CCR10/CCL27 crosstalk contributes to failure of proteasome-inhibitors in multiple myeloma

Circulating levels of cytokines and risk of urologic cancers: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation is associated with the etiology of various cancers. However, there is a lack of systematic research in urologic cancers. This study aims to use a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to evaluate the role of circulating cytokines in the development of urologic cancers.

METHODS

We obtained the summary-level data for bladder cancer (373,295 cases and 372,016 controls), prostate cancer (462,933 cases and 459,664 controls), and kidney cancer (463,010 cases and 461,896 controls) from the UK Biobank. Genetic variations linked to 41 circulating cytokines were used as instrumental variables (IVs) in meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) involving 8,293 individuals from Finland. We primarily used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method to assess the potential associations between the 41 cytokines and the risk of 3 common urologic cancers. Weighted-median method, weighted mode and simple-median method were used to assess the sensitivity. Heterogeneity and pleiotropic outlier were evaluated by Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger regression. Genetic correlation, colocalization analysis and multivariable MR analysis were used to further validate the potential pleiotropy.

RESULTS

After the Bonferroni correction, there was an observed association between elevated genetically predicted levels of CCL27 and a heightened risk for bladder cancer. Conversely, IL-12p70 levels were found to have a protective association against the risk of bladder cancer. Sensitivity analyses utilizing various IV sets and MR approach remained robust. Furthermore, we found potential associations of 7 cytokines with urologic cancers (4.07 × 10-4 ≤ P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our study supported causal associations between CCL27, IL-12p70 and bladder cancer risk and potential associations of 7 cytokines with the risk of urologic cancers, helping us to further understand the pathogenesis of urologic cancers and providing clues for improving diagnostic accuracy and therapies.

Roles of CCR10/CCL27-CCL28 axis in tumour development: mechanisms, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and perspectives

Cancer is now one of the major causes of death across the globe. The imbalance of cytokine and chemokine secretion has been reported to be involved in cancer development. Meanwhile, CC chemokines have received considerable interest in cancer research. CCR10, as the latest identified CC chemokine receptor (CCR), has been implicated in the recruitment and infiltration of immune cells, especially lymphocytes, into epithelia such as skin via ligation to two ligands, CCL27 and CCL28. Other than homoeostatic function, several mechanisms have been shown to dysregulate CCR10/CCL27-CCL28 expression in the tumour microenvironment. As such, these receptors and ligands mediate T-cell trafficking in the tumour microenvironment. Depending on the types of lymphocytes recruited, CCR10/CCL27-CCL28 interaction has been shown to play conflicting roles in cancer development. If they were T helper and cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells, the role of this axis would be tumour-suppressive. In contrast, if CCR10/CCL27-CCL28 recruited regulatory T cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts or myeloid-derived suppressor cells, it would lead to tumour progression. In addition to the trafficking of lymphocytes and immune cells, CCR10 also leads to the migration of tumour cells or endothelial cells (called angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis) to promote tumour metastasis. Furthermore, CCR10 signalling triggers tumour-promoting signalling such as PI3K/AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase, resulting in tumour cell growth. Since CCR10/CCL27-CCL28 is dysregulated in the tumour tissues, it is suggested that analysis and measurement of them might predict tumour development. Finally, it is hoped using therapeutic approaches based on this axis might increase our knowledge to overcome tumour progression.

Chemokine Receptor Antagonists: Role in Oncology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To evaluate the clinical potential of chemokine receptor antagonists for the treatment of patients with cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Chemokine receptors and their ligands can have a significant impact on the infiltration of cells into the tumor microenvironment. The receptors are increasingly being investigated as targets for the treatment of cancers. Recent studies are demonstrating the promise of chemokine receptor antagonists in this setting. There are many chemokine receptors, and each can have different functions depending on the cellular context. Targeting chemokine receptors is a promising strategy in both pre-clinical research and clinical trials. Inhibiting chemokine receptors that either recruit suppressive cells or improve cancer mobility and viability while sparing those necessary for proper immune trafficking may prove to dramatically improve treatment responses. Further research in this area is warranted and has the potential to dramatically improve patient outcomes.

Cobalt ions induce metabolic stress in synovial fibroblasts and secretion of cytokines/chemokines that may be diagnostic markers for adverse local tissue reactions to hip implants

Adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs) are a prominent cause of hip implant failure. ALTRs are characterized by aseptic necrosis and leukocyte infiltration of synovial tissue. The prevalence of ALTRs in hips with failing metal implants, with highest rates occurring in patients with metal-on-metal articulations, suggests a role for CoCrMo corrosion in ALTR formation. Although hypersensitivity reactions are the most accepted etiology, the precise cellular mechanism driving ALTR pathogenesis remains enigmatic. Here we show that cobalt ions released by failing hip implants induce mitochondrial stress and cytokine secretion by synovial fibroblasts: the presumptive initiators of ALTR pathogenesis. We found that in-vitro treatment of synovial fibroblasts with cobalt, but not chromium, generated gene expression changes indicative of hypoxia and mitophagy responses also observed in ALTRs biopsies. Inflammatory factors secreted by cobalt-exposed synovial fibroblasts were among those most concentrated in ALTR synovial fluid. Furthermore, both conditioned media from cobalt-exposed synovial fibroblasts, and synovial fluid from ALTRs patients, elicit endothelial activation and monocyte migration. Finally, we identify the IL16/CTACK ratio in synovial fluid as a possible diagnostic marker of ALTRs. Our results provide evidence suggesting that metal ions induce cell stress in synovial fibroblasts that promote an inflammatory response consistent with initiating ALTR formation. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrate that the cytotoxic effects of cobalt ions on the synovial cells (fibroblast) is sufficient to trigger inflammation on hip joints with metal implants. Cobalt ions affect mitochondrial function, leading to the auto phagocytosis of mitochondria and trigger a hypoxic response. The cell's hypoxic response includes secretion of cytokines that are capable of trigger inflammation by activating blood vessels and enhancing leukocyte migration. Among the secreted cytokines is IL-16, which is highly concentrated in the synovial fluid of the patients with adverse local tissue reactions and could be use as diagnostic marker. In conclusion we define the cells of the hip joint as key players in triggering the adverse reactions to hip implants and providing biomarkers for early diagnosis of adverse reactions to hip implants.

Contribution of diminished kidney transplant GFR to increased circulating chemokine ligand 27 level

Background

Inflammatory chemokine ligands (CCLs) play an important role in cardiovascular disease and allograft injury. CCLs may independently associate with diminished estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in stable renal transplant recipients (RTR).

Methods

Plasma levels of 19 CCLs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 24, 26, 27, CXCL5, 8, 10, 12 and 13) were measured in a cohort of 101 RTR. The cohort was divided according to CKD-EPI equation into three groups; group 1: eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min, group 2: eGFR 30–59.9 ml/min and group 3 eGFR ≤ 29.9 ml/min. ANOVA, Krusklwallis, Mann- Whitney Spearman correlation and regression analysis tests were used to determine association between reduced eGFR and inflammatory CCLs plasma levels measured by multiplex techniques. 20 healthy subjects with eGFR above 90 ml/min were included as control. Significance was sat at < 0.05.

Results

Levels of CCLs 1, 4, 15, 27, CXCL8 and CXCL10 were significantly different among the four studied groups. Multivariate regression analysis (MVA) between eGFR and all CCLs demonstrated that CCL27 was the only ligand to remain significantly associated with diminished eGFR {P = 0.021 and r = − 0.35,(P = 0.001)}. In a second MVA between CCL 27 and patient’s demographics and laboratory variables, diminished eGFR, and elevated PTH, out of the twenty one available variables remained significantly associated with elevated CCL27levels.

Conclusion

Diminished eGFR in stable RTR is associated with elevated plasma levels of CCL27. This association may explain, at least in part, the independent contribution of reduced eGFR to enhanced inflammation in RTR.

Chemokine CCL27 is a novel plasma biomarker for identification the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients from the Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen-specific IgA seropositive population

Background

To investigate the predictive value of chemokine CCL27 for identifying early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients within a population seropositive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen-specific IgA (VCA-IgA).

Methods

CCL27 in plasma samples from 104 NPC patients, 112 VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors, and 140 VCA-IgA–negative normal subjects was measured by ELISA. Expression of CCL27 in nasopharyngeal tissue from 20 VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors and 20 NPC patients was examined by immunohistochemical staining.

Results

Levels of CCL27 in the plasma of VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors (607.33 ± 218.81 pg/ml) were significantly higher than the levels in all NPC patients (437.09 ± 217.74, P = < 0.0001) and in the subset of patients with early stage NPC (463.85 ± 226.17, P = 0.0126). Plasma CCL27 levels were significantly lower in the VCA-IgA–negative normal subjects (358.22 ± 133.15 pg/ml) than in either the VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors (P < 0.0001) or the NPC patients (P = 0.0113). CCL27 protein was detected in 16 of 20 (80%) nasopharyngeal tissue samples from VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors and in 3 of 20 (15%) tumor tissue samples from NPC patients. There was no relationship between CCL27 levels and VCA-IgA titers or plasma EBV DNA content. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that plasma CCL27 levels had a sensitivity of 67.00%, a specificity of 73.10%, and an area under the ROC of 0.725 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.657–0.793) for distinguishing between NPC patients and VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors. Further analysis showed that CCL27 levels could distinguish between early stage NPC patients and VCA-IgA–positive healthy donors with an area under the ROC of 0.712 (95% CI: 0.560–0.865), a sensitivity of 59.80%, and a specificity of 84.60%.

Conclusions

Chemokine CCL27 could successfully identify NPC patients within a VCA-IgA–positive population.