UPR decreases CD226 ligand CD155 expression and sensitivity to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in hepatoma cells.

NK cells play important roles in anti-tumor immunity. CD226 is a major NK-cell activating receptor, which transduces activating signals after binding ligands CD155 and CD112. Here, we demonstrated that activated unfolded protein response (UPR) attenuated the sensitivity of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HCC) to NK-cell cytotoxicity by decreasing the expression level of CD226 ligand CD155 in HCC. The decreased expression level of CD155 was due to the involvement of the activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) pathways. In addition, the IRE1α pathway contributed to the increased expression level of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD)-related molecule HRD1 and facilitated the degradation of CD155. Moreover, we found that low levels of CD155 expression were significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Thus, our results provide molecular, cellular, and clinical evidence demonstrating a novel NK cell-associated immune evasion mechanism, and indicate that targeting this immune evasion pathway may be meaningful in treating patients with HCC.

miR-30c-1* promotes natural killer cell cytotoxicity against human hepatoma cells by targeting the transcription factor HMBOX1.

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in antitumor immunity, and the activation of NK cells is regulated by a series of NK cell receptors. Here, we show that crosslinking CD226, an important NK cell receptor, with the anti-CD226 mAb LeoA1 on NKL cells, regulated the expression of several microRNA and transmembrane tumor necrosis factor-α. Among them, miR-30c-1(*) was noticed because overexpression of miR-30c-1(*) triggered upregulation of transmembrane tumor necrosis factor-α expression and enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity against hepatoma cell lines SMMC-7721 and HepG2. Furthermore, we proved that the inhibitory transcription factor HMBOX1, which depressed the activation of NK cells, was the direct target gene of miR-30c-1(*). In conclusion, our results revealed a novel regulatory mechanism: miR-30c-1(*) promoted NK cell cytotoxicity against hepatoma cells by targeting HMBOX1.

Enhancement of DNA vaccine efficacy by targeting the xenogeneic human chorionic gonadotropin, survivin and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 combined tumor antigen to the major histocompatibility complex class II pathway.

BACKGROUND: A number of strategies have been used to improve the efficacy of the DNA vaccine for the treatment of tumors. These strategies, ranging from activating CD4+ T cell, manipulating antigen presentation and/or processing to anti-angiogenesis, focus on one certain aspect in the functioning of the vaccine. Therefore, their combination is necessary for rational DNA vaccines design by synergizing different regimens and overcoming the limitations of each strategy. METHODS: A DNA fragment (HSV) encoding the C terminal 37 amino acids of human chorionic gonadotropin ß chain (hCGß), 5 different HLA-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes from human survivin and the third and fourth extracellular domains of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was inserted into the sequence between the luminal and transmembrane domain of human lysosome-associated membrane protein-1 cDNA for the construction of a novel DNA vaccine. RESULTS: This novel vaccine, named p-L/HSV, has a potent antitumor effect on the LL/2 lung carcinoma model in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. The immunologic mechanism involved in the antitumor effect referred to the activation of both cellular and humoral immune response. In addition, the tumor vasculature was abrogated as observed by immunohistochemistry in p-L/HSV immunized mice. Furthermore, the immunized mice received an additional boost with p-L/HSV 6 months later and showed a strong immune recall response. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that the strategies of combining antitumor with antiangiogenesis and targeting the tumor antigen to the major histocompatibility complex class II pathway cooperate well. Such a study may shed new light on designing vaccine for cancer in the future.

Calreticulin as a potential diagnostic biomarker for lung cancer.

Calreticulin (CRT) is an endoplasmic reticulum luminal Ca(2+)-binding chaperone protein. By immunizing mice with recombinant fragment (rCRT/39-272), six clones of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated and characterized. Based on these mAbs, a microplate chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) system with a measured limit of detection of 0.09 ng/ml was developed. Using this CLEIA system, it was found that soluble CRT (sCRT) level in serum samples from 58 lung cancer patients was significantly higher than that from 40 healthy individuals (only 9 were detectable, P < 0.0001). Among them, serum sCRT in the small cell lung cancer was lower than that in adenocarcinoma (P = 0.0085), while both were lower than that in the squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.013, P = 0.0012, respectively). Moreover, it was found that sCRT in sera from the patients after chemotherapy was higher than that from the patients without chemotherapy (P = 0.042). Further study by immunohistochemistry showed that CRT was also highly expressed in the cytoplasm and on the membrane of the lung cancer cells, while there was a trace amount of CRT expression in normal lung cells. Correspondingly, the expression level of CRT on lung cancer cell membrane was associated with the tumor pathological grade. This study demonstrates that sCRT concentration in sera of lung cancer patients is higher than that in sera of healthy individuals, and CRT expression level on lung cancer cell membrane is associated with tumor pathological classification and grade. These findings suggest that CRT may be used as a biomarker in lung cancer prediction and diagnosis.

Case report: Rare epithelioid hemangioendothelioma occurs in both main bronchus and lung.

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare vascular tumor of endothelial origin with low- to intermediate-grade malignant potentials. Since there is no characteristic clinical or biological marker available for PEH, most cases require a surgical lung biopsy for diagnosis. To date, although some patients with PEH reported in the literature were diagnosed through bronchoscopic biopsy, most of the patients still underwent surgical lung biopsy for confirmation. In this case report, we present a rare case diagnosed as PEH through endobronchial biopsies due to the presence of an intraluminal mass that blocked the trachea and caused atelectasis in the right upper lobe. Moreover, since surgery was not appropriate for this patient with unresectable bilateral multiple nodules, we adopted genetic analysis using NGS to provide a guide for personalized treatment. Then, based on the NGS results, the patient was treated with anti-PD-1 mAb and sirolimus for 1 year and has been stable in a 1-year follow-up examination.

The Pathogenesis of Eosinophilic Asthma: A Positive Feedback Mechanism That Promotes Th2 Immune Response via Filaggrin Deficiency.

Eosinophilic asthma (EA) is a common subtype of asthma and often progresses to severe disease. In order to understand its pathogenesis, targeted next-generation gene sequencing was performed on 77 Chinese EA patients and 431 Chinese healthy controls to obtain differential genomic variations. Among the 41 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) screened for mutation sites in more than 3 patients, filaggrin gene FLG rs192116923 T>G and FLG rs75235053 C>G were newly found to be associated with EA patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) (P <0.001) and severe EA (P=0.032), respectively. Filaggrin has been shown to be mainly expressed in epithelial cells and plays an important role in formation of an effective skin barrier. Bioinformatic analysis indicated FLG rs192116923 T>G may increase the binding of Smad3 to transmit TGF-ß1 signaling, and thereby inhibit filaggrin expression, and FLG rs75235053 C>G may add new splicing sites to reduce filaggrin monomers. It has been known that the level of Th2 cytokine IL-4 is increased in EA patients, and IL-4 increases airway epithelial permeability and enhances inflammatory response through some unclear mechanisms. To figure out whether filaggrin is involved in immune responses in asthma, we have treated human respiratory epithelial cell line BEAS-2B cells with IL-4 and found that the expression levels of filaggrin and E-cadherin decreased significantly in a time and dose-dependent manner, suggesting that IL-4 increased airway epithelial permeability by reducing filaggrin and adhesion molecule. In addition, in our study, IL-4 increased the expression of epithel-derived inflammatory cytokines IL-33 and TSLP which further enhanced the Th2 inflammatory response. To investigate the role of filaggrin in development of EA, knockdown filaggrin with siRNA revealed a decrease in E-cadherin levels, which were further down-regulated by IL-4 stimulation. Knockdown of filaggrin alone did not affect the levels of IL-33 and TSLP, but further exacerbated the decrease of IL-33/TSLP caused by IL-4, suggesting that filaggrin may involve in IL-4R signaling pathway to regulate the level of IL-33/TSLP. In conclusion, in the Th2 cytokine milieu of asthma, FLG deficient mutation in airway epithelial cells may increase the epithelial permeability and the expression of IL-33/TSLP which positively feedback the Th2 inflammation response.

Lipopolysaccharide Activates the Unfolded Protein Response in Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: The activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) has been demonstrated in periodontal diseases. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the UPR is induced in periodontitis remain unclear. In this study, the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the induction of the UPR in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs) in vitro are investigated. METHODS: HPDLFs isolated from human PDLs were stimulated with various concentrations of Escherichia coli LPS (0.1, 1, and 10 µg/mL) for the indicated time points (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 hours). The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of molecular markers associated with UPR activation, such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), were measured at different time points of LPS treatment. Apoptosis of HPDLFs was assessed by Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining, followed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: LPS treatment of HPDLFs increased GRP78 mRNA and protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, LPS also induced the expression, splicing, and activation of XBP1 mRNA. Moreover, LPS-induced CHOP expression was concentration dependent: a lower concentration of LPS (0.1 µg/mL) had no effect on CHOP mRNA levels, but higher concentrations of LPS (1 and 10 µg/mL) markedly increased CHOP mRNA and protein expression without inducing apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that activating the Toll-like receptor-4 signaling pathway in HPDLFs using LPS triggers the UPR in vitro, warranting additional investigation into the precise mechanisms by which pathways promote this response under inflammatory conditions.

MicroRNA-30c promotes natural killer cell cytotoxicity via up-regulating the expression level of NKG2D.

AIMS: Natural killer (NK) cells play critical roles in antitumor immunity. Our previous study showed that over-expression of miR-30c-1* enhanced NKL cell cytotoxicity through up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-α via directly targeting transcription factor homeobox containing 1. MiR-30c, the complimentary microRNA of miR-30c-1*, has been found to exert regulatory effect on T cell function. However, the effect of miR-30c on NK cells is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether miR-30c could play a role to enhance NK cell activation and cytotoxicity. MAIN METHODS: Chemosynthesis exogenous miR-30c mimics and miR-30c inhibitor were transfected into NKL cells and isolated human peripheral blood NK cells, respectively. The expression levels of NK group 2, member D (NKG2D), CD107a and FasL on cell surface and cytotoxic ability of miRNAs transfected NKL cells against SMMC-7721 cells were evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: MiR-30c could increase the expression of NKG2D and CD107a on NKL cells, and enhance cytotoxic ability of NKL cells to kill SMMC-7721 cells. Moreover, miR-30c could up-regulate the expression of FasL on both NKL cells and human peripheral blood NK cells. However, the peripheral blood NK cells from only four in ten healthy donors appeared high expression levels of NKG2D and CD107a after miR-30c transfection. SIGNIFICANCE: MiR-30c could promote the cytotoxicity of NKL cells in vitro by up-regulating the expression levels of NKG2D, CD107a and FasL. However, the effect of miR-30c on ex vivo NK cells from different human individuals is diverse, indicating that miR-30c may play complicate and fine adjustment in immune system.

MICA/B expression is inhibited by unfolded protein response and associated with poor prognosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: MICA/B are major ligands for NK cell activating receptor NKG2D and previous studies showed that the serum level of soluble MICA (sMICA) is an independent prognostic factor for advanced human hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the correlation between cellular MICA/B expression pattern and human hepatocellular carcinoma progression has not been well explored. The unfolded protein response is one of the main causes of resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in tumor cells. However, whether the UPR in HCC could regulate the expression levels of MICA/B and affect the sensitivity of HCC cells to NK cell cytolysis has not been established yet. METHODS: MICA/B expression pattern was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was done to explore the relationship between MICA/B expression level and patient survival. The protein and mRNA expression levels of MICA/B in SMMC7721 and HepG2 cells treated by tunicamycin were evaluated by flow cytometry, Western Blot and RT-PCR. The cytotoxicity analysis was performed with the CytoTox 96 Non-Radioactive LDH Cytotoxicity Assay. RESULTS: MICA/B was highly expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma and the expression level was significantly and negatively associated with tumor-node metastasis (TNM) stages. Patients with low level of MICA/B expression showed a trend of shorter survival time. The unfolded protein response (UPR) downregulated the expression of MICA/B. This decreased protein expression occurred via post-transcriptional regulation and was associated with proteasomal degradation. Moreover, decreased expression level of MICA/B led to the attenuated sensitivity of human HCC to NK cell cytotoxicity. CONCLUSION: These new findings of the connection of MICA/B, UPR and NK cells may represent a new concrete theory of NK cell regulation in HCC, and suggest that targeting this novel NK cell-associated immune evasion pathway may be meaningful in treating patients with HCC.

[Cloning and identification of the variable region gene of mouse anti-human BAFF mAb].

AIM: To obtain the variable region gene sequence of heavy and light chain of mouse anti-human BAFF monoclonal antibody (mAb) on base of BAFF mAb which was cloned in our laboratory. METHODS: The total RNA was extracted from mouse anti-human BAFF mAb hybridoma cell line FMMUB(4);, and then the RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA. Specific primers were designed to amplify the targeted gene. The targeted gene fragments were inserted into vectors to construct the clone vectors. The gene sequences were analyzed after identified by positive clones screening and restrictive enzyme digestion. RESULTS: The variable region gene sequences of mouse anti-human BAFF mAb were obtained. CONCLUSION: The variable region gene sequences of mouse anti-human BAFF mAb will provide experimental basis for further study on constructing engineered antibodies.

[Prokaryotic expression, purification and identification of VEGFR2 D3.4/GST fusion protein in E.coli].

AIM: To construct a prokaryotic expression vector for the expression of VEGFR2 D3.4/GST fusion protein, Express and purify the fusion protein. METHODS: The coding sequence of the third and fourth extracellular domain of human VEGFR2 gene fragment was synthesized and subcloned into pGEX4T-1 vector downstream of the GST fragment, an E.coli expression vector, to construct a recombinant plasmid pGEX4T-VEGFR D3.4. Then the plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and induced to express fusion protein VEGFR2 D3.4/GST with IPTG. The expressed protein was purified by washing in urea and detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. RESULTS: SDS-PAGE analysis showed that a novel protein with the expected molecular mass (M(r);) about 46 000 was expressed with the inducement of IPTG. And it existed mostly in the form of inclusion body. Grayscale scanning showed that the expressed VEGFR2 D3.4/GST fusion protein accounted for 38.6% of the total bacterium protein. After the purified product was washed by urea, its purity reached 87.1%. Western blot confirmed the recombinant protein was VEGFR2 D3.4/GST fusion protein. CONCLUSION: High purification VEGFR2 D3.4/GST fusion protein is obtained through the E.coli expression system.