BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an inflammation-associated tumor with a dismal prognosis.Immunotherapy has become an important treatment strategy for HCC,as immunity is closely related to inflammation in th...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an inflammation-associated tumor with a dismal prognosis.Immunotherapy has become an important treatment strategy for HCC,as immunity is closely related to inflammation in the tumor microenvir-onment.Inflammation regulates the expression of programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and affects im-munotherapy efficacy.Interleukin-17A(IL-17A)is involved in the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and plays a protumor or antitumor role in different tumors.We hypothesized that IL-17A participates in tumor progression by affe-cting the level of immune checkpoint molecules in HCC.The upregulation of PD-L1 expression in HCC cells by IL-17A was assessed by reverse transcription PCR,western blotting,and flow cytometry.Mechanistic studies were conducted with gene knockout models and pathway inhibitors.The function of IL-17A in immune evasion was explored through coculture of T cells and HCC cells.The effects of IL-17A on the malignant biological behaviors of HCC cells were evaluated in vitro,and the antitumor effects of an IL-17A inhibitor and its synergistic effects with a PD-L1 inhibitor were studied in vivo.RESULTS IL-17A upregulated PD-L1 expression in HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner,whereas IL-17A receptor knockout or treatment with a small mothers against decapentaplegic 2 inhibitor diminished the PD-L1 expression induced by IL-17A.IL-17A enhanced the survival of HCC cells in the coculture system.IL-17A increased the viability,G2/M ratio,and migration of HCC cells and decreased the apoptotic index.Cyclin D1,VEGF,MMP9,and Bcl-1 expression increased after IL-17A treatment,whereas BAX expression decreased.The combination of IL-17A and PD-L1 inhibitors showed synergistic antitumor efficacy and increased cluster of differentiation 8+T lymphocyte infiltration in an HCC mouse model.CONCLUSION IL-17A upregulates PD-L1 expression via the IL-17A receptor/phosphorylation-small mothers against decapenta-plegic 2 signaling pathway in HCC cells.Blocking IL-17A enhances the therapeutic efficacy of PD-L1 antibodies in HCC in vivo.展开更多
目的探索初治慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者血清中细胞因子表达水平及其与病毒载量和肝脏炎症程度的关系,以期为临床动态评估CHB的病情和预后提供新思路。方法选择2018年10月至2019年11月就诊于海军军医大学(第二军医大学)第一附属医院感染科...目的探索初治慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者血清中细胞因子表达水平及其与病毒载量和肝脏炎症程度的关系,以期为临床动态评估CHB的病情和预后提供新思路。方法选择2018年10月至2019年11月就诊于海军军医大学(第二军医大学)第一附属医院感染科的初治慢性乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染者68例,健康对照者12名,通过ELISA检测血清中细胞因子IL-17A、IL-2、IL-21和IL-4表达水平,化学发光法检测HBV血清学标志物,qPCR法检测血清HBV DNA定量,全自动生化分析仪检测肝功能指标。采用Spearman相关分析评估血清细胞因子与病毒载量及肝脏炎症程度的相关性,绘制ROC曲线评价血清细胞因子水平对肝脏炎症程度的判断效能。结果相较于健康对照者,初治CHB患者血清IL-17A[17.50(11.99,25.36)pg/mL vs 13.74(9.07,16.94)pg/mL,Z=-2.001,P=0.045]、IL-21[37.12(23.85,77.66)pg/mL vs 20.30(17.90,24.19)pg/mL,Z=-3.485,P<0.01]水平升高,IL-2[57.19(31.10,79.92)pg/mL vs 73.06(62.41,105.84)pg/mL,Z=-2.509,P=0.012]水平降低,IL-4[11.40(5.79,18.62)pg/mL vs 10.84(8.05,25.20)pg/mL,Z=-0.681,P=0.496]水平差异无统计学意义。不同病程CHB患者的IL-17A表达水平差异有统计意义(H=8.870,P=0.031)。与非活动状态患者相比,炎症活动状态CHB患者血清中IL-17A[17.71(12.25,27.92)pg/mL vs 16.51(6.29,20.22)pg/mL]和IL-21[39.29(24.71,83.19)pg/mL vs 25.06(19.37,49.43)pg/mL]水平升高、IL-2[57.19(31.10,77.68)pg/mL vs 71.24(48.07,117.39)pg/mL]水平下降(均P<0.05),IL-4[11.40(5.94,18.12)pg/mL vs 14.57(3.12,24.49)pg/mL]水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。HBeAg阳性CHB患者、HBeAg阴性CHB患者血清IL-17A[15.34(10.65,25.04)、19.98(15.55,34.14)pg/mL vs 13.74(9.07,16.94)pg/mL,H=10.061,P=0.007]和IL-21[37.74(25.06,82.87)、51.74(23.32,83.82)pg/mL vs 20.30(17.90,24.19)pg/mL,H=12.444,P=0.002]水平高于健康对照者,IL-2[57.19(37.45,79.92)、37.45(18.32,73.06)pg/mL vs 73.06(62.41,105.84)pg/mL,H=6.576,P=0.037]水平低于健康对照者。初治CHB患者血清IL-17A、IL-21、IL-4水平与HBV DNA定量无相关性(r=0.02、0.23、0.07,均P>0.05),IL-2水平与HBV DNA定量存在弱相关性(r=0.32,P=0.01)。初治CHB患者血清IL-17A、IL-21水平与丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)水平(r=0.59、0.49,均P<0.01)和天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)水平(r=0.47、0.36,均P<0.01)均存在相关性,而IL-2、IL-4水平与ALT、AST水平均无相关性(均P>0.05)。ALT≥300 U/L初治CHB组、ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组及健康对照组间血清IL-17A、IL-2、IL-21水平差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05),其中ALT≥300 U/L初治CHB组IL-17A、IL-21水平均高于ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组及健康对照组(均P<0.01),ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组IL-2水平低于健康对照组、IL-21水平高于健康对照组(均P<0.01)。ROC曲线分析结果显示,IL-17A判断肝脏炎症程度的AUC值为0.8933(95%CI 0.7930~0.9936),IL-21判断肝脏炎症程度的AUC值为0.7600(95%CI 0.6227~0.8973)。结论IL-17A、IL-2和IL-21参与慢性HBV感染进程。初治CHB患者无论HBeAg阳性与否或炎症程度高低,血清IL-17A和IL-21水平均升高,IL-2水平均下降;IL-2与HBV DNA定量有一定相关性;IL-17A和IL-21与ALT及AST均存在正相关;检测IL-17A和IL-2有助于病情评估与预后判断。展开更多
基金Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province,No.21JR7RA373 and No.24JRRA295.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an inflammation-associated tumor with a dismal prognosis.Immunotherapy has become an important treatment strategy for HCC,as immunity is closely related to inflammation in the tumor microenvir-onment.Inflammation regulates the expression of programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and affects im-munotherapy efficacy.Interleukin-17A(IL-17A)is involved in the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and plays a protumor or antitumor role in different tumors.We hypothesized that IL-17A participates in tumor progression by affe-cting the level of immune checkpoint molecules in HCC.The upregulation of PD-L1 expression in HCC cells by IL-17A was assessed by reverse transcription PCR,western blotting,and flow cytometry.Mechanistic studies were conducted with gene knockout models and pathway inhibitors.The function of IL-17A in immune evasion was explored through coculture of T cells and HCC cells.The effects of IL-17A on the malignant biological behaviors of HCC cells were evaluated in vitro,and the antitumor effects of an IL-17A inhibitor and its synergistic effects with a PD-L1 inhibitor were studied in vivo.RESULTS IL-17A upregulated PD-L1 expression in HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner,whereas IL-17A receptor knockout or treatment with a small mothers against decapentaplegic 2 inhibitor diminished the PD-L1 expression induced by IL-17A.IL-17A enhanced the survival of HCC cells in the coculture system.IL-17A increased the viability,G2/M ratio,and migration of HCC cells and decreased the apoptotic index.Cyclin D1,VEGF,MMP9,and Bcl-1 expression increased after IL-17A treatment,whereas BAX expression decreased.The combination of IL-17A and PD-L1 inhibitors showed synergistic antitumor efficacy and increased cluster of differentiation 8+T lymphocyte infiltration in an HCC mouse model.CONCLUSION IL-17A upregulates PD-L1 expression via the IL-17A receptor/phosphorylation-small mothers against decapenta-plegic 2 signaling pathway in HCC cells.Blocking IL-17A enhances the therapeutic efficacy of PD-L1 antibodies in HCC in vivo.
文摘目的探索初治慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者血清中细胞因子表达水平及其与病毒载量和肝脏炎症程度的关系,以期为临床动态评估CHB的病情和预后提供新思路。方法选择2018年10月至2019年11月就诊于海军军医大学(第二军医大学)第一附属医院感染科的初治慢性乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染者68例,健康对照者12名,通过ELISA检测血清中细胞因子IL-17A、IL-2、IL-21和IL-4表达水平,化学发光法检测HBV血清学标志物,qPCR法检测血清HBV DNA定量,全自动生化分析仪检测肝功能指标。采用Spearman相关分析评估血清细胞因子与病毒载量及肝脏炎症程度的相关性,绘制ROC曲线评价血清细胞因子水平对肝脏炎症程度的判断效能。结果相较于健康对照者,初治CHB患者血清IL-17A[17.50(11.99,25.36)pg/mL vs 13.74(9.07,16.94)pg/mL,Z=-2.001,P=0.045]、IL-21[37.12(23.85,77.66)pg/mL vs 20.30(17.90,24.19)pg/mL,Z=-3.485,P<0.01]水平升高,IL-2[57.19(31.10,79.92)pg/mL vs 73.06(62.41,105.84)pg/mL,Z=-2.509,P=0.012]水平降低,IL-4[11.40(5.79,18.62)pg/mL vs 10.84(8.05,25.20)pg/mL,Z=-0.681,P=0.496]水平差异无统计学意义。不同病程CHB患者的IL-17A表达水平差异有统计意义(H=8.870,P=0.031)。与非活动状态患者相比,炎症活动状态CHB患者血清中IL-17A[17.71(12.25,27.92)pg/mL vs 16.51(6.29,20.22)pg/mL]和IL-21[39.29(24.71,83.19)pg/mL vs 25.06(19.37,49.43)pg/mL]水平升高、IL-2[57.19(31.10,77.68)pg/mL vs 71.24(48.07,117.39)pg/mL]水平下降(均P<0.05),IL-4[11.40(5.94,18.12)pg/mL vs 14.57(3.12,24.49)pg/mL]水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。HBeAg阳性CHB患者、HBeAg阴性CHB患者血清IL-17A[15.34(10.65,25.04)、19.98(15.55,34.14)pg/mL vs 13.74(9.07,16.94)pg/mL,H=10.061,P=0.007]和IL-21[37.74(25.06,82.87)、51.74(23.32,83.82)pg/mL vs 20.30(17.90,24.19)pg/mL,H=12.444,P=0.002]水平高于健康对照者,IL-2[57.19(37.45,79.92)、37.45(18.32,73.06)pg/mL vs 73.06(62.41,105.84)pg/mL,H=6.576,P=0.037]水平低于健康对照者。初治CHB患者血清IL-17A、IL-21、IL-4水平与HBV DNA定量无相关性(r=0.02、0.23、0.07,均P>0.05),IL-2水平与HBV DNA定量存在弱相关性(r=0.32,P=0.01)。初治CHB患者血清IL-17A、IL-21水平与丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)水平(r=0.59、0.49,均P<0.01)和天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)水平(r=0.47、0.36,均P<0.01)均存在相关性,而IL-2、IL-4水平与ALT、AST水平均无相关性(均P>0.05)。ALT≥300 U/L初治CHB组、ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组及健康对照组间血清IL-17A、IL-2、IL-21水平差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05),其中ALT≥300 U/L初治CHB组IL-17A、IL-21水平均高于ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组及健康对照组(均P<0.01),ALT<300 U/L初治CHB组IL-2水平低于健康对照组、IL-21水平高于健康对照组(均P<0.01)。ROC曲线分析结果显示,IL-17A判断肝脏炎症程度的AUC值为0.8933(95%CI 0.7930~0.9936),IL-21判断肝脏炎症程度的AUC值为0.7600(95%CI 0.6227~0.8973)。结论IL-17A、IL-2和IL-21参与慢性HBV感染进程。初治CHB患者无论HBeAg阳性与否或炎症程度高低,血清IL-17A和IL-21水平均升高,IL-2水平均下降;IL-2与HBV DNA定量有一定相关性;IL-17A和IL-21与ALT及AST均存在正相关;检测IL-17A和IL-2有助于病情评估与预后判断。
