Cytokines screening identifies MIG (CXCL9) for postoperative recurrence prediction in operated non-small cell lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Exploration of reliable biomarkers most likely to identify non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients at high risk for recurrence after surgery is needed.

METHODS

Quantibody® Human Cytokine Antibody 6000 was used as screening tool to measure serum levels of 280 cytokines in ten healthy individuals and nine samples from three NSCLC patients before operation, after operation and postoperative recurrence. Selected cytokines were validated in two independent sets (89 patients before surgery, 69 patients after surgery and 40 patients with postoperative recurrence for each set) using ELISA method. The association of the selected cytokine with clinicopathologic features was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Thirty-six cytokines were declined after surgery and again elevated when recurrence. We selected MIG to be further assessed in 2 validation sets, the mean value of serum MIG levels in 396 NSCLC patients was 253.42 ± 274.48 pg/mL and was significantly higher than the level in 60 healthy controls (47.65 ± 33.23 pg/mL, P < 0.0001). The serum MIG levels were 366.36 ± 324.04 pg/mL pre-operation, 134.04 ± 127.52 pg/mL post-operation and 208.05 ± 239.39 pg/mL in recurrence in NSCLC patients. The serum MIG levels were significant differences among NSCLC patients of pre-operation, post-operation and recurrence and controls (P < 0.0001). Moreover, Serum MIG levels were decreased markedly after operation and notably increased when disease relapsed (P < 0.0005). Serum MIG levels trend to be higher in patients with male gender, older age, smoking habit, poor tumor differentiation, and non-adenocarcinoma histology.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicated that MIG might be an indicator of postoperative recurrence and help to identify NSCLC patient who was easy to relapse after surgery.

MIG/CXCL9 exacerbates the progression of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease by disrupting Treg/Th17 balance

CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells play important roles in the progression of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, the contribution of monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG)/CXCL9 to the Treg/Th17 imbalance in MAFLD is only partially understood. In the present study, we detected increased levels of MIG/CXCL9 and a Treg/Th17 imbalance in the setting of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer and silencing of MIG/CXCL9 expression in mice alleviated MASH and increased the Treg/Th17 ratio. Furthermore, the percentage of Th17 cells, but not Treg cells, differentiated from splenic CD4⁺ T cells was significantly increased by administration of MIG/CXCL9. MIG/CXCL9 also promoted Th17 cell proliferation, and its effects were dose dependent. Levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) decreased dramatically when MIG/CXCL9 was inhibited in a murine MASH model. In cultured Treg cells, phosphorylated JNK levels decreased dose-dependently in response to MIG/CXCL9 inhibition, but increased in cultured Th17 cells. This effect was blocked in the presence of a JNK inhibitor. These findings underline the fundamental importance of MIG/CXCL9 in maintaining the Treg/Th17 balance in MAFLD and provide the foundations for a novel approach to preventing and treating MAFLD.

Pilot study: elevated circulating levels of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor in patients with chronic spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is elevated in the circulation of patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) relative to uninjured subjects, and secondarily to identify additional immune mediators that are elevated in subjects with chronic SCI.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational pilot study.

SETTING

Outpatient clinic of a department of physical medicine and rehabilitation and research institute in an academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals with chronic (>1y from initial injury) SCI (n=22) and age- and sex-matched uninjured subjects (n=19).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Plasma levels of MIF, as determined by a commercially available multiplex suspension immunoassay. The relationship between MIF levels and clinical/demographic variables was also examined. As a secondary outcome, we evaluated other cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors.

RESULTS

Plasma MIF levels were significantly higher in subjects with chronic SCI than in control subjects (P<.001). Elevated MIF levels were not correlated significantly with any one clinical or demographic characteristic. Subjects with SCI also exhibited significantly higher plasma levels of monokine induced by interferon-gamma/chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 9 (P<.03), macrophage colony stimulating factor (P<.035), interleukin-3 (P<.044), and stem cell growth factor beta (SCGF-β) (P<.016). Among subjects with SCI, the levels of SCGF-β increased with the time from initial injury.

CONCLUSIONS

These data confirm the hypothesis that MIF is elevated in subjects with chronic SCI and identify additional novel immune mediators that are also elevated in these subjects. This study suggests the importance of examining the potential functional roles of MIF and other immune factors in subjects with chronic SCI.