Article
Oncology
Biaolong Deng, Biaolong Yang, Jieqiong Chen, Shuaiwei Wang, Weiqi Zhang, Yixian Guo, Yichao Han, Hecheng Li, Yongjun Dang, Yaqin Yuan, Xueyu Dai, Yuansheng Zang, Yangyang Li, Bin Li
Summary: This study identifies gallic acid as a compound that promotes the instability of T-reg cells, thereby enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in cancer treatment.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jacob Gadwa, Thomas E. Bickett, Laurel B. Darragh, Michael William Knitz, Shilpa Bhatia, Miles Piper, Benjamin Van Court, Shiv Bhuvane, Diemmy Nguyen, Varuna Nangia, Emily K. Kleczko, Raphael A. Nemenoff, Sana D. Karam
Summary: Inhibition of complement C3a and C5a signaling in HNSCC accelerates tumor growth and increases regulatory T cell populations. Local C3a and C5a signaling is important for CD4 T cell homeostasis and development into effector phenotypes. Depletion of Tregs reverses tumor growth and combining Treg depletion with C3a and C5a receptor inhibition reduces tumor growth further.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Yukiko Yamaguchi, Jackson Gibson, Kevin Ou, Lupita S. Lopez, Rachel H. Ng, Neena Leggett, Vanessa D. Jonsson, Jelani C. Zarif, Peter P. Lee, Xiuli Wang, Catalina Martinez, Tanya B. Dorff, Stephen J. Forman, Saul J. Priceman
Summary: This study reveals an alternative mechanism by which the combination of CAR T cells and immune checkpoint blockade modulates the immune landscape of solid tumors to enhance therapeutic efficacy of CAR T cells.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Xia Liu, Fusheng Si, David Bagley, Feiya Ma, Yuanqin Zhang, Yan Tao, Emily Shaw, Guangyong Peng
Summary: Current study demonstrates that both mouse malignant tumor cells and regulatory T cells can induce T cell senescence, which can be prevented by blocking ATM-associated DNA damage and/or MAPK signaling pathways, resulting in enhanced antitumor immunity. Targeting effector T cell senescence, in combination with anti-PD-L1 checkpoint blockade, proves to be an effective strategy to synergistically enhance cancer immunotherapy.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Shakoora A. Sabree, Andrew P. Voigt, Sue E. Blackwell, Ajaykumar Vishwakarma, Michael S. Chimenti, Aliasger K. Salem, George J. Weiner
Summary: The study found that anti-Q beta-coated CMP-001 induces IFN-alpha production by pDCs, which has secondary effects on monocytes and enhances their response to IFN-alpha, promoting autologous CD4 T-cell proliferation. Despite exhibiting aspects of an immunosuppressive phenotype, these monocytes show increased ability to augment T-cell proliferation, shedding light on the complex mechanism of action of anti-Q beta-coated CMP-001 and providing insights into pathways to enhance the efficacy of this novel immunotherapy approach.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Katarina Pinjusic, Olivier Andreas Dubey, Olga Egorova, Sina Nassiri, Etienne Meylan, Julien Faget, Daniel Beat Constam
Summary: This study reveals that Activin-A secretion by melanoma cells inhibits adaptive antitumor immunity by indirectly inhibiting CD8(+) T cell infiltration, regardless of BRAF status. It is also found that Activin-A/INHBA expression is correlated with resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in melanoma patients and impairs response to combination anti-cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte associated protein 4/anti-PD1 treatment in preclinical models.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Yanan Wu, Meng Yuan, Chenlin Wang, Yanfei Chen, Yan Zhang, Jiandong Zhang
Summary: T cells play a crucial role in lung cancer therapy, and understanding their functional mechanism can lead to the discovery and development of new treatment strategies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Yuan-Yuan Wang, Wen-Da Wang, Zhi-Jun Sun
Summary: Immunotherapy, specifically immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has shown significant superiority in overcoming tumor immune escape. However, the formation of an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and the lack of effective activation of the immune response are limiting its development. This review focuses on the collusions between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, highlighting the importance of CSC-immune cell crosstalk in ICB resistance and the potential application of targeted drugs to improve the ICB response.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Qiu-Yang Jin, Ying-Shuang Li, Xing-Hui Qiao, Jia-Wei Yang, Xiu-Li Guo
Summary: Tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative and advantageous treatment method, but still requires assistance for clinical application due to its complexity. Galectins modulated in the tumor microenvironment can regulate immune system disorders to resist tumor growth, suggesting that combination therapy of targeted anti-galectins with immunotherapy may be promising for tumor treatment. This review discusses the expression and immune functions of different galectins in tumor microenvironment, highlighting the potential value of anti-galectins in combination with checkpoint inhibitors for tumor immunotherapy.
Review
Oncology
Chiara Montironi, Cristina Munoz-Pinedo, Eric Eldering
Summary: The dysfunction of immune T cell compartment in various cancers has hindered the success of new immunotherapeutic approaches. While immunotherapies have shown success in certain cancers, solid tumors face challenges such as lack of suitable antigens, anatomical barriers, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, limiting the effectiveness of T cell-based treatments.
Review
Immunology
Shonik Ganjoo, Priti Gupta, Halil Ibrahim Corbali, Selene Nanez, Thomas S. Riad, Lisa K. Duong, Hampartsoum B. Barsoumian, Fatemeh Masrorpour, Hong Jiang, James W. Welsh, Maria Angelica Cortez
Summary: Immunotherapy has significantly advanced cancer treatment, but its effectiveness is limited by low response rates and variations in immune landscape among cancer patients. Recent research has focused on targeting cellular metabolism to improve immunotherapy, as the metabolism of cancer cells can directly impact immune cell activity, particularly T cells. However, the intersections and potential targets for improving immune-checkpoint blockade therapies are not fully understood. This review explores the interplay between tumor metabolites and T-cell dysfunction, as well as the relationship between T-cell metabolic patterns and activity/function in tumor immunology, providing potential avenues for enhancing immunotherapy based on metabolic pathways.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Fengguang Guo, Jugal K. Das, Koichi S. Kobayashi, Qing-Ming Qin, Thomas A. Ficht, Robert C. Alaniz, Jianxun Song, Paul De Figueiredo
Summary: This study demonstrates that live attenuated bacterial treatment can improve antitumor immunity by remodeling the tumor microenvironment, overcoming cancer resistance to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Juliana Y. Sakita, Jefferson Elias-Oliveira, Daniela Carlos, Emerson de Souza Santos, Luciana Yamamoto Almeida, Tathiane M. Malta, Mariangela O. Brunaldi, Sergio Albuquerque, Cleide Lucia Araujo Silva, Marcus Andrade, Vania L. D. Bonato, Sergio Britto Garcia, Fernando Queiroz Cunha, Guilherme Cesar Martelossi Cebinelli, Ronaldo B. Martins, Jason Matthews, Leandro Colli, Francis L. Martin, Sergio A. Uyemura, Vinicius Kannen
Summary: This study investigated the activity of mast cells (MCs) throughout the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and found that MCs have a dual role in CRC development. MC activity promotes engraftment of tumor cells while inhibiting the infiltration of CD8+ cells. These findings suggest the potential of MCs as druggable targets for the treatment of CRC.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chen Wei, Mingkai Chen, Wenying Deng, Liangyu Bie, Yijie Ma, Chi Zhang, Kangdong Liu, Wei Shen, Shuyi Wang, Chaogang Yang, Suxia Luo, Ning Li
Summary: This study developed and validated the prognostic and predictive potential of the GCSC-related score (GCScore) using a multi-step machine learning approach. The high GCScore subgroup was associated with stem cell characteristics and a potential immune escape mechanism. Experimental evidence demonstrated that CD206(+) tumor-associated macrophages infiltration maintained the stem cell properties of tumor cells. The GCScore showed robust capacity for predicting immunotherapy response, and potential therapeutic targets and compounds for high GCScore patients were identified. The proposed GCScore can be a promising predictor for prognosis and immunotherapy response in GCSCs, providing new strategies for precision treatment.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Kota Itahashi, Takuma Irie, Hiroyoshi Nishikawa
Summary: Treg cells play a crucial role in maintaining self-tolerance and preventing the development of autoimmune diseases. However, in tumors, there is an abundance of Treg cells that suppress antitumor immunity, promoting tumor development and growth. Therefore, understanding tumor-infiltrating Treg cells is essential for the development of Treg cell-targeted therapies.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Xun Huang, Xinhua Lin, Feng Liu, Gen Wu, Zhongzhou Yang, Anming Meng
Summary: Developmental biology research in China originated from experimental embryology, particularly focusing on aquatic and reptile animals. The growth of this field in China is closely tied to increased government funding and the recruitment of overseas talents. The flourishing developmental biology community in China encompasses various activities, national meetings, key research initiatives, and talented scientists. The first Development paper from China, published in 2000, marked the start of a new era, and the second decade of the 21st century has seen significant advancements in developmental biology research in China.
DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xinyi Huang, Ke Zhao, Mingyang Jiang, Dehui Qiu, Jun Zhou, Zhongzhou Yang
Summary: RHAU functions in resolving G4 structures in DNA and RNA molecules, playing critical roles in embryonic heart development, postnatal heart function, and ventricular chamber development. Its dysregulation is associated with noncompaction cardiomyopathy.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Shi Liu, Zhongqi Gao, Xuezheng Wang, Feishi Luan, Zuyun Dai, Zhongzhou Yang, Qian Zhang
Summary: A gene controlling the golden flesh trait in watermelon has been discovered and fine mapped to a specific region on chromosome 1. This gene, Cla97C01G008760, is likely responsible for the accumulation of beta-carotene in watermelon, which is important for addressing global vitamin A deficiency. This research provides insights into the genetic basis of the golden flesh trait in watermelon and its potential impact on public health.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Xiaoqiang Sheng, Chuanming Liu, Guijun Yan, Guangyu Li, Jingyu Liu, Yanjun Yang, Shiyuan Li, Zhongxun Li, Jidong Zhou, Xin Zhen, Yang Zhang, Zhenyu Diao, Yali Hu, Chuanhai Fu, Bin Yao, Chaojun Li, Yu Cao, Bin Lu, Zhongzhou Yang, Yingying Qin, Haixiang Sun, Lijun Ding
Summary: Using conditional oocyte Lonp1-knockout mice, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and Co-IP/LC-MS technology, the functions of LONP1 in mammalian oogenesis were analyzed. It was found that the conditional knockout of Lonp1 in mouse oocytes impairs follicular development, causes progressive oocyte death, ovarian reserve loss, and infertility. In addition, women with pathogenic variants of LONP1 lack large antral follicles (>10 mm) in the ovaries, are infertile and present premature ovarian insufficiency.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yingchao Shi, Wenli Fan, Mingjie Xu, Xinhua Lin, Wukui Zhao, Zhongzhou Yang
Summary: This study found that Znhit1, a core subunit of the SRCAP remodeling complex, is essential for heart function. Deletion of Znhit1 in mice resulted in arrhythmia, idiopathic vacuolar cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and premature sudden death. The study also found that Znhit1 modulates the expression of Casq1 and SERCA2a to maintain cardiac Ca2+ homeostasis.
Article
Oncology
Runzi Sun, David Shihong Gao, Jason Shoush, Binfeng Lu
Summary: The IL-1 family of cytokines plays diverse roles in tumor development and has the potential to be targeted for new cancer therapies.
SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ke Zhao, Zhongzhou Yang
Summary: In 2001, a new cluster of progenitor cells involved in heart development called the second heart field (SHF) was identified. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the contribution, signaling regulatory networks, epithelial properties, and spatiotemporal characteristics of the SHF. It also discusses the interactions between the SHF and other types of cells during heart development. Advancements in single-cell sequencing and precise lineage tracing are expected to enhance the comprehension of SHF function and its molecular signals, leading to clinical applications and the treatment of congenital heart diseases.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yuang Chen, Yixian Huang, Qinzhe Li, Zhangyi Luo, Ziqian Zhang, Haozhe Huang, Jingjing Sun, LinXinTian Zhang, Runzi Sun, Daniel J. Bain, James F. Conway, Binfeng Lu, Song Li
Summary: The activation of scramblases, a mechanism that regulates the exposure of phosphatidylserine on cell surfaces, plays an important role in tumor immunosuppression. In this study, the researchers found that chemotherapeutic agents induce overexpression of a specific scramblase, Xkr8, in cancer cells. They developed a nanocarrier that can deliver Xkr8 short interfering RNA and a cancer prodrug to tumors, leading to significant inhibition of tumor growth and increased antitumor immune response in animal models. Targeting Xkr8 in combination with chemotherapy may be a promising strategy for treating different types of cancers.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yantao Li, Mengping Liu, Peng Huang, Wenxiang Wang, Yuxin Jiang, Zhongzhou Yang, Anli Wang
Summary: This study found that lack of physical activity or diet imbalance can significantly increase the risk of HPV infection. In particular, diet balance may be related to multiple HPV serotypes.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jan Rozman, Zhongzhou Yang, Nadine Spielmann
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Hongmei Luo, Zhongzhou Yang, Jie Li, Hengwei Jin, Mingyang Jiang, Congjia Shan
Summary: In this article, PDK1 was deleted in heart tissue using different cre to investigate its role in cardiac development and remodeling, and its relevance to congenital heart disease (CHD). Deleting PDK1 with Nkx2.5-cre resulted in prominent pulmonic stenosis, while deleting PDK1 with Mef2c(SHF)-cre led to severe hypoplasia in the second heart field (SHF). Deleting PDK1 with aMHC-cre resulted in dilated heart disease. Protein analysis showed activation of PI3K and ERK, disruption of PDK1-AKT-GSK3 and S6K-S6 signaling pathways, and altered phosphorylation levels of Akt, S6k, and Gsk3b.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wen-Lan Yang, Weinan Qiu, Ting Zhang, Kai Xu, Zi-Juan Gu, Yu Zhou, Heng-Ji Xu, Zhong-Zhou Yang, Bin Shen, Yong-Liang Zhao, Qi Zhou, Ying Yang, Wei Li, Peng-Yuan Yang, Yun-Gui Yang
Summary: The RNA 5-methylcytosine (m(5)C) methyltransferase Nsun2 is found to play an important role in Th17 cells and promote colitis in a mouse model. These cells secrete specific cytokines IL-17A and IL-17F, which are regulated by RoR gamma t. Mechanistically, RoR gamma t recruits Nsun2 to chromatin regions of their target genes, leading to transcription-coupled m(5)C modification and enhanced mRNA stability.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chensi Yang, Jie Yao, Huijuan Yi, Xinyi Huang, Wukui Zhao, Zhongzhou Yang
Summary: The G-quadruplex (G4) sequences, short fragments consisting of multiple guanine (G) nucleotides, are widely distributed in the genome and RNA transcripts. Recent studies have shown that RHAU can bind and unwind the G4 structures, regulating embryonic development and organ function. Deficiency of RHAU leads to embryonic lethality and organ dysfunction. These studies reveal the crucial role of RHAU in development and physiological homeostasis.
ANIMAL MODELS AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nihad Cheraga, Zheng Ye, Ming-Jie Xu, Lin Zou, Ning-Cong Sun, Yue Hang, Cong-Jia Shan, Zhong-Zhou Yang, Li-Juan Chen, Ning-Ping Huang
Summary: This study developed pH-sensitive nanoparticles (HRRAP NPs) for targeted combination therapy of atherosclerosis. The nanoparticles effectively reduced reactive oxygen species levels and inflammation through the release of an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory drug. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the potential of HRRAP NPs in inhibiting atherosclerosis progression and reducing adverse effects.
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chao Li, Hongdou Li, Xiaoying Yao, Dong Liu, Yongming Wang, Xinyi Huang, Zhongzhou Yang, Wufan Tao, Jian-Yuan Zhao, Hongyan Wang
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2022)