Tumor-associated macrophages regulate gastric cancer cell invasion and metastasis through TGFβ2/NF-κB/Kindlin-2 axis

Role of exosomal miRNAs and macrophage polarization in gastric cancer: A novel therapeutic strategy

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers worldwide, with consistently high morbidity and mortality rates and poor prognosis. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the lack of specific presentation in the early stages. Exosomes are a class of extracellular vesicles (EVs) widely found in body fluids and can release genetic material or multiple proteins to facilitate intercellular communication. In recent years, exosomal miRNAs have gained attention for their role in various cancers. These exosomal miRNAs can impact GC development and progression by targeting specific genes or influencing signaling pathways and cytokines involved in Angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), drug resistance, and immune regulation. They show great potential in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of GC. Notably, the gastrointestinal tract has the largest number of macrophages, which play a significant role in GC progression. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abundant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and can influence macrophage programming through various mediators, including macrophage polarization. Macrophage polarization is involved in inflammatory responses and significantly impacts the GC process.

Identification and analysis of prognostic ion homeostasis characteristics in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), a prevalent primary malignant tumor within the urinary system, is characterized by significant heterogeneity. It has been shown that ion channels are important targets for anti-tumor therapy. In this study, we screened 70 selected KIRC related ion homeostasis genes with significant differential expression. We established diagnostic and prognostic models for 15 genes (PDK4, JPH4, ATP1A3, CCL7, CYP27B1, ABCB6, TNFSF11, MCHR1, TNNI3, ANGPTL3, Ednrb, SAA1, Chrna9, TMPRSS6, CCL14) by LASSO regression in the TCGA-KIRC cohort. We also provided a nomogram based on ion homeostasis for clinicians to explore the combined effect of the risk model on clinical variables. Patients in the low-risk group have a significant survival advantage. The potential clinical benefit of our predicted 15 gene signatures in clinical strategies was validated by Calibration Curves and DCA curves. Ultimately, the immune microenvironment and enrichment pathways were analyzed among individuals categorized as high-risk and low-risk. The predictable ion homeostasis-associated 15 gene signature established in this study predicts overall survival outcomes in patients with KIRC, to some extent helping clinicians to select personalized treatment regimens.

Novel immunotherapeutic approaches in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor that ranks third in cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early-stage gastric cancer can often be effectively managed through surgical resection. However, the majority of cases are diagnosed in advanced stages, where outcomes with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy remain unsatisfactory. Immunotherapy offers a novel approach to treating molecularly heterogeneous gastric cancer by modifying the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy are regarded as promising modalities in cancer immunotherapy. Food and Drug Administration-approved programmed death-receptor inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab, in combination with chemotherapy, have significantly extended overall survival in gastric cancer patients and is recommended as a first-line treatment. Despite challenges in solid tumor applications, adoptive cell therapy has demonstrated efficacy against various targets in gastric cancer treatment. Among these approaches, chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy research is the most widely explored and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy targeting claudin18.2 has shown acceptable safety and robust anti-tumor capabilities. However, these advancements primarily remain in preclinical stages and further investigation should be made to promote their clinical application. This review summarizes the latest research on immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy and their limitations, as well as the role of nanoparticles in enhancing immunotherapy.

Recent developments in immunotherapy for gastrointestinal tract cancers

The past few decades have witnessed the rise of immunotherapy for Gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancers. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) and PD ligand-1 antibodies, has become increasingly pivotal in the treatment of advanced and perioperative GI tract cancers. Currently, anti-PD-1 plus chemotherapy is considered as first-line regimen for unselected advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GEJC), mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC), and advanced esophageal cancer (EC). In addition, the encouraging performance of claudin18.2-redirected chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy in later-line GI tract cancers brings new hope for cell therapy in solid tumour treatment. Nevertheless, immunotherapy for GI tumour remains yet precise, and researchers are dedicated to further maximising and optimising the efficacy. This review summarises the important research, latest progress, and future directions of immunotherapy for GI tract cancers including EC, G/GEJC, and CRC.

A novel highly sensitive inner filter effect-based fluorescence immunoassay with quantum dots for bioanalysis of zolbetuximab, a monoclonal antibody used for immunotherapy of gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Zolbetuximab (ZOL) is a groundbreaking monoclonal antibody targeting CLDN 18.2, a cancer cell surface protein. It is a first-in-class therapy for gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. However, there is currently any immunoassay available for bioanalysis of ZOL, hindering its pharmacokinetic studies, therapeutic monitoring, and safety profile refinement. To address this gap, this study presents the development and validation of a novel highly sensitive inner filter effect-based fluorescence immunoassay (IFE-FIA) with quantum dots (QDs) as a probe. This assay enables the quantitative determination of ZOL in plasma samples. The assay involved non-competitive capturing of ZOL from the samples using a specific antigen (CLDN 18.2 protein) immobilized on assay plate microwells. A horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labelled anti-human IgG was used to measure the immune complex. The assay's detection system relies on the formation of a light-absorbing colored product through an HRP-catalyzed oxidative reaction with the substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. This light absorption efficiently quenched the fluorescence of QDs via the IFE. The measured fluorescence signals corresponded to the concentrations of ZOL in the samples. The conditions of the IFE-FIA and its detection system were refined, and the optimum procedures were established. Following the guidelines of immunoassay validation for bioanalysis, the assay was validated, and all the validation criteria were acceptable. The assay demonstrates high sensitivity, accurately quantifying ZOL at concentrations as low as 10 ng/mL in plasma samples, with acceptable precision. Importantly, it avoids interferences from endogenous substances and plasma matrix. The recoveries in spiked human plasma ranged from 96.8 % to 104.5 %, with relative standard deviations of 4.1 %-6.5 %. The proposed IFE-FIA represents a valuable tool for quantifying ZOL in clinical settings, enabling assessment of its pharmacokinetics, therapeutic drug monitoring, and safety profile refinement.

Prognostic Value of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Marker Expression in the Intratumoral and Marginal Areas of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

INTRODUCTION

The tumor microenvironment of sarcomas has not been studied in detail; in particular, little is known about cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Sarcoma cells are difficult to distinguish from CAFs, either histomorphologically or immunohistochemically.

METHODS

We scored the expression of individual CAF markers (fibroblast-activating protein [FAP], CD10, and podoplanin) in the intratumoral and marginal areas of 133 sarcomas. We also examined the association between these markers, as well as the number of CD163-positive macrophages (i.e., tumor-associated macrophages), and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

In all cases, the log-rank test revealed that those with high marker scores and macrophage counts (except for marginal CD10+ CAFs) showed significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS). Grade 2/3 cases with high CAF scores (excluding the marginal FAP and CD10 scores) showed significantly worse DFS, whereas those with high intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal podoplanin scores showed significantly worse metastasis-free survival (MFS), and those with high intratumoral CD10 score showed significantly worse local recurrence-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis identified intratumoral CD10/podoplanin scores and marginal FAP/podoplanin scores as independent prognostic factors for DFS, intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal FAP/podoplanin/CD163-positive macrophage scores as independent prognostic factors for MFS, and the intratumoral podoplanin score as an independent prognostic factor for LFS. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between each score and CD163-positive macrophage counts.

CONCLUSION

Patients with high CAF marker expression in the intratumoral and marginal areas have a poorer outcome.

INTRODUCTION

The tumor microenvironment of sarcomas has not been studied in detail; in particular, little is known about cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Sarcoma cells are difficult to distinguish from CAFs, either histomorphologically or immunohistochemically.

METHODS

We scored the expression of individual CAF markers (fibroblast-activating protein [FAP], CD10, and podoplanin) in the intratumoral and marginal areas of 133 sarcomas. We also examined the association between these markers, as well as the number of CD163-positive macrophages (i.e., tumor-associated macrophages), and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

In all cases, the log-rank test revealed that those with high marker scores and macrophage counts (except for marginal CD10+ CAFs) showed significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS). Grade 2/3 cases with high CAF scores (excluding the marginal FAP and CD10 scores) showed significantly worse DFS, whereas those with high intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal podoplanin scores showed significantly worse metastasis-free survival (MFS), and those with high intratumoral CD10 score showed significantly worse local recurrence-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis identified intratumoral CD10/podoplanin scores and marginal FAP/podoplanin scores as independent prognostic factors for DFS, intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal FAP/podoplanin/CD163-positive macrophage scores as independent prognostic factors for MFS, and the intratumoral podoplanin score as an independent prognostic factor for LFS. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between each score and CD163-positive macrophage counts.

CONCLUSION

Patients with high CAF marker expression in the intratumoral and marginal areas have a poorer outcome.

Activation of M2 macrophage autophagy by rapamycin increases the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer xenografts

BACKGROUND

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are intimately involved in cancer radiochemotherapy resistance. However, the mechanism by which macrophages affect radiosensitivity through autophagy remains unclear. The purpose of our study was to investigate how activating autophagy in type-II macrophages (M2) by using rapamycin (RAP) would affect the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC) xenografts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A nude mouse CRC model was established by injecting LoVo CRC cells. After tumor formation, supernatant from M2 cells (autophagy-unactivated), autophagy-activated M2 cells, or autophagy-downregulated M2 cells was injected peritumorally. All tumor-bearing mice were irradiated with 8-Gy X-rays twice, and the radiosensitivity of CRC xenografts was analyzed in each group.

RESULTS

The mass, volume, and microvessel density (MVD) of tumors in the autophagy-unactivated M2 group significantly increased; however, supernatant from M2 cells that were autophagy-activated by rapamycin significantly decreased tumor weight, volume, and MVD compared with negative control. Combining bafilomycin A1 (BAF-A1) with RAP treatment restored the ability of the M2 supernatant to increase tumor mass, volume, and MVD. Immunohistochemical and Western blot results showed that compared with the negative control group, supernatant from M2 cells that were not activated by autophagy downregulated the expression of Livin and Survivin in tumor tissues; activation of M2 autophagy further downregulated the protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, autophagy-activated M2 supernatant can downregulate the expression of the antiapoptotic genes Livin and Survivin in CRC xenografts, improving the radiosensitivity of CRC by inducing apoptosis in combination with radiotherapy and inhibiting the growth of transplanted tumors.

Application of hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy in laparoscopic total gastrectomy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical efficacy and prognostic implication of hand-sewn anastomosis in laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis is adopted to the clinicopathologic data of 112 patients with gastric cancer (GC) who went through LTG in the Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between October 2020 and October 2022. Among them, 60 individuals receiving medical care were split into the hand-sewn anastomosis group (Group H, N = 60); while, 52 individuals were split into the circular stapler anastomosis group (Group C, N = 52) The clinical efficacy and prognostic conditions of hand-sewn anastomosis are compared with those of circular stapler anastomosis in the application of LTG.

RESULTS

The analysis results indicated that no notable difference was observed in intraoperative bleeding volume, time to first flatus (TFF), postoperative hospitalization duration and postoperative complications among the two groups (P > 0.05). Group H had shorter esophagojejunal anastomosis duration (20.0 min vs. 35.0 min) and surgery duration (252.6 ± 19.4 min vs. 265.9 ± 19.8 min), smaller incisions (5.0 cm vs. 10.5 cm), and lower hospitalization costs (58415.0 CNY vs. 63382.5 CNY) compared to Group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The clinical efficacy and the postoperative complications of hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy are basically equivalent in comparison to the circular stapler anastomosis in the application of LTG. Its advantage lies in shorter esophagojejunal anastomosis duration, shorter surgery duration, smaller incisions, lower hospitalization costs and wider adaptability of the location of the tumor.

Overexpression of FERM Domain Containing Kindlin 2 (FERMT2) in Fibroblasts Correlates with EMT and Immunosuppression in Gastric Cancer

The mesenchymal feature, dominated by epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stromal cell activation, is one of the main reasons for the aggressive nature of tumors, yet it remains poorly understood. In gastric cancer (GC), the fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2) is involved in macrophage signaling, promoting migration and invasion. However, the function of FERMT2 in fibroblasts remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that downregulation of FERMT2 expression can block EMT in GC cells by inhibiting fibroblast activation in vitro. Furthermore, we found that, in addition to the known pathways, fibroblast-derived FERMT2 promotes M2-like macrophage growth and that in human GC samples, there is a strong positive correlation between FERMT2 and CD163 and CD206 levels. Notably, high FERMT2 expression was significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes and was upregulated in patients with advanced disease. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the fibroblast-FERMT2-EMT-M2 macrophage axis plays a critical role in the GC mesenchymal phenotype and may be a promising target for the treatment of advanced GC.

Regulation of regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages in gastric cancer tumor microenvironment

INTRODUCTION

Despite advancements in the methods for prevention and early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC), GC continues to be the fifth in incidence among major cancers and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. The therapeutic effects of surgery and drug treatment are still unsatisfied and show notable differences according to the tumor microenvironment (TME) of GC.

METHODS

Through screening Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science, we identified and summarized the content of recent studies that focus on the investigation of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the TME of GC. Furthermore, we searched and outlined the clinical research progress of various targeted drugs in GC treatment including CTLA-4, PD-1\PD-L1, and VEGF/VEGFR.

RESULTS

In this review, the findings indicate that Hp infection causes local inflammation and leads to immunosuppressive environment. High Tregs infiltration in the TME of GC is associated with increased induction and recruitment; the exact function of infiltrated Tregs in GC was also affected by phenotypes and immunosuppressive molecules. TAMs promote the development and metastasis of tumors, the induction, recruitment, and function of TAMs in the TME of gastric cancer are also regulated by various factors.

CONCLUSION

Discussing the distinct tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of GC can deepen our understanding on the mechanism of cancer immune evasion, invasion, and metastasis, help us to reduce the incidence of GC, and guide the innovation of new therapeutic targets for GC eventually.

Stem cell landscape aids in tumor microenvironment identification and selection of therapeutic agents in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) are strongly associated with the refractory characteristics of gastric cancer, including drug resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. The prognosis for advanced gastric cancer patients treated with multimodal therapy after surgery remains discouraging. GCSCs hold promise as therapeutic targets for GC patients. We obtained 26 sets of stem cell-related genes from the StemChecker database. The Consensus clustering algorithm was employed to discern three distinct stemness subtypes. Prognostic outcomes, components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), and responses to therapies were compared among these subtypes. Following this, a stemness-risk model was formulated using weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA), alongside Cox regression and random survival forest analyses. The C2 subtype predominantly showed enrichment in negative prognostic CSC gene sets and demonstrated an immunosuppressive TME. This specific subtype exhibited minimal responsiveness to immunotherapies and demonstrated reduced sensitivity to drugs. Four pivotal genes were integrated into the construction of the stemness model. Gastric cancer patients with higher stemness-risk scores demonstrated poorer prognoses, a greater presence of immunosuppressive components in TME, and lower rates of treatment response. Subset analysis indicated that only the low-stemness risk subtype derives benefit from 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. The model's effectiveness in immunotherapeutic prediction was further validated in the PRJEB25780 cohort. Our study categorized gastric cancer patients into three stemness subtypes, each demonstrating distinct prognoses, components of TME infiltration, and varying sensitivity or resistance to standard chemotherapy or targeted therapy. We propose that the stemness risk model may help the development of well-grounded treatment recommendations and prognostic assessments.

LncRNA WAC-AS1 expression in human tumors correlates with immune infiltration and affects prognosis

BACKGROUND

WAC-antisense RNA1 (WAC-AS1) is a newly identified long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) implicated in the prognosis and development of a few types of tumors. However, the correlations of WAC-AS1 with immune infiltration and patient prognosis in pan-cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value and immunological functions of WAC-AS1 across 33 different types of cancers.

METHODS

To investigate the potential oncogenic roles of WAC-AS1, bioinformatics analyses were performed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype Tissue-Expression (GTEx) datasets. The correlations of WAC-AS1 with prognosis, clinical phenotype, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor regulation-related genes, tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, and drug resistance to commonly used chemotherapy drugs in different types of tumors were explored. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) were performed to explore the biological functions of WAC-AS1 in tumors. In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed in tissue microarray (TMA) to confirm the expression of WAC-AS1 in multiple tumor tissues.

RESULTS

WAC-AS1 showed aberrant expression in most cancers when compared to the normal tissues. It also has prognostic value in multiple types of cancers. Elevated WAC-AS1 expression was associated with poor prognosis and overall survival in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), and liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). A significant negative correlation between WAC-AS1 expression and overall survival was observed in brain lower-grade glioma (LGG), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), and skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). The expression of WAC-AS1 also showed a correlation with clinical stage in six types of tumors, and with tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability in several different types of cancers. The immune scores of those cancers were found to be significant. Additionally, the effectiveness of fluorouracil and four other anticancer drugs was significantly different based on the expression of WAC-AS1 in these cancers. Moreover, the ISH results showed in six types of tumors, the expression of WAC-AS1 was consistent with the Pan-cancer analysis using TCGA and GTEx database.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate an intensive involvement of WAC-AS1 in the regulation of immune responses, immune cell infiltration, and malignant properties in various types of cancers, suggesting that WAC-AS1 may serve as a prognostic marker across diverse types of cancers.

Novel targets for gastric cancer: The tumor microenvironment (TME), N6-methyladenosine (m6A), pyroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis and cuproptosis

Gastric cancer (GC) is a fatal illness, and its mortality rate is very high all over the world. At present, it is a serious health problem for any country. It is a multifactorial disease due to the rising drug resistance and the increasing global cancer burden, the treatment of GC still faces many obstacles and problems. In recent years, research on GC is being carried out continuously, and we hope to address the new targets of GC treatment through this review. At the same time, we also hope to discover new ways to fight GC and create more gospel for clinical patients. First, we discuss the descriptive tumor microenvironment (TME), N6-methyladenosine (m6A), pyroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis. Finally, we expounded on the new or potential targets of GC treatment.

Role of tumor-associated macrophages in common digestive system malignant tumors

Many digestive system malignant tumors are characterized by high incidence and mortality rate. Increasing evidence has revealed that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is involved in cancer initiation and tumor progression. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a predominant constituent of the TME, and participate in the regulation of various biological behaviors and influence the prognosis of digestive system cancer. TAMs can be mainly classified into the antitumor M1 phenotype and protumor M2 phenotype. The latter especially are crucial drivers of tumor invasion, growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, immunosuppression, and resistance to therapy. TAMs are of importance in the occurrence, development, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of common digestive system malignant tumors. In this review, we summarize the role of TAMs in common digestive system malignant tumors, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancers. How TAMs promote the development of tumors, and how they act as potential therapeutic targets and their clinical applications are also described.

Macrophage numbers in the marginal area of sarcomas predict clinical prognosis

Even when treated comprehensively by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, soft-tissue sarcoma has an unfavorable outcome. Because soft-tissue sarcoma is rare, it is the subject of fewer clinicopathological studies, which are important for clarifying pathophysiology. Here, we examined tumor-associated macrophages in the intratumoral and marginal areas of sarcomas to increase our knowledge about the pathophysiology. Seventy-five sarcoma specimens (not limited to a single histological type), resected at our institution, were collected, and the number of CD68-, CD163-, and CD204-positive macrophages in the intratumoral and marginal areas was counted. We then performed statistical analysis to examine links between macrophage numbers, clinical factors, and outcomes. A high number of macrophages positive for all markers in both areas was associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS). Next, we divided cases according to the FNCLCC classification (Grade 1 and Grades 2/3). In the Grade 1 group, there was no significant association between macrophage number and DFS. However, in the Grade 2/3 group, high numbers of CD163- and CD204-positive macrophages in the marginal area were associated with poor DFS. By contrast, there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to high or low numbers of CD68-, CD163-, or CD204-positive macrophages in the intratumoral area. Multivariate analysis identified the number of CD163- and CD204-positive macrophages in the marginal area as an independent prognostic factor. Macrophage numbers in the marginal area of soft-tissue sarcoma may better reflect clinical behavior.

Alzheimer's risk factor FERMT2 promotes the progression of colorectal carcinoma via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and contributes to the negative correlation between Alzheimer and cancer

Increasing evidence from epidemiological studies indicate that Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a negative relationship with the incidence of cancers. Whether the Alzheimer's genetic risk factor, named as fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2), plays a pivotal part in the progressive process of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) yet remains unclear. This study revealed that FERMT2 was upregulated in CRC tissues which predicted an unfavorable outcome of CRC using the PrognoScan web tool. FERMT2 was co-expressed with a variety of genes have been linked with CRC occurrence and implicated in the infiltration of immune cell in CRC tissues. Overexpressing FERMT2 promoted CRC progression with upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Knockdown of FERMT2 suppressed the cell multiplication, colony formation rate, migration and invasion, along with the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) with downregulation Wnt/β-catenin proteins in cells of CRC, while overexpressing β-catenin reversed the inhibitory effects of silencing FERMT2 on the migration or invasion of CRC cells. Furthermore, Aβ1-42 treated HT22 cells induced downregulation of FERMT2 and inhibited the migration, invasion and EMT in co-cultured CT26 cells through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our results revealed that the downregulated FERMT2 gene during AD is prominently activated in CRC, which promotes its progression via Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Effect of Lactobacillus fermentum ZS40 on the NF-κB signaling pathway in an azomethane-dextran sulfate sodium-induced colon cancer mouse model

The occurrence of intestinal diseases such as colon cancer is closely related to the intestinal flora. Lactobacillus fermentum is a gut probiotic that plays an important role in chronic intestinal inflammation and colon cancer. In the current study, we investigated the effect of Lactobacillus fermentum ZS40 on NF-κB signaling pathway of azomethane-dextran sulfate sodium (AOM-DSS) -induced colon cancer in mice. Animals were divided into control group (NC), AOM-DSS-induced model group (CRC), AOM-DSS plus high-dose Lactobacillus fermentum ZS40 (ZS40-H), AOM-DSS plus low-dose Lactobacillus fermentum ZS40 (ZS40-L), AOM-DSS plus Lactobacillus bulgaricus (BLA), and AOM-DSS plus sulfasalazine (SD)-treated group. Observation of animal physiological activity (body weight and defecation), biochemical measurements, histopathological examination of colon tissue, qPCR to evaluate the expression of inflammation-related genes, immunohistochemical analysis of CD34 and CD117, and Western blot analysis of NF-κB signaling pathway were performed. Compared with the CRC group, the ZS40-H, ZS40-L, BLA, and SD groups had decreased levels of colon cancer marker proteins CD34 and CD117, and the number of abnormal colonic lesions observed by colon histology decreased, while the ZS40-H group showed excellent results. In addition, all probiotic interventions showed weight loss effects. The expression of inflammatory stimulators TNF-α and IL-1β in the probiotic treatment group decreased; the expression of key proteins IκBα and p65 in the NF-κB signaling pathway also decreased, resulting in a decrease in the expression of the target protein Cox-2. Therefore, administration of Lactobacillus fermentum ZS40 as a probiotic can alleviate intestinal inflammation and prevent colon cancer in mice.

Therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer targeting immune cells: Future directions

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and mortality, and the emergence of immunotherapy has brought survival benefits to GC patients. Compared with traditional therapy, immunotherapy has the advantages of durable response, long-term survival benefits, and lower toxicity. Therefore, targeted immune cells are the most promising therapeutic strategy in the field of oncology. In this review, we introduce the role and significance of each immune cell in the tumor microenvironment of GC and summarize the current landscape of immunotherapy in GC, which includes immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, reduction of M2 tumor-associated macrophages (M2 TAMs), N2 tumor-associated neutrophils (N2 TANs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), effector regulatory T cells (eT_regs), and regulatory B cells (B_regs) in the tumor microenvironment and reprogram TAMs and TANs into tumor killer cells. The most widely used immunotherapy strategies are the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibody, cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibody, and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) in ACT, and these therapeutic strategies have significant anti-tumor efficacy in solid tumors and hematological tumors. Targeting other immune cells provides a new direction for the immunotherapy of GC despite the relatively weak clinical data, which have been confirmed to restore or enhance anti-tumor immune function in preclinical studies and some treatment strategies have entered the clinical trial stage, and it is expected that more and more effective immune cell–based therapeutic methods will be developed and applied.

The Love-Hate Relationship Between TGF-β Signaling and the Immune System During Development and Tumorigenesis

Since TGF-β was recognized as an essential secreted cytokine in embryogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis a decade ago, our knowledge of the role of TGF-β in mammalian development and disease, particularly cancer, has constantly been updated. Mounting evidence has confirmed that TGF-β is the principal regulator of the immune system, as deprivation of TGF-β signaling completely abrogates adaptive immunity. However, enhancing TGF-β signaling constrains the immune response through multiple mechanisms, including boosting Treg cell differentiation and inducing CD8⁺ T-cell apoptosis in the disease context. The love-hate relationship between TGF-β signaling and the immune system makes it challenging to develop effective monotherapies targeting TGF-β, especially for cancer treatment. Nonetheless, recent work on combination therapies of TGF-β inhibition and immunotherapy have provide insights into the development of TGF-β-targeted therapies, with favorable outcomes in patients with advanced cancer. Hence, we summarize the entanglement between TGF-β and the immune system in the developmental and tumor contexts and recent progress on hijacking crucial TGF-β signaling pathways as an emerging area of cancer therapy.

Kindlin-2 promotes Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of androgen receptor and contributes to breast cancer progression

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling plays important roles in breast cancer progression. We show here that Kindlin-2, a focal adhesion protein, is critically involved in the promotion of AR signaling and breast cancer progression. Kindlin-2 physically associates with AR and Src through its two neighboring domains, namely F1 and F0 domains, resulting in formation of a Kindlin-2-AR-Src supramolecular complex and consequently facilitating Src-mediated AR Tyr-534 phosphorylation and signaling. Depletion of Kindlin-2 was sufficient to suppress Src-mediated AR Tyr-534 phosphorylation and signaling, resulting in diminished breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Re-expression of wild-type Kindlin-2, but not AR-binding-defective or Src-binding-defective mutant forms of Kindlin-2, in Kindlin-2-deficient cells restored AR Tyr-534 phosphorylation, signaling, breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, re-introduction of phosphor-mimic mutant AR-Y534D, but not wild-type AR reversed Kindlin-2 deficiency-induced inhibition of AR signaling and breast cancer progression. Finally, using a genetic knockout strategy, we show that ablation of Kindlin-2 from mammary tumors in mouse significantly reduced AR Tyr-534 phosphorylation, breast tumor progression and metastasis in vivo. Our results suggest a critical role of Kindlin-2 in promoting breast cancer progression and shed light on the molecular mechanism through which it functions in this process.

Kindlin-2-miR-1258-TCF4 feedback loop promotes hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis

BACKGROUND

Upregulated Kindlin-2 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) correlates with metastasis and poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of Kindlin-2 in HCC.

METHODS

Kindlin-2 downstream pathways were explored through microRNA sequencing. The Kindlin-2-miR-1258-TCF4 axis was verified using bisulfite sequencing, a luciferase reporter assay, quantitative real-time PCR, and rescue assays. Binding of TCF4 to the Kindlin-2 promoter was confirmed by promoter activity analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

MiRNA sequencing identified miR-1258 as a downstream effector of Kindlin-2. MiR-1258 expression was increased following Kindlin-2 knockdown and decreased after Kindlin-2 overexpression. Next, we identified transcription factor 7 like 2 (TCF7L2 or TCF4) as a target of miR-1258 and found that Kindlin-2 upregulated TCF4 expression by epigenetically suppressing miR-1258 in HCC. Furthermore, our results suggest that TCF4 binds to the Kindlin-2 promotor to enhance its transcription. Therefore, Kindlin-2-miR-1258-TCF4 interaction creates a positive feedback loop. Functional assays and animal experiments demonstrated critical roles of miR-1258 and TCF4 in HCC cell migration in vitro and HCC metastasis in vivo. In HCC tissues, Kindlin-2 expression correlated negatively with miR-1258 expression and positively with TCF4 expression. Meanwhile, miR-1258 expression correlated negatively with TCF4 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study illustrates a novel integrin-independent signaling pathway, Kindlin-2-miR-1258-TCF4, that regulates HCC invasion and metastasis and identifies Kindlin-2 as a promising therapeutic target in HCC.

Migfilin: Cell Adhesion Effect and Comorbidities

Cell adhesion manifests as cell linkages to neighboring cells and/or the extracellular matrix (ECM). Migfilin is a widely expressed adhesion protein. It comprises three LIM domains in the C-terminal region and one proline-rich sequence in the N-terminal region. Through interplay with its various binding partners, such as Kindlin-2, Filamin, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) protein and the transcription factor CSX, Migfilin facilitates the dynamic association of connecting actomyosin fibers, orchestrating cell morphogenetic movement and cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion, differentiation and signal transduction. In this review, to further elucidate the functional contributions of and pathogenesis induced by Migfilin, we focused on the structure of Migfilin and the targets which it directly binds with. We also summarized the role of Migfilin and its binding partners in the progression of different diseases and malignancies. As a possible candidate for coordinating various cellular processes and because of its association with both the pathogenesis and progression of certain tumors, Migfilin likely has utility as a therapeutic target against multiple diseases in the clinic.

Functional and Therapeutic Significance of Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Colorectal Cancer

The role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its acquisition of resistance to treatment become the research hotspots. As an important component of TME, the tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) regulate multiple critical oncogenic processes, namely, occurrence, proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance in CRC. In this review, we have discussed the functional and therapeutic significance of TAMs in CRC. M1 macrophages act as the tumor suppressor while M2 macrophages promote CRC. The polarization of TAMs is mainly regulated by the pathways such as NFKB1 pathways, STAT3 pathways, WNT5A pathways, and PI3K pathways in CRC. Furthermore, the M2 polarization of TAMs is not only controllable but also reversible. Finally, we provide insights into the TAMs-targeted therapeutic strategies.

Extracellular Vesicles Promote the Formation of Pre-Metastasis Niche in Gastric Cancer

Globally, gastric cancer (GC) ranks fourth in the incidence of malignant tumors. The early clinical manifestations of GC lack specificity. Most patients are already at an advanced stage when they are first diagnosed, and their late progression is mainly due to peritoneal metastasis. A pre-metastatic microenvironment is formed, before the macroscopic tumor metastasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanovesicles released by cells into body fluids. Recent studies have shown that EVs can affect the tumor microenvironment by carrying cargos to participate in cell-to-cell communication. EVs derived from GC cells mediate the regulation of the pre-metastasis niche and act as a coordinator between tumor cells and normal stroma, immune cells, inflammatory cells, and tumor fibroblasts to promote tumor growth and metastasis. This review highlights the regulatory role of EVs in the pre-metastatic niche of GC and mulls EVs as a potential biomarker for liquid biopsy.

Ferroptosis-related mRNAs signature predicts prognosis of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is a common gastrointestinal tumor with a poor prognosis. Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death that plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Therefore, it is significant to construct a prognosis model of ferroptosis-related genes to predict the prognosis of gastric cancer and related therapeutic targets.

AIM

To explore the potential prognostic value of ferroptosis-related mRNAs in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Since ferroptosis is a type of cell death driven by lipid iron-dependent peroxidation, a predictive model was constructed based on differentially expressed ferroptosis-related mRNAs in gastric cancer.

RESULTS

We identified four differentially expressed mRNAs (DUSP1, MYB, CAV1, and NOX4) associated with gastric cancer prognosis. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the high-risk group was associated with a poor prognosis, and risk score was an independent prognostic indicator of survival. The developed prognostic model showed superiority over conventional clinical and pathological features in predicting the prognosis of gastric cancer. In addition, the low-risk and high-risk groups showed significant differences in immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints.

CONCLUSION

A novel ferroptosis-related mRNA signature has been developed, which could precisely predict the prognosis of gastric cancer and serve as therapeutic targets for gastric cancer.

Prognostic Value of TRPM7 Expression and Factor XIIIa-Expressing Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Gastric Cancer

Purpose

TRPM7 is known to play a key role in tumor progression by regulating cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion in various cancer cell lines. However, there are no comprehensive clinical studies about the effect of TRPM7 expression on gastric cancer (GC) prognosis. In this study, it was aimed at investigating the effect of TRPM7 expression on prognosis in GC patients. Additionally, for the first time, it was investigated whether the density of Factor XIIIa-expressing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in GC has an effect on the biological behaviour of the tumor.

Methods

TRPM7 expression and Factor XIIIa-expressing TAM density were immunohistochemically evaluated in paraffin-embedded tumor tissues of 204 GC patients undergoing surgery at a single institution.

Results

Tumor size was clearly higher in cases with high TRPM7 expression than those with low expression (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U). TRPM7 overexpression was closely related to high depth of tumor invasion (p < 0.001, ANOVA), increased lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001, ANOVA), and high distant metastasis rate (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U). These findings exposed that high TRPM7 expression is effective in the progression and aggressiveness of GC. In addition, while high CD8⁺ TIL density affects the prognosis positively, it was determined that high Factor XIIIa⁺ TAM density negatively affects the prognosis of patients with GC. Furthermore, multivariate analyses revealed TRPM7 overexpression was independently related with short overall (HR 9.64, 95% CI 5.74–16.19, p < 0.001) and disease-free survival (HR 5.67, 95% CI 3.61-8.92, p < 0.001) in GC patients.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that high TRPM7 expression is closely related to progressive tumor behaviour in GC and independently negatively affects survival in patients. In addition, it was determined that a high density of Factor XIIIa⁺ TAMs negatively affects the prognosis of patients with GC.

Identification of Ferroptosis-Related Long Noncoding RNA and Construction of a Novel Prognostic Signature for Gastric Cancer

Background

Gastric cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the digestive system. It has a poor prognosis and is clinically challenging to treat. Ferroptosis is a newly defined mode of programmed cell death. The roles and prognostic value of ferroptosis-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in gastric cancer remain unknown.

Results

In the current study, 20 ferroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified via univariate Cox analysis, least absolute shrinkage, and selection operator Cox regression analysis and used to construct a prognostic signature and classify gastric cancer patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The signature was validated using TCGA training and testing cohorts. The risk signature was an independent prognostic indicator of survival and accurately predicted the prognoses of patients with gastric cancer. It was also associated with immune cell infiltration. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to investigate underlying mechanisms that the 20 ferroptosis-related lncRNAs were involved in. Chemosensitivity and immune checkpoint inhibitor analyses indicated that high-risk patients were more sensitive to the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death protein 1.

Conclusions

The important role of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in immune infiltration identified in the current study may assist the determination of personalized prognoses and treatments in patients with gastric cancer. These 20 lncRNAs can be used as the diagnostic and prognostic markers for gastric cancer.

Construction and Validation of a Universal Applicable Prognostic Signature for Gastric Cancer Based on Seven Immune-Related Gene Correlated With Tumor Associated Macrophages

Background

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in the progression of malignant tumors, but the detailed mechanism of TAMs in gastric cancer (GC) is still not fully explored.

Methods

We identified differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) between GC samples with high and low macrophage infiltration in The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets. A risk score was constructed based on univariate Cox analysis and Lasso penalized Cox regression analysis in the TCGA cohort (n=341). The optimal cutoff determined by the 5-year time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was considered to classify patients into groups with high and low risk. We conducted external validation of the prognostic signature in four independent cohorts (GSE84437, n=431; GSE62254, n=300; GSE15459, n=191; and GSE26901, n=109) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

Results

The signature consisting of 7 genes (FGF1, GRP, AVPR1A, APOD, PDGFRL, CXCR4, and CSF1R) showed good performance in predicting overall survival (OS) in the 5 independent cohorts. The risk score presented an obviously positive correlation with macrophage abundance (cor=0.7, p<0.001). A significant difference was found between the high- and low-risk groups regarding the overall survival of GC patients. The high-risk group exhibited a higher infiltration level of M2 macrophages estimated by the CIBERSORT algorithm. In the five independent cohorts, the risk score was highly positively correlated with the stromal cell score, suggesting that we can also evaluate the infiltration of stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment according to the risk score.

Conclusion

Our study developed and validated a general applicable prognostic model for GC from the perspective of TAMs, which may help to improve the precise treatment strategy of GC.

Comprehensive analysis of tumor mutation burden and immune microenvironment in gastric cancer

Tumor mutation burden (TMB) was a promising marker for immunotherapy. We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of TMB and its relationship with immune cells infiltration in gastric cancer (GC). We analyzed the mutation landscape of all GC cases and TMB of each GC patient was calculated and patients were divided into TMB-high and TMB-low group. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two groups were identified and pathway analysis was performed. The immune cells infiltration in each GC patient was evaluated and Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to investigate the prognostic role of immune cells infiltration. At last, hub immune genes were identified and a TMB prognostic risk score (TMBPRS) was constructed to predict the survival outcome of GC patients. The relationships between mutants of hub immune genes and immune infiltration level in GC was investigated. We found higher TMB was correlated with better survival outcome and female patients, patients with T1-2 and N0 had higher TMB score. Altogether 816 DEGs were harvested and pathway analysis demonstrated that patients in TMB-high group were associated with neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cAMP signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway. The infiltration of activated CD4+ memory T cells, follicular helper T cells, resting NK cells, M0 and M1 macrophages and neutrophils in TMB-high group were higher compared than that in TMB-low group and high macrophage infiltration was correlated with inferior survival outcome of GC patients. Lastly, the TMBPRS was constructed and GC patients with high TMBPRS had poor prognosis.

PAFAH1B3 Expression Is Correlated With Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation and Immune Infiltration

Background

Platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase 1b catalytic subunit 3 (PAFAH1B3) is associated with a variety of human diseases. However, its function in gastric cancer remains uncertain.

Methods

PAFAH1B3 expression was analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and genotype-tissue expression pan-cancer data. The association between PAFAH1B3 expression and patient prognosis was evaluated using TCGA clinical survival data. Enrichment analysis of PAFAH1B3 was performed using the clusterProfiler R software package. Moreover, the correlation between PAFAH1B3 expression and immune cell infiltration were evaluated by analyzing TCGA database. CCK8 assay and colony-formation assay were performed to assess the effect of PAFAH1B3 on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. Transwell assay was used to evaluate the impact of PAFAH1B3 on gastric cancer cell migration. Western blot was performed to evaluate the role of PAFAH1B3 on signaling pathways in gastric cancer cells.

Results

PAFAH1B3 was highly expressed in many types of tumors including gastric cancer. High PAFAH1B3 expression was significantly correlated with proliferation-related gene sets involved in DNA replication, the cell cycle, and cell cycle checkpoints. Further analysis showed that high PAFAH1B3 expression was associated with high M1 macrophage and CD8-positive T cell infiltration scores. PAFAH1B3 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration, and the activation of oncogenic signaling in gastric cancer cells.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that PAFAH1B3 may be an oncogene in gastric cancer.

TGF-β in Cancer: Metabolic Driver of the Tolerogenic Crosstalk in the Tumor Microenvironment

Overcoming tumor immunosuppression still represents one ambitious achievement for cancer immunotherapy. Of note, the cytokine TGF-β contributes to immune evasion in multiple cancer types, by feeding the establishment of a tolerogenic environment in the host. Indeed, it fosters the expansion and accumulation of immunosuppressive regulatory cell populations within the tumor microenvironment (TME), where it also activates resident stromal cells and enhances angiogenesis programs. More recently, TGF-β has also turned out as a key metabolic adjuster in tumors orchestrating metabolic pathways in the TME. In this review, we will scrutinize TGF-β-mediated immune and stromal cell crosstalk within the TME, with a primary focus on metabolic programs.

Is sCD163 a Clinical Significant Prognostic Value in Cancers? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), a kind of inflammatory cells in the tumor microenvironment, are crucial for the occurrence and development of various tumors which increased the expression of CD163. Nevertheless, not much has been established regarding soluble CD163 and its connection to tumor diagnosis. In this case, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the tumor diagnostic importance of serum sCD163.

Methods

In order to assess the correlation between sCD163 and the overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) among tumor patients, a systematic perusal of literature published until June 2020 was conducted. Relevant data were primarily obtained from papers that have the following qualifications: 1) a confidence interval (CI) of 95%; 2) a report of the hazard ratios; and, 3) pooled by means of the Mantel-Haenszel random-effect representation.

Results

For the final meta-analysis, eight papers comprised of 1,236 cases were involved. Through pooled investigation, it was determined that a correlation exists between elevated serum sCD163 and worse OS (HR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.50-3.35, P < 0.001) and PFS (HR = 3.90, 95% CI: 2.33-6.52, P < 0.001) among tumor cases. Subgroup analysis stratified by medium age at diagnosis demonstrated that patients over 60 years old with high sCD163 had worse OS (HR 2.28, 95% CI: 1.58-3.29, P < 0.001) than under 60 (HR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.15-1.77, P = 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that analysis method and medium age at diagnosis were the potential source of heterogeneity.

Conclusions

Overall, diagnosis of tumor cases can be adversely determined through substantial sCD163 levels. Consequently, it is encouraged that extensive researches regarding the rates of cancer survival be accomplished.

CC Chemokines in a Tumor: A Review of Pro-Cancer and Anti-Cancer Properties of the Ligands of Receptors CCR1, CCR2, CCR3, and CCR4

CC chemokines, a subfamily of 27 chemotactic cytokines, are a component of intercellular communication, which is crucial for the functioning of the tumor microenvironment. Although many individual chemokines have been well researched, there has been no comprehensive review presenting the role of all known human CC chemokines in the hallmarks of cancer, and this paper aims at filling this gap. The first part of this review discusses the importance of CCL1, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL18, CCL19, CCL20, CCL21, CCL25, CCL27, and CCL28 in cancer. Here, we discuss the significance of CCL2 (MCP-1), CCL7, CCL8, CCL11, CCL13, CCL14, CCL15, CCL16, CCL17, CCL22, CCL23, CCL24, and CCL26. The presentation of each chemokine includes its physiological function and then the role in tumor, including proliferation, drug resistance, migration, invasion, and organ-specific metastasis of tumor cells, as well as the effects on angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. We also discuss the effects of each CC chemokine on the recruitment of cancer-associated cells to the tumor niche (eosinophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), regulatory T cells (T_reg)). On the other hand, we also present the anti-cancer properties of CC chemokines, consisting in the recruitment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL).

Beyond just a tight fortress: contribution of stroma to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer

Novel effective treatment is direly needed for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therapeutics that target the driver mutations, especially the KRAS oncoprotein and its effector cascades, have been ineffective. It is increasing clear that the extensive fibro-inflammatory stroma (or desmoplasia) of PDAC plays an active role in the progression and therapeutic resistance of PDAC. The desmoplastic stroma is composed of dense extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited mainly by the cancer-associated-fibroblasts (CAFs) and infiltrated with various types of immune cells. The dense ECM functions as a physical barrier that limits tumor vasculatures and distribution of therapeutics to PDAC cells. In addition, mounting evidence have demonstrated that both CAFs and ECM promote PDAC cells aggressiveness through multiple mechanisms, particularly engagement of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program. Acquisition of a mesenchymal-like phenotype renders PDAC cells more invasive and resistant to therapy-induced apoptosis. Here, we critically review seminal and recent articles on the signaling mechanisms by which each stromal element promotes EMT in PDAC. We discussed the experimental models that are currently employed and best suited to study EMT in PDAC, which are instrumental in increasing the chance of successful clinical translation.

Modulation of Immune Infiltration of Ovarian Cancer Tumor Microenvironment by Specific Subpopulations of Fibroblasts

Tumor immune infiltration plays a key role in the progression of solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, and immunotherapies are rapidly emerging as effective treatment modalities. However, the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a predominant stromal constituent, in determining the tumor-immune microenvironment and modulating efficacy of immunotherapies remains poorly understood. We have conducted an extensive bioinformatic analysis of our and other publicly available ovarian cancer datasets (GSE137237, GSE132289 and GSE71340), to determine the correlation of fibroblast subtypes within the tumor microenvironment (TME) with the characteristics of tumor-immune infiltration. We identified (1) four functional modules of CAFs in ovarian cancer that are associated with the TME and metastasis of ovarian cancer, (2) immune-suppressive function of the collagen 1,3,5-expressing CAFs in primary ovarian cancer and omental metastases, and (3) consistent positive correlations between the functional modules of CAFs with anti-immune response genes and negative correlation with pro-immune response genes. Our study identifies a specific fibroblast subtype, fibroblast functional module (FFM)2, in the ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment that can potentially modulate a tumor-promoting immune microenvironment, which may be detrimental toward the effectiveness of ovarian cancer immunotherapies.

Identification of the subtypes of gastric cancer based on DNA methylation and the prediction of prognosis

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is a digestive system cancer with a high mortality rate globally. Previous experiences and studies have provided clinicians with ample evidence to diagnose and treat patients with reasonable therapeutic options. However, there remains a need for sensitive biomarkers that can provide clues for early diagnosis and prognosis assessment.

RESULTS

We found 610 independent prognosis-related 5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3' (CpG) sites (P < 0.05) among 21,121 sites in the training samples. We divided the GC samples into seven clusters based on the selected 610 sites. Cluster 6 had relatively higher methylation levels and high survival rates than the other six clusters. A prognostic risk model was constructed using the significantly altered CpG sites in cluster 6 (P < 0.05). This model could distinguish high-risk GC patients from low-risk groups efficiently with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92. Risk assessment showed that the high-risk patients had poorer prognosis than the low-risk patients. The methylation levels of the selected sites in the established model decreased as the risk scores increased. This model had been validated in testing group and its effectiveness was confirmed. Corresponding genes of the independent prognosis-associated CpGs were identified, they were enriched in several pathways such as pathways in cancer and gastric cancer. Among all of the genes, the transcript level of transforming growth factor β2 (TGFβ2) was changed in different tumor stages, T categories, grades, and patients' survival states, and up-regulated in patients with GC compared with the normal. It was included in the pathways as pathways in cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma or gastric cancer. The methylation site located on the promoter of TGFβ2 was cg11976166.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to separate GC into different molecular subtypes based on the CpG sites using a large number of samples. We constructed an effective prognosis risk model that can identify high-risk GC patients. The key CpGs sites or their corresponding genes such as TGFβ2 identified in this research can provide new clues that will enable gastroenterologists to make diagnosis or personalized prognosis assessments and better understand this disease.

Modified Jian-pi-yang-zheng decoction inhibits gastric cancer progression via the macrophage immune checkpoint PI3Kγ

Jian-pi-yang-zheng Decoction (JPYZ) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is used for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer, and it shows good efficacy in patients. A previous study indicated that JPYZ inhibited the progression of gastric cancer via the regulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), but the underlying molecular target of JPYZ regulation of TAMs has not been determined. The present study used modified-JPYZ (mJPYZ) to extend our investigation of gastric cancer. Our results showed that mJPYZ inhibited gastric cancer progression in vivo and in vitro. We found that mJPYZ decreased the activity of PI3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) in TAMs, reduced the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and increased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-1β, which ultimately promoted the conversion of TAMs from M2 to M1. Our findings also indicated that mJPYZ inhibited the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer by alleviating the unfavorable differentiation of TAMs via the PI3Kγ signaling cascades. In conclusion, the present findings indicated that mJPYZ inhibited gastric cancer cell EMT via PI3Kγ-dependent TAM reprogramming, which eventually suppressed gastric cancer growth and metastasis. Our study provides an underlying mechanism of a Chinese medicine in the treatment of gastric cancer via PI3Kγ in macrophages.