Investigating gene signatures associated with immunity in colon adenocarcinoma to predict the immunotherapy effectiveness using NFM and WGCNA algorithms.

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), a frequently encountered and highly lethal malignancy of the digestive system, has been the focus of intensive research regarding its prognosis. The intricate immune microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the pathological progression of COAD; nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aims to explore the immune gene expression patterns in COAD, construct a robust prognostic model, and delve into the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for COAD liver metastasis, thereby providing critical support for individualized treatment strategies and prognostic evaluation. Initially, we curated a comprehensive dataset by screening 2600 immune-related genes (IRGs) from the ImmPort and InnateDB databases, successfully obtaining a rich data resource. Subsequently, the COAD patient cohort was classified using the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm, enabling accurate categorization. Continuing on, utilizing the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method, we analyzed the top 5000 genes with the smallest p-values among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between immune subtypes. Through this rigorous screening process, we identified the gene modules with the strongest correlation to the COAD subpopulation, and the intersection of genes in these modules with DEGs (COAD vs COAD vs Normal colon tissue) is referred to as Differentially Expressed Immune Genes Associated with COAD (DEIGRC). Employing diverse bioinformatics methodologies, we successfully developed a prognostic model (DPM) consisting of six genes derived from the DEIGRC, which was further validated across multiple independent datasets. Not only does this predictive model accurately forecast the prognosis of COAD patients, but it also provides valuable insights for formulating personalized treatment regimens. Within the constructed DPM, we observed a downregulation of CALB2 expression levels in COAD tissues, whereas NOXA1, KDF1, LARS2, GSR, and TIMP1 exhibited upregulated expression levels. These genes likely play indispensable roles in the initiation and progression of COAD and thus represent potential therapeutic targets for patient management. Furthermore, our investigation into the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for COAD liver metastasis revealed associations with relevant processes such as fat digestion and absorption, cancer gene protein polysaccharides, and nitrogen metabolism. Consequently, genes including CAV1, ANXA1, CPS1, EDNRA, and GC emerge as promising candidates as therapeutic targets for COAD liver metastasis, thereby providing crucial insights for future clinical practices and drug development. In summary, this study uncovers the immune gene expression patterns in COAD, establishes a robust prognostic model, and elucidates the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for COAD liver metastasis, thereby possessing significant theoretical and clinical implications. These findings are anticipated to offer substantial support for both the treatment and prognosis management of COAD patients.

PD-L1 targeted peptide demonstrates potent antitumor and immunomodulatory activity in cancer immunotherapy.

Background: In recent years, immunotherapy has been emerging as a promising alternative therapeutic method for cancer patients, offering potential benefits. The expression of PD-L1 by tumors can inhibit the T-cell response to the tumor and allow the tumor to evade immune surveillance. To address this issue, cancer immunotherapy has shown promise in disrupting the interaction between PD-L1 and its ligand PD-1. Methods: We used mirror-image phage display technology in our experiment to screen and determine PD-L1 specific affinity peptides (PPL-C). Using CT26 cells, we established a transplanted mouse tumor model to evaluate the inhibitory effects of PPL-C on tumor growth in vivo. We also demonstrated that PPL-C inhibited the differentiation of T regulatory cells (Tregs) and regulated the production of cytokines. Results: In vitro, PPL-C has a strong affinity for PD-L1, with a binding rate of 0.75 µM. An activation assay using T cells and mixed lymphocytes demonstrated that PPL-C inhibits the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1. PPL-C or an anti-PD-L1 antibody significantly reduced the rate of tumor mass development in mice compared to those given a control peptide (78% versus 77%, respectively). The results of this study demonstrate that PPL-C prevents or retards tumor growth. Further, immunotherapy with PPL-C enhances lymphocyte cytotoxicity and promotes proliferation in CT26-bearing mice. Conclusion: PPL-C exhibited antitumor and immunoregulatory properties in the colon cancer. Therefore, PPL-C peptides of low molecular weight could serve as effective cancer immunotherapy.

Upregulation of Immune checkpoint PD-L1 in Colon cancer cell lines and activation of T cells by Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

Globally colorectal cancer ranks as the third most widespread disease and the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. Immunotherapy treatments like PD-L1 blockade have been used to inhibit the PD-L1 legend, which boosts the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Recently, studies suggest that some probiotics could potentially enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients. We found that in Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, the live Leuconostoc mesenteroides treatment resulted an increase in the PD-L1 expression and this treatment stimulated interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in Jurkat T-cells. Due to the well-established ability of IFN-γ to enhance PD-L1 expression, the combination of IFN-γ and L. mesenteroides was used in colon cancer cell lines and a resulting remarkable increase of over tenfold in PD-L1 expression was obtained. Interestingly, when L. mesenteroides and IFN-γ are present, the blockage of PD-L1 using PD-L1 antibodies not only improved the viability of Jurkat T-cells but also significantly boosted the levels of IFN-γ and IL-2, the T-cells activation marker cytokines. In addition to upregulating PD-L1, L. mesenteroides also activated Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NODs) pathways, specifically through TLR2 and NOD2, while also exerting a suppressive effect on autophagy in colon cancer cell lines. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a significant upregulation of PD-L1 expression in colon cancer cells upon co-culturing with L. mesenteroides. Moreover, the presence of PD-L1 antibodies during co-culturing activates Jurkat T cells. The observed enhancement in PD-L1 expression may be attributed to the inhibition of the Autophagy pathway or activation of the hippo pathway. KEY POINTS: Co-culturing L. mesenteroides increases PD-L1 gene and protein transaction in colon cancer. L. mesenteroides existing enhances T cells viability and activity. GPCR41/42 is a possible link between L. mesenteroides, YAP-1 and PD-L1.

Octyl itaconate enhances VSVΔ51 oncolytic virotherapy by multitarget inhibition of antiviral and inflammatory pathways.

The presence of heterogeneity in responses to oncolytic virotherapy poses a barrier to clinical effectiveness, as resistance to this treatment can occur through the inhibition of viral spread within the tumor, potentially leading to treatment failures. Here we show that 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI), a chemical derivative of the Krebs cycle-derived metabolite itaconate, enhances oncolytic virotherapy with VSVΔ51 in various models including human and murine resistant cancer cell lines, three-dimensional (3D) patient-derived colon tumoroids and organotypic brain tumor slices. Furthermore, 4-OI in combination with VSVΔ51 improves therapeutic outcomes in a resistant murine colon tumor model. Mechanistically, we find that 4-OI suppresses antiviral immunity in cancer cells through the modification of cysteine residues in MAVS and IKKß independently of the NRF2/KEAP1 axis. We propose that the combination of a metabolite-derived drug with an oncolytic virus agent can greatly improve anticancer therapeutic outcomes by direct interference with the type I IFN and NF-κB-mediated antiviral responses.

Principles of risk assessment in colon cancer: immunity is key.

In clinical practice, the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) following tumor surgical resection raises a critical dilemma for stage II colon cancer (CC) patients. The prognostic features used to identify high-risk CC patients rely on the pathological assessment of tumor cells. Currently, these factors are considered for stratifying patients who may benefit from ACT at early CC stages. However, the extent to which these factors predict clinical outcomes (i.e. recurrence, survival) remains highly controversial, also uncertainty persists regarding patients' response to treatment, necessitating further investigation. Therefore, an imperious need is to explore novel biomarkers that can reliably stratify patients at risk, to optimize adjuvant treatment decisions. Recently, we evaluated the prognostic and predictive value of Immunoscore (IS), an immune digital-pathology assay, in stage II CC patients. IS emerged as the sole significant parameter for predicting disease-free survival (DFS) in high-risk patients. Moreover, IS effectively stratified patients who would benefit most from ACT based on their risk of recurrence, thus predicting their outcomes. Notably, our findings revealed that digital IS outperformed the visual quantitative assessment of the immune response conducted by expert pathologists. The latest edition of the WHO classification for digestive tumor has introduced the evaluation of the immune response, as assessed by IS, as desirable and essential diagnostic criterion. This supports the revision of current cancer guidelines and strongly recommends the implementation of IS into clinical practice as a patient stratification tool, to guide CC treatment decisions. This approach may provide appropriate personalized therapeutic decisions that could critically impact early-stage CC patient care.

GSK0660 enhances antitumor immunotherapy by reducing PD-L1 expression.

Blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint is wildly used for multiple types of cancer treatment, while the low response rate for patients is still completely unknown. As nuclear hormone receptor, PPARδ (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor) regulates cell proliferation, inflammation, and tumor progression, while the effect of PPARδ on tumor immune escape is still unclear. Here we found that PPARδ antagonist GSK0660 significantly reduced colon cancer cell PD-L1 protein and gene expression. Luciferase analysis showed that GSK0660 decreased PD-L1 gene transcription activity. Moreover, reduced PD-L1 expression in colon cancer cells led to increased T cell activity. Further analysis showed that GSK0660 decreased PD-L1 expression in a PPARδ dependent manner. Implanted tumor model analysis showed that GSK0660 inhibited tumor immune escape and the combined PD-1 antibody with GSK0660 effectively enhanced colorectal cancer immunotherapy. These findings suggest that GSK0660 treatment could be an effective strategy for cancer immunotherapy.

Anti-Anisakis antibodies in colon cancer patients and their relationship with γδ T-cells.

Many pathogens are related to carcinogenesis. Chronic inflammation, as a result of persistent infection, leads to DNA damage, higher expression of oncogenes, decreased apoptosis and immunosuppression, which are some of the reasons for cancer induction. Among parasites, Schistosoma, Opistorchis and Clonorchis are recognised as infectious agents which contribute to cancer. A relationship between Anisakis and cancer was hypothesised because cellular responses to Anisakis products could result in inflammation and DNA damage. Previous research has shown a decrease in CD8+ γδ T-cells and an increase in αß and γδ T-cell apoptosis in colon cancer (CC) samples. Ninety-two CC patients and 60 healthy subjects were recruited. γδ and αß T-cells were analysed, and their apoptosis was evaluated. Anti-Anisakis antibodies were tested in sera from CC patients and controls. Anti-Anisakis IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE antibodies were significantly higher in CC patients. A significant increase in anti-Anisakis IgA levels was observed in patients with angiolymphatic invasion. The number of all γδ T-cells, as well as CD3+ CD4+ αß T-cells, was significantly lower in CC patients. The apoptosis of all T-cells was significantly increased in patients with CC. We observed a significantly higher percentage of anti-Anisakis IgE positive patients having a deficit of CD3+ γδ T-cells. Our results suggest a relationship between Anisakis and CC.

The phosphatase inhibitor LB-100 creates neoantigens in colon cancer cells through perturbation of mRNA splicing.

Perturbation of protein phosphorylation represents an attractive approach to cancer treatment. Besides kinase inhibitors, protein phosphatase inhibitors have been shown to have anti-cancer activity. A prime example is the small molecule LB-100, an inhibitor of protein phosphatases 2A/5 (PP2A/PP5), enzymes that affect cellular physiology. LB-100 has proven effective in pre-clinical models in combination with immunotherapy, but the molecular underpinnings of this synergy remain understood poorly. We report here a sensitivity of the mRNA splicing machinery to phosphorylation changes in response to LB-100 in colorectal adenocarcinoma. We observe enrichment for differentially phosphorylated sites within cancer-critical splicing nodes of U2 snRNP, SRSF and hnRNP proteins. Altered phosphorylation endows LB-100-treated colorectal adenocarcinoma cells with differential splicing patterns. In PP2A-inhibited cells, over 1000 events of exon skipping and intron retention affect regulators of genomic integrity. Finally, we show that LB-100-evoked alternative splicing leads to neoantigens that are presented by MHC class 1 at the cell surface. Our findings provide a potential explanation for the pre-clinical and clinical observations that LB-100 sensitizes cancer cells to immune checkpoint blockade.

Sijunzi decoction enhances sensitivity of colon cancer cells to NK cell destruction by modulating P53 expression.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Sijunzi Decoction (SJZD), a traditional Chinese herbal remedy, is frequently employed in the treatment of various cancers, including colon cancer. Previous research suggests that SJZD plays a pivotal role in modulating the immune system and enhancing immunity against tumors. However, the precise role of SJZD in combating colon cancer and its potential molecular functions in regulating natural killer cells remain elusive. AIMS OF THE STUDY: To elucidate the potential mechanism underlying the anticolon cancer effects of SJZD in synergy with natural killer (NK) cells through both in vivo and in vitro experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vivo experiments: A subcutaneous tumor mouse model of colon cancer and in vivo NK cell depletion experiments were conducted to observe the anticolon cancer effects of SJZD. Flow cytometry assessed immune cell depletion in mouse spleens, while immunohistochemical (IHC) staining detected the expression of apoptotic genes in tumor tissues. In vitro experiments: The mechanism by which SJZD regulates the sensitization of colon cancer cells to NK cells was investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and co-culture experiments with NK cells. RESULTS: Sijunzi Decoction (SJZD) significantly impeded tumor growth in mice; however, NK cell depletion markedly attenuated the tumor-suppressive effect of SJZD. Immunohistochemical (IHC) results indicated that SJZD increased the expression of P53, death receptor 4 (DR4), and death receptor 5 (DR5) in tumor tissues. In vitro experiments, 24 h SJZD-pretreated colon cancer cells showed a substantial elevation in P53, DR4, and DR5 levels, and the activity of colon cancer cells significantly diminished after co-culture with NK cells. These effects of SJZD were reversed with the addition of the P53 inhibitor pifithrin-α (PFT-α), resulting in reduced inhibition of colon cancer cells by NK cells. CONCLUSION: SJZD enhances the levels of DR4 and DR5 through the modulation of P53 expression, consequently increasing the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to NK cell-mediated killing. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of SJZD in patients with colon cancer. In this study, we first investigated the effect of SJZD on subcutaneous tumor growth in mice with colon cancer using in vivo assays and assessed the impact of NK cells on the anticolon cancer effect of SJZD in vivo through NK cell depletion. In vitro experiments were conducted to explore the potential mechanism of action of SJZD in NK cell-mediated anticolon cancer effects.

Identification and validation of regulatory T cell-associated gene signatures to predict colon adenocarcinoma prognosis.

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a common cause of cancer-related death. Due to the difficulty in early diagnosis and drug resistance, conventional treatments are difficult to be effective. Some studies have found that the functional recovery of T cells in the tumor microenvironment, especially regulatory T cells (Tregs), plays an important role in the progression of cancer. This study used the TCGA data set, clinical information and RNA-seq data of COAD patients to construct a Tregs-related risk score (TRS) through methods such as WGCNA, single-factor Cox, multi-factor Cox and random survival forest (RSF). Moreover, we also used the TCGA test set and internal validation set to verify the predictive ability of TRS, and used functional enrichment analysis and somatic mutation analysis to mine genes related to TRS, such as like thrombin/trypsin receptor 2 (F2RL2), inhibin subunit beta B (INHBB) and melanoma antigen family A12 (MAGEA12). Moreover, this study confirmed the expression of these prognostic genes using scRNA-seq data. We also performed qPCR analysis of various genes in normal and cancerous colon cancer cell lines to verify that these genes indeed play a role in CODA patients. We also constructed a mouse CODA model to study and evaluate the impact of key genes such as MAGEA12 on tumor growth in mice. This study explores the important role of Treg cells in the prognosis of COAD and discovers some potential biomarkers for the occurrence and development of COAD, which provides some new ideas for the treatment of COAD.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy combined with lenalidomide improves systemic antitumor activity in mouse solid tumor models.

Background: Hypofractionated radiotherapy (hRT) can induce a T cell-mediated abscopal effect on non-irradiated tumor lesions, especially in combination with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). However, clinically, this effect is still rare, and ICB-mediated adverse events are common. Lenalidomide (lena) is an anti-angiogenic and immunomodulatory drug used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. We here investigated in solid tumor models whether lena can enhance the abscopal effect in double combination with hRT. Methods: In two syngeneic bilateral tumor models (B16-CD133 melanoma and MC38 colon carcinoma), the primary tumor was treated with hRT. Lena was given daily for 3 weeks. Besides tumor size and survival, the dependence of the antitumor effects on CD8+ cells, type-I IFN signaling, and T cell costimulation was determined with depleting or blocking antibodies. Tumor-specific CD8+ T cells were quantified, and their differentiation and effector status were characterized by multicolor flow cytometry using MHC-I tetramers and various antibodies. In addition, dendritic cell (DC)-mediated tumor antigen cross-presentation in vitro and directly ex vivo and the composition of tumor-associated vascular endothelial cells were investigated. Results: In both tumor models, the hRT/lena double combination induced a significant abscopal effect. Control of the non-irradiated secondary tumor and survival were considerably better than with the respective monotherapies. The abscopal effect was strongly dependent on CD8+ cells and associated with an increase in tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in the non-irradiated tumor and its draining lymph nodes. Additionally, we found more tumor-specific T cells with a stem-like (TCF1+ TIM3- PD1+) and a transitory (TCF1- TIM3+ CD101- PD1+) exhausted phenotype and more expressing effector molecules such as GzmB, IFNγ, and TNFα. Moreover, in the non-irradiated tumor, hRT/lena treatment also increased DCs cross-presenting a tumor model antigen. Blocking type-I IFN signaling, which is essential for cross-presentation, completely abrogated the abscopal effect. A gene expression analysis of bone marrow-derived DCs revealed that lena augmented the expression of IFN response genes and genes associated with differentiation, maturation (including CD70, CD83, and CD86), migration to lymph nodes, and T cell activation. Flow cytometry confirmed an increase in CD70+ CD83+ CD86+ DCs in both irradiated and abscopal tumors. Moreover, the hRT/lena-induced abscopal effect was diminished when these costimulatory molecules were blocked simultaneously using antibodies. In line with the enhanced infiltration by DCs and tumor-specific CD8+ T cells, including more stem-like cells, hRT/lena also increased tumor-associated high endothelial cells (TA-HECs) in the non-irradiated tumor. Conclusions: We demonstrate that lena can augment the hRT-induced abscopal effect in mouse solid tumor models in a CD8 T cell- and IFN-I-dependent manner, correlating with enhanced anti-tumor CD8 T cell immunity, DC cross-presentation, and TA-HEC numbers. Our findings may be helpful for the planning of clinical trials in (oligo)metastatic patients.

Programming peptide-oligonucleotide nano-assembly for engineering of neoantigen vaccine with potent immunogenicity.

Background: Neoantigen nanovaccine has been recognized as a promising treatment modality for personalized cancer immunotherapy. However, most current nanovaccines are carrier-dependent and the manufacturing process is complicated, resulting in potential safety concerns and suboptimal codelivery of neoantigens and adjuvants to antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Methods: Here we report a facile and general methodology for nanoassembly of peptide and oligonucleotide by programming neoantigen peptide with a short cationic module at N-terminus to prepare nanovaccine. The programmed peptide can co-assemble with CpG oligonucleotide (TLR9 agonist) into monodispersed nanostructures without the introduction of artificial carrier. Results: We demonstrate that the engineered nanovaccine promoted the codelivery of neoantigen peptides and adjuvants to lymph node-residing APCs and instigated potent neoantigen-specific T-cell responses, eliciting neoantigen-specific antitumor immune responses with negligible systemic toxicity. Furthermore, the antitumor T-cell immunity is profoundly potentiated when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy, leading to significant inhibition or even complete regression of established melanoma and MC-38 colon tumors. Conclusions: Collectively, this work demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of personalized cancer nanovaccine preparation with high immunogenicity and good biosafety by programming neoantigen peptide for nanoassembly with oligonucleotides without the aid of artificial carrier.

Systematic Review of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for Mismatch Repair Deficient Locally Advanced Colon Cancer: An Emerging Strategy.

BACKGROUND: In April 2023, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network endorsed neoadjuvant immunotherapy for select patients with nonmetastatic mismatch repair deficient colon cancer. Approximately 15% of incident colon cancers are mismatch repair deficient, resulting in a distinct molecular subtype with high microsatellite instability that is responsive to immune checkpoint inhibition. OBJECTIVE: To describe the existing evidence supporting neoadjuvant immunotherapy for mismatch repair deficient, microsatellite unstable nonmetastatic colon cancer. DATA SOURCES: A medical librarian performed PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science searches most recently on April 24, 2023. The PubMed search was re-run on September 26, 2023, to identify any additional studies published between April 24 and September 26, 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Two authors screened titles and abstracts in the published studies. The inclusion criteria were 1) English language, 2) adults with primary cancer of the colon, 3) nonmetastatic disease, 4) neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and 5) reporting on 10 or more cases. INTERVENTION: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Safety (grade 3+ treatment-related adverse events) and efficacy (complete pathologic responses). RESULTS: From 7691 studies identified, 6370 were screened and 8 were included. Various agents, dosing regimens, and treatment durations were used, with durations of immunotherapy ranging from 1 to 16 cycles. Complete R0 resections were consistently achieved in 98% to 100% of resections. Of patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy and underwent resection, 50% to 91% had ypT0N0 pathology. The safety profiles were generally favorable, with grade 1 to 2 treatment-related adverse events (mostly immune-related) during immunotherapy reported in 22.2% to 70% of patients. Postoperative complications after neoadjuvant immunotherapy were reassuring, with no severe complications reported. LIMITATIONS: Small number of heterogeneous and uncontrolled studies precluding a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition is associated with high rates of pathologic complete responses in locally advanced colon cancer. The literature is limited, particularly for postoperative outcomes, and more studies are needed to understand the safety and positioning of these regimens in the neoadjuvant context.

Nanodrug modified with engineered cell membrane targets CDKs to activate aPD-L1 immunotherapy against liver metastasis of immune-desert colon cancer.

Immunotherapy based on the PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade has no benefit for patients diagnosed with colon cancer liver metastasis (CCLM) for the microsatellite stable/proficient mismatch repair (MSS/pMMR)) subtype, which is known as an immune-desert cancer featuring poor immunogenicity and insufficient CD8+ T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. Here, a multifunctional nanodrug carrying a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)1/2/5/9 inhibitor and PD-L1 antibody is prepared to boost the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-based immunotherapy against MSS/pMMR CCLM via reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To enhance the MSS/pMMR CCLM-targeting efficacy, we modify the nanodrug with PD-L1 knockout cell membrane of this colon cancer subtype. First, CDKs inhibitor delivered by nanodrug down-regulates phosphorylated retinoblastoma and phosphorylated RNA polymerase II and meanwhile arrests the G2/M cell cycle in CCLM to promote immunogenic signal release, stimulate dendritic cell maturation, and enhance CD8+ T cell infiltration. Moreover, CDKi suppresses the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines in tumor-associated myeloid cells sensitizing ICB therapy in CCLM. Notably, the great efficacy to activate immune responses is demonstrated in the patient-derived xenograft model and the patient-derived organoid model as well, revealing a clinical application potential. Overall, our study represents a promising therapeutic approach for targeting liver metastasis, remolding the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and enhancing the response of MSS/pMMR CCLM to boost ICB immunotherapy.

F1 fraction isolated from Mesobuthus eupeus scorpion venom induces macrophage polarization toward M1 phenotype and exerts anti-tumoral effects on the CT26 tumor cell line.

Scorpion venoms identified as agents with anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic features. Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in the process of tumorigenesis, tumor development, and polarization of M2 phenotype tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). M2 polarized cells are associated with tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. The fractionation process was performed by gel filtration chromatography on a Sephadex G50 column. To elucidate whether scorpion venom can alter macrophage polarization, we treated interleukin (IL)-4-polarized M2 cells with isolated fractions from Mesobuthus eupeus. Next, we evaluated the cytokine production and specific markers expression for M2 and M1 phenotype using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. The phagocytic capacity of macrophages was also assessed. In addition, the migration assay and MTT analysis were performed to investigate the effects of reprogrammed macrophages on the CT-26 colon cancer cells. The results indicated that F1 fraction of venom significantly upregulated the levels and expression of M1-associated cytokines and markers, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (p < 0.001), IL-1 (p < 0.01), interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) (p < 0.0001), induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (p < 0.0001), and CD86 (p < 0.0001), and downregulated M2-related markers, including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) (p < 0.05), IL-10 (p < 0.05), Fizz1 (p < 0.0001), arginase-1 (Arg-1) (p < 0.0001), and CD206 (p < 0.001). The macrophage phagocytic capacity was enhanced after treatment with F1 fraction (p < 0.01). Moreover, incubation of CT-26 cell line with conditioned media of F1-treated macrophages suppressed migration (p < 0.0001) and proliferation (p < 0.01) of tumor cells. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated the potential of Mesobuthus eupeus venom in M2-to-M1 macrophage polarization as a promising therapeutic approach against proliferation and metastasis of colon cancer cells.

Ruthenium-dihydroartemisinin complex: a promising new compound for colon cancer prevention via G1 cell cycle arrest, apoptotic induction, and adaptive immune regulation.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives are important antimalaria agents and have received increased attention due to their broad biomedical effects, such as anticancer and anti-inflammation activities. Recently, ruthenium-derived complexes have attracted considerable attention as their anticancer potentials were observed in preclinical and clinical studies. METHODS: To explore an innovative approach in colorectal cancer (CRC) management, we synthesized ruthenium-dihydroartemisinin complex (D-Ru), a novel metal-based artemisinin derivative molecule, and investigated its anticancer, anti-inflammation, and adaptive immune regulatory properties. RESULTS: Compared with its parent compound, ART, D-Ru showed stronger antiproliferative effects on the human CRC cell lines HCT-116 and HT-29. The cancer cell inhibition of D-Ru comprised G1 cell cycle arrest via the downregulation of cyclin A and the induction of apoptosis. ART and D-Ru downregulated the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8. Although ART and D-Ru did not suppress Treg cell differentiation, they significantly inhibited Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that D-Ru, a novel ruthenium complexation of ART, remarkably enhanced its parent compound's anticancer action, while the anti-inflammatory potential was not compromised. The molecular mechanisms of action of D-Ru include inhibition of cancer cell growth via cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, and anti-inflammation via regulation of adaptive immunity.

m6A and m5C modification of GPX4 facilitates anticancer immunity via STING activation.

Cancer immunotherapy is arguably the most rapidly advancing realm of cancer treatment. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) has emerged as the vital enzyme to prevent lipid peroxidation and maintain cellular redox homeostasis. However, the mechanism of GPX4 in the regulation of cancer immunotherapy of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) are incompletely understood. In pan-cancer analysis, we found that GPX4 showed remarkably upregulated expression and exhibited significant association with overall survival in multiple cancer types, especially COAD. Furthermore, upregulated GPX4 expression was positively correlated with increased immune cells infiltration and enhanced expression of immunomodulators. Mechanistically, RBM15B- and IGFBP2-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and NSUN5-mediated 5-methylcytosine (m5C) modification of GPX4 facilitated anticancer immunity via activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon (STING) signaling by maintaining redox homeostasis in COAD. The risk model and nomogram model constructed based on the GPX4-derived genes further confirmed the prognostic and treatment-guiding value of GPX4. In all, our study demonstrated that m6A and m5C modification of GPX4 may be a promising target for cancer immunotherapy via activating the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in COAD.

Comprehensive Analysis of CLCA1 Expression, Immune Infiltration and Immune Checkpoints in Colon Adenocarcinoma / Análisis Completo de la Expresión de CLCA1, Infiltración Inmune y Puntos de Control Inmunológico en Colonadenocarcinoma

SUMMARY: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a prevalent disease worldwide, known for its high mortality and morbidity rates. Despite this, the extent of investigation concerning the correlation between COAD's CLCA1 expression and immune cell infiltration remains insufficient. This study seeks to examine the expression and prognosis of CLCA1 in COAD, along with its relationship to the tumor immune microenvironment. These findings will offer valuable insights for clinical practitioners and contribute to the existing knowledge in the field. In order to evaluate the prognostic significance of CLCA1 in individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancers, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models along with receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. This study was performed on the patient data of COAD obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Nomograms were developed to anticipate CLCA1 prognostic influence. Furthermore, the CLCA1 association with tumor immune infiltration, immune checkpoints, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response, interaction network, and functional analysis of CLCA1-related genes was analyzed. We found that Colon adenocarcinoma tissues significantly had decreased CLCA1 expression compared to healthy tissues. Furthermore, the study revealed that the group with high expression of CLCA1 demonstrated a significantly higher overall survival rate (OS) as compared to the group with low expression. Multivariate and Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed the potential of CLCA1 as a standalone risk factor for COAD. These results were confirmed using nomograms and ROC curves. In addition, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and functional gene enrichment showed that CLCA1 may be associated with functional activities such as pancreatic secretion, estrogen signaling and cAMP signaling, as well as with specific immune cell infiltration. Therefor, as a new independent predictor and potential biomarker of COAD, CLCA1 plays a crucial role in the advancement of colon cancer.

El adenocarcinoma de colon (COAD) es una enfermedad prevalente a nivel mundial, conocida por sus altas tasas de mortalidad y morbilidad. Sin embargo, el alcance de la investigación sobre la correlación entre la expresión de CLCA1 de COAD y la infiltración de células inmunes sigue siendo insuficiente. Este estudio busca examinar la expresión y el pronóstico de CLCA1 en COAD, junto con su relación con el microambiente inmunológico del tumor. Estos hallazgos ofrecerán conocimientos valiosos para los profesionales clínicos y contribuirán al conocimiento existente en el campo. Para evaluar la importancia de pronóstico de CLCA1 en personas diagnosticadas con cáncer colorrectal, realizamos un análisis exhaustivo utilizando modelos de regresión de Cox univariados y multivariados junto con un análisis de la curva característica operativa del receptor (ROC). Este estudio se realizó con los datos de pacientes de COAD obtenidos de la base de datos The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Se desarrollaron nomogramas para anticipar la influencia pronóstica de CLCA1. Además, se analizó la asociación de CLCA1 con la infiltración inmunitaria tumoral, los puntos de control inmunitarios, la respuesta de bloqueo de los puntos de control inmunitarios (ICB), la red de interacción y el análisis funcional de genes relacionados con CLCA1. Descubrimos que los tejidos de adenocarcinoma de colon tenían una expresión significativamente menor de CLCA1 en comparación con los tejidos sanos. Además, el estudio reveló que el grupo con alta expresión de CLCA1 demostró una tasa de supervivencia general (SG) significativamente mayor en comparación con el grupo con baja expresión. El análisis de regresión de Cox multivariado y univariado reveló el potencial de CLCA1 como factor de riesgo independiente de COAD. Estos resultados se confirmaron mediante nomogramas y curvas ROC. Además, el análisis de la red de interacción proteína- proteína (PPI) y el enriquecimiento de genes funcionales mostraron que CLCA1 puede estar asociado con actividades funcionales como la secreción pancreática, la señalización de estrógenos y la señalización de AMPc, así como con la infiltración de células inmunes específicas. Por lo tanto, como nuevo predictor independiente y biomarcador potencial de COAD, CLCA1 desempeña un papel crucial en el avance del cáncer de colon.

Prognostic Biomarker SLCO4A1 Is Correlated with Tumor Immune Infiltration in Colon Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 4A1 (SLCO4A1), a member of solute carrier organic anion family, is a key gene regulating bile metabolism, organic anion transport, and ABC transport. However, the association of SLCO4A1 with prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) remains indistinct. Methods: Firstly, we explored the expression level of SLCO4A1 in COAD via GEPIA, Oncomine, and UALCAN databases. Secondly, we used the Kaplan-Meier plotter and PrognoScan databases to investigate the effect of SLCO4A1 on prognosis in COAD patients. In addition, the correlation between SLCO4A1 and tumor immune infiltration was studied by using TIMER and TISIDB databases. Results: Our results showed that SLCO4A1 was overexpressed in COAD tissues. At the same time, our study showed that high expression of SLCO4A1 was associated with poor overall survival, disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival in COAD patients. The expression level of SLCO4A1 was negatively linked to the infiltrating levels of B cells, CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells in COAD. Moreover, the expression of SLCO4A1 was significantly correlated with numerous immune markers in COAD. Conclusions: These results indicated that SLCO4A1 could be associated with the prognosis of COAD patients and the levels of tumor immune infiltration. Our study suggested that SLCO4A1 could be a valuable biomarker for evaluating prognosis and tumor immune infiltration in COAD patients.

γδ T cells are effectors of immunotherapy in cancers with HLA class I defects.

DNA mismatch repair-deficient (MMR-d) cancers present an abundance of neoantigens that is thought to explain their exceptional responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)1,2. Here, in contrast to other cancer types3-5, we observed that 20 out of 21 (95%) MMR-d cancers with genomic inactivation of ß2-microglobulin (encoded by B2M) retained responsiveness to ICB, suggesting the involvement of immune effector cells other than CD8+ T cells in this context. We next identified a strong association between B2M inactivation and increased infiltration by γδ T cells in MMR-d cancers. These γδ T cells mainly comprised the Vδ1 and Vδ3 subsets, and expressed high levels of PD-1, other activation markers, including cytotoxic molecules, and a broad repertoire of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors. In vitro, PD-1+ γδ T cells that were isolated from MMR-d colon cancers exhibited enhanced reactivity to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-class-I-negative MMR-d colon cancer cell lines and B2M-knockout patient-derived tumour organoids compared with antigen-presentation-proficient cells. By comparing paired tumour samples from patients with MMR-d colon cancer that were obtained before and after dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade, we found that immune checkpoint blockade substantially increased the frequency of γδ T cells in B2M-deficient cancers. Taken together, these data indicate that γδ T cells contribute to the response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with HLA-class-I-negative MMR-d colon cancers, and underline the potential of γδ T cells in cancer immunotherapy.