Objective Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy.CD8+T cells,which are pivotal immune cells,can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse ...Objective Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy.CD8+T cells,which are pivotal immune cells,can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse cell populations owing to rapid advancements in sequencing technology.By leveraging these genes,our objective was to develop a prognostic model that accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with TNBC and their responsiveness to immunotherapy.Methods Sample information and clinical data of TNBC were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC databases.In the initial stage,we identified 67 differentially expressed genes associated with immune response in CD8+T cells.Subsequently,we narrowed our focus to three key genes,namely CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB,which were used to construct a prognostic model.The accuracy of the model was assessed using the validation set data and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Furthermore,we employed various methods,including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway,immune infiltration,and correlation analyses with CD274(PD-L1)to explore the model's predictive efficacy in immunotherapeutic responses.Additionally,we investigated the potential underlying biological pathways that contribute to divergent treatment responses.Results We successfully developed a model capable of predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC.The areas under the curve(AUC)values for the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival predictions were 0.618,0.652,and 0.826,respectively.Employing this risk model,we stratified the samples into high-and low-risk groups.Through KEGG enrichment analysis,we observed that the high-risk group predominantly exhibited enrichment in metabolism-related pathways such as drug and chlorophyll metabolism,whereas the low-risk group demonstrated significant enrichment in cytokine pathways.Furthermore,immune landscape analysis revealed noteworthy variations between(PD-L1)expression and risk scores,indicating that our model effectively predicted the response of patients to immune-based treatments.Conclusion Our study demonstrates the potential of CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB as prognostic indicators of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in patients with TNBC.These findings provide valuable insights and novel avenues for developing immunotherapeutic approaches targeting TNBC.展开更多
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.Me...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.展开更多
Background:Cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CD8+T)cells function critically in mediating anti-tumor immune response in cancer patients.Characterizing the specific functions of CD8+T cells in lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)could help ...Background:Cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CD8+T)cells function critically in mediating anti-tumor immune response in cancer patients.Characterizing the specific functions of CD8+T cells in lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)could help better understand local anti-tumor immune responses and estimate the effect of immunotherapy.Methods:Gens related to CD8+T cells were identified by cluster analysis based on the single-cell sequencing data of three LUAD tissues and their paired normal tissues.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),consensus clustering,differential expression analysis,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and Cox regression analysis were conducted to classify molecular subtypes for LUAD and to develop a risk model using prognostic genes related to CD8+T cells.Expression of the genes in the prognostic model,their effects on tumor cell invasion,and interactions with CD8+T cells were verified by cell experiments.Results:This study defined two LUAD clusters(CD8+0 and CD8+1)based on CD8+T cells,with cluster CD8+0 being significantly associated with the prognosis of LUAD.Three heterogeneous subtypes(clusters 1,2,and 3)differing in prognosis,genome mutation events,and immune status were categorized using 42 prognostic genes.A prognostic model created based on 11 significant genes(including CD200R1,CLEC17A,ZC3H12D,GNG7,SNX30,CDCP1,NEIL3,IGF2BP1,RHOV,ABCC2,and KRT81)was able to independently estimate the death risk for patients in different LUAD cohorts.Moreover,the model also showed general applicability in external validation cohorts.Low-risk patients could benefit more from taking immunotherapy and were significantly related to the resistance to anticancer drugs.The results from cell experiments demonstrated that the expression of CD200R1,CLEC17A,ZC3H12D,GNG7,and SNX30 was significantly downregulated,while that of CDCP1,NEIL3,IGF2BP1,RHOV,ABCC2 and KRT81 was upregulated in LUAD cells.Inhibition of CD200R1 greatly increased the invasiveness of the LUAD cells,but inhibiting CDCP1 expression weakened the invasion ability of LUAD cells.Conclusion:This study defined two prognostic CD8+T cell clusters and classified three heterogeneous molecular subtypes for LUAD.A prognostic model predictive of the potential effects of immunotherapy on LUAD patients was developed.展开更多
Virus-specific CD8+ T cells are thought to be the major anti-viral effector cells in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Indeed, viral clearance is associated with vigorous CD8+ T cell responses targeting multiple epit...Virus-specific CD8+ T cells are thought to be the major anti-viral effector cells in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Indeed, viral clearance is associated with vigorous CD8+ T cell responses targeting multiple epitopes. In the chronic phase of infection, HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses are usually weak, narrowly focused and display often functional defects regarding cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and proliferative capacity. In the last few years, different mechanisms which might contribute to the failure of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in chronic infection have been identified, including insufficient CD4+ help, deficient CD8+ T cell differentiation, viral escape mutations, suppression by viral factors, inhibitory cytokines, inhibitory ligands, and regulatory T cells. In addition, host genetic factors such as the host’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) background may play an important role in the efficiency of the HCV- specific CD8+ T cell response and thus outcome of infection. The growing understanding of the mechanisms contributing to T cell failure and persistence of HCV infection will contribute to the development of successful immunotherapeutical and -prophylactical strategies.展开更多
Background: Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy has been proved to be effective on gastric cancer in ongoing clinical trials. However, the value of PD-L1 in predicting responses...Background: Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy has been proved to be effective on gastric cancer in ongoing clinical trials. However, the value of PD-L1 in predicting responses of patients with gastric cancer to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy is controversial. Some studies suggested that intra-and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression might explain the controversy.This study aimed to analyze the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, and PD-1 as well as CD8(+) T-cell density in primary tumors and lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma to explore the heterogeneity of PD-1 signaling pathway molecules.Methods: In primary tumors and metastatic as well as non-metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, we detected PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with immunohistochemistry. CD8(+)T-cell density in primary tumors and PD-1 expression on CD8(+)T cells were detected with immunofluorescence. Univariate analysis was used to determine the prognostic values of them. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify independent risk factors that affect patients' overall survival and disease-free survival.Results: Among 119 eligible patients who had undergone surgical resection, the positive rate of PD-L1 was higher in metastatic lymph nodes than in primary tumors(45.4% vs. 38.7%, P = 0.005); the positive rate of PD-1 on CD8(+)T cells was significantly higher in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes than in tumor-free lymph nodes(both P < 0.001). The intensity of PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes were stronger than that in tumor-free lymph nodes from the same patient. Beside, the positive rate of PD-L2 did not show any differences between primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes. In multivariate analysis, PD-L1 expression,PD-L2 expression, a low density of CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors, and PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors were associated with poor prognosis.Conclusion: The expression of PD-L1 is heterogeneous in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stageT1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, which might explain the inconsistent results in assessing the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in previous studies.展开更多
AIM:To investigate if and how programmed death type-1(PD-1)expression affects the natural course of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection. METHODS:Sixty-four patients in different natural stages of chronic HBV infection wer...AIM:To investigate if and how programmed death type-1(PD-1)expression affects the natural course of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection. METHODS:Sixty-four patients in different natural stages of chronic HBV infection were enrolled in this study.PD-1 expression in total T cells was detected by flow cytometry.Levels of total CD8+T cell responses and proliferation in relation to PD-1 expression levels were analyzed with intracellular staining and PD-1/ PD-L1 blockage. RESULTS:The PD-1 expression in T cells was dynamically changed during the natural course of chronic HBV infection,did not significantly increase in the immune tolerance phase,and returned to normal in the inactive virus carrier stage.Blockage of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway could not affect the T-cell response in the immune tolerance and inactive virus carrier stages of chronic HBV infection.However,it could significantly restore the T-cell response in the immune clearance stage of chronic HBV infection.Furthermore,the PD-1 expression level in T cells was associated with the alanine aminotransferase level during the immune clearance stage of chronic HBV infection. CONCLUSION:The PD-l/PD-L1 pathway plays a different role in T-cell response during the natural course of chronic HBV infection.展开更多
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are characterized by exhaustion of the specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell response. This process involves enhancement of...Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are characterized by exhaustion of the specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell response. This process involves enhancement of negative co-stimulatory molecules, such as programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), 2B4, Tim-3, CD160 and LAG-3, which is linked to intrahepatic overexpression of some of the cognate ligands, such as PD-L1, on antigen presenting cells and thereby favouring a tolerogenic environment. Therapies that disrupt these negative signalling mechanisms represent promising therapeutic tools with the potential to restore reactivity of the specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell response. In this review we discuss the impressive in vitro and in vivo results that have been recently achieved in HCC, CHB and CHC by blocking these negative receptors with monoclonal antibodies against these immune checkpoint modulators. The article mainly focuses on the role of CTLA-4 and PD-1 blocking monoclonal antibodies, the first ones to have reached clinical practice. The humanized monoclonal antibodies against CTLA-4 (tremelimumab and ipilimumab) and PD-1 (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have yielded good results in testing of HCC and chronic viral hepatitis patients. Trelimumab, in particular, has shown a significant increase in the time to progression in HCC, while nivolumab has shown a remarkable effect on hepatitis C viral load reduction. The research on the role of ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab on HCC is currently underway.展开更多
Thichosanthin(Tk), a polypeptide with 249 amino acid residues isolated and purified from a Chinese medicinal herb, showed the capability of inducing abortion and was able to inhibit tumor growth and HIV replication. O...Thichosanthin(Tk), a polypeptide with 249 amino acid residues isolated and purified from a Chinese medicinal herb, showed the capability of inducing abortion and was able to inhibit tumor growth and HIV replication. Owing to sequence homology of the peptide with a ribosomeinactivating protein, the downward activity of Tk was suggested to be related to its cytotoxic property. We report here, however, that Tk could exert potent inhibitory effects on human lymphoproliferative responses in vitro to allogeneic, mitogenic and soluble antigens with 50% inhibition doses ranged between 0.05 and 0.5 μg/ml. The lowresponsiveness caused by Tk was not due to toxic cytolysis. Rather, evidences suggested that, in the dose range adopted, the Tk-induced inhibition was attributable, at least in part, to immune suppression, in view of (1) Tk was more effective in the early stage of alloreactivity; (2)Suppression also occurred if responder cells were pulsetreated with Tk rather than cocultured; (3) Irradiated Tk-pulsed cells were capable of inducing suppression in a Tk-free culture; (4) Suppression could also be transferred by the supernatants of Tk-pulsed cultured cells; (5) Tkinduced immune suppression was diminished by depletion of CD8+ cells from the culture, and, finally; (6) Adding CD8+ cells back to the culture could restore the suppres Trichosanthin-induced humall immune suppression sion. Thus the possibility that Tk might function as a down-regulator by immunological mechanisms in human immune responses is discussed.展开更多
Recently, the human cochlea has been shown to contain numerous resident macrophages under steady-state. The macrophages accumulate in the stria vascularis, among the auditory nerves, and are also spotted in the human ...Recently, the human cochlea has been shown to contain numerous resident macrophages under steady-state. The macrophages accumulate in the stria vascularis, among the auditory nerves, and are also spotted in the human organ of Corti. These macrophages may process antigens reaching the cochlea by invasion of pathogens and insertion of CI electrode. Thus, macrophages execute an innate, and possibly an adaptive immunity. Here, we describe the molecular markers CD4 and CD8 of T cells, macrophage markers MHCⅡ and CD11b, as well as the microglial markers TEME119 and P2Y12, in the human cochlea. Immunohistochemistry and the advantageous super-resolution structured illumination microscopy(SR-SIM) were used in the study. CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells were found in the human cochleae. They were seen in the modiolus in a substantial number adjacent to the vessels, in the peripheral region of the Rosenthal's canal, and occasionally in the spiral ligament. While there are a surprisingly large number of macrophages in the stria vascularis as well as between the auditory neurons,CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells are hardly seen in these areas, and neither are seen in the organ of Corti. In the modiolus,macrophages, CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells appeared often in clusters. Interaction between these different cells was easily observed with SR-SIM, showing closely placed cell bodies, and the processes from macrophages reaching out and touching the lymphocytes. Otherwise the CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells in human cochlear tissue are discretely scattered. The possible roles of these immune cells are speculated.展开更多
Objective To investigate the expression and regulation of programmed cell death protein 1(PD1),B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte attenuator(BTLA)in peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC);to ex...Objective To investigate the expression and regulation of programmed cell death protein 1(PD1),B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte attenuator(BTLA)in peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC);to examine the correlation of the mRNA levels between PD and BTLA in NSCLC.Methods Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of PD1 and BTLA on the surfaces of CD8^+T cells andγδ+T cells in the peripheral blood samples collected from 32 in-patients with stage IV NSCLC and 30 healthy individuals.We compared the expression of PD1 and BTLA on the surfaces ofγδ+T cells in the NSCLC patients with bone metastasis before and after the treatment of zoledronic acid.The correlations of PD1 and BTLA,as well as their ligands were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis with the cBioPortal data platform.Results The frequency of PD1 on the surfaces of CD8^+T cells was significantly higher than that of theγδT cells in both healthy controls(t=2.324,P=0.024)and NSCLC patients(t=2.498,P=0.015).The frequency of PD1 on CD8^+T cells,rather than onγδ+T cells,was significantly upregulated in advanced NSCLC patients compared with that in healthy controls(t=4.829,P<0.001).The PD1+BTLA+γδT cells of the healthy controls were significantly lower than that of the NSCLC patients(t=2.422,P=0.0185).No differences in percentage of PD1+γδ+and BTLA+γδ+T cells were observed in 7 NSCLC patients with bone metastasis before and after zoledronic acid treatment.PD1 was positively correlated with BTLA in both lung adenocarcinoma(r=0.54;P<0.05)and lung squamous cell carcinoma(r=0.78;P<0.05).Conclusions The upregulation of co-inhibitory molecules occurs on the surfaces of both CD8^+T cells andγδT cells in advanced NSCLC,suggesting that these molecules were involved in regulating the inactivation of CD8^+T cells andγδ+T cells,immune escape and tumor invasion.展开更多
BACKGROUND The functions of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells are often impaired due to tumor cells causing nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment.Thus,the mechanisms of CD8^(+)T cell dysfunction have become a h...BACKGROUND The functions of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells are often impaired due to tumor cells causing nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment.Thus,the mechanisms of CD8^(+)T cell dysfunction have become a hot research topic,and there is increased interest on how changes in metabolomics correlate with CD8^(+)T cell dysfunction.AIM To investigate whether and how glutamine metabolism affects the function of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.METHODS Immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence were performed on surgically resected liver tissues from patients.Differentially expressed genes in infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma were detected using RNA sequencing.Activated CD8^(+)T cells were co-cultured with Huh-7 cells for 3 d.The function and mitochondrial status of CD8^(+)T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,and transmission electron microscopy.Next,CD8^(+)T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents.Functional alterations in CD8^(+)T cells were detected by flow cytometry.Then,complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells and their functional changes and mitochondrial status were detected.RESULTS There were a large number of infiltrating PD-1+CD8^(+)T cells in liver cancer tissues.Next,we cocultured CD8^(+)T cells and Huh-7 cells to explore the regulatory effect of hepatoma cells on CD8^(+)T cells.Flow cytometry results revealed increased PD-1 expression and decreased secretion of perforin(PRF1)and granzyme B(GZMB)by CD8^(+)T cells in the co-culture group.Meanwhile,JC-1 staining was decreased and the levels of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis were increased in CD8^(+)T cells of the co-culture group;additionally,the mitochondria of these cells were swollen.When CD8^(+)T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents,their function was restored and inhibited,respectively,through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways.Subsequently,complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells.As expected,CD8^(+)T cells showed functional downregulation,mitochondrial damage,and apoptosis.CONCLUSION Glutamine deprivation impairs the function of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways.展开更多
BACKGROUND:Patients with sepsis often exhibit an acute inflammatory response,followed by an immunosuppressive phase with a poor immune response.However,the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.METHODS:...BACKGROUND:Patients with sepsis often exhibit an acute inflammatory response,followed by an immunosuppressive phase with a poor immune response.However,the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.METHODS:We sought to comprehensively characterize the transcriptional changes in neutrophils of patients with sepsis by transcriptome sequencing.Additionally,we conducted a series of experiments,including real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and flow cytometry to investigate the role of arginase-1 signaling in sepsis.RESULTS:Through the analysis of gene expression profiles,we identified that the negative regulation of T cell activation signaling was enriched,and the expression of arginase-1 was high in neutrophils from patients with sepsis.Furthermore,we conducted flow cytometry and found that the function of CD8^(+)T cells in septic patients was impaired.Moreover,neutrophils from septic patients inhibited the percentage of polyfunctional effector CD8^(+)T cells through arginase-1.Additionally,the proportions of granzyme B^(+)IFN^(-)γ^(+)CD8^(+)T and TNF^(-)α^(+)IFN^(-)γ^(+)CD8^(+)T cells increased after inhibition of arginase-1 signaling.CONCLUSION:The impaired effector function of CD8^(+)T cells could be restored by blocking arginase-1 signaling in patients with sepsis.展开更多
Background It has been reported that CD8＋ regulatory cells could be induced upon oral tolerance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of CD8a＋ T cells in dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced co...Background It has been reported that CD8＋ regulatory cells could be induced upon oral tolerance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of CD8a＋ T cells in dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced colitis mice pretreated by oral immune regulation. Methods The effects of five low oral doses of colitis-extracted proteins （CEP） on colitis were evaluated by clinical manifestation and histological lesions. The percentages of CD8a＋ T cells gating on CD3＋ T cells were evaluated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues （GALT） and the spleens by flow cytometry. Differences between the two groups were compared by Student＇s t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Results Compared to bovine serum albumin （BSA）-fed control mice, administration of CEP resulted in marked alleviation of colitis. The proportion of CDSa＋ T ceils, not only in intraepithelial lymphocytes （IELs） and lamina propria lymphocytes （LPLs） of the large intestine （LI） but also in spleen from CEP-fed colitis mice, was significantly higher than that from BSA-fed colitis mice （LI-IELs： （71.5±5.4）% vs. （60.1±4.3）%, P 〈0.01; LI-LPLs： （60.7±5.2）% vs. （51.9±4.7）%, P 〈0.01; spleen： （24.1±3.6）% vs. （20.3±4.1）%, P 〈0.05; n=8）. Mucosal repair in repair-period mice five days after termination of DSS treatment was also accompanied by an increase of CD8a＋ T cells in large intestinal mucosal lymphocytes （LI-IELs： （72.1±3.7）% vs. （61.5±4.5）%, P 〈0.01; LI-LPLs： （62.1±5.7）% vs. （52.7±3.6）%, P 〈0.01; n=8）. The proportion of CD3＋ T cells increased in Peyer＇s patches （PPs） and decreased in mesenteric lymph nodes （MLNs） from colitis mice compared to untreated mice, whereas the change pattern of CD3＋T cells in PPs and MLNs from CEP-fed colitis mice was just on the contrary. Conclusion Improvement of DSS-induced colitis resulted from oral immune regulation is associated with an increase in CD8a＋T cells in spleen and large intestinal mucosa.展开更多
In the tumor immune microenvironment, CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells differentiate towards functional failure. The exhaustion of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells (Tex) showed varying degrees of effect dysfunct...In the tumor immune microenvironment, CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells differentiate towards functional failure. The exhaustion of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells (Tex) showed varying degrees of effect dysfunction, loss of proliferation ability, and sustained high expression of a variety of inhibitory receptors, with metabolic and epigenetic changes. Tex cells are heterogeneous, including several subsets with different characteristics at different stages of differentiation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can restore the effect or function of Tex cells, indicating that this T cell subset plays a key role in tumor immunotherapy. The understanding of the mechanism of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell exhaustion will be helpful to the implementation of tumor immunotherapy. This article reviews the production, differentiation and functional characteristics of Tex cells and their relationship with tumor immunotherapy.展开更多
基金supported by Joint Funds for the Innovation of Science and Technology,Fujian Province[Grant number:2020Y9039]Fujian Provincial Health Technology Project[Grant number:2022GGA032].
文摘Objective Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy.CD8+T cells,which are pivotal immune cells,can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse cell populations owing to rapid advancements in sequencing technology.By leveraging these genes,our objective was to develop a prognostic model that accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with TNBC and their responsiveness to immunotherapy.Methods Sample information and clinical data of TNBC were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC databases.In the initial stage,we identified 67 differentially expressed genes associated with immune response in CD8+T cells.Subsequently,we narrowed our focus to three key genes,namely CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB,which were used to construct a prognostic model.The accuracy of the model was assessed using the validation set data and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Furthermore,we employed various methods,including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway,immune infiltration,and correlation analyses with CD274(PD-L1)to explore the model's predictive efficacy in immunotherapeutic responses.Additionally,we investigated the potential underlying biological pathways that contribute to divergent treatment responses.Results We successfully developed a model capable of predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC.The areas under the curve(AUC)values for the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival predictions were 0.618,0.652,and 0.826,respectively.Employing this risk model,we stratified the samples into high-and low-risk groups.Through KEGG enrichment analysis,we observed that the high-risk group predominantly exhibited enrichment in metabolism-related pathways such as drug and chlorophyll metabolism,whereas the low-risk group demonstrated significant enrichment in cytokine pathways.Furthermore,immune landscape analysis revealed noteworthy variations between(PD-L1)expression and risk scores,indicating that our model effectively predicted the response of patients to immune-based treatments.Conclusion Our study demonstrates the potential of CXCL13,GBP2,and GZMB as prognostic indicators of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in patients with TNBC.These findings provide valuable insights and novel avenues for developing immunotherapeutic approaches targeting TNBC.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81972681,82103677)Tianjin Education Commission Research Plan Project(No.2021KJ201)+1 种基金Shenzhen High-level Hospital Construction Fund(No.G2022139)Tianjin Key Medical Discipline(Specialty)Construction Project(No.TJYXZDXK-009A).
文摘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.
文摘Background:Cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CD8+T)cells function critically in mediating anti-tumor immune response in cancer patients.Characterizing the specific functions of CD8+T cells in lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)could help better understand local anti-tumor immune responses and estimate the effect of immunotherapy.Methods:Gens related to CD8+T cells were identified by cluster analysis based on the single-cell sequencing data of three LUAD tissues and their paired normal tissues.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA),consensus clustering,differential expression analysis,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and Cox regression analysis were conducted to classify molecular subtypes for LUAD and to develop a risk model using prognostic genes related to CD8+T cells.Expression of the genes in the prognostic model,their effects on tumor cell invasion,and interactions with CD8+T cells were verified by cell experiments.Results:This study defined two LUAD clusters(CD8+0 and CD8+1)based on CD8+T cells,with cluster CD8+0 being significantly associated with the prognosis of LUAD.Three heterogeneous subtypes(clusters 1,2,and 3)differing in prognosis,genome mutation events,and immune status were categorized using 42 prognostic genes.A prognostic model created based on 11 significant genes(including CD200R1,CLEC17A,ZC3H12D,GNG7,SNX30,CDCP1,NEIL3,IGF2BP1,RHOV,ABCC2,and KRT81)was able to independently estimate the death risk for patients in different LUAD cohorts.Moreover,the model also showed general applicability in external validation cohorts.Low-risk patients could benefit more from taking immunotherapy and were significantly related to the resistance to anticancer drugs.The results from cell experiments demonstrated that the expression of CD200R1,CLEC17A,ZC3H12D,GNG7,and SNX30 was significantly downregulated,while that of CDCP1,NEIL3,IGF2BP1,RHOV,ABCC2 and KRT81 was upregulated in LUAD cells.Inhibition of CD200R1 greatly increased the invasiveness of the LUAD cells,but inhibiting CDCP1 expression weakened the invasion ability of LUAD cells.Conclusion:This study defined two prognostic CD8+T cell clusters and classified three heterogeneous molecular subtypes for LUAD.A prognostic model predictive of the potential effects of immunotherapy on LUAD patients was developed.
基金the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Emmy Noether Programm, SFB 610)the Wilhelm Sander Stiftung, and the Bundesministerium fuer Wissenschaft und Forschung (Start-up fonds Kompetenznetz Hepatitis)
文摘Virus-specific CD8+ T cells are thought to be the major anti-viral effector cells in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Indeed, viral clearance is associated with vigorous CD8+ T cell responses targeting multiple epitopes. In the chronic phase of infection, HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses are usually weak, narrowly focused and display often functional defects regarding cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and proliferative capacity. In the last few years, different mechanisms which might contribute to the failure of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in chronic infection have been identified, including insufficient CD4+ help, deficient CD8+ T cell differentiation, viral escape mutations, suppression by viral factors, inhibitory cytokines, inhibitory ligands, and regulatory T cells. In addition, host genetic factors such as the host’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) background may play an important role in the efficiency of the HCV- specific CD8+ T cell response and thus outcome of infection. The growing understanding of the mechanisms contributing to T cell failure and persistence of HCV infection will contribute to the development of successful immunotherapeutical and -prophylactical strategies.
文摘Background: Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy has been proved to be effective on gastric cancer in ongoing clinical trials. However, the value of PD-L1 in predicting responses of patients with gastric cancer to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy is controversial. Some studies suggested that intra-and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression might explain the controversy.This study aimed to analyze the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, and PD-1 as well as CD8(+) T-cell density in primary tumors and lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma to explore the heterogeneity of PD-1 signaling pathway molecules.Methods: In primary tumors and metastatic as well as non-metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, we detected PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with immunohistochemistry. CD8(+)T-cell density in primary tumors and PD-1 expression on CD8(+)T cells were detected with immunofluorescence. Univariate analysis was used to determine the prognostic values of them. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify independent risk factors that affect patients' overall survival and disease-free survival.Results: Among 119 eligible patients who had undergone surgical resection, the positive rate of PD-L1 was higher in metastatic lymph nodes than in primary tumors(45.4% vs. 38.7%, P = 0.005); the positive rate of PD-1 on CD8(+)T cells was significantly higher in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes than in tumor-free lymph nodes(both P < 0.001). The intensity of PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes were stronger than that in tumor-free lymph nodes from the same patient. Beside, the positive rate of PD-L2 did not show any differences between primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes. In multivariate analysis, PD-L1 expression,PD-L2 expression, a low density of CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors, and PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors were associated with poor prognosis.Conclusion: The expression of PD-L1 is heterogeneous in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stageT1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, which might explain the inconsistent results in assessing the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in previous studies.
基金Supported by Grants from the"Yucai"Research Program of Changhai Hospital
文摘AIM:To investigate if and how programmed death type-1(PD-1)expression affects the natural course of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection. METHODS:Sixty-four patients in different natural stages of chronic HBV infection were enrolled in this study.PD-1 expression in total T cells was detected by flow cytometry.Levels of total CD8+T cell responses and proliferation in relation to PD-1 expression levels were analyzed with intracellular staining and PD-1/ PD-L1 blockage. RESULTS:The PD-1 expression in T cells was dynamically changed during the natural course of chronic HBV infection,did not significantly increase in the immune tolerance phase,and returned to normal in the inactive virus carrier stage.Blockage of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway could not affect the T-cell response in the immune tolerance and inactive virus carrier stages of chronic HBV infection.However,it could significantly restore the T-cell response in the immune clearance stage of chronic HBV infection.Furthermore,the PD-1 expression level in T cells was associated with the alanine aminotransferase level during the immune clearance stage of chronic HBV infection. CONCLUSION:The PD-l/PD-L1 pathway plays a different role in T-cell response during the natural course of chronic HBV infection.
基金Supported by "Instituto de Salud Carlos Ⅲ",Spain& "European Regional Development Fund(ERDF)a way of making Europe",No.PI12/00130 and No.PI15/00074and"Gilead Spain&Instituto de Salud Carlos Ⅲ",No.GLD14_00217
文摘Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are characterized by exhaustion of the specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell response. This process involves enhancement of negative co-stimulatory molecules, such as programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), 2B4, Tim-3, CD160 and LAG-3, which is linked to intrahepatic overexpression of some of the cognate ligands, such as PD-L1, on antigen presenting cells and thereby favouring a tolerogenic environment. Therapies that disrupt these negative signalling mechanisms represent promising therapeutic tools with the potential to restore reactivity of the specific CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell response. In this review we discuss the impressive in vitro and in vivo results that have been recently achieved in HCC, CHB and CHC by blocking these negative receptors with monoclonal antibodies against these immune checkpoint modulators. The article mainly focuses on the role of CTLA-4 and PD-1 blocking monoclonal antibodies, the first ones to have reached clinical practice. The humanized monoclonal antibodies against CTLA-4 (tremelimumab and ipilimumab) and PD-1 (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have yielded good results in testing of HCC and chronic viral hepatitis patients. Trelimumab, in particular, has shown a significant increase in the time to progression in HCC, while nivolumab has shown a remarkable effect on hepatitis C viral load reduction. The research on the role of ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab on HCC is currently underway.
文摘Thichosanthin(Tk), a polypeptide with 249 amino acid residues isolated and purified from a Chinese medicinal herb, showed the capability of inducing abortion and was able to inhibit tumor growth and HIV replication. Owing to sequence homology of the peptide with a ribosomeinactivating protein, the downward activity of Tk was suggested to be related to its cytotoxic property. We report here, however, that Tk could exert potent inhibitory effects on human lymphoproliferative responses in vitro to allogeneic, mitogenic and soluble antigens with 50% inhibition doses ranged between 0.05 and 0.5 μg/ml. The lowresponsiveness caused by Tk was not due to toxic cytolysis. Rather, evidences suggested that, in the dose range adopted, the Tk-induced inhibition was attributable, at least in part, to immune suppression, in view of (1) Tk was more effective in the early stage of alloreactivity; (2)Suppression also occurred if responder cells were pulsetreated with Tk rather than cocultured; (3) Irradiated Tk-pulsed cells were capable of inducing suppression in a Tk-free culture; (4) Suppression could also be transferred by the supernatants of Tk-pulsed cultured cells; (5) Tkinduced immune suppression was diminished by depletion of CD8+ cells from the culture, and, finally; (6) Adding CD8+ cells back to the culture could restore the suppres Trichosanthin-induced humall immune suppression sion. Thus the possibility that Tk might function as a down-regulator by immunological mechanisms in human immune responses is discussed.
基金supported by ALF and private funds from Borje Runogard,Swedenpartly supported by MED-EL,Inc.,Innsbruck,Austria
文摘Recently, the human cochlea has been shown to contain numerous resident macrophages under steady-state. The macrophages accumulate in the stria vascularis, among the auditory nerves, and are also spotted in the human organ of Corti. These macrophages may process antigens reaching the cochlea by invasion of pathogens and insertion of CI electrode. Thus, macrophages execute an innate, and possibly an adaptive immunity. Here, we describe the molecular markers CD4 and CD8 of T cells, macrophage markers MHCⅡ and CD11b, as well as the microglial markers TEME119 and P2Y12, in the human cochlea. Immunohistochemistry and the advantageous super-resolution structured illumination microscopy(SR-SIM) were used in the study. CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells were found in the human cochleae. They were seen in the modiolus in a substantial number adjacent to the vessels, in the peripheral region of the Rosenthal's canal, and occasionally in the spiral ligament. While there are a surprisingly large number of macrophages in the stria vascularis as well as between the auditory neurons,CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells are hardly seen in these areas, and neither are seen in the organ of Corti. In the modiolus,macrophages, CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells appeared often in clusters. Interaction between these different cells was easily observed with SR-SIM, showing closely placed cell bodies, and the processes from macrophages reaching out and touching the lymphocytes. Otherwise the CD4^+ and CD8^+ cells in human cochlear tissue are discretely scattered. The possible roles of these immune cells are speculated.
基金Fund supported by the Healthcare Technology Plan of Zhejiang Provincial Health Bureau(No.2016KYB292)the Technology Plan of Science and Technology Bureau of Jiaxing,Zhejiang province(No.2016AY23054)~~
文摘Objective To investigate the expression and regulation of programmed cell death protein 1(PD1),B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte attenuator(BTLA)in peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC);to examine the correlation of the mRNA levels between PD and BTLA in NSCLC.Methods Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of PD1 and BTLA on the surfaces of CD8^+T cells andγδ+T cells in the peripheral blood samples collected from 32 in-patients with stage IV NSCLC and 30 healthy individuals.We compared the expression of PD1 and BTLA on the surfaces ofγδ+T cells in the NSCLC patients with bone metastasis before and after the treatment of zoledronic acid.The correlations of PD1 and BTLA,as well as their ligands were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis with the cBioPortal data platform.Results The frequency of PD1 on the surfaces of CD8^+T cells was significantly higher than that of theγδT cells in both healthy controls(t=2.324,P=0.024)and NSCLC patients(t=2.498,P=0.015).The frequency of PD1 on CD8^+T cells,rather than onγδ+T cells,was significantly upregulated in advanced NSCLC patients compared with that in healthy controls(t=4.829,P<0.001).The PD1+BTLA+γδT cells of the healthy controls were significantly lower than that of the NSCLC patients(t=2.422,P=0.0185).No differences in percentage of PD1+γδ+and BTLA+γδ+T cells were observed in 7 NSCLC patients with bone metastasis before and after zoledronic acid treatment.PD1 was positively correlated with BTLA in both lung adenocarcinoma(r=0.54;P<0.05)and lung squamous cell carcinoma(r=0.78;P<0.05).Conclusions The upregulation of co-inhibitory molecules occurs on the surfaces of both CD8^+T cells andγδT cells in advanced NSCLC,suggesting that these molecules were involved in regulating the inactivation of CD8^+T cells andγδ+T cells,immune escape and tumor invasion.
基金Supported by High-End Talent Funding Project in Hebei Province,No.A202003005Hebei Provincial Health Commission Office,No.G2019074Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province,No.H2019209355。
文摘BACKGROUND The functions of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells are often impaired due to tumor cells causing nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment.Thus,the mechanisms of CD8^(+)T cell dysfunction have become a hot research topic,and there is increased interest on how changes in metabolomics correlate with CD8^(+)T cell dysfunction.AIM To investigate whether and how glutamine metabolism affects the function of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.METHODS Immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence were performed on surgically resected liver tissues from patients.Differentially expressed genes in infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma were detected using RNA sequencing.Activated CD8^(+)T cells were co-cultured with Huh-7 cells for 3 d.The function and mitochondrial status of CD8^(+)T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,and transmission electron microscopy.Next,CD8^(+)T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents.Functional alterations in CD8^(+)T cells were detected by flow cytometry.Then,complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells and their functional changes and mitochondrial status were detected.RESULTS There were a large number of infiltrating PD-1+CD8^(+)T cells in liver cancer tissues.Next,we cocultured CD8^(+)T cells and Huh-7 cells to explore the regulatory effect of hepatoma cells on CD8^(+)T cells.Flow cytometry results revealed increased PD-1 expression and decreased secretion of perforin(PRF1)and granzyme B(GZMB)by CD8^(+)T cells in the co-culture group.Meanwhile,JC-1 staining was decreased and the levels of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis were increased in CD8^(+)T cells of the co-culture group;additionally,the mitochondria of these cells were swollen.When CD8^(+)T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents,their function was restored and inhibited,respectively,through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways.Subsequently,complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells.As expected,CD8^(+)T cells showed functional downregulation,mitochondrial damage,and apoptosis.CONCLUSION Glutamine deprivation impairs the function of infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways.
基金This work was supported by the Research Fund for the Key Laboratory of Anhui Province(KLICD-2022-Z2)the Scientific Research Fund of Anhui Medical University(2011×kj083)the Scientific Research Fund of the First People's Hospital of Hefei(201642).
文摘BACKGROUND:Patients with sepsis often exhibit an acute inflammatory response,followed by an immunosuppressive phase with a poor immune response.However,the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.METHODS:We sought to comprehensively characterize the transcriptional changes in neutrophils of patients with sepsis by transcriptome sequencing.Additionally,we conducted a series of experiments,including real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and flow cytometry to investigate the role of arginase-1 signaling in sepsis.RESULTS:Through the analysis of gene expression profiles,we identified that the negative regulation of T cell activation signaling was enriched,and the expression of arginase-1 was high in neutrophils from patients with sepsis.Furthermore,we conducted flow cytometry and found that the function of CD8^(+)T cells in septic patients was impaired.Moreover,neutrophils from septic patients inhibited the percentage of polyfunctional effector CD8^(+)T cells through arginase-1.Additionally,the proportions of granzyme B^(+)IFN^(-)γ^(+)CD8^(+)T and TNF^(-)α^(+)IFN^(-)γ^(+)CD8^(+)T cells increased after inhibition of arginase-1 signaling.CONCLUSION:The impaired effector function of CD8^(+)T cells could be restored by blocking arginase-1 signaling in patients with sepsis.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province （No. Y2110864）. Conflicts of interest： None.
文摘Background It has been reported that CD8＋ regulatory cells could be induced upon oral tolerance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of CD8a＋ T cells in dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced colitis mice pretreated by oral immune regulation. Methods The effects of five low oral doses of colitis-extracted proteins （CEP） on colitis were evaluated by clinical manifestation and histological lesions. The percentages of CD8a＋ T cells gating on CD3＋ T cells were evaluated in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues （GALT） and the spleens by flow cytometry. Differences between the two groups were compared by Student＇s t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Results Compared to bovine serum albumin （BSA）-fed control mice, administration of CEP resulted in marked alleviation of colitis. The proportion of CDSa＋ T ceils, not only in intraepithelial lymphocytes （IELs） and lamina propria lymphocytes （LPLs） of the large intestine （LI） but also in spleen from CEP-fed colitis mice, was significantly higher than that from BSA-fed colitis mice （LI-IELs： （71.5±5.4）% vs. （60.1±4.3）%, P 〈0.01; LI-LPLs： （60.7±5.2）% vs. （51.9±4.7）%, P 〈0.01; spleen： （24.1±3.6）% vs. （20.3±4.1）%, P 〈0.05; n=8）. Mucosal repair in repair-period mice five days after termination of DSS treatment was also accompanied by an increase of CD8a＋ T cells in large intestinal mucosal lymphocytes （LI-IELs： （72.1±3.7）% vs. （61.5±4.5）%, P 〈0.01; LI-LPLs： （62.1±5.7）% vs. （52.7±3.6）%, P 〈0.01; n=8）. The proportion of CD3＋ T cells increased in Peyer＇s patches （PPs） and decreased in mesenteric lymph nodes （MLNs） from colitis mice compared to untreated mice, whereas the change pattern of CD3＋T cells in PPs and MLNs from CEP-fed colitis mice was just on the contrary. Conclusion Improvement of DSS-induced colitis resulted from oral immune regulation is associated with an increase in CD8a＋T cells in spleen and large intestinal mucosa.
文摘In the tumor immune microenvironment, CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells differentiate towards functional failure. The exhaustion of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells (Tex) showed varying degrees of effect dysfunction, loss of proliferation ability, and sustained high expression of a variety of inhibitory receptors, with metabolic and epigenetic changes. Tex cells are heterogeneous, including several subsets with different characteristics at different stages of differentiation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can restore the effect or function of Tex cells, indicating that this T cell subset plays a key role in tumor immunotherapy. The understanding of the mechanism of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell exhaustion will be helpful to the implementation of tumor immunotherapy. This article reviews the production, differentiation and functional characteristics of Tex cells and their relationship with tumor immunotherapy.
