Association between B7-H1 and cervical cancer: B7-H1 impairs the immune response in human cervical cancer cells

PD-L1 Biomolecules Associated with Clinical Features in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Background

Increasing evidence has indicated that several B7 family members play critical roles in the progress of many cancers. However, the clinical significance of the B7 family in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is still elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential role of B7-H1 biomolecules (PD-L1) in regulating the tumorigenesis and progression of cSCC, the most common non-melanoma skin cancer.

Methods

We collected transcriptome data of cSCC patients from TCGA databases (n = 496) and subjected the transcription data to bioinformatical analysis. Differential expression of B7-H1 genes with a grade-dependent pattern was identified. We collected paraffin sections of skin squamous carcinoma and analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. We further examined the PD-L1 levels of CD14+ cells in peripheral blood of each cSCC patient and normal subjects by flow cytometry.

Results

It was found that higher expression of PD-L1 was associated with poor prognosis of cSCC patients and shorter overall survival. These observations were further verified in the clinical paraffin sections and in peripheral blood T cells.

Conclusion

Our study reveals that PD-L1 is a potential prognostic marker in clinical prognosis for cSCC patients and could be valuable for cSCC treatment.

Exogenous interleukin-1 beta promotes the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells via the MEK/ERK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is a crucial cytokine that has been implicated in cancer and metastasis development. However, its possible mechanistic role in cervical cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the functions of exogenous IL-1β in cervical cancer cell proliferation and migration.

METHODS

HeLa cell proliferation and migration were measured using MTT and Transwell assays. A lentivirus-mediated packaging system was used to construct an IL-1β overexpressing cell line. MEK/ERK signal transduction was inhibited by pretreatment with the MEK inhibitor PD98059. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to test the expression of relevant genes.

RESULTS

Exogenous IL-1β promoted the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells. In addition, overexpression of IL-1β in HeLa cells promoted cell proliferation. Mechanistically, exogenous IL-1β increased the phosphorylated MEK and ERK levels in HeLa cells and the expression of JUN, RELB, and NF-κB2. Alternatively, blockade of MEK inhibited the promoting proliferation effects of IL-1β and the expression of JUN, RELB, and NF-κB2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that exogenous IL-1β regulates HeLa cell functions by regulating the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and by targeting JUN, RELB, and NF-κB2. Our study uncovered a potential association across IL-1β, cervical tumor development, and cancer progression.

Positive staining of the immunoligand B7-H6 in abnormal/transformed keratinocytes consistently accompanies the progression of cervical cancer

Background

B7-H6 has been revealed as an endogenous immunoligand expressed in a variety of tumors, but not expressed in healthy tissues. Heretofore, no studies have been reported describing B7-H6 in women with cervical cancer. To investigate this question, our present study was conducted.

Results

This retrospective study comprised a total of 62 paraffinized cervical biopsies, which were distributed in five groups: low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), squamous cervical carcinoma (SCC), uterine cervical adenocarcinoma (UCAC), and a group of cervicitis (as a control for non-abnormal/non-transformed cells). Cervical sections were stained by immunohistochemistry to explore the expression of B7-H6, which was reported according to the immunoreactive score (IRS) system. We observed a complete lack of B7-H6 in LSIL abnormal epithelial cells. Interestingly, B7-H6 began to be seen in HSIL abnormal epithelial cells; more than half of this group had B7-H6 positive cells, with staining characterized by a cytoplasmic and membranous pattern. B7-H6 in the SCC group was also seen in the majority of the sections, showing the same cytoplasmic and membranous pattern. Strong evidence of B7-H6 was notably found in UCAC tumor columnar cells (in 100% of the specimens, also with cytoplasmic and membranous pattern). Moreover, consistent B7-H6 staining was observed in infiltrating plasma cells in all groups.

Conclusions

B7-H6 IRS positively correlated with disease stage in the development of cervical cancer; additionally, B7-H6 scores were found to be even higher in the more aggressive uterine cervical adenocarcinoma, suggesting a possible future therapeutic target for this cancer type.