Deep learning identification of novel autophagic protein-protein interactions and experimental validation of Beclin 2-Ubiquilin 1 axis in triple-negative breast cancer

Background:Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),characterized by its lack of traditional hormone receptors and HER2,presents a significant challenge in oncology due to its poor response to conventional therapies.Autophagy is an important process for maintaining cellular homeostasis,and there are currently autophagy biomarkers that play an effective role in the clinical treatment of tumors.In contrast to targeting protein activity,intervention with proteinprotein interaction(PPI)can avoid unrelated crosstalk and regulate the autophagy process with minimal interference pathways.Methods:Here,we employed Naive Bayes,Decision Tree,and k-Nearest Neighbors to elucidate the complex PPI network associated with autophagy in TNBC,aiming to uncover novel therapeutic targets.Meanwhile,the candidate proteins interacting with Beclin 2 were initially screened in MDA-MB-231 cells using Beclin 2 as bait protein by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry assay,and the interaction relationship was verified by molecular docking and CO-IP experiments after intersection.Colony formation,cellular immunofluorescence,cell scratch and 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT)tests were used to predict the clinical therapeutic effects of manipulating candidate PPI.Results:By developing three PPI classification models and analyzing over 13,000 datasets,we identified 3733 previously unknown autophagy-related PPIs.Our network analysis revealed the central role of Beclin 2 in autophagy regulation,uncovering its interactions with 39 newly identified proteins.Notably,the CO-IP studies identified the substantial interaction between Beclin 2 and Ubiquilin 1,which was anticipated by our model and discovered in immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry assay results.Subsequently,in vitro investigations showed that overexpressing Beclin 2 increased Ubiquilin 1,promoted autophagy-dependent cell death,and inhibited proliferation and metastasis in MDA-MB-231 cells.Conclusions:This study not only enhances our understanding of autophagy regulation in TNBC but also identifies the Beclin 2-Ubiquilin 1 axis as a promising target for precision therapy.These findings open new avenues for drug discovery and offer inspiration for more effective treatments for this aggressive cancer subtype.

Prospects and challenges for the application of tissue engineering technologies in the treatment of bone infections

Osteomyelitis is a devastating disease caused by microbial infection in deep bone tissue.Its high recurrence rate and impaired restoration of bone deficiencies are major challenges in treatment.Microbes have evolved numerous mechanisms to effectively evade host intrinsic and adaptive immune attacks to persistently localize in the host,such as drug-resistant bacteria,biofilms,persister cells,intracellular bacteria,and small colony variants(SCVs).Moreover,microbial-mediated dysregulation of the bone immune microenvironment impedes the bone regeneration process,leading to impaired bone defect repair.Despite advances in surgical strategies and drug applications for the treatment of bone infections within the last decade,challenges remain in clinical management.The development and application of tissue engineering materials have provided new strategies for the treatment of bone infections,but a comprehensive review of their research progress is lacking.This review discusses the critical pathogenic mechanisms of microbes in the skeletal system and their immunomodulatory effects on bone regeneration,and highlights the prospects and challenges for the application of tissue engineering technologies in the treatment of bone infections.It will inform the development and translation of antimicrobial and bone repair tissue engineering materials for the management of bone infections.

Insights and implications of sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis

Osteoporosis,a metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture,has led to a high risk of fatal osteoporotic fractures worldwide.Accumulating evidence has revealed that sexual dimorphism is a notable feature of osteoporosis,with sex-specific differences in epidemiology and pathogenesis.Specifically,females are more susceptible than males to osteoporosis,while males are more prone to disability or death from the disease.To date,sex chromosome abnormalities and steroid hormones have been proven to contribute greatly to sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis by regulating the functions of bone cells.Understanding the sex-specific differences in osteoporosis and its related complications is essential for improving treatment strategies tailored to women and men.This literature review focuses on the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in osteoporosis,mainly in a population of aging patients,chronic glucocorticoid administration,and diabetes.Moreover,we highlight the implications of sexual dimorphism for developing therapeutics and preventive strategies and screening approaches tailored to women and men.Additionally,the challenges in translating bench research to bedside treatments and future directions to overcome these obstacles will be discussed.

Tumor-derived DEFB1 induces immune tolerance by inhibiting maturation of dendritic cell and impairing CD8+T cell function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:CD8+T cells are the key effector cells in the anti-tumor immune response.The mechanism underlying the infiltration of CD8+T cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)has not been clearly elucidated.Methods:Fresh ESCC tissues were collected and grouped according to the infiltration density of CD8+T cells.After the transcriptome sequencing on these samples and the combined analyses with The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)ESCC data,a secreted protein DEFB1 was selected to explore its potential role in the infiltration of CD8+T cells.Bioinformatics analyses,histological verification and in vitro experiments were then performed.Results:DEFB1 was highly expressed in ESCC,and the high expression of DEFB1 was an independent risk factor for overall survival.Since the up-regulation or down-regulation of DEFB1 did not affect the proliferation,migration and apoptosis of ESCC cells,we speculated that the oncogenic effect of DEFB1 was achieved by regulating microenvironmental characteristics.Bioinformatics analyses suggested that DEFB1 might play a major role in the inflammatory response and anti-tumor immune response,and correlate to the infiltration of immature dendritic cell(imDC)in ESCC.Histological analyses further confirmed that there were less CD8+T cells infiltrated,less CD83+mature DC(mDC)infiltrated and more CD1a+imDC infiltrated in those ESCC samples with high expression of DEFB1.After the treatment with recombinant DEFB1 protein,the maturation of DC was hindered significantly,followed by the impairment of the killing effects of T cells in both 2D and 3D culture in vitro.Conclusions:Tumor-derived DEFB1 can inhibit the maturation of DC and weaken the function of CD8+T cells,accounting for the immune tolerance in ESCC.The role of DEFB1 in ESCC deserves further exploration.

The role of cholesterol metabolism in lung cancer

Elevated serum cholesterol metabolism is associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer.Disrupted cholesterol metabolism is evident in both lung cancer patients and tumor cells.Inhibiting tumor cell cholesterol uptake or biosynthesis pathways,through the modulation of receptors and enzymes such as liver X receptor and sterolregulatory element binding protein 2,effectively restrains lung tumor growth.Similarly,promoting cholesterol excretion yields comparable effects.Cholesterol metabolites,including oxysterols and isoprenoids,play a crucial role in regulating cholesterol metabolism within tumor cells,consequently impacting cancer progression.In lung cancer patients,both the cholesterol levels in the tumor microenvironment and within tumor cells significantly influence cell growth,proliferation,and metastasis.The effects of cholesterol metabolism are further mediated by the reprogramming of immune cells such as T cells,B cells,macrophages,myeloid-derived suppressor cells,among others.Ongoing research is investigating drugs targeting cholesterol metabolism for clinical treatments.Statins,targeting the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway,are widely employed in lung cancer treatment,either as standalone agents or in combination with other drugs.Additionally,drugs focusing on cholesterol transportation have shown promise as effective therapies for lung cancer.In this review,we summarized current research regarding the rule of cholesterol metabolism and therapeutic advances in lung cancer.

Relationship of VEGF/VEGFR with immune and cancer cells:staggering or forward?

Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is primarily known as a proangiogenic factor and is one of the most important growth and survival factors affecting the vascular endothelium. However, recent studies have shown that VEGF also plays a vital role in the immune environment. In addition to the traditional growth factor role of VEGF and VEGF receptors(VEGFRs), they have a complicated relationship with various immune cells. VEGF also reportedly inhibits the differentiation and function of immune cells during hematopoiesis. Dendritic cells(DCs), macrophages, and lymphocytes further express certain types of VEGF receptors.VEGF can be secreted as well by tumor cells through the autocrine pathway and can stimulate the function of cancer stemness.This review will provide a paradigm shift in our understanding of the role of VEGF/VEGFR signaling in the immune and cancer environment.

Tripartite motif.containing 3(TRIM3)inhibits tumor growth and metastasis of liver cancer

Background:Reduced expression of tripartite motif-containing 3(TRIM3) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of human glioblastoma.In our previous research,we found that TRIM3 expression was markedly reduced in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissues and that low TRIM3 expression was associated with short survival of HCC patients.However,the role of TRIM3 in liver cancer remains unknown.This study aimed to investigate the function of TRIM3 in liver cancer cells.Methods:The protein levels of TRIM3 in five liver cancer cell lines(SK-Hep1,Hep3 B,Huh7,HepG2,Bel-7402) and one normal liver cell line(L02) were detected with Western blotting.HepG2 and Bel-7402 cells with low TRIM3 expression were infected with recombinant lentiviruses overexpressing TRIM3(LV-TRIM3),whereas Huh7 and Hep3 B cells with high TRIM3 expression were transfected with TRIM3-targeted small interfering RNA(siTRIM3).The functions of TRIM3 in the proliferation,colony formation,cell cycle,migration,invasion,and apoptosis of the above cell lines were examined.The effect ofTRIM3 on tumor growth and metastases in nude mice was also investigated.Results:TRIM3 was overexpressed in HepG2 and Bel-7402 cells with LV-TRIM3 infection,which further reduced proliferation,colony formation,migration,and invasion of both cell lines.Cell cycle analysis showed that TRIM3 overexpression induced G_0/G_1 phase arrest in HepG2 and Bel-7402 cells.Moreover,apoptosis was not increased in HepG2 or Bel-7402 cells overexpressing TRIM3.Contrarily,silencing TRIM3 expression in Huh7 and Hep3 B cells by siTRIM3 led to significantly decreased percentages of both cells in the G_0/G_1 phase and promoted cell proliferation,colony formation,migration,and invasion.In vivo experiment results confirmed that TRIM3 overexpression suppressed tumor growth and metastasis.Conclusions:TRIM3 plays a tumor-suppressing role in the regulation of liver cancer development by reducing cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest at the G_0/G_1 phase.

Effect of anti-asthma Chinese medicine Chuankezhi on the anti-tumor activity of cytokine-induced killer cells

Chuankezhi(CKZ),a new Chinese medicine,plays an important role in immunoregulation.Cytokineinduced killer(CIK)cells have been commonly used for immunotherapy in recent years.In this study,we aimed to investigate the immunoregulatory effect of CKZ on CIK cells.Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from healthy donors,and CIK cells were generated by culturing monocytes with interferon-gamma(IFN-γ)and interleukin 2.Different concentrations of CKZ were added on day 2.After incubation for 14days in culture,the antitumor effects of CIK cells were measured by cytotoxicity assay.Flow cytometry was used to explore the effect of CKZ on CIK cell immunophenotype,intracellular cytokine production,and apoptosis.The effect of CKZ on the antitumor activity of CIK cells in nude mice was also investigated.CKZ increased the percentage of CD3+CD56+CIK cells but did not significantly change the percentage of CD4+,CD8+,or CD4+CD25+CIK cells.CKZ-conditioned CIK cells showed a greater ability to kill tumor cells,as well as a higher frequency of IFN-γand TNF-αproduction,compared with the CIK cells in the control group.CKZ also suppressed the apoptosis of CIK cells in vitro.Furthermore,CKZ combined with CIK cells had a stronger suppressive effect on tumor growth in vivo than the CIK,CKZ,or normal saline control groups.Our results indicate that CKZ enhances the antitumor activity of CIK cells and is a potential medicine for tumor immunotherapy.

Immunosuppressive checkpoint Siglec-15:a vital new piece of the cancer immunotherapy jigsaw puzzle

On March 5th, a novel immunosuppressive molecule,Siglec-15, was reported in Nature Medicine by Professor Lieping Chen1. Siglec-15 was reported in a wide variety of tumors. The molecule is not a simple replica of PD-1/PD-L1.Rather, the expressions of Siglec-15 and PD-L1 are mutually exclusive1, suggesting that Siglec-15 antibodies may be effective on tumors that are not responsive to anti-PD-1/PDL1 therapy. Siglec-15 potentially serves as a complementary therapeutic target and offers alternative treatments for many anti-PD-l/PD-Ll therapy unresponsive patients. This discovery generated a huge response.

The expression and prognostic value of protein tyrosine kinase 6 in early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer

Background:Protein tyrosine kinase 6(PTK6) is overexpressed in many epithelial tumors and predicts poor prognosis.However,PTK6 expression status and its role in cervical squamous cell cancer are unknown.This study aimed to investigate the expression level and clinical significance of PTK6 in early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer.Methods:Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis were performed to detect PTK6 mRNA and protein expression levels in 10 freshly frozen,early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer specimens and adjacent non-tumorous cervical tissues.The expression of PTK6 was detected using immunohistochemical staining in 150 formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded,early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer sections and 10 normal cervical tissue sections.Results:The mRNA and protein levels of PTK6 in cancer tissues were higher than those in adjacent non-tumorous cervical tissues.Immunohistochemical analysis showed that PTK6 was not expressed in normal cervical tissues but was overexpressed in the cytoplasm of cervical squamous cell cancer cells.The level of PTK6 expression was significantly associated with tumor grade(P = 0.020).The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with high PTK6 expression was lower than that of patients with low PTK6 expression(81.3%vs.96.2%,P = 0.008).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the expression level of PTK6 in cervical squamous cell cancer was an independent prognostic factor for patient survival(hazard ratio = 5.999,95%confidence interval 1.622-22.191,P< 0.05).Conclusions:PTK6 is overexpressed in cervical squamous ceil cancer.Increased PTK6 expression is associated with reduced 5-year overall survival.PTK6 expression is an independent prognostic predictor for cervical cancer.

Prognostic significance of malignant ascites in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis: A systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Recent evidence indicates that malignant ascites may be associated with the high malignancy and poor prognosis of gastric cancer(GC)with peritoneal metastasis(PM),but no robust consensus has been reached until now.AIM To evaluate the prognostic significance of malignant ascites in GC patients with PM.METHODS Two independent authors conducted database searches.The searches were performed in the EMBASE,PubMed,and Cochrane Library databases,and the terms used to search included stomach neoplasms,GC,ascites,peritoneal effusion,survival,and survival analysis.Outcomes included overall survival and hazard ratios with 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Three pairs of comparisons for measuring survival were made:(1)Patients with ascites vs those without ascites;(2)Patients with massive ascites vs those with mild to moderate ascites;and(3)Patients with massive ascites vs those with no to moderate ascites.RESULTS Fourteen articles including fifteen studies were considered in the final analysis.Among them,nine studies assessed the difference in prognosis between patients with and without malignant ascites.A pooled HR of 1.63(95%CI:1.47-1.82,P<0.00001)indicated that GC patients with malignant ascites had a relatively poor prognosis compared to patients without ascites.We also found that the prognosis of GC patients with malignant ascites was related to the volume of ascites in the six other studies.CONCLUSION GC patients with malignant ascites tend to have a worse prognosis,and the volume of ascites has an impact on GC outcomes.

Comprehensive radiomics nomogram for predicting survival of patients with combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Combined hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and cholangiocarcinoma(cHCCCCA)is defined as a single nodule showing differentiation into HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and has a poor prognosis.AIM To develop a radiomics nomogram for predicting post-resection survival of patients with cHCC-CCA.METHODS Patients with pathologically diagnosed cHCC-CCA were randomly divided into training and validation sets.Radiomics features were extracted from portal venous phase computed tomography(CT)images using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression and random forest analysis.A nomogram integrating the radiomics score and clinical factors was developed using univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression.Nomogram performance was assessed in terms of the C-index as well as calibration,decision,and survival curves.RESULTS CT and clinical data of 118 patients were included in the study.The radiomics score,vascular invasion,anatomical resection,total bilirubin level,and satellite lesions were found to be independent predictors of overall survival(OS)and were therefore included in an integrative nomogram.The nomogram was more strongly associated with OS(hazard ratio:8.155,95%confidence interval:4.498-14.785,P<0.001)than a model based on the radiomics score or only clinical factors.The area under the curve values for 1-year and 3-year OS in the training set were 0.878 and 0.875,respectively.Patients stratified as being at high risk of poor prognosis showed a significantly shorter median OS than those stratified as being at low risk(6.1 vs 81.6 mo,P<0.001).CONCLUSION This nomogram may predict survival of cHCC-CCA patients after hepatectomy and therefore help identify those more likely to benefit from surgery.

The clinical effects of DC-CIK cells combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and therapeutic effects of autologous dendritic cells co-cultured with cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) combined with chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: Fifty patients with advanced NSCLC (stages III to IV), who had received therapies in our Center (Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated to Cancer Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China) from August 2008 to January 2010, were treated by DC-CIK + chemotherapy as the combined treatment group; fifty advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy at the same time served as controls. The immunologic function, short-term therapeutic effects, the 1-year survival rate, the life quality, the chemotherapy side effects were compared between the two groups, the safety and therapeutic effects of DC-CIK cells therapy were observed too. Results: There was no obvious change of subsets of T cells in peripheral blood before and after therapy in DC-CIK + chemotherapy group, and IFN-γ was improved after therapy in this group (P < 0.05); in chemotherapy alone group, the ratios of CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, CD3-CD56+ cells and the secretion of IL-2, TNF-α decreased significantly after therapy (P < 0.05); the ratios of CD3+CD8+, CD3+CD56+ were improved after cell culture (P < 0.05). The disease control rate (DCR) of DC-CIK + chemotherapy group was higher than that in the chemotherapy alone group (78.0% vs 56.0%, P < 0.05); the 1-year survival rates of DC-CIK + chemotherapy group and chemotherapy alone group were 50% and 44% respectively, had no significant difference. Compared with chemotherapy alone group, the occurrence of chemotherapy side effects (including bone marrow suppression, nausea and vomiting, peripheral nerve toxicity) was less in the DC-CIK + chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). The physical and appetite were better in DC-CIK + chemotherapy group after therapy. Conclusion: To compare with simple chemotherapy, DC-CIK + chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC is safe and effective, and it can improve patients' life quality and remission rate, and prolong their survival time.

Vorolanib,an oral VEGFR/PDGFR dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor for treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors:An open-label,phaseⅠdose escalation and dose expansion trial

Objective:This study evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of vorolanib,a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor,for treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors.Methods:During dose escalation,patients received increasing doses of oral vorolanib(50-250 mg once daily)in cycles of four weeks for up to one year.During dose expansion,patients received recommended doses(100 and 200 mg)in 4-week cycles.The primary endpoint was to determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose and/or the recommended phase II dose(RP2 D).The severity and type of adverse drug reactions(ADRs)were assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.The second endpoint was preliminary efficacy in terms of objective response and progression-free survival(PFS).Results:No dose-limiting toxicity occurred during dose escalation(50-250 mg).Five(26.3%)patients in the escalation cohort(n=19)and 12(48.0%)in the expansion cohort(n=25)experienced grade 3 ADRs.The most common ADRs were hair color changes,fatigue,portal hypertension,hypertriglyceridemia,and proteinuria.During dose expansion,the patients treated with 200 mg and 100 mg(once daily)showed an objective response rate of 22.2%and 5.9%,respectively;the disease control rate was 88.9%and 73.3%,respectively;the median PFS was9.9[95%confidence interval(95%CI):7.4-not reached]months and 3.8(95%CI:1.9-not reached)months,respectively.Conclusions:Oral vorolanib at a dose of 200 mg(once daily)exhibited an acceptable safety profile and favorable clinical benefit for patients with advanced solid tumors.The RP2 D for vorolanib was determined to be 200 mg as a daily regimen.

Safety of in vitro amplified HLA-haploidentical donor immune cell infusions for childhood malignancies

In vitro amplified human leukocyte antigen(HLA)-haploidentical donor immune cell infusion(HDICI)is not commonly used in children.Therefore,our study sought to evaluate its safety for treating childhood malignancies.Between September 2011 and September 2012,12 patients with childhood malignancies underwent HDICI in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.The median patient age was 5.1 years(range,1.7-8.4 years).Of the 12 patients,9 had high-risk neuroblastoma(NB)[7 showed complete response(CR),1 showed partial response(PR),and 1 had progressive disease(PD)after multi-modal therapies],and 3 had Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-positive lymphoproliferative disease(EBV-LPD).The 12 patients underwent a total of 92 HDICIs at a mean dose of 1.6×108immune cells/kg body weight:71 infusions with natural killer(NK)cells,8 with cytokine-induced killer(CIK)cells,and 13 with cascade primed immune cells(CAPRIs);83 infusions with immune cells from the mothers,whereas 9 with cells from the fathers.Twenty cases(21.7%)of fever,including 6 cases(6.5%)accompanied with chills and 1(1.1%)with febrile convulsion,occurred during infusions and were alleviated after symptomatic treatments.Five cases(5.4%)of mild emotion changes were reported.No other adverse events occurred during and after the completion of HDIDIs.Neither acute nor chronic graft versus host disease(GVHD)was observed following HDICIs.After a median of 5.0 months(range,1.0-11.5 months)of follow-up,the 2 NB patients with PR and PD developed PD during HDICIs.Of the other 7 NB patients in CR,2 relapsed in the sixth month of HDICIs,and 5 maintained CR with disease-free survival(DFS)ranging from 4.5 to 11.5 months(median,7.2months).One EBV-LPD patient achieved PR,whereas 2 had stable disease(SD).Our results show that HDICI is a safe immunotherapy for childhood malignancies,thus warranting further studies.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated ophthalmic adverse events: current understanding of its mechanisms,diagnosis, and management

Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs) targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 and programmed cell death protein 1 receptor/ligand have revolutionized cancer treatment, achieving unprecedented efficacy in numerous malignancies. Despite the excellent therapeutic effects of ICIs, medications, such as pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab, avelumab, and durvalumab, typically cause a broad spectrum of toxicity events termed as immune-related adverse events(ir AEs). Out of all ir AEs, ophthalmic adverse events occur infrequently and are not comprehensively recognized. The current understanding of ophthalmic ir AEs is mainly derived from case reports and case series. In this review, based on relevant articles in the literature and current evidence, we summarize the incidences, manifestations, diagnoses, underlying mechanisms, treatments, and outcomes of ophthalmic ir AEs and discuss possible management strategies. A better understanding of these features is critical for managing patients with ICI-associated ophthalmic adverse events.

Somatic copy number alterations are predictive of progression-free survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma undergoing radiotherapy

Objective:Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Somatic copy number alterations(SCNAs)have been used to predict responses to therapies in many cancers,including lung cancer.However,little is known about whether they are predictive of radiotherapy outcomes.We aimed to understand the prognostic value and biological functions of SCNAs.Methods:We analyzed the correlation between SCNAs and clinical outcomes in The Cancer Genome Atlas data for 486 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received radiotherapy.Gene set enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the roles of SCNAs in the radiotherapy response.Our results were validated in 20 patients with lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)receiving radiotherapy.Results:SCNAs were a better predictor of progression-free survival(PFS)in LUAD(P=0.024)than in lung squamous carcinoma(P=0.18)in patients treated with radiotherapy.Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed the superiority of SCNAs in predicting PFS in patients with LUAD.Patients with stage I cancer and low SCNA levels had longer PFS than those with high SCNA levels(P=0.022).Our prognostic nomogram also showed that combining SCNAs and tumor/node/metastasis provided a better model for predicting long-term PFS.Additionally,high SCNA may activate the cell cycle pathway and induce tumorigenesis.Conclusions:SCNAs may be used to predict PFS in patients with early-stage LUAD with radiotherapy,in combination with TNM,with the aim of predicting long-term PFS.Therefore,SCNAs are a novel predictive biomarker for radiotherapy in patients with LUAD.

Significant benefits of pembrolizumab in treating refractory advanced pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma(PSC),a rare subtype of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC),is poorly differentiated and highly aggressive.Treatment is limited,and the prognosis is poor.Pembrolizumab is an anti-programmed death(PD)-1 antibody with good efficacy in NSCLC.Recent studies have demonstrated that PD-ligand 1(PD-L1)overexpression is common in PSCs,which suggests that anti-PD-L1 treatment is an ideal option.However,the response to pembrolizumab in PSC has not been studied.CASE SUMMARY We present a PSC case with PD-L1 overexpression that significantly benefited from pembrolizumab.A 73-year-old Chinese male was detected with a right lung lesion.Pathological analysis of the right upper lobectomy confirmed PSC.The PDL1 test revealed overexpression(TPS:90%).Multiple metastases occurred 1 mo after surgery,representing stage IV PSC.Neither first-line chemotherapy nor second-line antiangiogenic agents showed any benefit.Radiotherapy(1200 cGy)was administered to relieve chest wall pain.The patient received the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab(100 mg)as third-line therapy;however,because of fever and severe infection,he refused to receive immunotherapy any longer.Thus,only one dose of pembrolizumab was administered.Deep sustained remission of most of the metastases was achieved except for lesions in the right adrenal gland,which first shrank and then progressed.The patient died because of disease progression in the right adrenal gland.He achieved a progression-free survival time of 8 mo and an overall survival time of 9 mo with third-line pembrolizumab.CONCLUSION Our findings highlight and offer direct evidence of the efficacy of pembrolizumab in PD-L1-overexpressing PSCs.Combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy may enhance treatment efficacy.

Morphine-3-glucuronide upregulates PD-L1 expression via TLR4 and promotes the immune escape of non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:Patients with cancer pain are highly dependent on morphine analgesia,but studies have shown a negative correlation between morphine demand and patient outcomes.The long-term use of morphine may result in abnormally elevated serum morphine-3-glucuronide(M3G)levels.Hence,the effects of M3G on tumor progression are worth studying.Methods:The effects of M3G on PD-L1 expressions in human non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)cell lines were first evaluated.Activation of TLR4 downstream pathways after M3G treatment was then determined by Western blot.The effects of M3G on human cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTL)cytotoxicity and INF-γrelease was also detected.Finally,the LLC murine lung adenocarcinoma cell line were used to establish a murine lung cancer model,and the effects of M3G on tumor growth and metastasis were determined.Results:M3G promoted the expressions of PD-L1 in the A549 and H1299 cell lines in a TLR4-dependent manner(P<0.05).M3G activated the PI3 K and the NFκB signaling pathways,and this effect was antagonized by a TLR4 pathway inhibitor.A PI3 K pathway inhibitor reversed the M3G-mediated PD-L1 upregulation.M3G inhibited the cytotoxicity of CTL on A549 cells and decreased the level of INF-γ.Repeated M3G intraperitoneal injections promoted LLC tumor growth and lung metastasis through the upregulation of tumor expressed PD-L1 and the reduction of CTL in the tumor microenvironment.Conclusions:M3G specifically activated TLR4 in NSCLC cells and upregulated PD-L1 expression through the PI3 K signaling pathway,thereby inhibiting CTL cytotoxicity and finally promoting tumor immune escape.

The prognostic landscape of genes and infiltrating immune cells in cytokine induced killer cell treated-lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma

Objective:Patients with non–small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)respond differently to cytokine-induced killer cell(CIK)treatment.Therefore,potential prognostic markers to identify patients who would benefit from CIK treatment must be elucidated.The current research aimed at identifying predictive prognostic markers for efficient CIK treatment of patients with NSCLC.Methods:Patients histologically diagnosed with NSCLC were enrolled from the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital.We performed whole-exome sequencing(WES)on the tumor tissues and paired adjacent benign tissues collected from 50 patients with NSCLC,and RNA-seq on tumor tissues of 17 patients with NSCLC before CIK immunotherapy treatment.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to analyze the association between clinical parameters and prognostic relevance.WES and RNA-seq data between lung squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)and adenocarcinoma(Aden)were analyzed and compared.Results:The pathology subtype of lung cancer was the most significantly relevant clinical parameter associated with DFS,as analyzed by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression(P=0.031).The patients with lung SCC showed better CIK treatment efficacy and extended DFS after CIK treatment.Relatively low expression of HLA class II genes and checkpoint molecules,and less immunosuppressive immune cell infiltration were identified in the patients with lung SCC.Conclusions:Coordinated suppression of the expression of HLA class II genes and checkpoint molecules,as well as less immune suppressive cell infiltration together contributed to the better CIK treatment efficacy in lung SCC than lung Aden.