Characterization of Natural Killer Cell Profile in a Cohort of Infected Pregnant Women and Their Babies and Its Relation to CMV Transmission.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpesvirus causing lifelong latent infection in most people and is a primary cause of congenital infection worldwide. Given the role of NK cells in the materno-fetal barrier, we investigated peripheral blood NK cell behavior in the context of CMV infection acquired during pregnancy. We analyzed the NK phenotype and CD107a surface mobilization on PBMCs from CMV-transmitting and non-transmitting mothers and newborns with or without congenital infection. NK cells from non-transmitting mothers showed the typical phenotype of CMV-adaptive NK cells, characterized by higher levels of NKG2C, CD57, and KIRs, with reduced NKG2A, compared to transmitting ones. A significantly higher percentage of DNAM-1+, PD-1+, and KIR+NKG2A-CD57+PD-1+ CD56dim cells was found in the non-transmitting group. Accordingly, NK cells from congenital-CMV (cCMV)-infected newborns expressed higher levels of NKG2C and CD57, with reduced NKG2A, compared to non-congenital ones. Furthermore, they showed a significant expansion of CD56dim cells co-expressing NKG2C and CD57 or with a memory-like (KIR+NKG2A-CD57+NKG2C+) phenotype, as well as a significant reduction of the CD57-NKG2C- population. Degranulation assays showed a slightly higher CD107a geomean ratio in NK cells of mothers who were non-transmitting compared to those transmitting the virus. Our findings demonstrate that both CMV-transmitting mothers and cCMV newborns show a specific NK profile. These data can guide studies on predicting virus transmission from mothers and congenital infection in infants.

Dietary Polyphenols Effects on Focal Adhesion Plaques and Metalloproteinases in Cancer Invasiveness.

Focal adhesion plaques (FAPs) play an important role in the communication between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) and in cells' migration. FAPs are macromolecular complexes made by different proteins which also interact with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Because of these fundamental properties, FAPs and MMPs are also involved in cancer cells' invasion and in the metastatic cascade. The most important proteins involved in FAP formation and activity are (i) integrins, (ii) a complex of intracellular proteins and (iii) cytoskeleton proteins. The latter, together with MMPs, are involved in the formation of filopodia and invadopodia needed for cell movement and ECM degradation. Due to their key role in cancer cell migration and invasion, MMPs and components of FAPs are often upregulated in cancer and are thus potential targets for cancer therapy. Polyphenols, a large group of organic compounds found in plant-based food and beverages, are reported to have many beneficial healthy effects, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, we discuss the growing evidence which demonstrates that polyphenols can interact with the different components of FAPs and MMPs, inhibit various pathways like PI3K/Akt, lower focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation and decrease cancer cells' invasiveness, leading to an overall antitumoral effect. Finally, here we highlight that polyphenols could hold potential as adjunctive therapies to conventional cancer treatments due to their ability to target key mechanisms involved in cancer progression.

The endocrine disruptor cadmium modulates the androgen-estrogen receptors ratio and induces inflammatory cytokines in luminal (A) cell models of breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy that affects women, and it is, to date, their leading cause of death. Luminal A molecular subtype accounts for 40% of BC and is characterized by hormone receptors positive/human epidermal growth factor 2 expression and current treatment consists of surgery plus aromatase inhibitor therapy. Interestingly, several studies demonstrated that the heavy metal cadmium (Cd), classified as a group 1 human carcinogen and widely spread in the environment, exerts estrogen-like activities in several tissues and suggested an intriguing relationship between increased Cd exposure and BC incidence. Thus, aim of this study was to evaluate effects of Cd on Luminal A BC estrogen receptor (ER) positive/progesterone receptor positive cell models in vitro to characterize the mechanism(s) involved in breast cell homeostasis disruption. METHODS: T47D and MCF7 were exposed to Cd (0.5-1 µM) for 6-24 h to evaluate potential alterations in: cells viability, steroid receptors and intracellular signaling by western blot. Moreover, we evaluated the expression of inflammatory cytokines interleukin by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Our results showed a significant induction of androgen receptor (AR) and an increased AR/ER ratio. Further, Cd exposure increased pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)6, IL8 and tumor necrosis factor α levels. Finally, as previously demonstrated by our group, Cd alters pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase family and protein kinase B. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study demonstrates that Cd modifies the expression and pattern of ERs and AR in BC cell lines, suggesting an alteration of BC cells homeostasis, likely predisposing to a carcinogenetic microenvironment.

Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Senescence Is Alleviated Following Treatment with Combined Polyphenols and Micronutrients through Enhancement in Mitophagy.

Oxidative stress and impaired mitophagy are the hallmarks of cardiomyocyte senescence. Specifically, a decrease in mitophagic flux leads to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria and the development of senescence through increased ROS and other mediators. In this study, we describe the preventive role of A5+, a mix of polyphenols and other micronutrients, in doxorubicin (DOXO)-induced senescence of H9C2 cells. Specifically, H9C2 cells exposed to DOXO showed an increase in the protein expression proteins of senescence-associated genes, p21 and p16, and a decrease in the telomere binding factors TRF1 and TRF2, indicative of senescence induction. Nevertheless, A5+ pre-treatment attenuated the senescent-like cell phenotype, as evidenced by inhibition of all senescent markers and a decrease in SA-ß-gal staining in DOXO-treated H9C2 cells. Importantly, A5+ restored the LC3 II/LC3 I ratio, Parkin and BNIP3 expression, therefore rescuing mitophagy, and decreased ROS production. Further, A5+ pre-treatment determined a ripolarization of the mitochondrial membrane and improved basal respiration. A5+-mediated protective effects might be related to its ability to activate mitochondrial SIRT3 in synergy with other micronutrients, but in contrast with SIRT4 activation. Accordingly, SIRT4 knockdown in H9C2 cells further increased MnSOD activity, enhanced mitophagy, and reduced ROS generation following A5+ pre-treatment and DOXO exposure compared to WT cells. Indeed, we demonstrated that A5+ protects H9C2 cells from DOXO-induced senescence, establishing a new specific role for A5+ in controlling mitochondrial quality control by restoring SIRT3 activity and mitophagy, which provided a molecular basis for the development of therapeutic strategies against cardiomyocyte senescence.

Curcumin potentiates the ErbB receptors inhibitor Afatinib for enhanced antitumor activity in malignant mesothelioma.

Several attempts have been made to develop targeted therapies for malignant mesothelioma (MM), an aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis. In this study we evaluated whether Curcumin (CUR) potentiated the antitumor activity of the ErbB receptors inhibitor Afatinib (AFA) on MM, employing cell lines cultured in vitro and mice bearing intraperitoneally transplanted, syngeneic MM cells. The rationale behind this hypothesis was that CUR could counteract mechanisms of acquired resistance to AFA. We analysed CUR and AFA effects on MM cell growth, cell cycle, autophagy, and on the modulation of tumour-supporting signalling pathways.This study demonstrated that, as compared to the individual compounds, the combination of AFA + CUR had a stronger effect on MM progression which can be ascribed either to increased tumour cell growth inhibition or to an enhanced pro-apoptotic effect. These results warrant future studies aimed at further exploring the therapeutic potential of AFA + CUR-based combination regimens for MM treatment.

Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling in Gastrointestinal Cancer: Role of miRNAs as Biomarkers of Tumor Invasion.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are the most frequent neoplasm, responsible for half of all cancer-related deaths. Metastasis is the leading cause of death from GI cancer; thus, studying the processes that regulate cancer cell migration is of paramount importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms adopted by cancer cells to promote cell migration and the subsequent metastasis formation by highlighting the key role that tumor microenvironment components play in deregulating cellular pathways involved in these processes. We, therefore, provide an overview of the role of different microRNAs in promoting tumor metastasis and their role as potential biomarkers for the prognosis, monitoring, and diagnosis of GI cancer patients. Finally, we relate the possible use of nutraceuticals as a new strategy for targeting numerous microRNAs and different pathways involved in GI tumor invasiveness.

DNAM-1 chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells: a new frontier for CAR-NK cell-based immunotherapy.

DNAM-1 is a major NK cell activating receptor and, together with NKG2D and NCRs, by binding specific ligands, strongly contributes to mediating the killing of tumor or virus-infected cells. DNAM-1 specifically recognizes PVR and Nectin-2 ligands that are expressed on some virus-infected cells and on a broad spectrum of tumor cells of both hematological and solid malignancies. So far, while NK cells engineered for different antigen chimeric receptors (CARs) or chimeric NKG2D receptor have been extensively tested in preclinical and clinical studies, the use of DNAM-1 chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells has been proposed only in our recent proof-of-concept study and deserves further development. The aim of this perspective study is to describe the rationale for using this novel tool as a new anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Novel Therapeutic Targets for Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer.

The various immune effector cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a key role in directing the outcome of tumor growth [...].

The Effect of Dietary Factors on Cancer.

The effects of dietary factors on cancer have been widely studied for several decades [...].

Antitumoral effects of Bortezomib in malignant mesothelioma: evidence of mild endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro and activation of T cell response in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare tumor with a dismal prognosis. The low efficacy of current treatment options highlights the urge to identify more effective therapies aimed at improving MM patients' survival. Bortezomib (Bor) is a specific and reversible inhibitor of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S core of the proteasome, currently approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. On the other hand, Bor appears to have limited clinical effects on solid tumors, because of its low penetration and accumulation into tumor tissues following intravenous administration. These limitations could be overcome in MM through intracavitary delivery, with the advantage of increasing local drug concentration and decreasing systemic toxicity. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of Bor on cell survival, cell cycle distribution and modulation of apoptotic and pro-survival pathways in human MM cell lines of different histotypes cultured in vitro. Further, using a mouse MM cell line that reproducibly forms ascites when intraperitoneally injected in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, we investigated the effects of intraperitoneal Bor administration in vivo on both tumor growth and the modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment. RESULTS: We demonstrate that Bor inhibited MM cell growth and induced apoptosis. Further, Bor activated the Unfolded Protein Response, which however appeared to participate in lowering cells' sensitivity to the drug's cytotoxic effects. Bor also affected the expression of EGFR and ErbB2 and the activation of downstream pro-survival signaling effectors, including ERK1/2 and AKT. In vivo, Bor was able to suppress MM growth and extend mice survival. The Bor-mediated delay of tumor progression was sustained by increased activation of T lymphocytes recruited to the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented herein support the use of Bor in MM and advocate future studies aimed at defining the therapeutic potential of Bor and Bor-based combination regimens for this treatment-resistant, aggressive tumor.

The Combination of Immune Checkpoint Blockade with Tumor Vessel Normalization as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Breast Cancer: An Overview of Preclinical and Clinical Studies.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have a modest clinical activity when administered as monotherapy against breast cancer (BC), the most common malignancy in women. Novel combinatorial strategies are currently being investigated to overcome resistance to ICIs and promote antitumor immune responses in a greater proportion of BC patients. Recent studies have shown that the BC abnormal vasculature is associated with immune suppression in patients, and hampers both drug delivery and immune effector cell trafficking to tumor nests. Thus, strategies directed at normalizing (i.e., at remodeling and stabilizing) the immature, abnormal tumor vessels are receiving much attention. In particular, the combination of ICIs with tumor vessel normalizing agents is thought to hold great promise for the treatment of BC patients. Indeed, a compelling body of evidence indicates that the addition of low doses of antiangiogenic drugs to ICIs substantially improves antitumor immunity. In this review, we outline the impact that the reciprocal interactions occurring between tumor angiogenesis and immune cells have on the immune evasion and clinical progression of BC. In addition, we overview preclinical and clinical studies that are presently evaluating the therapeutic effectiveness of combining ICIs with antiangiogenic drugs in BC patients.

Recent findings on the impact of ErbB receptors status on prognosis and therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer type, has often an aggressive course and is poorly responsive to current therapeutic approaches, so that 5-year survival rates for patients diagnosed with advanced disease is lower than 50%. The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) has emerged as an established oncogene in HNSCC. Indeed, although HNSCCs are a heterogeneous group of cancers which differ for histological, molecular and clinical features, EGFR is overexpressed or mutated in a percentage of cases up to about 90%. Moreover, aberrant expression of the other members of the ErbB receptor family, ErbB2, ErbB3 and ErbB4, has also been reported in variable proportions of HNSCCs. Therefore, an increased expression/activity of one or multiple ErbB receptors is found in the vast majority of patients with HNSCC. While aberrant ErbB signaling has long been known to play a critical role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion, metastatization and resistance to therapy, more recent evidence has revealed its impact on other features of cancer cells' biology, such as the ability to evade antitumor immunity. In this paper we will review recent findings on how ErbB receptors expression and activity, including that associated with non-canonical signaling mechanisms, impacts on prognosis and therapy of HNSCC.

The Combination of Bioavailable Concentrations of Curcumin and Resveratrol Shapes Immune Responses While Retaining the Ability to Reduce Cancer Cell Survival.

The polyphenols Curcumin (CUR) and Resveratrol (RES) are widely described for their antitumoral effects. However, their low bioavailability is a drawback for their use in therapy. The aim of this study was to explore whether CUR and RES, used at a bioavailable concentration, could modulate immune responses while retaining antitumor activity and to determine whether CUR and RES effects on the immune responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and tumor growth inhibition could be improved by their combination. We demonstrate that the low-dose combination of CUR and RES reduced the survival of cancer cell lines but had no effect on the viability of PBMCs. Although following CUR + RES treatment T lymphocytes showed an enhanced activated state, RES counteracted the increased IFN-γ expression induced by CUR in T cells and the polyphenol combination increased IL-10 production by T regulatory cells. On the other hand, the combined treatment enhanced NK cell activity through the up- and downregulation of activating and inhibitory receptors and increased CD68 expression levels on monocytes/macrophages. Overall, our results indicate that the combination of CUR and RES at low doses differentially shapes immune cells while retaining antitumor activity, support the use of this polyphenol combinations in anticancer therapy and suggest its possible application as adjuvant for NK cell-based immunotherapies.

Mechanistic Insights into the Superior DNA Delivery Efficiency of Multicomponent Lipid Nanoparticles: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are currently having an increasing impact on nanomedicines as delivery agents, among others, of RNA molecules (e.g., short interfering RNA for the treatment of hereditary diseases or messenger RNA for the development of COVID-19 vaccines). Despite this, the delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA) by LNPs in preclinical studies is still unsatisfactory, mainly due to the lack of systematic structural and functional studies on DNA-loaded LNPs. To tackle this issue, we developed, characterized, and tested a library of 16 multicomponent DNA-loaded LNPs which were prepared by microfluidics and differed in lipid composition, surface functionalization, and manufacturing factors. 8 out of 16 formulations exhibited proper size and zeta potential and passed to the validation step, that is, the simultaneous quantification of transfection efficiency and cell viability in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293). The most efficient formulation (LNP15) was then successfully validated both in vitro, in an immortalized adult keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) and in an epidermoid cervical cancer cell line (CaSki), and in vivo as a nanocarrier to deliver a cancer vaccine against the benchmark target tyrosine-kinase receptor HER2 in C57BL/6 mice. Finally, by a combination of confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering, we were able to show that the superior efficiency of LNP15 can be linked to its disordered nanostructure consisting of small-size unoriented layers of pDNA sandwiched between closely apposed lipid membranes that undergo massive destabilization upon interaction with cellular lipids. Our results provide new insights into the structure-activity relationship of pDNA-loaded LNPs and pave the way to the clinical translation of this gene delivery technology.

DNAM-1-chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells, combined with Nutlin-3a, more effectively fight neuroblastoma cells in vitro: a proof-of-concept study.

Adoptive transfer of engineered NK cells, one of clinical approaches to fight cancer, is gaining great interest in the last decade. However, the development of new strategies is needed to improve clinical efficacy and safety of NK cell-based immunotherapy. NK cell-mediated recognition and lysis of tumor cells are strictly dependent on the expression of ligands for NK cell-activating receptors NKG2D and DNAM-1 on tumor cells. Of note, the PVR/CD155 and Nectin-2/CD112 ligands for DNAM-1 are expressed primarily on solid tumor cells and poorly expressed in normal tissue cells. Here, we generated human NK cells expressing either the full length DNAM-1 receptor or three different DNAM-1-based chimeric receptor that provide the expression of DNAM-1 fused to a costimulatory molecule such as 2B4 and CD3ζ chain. Upon transfection into primary human NK cells isolated from healthy donors, we evaluated the surface expression of DNAM-1 and, as a functional readout, we assessed the extent of degranulation, cytotoxicity and the production of IFNγ and TNFα in response to human leukemic K562 cell line. In addition, we explored the effect of Nutlin-3a, a MDM2-targeting drug able of restoring p53 functions and known to have an immunomodulatory effect, on the degranulation of DNAM-1-engineered NK cells in response to human neuroblastoma (NB) LA-N-5 and SMS-KCNR cell lines. By comparing NK cells transfected with four different plasmid vectors and through blocking experiments, DNAM-1-CD3ζ-engineered NK cells showed the strongest response. Furthermore, both LA-N-5 and SMS-KCNR cells pretreated with Nutlin-3a were significantly more susceptible to DNAM-1-engineered NK cells than NK cells transfected with the empty vector. Our results provide a proof-of-concept suggesting that the combined use of DNAM-1-chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells and Nutlin-3a may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of solid tumors, such as NB, carrying dysfunctional p53.

Efficient Delivery of DNA Using Lipid Nanoparticles.

DNA vaccination has been extensively studied as a promising strategy for tumor treatment. Despite the efforts, the therapeutic efficacy of DNA vaccines has been limited by their intrinsic poor cellular internalization. Electroporation, which is based on the application of a controlled electric field to enhance DNA penetration into cells, has been the method of choice to produce acceptable levels of gene transfer in vivo. However, this method may cause cell damage or rupture, non-specific targeting, and even degradation of pDNA. Skin irritation, muscle contractions, pain, alterations in skin structure, and irreversible cell damage have been frequently reported. To overcome these limitations, in this work, we use a microfluidic platform to generate DNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) which are then characterized by a combination of dynamic light scattering (DLS), synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Despite the clinical successes obtained by LNPs for mRNA and siRNA delivery, little is known about LNPs encapsulating bulkier DNA molecules, the clinical application of which remains challenging. For in vitro screening, LNPs were administered to human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines and ranked for their transfection efficiency (TE) and cytotoxicity. The LNP formulation exhibiting the highest TE and the lowest cytotoxicity was then tested for the delivery of the DNA vaccine pVAX-hECTM targeting the human neoantigen HER2, an oncoprotein overexpressed in several cancer types. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), immunofluorescence assays and fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCS), we proved that pVAX-hECTM-loaded LNPs produce massive expression of the HER2 antigen on the cell membrane of HEK-293 cells. Our results provide new insights into the structure-activity relationship of DNA-loaded LNPs and pave the way for the access of this gene delivery technology to preclinical studies.

Syntaxin-1a and SNAP-25 expression level is increased in the blood samples of ischemic stroke patients.

The interest for the discovery of blood biomarkers for several neurological disorders, including Ischemic Stroke (IS), is growing and their identification in blood samples would be revolutionary allowing a fast and better pathology prediction or outcome and to collect information on patient recovery. The increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier, following a brain infarct, allows the detection of brain proteins in the blood flow. In this work, we analyzed the expression levels of two synaptic proteins Syntaxin (STX)-1a and Synaptosomal Associated Protein, 25 kDa (SNAP-25), in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC), serum and in Neuronal Derived Extracellular vesicles (NDEs) of IS patients, age and sex matched healthy control (HC) and younger HC (Y-HC). Interestingly, we identified STX-1a protein in the cytoplasm of PBMC and both STX-1a and SNAP-25 expression levels were significantly augmented in all IS patient's blood fractions compared to control subjects. In addition, STX-1a blood levels correlated with the IS clinical scales National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS) and the modified Barthel Index (BI). These results prompted us to speculate that STX-1a and SNAP-25 hematic fluctuations depict the brain damage after an ischemic attack and that their hematic detection could represent a novel and accessible IS biomarkers.

The Multiple Roles of CD147 in the Development and Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Overview.

Cluster of differentiation (CD)147, also termed extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer or basigin, is a glycoprotein ubiquitously expressed throughout the human body, the oral cavity included. CD147 actively participates in physiological tissue development or growth and has important roles in reactive processes such as inflammation, immunity, and tissue repair. It is worth noting that deregulated expression and/or activity of CD147 is observed in chronic inflammatory or degenerative diseases, as well as in neoplasms. Among the latter, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by an upregulation of CD147 in both the neoplastic and normal cells constituting the tumor mass. Most interestingly, the expression and/or activity of CD147 gradually increase as healthy oral mucosa becomes inflamed; hyperplastic/dysplastic lesions are then set on, and, eventually, OSCC develops. Based on these findings, here we summarize published studies which evaluate whether CD147 could be employed as a marker to monitor OSCC development and progression. Moreover, we describe CD147-promoted cellular and molecular events which are relevant to oral carcinogenesis, with the aim to provide useful information for assessing whether CD147 may be the target of novel therapeutic approaches directed against OSCC.