RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the role of PD-1 blockade remains unknown in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the addition of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, to standard chemoradiotherapy in this patient population. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was conducted at nine hospitals in China. Adults aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed high-risk non-metastatic stage III-IVa locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (excluding T3-4N0 and T3N1) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using blocks of four to receive gemcitabine and cisplatin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent cisplatin radiotherapy (standard therapy group) or standard therapy with 200 mg sintilimab intravenously once every 3 weeks for 12 cycles (comprising three induction, three concurrent, and six adjuvant cycles to radiotherapy; sintilimab group). The primary endpoint was event-free survival from randomisation to disease recurrence (locoregional or distant) or death from any cause in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints included adverse events. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03700476) and is now completed; follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 21, 2018, and March 31, 2020, 425 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the sintilimab (n=210) or standard therapy groups (n=215). At median follow-up of 41·9 months (IQR 38·0-44·8; 389 alive at primary data cutoff [Feb 28, 2023] and 366 [94%] had at least 36 months of follow-up), event-free survival was higher in the sintilimab group compared with the standard therapy group (36-month rates 86% [95% CI 81-90] vs 76% [70-81]; stratified hazard ratio 0·59 [0·38-0·92]; p=0·019). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 155 (74%) in the sintilimab group versus 140 (65%) in the standard therapy group, with the most common being stomatitis (68 [33%] vs 64 [30%]), leukopenia (54 [26%] vs 48 [22%]), and neutropenia (50 [24%] vs 46 [21%]). Two (1%) patients died in the sintilimab group (both considered to be immune-related) and one (<1%) in the standard therapy group. Grade 3-4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 20 (10%) patients in the sintilimab group. INTERPRETATION: Addition of sintilimab to chemoradiotherapy improved event-free survival, albeit with higher but manageable adverse events. Longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether this regimen can be considered as the standard of care for patients with high-risk locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation, Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission, and Cancer Innovative Research Program of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados , Quimiorradioterapia , Quimioterapia de Indução , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Masculino , Feminino , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/terapia , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , China/epidemiologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/terapia , Quimiorradioterapia/métodos , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/uso terapêutico , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/efeitos adversos , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/administração & dosagem , Idoso , Cisplatino/uso terapêutico , Cisplatino/administração & dosagem , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Gencitabina , Desoxicitidina/análogos & derivados , Desoxicitidina/uso terapêutico , Desoxicitidina/administração & dosagem , Adulto Jovem , Adolescente , Intervalo Livre de ProgressãoRESUMO
Gemcitabine (GEM) based induction chemotherapy is a standard treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, approximately 15â¯% of patients are still resistant to GEM-containing chemotherapy, which leads to treatment failure. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of GEM resistance remain poorly understood. Herein, based on a microarray analysis, we identified 221 dysregulated lncRNAs, of which, DYNLRB2-AS1 was one of the most upregulated lncRNAs in GEM-resistance NPC cell lines. DYNLRB2-AS1 was shown to function as contain an oncogenic lncRNA that promoted NPC GEM resistance, cell proliferation, but inhibited cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, DYNLRB2-AS1 could directly bind to the DHX9 protein and prevent its interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase PRPF19, and thus blocking PRPF19-mediated DHX9 degradation, which ultimately facilitated the repair of DNA damage in the presence of GEM. Clinically, higher DYNLRB2-AS1 expression indicated an unfavourable overall survival of NPC patients who received induction chemotherapy. Overall, this study identified the oncogenic lncRNA DYNLRB2-AS1 as an independent prognostic biomarker for patients with locally advanced NPC and as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming GEM chemoresistance in NPC.
Assuntos
RNA Helicases DEAD-box , Desoxicitidina , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Gencitabina , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , RNA Longo não Codificante , Ubiquitinação , Humanos , Desoxicitidina/análogos & derivados , Desoxicitidina/farmacologia , Desoxicitidina/uso terapêutico , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismo , RNA Helicases DEAD-box/metabolismo , RNA Helicases DEAD-box/genética , Ubiquitinação/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Animais , Proteínas de NeoplasiasRESUMO
The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification possesses new and essential roles in tumor initiation and progression by regulating mRNA biology. However, the role of aberrant m6A regulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Here, through comprehensive analyses of NPC cohorts from the GEO database and our internal cohort, we identified that VIRMA, an m6A writer, is significantly upregulated in NPC and plays an essential role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of NPC, both in vitro and in vivo. High VIRMA expression served as a prognostic biomarker and was associated with poor outcomes in patients with NPC. Mechanistically, VIRMA mediated the m6A methylation of E2F7 3'-UTR, then IGF2BP2 bound, and maintained the stability of E2F7 mRNA. An integrative high-throughput sequencing approach revealed that E2F7 drives a unique transcriptome distinct from the classical E2F family in NPC, which functioned as an oncogenic transcriptional activator. E2F7 cooperated with CBFB-recruited RUNX1 in a non-canonical manner to transactivate ITGA2, ITGA5, and NTRK1, strengthening Akt signaling-induced tumor-promoting effect.
Assuntos
Carcinogênese , Fator de Transcrição E2F7 , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA , Humanos , Carcinogênese/genética , Transformação Celular Neoplásica , Fator de Transcrição E2F7/genética , Fator de Transcrição E2F7/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , RNA Mensageiro/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/metabolismo , Regulação para CimaRESUMO
Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contributes to tumorigenesis by modulating specific cancer-related pathways, but the roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-enriched lncRNAs and underlying mechanisms remain elusive in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we reanalyzed the previous genome-wide analysis of lncRNA profiles in 18 pairs of NPC and normal tissues as well as in ten paired samples from NPC with or without post-treatment metastases. We discerned that an oncogenic m6A-enriched lncRNA, LINC00839, which was substantially upregulated in NPC and correlated with poor clinical prognosis, promoted NPC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, by using RNA pull-down assay combined with mass spectrometry, we found that LINC00839 interacted directly with the transcription factor, TATA-box binding protein associated factor (TAF15). Besides, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase report assays demonstrated that LINC00839 coordinated the recruitment of TAF15 to the promoter region of amine oxidase copper-containing 1 (AOC1), which encodes a secreted glycoprotein playing vital roles in various cancers, thereby activating AOC1 transcription in trans. In this study, potential effects of AOC1 in NPC progression were first proposed. Moreover, ectopic expression of AOC1 partially rescued the inhibitory effect of downregulation of LINC00839 in NPC. Furthermore, we showed that silencing vir-like m6A methyltransferase-associated (VIRMA) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding proteins 1 (IGF2BP1) attenuated the expression level and RNA stability of LINC00839 in an m6A-dependent manner. Taken together, our study unveils a novel oncogenic VIRMA/IGF2BP1-LINC00839-TAF15-AOC1 axis and highlights the significance and prognostic value of LINC00839 expression in NPC carcinogenesis.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , RNA Longo não Codificante , Fatores Associados à Proteína de Ligação a TATA , Humanos , Aminas , Carcinogênese/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/genética , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Oxirredutases/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismo , Fatores Associados à Proteína de Ligação a TATA/genética , Fatores Associados à Proteína de Ligação a TATA/metabolismoRESUMO
Although messenger RNA translation is tightly regulated to preserve protein synthesis and cellular homeostasis, chronic exposure to interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in several cancers can lead to tryptophan (Trp) shortage via the indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)- kynurenine pathway and therefore promotes the production of aberrant peptides by ribosomal frameshifting and tryptophan-to-phenylalanine (W>F) codon reassignment events (substitutants) specifically at Trp codons. However, the effect of Trp depletion on the generation of aberrant peptides by ribosomal mistranslation in gastric cancer (GC) is still obscure. Here, it is shows that the abundant infiltrating lymphocytes in EBV-positive GC continuously secreted IFN-γ, upregulated IDO1 expression, leading to Trp shortage and the induction of W>F substitutants. Intriguingly, the production of W>F substitutants in EBV-positive GC is linked to antigen presentation and the activation of the mTOR/eIF4E signaling pathway. Inhibiting either the mTOR/eIF4E pathway or EIF4E expression counteracted the production and antigen presentation of W>F substitutants. Thus, the mTOR/eIF4E pathway exposed the vulnerability of gastric cancer by accelerating the production of aberrant peptides and boosting immune activation through W>F substitutant events. This work proposes that EBV-positive GC patients with mTOR/eIF4E hyperactivation may benefit from anti-tumor immunotherapy.
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Chemoresistance is a main reason for treatment failure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the exact regulatory mechanism underlying chemoresistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains to be elucidated. Here, we identify PJA1 as a key E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in nasopharyngeal carcinoma chemoresistance that is highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with nonresponse to docetaxel-cisplatin-5-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy. We find that PJA1 facilitates docetaxel resistance by inhibiting GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Mechanistically, PJA1 promotes the degradation of the mitochondrial protein PGAM5 by increasing its K48-linked ubiquitination at K88, which further facilitates DRP1 phosphorylation at S637 and reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, resulting in suppression of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis and the antitumour immune response. PGAM5 knockdown fully restores the docetaxel sensitization effect of PJA1 knockdown. Moreover, pharmacological targeting of PJA1 with the small molecule inhibitor RTA402 enhances the docetaxel sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, high PJA1 expression indicates inferior survival and poor clinical efficacy of TPF IC in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Our study emphasizes the essential role of E3 ligases in regulating chemoresistance and provides therapeutic strategies for nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Assuntos
Docetaxel , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Piroptose , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases , Ubiquitinação , Animais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cisplatino/farmacologia , Cisplatino/uso terapêutico , Docetaxel/farmacologia , Docetaxel/uso terapêutico , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Dinaminas/metabolismo , Dinaminas/genética , Fluoruracila/farmacologia , Fluoruracila/uso terapêutico , Gasderminas , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Mitocondriais/metabolismo , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Fosfoproteínas Fosfatases/metabolismo , Fosfoproteínas Fosfatases/genética , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Piroptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Piroptose/genética , Espécies Reativas de Oxigênio/metabolismo , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismo , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/genética , Ubiquitinação/efeitos dos fármacos , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
In the original publication [...].
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An increasing number of studies have found that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) play important roles in driving the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Our microarray screening revealed that expression of the lncRNA long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 173 (LINC00173) was upregulated in NPC. However, its role and mechanism in NPC have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that high LINC00173 expression indicated a poor prognosis in NPC patients. Knockdown of LINC00173 significantly inhibited NPC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Mechanistically, LINC00173 interacted and colocalized with Ras-related protein Rab-1B (RAB1B) in the cytoplasm, but the modulation of LINC00173 expression did not affect the expression of RAB1B at either the mRNA or protein levels. Instead, relying on the stimulation of RAB1B, LINC00173 could facilitate the extracellular secretion of proliferation-associated 2G4 (PA2G4) and stromal cell-derived factor 4 (SDF4; also known as 45-kDa calcium-binding protein) proteins, and knockdown of these proteins could reverse the NPC aggressive phenotype induced by LINC00173 overexpression. Moreover, in vivo LINC00173-knockdown models exhibited a marked slowdown in tumor growth and a significant reduction in lymph node and lung metastases. In summary, LINC00173 serves as a crucial driver for NPC progression, and the LINC00173-RAB1B-PA2G4/SDF4 axis might provide a potential therapeutic target for NPC patients.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , RNA Longo não Codificante , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA , Proteínas rab1 de Ligação ao GTP , Humanos , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação ao Cálcio/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Glicoproteínas/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Proteínas rab1 de Ligação ao GTP/genética , Proteínas rab1 de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/metabolismoRESUMO
Senescence is associated with tumor metastasis and chemotherapy resistance, yet the mechanisms remain elusive. Here, it is identified that nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients who developed distant metastasis are characterized by senescence phenotypes, in which circWDR37 is a key regulator. CircWDR37 deficiency limits cisplatin or gemcitabine-induced senescent NPC cells from proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, circWDR37 binds to and dimerizes double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR) to initiate PKR autophosphorylation and activation. Independent of its kinase activity, phosphorylated PKR induces I-kappaB kinase beta (IKKß) phosphorylation, binds to and releases RELA from NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα) to trigger nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, thereby stimulating cyclin D1 (CCND1) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype component gene transcription in a circWDR37-dependent manner. Low circWDR37 levels correlate with chemotherapy response and favorable survival in NPC patients treated with gemcitabine or cisplatin induction chemotherapy. This study uncovers a new mechanism of circWDR37 activated PKR in senescence-driven metastasis and provides appealing therapeutic targets in NPC.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Senescência Celular , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , RNA Circular , Humanos , Antineoplásicos/efeitos adversos , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Cisplatino/efeitos adversos , Cisplatino/farmacologia , Cisplatino/uso terapêutico , eIF-2 Quinase/genética , eIF-2 Quinase/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , RNA Circular/genética , Senescência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Senescência Celular/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Metástase Neoplásica/genética , Proteínas Nucleares/genéticaRESUMO
Accurate risk stratification for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) is crucial for prognosis and treatment decisions. Here, we develop a tumor microenvironment-associated circular RNA (circRNA) signature that can stratify LA-NPC patients with different risks of relapse and vulnerability to induction chemotherapy (IC). Relapsed-related circRNAs are identified by comparing expression profiles between patients with and without relapse, followed by quantitative validation in the training cohort (n = 170). A nine-circRNA signature is constructed to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Low-risk patients have significantly favorable clinical survivals, which is validated in the internal (n = 170) and external (n = 150) cohorts. They are characterized by an immune-active microenvironment and can derive benefits from IC. Meanwhile, high-risk patients characterized with pro-relapse and DNA repair-associated features, are vulnerable to chemoresistance. Overall, the circRNA-based classifier serves as a reliable prognostic tool and might guide chemotherapy decisions for patients with LA-NPC.
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Although radiotherapy can promote antitumour immunity, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, tumour cell-intrinsic tripartite motif-containing 21 (TRIM21) in tumours, is inversely associated with the response to radiation and CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumour immunity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Knockout of TRIM21 modulates the cGAS/STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, potentiates the antigen-presenting capacity of NPC cells, and activates cytotoxic T cell-mediated antitumour immunity in response to radiation. Mechanistically, TRIM21 promotes the degradation of the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 2 (VDAC2) via K48-linked ubiquitination, which inhibits pore formation by VDAC2 oligomers for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release, thereby inhibiting type-I interferon responses following radiation exposure. In patients with NPC, high TRIM21 expression was associated with poor prognosis and early tumour relapse after radiotherapy. Our findings reveal a critical role of TRIM21 in radiation-induced antitumour immunity, providing potential targets for improving the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with NPC.
Assuntos
DNA Mitocondrial , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Humanos , DNA Mitocondrial/genética , DNA Mitocondrial/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/radioterapia , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/metabolismo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/radioterapia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/metabolismo , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , UbiquitinaçãoRESUMO
Background: Inhibitory checkpoints are promising antitumor targets and predictive biomarkers in a variety of cancers. We aimed to identify the expression levels and prognostic value of multiple inhibitory checkpoints supported by preclinical and clinical evidence in head and neck lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (HNLELC). Methods: The expression of seven inhibitory checkpoints were evaluated in the tumor nest (TN) and tumor stroma (TS) of 102 HNLELC specimens using immunohistochemistry and digital pathology, and an inhibitory checkpoint-based signature (ICS) was subsequently constructed using the LASSO Cox regression model. Results: PD-L1, B7H3, and IDO-1 were mostly expressed in the TN, with median H-score of TN vs TS: 63.6 vs 14.6; 8.1 vs 1.0; 61.5 vs 34.7 (all P < 0.001), whereas PD-1, TIM-3, LAG-3, and VISTA were mainly observed in the TS, with median H-score of TN vs TS: 0.2 vs 12.4, 3.4 vs 7.1, 6.2 vs 11.9, 16.4 vs 47.2 (all P < 0.001), respectively. The most common simultaneously expressed combinations consisted of PD-L1 + B7H3 + IDO-1 + TIM-3 + LAG-3 + VISTA and B7H3 + IDO-1 + TIM-3 + LAG-3 in the TN (both occurring in 8.8% of patients) and PD-L1 + B7H3 + IDO-1 in the TS (4.9%). In addition, high-ICS patients had shorter 5-year disease-free (40.6% vs 81.7%; P < 0.001), regional recurrence-free (63.5% vs 88.2%; P = 0.003), and overall survival (73.5% vs 92.9%; P = 0.006) than low-ICS patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that ICS represented an independent predictor, which could significantly complement the predictive performance of TNM stage for 3-year (AUC 0.724 vs 0.619, P = 0.014), 5-year (AUC 0.727 vs 0.640, P = 0.056), and 10-year disease-free survival (AUC 0.815 vs 0.709, P = 0.023). Conclusions: The expression of inhibitory checkpoints and ICS classifier may increase the prognostic value of the TNM staging system and guide the rational design of personalized inhibitory checkpoint blockade therapy in HNLELC.
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Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Antígenos B7/metabolismo , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/mortalidade , Feminino , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/mortalidade , Humanos , Indolamina-Pirrol 2,3,-Dioxigenase/metabolismo , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise Multivariada , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Prognóstico , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Estudos Retrospectivos , Taxa de Sobrevida , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Increasing evidence has revealed the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as tumor biomarkers. Here, we introduce an immune-associated nine-lncRNA signature for predicting distant metastasis in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). The nine lncRNAs are identified through microarray profiling, followed by RT-qPCR validation and selection using a machine learning method in the training cohort (n = 177). This nine-lncRNA signature classifies patients into high and low risk groups, which have significantly different distant metastasis-free survival. Validations in the Guangzhou internal (n = 177) and Guilin external (n = 150) cohorts yield similar results, confirming that the signature is an independent risk factor for distant metastasis and outperforms anatomy-based metrics in identifying patients with high metastatic risk. Integrative analyses show that this nine-lncRNA signature correlates with immune activity and lymphocyte infiltration, which is validated by digital pathology. Our results suggest that the immune-associated nine-lncRNA signature can serve as a promising biomarker for metastasis prediction in LA-NPC.
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Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , RNA Longo não Codificante , Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica/métodos , Humanos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , RNA Longo não Codificante/genéticaRESUMO
Importance: Microbiota-tumor interactions have qualified microbiota as a promising prognostic biomarker in various types of cancers. Although the nasopharynx acts as a crucial niche of the upper respiratory tract microbiome, whether the intratumoral microbiota exists and its clinical significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain uncertain. Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of intratumoral microbiota for individual prognostication in patients with NPC. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included NPC biopsy samples from 2 hospitals: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China) and Zhejiang Cancer Hospital (Hangzhou, China) between January 2004 and November 2016, with follow-up through November 2020. A total of 802 patients were included according to the following criteria: with histologically proven NPC, without distant metastasis at initial diagnosis, had not received antitumor treatment before biopsy sampling, aged between 18 and 70 years, with complete medical records and regular follow-up, without a history of cancer, and successfully extracted enough DNA for experiments. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was disease-free survival, and the secondary end points included distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival. To assess the existence and load of intratumoral microbiota in 96 patients with NPC with or without tumor relapse, 16S rRNA sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used. The associations between intratumoral bacterial load and clinical outcome were evaluated in 241 fresh-frozen NPC samples (training cohort) and validated in paraffin-embedded NPC samples of internal (n = 233) and external (n = 232) validation cohorts. Metagenomic and transcriptome analyses were performed to ascertain the origin and underlying mechanism of intratumoral bacteria. Results: A total of 802 patients with NPC (mean [SD] age, 46.2 [10.6] years; 594 [74.1%] male) were enrolled. Microbiota presented within NPC tumor tissues, among which Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus predominated. Patients with a high bacterial load in the training cohort had inferior rates of disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.90; 95% CI, 1.72-4.90; P < .001), distant metastasis-free survival (HR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.58-6.39; P < .001), and overall survival (HR, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.90-6.11, P < .001) than those with a low bacterial load, a finding that was validated by the internal and external validation cohorts. Single-nucleotide variant analysis revealed that the nasopharyngeal microbiota was the main origin of NPC intratumoral bacteria. Transcriptome and digital pathology analyses demonstrated that a higher intratumoral bacterial load was negatively associated with T-lymphocyte infiltration. Conclusions and Relevance: Intratumoral bacterial load was a robust prognostic tool for patients with NPC in this cohort study, indicating potential guidance for treatment decisions in patients at different levels of risk of malignant progression.
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Microbiota , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Biomarcadores , China/epidemiologia , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Hospitais , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/patologia , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Nucleotídeos , Prognóstico , RNA Ribossômico 16S , Estudos Retrospectivos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Spatial information on the tumor immune microenvironment is of clinical relevance. Here, we aimed to quantify the spatial heterogeneity of lymphocytes and cancer cells and evaluated its prognostic value in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The scanned immunohistochemistry images of 336 NPC patients from two different hospitals were used to generate cell density maps for tumor and immune cells. Then, Getis-Ord hotspot analysis, a spatial statistic method used to describe species biodiversity in ecological habitats, was applied to identify cancer, immune, and immune-cancer hotspots. The results showed that cancer hotspots were not associated with any of the studied clinical outcomes, while immune-cancer hotspots predicted worse overall survival (OS) in the training cohort. In contrast, a high immune hotspot score was significantly associated with better OS (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.77, P = .006), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.24-0.75, P = .003) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20-0.81, P = .011) in NPC patients in the training cohort, and similar associations were also evident in the validation cohort. Importantly, multivariate analysis revealed that the immune hotspot score remained an independent prognostic indicator for OS, DFS, and DMFS in both cohorts. We explored the spatial heterogeneity of cancer cells and lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment of NPC patients using digital pathology and ecological analysis methods and further constructed three spatial scores. Our study demonstrates that spatial variation may aid in the identification of the clinical prognosis of NPC patients, but further investigation is needed.
Assuntos
Carcinoma , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Carcinoma/diagnóstico , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Humanos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/terapia , Prognóstico , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the mainstay treatment for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, some patients obtain little benefit and experience unnecessary toxicities from IC. We intended to develop a gene-expression signature that can identify beneficiaries of IC. METHODS: We screened chemosensitivity-related genes by comparing gene-expression profiles of patients with short-term tumor response or nonresponse to IC (n = 95) using microarray analysis. Chemosensitivity-related genes were quantified by digital expression profiling in a training cohort (n = 342) to obtain a gene signature. We then validated this gene signature in the clinical trial cohort (n = 187) and an external independent cohort (n = 240). Tests of statistical significance are 2-sided. RESULTS: We identified 43 chemosensitivity-related genes associated with the short-term tumor response to IC. In the training cohort, a 6-gene signature was developed that was highly accurate at predicting the short-term tumor response to IC (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.87, sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 75.6%). We further found that IC conferred failure-free survival benefits only in patients in the benefit group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34 to 0.87; P = .01) and not on those in the no-benefit group (HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.62 to 2.51; P = .53). In the clinical trial cohort, the 6-gene signature was also highly accurate at predicting the tumor response (AUC = 0.82, sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 71.8%) and indicated failure-free survival benefits. In the external independent cohort, similar results were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The 6-gene signature can help select beneficiaries of IC and lay a foundation for a more individualized therapeutic strategy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.
Assuntos
Expressão Gênica , Quimioterapia de Indução , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Área Sob a Curva , Estudos de Coortes , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Feminino , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/mortalidade , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/mortalidade , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/patologia , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the epigenetic mechanisms underlying NPC metastasis remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that hypermethylation of the UCHL1 promoter leads to its downregulation in NPC. Restoration of UCHL1 inhibited the migration and invasion of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo, and knockdown of UCHL1 promoted NPC cell migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, we found that UCHL1 interacts with CTTN, and may function as a ligase promoting CTTN degradation by increasing K48-linked ubiquitination of CTTN. Additionally, restoration of CTTN in NPC cells that overexpressed UCHL1 rescued UCHL1 suppressive effects on NPC cell migration and invasion, which indicated that CTTN is a functional target of UCHL1 in NPC. Our findings revealed that UCHL1 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in NPC and thus provided a novel therapeutic target for NPC treatment.
Assuntos
Cortactina/metabolismo , Metilação de DNA/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/patologia , Proteólise , Ubiquitina Tiolesterase/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Movimento Celular/genética , Regulação para Baixo/genética , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Lisina/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , Invasividade Neoplásica , Metástase Neoplásica , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Ligação Proteica , Ubiquitina Tiolesterase/metabolismo , UbiquitinaçãoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the epigenetic mechanisms underlying NPC metastasis remains poorly understood. We aimed to find functional genes which regulate the metastasis of NPC and identify therapeutic targets for NPC treatment. METHODS: Bisulfite pyrosequencing was used to analyze zinc finger protein 582 (ZNF582) methylation in NPC tissues and cell lines. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to determine the expression of ZNF582. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the biological function of ZNF582 in NPC. ZNF582-targeting genes were identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and were confirmed by ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assay. RESULTS: ZNF582 promoter was hypermethylated in NPC, and both the mRNA and protein levels of ZNF582 were down-regulated in NPC tissues and cell lines. The restoration of ZNF582 inhibited NPC migration, invasion, and metastasis, while the knockdown of ZNF582 promoted NPC migration, invasion, and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. ZNF582 directly regulated the transcription and expression of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3. Both Nectin-3 and NRXN3 were identified as functional targets of ZNF582, and the restoration or abrogation of these genes reversed the tumor suppressor effect of ZNF582 in NPC metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: ZNF582 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in NPC by regulating the transcription and expression of adhesion molecules Nectin-3 and NRXN3, which may provide novel therapeutic targets for NPC treatment.
Assuntos
Metilação de DNA , Fatores de Transcrição Kruppel-Like/genética , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas , Nectinas/genética , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Epigênese Genética , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Regiões Promotoras GenéticasRESUMO
Increasing evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancers. However, the functions and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are still largely unknown. Our previous lncRNA expression profiles identified that LINC01503 was overexpressed in NPC. Here, we verified that LINC01503 was highly expressed in NPC and correlated with poor prognosis. LINC01503 promoted NPC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC01503 recruited splicing factor proline-and glutamine-rich (SFPQ) to activate Fos like 1 (FOSL1) transcription, and ectopic expression of FOSL1 reversed the suppressive effect of LINC01503 knockdown on NPC progression. Moreover, androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcription activation was responsible for the overexpression of LINC01503, and AR ligand-dependent cell growth, migration, and invasion in NPC cells. Taken together, our findings reveal that AR-induced LINC01503 can promote NPC progression through the SFPQ-FOSL1 axis, which represents a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NPC patients.
Assuntos
Proliferação de Células/genética , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/genética , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/genética , Fator de Processamento Associado a PTB/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-fos/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , Receptores Androgênicos/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Metástase Linfática , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/metabolismo , Carcinoma Nasofaríngeo/terapia , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas/terapia , Fator de Processamento Associado a PTB/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-fos/metabolismo , Interferência de RNA , Receptores Androgênicos/metabolismo , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto/métodosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibition, has provided powerful tools against cancer. We aimed to detect the expression of common immune checkpoints and evaluate their prognostic values in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: The expression of 9 immune checkpoints consistent with 13 features was detected in the training cohort (n = 208) by immunohistochemistry and quantified by computational pathology. Then, the LASSO cox regression model was used to construct an immune checkpoint-based signature (ICS), which was validated in a validation cohort containing 125 patients. RESULTS: High positive expression of PD-L1 and B7-H4 was observed in tumour cells (TCs), whereas PD-L1, B7-H3, B7-H4, IDO-1, VISTA, ICOS and OX40 were highly expressed in tumour-associated immune cells (TAICs). Eight of the 13 immune features were associated with patient overall survival, and an ICS classifier consisting of 5 features (B7-H3TAIC, IDO-1TAIC, VISTATAIC, ICOSTAIC, and LAG3TAIC) was established. Patients with high-risk scores in the training cohort had shorter overall (P < 0.001), disease-free (P = 0.002), and distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.004), which were confirmed in the validation cohort. Multivariate analysis revealed that the ICS classifier was an independent prognostic factor. A combination of the ICS classifier and TNM stage had better prognostic value than the TNM stage alone. In addition, the ICS classifier was significantly associated with survivals in patients with high EBV-DNA load. CONCLUSIONS: We determined the expression status of nine immune checkpoints consistent with 13 features in NPC and further constructed an ICS prognostic model, which might add prognostic value to the TNM staging system.