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Chou WC, Jha S, Linhoff MW, Ting JPY. The NLR gene family: from discovery to present day. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:635-654. [PMID: 36973360 PMCID: PMC11171412 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00849-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian NLR gene family was first reported over 20 years ago, although several genes that were later grouped into the family were already known at that time. Although it is widely known that NLRs include inflammasome receptors and/or sensors that promote the maturation of caspase 1, IL-1β, IL-18 and gasdermin D to drive inflammation and cell death, the other functions of NLR family members are less well appreciated by the scientific community. Examples include MHC class II transactivator (CIITA), a master transcriptional activator of MHC class II genes, which was the first mammalian NBD-LRR-containing protein to be identified, and NLRC5, which regulates the expression of MHC class I genes. Other NLRs govern key inflammatory signalling pathways or interferon responses, and several NLR family members serve as negative regulators of innate immune responses. Multiple NLRs regulate the balance of cell death, cell survival, autophagy, mitophagy and even cellular metabolism. Perhaps the least discussed group of NLRs are those with functions in the mammalian reproductive system. The focus of this Review is to provide a synopsis of the NLR family, including both the intensively studied and the underappreciated members. We focus on the function, structure and disease relevance of NLRs and highlight issues that have received less attention in the NLR field. We hope this may serve as an impetus for future research on the conventional and non-conventional roles of NLRs within and beyond the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chun Chou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sushmita Jha
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India
| | - Michael W Linhoff
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Jenny P-Y Ting
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Dong G, Fan F, He Y, Luo Y, Yu J, Liang P. T-Lymphocyte Gene-Regulated CCL5 and Its Association with Extrahepatic Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:1267-1279. [PMID: 37551333 PMCID: PMC10404438 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s420836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extrahepatic metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) greatly limits the prognostic survival of HCC patients. Levels of preoperative peripheral lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in the serum for predicting extrahepatic spread of hepatocellular carcinoma are still not common in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to investigate the value and mechanisms of peripheral lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in predicting extrahepatic spread of HCC. METHODS We used a retrospective design to analyze data pertaining to a total of 380 patients with HCC who were examined for peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets before receiving microwave ablation. We performed Cox regression analysis to screen out independent risk factors and used pathology specimens from the patients and public databases of liver cancer to investigate the correlation between cytokines and intra-tumor immune cells. RESULTS The CD4low group had better metastasis-free 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates compared to the CD4high group (80% vs 69%, 67% vs 51%, and 57% vs 39%, respectively; HR 1.7 (1.2, 2.3), P = 0.0019). Similarly, the CD8high group had better metastasis-free 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates compared to the CD8low group (65% vs 78%, 46% vs 64%, and 34% vs 54%, respectively; HR 0.6 (0.4, 0.8), P < 0.001). Patients with the CD4high/CD8low phenotype had significantly worse metastasis-free survival times compared to other patients (HR 2.0 (1.5, 2.8), P < 0.001). Additionally, T lymphocyte-specific genes (CD4, CD8) were correlated with CCL5 expression, which was also positively correlated with the level of intra-tumoral infiltrating CD8 T cells and the prognosis of HCC patients. CONCLUSION Both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte subsets were independent risk factors for extrahepatic metastasis in HCC. Serum CCL5 levels could indicate the infiltration level of intra-tumoral CD8+ T cells and the risk of extrahepatic metastasis in HCC patients, aiding in patient risk stratification for metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoping Dong
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
- Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fangying Fan
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
- Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao He
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanchun Luo
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
- Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Liang
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
- Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, People’s Republic of China
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Liu H, Bai Y, Li F, Tian Z. Combined serum CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL13 tests for the prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomark Med 2023; 17:265-272. [PMID: 37218545 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2023-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This work is to explore the predictive and diagnostic value of chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 8 (CXCL8), CXCL9 and CXCL13 combined detections for microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Materials & methods: A total of 82 HCC patients with MVI were recruited as the MVI group and 154 patients with non MVI were recruited as the non MVI group. Results: In HCC patients with MVI, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL13 levels were significantly elevated. Child-Pugh scores and serum α-fetoprotein level had positive correlation with CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL13 levels. The serum levels of CXCL8, 9 and 13 were effective in predicting MVI in HCC patients. Conclusion: CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL13 levels in HCC patients are valuable parameters in the prediction of MVI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Fifth People's Hospital, No. 1215 Guangrui Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214007, China
| | - Yang Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 904th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA, No. 101 Xingyuan North Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214044, China
| | - Fuli Li
- Department of General Surgery, Fifth People's Hospital, No. 1215 Guangrui Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214007, China
| | - Zhiqiang Tian
- Department of General Surgery, the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People's Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214000, China
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Zhuo Y, Li X, Feng W. NLRC3 is a potential prognostic biomarker that is correlated with immune cell infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2923. [PMID: 36808166 PMCID: PMC9941471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23979-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The NLR family CARD domain containing 3 (NLRC3) gene has been reported to have a crucial effect on immunity, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. However, the clinical relevance of NLRC3 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. This study analyzed both RNA sequencing data and corresponding clinical outcomes obtained from public databases to identify (i) NLRC3 as a tumor suppressor in LUAD and (ii) its predictive value for the likelihood of patient responsiveness to immunotherapy. The results showed that NLRC3 expression was reduced in LUAD and was lower in advanced-stage tumors. Additionally, reduced NLRC3 expression was correlated with worse patient prognosis. The protein level of NLRC3 was also observed to have prognostic significance. Moreover, downregulation of NLRC3 was found to suppress the chemotaxis and infiltration of antitumor lymphocyte subpopulations as well as natural killer cells. Mechanistic analysis indicated that NLRC3 may be involved in immune infiltration by regulating chemokines and their receptors in LUAD. Furthermore, NLRC3 functions as a molecular switch in macrophages, whereby it mediates the polarization of M1 macrophages. Patients with high NLRC3 expression were also found to exhibit a more promising response to immunotherapy. In conclusion, NLRC3 could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for LUAD, help predict the immunotherapeutic response of patients, and guide personalized strategies for the treatment of LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchen Zhuo
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Xueqian Li
- grid.452672.00000 0004 1757 5804Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710043 Shaanxi China
| | - Weiyi Feng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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Sun D, Xu J, Zhang W, Song C, Gao C, He Y, Shang Y. Negative regulator NLRC3: Its potential role and regulatory mechanism in immune response and immune-related diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1012459. [PMID: 36341336 PMCID: PMC9630602 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1012459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NLRC3 is a member of the pattern recognition receptors nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) family, and plays a pivotal regulatory role in modulating the activation of immune cells. In macrophages, NLRC3 inhibits the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, the STING/TBK1 signaling pathway, and the formation of the inflammasome. In the context of T cells immune response, NLRC3 prevents the activation of T cells by regulating the function of dendritic cells and directly influencing the function of T cells. Different from other pattern recognition receptors, NLRC3 is more closely associated with regulatory activity than pathogens recognition, it influences the fates of cells, for example, prevents proliferation, promotes apoptosis and inhibits pyroptosis. These cellular functions regulated by NLRC3 are involved in the development processes of a variety of diseases, such as infectious disease, sterile inflammatory diseases, and cancer. However, its characteristics, function and regulatory mechanism in immune response and immune-related diseases have not been addressed fully. In this review, we elaborate the potential roles of NLRC3 from several different levels, include molecular mechanism, cellular functions in the immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyi Sun
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiqian Xu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jiqian Xu, ; You Shang,
| | - Wanying Zhang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chaoying Song
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenggang Gao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yajun He
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - You Shang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jiqian Xu, ; You Shang,
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Xing J, Jia Z, Li Y, Han Y. Construction of immunotherapy-related prognostic gene signature and small molecule drug prediction for cutaneous melanoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:939385. [PMID: 35957907 PMCID: PMC9358033 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.939385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous melanoma (CM), a kind of skin cancer with a high rate of advanced mortality, exhibits a wide variety of driver and transmitter gene alterations in the immunological tumor microenvironment (TME) associated with tumor cell survival and proliferation. Methods We analyzed the immunological infiltration of TME cells in normal and malignant tissues using 469 CM and 556 normal skin samples. We used a single sample gene set enrichment assay (ssGSEA) to quantify the relative abundance of 28 cells, then used the LASSO COX regression model to develop a riskScore prognostic model, followed by a small molecule drug screening and molecular docking validation, which was then validated using qRT-PCR and IHC. Results We developed a prognosis model around seven essential protective genes for the first time, dramatically elevated in tumor tissues, as did immune cell infiltration. Multivariate Cox regression results indicated that riskScore is an independent and robust prognostic indicator, and its predictive value in immunotherapy was verified. Additionally, we identified Gabapentin as a possible small molecule therapeutic for CM. Conclusions A riskScore model was developed in this work to analyze patient prognosis, TME cell infiltration features, and treatment responsiveness. The development of this model not only aids in predicting patient response to immunotherapy but also has significant implications for the development of novel immunotherapeutic agents and the promotion of tailored treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Xing
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ziqi Jia
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Han, ; Yan Li,
| | - Yan Han
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Han, ; Yan Li,
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