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Zhang YY, Han Y, Li WN, Xu RH, Ju HQ. Tumor iron homeostasis and immune regulation. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:145-156. [PMID: 38212195 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Abnormal iron metabolism has long been regarded as a key metabolic hallmark of cancer. As a critical cofactor, iron contributes to tumor progression by participating in various processes such as mitochondrial electron transport, gene regulation, and DNA synthesis or repair. Although the role of iron in tumor cells has been widely studied, recent studies have uncovered the interplay of iron metabolism between tumor cells and immune cells, which may affect both innate and adaptive immune responses. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the regulatory networks of iron metabolism between cancer cells and immune cells and how they contribute to antitumor immunity, and we analyze potential therapeutics targeting iron metabolism. Also, we highlight several key challenges and describe potential therapeutic approaches for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yu Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Yi Han
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Ning Li
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Rui-Hua Xu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China.
| | - Huai-Qiang Ju
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China.
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2
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Lee A, Lim J, Lim JS. Emerging roles of MITF as a crucial regulator of immunity. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:311-318. [PMID: 38351314 PMCID: PMC10907664 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01175-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), a basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor (bHLH-Zip), has been identified as a melanocyte-specific transcription factor and plays a critical role in melanocyte survival, differentiation, function, proliferation and pigmentation. Although numerous studies have explained the roles of MITF in melanocytes and in melanoma development, the function of MITF in the hematopoietic or immune system-beyond its function in melanin-producing cells-is not yet fully understood. However, there is convincing and increasing evidence suggesting that MITF may play multiple important roles in immune-related cells. Therefore, this review is focused on recent advances in elucidating novel functions of MITF in cancer progression and immune responses to cancer. In particular, we highlight the role of MITF as a central modulator in the regulation of immune responses, as elucidated in recent studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Lee
- Department of Biological Science and the Cellular Heterogeneity Research Center, Research Institute of Women's Health, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyun Lim
- Department of Biological Science and the Cellular Heterogeneity Research Center, Research Institute of Women's Health, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seok Lim
- Department of Biological Science and the Cellular Heterogeneity Research Center, Research Institute of Women's Health, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Lin J, Rao D, Zhang M, Gao Q. Metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment of liver cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:6. [PMID: 38297372 PMCID: PMC10832230 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01527-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver is essential for metabolic homeostasis. The onset of liver cancer is often accompanied by dysregulated liver function, leading to metabolic rearrangements. Overwhelming evidence has illustrated that dysregulated cellular metabolism can, in turn, promote anabolic growth and tumor propagation in a hostile microenvironment. In addition to supporting continuous tumor growth and survival, disrupted metabolic process also creates obstacles for the anticancer immune response and restrains durable clinical remission following immunotherapy. In this review, we elucidate the metabolic communication between liver cancer cells and their surrounding immune cells and discuss how metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer impacts the immune microenvironment and the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy. We also describe the crucial role of the gut-liver axis in remodeling the metabolic crosstalk of immune surveillance and escape, highlighting novel therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lin
- Center for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongning Rao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mao Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Center for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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4
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Casari M, Siegl D, Deppermann C, Schuppan D. Macrophages and platelets in liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1277808. [PMID: 38116017 PMCID: PMC10728659 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1277808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
During fibrosis, (myo)fibroblasts deposit large amounts of extracellular matrix proteins, thereby replacing healthy functional tissue. In liver fibrosis, this leads to the loss of hepatocyte function, portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, and increased susceptibility to infection. At an early stage, liver fibrosis is a dynamic and reversible process, however, from the cirrhotic stage, there is significant progression to hepatocellular carcinoma. Both liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) and monocyte-derived macrophages are important drivers of fibrosis progression, but can also induce its regression once triggers of chronic inflammation are eliminated. In liver cancer, they are attracted to the tumor site to become tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarized towards a M2- anti-inflammatory/tumor-promoting phenotype. Besides their role in thrombosis and hemostasis, platelets can also stimulate fibrosis and tumor development by secreting profibrogenic factors and regulating the innate immune response, e.g., by interacting with monocytes and macrophages. Here, we review recent literature on the role of macrophages and platelets and their interplay in liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Casari
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dominik Siegl
- Institute for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Carsten Deppermann
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Research Center for Immune Therapy Forschungszentrum für Immuntherapie (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Institute for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Research Center for Immune Therapy Forschungszentrum für Immuntherapie (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Huang J, Wu Q, Geller DA, Yan Y. Macrophage metabolism, phenotype, function, and therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). J Transl Med 2023; 21:815. [PMID: 37968714 PMCID: PMC10652641 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The pivotal role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the initiation and advancement of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is widely acknowledged, as it fosters the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells. Within the intricate TME of HCC, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent a significant constituent of non-malignant cells. TAMs engage in direct communication with cancer cells in HCC, while also exerting influence on other immune cells to adopt a tumor-supportive phenotype that facilitates tumor progression. Among the multifaceted mechanisms at play, the metabolic reprogramming of both tumor cells and macrophages leads to phenotypic alterations and functional modifications in macrophages. This comprehensive review elucidates the intricate interplay between cellular metabolism and macrophage phenotype/polarization, while also providing an overview of the associated signaling molecules and potential therapeutic strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingquan Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiulin Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - David A Geller
- Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
| | - Yihe Yan
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
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D'Aprile S, Denaro S, Pavone AM, Giallongo S, Giallongo C, Distefano A, Salvatorelli L, Torrisi F, Giuffrida R, Forte S, Tibullo D, Li Volti G, Magro G, Vicario N, Parenti R. Anaplastic thyroid cancer cells reduce CD71 levels to increase iron overload tolerance. J Transl Med 2023; 21:780. [PMID: 37924062 PMCID: PMC10625232 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04664-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) is a prevalent form of differentiated thyroid cancer, whereas anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) represents a rare, fast-growing, undifferentiated, and highly aggressive tumor, posing significant challenges for eradication. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death mechanism driven by the excessive production of reactive oxygen species and subsequent lipid peroxidation, emerges as a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer. It has been observed that many cancer cells exhibit sensitivity to ferroptosis, while some other histotypes appear to be resistant, by counteracting the metabolic changes and oxidative stress induced by iron overload. METHODS Here we used human biopsies and in vitro approaches to analyse the effects of iron-dependent cell death. We assessed cell proliferation and viability through MTT turnover, clonogenic assays, and cytofluorimetric-assisted analysis. Lipid peroxidation assay and western blot were used to analyse molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis modulation. Two distinct thyroid cancer cell lines, FTC-133 (follicular) and 8505C (anaplastic), were utilized. These cell lines were exposed to ferroptosis inducers, Erastin and RSL3, while simulating an iron overload condition using ferric ammonium citrate. RESULTS Our evidence suggests that FTC-133 cell line, exposed to iron overload, reduced their viability and showed increased ferroptosis. In contrast, the 8505C cell line seems to better tolerate ferroptosis, responding by modulating CD71, which is involved in iron internalization and seems to have a role in resistance to iron overload and consequently in maintaining cell viability. CONCLUSIONS The differential tolerance to ferroptosis observed in our study may hold clinical implications, particularly in addressing the unmet therapeutic needs associated with ATC treatment, where resistance to ferroptosis appears more pronounced compared to FTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona D'Aprile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona Denaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Pavone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Giallongo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Cesarina Giallongo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Alfio Distefano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Lucia Salvatorelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Torrisi
- Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna "Kore", 94100, Enna, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniele Tibullo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Gaetano Magro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Nunzio Vicario
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
| | - Rosalba Parenti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
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Kunes RZ, Walle T, Land M, Nawy T, Pe'er D. Supervised discovery of interpretable gene programs from single-cell data. Nat Biotechnol 2023:10.1038/s41587-023-01940-3. [PMID: 37735262 PMCID: PMC10958532 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01940-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Factor analysis decomposes single-cell gene expression data into a minimal set of gene programs that correspond to processes executed by cells in a sample. However, matrix factorization methods are prone to technical artifacts and poor factor interpretability. We address these concerns with Spectra, an algorithm that combines user-provided gene programs with the detection of novel programs that together best explain expression covariation. Spectra incorporates existing gene sets and cell-type labels as prior biological information, explicitly models cell type and represents input gene sets as a gene-gene knowledge graph using a penalty function to guide factorization toward the input graph. We show that Spectra outperforms existing approaches in challenging tumor immune contexts, as it finds factors that change under immune checkpoint therapy, disentangles the highly correlated features of CD8+ T cell tumor reactivity and exhaustion, finds a program that explains continuous macrophage state changes under therapy and identifies cell-type-specific immune metabolic programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell Z Kunes
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Statistics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Walle
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Max Land
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tal Nawy
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Pe'er
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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Ahn BC, Park C, Lee SJ, Hong S, Hwang JE, Kwon K, Kim JY, Kim KH, Kim HY, Lee GK, Lee Y, Han JY. Nivolumab after Induction Chemotherapy in Previously Treated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Low PD-L1 Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4460. [PMID: 37760429 PMCID: PMC10526182 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether cyclophosphamide (C) and adriamycin (A) induction therapy (IT) prior to nivolumab could enhance the efficacy of nivolumab in previously treated patients with non-squamous (NSQ) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with less than 10% programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Twenty-two enrolled patients received four cycles of CA-IT every 3 weeks. Nivolumab was given 360 mg every 3 weeks from the second cycle and 480 mg every 4 weeks after four cycles of CA-IT. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.4 months and 11.6 months, respectively. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting revealed the lowest ratio of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to CD8+T-cells in the responders. Proteomic analysis identified a consistent upregulation of extracellular matrix-receptor interactions and phagosome pathways in the responders. Among the differentially expressed proteins, the transferrin receptor protein (TFRC) was higher in the responders before treatment (fold change > 1.2). TFRC validation with an independent cohort showed the prognostic significance of either OS or PFS in patients with low PD-L1 expression. In summary, CA-IT did not improve nivolumab efficacy in NSQ-NSCLCs with low PD-L1 expression; however, it induced decreasing MDSC, resulting in a durable response. Higher baseline TFRC levels predicted a favorable response to nivolumab in NSCLC with low PD-L1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beung-Chul Ahn
- Center for Lung Cancer, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (B.-C.A.); (K.K.)
| | - Charny Park
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (C.P.); (S.-J.L.); (J.-E.H.); (J.Y.K.)
| | - Sang-Jin Lee
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (C.P.); (S.-J.L.); (J.-E.H.); (J.Y.K.)
| | - Sehwa Hong
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (C.P.); (S.-J.L.); (J.-E.H.); (J.Y.K.)
| | - Ji-Eun Hwang
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (C.P.); (S.-J.L.); (J.-E.H.); (J.Y.K.)
| | - Kyoungsuk Kwon
- Center for Lung Cancer, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (B.-C.A.); (K.K.)
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (C.P.); (S.-J.L.); (J.-E.H.); (J.Y.K.)
| | - Kyung-Hee Kim
- Proteomics Core Facility, Research Core Center, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyae Young Kim
- Department of Radiology, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Geon Kook Lee
- Department of Pathology, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Youngjoo Lee
- Center for Lung Cancer, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (B.-C.A.); (K.K.)
| | - Ji-Youn Han
- Center for Lung Cancer, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; (B.-C.A.); (K.K.)
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Yuan Y, Wu D, Li J, Huang D, Zhao Y, Gao T, Zhuang Z, Cui Y, Zheng DY, Tang Y. Mechanisms of tumor-associated macrophages affecting the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1217400. [PMID: 37663266 PMCID: PMC10470150 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1217400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are essential components of the immune cell stroma of hepatocellular carcinoma. TAMs originate from monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells, peripheral blood monocytes, and kupffer cells. The recruitment of monocytes to the HCC tumor microenvironment is facilitated by various factors, leading to their differentiation into TAMs with unique phenotypes. TAMs can directly activate or inhibit the nuclear factor-κB, interleukin-6/signal transducer and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, Wnt/β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β1/bone morphogenetic protein, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways in tumor cells and interact with other immune cells via producing cytokines and extracellular vesicles, thus affecting carcinoma cell proliferation, invasive and migratory, angiogenesis, liver fibrosis progression, and other processes to participate in different stages of tumor progression. In recent years, TAMs have received much attention as a prospective treatment target for HCC. This review describes the origin and characteristics of TAMs and their mechanism of action in the occurrence and development of HCC to offer a theoretical foundation for further clinical research of TAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yuan
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dailin Wu
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Li
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan Huang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianqi Gao
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenjie Zhuang
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Da-Yong Zheng
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Hepatology, TCM-Integrated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary, Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Tang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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10
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Ma H, Shu Q, Li D, Wang T, Li L, Song X, Lou K, Xu H. Accumulation of Intracellular Ferrous Iron in Inflammatory-Activated Macrophages. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:2303-2310. [PMID: 35852674 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03362-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages are important innate immune cells which can be polarized into heterogeneous populations. The inflammatory-activated M1 cells are known to be involved in all kinds of inflammatory diseases, which were also found to be associated with dysregulation of iron metabolism. While iron overload is known to induce M1 polarization, the valence states of iron and its intracellular dynamics during macrophage inflammatory activation have not been identified. In this study, THP-1-derived macrophages were polarized into M1, M2a, M2b, M2c, and M2d cells, and intracellular ferrous iron (Fe(II)) was measured by our previously developed ultrasensitive Fe(II) fluorescent probe. Significant accumulation of Fe(II) was only observed in M1 cells, which was different from the alterations of total iron. Time-dependent change of intracellular Fe(II) during the inflammatory activation was also consistent with the expression shifts of transferrin receptor CD71, ferrireductase Steap3, and Fe(II) exporter Slc40a1. In addition, accumulation of Fe(II) was also found in the colon macrophages of mice with ulcerative colitis, which was positively correlated to inflammatory phenotypes, including the productions of NO, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. Collectively, these results demonstrated the specific accumulation of Fe(II) in inflammatory-activated macrophages, which not only enriched our understanding of iron homeostasis in macrophages, but also indicated that Fe(II) could be further developed as a potential biomarker for inflammatory-activated macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Ma
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Qi Shu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Dan Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Tingqian Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Linyi Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xiaodong Song
- Medical Laboratory Department, Hua Shan Hospital North, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201907, China
| | - Kaiyan Lou
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Huan Xu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
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He XY, Fan X, Qu L, Wang X, Jiang L, Sang LJ, Shi CY, Lin S, Yang JC, Yang ZZ, Lei K, Li JH, Ju HQ, Yan Q, Liu J, Wang F, Shao J, Xiong Y, Wang W, Lin A. LncRNA modulates Hippo-YAP signaling to reprogram iron metabolism. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2253. [PMID: 37080959 PMCID: PMC10119135 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37871-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron metabolism dysregulation is tightly associated with cancer development. But the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Increasing evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in various metabolic processes via integrating signaling pathway. In this study, we revealed one iron-triggered lncRNA, one target of YAP, LncRIM (LncRNA Related to Iron Metabolism, also named ZBED5-AS1 and Loc729013), which effectively links the Hippo pathway to iron metabolism and is largely independent on IRP2. Mechanically, LncRIM directly binds NF2 to inhibit NF2-LATS1 interaction, which causes YAP activation and increases intracellular iron level via DMT1 and TFR1. Additionally, LncRIM-NF2 axis mediates cellular iron metabolism dependent on the Hippo pathway. Clinically, high expression of LncRIM correlates with poor patient survival, suggesting its potential use as a biomarker and therapeutic target. Taken together, our study demonstrated a novel mechanism in which LncRIM-NF2 axis facilitates iron-mediated feedback loop to hyperactivate YAP and promote breast cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yu He
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Fan
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Qu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, the First People's Hospital of Huzhou, 158 Guangchang Back Road, 313000, Huzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Nutrition, Precision Nutrition Innovation Center, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ling-Jie Sang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cheng-Yu Shi
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Siyi Lin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie-Cheng Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zuo-Zhen Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kai Lei
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun-Hong Li
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huai-Qiang Ju
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingfeng Yan
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Hangzhou Cancer Institution, Affiliated Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310002, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, 314400, Haining, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fudi Wang
- Department of Nutrition, Precision Nutrition Innovation Center, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianzhong Shao
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yan Xiong
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, 310000, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenqi Wang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Aifu Lin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Key Laboratory for Cell and Gene Engineering of Zhejiang Province, 310058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 322000, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China.
- Breast Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310003, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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12
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Liu P, Kong L, Liu Y, Li G, Xie J, Lu X. A key driver to promote HCC: Cellular crosstalk in tumor microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1135122. [PMID: 37007125 PMCID: PMC10050394 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1135122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third greatest cause of cancer-related mortality, which of the major pathological type is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for more than 90%. HCC is characterized by high mortality and is predisposed to metastasis and relapse, leading to a low five-year survival rate and poor clinical prognosis. Numerous crosstalk among tumor parenchymal cells, anti-tumor cells, stroma cells, and immunosuppressive cells contributes to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), in which the function and frequency of anti-tumor cells are reduced with that of associated pro-tumor cells increasing, accordingly resulting in tumor malignant progression. Indeed, sorting out and understanding the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of cellular crosstalk in TME is crucial to discover more key targets and specific biomarkers, so that develop more efficient methods for early diagnosis and individualized treatment of liver cancer. This piece of writing offers insight into the recent advances in HCC-TME and reviews various mechanisms that promote HCC malignant progression from the perspective of mutual crosstalk among different types of cells in TME, aiming to assist in identifying the possible research directions and methods in the future for discovering new targets that could prevent HCC malignant progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyue Liu
- Clinical Medical College, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Lingyu Kong
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Clinical Skills Training Center, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Jianjia Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Clinical Medical College, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tangshan, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Lu,
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Correnti M, Binatti E, Gammella E, Invernizzi P, Recalcati S. The Emerging Role of Tumor Microenvironmental Stimuli in Regulating Metabolic Rewiring of Liver Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15. [PMID: 36612000 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most devastating cancers worldwide. Extensive phenotypical and functional heterogeneity is a cardinal hallmark of cancer, including PLC, and is related to the cancer stem cell (CSC) concept. CSCs are responsible for tumor growth, progression, relapse and resistance to conventional therapies. Metabolic reprogramming represents an emerging hallmark of cancer. Cancer cells, including CSCs, are very plastic and possess the dynamic ability to constantly shift between different metabolic states depending on various intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, therefore amplifying the complexity of understanding tumor heterogeneity. Besides the well-known Warburg effect, several other metabolic pathways including lipids and iron metabolism are altered in PLC. An increasing number of studies supports the role of the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME) in the metabolic control of liver CSCs. In this review, we discuss the complex metabolic rewiring affecting liver cancer cells and, in particular, liver CSCs. Moreover, we highlight the role of TME cellular and noncellular components in regulating liver CSC metabolic plasticity. Deciphering the specific mechanisms regulating liver CSC-TME metabolic interplay could be very helpful with respect to the development of more effective and innovative combinatorial therapies for PLC treatment.
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Sun H, Qian X, Yang W, Zhou W, Zhou C, Liu S, Shi H, Tian W. Novel prognostic signature based on HRAS, MAPK3 and TFRC identified to be associated with ferroptosis and the immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:6924-6940. [PMID: 36398204 PMCID: PMC9641466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death, has been recognized recently. Several studies have shown the connection between ferroptosis and biological processes in cancer. However, the potential role and mechanism of ferroptosis-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear, and understanding the crosstalk between the tumor immune microenvironment and ferroptosis is still a great challenge. METHOD We retrospectively analyzed the transcriptomic and clinical data of HCC from TCGA database. 74 ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs), including 14 immune-ferroptosis-related genes (IFRGs), were identified with differential expression in tumor and normal tissues. Then, we screened and constructed a prognostic signature using survival analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Furthermore, we validated the performance of the signature for assessing survival prognosis and clinicopathological staging. In addition, we investigated the link between the prognostic features and tumor-infiltrating immune cells using CIBERSORT. RESULT The results identified HRAS, MAPK3 and TFRC as prognostic IFRGs. The risk score was elevated when IFRGs were upregulated and patient outcomes worsened. In addition, the results show significant differences in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, especially immunosuppressive cells, including tumor-infiltrating macrophages cells and regulatory cells, implying that the expression of these three IFRGs may be an intrinsic barrier to strong ferritin-induced immune responses. Enrichment analysis revealed crosstalk between ferroptosis and tumor immunity. The effect of the risk score was validated in the ICGC cohort and the Human Protein Atlas database confirmed the high expression of IFRGs in tumor tissue. CONCLUSIONS In our study, these IFRGs may provide some new ideas for the study of ferroptosis and the tumor immunity. These findings may also provide new strategies for treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyao Sun
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiyan Qian
- Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weizhong Zhou
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chungao Zhou
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haibin Shi
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Tian
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Zhou N, Cui Y, Zhu R, Kuang Y, Ma W, Hou J, Zhu Y, Chen S, Xu X, Tan K, Cao P, Duan X, Fan Y. Deferasirox shows inhibition activity against cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Gynecol Oncol 2022; 166:126-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Zhang J, Li S, Liu F, Yang K. Role of CD68 in tumor immunity and prognosis prediction in pan-cancer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7844. [PMID: 35550532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11503-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CD68 plays a critical role in promoting phagocytosis; however, the function of CD68 in tumor immunity and prognosis remains unknown. We analyzed CD68 expression among 33 tumor and normal tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression datasets. The relationship between CD68 expression and cancer prognosis, immune infiltration, checkpoint markers, and drug response was explored. Upregulated CD68 levels were observed in various cancer types, which were verified through tumor tissue chips using immunohistochemistry. High levels of CD68 in tumor samples correlated with an adverse prognosis in glioblastoma, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, lower-grade glioma, liver hepatocellular carcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and thymoma and a favorable prognosis in kidney chromophobe. The top three negatively enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes terms in the high CD68 subgroup were chemokine signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and cell adhesion molecule cams. The top negatively enriched HALLMARK terms included complement, allograft rejection, and inflammatory response. A series of targeted drugs and small-molecule drugs with promising therapeutic effects were predicted. The clinical prognosis and immune infiltration of high expression levels of CD68 differ across tumor types. Inhibiting CD68-dependent signaling could be a promising therapeutic strategy for immunotherapy in many tumor types.
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Abstract
Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a plastic and heterogeneous cell population of the tumour microenvironment (TME) that can account for up to 50% of solid tumours. TAMs heterogeneous are associated with different cancer types and stages, different stimulation of bioactive molecules and different TME, which are crucial drivers of tumour progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy. In this context, understanding the sources and regulatory mechanisms of TAM heterogeneity and searching for novel therapies targeting TAM subpopulations are essential for future studies. In this review, we discuss emerging evidence highlighting the redefinition of TAM heterogeneity from three different directions: origins, phenotypes and functions. We notably focus on the causes and consequences of TAM heterogeneity which have implications for the evolution of therapeutic strategies that targeted the subpopulations of TAMs.
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18
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Wang B, Liu L, Wu J, Mao X, Fang Z, Chen Y, Li W. Construction and Verification of a Combined Hypoxia and Immune Index for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:711142. [PMID: 35222525 PMCID: PMC8863964 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.711142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans. Hypoxia-related genes are now recognized as a reflection of poor prognosis in cancer patients with cancer. Meanwhile, immune-related genes play an important role in the occurrence and progression of ccRCC. Nevertheless, reliable prognostic indicators based on hypoxia and immune status have not been well established in ccRCC. The aims of this study were to develop a new gene signature model using bioinformatics and open databases and to validate its prognostic value in ccRCC. The data used for the model structure can be accessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify the hypoxia- and immune-related genes associated with prognostic risk, which were used to develop a characteristic model of prognostic risk. Kaplan-Meier and receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were performed as well as independent prognostic factor analyses and correlation analyses of clinical characteristics in both the training and validation cohorts. In addition, differences in tumor immune cell infiltrates were compared between the high and low risk groups. Overall, 30 hypoxia- and immune-related genes were identified, and five hypoxia- and immune-related genes (EPO, PLAUR, TEK, TGFA, TGFB1) were ultimately selected. Survival analysis showed that the high-risk score on the hypoxia- and immune-related gene signature was significantly associated with adverse survival outcomes. Furthermore, clinical ccRCC samples from our medical center were used to validate the differential expression of the five genes in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, more clinical trials are needed to confirm these results, and future experimental studies must verify the potential mechanism behind the predictive value of the hypoxia- and immune-related gene signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lixiao Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinting Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaolu Mao
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhen Fang
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yingyu Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wenfeng Li,
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Mu G, Zhu Y, Dong Z, Shi L, Deng Y, Li H. Calmodulin 2 Facilitates Angiogenesis and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer via STAT3/HIF-1A/VEGF-A Mediated Macrophage Polarization. Front Oncol 2021; 11:727306. [PMID: 34604066 PMCID: PMC8479158 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.727306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are indispensable to mediating the connections between cells in the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we intended to research the function and mechanism of Calmodulin2 (CALM2) in gastric cancer (GC)-TAM microenvironment. Materials and methods CALM2 expression in GC tissues and GC cells was determined through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The correlation between CALM2 level and the survival rate of GC patients was assessed. The CALM2 overexpression or knockdown model was constructed to evaluate its role in GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. THP1 cells or HUVECs were co-cultured with the conditioned medium of GC cells. Tubule formation experiment was done to examine the angiogenesis of endothelial cells. The proliferation, migration, and polarization of THP1 cells were measured. A xenograft model was set up in BALB/c male nude mice to study CALM2x’s effects on tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. Western Blot (WB) checked the profile of JAK2/STAT3/HIF-1/VEGFA in GC tissues and cells. Results In GC tissues and cell lines, CALM2 expression was elevated and positively relevant to the poor prognosis of GC patients. In in-vitro experiments, CALM2 overexpression or knockdown could facilitate or curb the proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of HUVECs and M2 polarization of THP1 cells. In in-vivo experiments, CALM2 boosted tumor growth and lung metastasis. Mechanically, CALM2 could arouse the JAK2/STAT3/HIF-1/VEGFA signaling. It was also discovered that JAK2 and HIF-1A inhibition could attenuate the promoting effects of CALM2 on GC, HUVECs cells, and macrophages. Conclusion CALM2 modulates the JAK2/STAT3/HIF-1/VEGFA axis and bolsters macrophage polarization, thus facilitating GC metastasis and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganggang Mu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yijie Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zehua Dong
- Department of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lang Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunchao Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Digestive System Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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