Effects of total glucosides of paeony on serum inflammatory cytokines in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovitis of the affected joints. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) capsules have been widely used clinically for the treatment of RA with good efficacy and safety. However, its effect on inflammatory cytokines remains unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to summarize the effect of TGP on the expression level of serum inflammatory cytokines in RA animal models and its potential mechanisms. Methods: Six databases were searched up to 14 August 2023, relevant animal experiment studies were screened, data were extracted, and the SYRCLE animal experiment bias risk assessment tool was used for risk assessment. Results: A total of 24 studies were included, including 581 animals. Results showed that compared with the model control group, TGP decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and PGE2 and increased the levels of TGF-ß1 after 1-2 weeks of intervention, decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-2, IL-17, IL-17α, IL-21, VEGF, IFN-γ and PGE2 and increased the levels of IL-10 and IL-4 after 3-4 weeks of intervention, decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17α and increased the level of IL-10 after 8 weeks of intervention. There was no significant difference in the effects of TGP on the levels of IL-10, IL-17, and IFN-γ after 1-2 weeks of intervention and IL-1 and TGF-ß1 after 3-4 weeks of intervention. Conclusion: In summary, based on the existing studies, this study found that compared with the control group of the RA animal model, TGP can reduce the levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 and increase the levels of serum anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect by regulating and improving the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and thus alleviating the disease. Given the low quality of the included studies and the lack of sufficient evidence, more high-quality studies are still needed to validate the results of this study.

C5aR1 blockade reshapes immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and synergizes with immune checkpoint blockade therapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC), with a modest response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy, is densely infiltrated by M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T (Treg) cells. The complement C5a/C5aR1 axis contributes to the programming of the immunosuppressive phenotype of TAMs in solid tumors and represents a promising immunomodulatory target for treating HGSCs. Here, we aimed to identify the relevance of C5aR1 in prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy response in HGSCs. The expression and relationship of C5aR1 with tumor-infiltrating immune cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in the training cohort (n = 120) and fresh HGSC tissues (n = 36). Transcriptomic analyses of the xenografts delineated the mechanisms driving the immunomodulatory activity of PMX53, an orally bioavailable C5aR1 inhibitor. Therapeutic relevance was confirmed in ex vivo tumor cultures and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. C5aR1 expression independently predicted dismal prognosis and was linked to the immunoevasive subtype of HGSC, characterized by increased infiltration of pro-tumor cells (Treg cells, M2-polarized macrophages, and neutrophils) and impaired CD8+T functions. PMX53 antagonized subcutaneous tumor growth, modulated immunosuppressive mechanisms and synergized with aPD-1 in several tumor types. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed predominant C5aR1 expression in TAMs, with an immunosuppressive-related expression signature in C5aR1+TAMs. Furthermore, the combination of C5aR1 and PD-L1 was associated with specific molecular characteristics and matched clinical response annotations. Therefore, the abundance of C5aR1 could predict an inferior prognosis in HGSCs, and incorporating PD-L1 may serve as a novel predictive biomarker to guide therapeutic options.

Siglec-9+ tumor-associated macrophages delineate an immunosuppressive subset with therapeutic vulnerability in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: The potent immunosuppressive properties of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9) on myeloid cells and lymphocytes provide a strong rationale for serving as a therapeutic target. However, the expression profile and critical role of Siglec-9 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) remain obscure. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic significance of Siglec-9 expression and its predictive value for immunotherapy in HGSC. METHODS: Study enrolled two cohorts, consisting of 120 tumor microarray specimens of HGSC for immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 40 fresh tumor specimens for flow cytometry (FCM). Expression profile of Siglec-9 in immune cells was analyzed by both bioinformatics analysis and FCM. Role of Siglec-9 was studied to identify that Siglec-9+TAMs linked with an immunosuppressive phenotype by IHC and FCM, and block Siglec-9 was sensitive to immunotherapy by ex vivo and in vitro assays. RESULTS: Siglec-9 is predominantly expressed on tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). High Siglec-9+TAMs were associated with inferior overall survival (OS). Both tumor-conditioned medium (TCM) and tumor ascites induced enrichment of Siglec-9+TAMs with protumorigenic phenotypes. Siglec-9+TAMs were associated with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by exhausted CD8+T cells and increased immune checkpoint expression. Blockade of Siglec-9 suppressed phosphorylation of the inhibitory phosphatase SHP-1 and repolarized TAMs to antitumorigenic phenotype and retrieved cytotoxic activity of CD8+T cells in vitro and ex vivo. Responders toward antiprogrammed death receptor-1 (anti-PD-1) therapy present more Siglec-9+TAMs than non-responders. Furthermore, blockade Siglec-9 synergized with anti-PD-1 antibody to enhance the cytotoxic activity of CD8+T cells in tissues with higher Siglec-9+TAMs. CONCLUSIONS: Siglec-9+TAMs may serve as an independent prognostic of poor survival but a predictive biomarker for anti-PD-1/antiprogrammed death ligand-1 immunotherapy in HGSC. In addition, the potential of immunosuppressive Siglec-9+TAMs as a therapeutic target is worth further exploration.

Attenuation of Sialylation Augments Antitumor Immunity and Improves Response to Immunotherapy in Ovarian Cancer.

Aberrant sialylation functions as an important modulator of all steps of malignant transformation. Therefore, targeting sialylation regulators, such as sialyltransferases and neuraminidases, is a potential strategy for treating cancer. Here, we found that elevated α2,3-sialyltransferase III (St3gal3) was associated with dismal prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC). St3gal3 knockdown antagonized subcutaneous tumor growth in immunocompetent, but not immunodeficient mice, with enhanced accumulation of functional CD8+ T cells and antitumor immune gene signatures. St3gal3 knockdown inhibited intraperitoneal tumor growth and repolarized tumor-associated macrophages from a protumorigenic M2-like to a tumor-suppressive M1-like phenotype. In vitro, St3gal3 knockdown tumor cells guided bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) toward the M1-like phenotype under both direct contact and distant Transwell coculture conditions. Depletion of macrophages rescued the suppressed tumor growth induced by St3gal3 knockdown and completely suppressed infiltration of functional CD8+ T cells that rely on macrophage-derived CXCL10. St3gal3 engendered an immunosuppressive HGSC microenvironment characterized by an abundance of pro-tumorigenic macrophages and reduced cytotoxic T-cell infiltration. In vivo, St3gal3 knockdown improved effectiveness of dual immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) with αPD-1 and αCTLA4 antibodies. Preclinical inhibition of sialylation with ambroxol resulted in decreased tumor growth and prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice, which was enhanced by the addition of dual ICB. These findings indicate that altered sialylation induced by St3gal3 upregulation promotes a tumor-suppressive microenvironment in HGSC and targeting α2,3-sialylation may reprogram the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Blocking sialylation augments antitumor immunity and enhances response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy, highlighting a potential therapeutic approach for treating patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

A snapshot review on materials enabled multimodal bioelectronics for neurological and cardiac research.

Seamless integration of the body and electronics toward the understanding, quantification, and control of disease states remains one of the grand scientific challenges of this era. As such, research efforts have been dedicated to developing bioelectronic devices for chemical, mechanical, and electrical sensing, and cellular and tissue functionality modulation. The technologies developed to achieve these capabilities cross a wide range of materials and scale (and dimensionality), e.g., from micrometer to centimeters (from 2-dimensional (2D) to 3-dimensional (3D) assemblies). The integration into multimodal systems which allow greater insight and control into intrinsically multifaceted biological systems requires careful design and selection. This snapshot review will highlight the state-of-the-art in cellular recording and modulation as well as the material considerations for the design and manufacturing of devices integrating their capabilities.

Identification of a BAHD Acyltransferase Gene Involved in Plant Growth and Secondary Metabolism in Tea Plants.

Plant acyl-CoA dominated acyltransferases (named BAHD) comprise a large appointed protein superfamily and play varied roles in plant secondary metabolism like synthesis of modified anthocyanins, flavonoids, volatile esters, etc. Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an important non-alcoholic medicinal and fragrancy plant synthesizing different secondary metabolites, including flavonoids. In the tea (C.A sinensis) cultivar Longjing 43 (LJ43), eight samples were performed into three groups for transcriptome analysis under three biological replications. Among the BAHD acyltransferase genes in tea cultivars, the expression of TEA031065 was highest in buds and young leaves following the RNA sequencing data, which was coincident with the tissue rich in catechins and other flavonoids. We then transformed this gene into wild-type Arabidopsis as an over-expression (OX) line 1 and line 2 in ½ MS media to verify its function. In the wild types (WT), the primary root length, number of secondary roots, and total root weight were significantly higher at 24%, 15%, and 53.92%, respectively, compared to the transgenic lines (OX1 and OX2). By contrast, the leaves displayed larger rosettes (21.58%), with higher total leaf weight (32.64%) in the transgenic lines than in the wild type (WT). This result is consistent with DCR mutant At5g23940 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, anthocyanin content in transgenic lines was also increased (21.65%) as compared to WT. According to the RNA sequencing data, a total of 22 growth regulatory genes and 31 structural genes with TFs (transcription factors) that are correlative with plant growth and anthocyanin accumulation were identified to be differentially expressed in the transgenic lines. It was found that some key genes involved in IAA (Auxin) and GA (Gibberellin) biosynthesis were downregulated in the transgenic lines, which might be correlated with the phenotype changes in roots. Moreover, the upregulation of plant growth regulation genes, such as UGT73C4 (zeatin), ARR15, GH3.5, ETR2, ERS2, APH4, and SAG113 might be responsible for massive leaf growth. In addition, transgenic lines shown high anthocyanin accumulation due to the upregulation of the (1) 3AT1 and (3) GSTF, particularly, GSTF12 genes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. However, the TFs such as, CCoAMT, bHLH, WRKY, CYP, and other MYBs were also significantly upregulated in transgenic lines, which increased the content of anthocyanins in A. thaliana seedlings. In conclusion, a BAHD acyltransferase (TEA031065) was identified, which might play a vital role in tea growth and secondary metabolites regulation. This study increases our knowledge concerning the combined functionality of the tea BAHD acyltransferase gene (TEA031065).

Large-Scale Production of Wholly Cellular Bioinks via the Optimization of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Aggregate Culture in Automated Bioreactors.

Combining the sustainable culture of billions of human cells and the bioprinting of wholly cellular bioinks offers a pathway toward organ-scale tissue engineering. Traditional 2D culture methods are not inherently scalable due to cost, space, and handling constraints. Here, the suspension culture of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived aggregates (hAs) is optimized using an automated 250 mL stirred tank bioreactor system. Cell yield, aggregate morphology, and pluripotency marker expression are maintained over three serial passages in two distinct cell lines. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the same optimized parameters can be scaled to an automated 1 L stirred tank bioreactor system. This 4-day culture results in a 16.6- to 20.4-fold expansion of cells, generating approximately 4 billion cells per vessel, while maintaining >94% expression of pluripotency markers. The pluripotent aggregates can be subsequently differentiated into derivatives of the three germ layers, including cardiac aggregates, and vascular, cortical and intestinal organoids. Finally, the aggregates are compacted into a wholly cellular bioink for rheological characterization and 3D bioprinting. The printed hAs are subsequently differentiated into neuronal and vascular tissue. This work demonstrates an optimized suspension culture-to-3D bioprinting pipeline that enables a sustainable approach to billion cell-scale organ engineering.

Thermal Percolation in Well-Defined Nanocomposite Thin Films.

Thermal percolation in polymer nanocomposites─the rapid increase in thermal transport due to the formation of networks among fillers─is the subject of great interest in thermal management ranging from general utility in multifunctional nanocomposites to high-conductivity applications such as thermal interface materials. However, It remains a challenging subject encompassing both experimental and modeling hurdles. Successful reports of thermal percolation are exclusively found in high-aspect-ratio, conductive fillers such as graphene, albeit at filler loadings significantly higher than the electrical percolation threshold. This anomaly was attributed to the lower filler-matrix thermal conductivity contrast ratio kf/km ∼104 compared to electrical conductivity ∼1012-1016. In a randomly dispersed composite, the effect of a low contrast ratio is further accentuated by uncertainties in the morphology of the percolating network and presence of other phases such as disconnected aggregates and colloidal dispersions. Thus, the general properties of percolating networks are convoluted as they lack a defined structure. In contrast, a prototypical system with controllable nanofiller placement enables the elucidation of structure-property relations such as filler size, loading, and assembly. Using self-assembled nanocomposites with a controlled 1,2,3-dimension nanoparticle (NP) arrangement, we demonstrate that thermal percolation can be achieved in spite of using spherical, nonconductive fillers (kf/km ∼60) at a low volume fraction (9 vol %). We observe that the effects of volume fraction, interfacial thermal resistance, and filler conductivity on thermal conductivity depart from effective medium approximations. Most notably, contrast ratio plays a minor role in thermal percolation above kf/km ∼60─a common range for semiconducting nanoparticles/polymer ratios. Our findings bring new perspectives and insights to thermal percolation in nanocomposites, where the limits in contrast ratio, interfacial thermal conductance, and filler size are established.

Responses of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) with different low-nitrogen tolerances during recovery from nitrogen deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Tea plants have high nitrogen (N) consumptions, whereas molecular and physiological responses of tea plants to N recovery are still unclear. RESULTS: By using non-invasive micro-test technology (NMT), 15 N tracer technique, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), and transcriptome sequencing technology, we investigated the N recovery-induced changes in N absorptions, N tissue distributions, contents of free amino acids (FAAs), and global transcription of the low-N tolerant and intolerant tea genotypes [i.e. Wuniuzao (W) and Longjing43 (L)]. The results showed that the phenotype of Wuniuzao was better than that of Longjing43 under low-N condition. The N absorption and utilization of Wuniuzao were superior to Longjing43 under N recovery. The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) ratio (N recovery/N deficiency) in the root of Wuniuzao was significantly higher than that of Longjing43, while the glutamic acid ratio in the root of Wuniuzao was significantly lower than that of Longjing43. This findings suggested that Wuniuzao tended to enhance the GABA synthesis, while Longjing43 tended to inhibit the GABA synthesis under N recovery. The key genes in response to N recovery in Wuniuzao included N transport (AMT and NRT), N transformation (NR, NirA, and GAD), and amino acid transport (GAT) genes. In addition, some ribosome and flavonoid biosynthesis genes might help to maintain proteome homeostasis. CONCLUSION: The N absorption and transport, and the conversion abilities of key amino acids (Glu and GABA) might improve the adaptability of tea plants to N recovery, which provided a basis for the breeding of N efficient tea varieties. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stromal infiltrating mast cells identify immunoevasive subtype high-grade serous ovarian cancer with poor prognosis and inferior immunotherapeutic response.

Tumor infiltrating mast cells (TIMs), with pro- or anti-tumorigenic role in different types of malignancies, have been implicated in resistance to anti-PD1 therapy. Here, we aimed to identify the relevance of TIMs with the prognosis, immune contexture, and immunotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Tissue microarrays containing 197 HGSOC patients were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for detecting the expression of mast cell tryptase and other immune markers. Kaplan-Meier curve, log-rank test, and Cox regression model were applied to perform survival analysis. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis and flow cytometric analysis were selected to characterize TIMs. Furthermore, short-term HGSOC organoids were employed to validate the effect of TIMs on anti-PD1 therapy. Abundance of stromal TIMs (sTIMs) predicted dismal prognosis and linked to immunoevasive subtype of HGSOC, characterized by increased infiltration of pro-tumor cells (Treg cells, M2-polarized macrophages, and neutrophils) and impaired anti-tumor immune functions. Intensive inter-cell interactions between TIMs and other immune cells were identified, suggesting potential cross-talks to foster an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Organoids derived from sTIMs-low patients were associated with increased response to anti-PD-1 treatment other than the presence of high sTIMs infiltration. A nomogram, constructed by combining FIGO stage, sTIMs, and PD-L1, with an area under the curve (AUC) for predicting 5-year overall survival of 0.771 was better than that of FIGO staging system of 0.619. sTIMs/PD-L1-based classifier has potential clinical application in predicting prognosis of patients with HGSOC. sTIMs-high tumors correlate with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and possess potential insensitivity to immunotherapy.

Spatial cytotoxic and memory T cells in tumor predict superior survival outcomes in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Although the association between tumor-infiltrating CD3+ T and CD8+ T cells and superior survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has been observed, the different spatial localization of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) possesses heterogeneous effects. We performed localized measurements in 260 HGSOC from 2 independent cohorts represented in tissue microarray format to determine the localized expression pattern and clinical significance of CD3+ T, CD8+ T, and CD45RO+ cells in HGSOC. Different density of spatial localization of CD3+ T, CD8+ T, and CD45RO+ cells exhibited heterogeneous association with OS. The combination of the center of the tumor and invasive margin localized CD8+ T cells (CD8CT&IM ) with the same margin localized CD45RO (CD45ROCT&IM ) was the most robust prognostic predictor. Immune score (IS) was constructed by integrating FIGO stage with CD8CT&IM and CD45ROIM&CT and had the best prognostic value in HGSOC. The low-, intermediate-, and high-IS groups were observed in 44.7%, 41.6%, and 13.7% of patients, respectively. Low-IS identified patients were at higher risk of death compared to high-IS identified patients (HR = 12.426; 95% CI 5.317-29.039, p < 0.001); meanwhile, we evaluate the RMSTs over 10 years of follow-up and obtained RMST values of 104.09 months (95% CI 96.31-111.87 months) in the high-IS group, 75.26 months (95% CI 59.92-90.60 months) in the intermediate-IS group, and 48.68 months (95%CI 38.82-58.54 months) in the low-IS group. In general, spatial localization can modulate the clinical effects of TILs in HGSOC. Thus, the spatial expression of CD8 and CD45RO could aid clinicians to determine the follow-up plan of patients with HGSOC.

The prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the prognosis of cervical cancer, we constructed a novel model with 5 specific cell types and identified a potential biomarker. METHODS: We employed CIBERSORT and xCell method to evaluate the abundances of 23 cells types in tumor microenvironment. Five specific cell types were filtrated to determine different immunotypes by applying least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression method. The expression of immune checkpoints (ICPs) and effectors were validated by immunohistochemistry. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relevance between PIK3CA mutational status and ICPs. RESULTS: Unsupervised clustering of patients on the basis of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and fibroblasts identified patients with shorter overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR]=3.0729; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.5103-6.2522; p=0.0118). An immunoscore (IS) signature consisting of 5 immune cell types infiltrating in tumor core (CD8T, activated NK cells, neutrophils, activated mast cells, macrophages) was constructed using LASSO Cox regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that the area under the curve of IS was significantly higher to that of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging alone (0.637 vs. 0.55). Survival analysis revealed patients in high IS group exhibited a poorer OS (HR=3.0113; 95% CI=1.8746-4.8373; p<0.0001). The multivariate analysis indicated the IS was an independent prognostic factor. In addition, the lower IS related to higher expression of ICPs and neoantigen load. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of IS in cervical cancer tissues could facilitate patient risk stratification and selection of immunotherapeutic responses, but more prospective studies are needed to assess its reliability.

Biochemical characterization of specific Alanine Decarboxylase (AlaDC) and its ancestral enzyme Serine Decarboxylase (SDC) in tea plants (Camellia sinensis).

BACKGROUND: Alanine decarboxylase (AlaDC), specifically present in tea plants, is crucial for theanine biosynthesis. Serine decarboxylase (SDC), found in many plants, is a protein most closely related to AlaDC. To investigate whether the new gene AlaDC originate from gene SDC and to determine the biochemical properties of the two proteins from Camellia sinensis, the sequences of CsAlaDC and CsSDC were analyzed and the two proteins were over-expressed, purified, and characterized. RESULTS: The results showed that exon-intron structures of AlaDC and SDC were quite similar and the protein sequences, encoded by the two genes, shared a high similarity of 85.1%, revealing that new gene AlaDC originated from SDC by gene duplication. CsAlaDC and CsSDC catalyzed the decarboxylation of alanine and serine, respectively. CsAlaDC and CsSDC exhibited the optimal activities at 45 °C (pH 8.0) and 40 °C (pH 7.0), respectively. CsAlaDC was stable under 30 °C (pH 7.0) and CsSDC was stable under 40 °C (pH 6.0-8.0). The activities of the two enzymes were greatly enhanced by the presence of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. The specific activity of CsSDC (30,488 IU/mg) was 8.8-fold higher than that of CsAlaDC (3467 IU/mg). CONCLUSIONS: Comparing to CsAlaDC, its ancestral enzyme CsSDC exhibited a higher specific activity and a better thermal and pH stability, indicating that CsSDC acquired the optimized function after a longer evolutionary period. The biochemical properties of CsAlaDC might offer reference for theanine industrial production.

The immune landscape during the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Deciphering the determinants of the intralesional immune reaction in cervical carcinogenesis may be conducive to improving the understanding of the disease and then improve outcomes. METHODS: Public gene-expression data and full clinical annotation were searched in Gene Expression Omnibus in the joint analysis of the array-based four eligible cohorts. The infiltrating estimation was quantified using microenvironment cell populations-counter algorithm and absolute-mode CIBERSORT and verified by flow cytometry analysis. An unsupervised classification on immune genes strongly associated with progression, designated by linear mixed-effects regression. We determined immune response and signaling features of the different developmental stages and immune phenotypes by functional annotation and systematically correlated the expression of immune checkpoints with cell-infiltrating characteristics. RESULTS: We identified the lesion-intrinsic immunosuppression mechanism was triggered at precancerous stages, such as genome instability and mutation, aerobic glycolysis, activation of proto-oncogene pathways and so forth. Predominant innate and adoptive cells were increasing from normalcy to cancer (B cell, total T cell, regulatory T cells [Tregs], monocytes, neutrophils, and M2-like macrophages) together with the decrease of CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell through the development of cervical cancer. Immune escape initiated on the expression of immunosuppressive molecules from high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and culminated in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Of note, the expression of immune checkpoints was escalated in the immune-hot and immune-warm phenotype largely encompassed by HSIL and SCC under the stress of both activated and suppressive immune responses. CONCLUSIONS: Immune surveillance is unleashing from low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions onwards and immune-suppression mechanisms are triggered in HSIL. Thorough knowledge of the immune changing pattern during cervical tumorigenesis contributes to finding the potential therapeutic targets to susceptive patients towards immune checkpoints inhibitors.

CXCL13 shapes immunoactive tumor microenvironment and enhances the efficacy of PD-1 checkpoint blockade in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) lack an effective response to immune checkpoint blockade, highlighting the need for more knowledge about what is required for successful treatment. As follicular cytotoxic CXCR5+CD8+ T cells are maintained by reinvigoration by immune checkpoint blockade in tumors, we attempted to reveal the relationship between CXCR5+CD8+ T cells and the tumor microenvironment to predict immunotherapy responses in HGSC. METHODS: 264 patients with HGSC from two cohorts and 340 HGSC cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort were enrolled. Ex vivo and in vivo studies were conducted with human HGSC tumors and murine tumor models. The spatial correlation between CXC-chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13), CXCR5, CD8, and CD20 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Survival was compared between different subsets of patients using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The therapeutic effect of CXCL13 and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade was validated using human HGSC tumors and murine models. RESULTS: High CXCL13 expression was associated with prolonged survival. Tumors with high CXCL13 expression exhibited increased infiltration of activated and CXCR5-expressing CD8+ T cells. Incubation with CXCL13 facilitated expansion and activation of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells ex vivo. CXCR5+CD8+ T cells appeared in closer proximity to CXCL13 in tumors and chemotaxis towards CXCL13 in vitro. The combination of CXCL13, CXCR5, and CD8+ T cells was an independent predictor for survival. In addition, CXCL13 was associated with clusters of CD20+ B cells. CD20+ B cells predicted better patient survival in the presence of CXCL13. Histological evaluation highlighted colocalization of CXCL13 with tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs). TLSs carried prognostic benefit only in the presence of CXCL13. CXCL13 in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy retarded tumor growth in a CD8+ T-cell-dependent manner, resulting in increased infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and CXCR5+CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data define a critical role of CXCL13 in shaping antitumor microenvironment by facilitating the maintenance of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells in TLSs and support a clinical investigation for a combination of CXCL13 and PD-1 blockade therapy in HGSC.

Tumour-associated neutrophils orchestrate intratumoural IL-8-driven immune evasion through Jagged2 activation in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumour associated neutrophils (TANs) play a controversial role in regulating immune surveillance and immune evasion in various malignancies. Here, we investigated the relevance of TANs with the prognosis and immune microenvironment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: We characterised TANs using flow cytometric analysis and immunofluorescence analysis. The prognostic merit of TANs in EOC was evaluated using cox regression analysis. Furthermore, we explored the therapeutic merit of targeting Notch signalling in EOC and determined its involvement in the immune microenvironment. RESULTS: High level of TANs is associated with a dismal prognosis and immune tolerance in EOC. TANs impaired cytotoxic effects of CD8+ T cells partly through Jagged2 (JAG2). Notch pathway blocked using γ-secretase inhibitor LY3039478 and anti-JAG2 antibody led to retarded tumour growth and augmented cytotoxic effects of CD8+ T cells. IL-8 contributes to the recruitment of TANs and the induction of JAG2 expression in TANs. Blockade of CXCR2 signalling reduces tumour growth rate, accompanied by a decreasing amount of TANs and increasing activity of CD8+ T cells. JAG2+TANs is an independent predictor of clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: JAG2+TANs are closely linked to IL-8-driven immune evasion microenvironment and may serve as a promising therapeutic target for the reinvigoration of anti-tumour immunity.

NMR Studies of Block Copolymer-Based Supramolecules in Solution.

Hierarchical assemblies from block copolymer (BCP)-based supramolecules have shown immense potential as programmable materials owing to their versatility for incorporating functional molecules and provide access to arrays of hierarchical structures. However, there remains a knowledge gap on the formation of the supramolecule in solution. Here, we applied NMR techniques to investigate the solution-phase behavior of the most studied supramolecular systems, polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)(3-pentadecylphenol) (PS-b-P4VP(PDP)r). The results show that the supramolecule likely adopts a coil-comb conformation, despite the small molecule's (PDP) rapid exchange between the bonded and free states. The exchange rate (>104 s-1) exceeds the NMR time scale at the frequency of interest. The supramolecules form under dilute conditions (∼2 vol %) and are attributed to the enthalpic gain of the hydrogen bonding between the PDP and 4VP. As the solute concentration increases (>10 vol %), the supramolecule forms micelle-like aggregates with PDP accumulated within the comb-block's pervaded volume based on analysis of the apparent molecular weight, viscosity, and chain dynamics. This work sheds light on the long-standing question regarding the evolution of the constituents in the BCP-based supramolecule in solution and provides valuable guidance toward their solution-based processing and morphological control.