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Yao L, Wang Q, Ma W. Navigating the Immune Maze: Pioneering Strategies for Unshackling Cancer Immunotherapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5857. [PMID: 38136402 PMCID: PMC10742031 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has ushered in a transformative era in oncology, offering unprecedented promise and opportunities. Despite its remarkable breakthroughs, the field continues to grapple with the persistent challenge of treatment resistance. This resistance not only undermines the widespread efficacy of these pioneering treatments, but also underscores the pressing need for further research. Our exploration into the intricate realm of cancer immunotherapy resistance reveals various mechanisms at play, from primary and secondary resistance to the significant impact of genetic and epigenetic factors, as well as the crucial role of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, we stress the importance of devising innovative strategies to counteract this resistance, such as employing combination therapies, tailoring immune checkpoints, and implementing real-time monitoring. By championing these state-of-the-art methods, we anticipate a paradigm that blends personalized healthcare with improved treatment options and is firmly committed to patient welfare. Through a comprehensive and multifaceted approach, we strive to tackle the challenges of resistance, aspiring to elevate cancer immunotherapy as a beacon of hope for patients around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqin Yao
- Key Laboratory for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Qingqing Wang
- Institute of Immunology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Wenxue Ma
- Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, Sanford Stem Cell Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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2
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Carvalho FM. Triple-negative breast cancer: from none to multiple therapeutic targets in two decades. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1244781. [PMID: 38023167 PMCID: PMC10666917 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1244781] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are more likely to occur in younger patients and have a poor prognosis. They are highly heterogeneous tumors consisting of different molecular subtypes. The only common characteristic among them is the absence of targets for endocrine therapy and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) blockade. In the past two decades, there has been an increased understanding of these tumors from a molecular perspective, leading to their stratification according to new therapeutic strategies. TNBC has ushered breast carcinomas into the era of immunotherapy. The higher frequency of germline BRCA mutations in these tumors enables targeting this repair defect by drugs like PARP inhibitors, resulting in synthetic lethality in neoplastic cells. Additionally, we have the identification of new molecules to which this generation of smart drugs, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), are directed. In this review, we will discuss the trajectory of this knowledge in a systematic manner, presenting the molecular bases, therapeutic possibilities, and biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomena Marino Carvalho
- Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
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3
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Sanchez N, Harvey C, Vincent D, Croft J, Zhang J. Biomarkers derived from CmP signal network in triple negative breast cancers. TRANSLATIONAL BREAST CANCER RESEARCH : A JOURNAL FOCUSING ON TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN BREAST CANCER 2023; 4:21. [PMID: 38751477 PMCID: PMC11093088 DOI: 10.21037/tbcr-23-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women, accounting for approximately 30% of all new cancer cases. The prognosis of breast cancer heavily depends on the stage of diagnosis, with early detection resulting in higher survival rates. Various risk factors, including family history, alcohol consumption and hormone exposure, contribute to breast cancer development. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), characterized by the absence of certain receptors, is particularly aggressive and heterogeneous. Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), abnormal dilations of small blood vessels in the brain, is contributed by mutated genes like CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3 through the perturbed formation of the CCM signaling complex (CSC). The CSC-non-classic membrane progesterone receptors (mPRs)-progesterone (PRG) (CmP)/CSC-mPRs-PRG-classic nuclear progesterone receptors (nPRs) (CmPn) signaling network, which integrates the CSC with mPRs and nPRs, plays a role in breast cancer tumorigenesis. Understanding these pathways can provide insights into potential treatments. This paper focuses on the emerging field of CmPn/CmP signal networks, which involve PRG, its receptors (nPRs and mPRs), and the CSC. These networks play a role in tumorigenesis, particularly in TNBCs. Aims to deliver a thorough examination of the CmP/CmPn pathways concerning TNBCs, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of these pathways, explores their applications and highlights their significance in the context of TNBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickolas Sanchez
- Department of Molecular & Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso (TTUHSCEP), El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Charles Harvey
- Department of Molecular & Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso (TTUHSCEP), El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Drexell Vincent
- Department of Molecular & Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso (TTUHSCEP), El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Jacob Croft
- Department of Molecular & Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso (TTUHSCEP), El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Molecular & Translational Medicine (MTM), Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso (TTUHSCEP), El Paso, TX, USA
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Koelsch N, Manjili MH. From Reductionistic Approach to Systems Immunology Approach for the Understanding of Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12086. [PMID: 37569461 PMCID: PMC10419122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and dynamic ecosystem that includes a variety of immune cells mutually interacting with tumor cells, structural/stromal cells, and each other. The immune cells in the TME can have dual functions as pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic. To understand such paradoxical functions, the reductionistic approach classifies the immune cells into pro- and anti-tumor cells and suggests the therapeutic blockade of the pro-tumor and induction of the anti-tumor immune cells. This strategy has proven to be partially effective in prolonging patients' survival only in a fraction of patients without offering a cancer cure. Recent advances in multi-omics allow taking systems immunology approach. This essay discusses how a systems immunology approach could revolutionize our understanding of the TME by suggesting that internetwork interactions of the immune cell types create distinct collective functions independent of the function of each cellular constituent. Such collective function can be understood by the discovery of the immunological patterns in the TME and may be modulated as a therapeutic means for immunotherapy of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Koelsch
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
| | - Masoud H. Manjili
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, 401 College Street, Boc 980035, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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5
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Neves Rebello Alves L, Dummer Meira D, Poppe Merigueti L, Correia Casotti M, do Prado Ventorim D, Ferreira Figueiredo Almeida J, Pereira de Sousa V, Cindra Sant'Ana M, Gonçalves Coutinho da Cruz R, Santos Louro L, Mendonça Santana G, Erik Santos Louro T, Evangelista Salazar R, Ribeiro Campos da Silva D, Stefani Siqueira Zetum A, Silva Dos Reis Trabach R, Imbroisi Valle Errera F, de Paula F, de Vargas Wolfgramm Dos Santos E, Fagundes de Carvalho E, Drumond Louro I. Biomarkers in Breast Cancer: An Old Story with a New End. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1364. [PMID: 37510269 PMCID: PMC10378988 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second most frequent cancer in the world. It is a heterogeneous disease and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women. Advances in molecular technologies allowed for the identification of new and more specifics biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and risk prediction, enabling personalized treatments, improving therapy, and preventing overtreatment, undertreatment, and incorrect treatment. Several breast cancer biomarkers have been identified and, along with traditional biomarkers, they can assist physicians throughout treatment plan and increase therapy success. Despite the need of more data to improve specificity and determine the real clinical utility of some biomarkers, others are already established and can be used as a guide to make treatment decisions. In this review, we summarize the available traditional, novel, and potential biomarkers while also including gene expression profiles, breast cancer single-cell and polyploid giant cancer cells. We hope to help physicians understand tumor specific characteristics and support decision-making in patient-personalized clinical management, consequently improving treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyvia Neves Rebello Alves
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Débora Dummer Meira
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Luiza Poppe Merigueti
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Matheus Correia Casotti
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Diego do Prado Ventorim
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Espírito Santo (Ifes), Cariacica 29150-410, ES, Brazil
| | - Jucimara Ferreira Figueiredo Almeida
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Valdemir Pereira de Sousa
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Marllon Cindra Sant'Ana
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Rahna Gonçalves Coutinho da Cruz
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Luana Santos Louro
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Curso de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29090-040, ES, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Mendonça Santana
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Curso de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29090-040, ES, Brazil
| | - Thomas Erik Santos Louro
- Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027-502, ES, Brazil
| | - Rhana Evangelista Salazar
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Danielle Ribeiro Campos da Silva
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Aléxia Stefani Siqueira Zetum
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Raquel Silva Dos Reis Trabach
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Flávia Imbroisi Valle Errera
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Flávia de Paula
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Eldamária de Vargas Wolfgramm Dos Santos
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
| | - Elizeu Fagundes de Carvalho
- Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes (IBRAG), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro 20551-030, RJ, Brazil
| | - Iúri Drumond Louro
- Núcleo de Genética Humana e Molecular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29047-105, ES, Brazil
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