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
Background:SMAD family proteins(SMADs)are crucial transcription factors downstream of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-ß)/SMAD signaling pathways that have been reported to play a pivotal role in mammalian rep...Background:SMAD family proteins(SMADs)are crucial transcription factors downstream of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-ß)/SMAD signaling pathways that have been reported to play a pivotal role in mammalian reproduction.However,the role of SMAD family member 8(SMAD8,also known as SMAD9),a member of the SMAD family,in mammalian reproduction remains unclear.Methods:We employed RNA interference techniques to knock down Smad8 expression in mouse granulosa cells(GCs)to investigate the effects of Smad8 on GC growth and steroidogenesis.Results:Our findings revealed a significant decrease in the proliferative capacity and a substantial increase in the apoptosis rate of GCs after transfection with Smad8-siRNA for 48 h.Subsequent hormone assays demonstrated a significant decrease in estradiol(E2)levels,whereas progesterone(P4)remained unchanged.Further mechanistic analysis showed that the mRNA expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(Pcna),Cyclin D2,cell cycle-dependent kinase 4(Cdk4),B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),estrogen receptor(Er),luteinizing hormone receptor(Lhr)and cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1(Cyp19a1)significantly decreased.Conversely,the mRNA of cysteine aspartate proteinase 3(Caspase 3)significantly increased,wheras Bcl2-associated X(Bax),folliclestimulating hormone receptor(Fshr)and cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1(Cyp11a1)remained unchanged compared to the controls.Conclusion:This study indicates that Smad8 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation,promotes apoptosis,reduces Er and Lhr transcription,and decreases E2 production in mouse GCs.These findings suggest that Smad8 may serve as a novel genetic marker for mammalian reproduction.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
[Objectives]To study the inhibitory activity of two flavonoid glycosides isolated from Chlorophytum comosum Laxum R.Br on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)cell line 5-8F in vitro and its mechanism.[Methods]The flavo...[Objectives]To study the inhibitory activity of two flavonoid glycosides isolated from Chlorophytum comosum Laxum R.Br on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)cell line 5-8F in vitro and its mechanism.[Methods]The flavonoid glycosides were isolated and purified from the ethanol alcoholic extract of the roots of Liliaceae plant Chlorophytum comosum by silica gel column chromatography,macroporous resin column chromatography,Sephadex LH-20,and reverse column chromatography(ODS).The inhibitory activity of flavonoid glycosides on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was analyzed by CCK-8 method,and the potential mechanism was preliminarily analyzed by molecular docking.[Results]Two flavonoid glycosides were identified as isovitexin 2″-0-rhamnoside and 7-2″-di-O-β-glucopyranosylisovitexin.Two flavonoid glycosides showed promising inhibitory effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line 5-8F,with IC_(50) values of 24.8 and 27.5μmol/L,respectively.Molecular docking results showed that the potential targets of two flavonoid glycosides include CyclinD1,Bcl-2β-Catenin,ILK,TGF-β,in addition,two glycosides showed higher predicted binding affinity towards CyclinD1,which verifies the cytotoxicity of the two compounds on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line 5-8F in vitro.[Conclusions]Two flavonoid glycosides are the active molecules in Chlorophytum comosum that can inhibit the proliferation of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells,and have the potential to be used in the research and development of anti nasopharyngeal carcinoma drugs.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
In mammals,microRNAs(miRNAs)play key roles in multiple biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes.Studies have found that the levels of miR-370-5p expression differ significantly in the skins of...In mammals,microRNAs(miRNAs)play key roles in multiple biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes.Studies have found that the levels of miR-370-5p expression differ significantly in the skins of sheep with different hair colors;however,its function remains unclear.In this study,we investigated the roles of miR-370-5p in sheep melanocytes and found that the overexpression of miR-370-5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation(P<0.01),tyrosinase activity(P=0.001)and significantly reduced(P<0.001)melanin production.Functional prediction revealed that the 3′-untranslated region(UTR)of MAP3K8 has a putative miR-370-5p binding site,and the interaction between these two molecules was confirmed using luciferase reporter assays.In situ hybridization assays revealed that MAP3K8 is expressed in the cytoplasm of melanocytes.The results of quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that overexpression of miR-370-5p in melanocytes significantly inhibits(P<0.01)MAP3K8 expression via direct targeting of its 3′UTR.Inhibition of MAP3K8 expression by siRNA-MAP3K8 transfection induced a significant inhibition(P<0.01)of melanocyte proliferation and significant reduction(P<0.001)in melanin production,which is consistent with our observations for miR-370-5p.Target gene rescue experiments indicated that the expression of MAP3K8 in melanocytes co-transfected with miR-370-5p and MAP3K8-cDNA(containing sites for the targeted binding to miR-370-5p)was significantly rescued(P≤0.001),which subsequently promoted significant increases in cell proliferation(P<0.001)and melanin production(P<0.01).Collectively,these findings indicate that miR-370-5p plays a functional role in inhibiting sheep melanocyte proliferation and melanogenesis by downregulating the expression of MAP3K8.展开更多
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)targeting programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3(TIM-3)are beneficial to the resumption of anti-tumor immunity...BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)targeting programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3(TIM-3)are beneficial to the resumption of anti-tumor immunity response and hold extreme potential as efficient therapies for certain malignancies.However,ICIs with a single target exhibit poor overall response rate in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients due to the complex pathological mechanisms of HCC.AIM To investigate the effects of combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade on tumor development in an HCC mouse model,aiming to identify more effective immunotherapies and provide more treatment options for HCC patients.METHODS The levels of PD-1 and TIM-3 on CD4+and CD8+T cells from tumor tissues,ascites,and matched adjacent tissues from HCC patients were determined with flow cytometry.An HCC xenograft mouse model was established and treated with anti-TIM-3 monoclonal antibody(mAb)and/or anti-PD-1 mAb.Tumor growth in each group was measured.Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to evaluate T cell infiltration in tumors.The percentage of CD4+and CD8+T cells in tissue samples from mice was tested with flow cytometry.The percentages of PD-1+CD8+,TIM-3+CD8+,and PD-1+TIM-3+CD8+T cells was accessed by flow cytometry.The levels of the cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),interleukin(IL)-6,and IL-10 in tumor tissues were gauged with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.RESULTS We confirmed that PD-1 and TIM-3 expression was substantially upregulated in CD4+and CD8+T cells isolated from tumor tissues and ascites of HCC patients.TIM-3 mAb and PD-1 mAb treatment both reduced tumor volume and weight,while combined blockade had more substantial anti-tumor effects than individual treatment.Then we showed that combined therapy increased T cell infiltration into tumor tissues,and downregulated PD-1 and TIM-3 expression on CD8+T cells in tumor tissues.Moreover,combined treatment facilitated the production of T cell effector cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ,and reduced the production of immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and IL-6 in tumor tissues.Thus,we implicated that combined blockade could ameliorate T cell exhaustion in HCC mouse model.CONCLUSION Combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade restrains HCC development by facilitating CD4+ and CD8+T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses.展开更多
Ovarian cancer(OV)is highly heterogeneous tumor with a very poor prognosis.Studies increasingly show that T cell exhaustion is prognostically relevant in OV.The aim of this study was to dissect the heterogeneity of T ...Ovarian cancer(OV)is highly heterogeneous tumor with a very poor prognosis.Studies increasingly show that T cell exhaustion is prognostically relevant in OV.The aim of this study was to dissect the heterogeneity of T cell subclusters in OV through single cell transcriptomic analysis.The single RNA-sequencing(scRNA-seq)data of five OV patients were analyzed,and six major cell clusters were identified after threshold screening.Further clustering of T cell-associated clusters revealed four subtypes.Pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation,G2M checkpoint,JAK-STAT and MAPK signaling were significantly activated,while the p53 pathway was inhibited in the CD8+exhausted T cells.The standard marker genes of CD8+T cell exhaustion were screened to develop a T-cell related gene score(TRS)based on random forest plots in TCGA cohort.The patients with low TRS have better prognosis compared to the patients with high TRS in both TCGA and GEO.In addition,most genes included in the TRS showed significant differences in expression levels between the high-and low-risk groups.Immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the MCPcounter and xCell algorithms,which revealed significant differences between the two risk groups,indicating that the different prognoses may stem from the respective immune landscapes.In addition,CD38 knockdown in OV cell lines increased apoptosis and inhibited invasion in vitro.Finally,we performed a drug sensitivity analysis and identified six potential drug candidates for OV.To summarize,we identified the heterogeneity and clinical significance of T cell exhaustion in OV and built a superior prognostic model based on T cell exhaustion genes,which can contribute to the development of more precise and effective therapies.展开更多
Lupus nephritis(LN) has a high incidence in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients, but there is a lack of sensitive predictive markers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between the CD4^...Lupus nephritis(LN) has a high incidence in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients, but there is a lack of sensitive predictive markers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between the CD4^(+)CD8^(+)double positive T(DPT) lymphocytes and LN. The study included patients with SLE without renal impairment(SLE-NRI), LN, nephritic syndrome(NS), or nephritis. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Biochemical measurements were performed with peripheral blood in accordance with the recommendations proposed by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories. The proportions of DPT cells in the LN group were significantly higher than that in the SLE-NRI group(t=4.012, P<0.001), NS group(t=3.240,P=0.001), and nephritis group(t=2.57, P=0.011). In the LN group, the risk of renal impairment increased significantly in a DPT cells proportion-dependent manner. The risk of LN was 5.136 times(95% confidence interval, 2.115–12.473) higher in cases with a high proportion of DPT cells than those whose proportion of DPT cells within the normal range. These findings indicated that the proportion of DPT cells could be a potential marker to evaluate LN susceptibility, and the interference of NS and nephritis could be effectively excluded when assessing the risk of renal impairment during SLE with DPT cell proportion.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 High-Level Talent Research Start-Up Funds of West Anhui University(No.WGKQ2021031)Key Project of Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province of China(No.2108085QC136)+2 种基金Key Project of Quality Engineering in Higher Education Institutions of Anhui Province(No.2020jyxm2128)National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program(No.202110370093)Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students of Anhui Province(No.S202010376114).
文摘Background:SMAD family proteins(SMADs)are crucial transcription factors downstream of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-ß)/SMAD signaling pathways that have been reported to play a pivotal role in mammalian reproduction.However,the role of SMAD family member 8(SMAD8,also known as SMAD9),a member of the SMAD family,in mammalian reproduction remains unclear.Methods:We employed RNA interference techniques to knock down Smad8 expression in mouse granulosa cells(GCs)to investigate the effects of Smad8 on GC growth and steroidogenesis.Results:Our findings revealed a significant decrease in the proliferative capacity and a substantial increase in the apoptosis rate of GCs after transfection with Smad8-siRNA for 48 h.Subsequent hormone assays demonstrated a significant decrease in estradiol(E2)levels,whereas progesterone(P4)remained unchanged.Further mechanistic analysis showed that the mRNA expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(Pcna),Cyclin D2,cell cycle-dependent kinase 4(Cdk4),B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),estrogen receptor(Er),luteinizing hormone receptor(Lhr)and cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1(Cyp19a1)significantly decreased.Conversely,the mRNA of cysteine aspartate proteinase 3(Caspase 3)significantly increased,wheras Bcl2-associated X(Bax),folliclestimulating hormone receptor(Fshr)and cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1(Cyp11a1)remained unchanged compared to the controls.Conclusion:This study indicates that Smad8 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation,promotes apoptosis,reduces Er and Lhr transcription,and decreases E2 production in mouse GCs.These findings suggest that Smad8 may serve as a novel genetic marker for mammalian reproduction.
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Supported by Youth Fund Project of Zhaoqing University(QZ202235)Zhaoqing Science and Technology Plan Project(2022040311011).
文摘[Objectives]To study the inhibitory activity of two flavonoid glycosides isolated from Chlorophytum comosum Laxum R.Br on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)cell line 5-8F in vitro and its mechanism.[Methods]The flavonoid glycosides were isolated and purified from the ethanol alcoholic extract of the roots of Liliaceae plant Chlorophytum comosum by silica gel column chromatography,macroporous resin column chromatography,Sephadex LH-20,and reverse column chromatography(ODS).The inhibitory activity of flavonoid glycosides on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was analyzed by CCK-8 method,and the potential mechanism was preliminarily analyzed by molecular docking.[Results]Two flavonoid glycosides were identified as isovitexin 2″-0-rhamnoside and 7-2″-di-O-β-glucopyranosylisovitexin.Two flavonoid glycosides showed promising inhibitory effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line 5-8F,with IC_(50) values of 24.8 and 27.5μmol/L,respectively.Molecular docking results showed that the potential targets of two flavonoid glycosides include CyclinD1,Bcl-2β-Catenin,ILK,TGF-β,in addition,two glycosides showed higher predicted binding affinity towards CyclinD1,which verifies the cytotoxicity of the two compounds on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line 5-8F in vitro.[Conclusions]Two flavonoid glycosides are the active molecules in Chlorophytum comosum that can inhibit the proliferation of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells,and have the potential to be used in the research and development of anti nasopharyngeal carcinoma drugs.
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.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province,China(2008085QC158)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province(KJ2019A0165)。
文摘In mammals,microRNAs(miRNAs)play key roles in multiple biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes.Studies have found that the levels of miR-370-5p expression differ significantly in the skins of sheep with different hair colors;however,its function remains unclear.In this study,we investigated the roles of miR-370-5p in sheep melanocytes and found that the overexpression of miR-370-5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation(P<0.01),tyrosinase activity(P=0.001)and significantly reduced(P<0.001)melanin production.Functional prediction revealed that the 3′-untranslated region(UTR)of MAP3K8 has a putative miR-370-5p binding site,and the interaction between these two molecules was confirmed using luciferase reporter assays.In situ hybridization assays revealed that MAP3K8 is expressed in the cytoplasm of melanocytes.The results of quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that overexpression of miR-370-5p in melanocytes significantly inhibits(P<0.01)MAP3K8 expression via direct targeting of its 3′UTR.Inhibition of MAP3K8 expression by siRNA-MAP3K8 transfection induced a significant inhibition(P<0.01)of melanocyte proliferation and significant reduction(P<0.001)in melanin production,which is consistent with our observations for miR-370-5p.Target gene rescue experiments indicated that the expression of MAP3K8 in melanocytes co-transfected with miR-370-5p and MAP3K8-cDNA(containing sites for the targeted binding to miR-370-5p)was significantly rescued(P≤0.001),which subsequently promoted significant increases in cell proliferation(P<0.001)and melanin production(P<0.01).Collectively,these findings indicate that miR-370-5p plays a functional role in inhibiting sheep melanocyte proliferation and melanogenesis by downregulating the expression of MAP3K8.
基金Supported by the First-Class Discipline Construction Founded Project of Ningxia Medical University and the School of Clinical Medicine,No.2020008.
文摘BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)targeting programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3(TIM-3)are beneficial to the resumption of anti-tumor immunity response and hold extreme potential as efficient therapies for certain malignancies.However,ICIs with a single target exhibit poor overall response rate in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients due to the complex pathological mechanisms of HCC.AIM To investigate the effects of combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade on tumor development in an HCC mouse model,aiming to identify more effective immunotherapies and provide more treatment options for HCC patients.METHODS The levels of PD-1 and TIM-3 on CD4+and CD8+T cells from tumor tissues,ascites,and matched adjacent tissues from HCC patients were determined with flow cytometry.An HCC xenograft mouse model was established and treated with anti-TIM-3 monoclonal antibody(mAb)and/or anti-PD-1 mAb.Tumor growth in each group was measured.Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to evaluate T cell infiltration in tumors.The percentage of CD4+and CD8+T cells in tissue samples from mice was tested with flow cytometry.The percentages of PD-1+CD8+,TIM-3+CD8+,and PD-1+TIM-3+CD8+T cells was accessed by flow cytometry.The levels of the cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),interleukin(IL)-6,and IL-10 in tumor tissues were gauged with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.RESULTS We confirmed that PD-1 and TIM-3 expression was substantially upregulated in CD4+and CD8+T cells isolated from tumor tissues and ascites of HCC patients.TIM-3 mAb and PD-1 mAb treatment both reduced tumor volume and weight,while combined blockade had more substantial anti-tumor effects than individual treatment.Then we showed that combined therapy increased T cell infiltration into tumor tissues,and downregulated PD-1 and TIM-3 expression on CD8+T cells in tumor tissues.Moreover,combined treatment facilitated the production of T cell effector cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ,and reduced the production of immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and IL-6 in tumor tissues.Thus,we implicated that combined blockade could ameliorate T cell exhaustion in HCC mouse model.CONCLUSION Combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade restrains HCC development by facilitating CD4+ and CD8+T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses.
基金This experiment was supported by the following funds:The Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty(No.shslczdzk06302)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82103029)+1 种基金The Project of The Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(No.21ZR1469500)The Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medicine-Engineering Fund(No.YG2021QN137).
文摘Ovarian cancer(OV)is highly heterogeneous tumor with a very poor prognosis.Studies increasingly show that T cell exhaustion is prognostically relevant in OV.The aim of this study was to dissect the heterogeneity of T cell subclusters in OV through single cell transcriptomic analysis.The single RNA-sequencing(scRNA-seq)data of five OV patients were analyzed,and six major cell clusters were identified after threshold screening.Further clustering of T cell-associated clusters revealed four subtypes.Pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation,G2M checkpoint,JAK-STAT and MAPK signaling were significantly activated,while the p53 pathway was inhibited in the CD8+exhausted T cells.The standard marker genes of CD8+T cell exhaustion were screened to develop a T-cell related gene score(TRS)based on random forest plots in TCGA cohort.The patients with low TRS have better prognosis compared to the patients with high TRS in both TCGA and GEO.In addition,most genes included in the TRS showed significant differences in expression levels between the high-and low-risk groups.Immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the MCPcounter and xCell algorithms,which revealed significant differences between the two risk groups,indicating that the different prognoses may stem from the respective immune landscapes.In addition,CD38 knockdown in OV cell lines increased apoptosis and inhibited invasion in vitro.Finally,we performed a drug sensitivity analysis and identified six potential drug candidates for OV.To summarize,we identified the heterogeneity and clinical significance of T cell exhaustion in OV and built a superior prognostic model based on T cell exhaustion genes,which can contribute to the development of more precise and effective therapies.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (Grant No.2022NSFSC1415)the Special Project of Sichuan Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration (Grant No. 2020JC0124)+1 种基金the Management Project of General Hospital of Western Theater Command (Grants No. 2021-XZYG-C22 and 2021-XZYG-C21)the Spark Young Innovative Talent Project of General Hospital of Western Theater Command。
文摘Lupus nephritis(LN) has a high incidence in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients, but there is a lack of sensitive predictive markers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between the CD4^(+)CD8^(+)double positive T(DPT) lymphocytes and LN. The study included patients with SLE without renal impairment(SLE-NRI), LN, nephritic syndrome(NS), or nephritis. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Biochemical measurements were performed with peripheral blood in accordance with the recommendations proposed by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories. The proportions of DPT cells in the LN group were significantly higher than that in the SLE-NRI group(t=4.012, P<0.001), NS group(t=3.240,P=0.001), and nephritis group(t=2.57, P=0.011). In the LN group, the risk of renal impairment increased significantly in a DPT cells proportion-dependent manner. The risk of LN was 5.136 times(95% confidence interval, 2.115–12.473) higher in cases with a high proportion of DPT cells than those whose proportion of DPT cells within the normal range. These findings indicated that the proportion of DPT cells could be a potential marker to evaluate LN susceptibility, and the interference of NS and nephritis could be effectively excluded when assessing the risk of renal impairment during SLE with DPT cell proportion.