Predicting the Prognosis and Immunotherapeutic Response of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Constructing a Prognostic Model Based on CD8+T Cell-Related Immune Genes

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.

Identification of prognostic molecular subtypes and model based on CD8+ T cells for lung adenocarcinoma

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.

CCR8在卵巢癌浸润性Treg上的表达与意义

目的:分析趋化因子受体8(C⁃C motif chemokine receptor 8,CCR8)在卵巢癌肿瘤浸润性调节性T细胞(regulatory T cell,Treg)中的表达,探讨CCR8对Treg分化的作用。方法:构建C57BL/6小鼠卵巢癌细胞ID8荷瘤模型;流式细胞术检测小鼠肿瘤组织、脾脏和外周血中Treg上CCR8的表达比例,CCR8^(+)Treg上免疫检查点相关蛋白程序性细胞死亡蛋白1(programmed cell death protein 1,PD⁃1)、细胞素性T淋巴细胞抗原4(cytotoxic T⁃lymphocyte antigen 4,CTLA⁃4)、可诱导的T细胞共刺激分子(inducible T cell costimulators,ICOS)、淋巴细胞激活基因3(lymphocyte activation gene 3,LAG⁃3)的表达;流式细胞术检测CCR8变构抑制剂AZ084加入前后对C57BL/6小鼠脾脏中初始CD4^(+)T细胞向Treg分化的影响。结果:卵巢癌荷瘤小鼠肿瘤中Treg上的CCR8表达相比脾脏、外周血的Treg显著增高;相比CCR8^(-)Treg,CCR8^(+)Treg上免疫检查点相关蛋白表达更高;AZ084有效抑制小鼠脾脏中初始CD4^(+)T细胞向Treg的分化。结论:CCR8^(+)Treg在肿瘤浸润性Treg中占主要比例,CCR8作为卵巢癌浸润性Treg的主要标志物,变构CCR8蛋白可以抑制Treg的分化。靶向消除CCR8^(+)Treg可为改善卵巢癌肿瘤微环境的免疫抑制状态提供新思路。

Preventive effects of Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 on ovalbumin-induced food allergy in mice

Food allergy is a significant public health concern globally.Certain probiotics have been found to enhance food allergy by regulating immune-microbe interactions in animal models and patients.However,the effects of Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 on food allergy have not been thoroughly investigated.The present study examined the anti-allergic properties of Probio-M8,particularly in relation to immune response and gut microbiota composition.Results demonstrate that oral administration of Probio-M8 effectively mitigated the allergy symptoms triggered by ovalbumin(OVA)by ameliorating the morphological damage in the jejunum,reducing OVA-specific IgE and histamine levels in the serum,and suppressing Th2 cytokines(interleukin(IL)4 and IL-13)while increasing Th1 cytokines(interferon(IFN)γ)and regulatory T(Treg)cytokines(IL-10 and transforming growth factor(TGF)β1)in the culture supernatants of splenic cells.Furthermore,Probio-M8 effectively altered the diversity and composition of gut microbiota,particularly the relative abundances of Akkermansia_muciniphila in OVA-induced mice.Compared to the OVA group,the Probio-M8 group showed a decrease in the relative abundance of Akkermansia_muciniphila.In conclusion,Probio-M8 demonstrates the potential to alleviate food allergy by regulating the Th1/Th2 response and modulating gut microbiota,thereby offering a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with food allergy.

Revolutionizing tumor immunotherapy:unleashing the power of progenitor exhausted T cells

In exploring persistent infections and malignancies, a distinctive subgroup of CD8^(+) T cells, progenitor exhausted CD8^(+) T(Tpex) cells, has been identified. These Tpex cells are notable for their remarkable self-renewal and rapid proliferation abilities. Recent strides in immunotherapy have demonstrated that Tpex cells expand and differentiate into responsive exhausted CD8^(+) T cells, thus underscoring their critical role in the immunotherapeutic retort. Clinical examinations have further clarified a robust positive correlation between the proportional abundance of Tpex cells and enhanced clinical prognosis. Tpex cells have found noteworthy applications in the formulation of inventive immunotherapeutic approaches against tumors. This review describes the functions of Tpex cells in the tumor milieu, particularly their potential utility in tumor immunotherapy. Precisely directing Tpex cells may be essential to achieving successful outcomes in immunotherapy against tumors.

The Mechanisms of CD8+ T Cells Exhaustion in the Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy

In the tumor immune microenvironment, CD8+ T cells differentiate towards functional failure. The exhaustion of CD8+ 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+ 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.

Subgroups of peripheral immune effector cells in cervical cancer patients are more sensitive to radiation therapy than chemotherapy

Background:CD8 positive T lymphocytes and natural killer(NK)cells in the peripheral blood of cervical cancer patients exhibit varying sensitivities to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.Methods:A total of 50 healthy peoples and 60 cervical cancer patients were recruited.The patients with cervical cancer were separated into two groups:radiation and chemotherapy,and blood sample were collected before and after treatment.Data on the proportion of CD8 positive T lymphocytes and NK cells were gathered for analytical evaluation.Results:Compared to healthy individuals,patients with cervical cancer exhibit a reduced proportion of CD8 positive T cells within their peripheral blood.And for patients with cervical cancer,radiation therapy has been found to be more effective than chemotherapy in increasing the proportion of CD8 positive T lymphocytes and NK cells.Conclusions:These results suggest that radiation therapy increases the levels of CD8 positive T lymphocytes and NK cells within the peripheral blood of patients with cervical cancer.The study hypothesis that the changes in the percentage of CD8 positive T lymphocytes may serve as a potential indicator for predicting treatment efficacy.

Combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade restrains hepatocellular carcinoma development by facilitating CD4+ and CD8+T cellmediated antitumor immune responses

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.

System analysis based on the T cell exhaustion‑related genes identifies CD38 as a novel therapy target for ovarian cancer

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.

Peripheral CD4^(+)CD8^(+) double positive T cells:A potential marker to evaluate renal impairment susceptibility during systemic lupus erythematosus

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.

趋化因子受体8和调节性T细胞在三阴性乳腺癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

目的:探讨三阴性乳腺癌(triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC)组织中趋化因子受体8(chemokine receptor 8,CCR8)及调节性T细胞(regulatory T cells, Tregs)的表达及其临床意义。方法:以叉头翼状转录因子(transcription factor forkhead box P3 protein, Foxp3)作为Tregs的分子标记,应用免疫组织化学方法检测90例TNBC及30例癌旁组织标本中CCR8及Foxp3的表达情况,并对其表达水平与TNBC患者临床病理特征及预后的关联加以分析,同时研究二者的表达之间是否存在相关性,应用多因素Cox回归分析模型探讨影响TNBC患者的预后因素。结果:CCR8和Foxp3^(+)Tregs在TNBC组织中的表达均显著高于癌旁组织(均P<0.001)。在TNBC组织中CCR8和Foxp3^(+)Tregs的表达与TNM分期和淋巴结转移显著相关(均P<0.05),在TNM分期晚、有淋巴结转移的患者中CCR8和Foxp3^(+)Tregs表达明显升高,而与患者的年龄、肿瘤大小、组织学分级无关(均P>0.05)。TNBC组织中CCR8和Foxp3^(+)Tregs的表达成正相关(r=0.278,P<0.05)。截止至末次随访时间,CCR8阴性组的5年无病生存率(DFS)和总生存率(OS)均高于CCR8阳性组,两组间差异具有统计学意义(P <0.05)。Foxp3^(+)Tregs阴性组的5年DFS率和OS率也均高于Foxp3^(+)Tregs阳性组,但两组间差异无统计学意义(P> 0.05)。Kaplan-Meier生存曲线表明,CCR8与Foxp3^(+)Tregs双阴性表达患者的生存明显优于双阳性表达的患者,但本研究中两组间差异无统计学意义(P> 0.05)。多因素Cox回归模型表明TNM分期、CCR8的表达是影响TNBC预后的独立因素(P <0.05)。结论:CCR8和Foxp3^(+)Tregs在TNBC中均呈高表达,二者表达成正相关,并且均与不良预后有关。CCR8的表达是患者预后不良的独立影响因素,可能成为TNBC的新型预后标志物,为TNBC的免疫治疗策略提供新思考。

vMDV感染鸡CD^(4+)与CD^(8+)T细胞动态变化

人工感染１日龄ＳＰＦ雏鸡马立克氏病强毒株（ｖＭＤＶ），在不同的感染期，以流式细胞仪分析感染鸡脾脏和外周血淋巴细胞中ＣＤ４＋和ＣＤ８＋细胞的动态变化。结果表明，感染鸡脾脏和外周血中ＣＤ８＋Ｔ细胞异常增高，而ＣＤ４＋Ｔ细胞表现为暂短的升高，其后迅速下降。ＣＤ４＋与ＣＤ８＋Ｔ细胞的这种异常变化是ｖＭＤＶ感染雏鸡后Ｔ细胞表型变化的重要特征之一。

新型冠状病毒肺炎患者Mg^2+水平对CD^8+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞功能的影响

目的:探讨新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)患者血清及外周血单个核细胞(PBMCs)中Mg^2+水平变化及其对CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞功能的影响。方法:选取2020年1月20日~2月20日期间鄂州市中心医院收治的COVID-19确诊患者165例,其中轻型/普通型组98例,重型/危重型组67例,另选34例健康体检者作为对照组。采集外周血,分离PBMCs,检测各组血清及PBMCs中Mg^2+水平;流式细胞术检测各组外周血CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞亚群以及其表面抑制分子程序性死亡受体1(PD-1)和激活分子自然杀伤细胞活化受体(NKG2D)的表达水平;并分析Mg^2+水平与PD-1和NKG2D表达水平的相关性。结果:与对照组比较,轻型/普通型组和重型/危重型组患者血清及PBMCs中Mg^2+水平、CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞计数均明显降低(P<0.05),同时CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞表面抑制分子PD-1表达水平明显升高(P<0.05),而活化分子NKG2D表达水平均明显降低(P<0.05)。重型/危重型组患者以上各指标改变幅度又大于轻型/普通型组(P<0.05),且COVID-19患者Mg^2+水平与CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞表面分子PD-1表达水平呈负相关性(P<0.05),与NKG2D表达水平呈正相关性(P<0.05)。结论:COVID-19患者血清及PBMCs中Mg^2+水平会明显降低,其可能会导致CD8^+T淋巴细胞和NK细胞功能被抑制。

Prognostic value of programmed death.1, programmed death-ligand 1, programmed death-ligand 2 expression, and CD8(+) T cell density in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1.4N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma

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.

Natural course of chronic hepatitis B is characterized by changing patterns of programmed death type-1 of CD8-positive T cells

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.

肾癌患者中外周血淋巴细胞亚群、T-reg、MDSC的表达及临床意义

目的 采用流式细胞术分析肾癌患者MDSC、T-reg、CD_(3)^(+)CD4^(+)T细胞、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)T细胞和CD3-CD_(1)^(+)6CD_(5)^(+)6细胞的表达情况,以及各项指标与肾癌进展的相关性,探讨各项指标在肾癌治疗预后中的相关价值。方法 选取2021年9月至2022年11月住院的肾癌患者44例为肾癌组,选取29例健康人作为对照组。清晨,空腹采集3 mL静脉血。所有肾癌患者均已通过组织病理学诊断。采用全血9色荧光11参数流式细胞术检测肾癌患者和健康体检者MDSC、Treg、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)T细胞、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)T细胞、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)T细胞/CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)T细胞比值和CD3-CD_(1)^(+)6CD_(5)^(+)6细胞表达水平。收集患者的临床数据:包括年龄、性别、BMI、临床分期、肿瘤大小、病理类型。结果 肾癌组与对照组之间性别、年龄、BMI差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。肾癌组与对照组之间外周血CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)/CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)、NK、T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC水平差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。肾癌患者CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)的表达水平低于对照组(P<0.05),T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC的表达水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。肾癌周血中患者外的CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)/CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)、NK、T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC的表达水平与性别、年龄、BMI、病理学类型水平无显著相关(P>0.05)。CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)T、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)/CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)、NK与肿瘤大小、临床分期之间无明显相关性(P>0.05),CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)、M-MDSC、PMN-MDSC、Treg与肿瘤大小、临床分期有相关性(P<0.05)。经Logistic回归分析结果显示:外周血CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)淋巴细胞低表达,T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC的高表达可能与肾癌患者分期相关(P<0.05)。通过构建ROC曲线结果显示:按照临床分期进行分组,“0”为Ⅰ期、Ⅱ期组,“1”为,Ⅲ期、Ⅳ期组,T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC血清指标水平检测肾细胞Ⅲ期、Ⅳ期患者的AUC均>0.70,均有一定的评估价值。T-reg、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC、M-MDSC+Treg、PMN-MDSC+Treg与参考线比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),其中PMN-MDSC+Treg联合检测的差异性最为显著(P<0.05)。结论 肾癌患者与对照组相比CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)T细胞、CD_(3)^(+)CD_(8)^(+)T、CD3-CD_(1)^(+)6CD_(5)^(+)6细胞有明显降低,CD4/CD8比值升高,PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC和Treg细胞明显升高,提示机体的免疫功能受损。CD_(3)^(+)CD_(4)^(+)、PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC、T-reg在肿瘤大小、临床分期中表达水平不同,肿瘤直径越大,临床分期越晚,PMN-MDSC、M-MDSC、T-reg表达水平越高。外周血MDSC、T-reg与肾癌临床分期相关,外周血MDSC、T-reg对于肾癌的发生、发展和预后可能有一定的提示意义。

Specific CD8^+ T cell response immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma and viral hepatitis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are characterized by exhaustion of the specific CD8+ 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+ 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.

Human immune suppression is inducible by trichosanthin via CD8 cell-mediated pathway

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.

肺结核患者血清趋化因子CXCL8、RANTES与疗效的相关性

目的探究肺结核(pulmonary tuberculosis,PTB)患者血清CXC趋化因子配体8(C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8,CXCL8)、调节活化正常T细胞表达和分泌因子(regulate upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted,RANTES)水平与治疗效果的关系。方法选取2020年2月至2021年2月温州医科大学附属衢州医院收治的450例初诊涂阳的PTB患者为研究对象。所有患者均采用标准抗PTB治疗,根据治疗效果分为有效组(n=383)和无效组(n=67)。比较两组一般资料及血清CXCL8、RANTES水平,采用Logistic回归分析PTB患者治疗效果的影响因素以及CXCL8、RANTES对PTB患者治疗效果的预测价值。结果治疗后,450例PTB患者治疗有效率为85.11%。无效组的全程督导占比低于有效组,吸烟、外地户籍占比及治疗前血清CXCL8、RANTES水平高于有效组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),性别、职业、年龄比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,吸烟、户籍类型、CXCL8及管理方式是PTB患者治疗无效的影响因素(P<0.05)。血清CXCL8、RANTES预测PTB患者治疗效果的曲线下面积(areas under the curve,AUC)分别为0.877、0.865,敏感度分别为77.6%、79.1%,特异性分别为88.3%、89.3%;CXCL8、RANTES联合预测PTB患者治疗效果的AUC为0.955,敏感度为94.0%,特异性为85.4%。结论血清CXCL8、RANTES高水平与PTB患者治疗不良密切相关,检测血清CXCL8、RANTES有利于评估PTB患者治疗效果,且二者联合预测效果更佳。