Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mayur D. Mody, James W. Rocco, Sue S. Yom, Robert Haddad, Nabil F. Saba
Summary: Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common type of cancer worldwide, with the predominant risk factors being tobacco use, alcohol abuse, and oncogenic viruses. Treatment typically involves a multidisciplinary approach with surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy, and is challenging due to site-specific and histology-specific variations.
Article
Immunology
Jana Mourtada, Christelle Lony, Anais Nicol, Justine De Azevedo, Cyril Bour, Christine Macabre, Patrick Roncarati, Sonia Ledrappier, Philippe Schultz, Christian Borel, Mickael Burgy, Bohdan Wasylyk, Georg Mellitzer, Michael Herfs, Christian Gaiddon, Alain C. Jung
Summary: This study identifies the molecular mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous prognosis of HPV-positive OSCC, providing a theoretical basis for the development of biomarkers and targeted therapies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Chameera Ekanayake Weeramange, Danhua Shu, Kai Dun Tang, Jyotsna Batra, Rahul Ladwa, Lizbeth Kenny, Sarju Vasani, Ian H. Frazer, Riccardo Dolcetti, Jonathan J. Ellis, Richard A. Sturm, Paul Leo, Chamindie Punyadeera
Summary: The risk of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with distinct human leukocyte antigen (HLA) variants, some of which are shared by both cervical cancer and HPV-positive HNC. Several previous genome-wide association studies were replicated in this study, but the associations were limited to the HPV-positive HNC group.
Article
Microbiology
Abbas Karimi, Elham Mohebbi, Sandrine Mckay-Chopin, Hamideh Rashidian, Maryam Hadji, Vahideh Peyghambari, Maryam Marzban, Ahmad Naghibzadeh-Tahami, Mahin Gholipour, Farin Kamangar, Massimo Tommasino, Tarik Gheit, Kazem Zendehdel
Summary: This study analyzed the detection of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HPVs in oral rinse samples of HNSCC cases and controls in Iran, finding that the contribution of alpha-HPVs to HNSCC in Iran is lower than global prevalence, and high-risk alpha-HPVs or cutaneous beta- and gamma-HPVs were not associated with HNSCC development.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Alicja Gluszko, Miroslaw J. Szczepanski, Theresa L. Whiteside, Torsten E. Reichert, Jacek Siewiera, Nils Ludwig
Summary: Tissue hypoxia is a common feature in HNSCC, leading to alterations in tumor cells. The study found that sEVs released by HNSCC cells under hypoxic conditions have a unique protein composition, which can potentially serve as biomarkers for different degrees of tissue hypoxia and as a resource for anti-angiogenic therapies.
Article
Oncology
S. S. Mashiana, P. Navale, B. Khandakar, S. Sobotka, M. R. Posner, B. A. Miles, W. Zhang, M. Gitman, R. L. Bakst, E. M. Genden, W. H. Westra
Summary: This study examined the impact of HPV genotypes on patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) and found that different genotypes are unevenly distributed across anatomical sites, with specific associations with tumor characteristics. The presence of HPV18 was associated with transformation to an aggressive small cell phenotype, highlighting the variability in HPV genotypes and their potential impact on clinical behaviors. This challenges the assumption of HPV equivalency across all high-risk genotypes and may inform preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and surveillance strategies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Baoyi Shao, Zheng Ye, Bo Sun, Zhongdang Xiao
Summary: In this study, the immune microenvironment of head and neck cancer was analyzed using gene expression profiles and clinical information from two cohorts. Three immune subtypes with different molecular profiles and clinical outcomes were identified and validated. B-lymphocyte infiltration was found to be associated with the best prognosis. Furthermore, a classifier based on 19 genes was constructed to accurately classify head and neck cancer.
Review
Oncology
N. V. Vani, R. Madhanagopal, R. Swaminathan, T. S. Ganesan
Summary: The recent increase in HR-HPV-associated oral and oropharyngeal cancers is an important issue due to their distinct clinical and molecular characteristics. The natural history of oral HPV is still unclear, with a global prevalence ranging from 0.67% to 35% in healthy individuals and 31%-38.5% in head and neck cancer. The persistence rate of oral HR-HPV infection is globally 5.5%-12.8%. In India, HR-HPV-associated HNC accounts for 26% with an active infection in 8%-15% of these tumors. The expression of p16 as an HPV marker in HNC lacks concordance. Treatment de-escalation is not possible due to a lack of evidence despite improved outcomes in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers. A better understanding of the oncogenic role of HR-HPV in HNC is crucial for developing novel therapeutic approaches and implementing preventive strategies, which can have a significant public health impact.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hiromu Nakamura, Tetsuya Ogawa, Shunpei Yamanaka, Daisuke Inukai, Takashi Maruo, Taishi Takahara, Akira Satou, Toyonori Tsuzuki, Susumu Suzuki, Ryuzo Ueda, Yasushi Fujimoto
Summary: Neck dissection is a commonly used procedure for treating cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer patients. However, with the emergence of immunotherapy, the removal of lymph nodes with immune function needs to be reconsidered. A study on HPV16-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients found that preserving non-metastatic lymph nodes is important for their immune function during neck dissection and when administering immunotherapy. Head and neck surgical oncologists should consider the role of immunotherapy and neck dissection in the treatment of head and neck cancer.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rex H. Lee, Ritu Roy, Hua Li, Aaron Hechmer, Tian Ran Zhu, Adila Izgutdina, Adam B. Olshen, Daniel E. Johnson, Jennifer R. Grandis
Summary: Currently, there are no clinical strategies utilizing tumor gene expression to inform therapeutic selection for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) are translationally relevant preclinical models for human tumors; however, the overall transcriptomic concordance of HNSCC PDXs with primary human HNSCC, especially in HPV+ disease, is understudied. This study characterized 64 HNSCC PDXs at the transcriptomic level and found that PDXs can recapitulate HNSCC molecular subtypes and provide a resource for the discovery of predictive biomarkers for treatment selection in HNSCC.
Editorial Material
Oncology
Shrikant B. Mali
Summary: Liquid biopsy is a valuable tool in personalized medicine, providing real-time monitoring of cancer progression and patient follow-up. This minimally invasive procedure analyzes circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and various circulating tumor-derived materials, such as ctDNA, miRNAs, and EVs. CTC analysis has significant implications for prognosis, minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, treatment selection, and cancer patient monitoring.
Review
Oncology
Jade Z. Zhou, Jessica Jou, Ezra Cohen
Summary: This article reviews the incidence and pathogenesis of HPV-related cancers worldwide, the development and use of HPV prophylactic vaccines, and the progress and challenges in the development of HPV therapeutic vaccines.
Review
Oncology
Ricklie Julian, Malvi Savani, Julie E. Bauman
Summary: HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) differs from HPV-negative HNSCC in molecular, pathological, and clinical features, showing a better response to immunotherapy. Numerous clinical trials are underway to further refine the application of immunotherapy specifically for HPV-positive HNSCC.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giuseppe Riva, Camilla Albano, Francesca Gugliesi, Selina Pasquero, Sergio Fernando Castillo Pacheco, Giancarlo Pecorari, Santo Landolfo, Matteo Biolatti, Valentina Dell'Oste
Summary: The APOBEC proteins play a significant role in HPV-positive HNSCC, with their expression depending on HPV infection status and their activity playing a major role in mutagenesis in HPV-positive HNSCC.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Nabil F. F. Saba, Saagar Pamulapati, Bhamini Patel, Mayur Mody, Primoz Strojan, Robert Takes, Antti A. A. Maekitie, Oded Cohen, Pia Pace-Asciak, Jan B. B. Vermorken, Carol Bradford, Arlene Forastiere, Yong Teng, Andreas Wieland, Alfio Ferlito
Summary: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a common malignancy, with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) being the majority of cases. The incidence of HPV-related OPSCC, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), is increasing rapidly. Immunotherapy has shown promise in managing recurrent and metastatic HNC, leading to interest in its application for HPV-related OPSCC. This review focuses on the immune characteristics and potential for immunotherapy in this virus-driven cancer.
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Sonja Ludwig, Niklas Riemann, Stefan Hans, Florian Christov, Johannes Maximilian Ludwig, Judith Saxe, Diana Arweiler-Harbeck
Summary: This study compared cochlear implant patients receiving slim perimodiolar and slim lateral wall electrode arrays, finding that residual hearing decreased faster in perimodiolar recipients. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of hearing thresholds, speech tests, and satisfaction levels. The results suggest that hearing preservation is influenced by various factors beyond just electrode shape.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Lena Zaubitzer, Sonja Ludwig, Frederic Jungbauer, Beatrice Walter, Bettina Lange, Nicole Rotter, Angela Schell
Summary: This study aims to analyze the validity of SARS-CoV-2 swabs taken preoperatively under suboptimal conditions in children and suggests considering intraoperative testing in cases where preoperative testing was performed under difficult conditions to ensure the safety of everyone in the operating room.
LARYNGO-RHINO-OTOLOGIE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Aneta Zebrowska, Karol Jelonek, Sujan Mondal, Marta Gawin, Katarzyna Mrowiec, Piotr Widlak, Theresa Whiteside, Monika Pietrowska
Summary: This study demonstrates the isolation of CD3(+) exosomes from human plasma using immune capture and their subsequent molecular profiling using proteomics and metabolomics. The CD3(+) exosomes were enriched with proteins and metabolites that reflect the molecular features of T lymphocytes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Dawid Perlikowski, Aleksandra Skirycz, Lukasz Marczak, Katarzyna Lechowicz, Adam Augustyniak, Aenna Michaelis, Arkadiusz Kosmala
Summary: The process of plant recovery after drought cessation is complex and not well understood. The crown tissue, located between shoots and roots, plays a crucial role in this process by facilitating the exchange of metabolites and compounds between these plant organs. In this study, we investigated the metabolomic and lipidomic profiles of crown tissue in drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive genotypes of forage grasses. Our results revealed distinct remodeling patterns of primary metabolome and lipidome between the two genotypes under drought and recovery conditions.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Agata Kurczyk, Marta Gawin, Piotr Paul, Ewa Chmielik, Tomasz Rutkowski, Monika Pietrowska, Piotr Widlak
Summary: This study investigated the potential association between phenotypic intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH), analyzed by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), and the prognosis of head and neck cancer. The results showed that higher levels of ITH were associated with more favorable outcomes. The similarity of spectra within the tumor was higher in patients with progressive disease, while the diversity of clusters identified during image segmentation was higher in patients with no evidence of disease. Furthermore, molecular components correlated with long-term outcomes were found to be associated with proteins involved in immune functions.
Biographical-Item
Oncology
Theresa Whiteside, Hassane M. Zarour
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Pathology
Theresa L. Whiteside
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) produced by tumors, known as tumor-derived exosomes (TEX), play a critical role in inducing immune cell suppression. They have the potential to be a promising liquid tumor biopsy component and a noninvasive biomarker for precision oncology.
EXPERT REVIEW OF MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Damian Robert Sojka, Agata Abramowicz, Malgorzata Adamiec-Organisciok, Elzbieta Karnas, Lukasz Mielanczyk, Daria Kania, Slawomir Blamek, Ewa Telka, Dorota Scieglinska
Summary: 70-kDa Heat Shock Proteins (HSPA/HSP70) are important chaperones that regulate proteostasis. HSPA2, a poorly characterized member of the HSPA/HSP70 family, has been found to be associated with epithelial cell differentiation and expressed in cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that proteotoxic stress decreases HSPA2 levels in cancer cells. This study found that the loss of HSPA2 from cancer cells under proteasome inhibition is not due to blocked gene transcription or increased autophagy-mediated protein disposal. Instead, proteotoxic stress stimulates the release of HSPA2 in extracellular vesicles, which are also released by non-stressed cancer and normal cells. Levels of HSPA2 in human urinary extracellular vesicles are correlated with the levels of the extracellular vesicle marker TSG101. Further investigation is needed to determine the specific role of HSPA2 in extracellular vesicles and cell-to-cell communication.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Piotr Piasecki, Kalina Wiatr, Milosz Ruszkowski, Lukasz Marczak, Yvon Trottier, Maciej Figiel
Summary: The toxic interaction between mutant ataxin-3 and subunits of large complexes, as well as the circular molecular structure of these complexes, may play a role in the formation of aggregates and fibrils in SCA3/MJD. These protein complexes are involved in the transport of mitochondria in axons, which leads to altered motility of mitochondria along SCA3 Ki150 neurites.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Katarzyna Mrowiec, Agata Kurczyk, Karol Jelonek, Julia Debik, Guro F. Giskeodegard, Tone F. Bathen, Piotr Widlak
Summary: In this study, metabolites present in pre-diagnostic serum samples from the Norwegian Trondelag Health Study were analyzed to identify biomarkers associated with the risk of breast cancer. The results showed that the levels of glycerides, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingolipids in serum were associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in younger and middle-aged women, while increased levels of serum lipids were associated with an enhanced risk in older women. Additionally, metabolite levels were also found to be correlated with the time of sample collection and age. These findings suggest that changes in metabolite levels are associated with the long-term risk of breast cancer in an age-dependent manner.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Lukasz Skoczylas, Marta Gawin, Daniel Fochtman, Piotr Widlak, Theresa L. Whiteside, Monika Pietrowska
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a key role in intercellular communication and their proteome content is important for studying their structure and function. However, EVs circulating in the human plasma are heterogeneous and can be contaminated with plasma components, making it challenging to profile their proteome using mass spectrometry. An immunocapture strategy can be used to isolate homogeneous subpopulations of small EVs (sEV) with a specific endocytic origin, overcoming this challenge.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karol Jelonek, Katarzyna Mrowiec, Dorota Gabrys, Piotr Widlak
Summary: This study aimed to compare the changes in metabolic patterns induced by radiation and inflammation at the systemic level. Metabolomics analysis of serum/plasma was conducted in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer and patients with inflammation-related diseases in corresponding anatomical regions. The studies revealed different metabolic patterns of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, with common features related to the urea cycle and metabolism of arginine and proline. Several common metabolic pathways affected by both radiation and inflammation were identified, including energy metabolism and metabolism of certain amino acids and lipids. However, metabolites common to radiation therapy and inflammation-related diseases may show opposite patterns of changes. Analyzing the dynamic metabolic changes during different phases of radiation response would contribute to a deeper understanding of the impact on biological systems.
Article
Biology
Sujan Kumar Mondal, Derick Haas, Jie Han, Theresa L. L. Whiteside
Summary: Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) in TNBC patients' plasma promote T cell dysfunction and tumor progression. Tumor cell-derived exosomes (TEX) carrying surface proteins induce apoptosis of CD8(+)T and CD4(+)T cells but spare B and NK cells. TEX entry into T cells induces mitochondrial stress, initiating intrinsic apoptosis, which limits the therapeutic potential of adoptively transferred T cells.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Linda Hofmann, Malgorzata Harasymczuk, Diana Huber, Miroslaw J. Szczepanski, Grzegorz Dworacki, Theresa L. Whiteside, Marie-Nicole Theodoraki
Summary: Arginase-1 plays an important role in the clinicopathology and prognosis of head and neck cancer. High tumor Arginase-1 levels are associated with favorable clinicopathology and prognosis, while high plasma Arginase-1 levels are associated with unfavorable clinicopathology. The presence of Arginase-1 in exosomes explains this discrepancy. High levels of exosomal Arginase-1 are associated with lymph node metastasis and shorter recurrence-free survival.