Overexpression of B7-H3 Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Laryngeal Cancer

Oncolytic Viruses and Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Uveal Melanoma and Retinoblastoma: The Current Landscape and Novel Advances

Intraocular malignant tumors are rare; however, they can cause serious life-threatening complications. Uveal melanoma (UM) and retinoblastoma (RB) are the most common intraocular tumors in adults and children, respectively, and come with a great disease burden. For many years, several different treatment modalities for UM and RB have been proposed, with chemotherapy for RB cases and plaque radiation therapy for localized UM as first-line treatment options. Extraocular extension, recurrence, and metastasis constitute the major challenges of conventional treatments. To overcome these obstacles, immunotherapy, which encompasses different treatment options such as oncolytic viruses, antibody-mediated immune modulations, and targeted immunotherapy, has shown great potential as a novel therapeutic tool for cancer therapy. These anti-cancer treatment options provide numerous advantages such as selective cancer cell death and the promotion of an anti-tumor immune response, and they prove useful in preventing vision impairment due to macular and/or optic disc involvement. Numerous factors such as the vector choice, route of administration, dosing, and patient characteristics must be considered when engineering an oncolytic virus or other forms of immunotherapy vectors. This manuscript provides an in-depth review of the molecular design of oncolytic viruses (e.g., virus capsid proteins and encapsulation technologies, vectors for delivery, cell targeting) and immunotherapy. The most recent advances in preclinical- and clinical-phase studies are further summarized. The recent developments in virus-like drug conjugates (i.e., AU011), oncolytic viruses for metastatic UM, and targeted immunotherapies have shown great results in clinical trials for the future clinical application of these novel technologies in the treatment algorithm of certain intraocular tumors.

Novel bispecific antibody-drug conjugate targeting PD-L1 and B7-H3 enhances antitumor efficacy and promotes immune-mediated antitumor responses

BACKGROUND

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) offer a promising approach, combining monoclonal antibodies with chemotherapeutic drugs to target cancer cells effectively while minimizing toxicity.

METHODS

This study examined the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanisms of a bispecific ADC (BsADC) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This BsADC selectively targets the immune checkpoints programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and B7-H3, and the precise delivery of the small-molecule toxin monomethyl auristatin E.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrated that the BsADC outperformed its bispecific antibody and PD-L1 or B7-H3 ADC counterparts, particularly in terms of in vitro/in vivo tumor cytotoxicity, demonstrating remarkable immune cytotoxicity. Additionally, we observed potent activation of tumor-specific immunity and significant induction of markers of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and potential endoplasmic reticulum stress.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this novel BsADC, through immune checkpoint inhibition and promotion of ICD, amplified durable tumor immune cytotoxicity, providing novel insights and potential avenues for future cancer treatments and overcoming resistance.

B7H3 Immune Checkpoint Overexpression Is Associated with Decreased Complete Response Rates to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Rectal cancer accounts for approximately one-third of colorectal cancers, with over 340,000 deaths globally in 2022. Despite advancements in treatment, the five-year overall survival for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains at 74%, with significant morbidity. B7H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein, plays a role in tumor progression and resistance to therapy, and correlates with poor prognosis in various cancers, including colorectal cancer. This study aims to evaluate the expression of B7H3 in LARC and its impact on overall complete response (oCR) rates to neoadjuvant therapy.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 60 patients with LARC who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). B7H3 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry on surgical specimens. Expression levels were categorized as high or low based on a composite score, and their association with oCR rates was analyzed.

RESULTS

High B7H3 expression was observed in 60% of patients, with 73.5% showing expression in more than 50% of tumor cells. Patients who achieved oCR had significantly lower B7H3 expression compared to those with residual disease (p < 0.001). No nuclear expression of B7H3 was detected. No significant correlation was found between B7H3 expression and other clinicopathological variables, except for a higher likelihood of non-restorative surgery in patients with elevated B7H3 levels (p = 0.049). Mucinous adenocarcinoma had high expression of B7H3.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated B7H3 expression is associated with reduced oCR rates in LARC, highlighting its potential role as a prognostic biomarker. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate these findings and explore B7H3-targeted therapies as a treatment strategy for LARC.

PD-L1 and B7-H3 are Effective Prognostic Factors and Potential Therapeutic Targets for High-Risk Thyroid Cancer

The prognosis of thyroid cancer in patients varies significantly based on different pathological types or distinct clinical situations. Investigating the expression of immune checkpoint molecules PD-L1 and B7-H3 in high-risk thyroid cancer and their correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. A retrospective sample of 202 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent surgery at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was collected, including 33 cases of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), 21 cases of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with distant metastasis (DM), 7 cases of differentiated high-grade thyroid carcinoma (DHGTC), and 109 cases of aggressive subtypes of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (including 28 cases of tall cell PTC, 31 cases of diffuse sclerosing PTC, 20 cases of solid PTC, 15 cases of columnar cell PTC, and 15 cases of hobnail PTC). In the control group, there were 32 cases of classic PTC. The differences in protein expression between PD-L1 and B7-H3 in several high-risk thyroid cancers and normal tissues and controls were compared by immunohistochemical staining, and the clinicopathological features and prognostic relevance were statistically analyzed. The expression of PD-L1 in ATC (P < 0.001), tall cell PTC (P = 0.031), and DHGTC (P = 0.003) was significantly higher than that in classic PTC. The expression of B7-H3 in ATC (P < 0.001), DTC with DM (P = 0.001), diffuse sclerosing PTC (P = 0.013), columnar cell PTC (P = 0.007), solid PTC (P < 0.001), hobnail PTC (P < 0.001), and DHGTC (P < 0.001) was significantly higher than that in classic PTC. In ATC, PD-L1 expression correlated significantly with extrathyroidal extension (ETE) (P = 0.027) and B7-H3 expression correlated significantly with male patients (P = 0.031) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P = 0.026). The positive expression of B7-H3 (P = 0.041) was an independent risk factor for disease progression in ATC. B7-H3 positive expression (P = 0.049), PD-L1 positive expression (P = 0.015), and tumor diameter ≥ 2 cm (P = 0.038) were independent risk factors for disease progression in patients with DTC with DM. PD-L1 positive expression (P = 0.019) and tumor diameter ≥ 2 cm (P = 0.018) were independent risk factors for disease progression in patients with aggressive subtypes of PTC. B7-H3 and PD-L1 are expected to be effective prognostic indicators for patients with aggressive thyroid cancer, which can help in optimization of individualized treatment strategies. Immunotherapy targeting these two molecules may provide new and complementary ideas for the treatment of high-risk/refractory thyroid cancer.

B7-H3 at the crossroads between tumor plasticity and colorectal cancer progression: a potential target for therapeutic intervention

B7-H3 (B7 homology 3 protein) is an important transmembrane immunoregulatory protein expressed in immune cells, antigen-presenting cells, and tumor cells. Studies reveal a multifaceted role of B7-H3 in tumor progression by modulating various cancer hallmarks involving angiogenesis, immune evasion, and tumor microenvironment, and it is also a promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy. In colorectal cancer (CRC), B7-H3 has been associated with various aspects of disease progression, such as evasion of tumor immune surveillance, tumor-node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Strategies to block or interfere with B7-H3 in its immunological and non-immunological functions are under investigation. In this study, we explore the role of B7-H3 in tumor plasticity, emphasizing tumor glucose metabolism, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, apoptosis, and changing immune signatures in the tumor immune landscape. We discuss how B7-H3-induced tumor plasticity contributes to immune evasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Furthermore, we delve into the most recent advancements in targeting B7-H3-based tumor immunotherapy as a potential approach to CRC treatment.

BNIPL is a promising biomarker of laryngeal cancer: novel insights from bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal cancer (LC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality. We aim to explore key genes as novel biomarkers to find potential target of LC in clinic diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

We retrieved GSE143224 and GSE84957 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Hub genes were identified from protein-protein interaction networks and further determined using receiver operating characteristic curves and principal component analysis. The expression of hub gene was verified by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. The transfection efficiency of BCL2 interacting protein like (BNIPL) was measured by western blot. Proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8, wound-healing, and transwell assays, respectively.

RESULTS

Total 96 overlapping DEGs were screened out from GSE143224 and GSE84957 datasets. Six hub genes (BNIPL, KRT4, IGFBP3, MMP10, MMP3, and TGFBI) were identified from PPI network. BNIPL was selected as the target gene. The receiver operating characteristic curves of BNIPL suggested that the false positive rate was 18.5% and the true positive rate was 81.5%, showing high predictive values for LC. The expression level of BNIPL was downregulated in TU212 and TU686 cells. Additionally, overexpression of BNIPL suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TU212 and TU686 cells.

CONCLUSION

BNIPL is a novel gene signature involved in LC progression, which exerts an inhibitory effect on LC development. These findings provide a novel insight into the pathogenesis of LC.

Prognosis

Prognosis is defined as the likely outcome or course of a disease and is the result of a complex interplay between patient and tumor factors. Unfortunately, the prognosis of patients with laryngeal cancer has not changed significantly over the past several decades. However, as our understanding of these patient and tumor factors becomes more nuanced and the resulting treatment options become more precise, there is the potential to improve the prognosis for these patients.

New frontiers in immune checkpoint B7-H3 (CD276) research and drug development

B7-H3 (CD276), a member of the B7 family of proteins, is a key player in cancer progression. This immune checkpoint molecule is selectively expressed in both tumor cells and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. In addition to its immune checkpoint function, B7-H3 has been linked to tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Furthermore, its drastic difference in protein expression levels between normal and tumor tissues suggests that targeting B7-H3 with drugs would lead to cancer-specific toxicity, minimizing harm to healthy cells. These properties make B7-H3 a promising target for cancer therapy.Recently, important advances in B7-H3 research and drug development have been reported, and these new findings, including its involvement in cellular metabolic reprograming, cancer stem cell enrichment, senescence and obesity, have expanded our knowledge and understanding of this molecule, which is important in guiding future strategies for targeting B7-H3. In this review, we briefly discuss the biology and function of B7-H3 in cancer development. We emphasize more on the latest findings and their underlying mechanisms to reflect the new advances in B7-H3 research. In addition, we discuss the new improvements of B-H3 inhibitors in cancer drug development.

Immune checkpoint of B7-H3 in cancer: from immunology to clinical immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for cancer is a rapidly developing treatment that modifies the immune system and enhances the antitumor immune response. B7-H3 (CD276), a member of the B7 family that plays an immunoregulatory role in the T cell response, has been highlighted as a novel potential target for cancer immunotherapy. B7-H3 has been shown to play an inhibitory role in T cell activation and proliferation, participate in tumor immune evasion and influence both the immune response and tumor behavior through different signaling pathways. B7-H3 expression has been found to be aberrantly upregulated in many different cancer types, and an association between B7-H3 expression and poor prognosis has been established. Immunotherapy targeting B7-H3 through different approaches has been developing rapidly, and many ongoing clinical trials are exploring the safety and efficacy profiles of these therapies in cancer. In this review, we summarize the emerging research on the function and underlying pathways of B7-H3, the expression and roles of B7-H3 in different cancer types, and the advances in B7-H3-targeted therapy. Considering different tumor microenvironment characteristics and results from preclinical models to clinical practice, the research indicates that B7-H3 is a promising target for future immunotherapy, which might eventually contribute to an improvement in cancer immunotherapy that will benefit patients.

The prognostic impact of B7-H3 and B7-H4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Immune checkpoint inhibition is a therapeutic option in many cancer entities. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) targeting of the PD-1/PD-L1 (B7-H1) axis is approved in recurrent/metastatic disease and is being explored in the curative setting. Here, we evaluated two related members of the B7 family, B7-H3 & B7-H4, for their prognostic impact under standard treatment.

METHODS

A tissue microarray (TMA) of a single center HNSCC cohort was stained for B7-H3 and B7-H4. Staining intensity and the number of tumor cells stained were assessed, and the expression was scored according to an established algorithm. Staining scores were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and associated with patient survival. mRNA levels of both proteins were associated with patient outcome using the TCGA dataset.

RESULTS

mRNA levels of B7-H3 and B7-H4 were not significantly associated with patient survival. TMA analysis revealed interpretable protein staining in 408 samples. Strong staining was the most frequent category for B7-H3 and no staining for B7-H4. In patients with p16-negative oropharyngeal SCC (OPSCC) and in a pooled cohort consisting of p16-negative OPSCC, laryngeal, hypopharyngeal and oral cavity SCC, strong B7-H3 expression was associated with better overall survival. For the latter cohort, this was in part due to reduced lymph node involvement. B7-H3 expression in p16-positive OPSCC and B7-H4 expression were not associated with outcome.

CONCLUSION

Despite a possible role in tumor immune escape, B7-H3 was associated with favorable prognosis in HPV-negative HNSCC in our cohort. The underlying mechanisms and a potential impact for B7-H3 targeting remain to be elucidated.

B7-H3-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors

Since B7-H3 is overexpressed or amplified in many types of solid tumors with a restricted expression in the normal tissues, it has been an emerging immunotherapeutic target for solid tumors. This review will focus on the structural designs of developing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting B7-H3. The expression, receptor, and function of the B7-H3, as well as a short overview of B7-H3-targeted monoclonal antibody therapy, are discussed. Finally, a detailed summary of B7-H3 redirected CAR-T and CAR-NK cell approaches utilized in preclinical models and currently ongoing or completed clinical trials are presented. It has been demonstrated that B7-H3-targeted CAR-based cell therapies were safe in initial trials, but their efficacy was limited. Employing the local delivery routes, the introduction of novel modifications promoting CAR-T persistence, and combined treatment with other standard therapies could improve the efficacy of B7-H3-targeted CAR-T cell therapy against solid tumors.