twisted structures that can overcome the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect. Additionally, AIEgens offer advantages such as non-washing properties, deep tissue penetration, minimal damage to biological structures, high signal-to-noise ratio, and excellent photostability. Fluorescent probes with AIE characteristics exhibit high sensitivity, short response time, simple operation, real-time detection capability, high selectivity, and excellent biocompatibility. As a result, they have been widely applied in cellular imaging, luminescent sensing, detection of physiological abnormalities in the human body, as well as early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This review provides a comprehensive summary and discussion of the progress over the past four years regarding the detection of metal ions, small chemical molecules, biomacromolecules, microbes, and cells based on AIE materials, along with discussing their potential applications and future development prospects.

Real‑world evaluation of the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Therefore, eligible patients with histologically confirmed MBC, treated with ICI-based therapy, were enrolled. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) and the secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) and safety. A total of 90 patients with MBC, treated with ICI-based therapy, with different treatment lines, were included in the present study. The median age was 50 years (range, 27-76). The predominant tumor subtypes were triple negative (53.3%) and luminal (31.1%) breast cancer. The majority of patients (61.1%) were heavily pretreated (lines of treatment, ≥3). Approximately half of the patients (46.7%) had ≥3 metastatic sites. The overall ORR was 36.7% (33/90 patients), while a DCR of 78.9% (71/90 patients) was also recorded. With a median follow-up of 16.0 months, the median PFS and OS were 4.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.8-6.1] and 13.9 months (95% CI, 9.5-18.2), respectively. Patients treated with ICIs as first-line therapy exhibited notable improvement, with a median PFS of 11.0 months (95% CI, 6.0-16.0) and a median OS of 24.3 months (95% CI, 11.4-37.2). In addition, the pretreatment blood platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was an independent risk factor for PFS [hazard ratio (HR)=2.406; 95% CI, 1.325-4.370; P=0.004] and OS (HR=2.376; 95% CI, 1.059-5.328; P=0.036). The most common adverse events were nausea (44.4%), neutropenia (42.0%) and alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase elevation (22.2%). Furthermore, three (3.3%) patients developed grade 1/2 immuno-related toxicity and recovered after supportive care. Overall, the present study suggested that the ICI-based therapy exhibited encouraging clinical outcomes with manageable toxicity in patients with MBC in real-world settings, with the most favorable efficacy in first-line treatment.

Anticancer potential of active alkaloids and synthetic analogs derived from marine invertebrates

In recent years, the number of cancers has soared, becoming one of the leading causes of human death. At the same time, marine anticancer substances have been the focus of marine drug research. Marine alkaloids derived from marine invertebrates like sponges are an important class of secondary metabolites, which have good bioactivities of blocking the cancer cell cycle, inducing autophagy and apoptosis of cancer cells, inhibiting cancer cell invasion and proliferation. They show potential as anticancer drug candidates. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the detailed introduction of bioactive alkaloids and their synthetic analogs from marine invertebrates, such as 4-chloro fascapysin and other 41 kinds of marine alkaloids or marine alkaloid synthetic analogs. They have significant anticancer activities on breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and so on. It provides new candidate compounds for anticancer drug research and provides a reference basis for marine drug resources research.

NAT10/ac4C/JunB facilitates TNBC malignant progression and immunosuppression by driving glycolysis addiction

BACKGROUND

N4-Acetylcytidine (ac4C), a highly conserved post-transcriptional mechanism, plays a pivotal role in RNA modification and tumor progression. However, the molecular mechanism by which ac4C modification mediates tumor immunosuppression remains elusive in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

METHODS

NAT10 expression was analyzed in TNBC samples in the level of mRNA and protein, and compared with the corresponding normal tissues. ac4C modification levels also measured in the TNBC samples. The effects of NAT10 on immune microenvironment and tumor metabolism were investigated. NAT10-mediated ac4C and its downstream regulatory mechanisms were determined in vitro and in vivo. The combination therapy of targeting NAT10 in TNBC was further explored.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the loss of NAT10 inhibited TNBC development and promoted T cell activation. Mechanistically, NAT10 upregulated JunB expression by increasing ac4C modification levels on its mRNA. Moreover, JunB further up-regulated LDHA expression and facilitated glycolysis. By deeply digging, remodelin, a NAT10 inhibitor, elevated the surface expression of CTLA-4 on T cells. The combination of remodelin and CTLA-4 mAb can further activate T cells and inhibite tumor progression.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our study demonstrated that the NAT10-ac4C-JunB-LDHA pathway increases glycolysis levels and creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Consequently, targeting this pathway may assist in the identification of novel therapeutic strategies to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.

BRCAness, DNA gaps, and gain and loss of PARP inhibitor-induced synthetic lethality

Mutations in the tumor-suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 resulting in BRCA1/2 deficiency are frequently identified in breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) selectively kill BRCA1/2-deficient cancer cells by inducing synthetic lethality, providing an effective biomarker-guided strategy for targeted cancer therapy. However, a substantial fraction of cancer patients carrying BRCA1/2 mutations do not respond to PARPis, and most patients develop resistance to PARPis over time, highlighting a major obstacle to PARPi therapy in the clinic. Recent studies have revealed that changes of specific functional defects of BRCA1/2-deficient cells, particularly their defects in suppressing and protecting single-stranded DNA gaps, contribute to the gain or loss of PARPi-induced synthetic lethality. These findings not only shed light on the mechanism of action of PARPis, but also lead to revised models that explain how PARPis selectively kill BRCA-deficient cancer cells. Furthermore, new mechanistic principles of PARPi sensitivity and resistance have emerged from these studies, generating potentially useful guidelines for predicting the PARPi response and design therapies for overcoming PARPi resistance. In this Review, we will discuss these recent studies and put them in context with the classic views of PARPi-induced synthetic lethality, aiming to stimulate the development of new therapeutic strategies to overcome PARPi resistance and improve PARPi therapy.

Lima JC, Langohr IM, Chouljenko VN, Kousoulas KG. The Oncolytic herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) vaccine strain VC2 causes intratumor infiltration of functionally active T cells and inhibition of tumor metastasis and pro-tumor genes VEGF and PDL1 expression in the 4T1/Balb/c mouse model of stage four breast cancer

Introduction: Oncolytic viruses (OVs) provide new modalities for cancer therapy either alone or in combination with synergistic immunotherapies and/or chemotherapeutics. Engineered Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1) has shown strong promise for the treatment of various cancers in experimental animal models as well as in human patients, with some virus strains licensed to treat human melanoma and gliomas. In the present study we evaluated the efficacy of mutant HSV-1 (VC2) in a late stage, highly metastatic 4T1 murine syngeneic. Method: VC2 was constructed VC2 using double red recombination technology. For in-vivo efficacy we utilized a late stage 4T1 syngeneic and immunocompetent BALB/cJ mouse model breast cancer model which exhibits efficient metastasis to the lung and other organs. Results: VC2 replicated efficiently in 4T1 cells and in cell culture, achieving titers similar to those in African monkey kidney (Vero) cells. Intra-tumor treatment with VC2 did not appreciably reduce average primary tumor sizes but a significant reduction of lung metastasis was noted in mice treated intratumorally with VC2, but not with ultraviolet-inactivated VC2. This reduction of metastasis was associated with increased T cell infiltration comprised of CD4+ and CD4+CD8+ double-positive T cells. Characterization of purified tumor infiltrating T cells revealed a significant improvement in their proliferation ability compared to controls. In addition, significant T cell infiltration was observed in the metastatic nodules associated with reduction of pro-tumor PD-L1 and VEGF gene transcription. Conclusion: These results show that VC2 therapy can improve anti-tumor response associated with a better control of tumor metastasis. improve T cell responses and reduce pro-tumor biomarker gene transcription. VC2 holds promise for further development as an oncolytic and immunotherapeutic approach to treat breast and other cancers.

Defining the Emergence of New Immunotherapy Approaches in Breast Cancer: Role of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

Breast cancer (BC) continues to be the most diagnosed tumor in women and a very heterogeneous disease both inter- and intratumoral, mainly given by the variety of molecular profiles with different biological and clinical characteristics. Despite the advancements in early detection and therapeutic strategies, the survival rate is low in patients who develop metastatic disease. Therefore, it is mandatory to explore new approaches to achieve better responses. In this regard, immunotherapy arose as a promising alternative to conventional treatments due to its ability to modulate the immune system, which may play a dual role in this disease since the relationship between the immune system and BC cells depends on several factors: the tumor histology and size, as well as the involvement of lymph nodes, immune cells, and molecules that are part of the tumor microenvironment. Particularly, myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) expansion is one of the major immunosuppressive mechanisms used by breast tumors since it has been associated with worse clinical stage, metastatic burden, and poor efficacy of immunotherapies. This review focuses on the new immunotherapies in BC in the last five years. Additionally, the role of MDSC as a therapeutic target in breast cancer will be described.

Aberrant promoter hypermethylation of miR-335 and miR-145 is involved in breast cancer PD-L1 overexpression

PD-L1 is one of the most important immune checkpoint molecules in breast cancer that plays an important role in suppressing the immune system when confronted with tumor cells and is regulated by various microRNAs. Among them, microRNA-335-3p and microRNA-145-5p, regulated by DNA methylation, have tumor suppressor activities. We studied the role of miR-335 and -145 on PD-L1 suppression in breast cancer. The expression of miR-355 and miR-145 was significantly downregulated in BC tissues and cell lines compared to their controls, and their downregulation was negatively correlated with PD-L1 overexpression. In-silico and luciferase reporter systems confirmed that miR-335 and -145 target PD-L1. In BC tissues and cell lines, cancer-specific methylation was found in CpG-rich areas upstream of miR-335 and-145, and up-regulation of PD-L1 expression was connected with hypermethylation (r = 0.4089, P = 0.0147, and r = 0.3373, P = 0.0475, respectively). The higher levels of miR-355 and -145 in BC cells induced apoptosis, arrested the cell cycle, and reduced proliferation significantly. In summary, we found that miR-335 and -145 are novel tumor suppressors inactivated in BC, and these miRs may serve as potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment.

Global research trends on anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer: A scientometric analysis

In recent years, anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 has been considered to be a valuable therapeutic target and prognostic indicator for triple-negative breast cancer. We analyzed all publications published in the field from their inception until the present day in order to determine the current research status and hotspots. All related publications were searched on the Web of Science. Our research used R-studio (bibliometrix package), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to analyze and obtain annual publications and citation information, articles, highest publication countries and affiliations, influential journals and authors, keyword analysis, and keyword bursts. In total, 851 documents were retrieved including 628 articles and 223 review articles. The output of publications increased year by year from 2013 to 2021. However, the average article citation times reached the top in 2014 but generally showed a downward trend from 2014 to 2021. It was an article written by Schmid et al. in 2018 that received the most citations. With regard to publications, citations, and link strength, among the top countries was the United States. Cancers was the most published journal. Schmid and Loi ranked top in total citations and h-index. Schmid has the largest M-index and Loi has the most publication. The keywords that received the most attention were "Immunotherapy", "PD-L1", "Triple-negative breast cancer", "Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes", and "Expression". According to the report, this current research focuses on immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer and the expression of PD-L1 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Pembrolizumab and Atezolizumab plus chemotherapy have completed the Phase 3 clinical trial. However, the biomarkers were limited in predicting the treatment prognosis. Through the scientometric analysis, we can understand the current research status and potential research points in this filed and provide research direction for researchers.

A self-cascaded unimolecular prodrug for pH-responsive chemotherapy and tumor-detained photodynamic-immunotherapy of triple-negative breast cancer

Despite the success of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in cancer management, ICB-based immunotherapy of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) still suffers from immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITM). To break through the bottleneck of TNBC immunotherapy, a self-cascaded unimolecular prodrug consisting of an acidic pH-activatable doxorubicin and an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) photosensitizer coupled to a caspase-3-responsive peptide was engineered. The generated prodrug, could not only release doxorubicin initiatively in acidic tumor microenvironment, but also activate apoptosis-related caspase-3. The activated caspase-3 could in turn trigger release and in situ aggregation of photosensitizers. Importantly, the unimolecular prodrug exhibits a renal clearance pathway similar to small molecules in vivo, while the aggregated AIEgens prolong tumor retention for long-term fluorescence imaging and repeatable photodynamic therapy (PDT) by only one single-dose injection. Furthermore, the tumor-detained PDT boosts both immunogenic cell death of TNBC cells and maturation of dendritic cells. Finally, the combination of repeatable PDT with ICB therapy further promotes the proliferation and intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and effectively suppresses tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. This prodrug is a proof-of-concept that confirms the first self-cascaded chemo-PDT strategy to reverse the ITM and boost the ICB-mediated TNBC immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer: beyond checkpoint inhibitors

The development of immunotherapy agents has revolutionized the field of oncology. The only FDA-approved immunotherapeutic approach in breast cancer consists of immune checkpoint inhibitors, yet several novel immune-modulatory strategies are being actively studied and appear promising. Innovative immunotherapeutic strategies are urgently needed in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer known for its poor prognosis and its resistance to conventional treatments. TNBC is more primed to respond to immunotherapy given the presence of more tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, higher PD-L1 expression, and higher tumor mutation burden relative to the other breast cancer subtypes, and therefore, immuno-oncology represents a key area of promise for TNBC research. The aim of this review is to highlight current data and ongoing efforts to establish the safety and efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches beyond checkpoint inhibitors in TNBC.

Therapeutic Landscape of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer (HER2+BC) is a common malignancy that is prone to recurrence and metastasis in the early stages, resulting in a poor prognosis for patients. Many studies have suggested that targeted therapy promotes clinical outcomes in HER2+BC. With the introduction of trastuzumab in 1998, the prognosis of patients with early HER2+BC has improved significantly. However, owing to obstinate drug resistance and adverse events, the addition of new agents in standardized treatment has become a research hotspot. These promising agents include antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and anti-HER2 combined therapies. This article provides a brief description of the biology of BC and the expression of HER2, with the aim to provide an overview of the therapeutic landscape of HER2+BC by reviewing research results and introducing the latest evidence to provide a reference for clinical treatment.

Therapeutic Associations Comprising Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 in Breast Cancer: Clinical Challenges and Perspectives

Despite a few cases of long-responder patients, immunotherapy with anti-PD-(L)1 has so far proved rather disappointing in monotherapy in metastatic breast cancer, prompting the use of synergistic therapeutic combinations incorporating immunotherapy by immune-checkpoint inhibitors. In addition, a better understanding of both the mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to immunotherapy, as well as the immunological effects of the usual treatments for breast cancer, make it possible to rationally consider this type of therapeutic combination. For several years, certain treatments, commonly used to treat patients with breast cancer, have shown that in addition to their direct cytotoxic effects, they may have an impact on the tumor immune microenvironment, by increasing the antigenicity and/or immunogenicity of a "cold" tumor, targeting the immunosuppressive microenvironment or counteracting the immune-exclusion profile. This review focuses on preclinical immunologic synergic mechanisms of various standard therapeutic approaches with anti-PD-(L)1, and discusses the potential clinical use of anti-PD-1/L1 combinations in metastatic or early breast cancer.

Breast Cancer during Pregnancy-Current Paradigms, Paths to Explore

Breast cancer is the most common form of malignancy in pregnant women. The prevalence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is up to 0.04% of pregnancies and is expected to rise in developed countries. PABC represents a unique clinical scenario which requires a delicate balance of risks and benefits for both maternal and fetal well-being. Currently, there is paucity of data regarding the short- and long-term outcomes of in-utero exposure to anti-neoplastic agents. In general, when possible, treatment for PABC should follow the same guidelines as in non-pregnant patients. Surgery, including sentinel lymph node biopsy, is possible during all trimesters of pregnancy. Radiotherapy is contraindicated during pregnancy, although it might be considered in highly selected patients based on risk-benefit assessment. Evidence supports that administration of chemotherapy may be safe during the second and third trimesters, with cessation of treatment three weeks prior to expected delivery. Currently, hormonal therapy and anti-HER2 agents are contraindicated during pregnancy and should be postponed until after delivery. Prematurity is associated with worse neonatal and long-term outcomes, and thus should be avoided. While current data on the long-term effects of anti-neoplastic treatments are reassuring, grade of evidence is lacking, hence additional large prospective studies with long-term follow-up are essential to rule out any treatment-induced adverse effects.

PD-1/PD-L1 Targeting in Breast Cancer: The First Clinical Evidences Are Emerging. A Literature Review

Recently, the development of immunotherapy through the immune checkpoint blockade led to long-lasting responses in several types of cancers that are refractory to conventional treatments, such as melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer. Immunotherapy has also demonstrated significant improvements in various other types of cancers. However, breast cancer remains one of the tumors that have not experienced the explosion of immunotherapy yet. Indeed, breast cancer was traditionally considered as being weakly immunogenic with a lower mutational load compared to other tumor types. In the last few years, anti-PD1/PD-L1 (Programmed death-ligand 1) agents have been evaluated in breast cancer, particularly in the triple negative subtype, with promising results observed when delivered as monotherapy or in combination with conventional treatments. In this review, we will report the results of the most recent studies evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer. In addition, we will discuss the concomitant development of possible biomarkers, which is required for improving the selection of patients with the highest probability of benefiting from these agents.

Clinical Behavior of Triple Negative Breast Cancer in a Cohort of Latin American Women

Introduction: Breast cancer is a worldwide public health problem. In Colombia, there are 13,000 new cases, having the highest incidence and mortality among cancers. This article describes the clinical behavior of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) treated at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bogota, Colombia.

Methods: A historical cohort and analytical study that included elderly patients diagnosed with TNBC treated at the National Cancer Institute Functional Breast Cancer Unit (NCI-FBCU) was conducted.

Results: Of the 1,066 patients registered in the unit from September 1st 2013 to December 31st 2016: 146 (13.7 %) had triple negative tumors. The average age was 57.3 years; 61% of patients had locally advanced tumors. The majority of patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy as their first treatment (69.1%), and in 41.2% of the cases platinum was added to the chemotherapy regimen. The most common surgery conducted was modified radical mastectomy in 57.8% of cases. The pathological complete response (pCR) (Chevallier 1 and 2) was reached in 22.6% and, in this group of patients, a greater overall survival (OS) was found [hazard ratio (HR) 0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.63; p = 0.016]. Progression of the disease occurred in 36.5% of cases, being lungs the most frequent location (44.4%). The death incidence rate was 1.21 deaths per 100 patients/month. The median event-free survival (EFS) was 18.2 months.

Conclusion: TNBC occurs in Latin American women at advanced clinical stages with aggressive clinical behavior, with lower OS rates, and higher risk of metastasis compared to other molecular subtypes.

Electrochemotherapy of superficial tumors - Current status:: Basic principles, operating procedures, shared indications, and emerging applications

Treatment of superficial tumors with electrochemotherapy (ECT) has shown a steep rise over the past decade and indications range from skin cancers to locally advanced or metastatic neoplasms. Based on reversible electroporation, which is a physical method to achieve transient tumor cell membrane permeabilization by means of short electric pulses, ECT increases cellular uptake of bleomycin and cisplatin and their cytotoxicity by 8,000- and 80-fold, respectively. Standard operating procedures were established in 2006 and updated in 2018. Ease of administration, patient tolerability, efficacy across histotypes, and repeatability are peculiar advantages, which make standard ECT (ie, ECT using fixed-geometry electrodes) a reliable option for controlling superficial tumor growth locally and preventing their morbidity. Consolidated indications include superficial metastatic melanoma, breast cancer, head and neck skin tumors, nonmelanoma skin cancers, and Kaposi sarcoma. In well-selected patients with oropharyngeal cancers, ECT ensures appreciable symptom control. Emerging applications include skin metastases from visceral or hematological malignancies, vulvar cancer, and some noncancerous skin lesions (keloids and capillary vascular malformations). Repeatability and integration with other oncologic therapies allow for consolidation of response and sustained tumor control. In this review, we present the basic principles of ECT, recently updated operating procedures, anesthesiological management, and provide a synthesis of the efficacy of standard ECT across histotypes.

Altered cancer metabolism in mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance

Many metabolic alterations, including the Warburg effect, occur in cancer cells that influence the tumor microenvironment, including switching to glycolysis from oxidative phosphorylation, using opportunistic modes of nutrient acquisition, and increasing lipid biosynthesis. The altered metabolic landscape of the tumor microenvironment can suppress the infiltration of immune cells and other functions of antitumor immunity through the production of immune-suppressive metabolites. Metabolic dysregulation in cancer cells further affects the expression of cell surface markers, which interferes with immune surveillance. Immune checkpoint therapies have revolutionized the standard of care for some patients with cancer, but disease in many others is resistant to immunotherapy. Specific metabolic pathways involved in immunotherapy resistance include PI3K-Akt-mTOR, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), adenosine, JAK/STAT, and Wnt/Beta-catenin. Depletion of essential amino acids such as glutamine and tryptophan and production of metabolites like kynurenine in the tumor microenvironment also blunt immune cell function. Targeted therapies against metabolic checkpoints could work in synergy with immune checkpoint therapy. This combined strategy could be refined by profiling patients' mutation status before treatment and identifying the optimal sequencing of therapies. This personalized combinatorial approach, which has yet to be explored, may well pave the way for overcoming resistance to immunotherapy.