Expression Of Immune Cell Markers Research Articles

DNA methylation and gene expression of immune cell markers in adolescents with chronic cannabis use: an exploratory study

BackgroundExperimental studies indicate that phytocannabinoids have immune-modulatory properties. However, the effects of chronic cannabis use (CCU) in adolescents on their immune cells have been scarcely investigated to date, although CCU is increasingly observed in this age group. MethodsIn this study, we analyzed DNA methylation and gene expression of immune cell markers in whole-blood samples of adolescent CCU-outpatients and non-cannabis-using (NCU) controls (n = 14 vs. n = 15, mean age = 16.1 ± 1.3 years). Site-specific DNA methylation values were used to calculate A) proportion estimates of circulating white blood cell (WBC) types and B) mean DNA methylation values of common immune cell markers (CD4, CD8A, CD19, FCGR3A, CD14, FUT4, MPO), whose gene expression levels were additionally determined.ResultsCCU adolescents had a lower estimated proportion of B cells compared to NCU subjects. An originally observed higher proportion of granulocytes in CCU subjects, however, was attenuated when controlling for past-year tobacco use. The observed differences in mean DNA methylation and gene expression of immune cell markers were not statistically significant.ConclusionThe results of our explorative study indicate that CCU in adolescents is associated with altered levels of circulating WBCs. Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted to confirm our findings and to provide insights regarding their functional consequences.

Effects of Synthetic Toll-Like Receptor 9 Ligand Molecules on Pulpal Immunomodulatory Response and Repair after Injuries.

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) motifs (CpG-ODNs) are ligand molecules for Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which is expressed by odontoblasts in vitro and dental pulp cells. This study determined the effects of CpG-ODNs on pulpal immunomodulatory response and repair following injury. Briefly, the upper right first molars of three-week-old mice were extracted, immersed in Type A (D35) or B (K3) CpG-ODN solutions (0.1 or 0.8 mM) for 30 min, and then replanted. Pulpal healing and immunomodulatory activity were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin and AZAN staining, as well as immunohistochemistry. One week following the operation, inflammatory reactions occurred in all of the experimental groups; however, re-revascularization and newly formed hard tissue deposition were observed in the pulp chamber of all groups at week 2. A positive trend in the expression of immune cell markers was observed toward the CpG-ODN groups at 0.1 mM. Our data suggest that synthetic CpG-ODN solutions at low concentrations may evoke a long-lasting macrophage-TLR9-mediated pro-inflammatory, rather than anti-inflammatory, response in the dental pulp to modulate the repair process and hard tissue formation. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of current immunomodulatory agents in vitro and in vivo and develop treatment strategies for dental tissue regeneration.

PKM2 is a potential prognostic biomarker and related to immune infiltration in lung cancer

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a subtype of pyruvate kinase, plays a crucial role as a key enzyme in the final step of glycolysis. It is involved in regulating the tumor microenvironment and accelerating tumor progression. However, the relationship between PKM2 expression and the prognosis and immune infiltration remains unclear in lung cancer. In this study, we analyzed PKM2 expression in pan-cancer, and investigated its association with prognosis and immune cell infiltration of lung cancer by using multiple online databases, including Gent2, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), PrognoScan, Kaplan–Meier plotter, and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). The results showed that PKM2 expression is elevated in tumor tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues of most cancers, including lung cancer. Prognostic analysis indicated that high expression of PKM2 was associated with poorer prognosis in overall lung cancer patients, especially in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Notably, PKM2 exhibited a strong correlation with B cells and CD4+ T cells in LUAD; and with B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ cells, and macrophages in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Furthermore, PKM2 expression displayed a significant negative correlation with the expression of immune cell markers in both LUAD and LUSC. These findings suggested that PKM2 could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for lung cancer and provided insights into its essential role in modulating the immune cell infiltration.

Overexpression of SH2D1A promotes cancer progression and is associated with immune cell infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma via bioinformatics and in vitro study

BackgroundSH2 domain containing 1A (SH2D1A) expression has been linked to cancer progression. However, the functions of SH2D1A in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been reported.MethodsThe effects of SH2D1A on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and the related pathways were re-explored in cell models with SH2D1A overexpression using the CCK-8, migration and invasion assays and western blotting. The functions and mechanisms of genes co-expressed with SH2D1A were analyzed using gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The relationship between SH2D1A expression and immune microenvironment features in HCC was explored.ResultsElevated SH2D1A expression promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, which was related to the overexpression of p-Nf-κB and BCL2A1 protein levels in HCC. SH2D1A expression was related to the immune, stromal, and ESTIMATE scores, and the abundance of immune cells, such as B cells, CD8+ T cells, and T cells. SH2D1A expression was significantly related to the expression of immune cell markers, such as PDCD1, CD8A, and CTLA4 in HCC.ConclusionSH2D1A overexpression was found to promote cell growth and metastasis via the Nf-κB signaling pathway and may be related to the immune microenvironment in HCC. The findings indicate that SH2D1A can function as a biomarker in HCC.

Expression of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in colorectal cancer is an adverse prognostic factor and correlates negatively with infiltrating immune cells and PD-L1 expression.

Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) is an oncogenic protein that has been associated with a decrease in infiltrating T-cells in periampullary adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to investigate whether this is also the case for colorectal cancer (CRC) and to evaluate the relationship between COMP expression and clinopathological features. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression levels of COMP in tumor cells and stroma in primary tumors from a cohort of 537 CRC patients. The expression of immune cell markers, including CD3+, CD8+, FoxP3+, CD68+, CD56+, CD163+, and PD-L1, was evaluated previously. Tumor fibrosis was assessed by Sirius Red staining and evaluation of collagen fiber organization. COMP expression correlated positively with TNM-stage and grade of differentiation. Patients with CRC expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS than those with low COMP expression (p<0.0001), and fewer infiltrating T-cells were detected in tumors with high COMP expression. Additionally, a negative correlation was identified between the expression of COMP and PD-L1 on both tumor cells and immune cells. Cox regression analysis showed that tumors expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS, independent of all evaluated immune cell markers. Tumor fibrosis was correlated with high expression of COMP in the stroma (p<0.0001), and tumors with high levels of COMP expression and denser fibrosis displayed more sparse immune cell infiltration. The results suggest that COMP expression in CRC may exert an immune regulatory effect by increasing dense fibrosis and decreasing immune cell infiltration. These findings support the notion that COMP is an important factor in the development and progression of CRC.

Comprehensive clinical and molecular characterization of claudin 18.2 expression in advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer

We conducted comprehensive clinical and molecular characterization of claudin 18.2 expression (CLDN18.2) in advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJC). Patients with advanced GC/GEJC who received systemic chemotherapy from October 2015 to December 2019 with available tumor specimens were analyzed. We evaluated clinicopathological features of CLDN18.2 expression with four molecular subtypes: mismatch repair deficient, Epstein-Barr virus-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive, and others. In addition, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS), genomic alterations, and the expression of immune cell markers were assessed. Clinical outcomes of standard first- or second-line chemotherapy and subsequent anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) therapy were also investigated according to CLDN18.2 expression. Among 408 patients, CLDN18.2-positive (moderate-to-strong expression in ≥75%) was identified in 98 patients (24.0%) with almost equal distribution in the four molecular subtypes or CPS subgroups. CLDN18.2-positive was associated with Borrmann type 4, KRAS amplification, low CD16, and high CD68 expression. Overall survival with first-line chemotherapy was not significantly different between CLDN18.2-positive and -negative groups [median 18.4 versus 20.1 months; hazard ratio 1.26 (95% confidence interval 0.89-1.78); P= 0.191] regardless of stratification by PD-L1 CPS ≥5. Progression-free survival and objective response rates of first- and second-line chemotherapy, and anti-PD-1 therapy also showed no significant differences according to CLDN18.2 status. CLDN18.2 expression in advanced GC/GEJC was associated with some clinical and molecular features but had no impact on treatment outcomes with chemotherapy or checkpoint inhibition. CLDN18.2-positive also had no impact on overall survival. This information could be useful to interpret the results from currently ongoing clinical trials of CLDN18.2-targeted therapies for advanced GC/GEJC and to consider a treatment strategy for CLDN18.2-positive GC/GEJC.

TRAT1 overexpression delays cancer progression and is associated with immune infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma.

The roles and mechanisms of T-cell receptor (TCR)-associated transmembrane adaptor 1 (TRAT1) in lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) have not yet been reported in the relevant literature. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the roles and mechanisms of TRAT1 in LAC using bioinformatics and in vitro experiments. TRAT1 expression levels in LAC samples were analysed using various databases. TRAT1 co-expressed genes were acquired by the correlation analysis of LAC tissues. The functional mechanisms and protein network of TRAT1 co-expressed genes were analysed using bioinformatics analysis. The expression of TRAT1 was activated in LAC cells, and the roles of TRAT1 overexpression in the growth and migration of cancer cells was investigated using flow cytometry, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and migration and invasion assays. The relationship between TRAT1 overexpression, the immune microenvironment, and RNA modification was evaluated using correlation analysis. TRAT1 expression levels were significantly abnormal at multiple mutation sites and were related to the prognosis of LAC. TRAT1 co-expressed genes were involved in cell proliferation, adhesion, and differentiation, and TRAT1 overexpression significantly inhibited cell viability, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis of A549 and H1299 cells, which might be related to the TCR, B cell receptor (BCR), MAPK, and other pathways. TRAT1 expression levels were significantly correlated with the ESTIMATE, immune, and stromal scores in the LAC microenvironment. Additionally, TRAT1 expression levels were significantly correlated with the populations of B cells, CD8 T cells, cytotoxic cells, and other immune cells. TRAT1 overexpression was significantly correlated with the expression of immune cell markers (such as PDCD1, CD2, CD3E) and genes involved in RNA modification (such as ALKBH1, ALKBH3, ALKBH5). In conclusions, TRAT1 overexpression inhibited the growth and migration of LAC cells, thereby delaying cancer progression, and was correlated with the LAC microenvironment and RNA modifications.

PD46-10 SATURATED FATTY ACID PROMOTES PROSTATE CANCER DEVELOPMENT WITH TUMOR INFILTRATING REGULATORY T CELL ALTERATION IN A PTEN-DEFICIENT MOUSE MODEL

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022PD46-10 SATURATED FATTY ACID PROMOTES PROSTATE CANCER DEVELOPMENT WITH TUMOR INFILTRATING REGULATORY T CELL ALTERATION IN A PTEN-DEFICIENT MOUSE MODEL Hiromi Sato, Shintaro Narita, Yoshiko Takahashi, Masanori Ishida, Soki Kasima, Ryohei Yamamoto, Atsushi Koizumi, Taketoshi Nara, Mingguo Huang, Kazuyuki Numakura, Mitsuru Saito, Toshiaki Yoshioka, and Tomonori Habuchi Hiromi SatoHiromi Sato More articles by this author , Shintaro NaritaShintaro Narita More articles by this author , Yoshiko TakahashiYoshiko Takahashi More articles by this author , Masanori IshidaMasanori Ishida More articles by this author , Soki KasimaSoki Kasima More articles by this author , Ryohei YamamotoRyohei Yamamoto More articles by this author , Atsushi KoizumiAtsushi Koizumi More articles by this author , Taketoshi NaraTaketoshi Nara More articles by this author , Mingguo HuangMingguo Huang More articles by this author , Kazuyuki NumakuraKazuyuki Numakura More articles by this author , Mitsuru SaitoMitsuru Saito More articles by this author , Toshiaki YoshiokaToshiaki Yoshioka More articles by this author , and Tomonori HabuchiTomonori Habuchi More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002614.10AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Recent studies reported that gut microbiota plays an important role in systemic immune response and is involved in cancer development. Herein, using a Pten-deficient mouse model, we assessed the role of systematic and local inflammation, tumor immune microenvironment and gut microbiota profiles on specific-fat diet-induced PCa development. METHODS: Immunocompetent Pten-deficient mice were fed with isocaloric diets that differed in fat composition (lard or fish oil), and were sacrificed at 28 weeks. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, the gut microbiota was profiled for the phylum levels. We performed flow cytometry analyses and quantitative RT-PCR to evaluate the number of prostate infiltrating immune cells and expression of immune cell markers in the prostates of the mice. Antibiotic-treated mice were developed to assess the impact of gut microbiome on fat-diet induced PCa development. RESULTS: The lard diet (LD) -fed mice gained more weight and prostate volume than the fish-oil diet (FOD) -fed mice. We noticed invasive PCa in the LD group (3 of 10 mice) alone, and the Ki67 positivity in the prostates of the LD group was significantly higher than that of the FOD mice (p<0.01). The mean serum LPS level tended to be higher in the LD group (p=0.09), and significantly correlated with mouse weight (p<0.01, r=0.78). The two dietary groups showed markedly different gut microbiota profiles, and the proportion of the Proteobacteria phylum in the LD group was significantly higher than in the FOD group (p=0.02). The mean number of regulatory T cells in the prostates of the LD group was significantly higher than the FOD group (p=0.03). Larger growth of the prostate, higher mean serum LPS level and higher expression of Foxp3 in the prostates of the LD group than those of the FOD group were observed, whereas the microbiota ablation using antibiotics-treated mice abrogated the differences. CONCLUSIONS: LD accelerates PCa development through elevated serum LPS, alteration of gut microbiota and regulatory T cell infiltration in tumor microenvironment in an engineered mouse model of PCa. Immune cell modulation in tumor microenvironment on basis of diet and/or gut microbial changes may be a novel treatment strategy for PCa. Source of Funding: nothing © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e791 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Hiromi Sato More articles by this author Shintaro Narita More articles by this author Yoshiko Takahashi More articles by this author Masanori Ishida More articles by this author Soki Kasima More articles by this author Ryohei Yamamoto More articles by this author Atsushi Koizumi More articles by this author Taketoshi Nara More articles by this author Mingguo Huang More articles by this author Kazuyuki Numakura More articles by this author Mitsuru Saito More articles by this author Toshiaki Yoshioka More articles by this author Tomonori Habuchi More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Surgical trauma is associated with renal immune cell activation in rats: A microarray study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common perioperative complication that is associated with increased mortality. This study investigates the renal gene expression in male Long–Evans rats after prolonged anesthesia and surgery to detect molecular mechanisms that could predispose the kidneys to injury upon further insults. Healthy and streptozotocin diabetic rats that underwent autoregulatory investigation in an earlier study were compared to rats that were sacrificed quickly for mRNA quantification in the same study. Prolonged surgery caused massive changes in renal mRNA expression by microarray analysis, which was validated by quantitative real‐time PCR with good correlation. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis using gene ontology and pathway analysis identified biological processes involved in immune system activation, such as immune system processes (p = 1.3 × 10−80), immune response (p = 1.3 × 10−60), and regulation of cytokine production (p = 1.7 × 10−52). PCR analysis of specific cell type markers indicated that the gene activation in kidneys was most probably macrophages, while granulocytes and T cell appeared less activated. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify immune cell infiltration and showed no difference between groups indicating that the genetic activation depends on the activation of resident cells, or infiltration of a relatively small number of highly activated cells. In follow‐up experiments, surgery was performed on healthy rats under standard and sterile condition showing similar expression of immune cell markers, which suggests that the inflammation was indeed caused by the surgical trauma rather than by bacterial infection. In conclusion, surgical trauma is associated with rapid activation of immune cells, most likely macrophages in rat kidneys.

Immune cells and Notch1 signaling appear to drive the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the development of adenomyosis in mice.

The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in the development of adenomyosis, along with dysregulated immune responses. Inflammation potentially induces Notch signaling, which could promote this EMT. The objective of this study was to investigate the involvement of immune cells and Notch1-mediated EMT in the development of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 18 CD-1 mice by neonatal oral administration of tamoxifen (TAM group), while 18 neonates received vehicle only (Control group). Their uteri were sampled at 30, 60 or 90 days of age. Immune cell markers (Cd45, Ly6c1, Cd86, Arginine1, Cd19, Cd4, Cd8), Notch1 and its target genes (Hey1, Hey2, Hes1, Hes5) and biomarkers of EMT (E-Cadherin, Vimentin, Tgfb, Snail1, Slug, Snail3) were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Activated-Notch1 protein was measured by western blot. Aberrant expression of immune cell markers was observed in the uteri of mice as they developed adenomyosis. The expression of inflammatory cell markers, notably M1 macrophages and natural killer cells, was increased from Day 30 in the TAM group compared to controls, followed by an increase in the Cd4 marker (T cells) at Day 60. Conversely, expression of the Cd19 marker (B cells) was significantly reduced at all of the stages studied. Notch1 signaling was also highly activated compared to controls at Day 30 and Day 60. Concomitantly, the levels of several markers for EMT were also higher. Therefore, the activation of Notch1 coincides with aberrant expression of immune and EMT markers in the early development of adenomyosis.

Involvement of Innate Immune Receptors in the Resolution of Acute Hepatitis B in Woodchucks.

The antiviral property of small agonist compounds activating pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like and RIG-I receptors, have been preclinically evaluated and are currently tested in clinical trials against chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The involvement of other PRRs in modulating hepatitis B virus infection is less known. Thus, woodchucks with resolving acute hepatitis B (AHB) after infection with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) were characterized as animals with normal or delayed resolution based on their kinetics of viremia and antigenemia, and the presence and expression of various PRRs were determined in both outcomes. While PRR expression was unchanged immediately after infection, most receptors were strongly upregulated during resolution in liver but not in blood. Besides well-known PRRs, including TLR7/8/9 and RIG-I, other less-characterized receptors, such as IFI16, ZBP1/DAI, AIM2, and NLRP3, displayed comparable or even higher expression. Compared to normal resolution, a 3–4-week lag in peak receptor expression and WHV-specific B- and T-cell responses were noted during delayed resolution. This suggested that PRR upregulation in woodchuck liver occurs when the mounting WHV replication reaches a certain level, and that multiple receptors are involved in the subsequent induction of antiviral immune responses. Liver enzyme elevations occurred early during normal resolution, indicating a faster induction of cytolytic mechanisms than in delayed resolution, and correlated with an increased expression of NK-cell and CD8 markers and cytolytic effector molecules. The peak liver enzyme level, however, was lower during delayed resolution, but hepatic inflammation was more pronounced and associated with a higher expression of cytolytic markers. Further comparison of PRR expression revealed that most receptors were significantly reduced in woodchucks with established and progressing CHB, and several RNA sensors more so than DNA sensors. This correlated with a lower expression of receptor adaptor and effector molecules, suggesting that persistent, high-level WHV replication interferes with PRR activation and is associated with a diminished antiviral immunity based on the reduced expression of immune cell markers, and absent WHV-specific B- and T-cell responses. Overall, the differential expression of PRRs during resolution and persistence of WHV infection emphasizes their importance in the ultimate viral control during AHB that is impaired during CHB.

Abstract 424: An effective treatment for recurrent and inoperable anaplastic thyroid carcinoma using sintilimab and anlotinib: A case report

Abstract Introduction: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive and rapid spreading cancers. None of the existing therapies is optimum and most ATC patients experience rapid recurrence. The median overall survival (OS) of ATC patients is about 5 months. Here, we report an ATC patient, who experienced rapid recurrence after operation, achieved OS of 9 months by applying a novel strategy of combining anti-angiogenic agent, anlotinib with immunotherapeutic drug, sintilimab. Case presentation: The female ATC patient was 78 years old. On September 24, 2019, she had total thyroidectomy of the left lobe and isthmus due to a 4.7 cm × 4.2 cm lump in the left anterior cervical region. The mass was diagnosed as anaplastic thyroid cancer (pT3Nx). Immunohistochemistry and molecular testing analysis of the tumor showed the tumor proportion score of programmed death-ligand 1 &amp;lt;1% (PD-L1-negative), tumor mutation burden of 1.88 mut/Mb (TMB-low), microsatellite stable, and mutations of BAI1, CDKN1A, EIF1AX, HRAS, IKBKB, and TP53. One month after the surgery, the tumor (3.3 cm × 1.5 cm) reappeared accompanied by metastases in right lung and sigmoid colon, which deemed her ineligible for another surgery. The patient rejected the use of chemo- or radio-therapy. Since no effective therapies were available, a novel combo strategy was used for this patient: anti-angiogenic agent anlotinib orally 12 mg per day and 2-week on/1-week off; and the immunotherapeutic agent, sintilimab, administrated with 200 mg once every 3 weeks. 2.5 months after the treatment, the recurrent tumor was reduced to 2.5 cm × 1.8 cm, and no lesions were found in the lung and colons. The patient continued to take sintilimab and anlotinib and the disease was under control. During treatment, no adverse reactions were observed. However, she died in May 2020 of abnormal thyroid function. Partial response (PR) and OS of 9 months were achieved. Discussion: In this case, the novel anti-angiogenic drug anlotinib was chosen because it was proven to be safe and effective in treating multiple cancers without targeted mutations. Although the patient did not have positive indicators for immunotherapy (PD-L1 negative/TMB-low), we added sintilimab for the previous evidences of synergistic effect of anti-angiogenic drugs and immunotherapy in other cancers. Anti-angiogenic drug could increase the expression of immune cell markers including PD-L1; moreover, normalized tumor vasculature could increase the infiltration of immune cells. Here, our case provides supportive evidence for using this combination in the treatment of ATC patients. Conclusion: This case showed relatively good prognosis after using anti-angiogenic agent, anlotinib, and immunotherapeutic drug, sintilimab, suggesting a new direction in treating recurrent and inoperable ATC patients, and also providing a new way for cancer patients with PD-L1 negative/TMB-low. Citation Format: Shiheng Zhang, Yuntong Liu, Jiamin Luo, Yu Fang, Tonghui Ma, Xiaoyan Zhang, Wei Guan. An effective treatment for recurrent and inoperable anaplastic thyroid carcinoma using sintilimab and anlotinib: A case report [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 424.

Suppression of neuroinflammation by an allosteric agonist and positive allosteric modulator of the \u03b17 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor GAT107

BackgroundThe α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) negatively regulates the synthesis and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by immune cells. Our previous studies showed that in encephalitogenic T cells, α7 nAChR expression is upregulated and that activation of the cholinergic system can attenuate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). GAT107 is an allosteric agonist and positive allosteric modulator (ago-PAM) of α7 nAChR that can produce persistent activation of this receptor. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effect of GAT107 on neuroinflammation in EAE, the animal model used for the study of multiple sclerosis (MS) via α7 nAChR, and the inflammatory pathways involved.MethodsEAE was induced by administration of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35–55) in C57BL/6 mice. EAE mice were treated with the ago-PAM GAT107 or a placebo for 9 days, starting from the day of EAE induction. Clinical assessment and immunological evaluation of immune cells and cytokine production was performed.ResultsFollowing activation of the α7 nAChR by GAT107 during EAE, disease severity was significantly reduced by 70% and was correlated with a reduction in the extent of neuroinflammation in the CNS. The treatment reduced encephalitogenic T cell proliferation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as increased the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, the expression of immune cell markers was altered by GAT107 treatment, which induced a significant reduction in macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells, as well as a reduction in anti-MOG35–55 antibodies. Additionally, GAT107 was found to directly activate α7 nAChR in murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells and in human PBMCs derived from MS patients and healthy donors.ConclusionsOur results show that GAT107 can be a useful molecule for harnessing the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway for long-lasting and wide-ranging modulation and downregulation of neuroinflammation in EAE.

Resveratrol Promotes Hypertrophy in Wildtype Skeletal Muscle and Reduces Muscle Necrosis and Gene Expression of Inflammatory Markers in Mdx Mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive fatal neuromuscular disorder with no cure. Therapies to restore dystrophin deficiency have been approved in some jurisdictions but long-term effectiveness is yet to be established. There is a need to develop alternative strategies to treat DMD. Resveratrol is a nutraceutical with anti-inflammatory properties. Previous studies have shown high doses (100–400 mg/kg bodyweight/day) benefit mdx mice. We treated 4-week-old mdx and wildtype mice with a lower dose of resveratrol (5 mg/kg bodyweight/day) for 15 weeks. Voluntary exercise was used to test if a lower dosage than previously tested could reduce exercise-induced damage where a greater inflammatory infiltrate is present. We found resveratrol promoted skeletal muscle hypertrophy in wildtype mice. In dystrophic muscle, resveratrol reduced exercise-induced muscle necrosis. Gene expression of immune cell markers, CD86 and CD163 were reduced; however, signalling targets associated with resveratrol’s mechanism of action including Sirt1 and NF-κB were unchanged. In conclusion, a lower dose of resveratrol compared to the dosage used by other studies reduced necrosis and gene expression of inflammatory cell markers in dystrophic muscle suggesting it as a therapeutic candidate for treating DMD.

Identification of Rad51 as a prognostic biomarker correlated with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT Rad51, a DNA-repair-related gene, has been reported to be involved in multiple cancers. However, its link with immune infiltration in liver cancer still unknown. Therefore, more research into the roles and activities of Rad51 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is required. The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) was used to identify the DNA repair gene Rad51, and has been proved to be overexpressed in HCC patients. We plotted the Kapan-Meier curve, demonstrating that patients with high expression of Rad51 have a poor prognosis. By analyzing the patient data, we discovered that high expression of Rad51 in HCC is linked to clinical stage, pathological T stage, grade, and age. Rad51 was found to be an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients using the multivariate cox model. Moreover, Rad51 expression was found to be associated with the infiltration of immune cells (B cells, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells) and was intimately linked to the expression of immune cell markers in HCC. Through the analysis of differentially coexpressed genes (DCGs) of Rad51, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that the expression level of Rad51 might be relevant to neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, the cell cycle, DNA replication, homologous recombination, oocyte meiosis, and the Fanconi anemia pathway. These findings indicated that Rad51 is a valuable biomarker for the prognosis of patients with liver cancer and that its expression has a significant correlation with immune infiltrations. Abbreviations: HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; ICGC: International Cancer Genome Consortium TCGA: The Cancer Genome Atlas; TIMER: Tumor Immune Estimation Resource; CAF: Cancer-associated fibroblast; GEPIA: Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis; GSEA: Gene set enrichment analysis; OS: overall survival; PFS: progression-free survival; RFS: relapse-free survival; DSS: disease-specific survival. Partial cor: partial correlation coefficient; HPA: Human Protein Atlas; GO: Gene Ontology; KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; CAF: Cancer-associated fibroblast; DCGs: differentially co-expressed genes

The prognostic significance of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) in invasive breast cancer

BackgroundLymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a prognostic factor in early-stage invasive breast cancer (BC). Through bioinformatics, data analyses of multiple BC cohorts revealed the positive association between interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) LVI status. Thus, we explored the prognostic significance of ISG15 in BC.MethodsThe prognostic significance of ISG15 mRNA was assessed in METABRIC (n = 1980), TCGA (n = 854) and Kaplan–Meier Plotter (n = 3951). ISG15 protein was evaluated using immunohistochemistry (n = 859) in early-stage invasive BC patients with long-term follow-up. The associations between ISG15 expression and clinicopathological features, expression of immune cell markers and patient outcome data were evaluated.ResultsHigh mRNA and protein ISG15 expression were associated with LVI, higher histological grade, larger tumour size, hormonal receptor negativity, HER2 positivity, p53 and Ki67. High ISG15 protein expression was associated with HER2-enriched BC subtypes and immune markers (CD8, FOXP3 and CD68). High ISG15 mRNA and ISG15 expressions were associated with poor patient outcome. Cox proportional multivariate analysis revealed that the elevated ISG15 expression was an independent prognostic factor of shorter BC-specific survival.ConclusionThis study provides evidence for the role of ISG15 in LVI development and BC prognosis. Further functional studies in BC are warranted to evaluate the therapeutic potential of ISG15.

Immunological Differences Between Immune-Rich Estrogen Receptor-Positive and Immune-Rich Triple-Negative Breast Cancers.

PURPOSEA subset of estrogen receptor–positive (ER-positive) breast cancer (BC) contains high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), similar to triple-negative BC (TNBC). The majority of immuno-oncology trials target TNBCs because of the greater proportion of TIL-rich TNBCs. The extent to which the immune microenvironments of immune-rich ER-positive BC and TNBC differ is unknown.PATIENTS AND METHODSRNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; n = 697 ER-positive BCs; n = 191 TNBCs) were used for discovery; microarray expression data from Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC; n = 1,186 ER-positive BCs; n = 297 TNBCs) was used for validation. Patients in the top 25th percentile of a previously published total TIL metagene score distribution were considered immune rich. We compared expression of immune cell markers, immune function metagenes, and immuno-oncology therapeutic targets among immune-rich subtypes.RESULTSRelative fractions of resting mast cells (TCGA Padj = .009; METABRIC Padj = 4.09E-15), CD8+ T cells (TCGA Padj = .015; METABRIC Padj = 0.390), and M2-like macrophages (TCGA Padj= 4.68E-05; METABRIC Padj = .435) were higher in immune-rich ER-positive BCs, but M0-like macrophages (TCGA Padj = 0.015; METABRIC Padj = .004) and M1-like macrophages (TCGA Padj = 9.39E-08; METABRIC Padj = 6.24E-11) were higher in immune-rich TNBCs. Ninety-one immune-related genes (eg, CXCL14, CSF3R, TGF-B3, LRRC32/GARP, TGFB-R2) and a transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) response metagene were significantly overexpressed in immune-rich ER-positive BCs, whereas 41 immune-related genes (eg, IFNG, PD-L1, CTLA4, MAGEA4) were overexpressed in immune-rich TNBCs in both discovery and validation data sets. TGF-β pathway member genes correlated negatively with expression of immune activation markers (IFNG, granzyme-B, perforin) and positively with M2-like macrophages (IL4, IL10, and MMP9) and regulatory T-cell (FOXP3) markers in both subtypes.CONCLUSIONDifferent immunotherapy strategies may be optimal in immune-rich ER-positive BC and TNBC. Drugs targeting the TGF-β pathway and M2-like macrophages are promising strategies in immune-rich ER-positive BCs to augment antitumor immunity.

Expression of immune cell markers and tumor markers in patients with cervical cancer

ObjectiveCervical cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and immune function may impact disease progression. Serum markers may also be associated with diagnosis and progression. The aim of...

The role of diet‐induced obesity on Peyer's Patch gene expression

Peyer’s Patches (PP) are part of the complex gut‐associated lymphoid tissue located throughout the intestinal wall. PP consists of highly organized ovoid‐shaped follicles, classified as non‐encapsulated lymphatic tissues. PP are populated with B cells, T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells allowing them to function as an organism’s internal surveillance of the intestine. There is limited research on PP in relation to diet‐induced obesity. In the current study, we attempt to close this gap in knowledge. We placed male, Long Evans rats on Chow or high‐fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks and harvested PP from the small intestine. HFD‐fed rats had significantly increased number of total PP, p&lt;0.05. All rats had significantly reduced number of PP in the duodenum in comparison to either the jejunum or ileum, p&lt;0.0001. We performed gene expression analysis for immune cell markers in mRNA obtained from individual PP in the 3 distinct regions of the intestine. Expression of T cell markers CD4/CD3 was differentially reduced in PP from the distal intestine in comparison to the proximal. Macrophage marker, CD68, was more highly expressed in the duodenum in comparison to the more distal PP. Master regulator of T cell expression, TGFβ, is more highly expressed in duodenal PP in comparison to ileal PP, p&lt;0.05. In summary, gene expression of immune cell markers was most highly associated with the location of the intestinal PP. Surprisingly, HFD did not influence gene expression of immune markers in the PP as was predicted. Further work is necessary to understand whether other inflammatory markers are affected by obesity.

The immune landscape of chondrosarcoma - potential for therapeutic targeting of CSFR1+ macrophages

Survival rate for Chondrosarcoma (CHS) is at a standstill, more effective treatments are urgently needed. Consequently, a better understanding of CHS biology and its immune environment is crucial to identify new prognostic factors and therapeutic targets.Here, we exhaustively describe the immune landscape of conventional and dedifferentiated CHS. Using IHC and molecular analyses (RT-qPCR), we mapped the expression of immune cell markers (CD3, CD8, CD68, CD163) and immune checkpoints (ICPs) from a cohort of 27 conventional and 49 dedifferentiated CHS. The impact of the density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and immune checkpoints (ICPs) on clinical outcome were analyzed.We reveal that TAMs are the main immune population in CHS. Focusing on dedifferentiated CHS, we found that immune infiltrate composition is correlated with patient outcome, a high CD68+/CD8+ ratio being an independent poor prognostic factor (p < 0.01), and high CD68+ levels being associated with the presence of metastases at diagnosis (p < 0.05). Among the ICPs evaluated, CSF1R, B7H3, SIRPA, TIM3 and LAG3 were expressed at the mRNA level in both CHS subtypes. Furthermore, PDL1 expression was confirmed by IHC exclusively in dedifferentiated CHS (42.6% of the patients) and CSF1R was expressed by TAMs in 89.7% of dedifferentiated CHS (vs 62.9% in conventional).Our results show that the immune infiltrate of CHS is mainly composed of immunosuppressive actors favoring tumor progression. Our results indicate that dedifferentiated CHS could be eligible for anti-PDL1 therapy and more importantly immunomodulation through CSF1R + macrophages could be a promising therapeutic approach for both CHS subtypes.