Review
Pathology
Amin Kamrani, Ramin Hosseinzadeh, Navid Shomali, Javad Ahmadian Heris, Parviz Shahabi, Reza Mohammadinasab, Shahram Sadeghvand, Kazem Ghahremanzadeh, Mohammadreza Sadeghi, Morteza Akbari
Summary: Neoplasms, a non-contagious disease with high mortality rate, have been extensively studied for decades, resulting in conventional therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. However, there is a demand for more effective and less adverse treatment options. Immunotherapy has emerged as a potential alternative, with various types of FDA-approved treatments available. This review summarizes major immunotherapy methods, including checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T cell therapies, and cancer vaccines, and discusses the application of combination therapy, precision medicine, biomarker discovery, overcoming resistance, and reducing adverse effects.
PATHOLOGY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Seyed Amir Sanatkar, Arash Heidari, Nima Rezaei
Summary: Cancer immunotherapy approaches have seen significant progress, thanks to a better understanding of immune evasion by malignant cells. Different treatment methods, such as immune checkpoint blockade, cancer vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies, have been developed based on careful evaluation of immune surveillance and the roles of cytokines. The development of genome editing tools like CRISPR/CAS9 has also helped overcome obstacles in cancer immunotherapy.
CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sangjoon Choi, Sujin Park, Hyunjin Kim, So Young Kang, Soomin Ahn, Kyoung-Mee Kim
Summary: This article reviews established and promising new biomarkers in gastric cancer (GC), including their clinical implications, diagnostic methods, and the efficacy of targeted agents. Comprehensive characterization of the molecular profile and tumor immune microenvironment in GC has enabled researchers to explore promising biomarkers for GC treatment and has introduced a new paradigm in precision-targeted immunotherapy.
Review
Oncology
Amber Blaauboer, Kostandinos Sideras, Casper H. J. van Eijck, Leo J. Hofland
Summary: Immunotherapy is a promising new treatment strategy for cancer, but its potential in pancreatic cancer has not been fully realized. Type I interferons play a crucial role in inducing anti-tumor effects, and new insights into activating the IFN pathway have led to novel cancer treatment strategies. utilizing the type I IFN pathway may offer potential new approaches for cancer therapy.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ONCOLOGY HEMATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Luisa Sanchez-Leon, Carlos Jimenez-Cortegana, Silvia Silva Romeiro, Carmen Garnacho, Luis de la Cruz-Merino, Daniel J. Garcia-Dominguez, Lourdes Hontecillas-Prieto, Victor Sanchez-Margalet
Summary: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed tumor in women with diverse molecular profiles. Despite the advancements in early detection and therapy, patients with metastatic disease have low survival rates. Immunotherapy, due to its ability to modulate the immune system, has emerged as a promising alternative. This review focuses on the new immunotherapies in breast cancer in the last five years and discusses the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells as a therapeutic target.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Roger Sun, Theophraste Henry, Adrien Laville, Alexandre Carre, Anthony Hamaoui, Sophie Bockel, Ines Chaffai, Antonin Levy, Cyrus Chargari, Charlotte Robert, Eric Deutsch
Summary: Studies show that combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy can improve patient outcomes, but there are still key questions to be answered, such as identifying patients who will benefit from immunotherapy and selecting the best treatment modalities. Medical imaging and radiomics have emerged as promising tools for non-invasive assessment of the patient's disease, enabling comprehensive analysis of the tumor microenvironment.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Philip Posdzich, Christopher Darr, Thomas Hilser, Milan Wahl, Ken Herrmann, Boris Hadaschik, Viktor Gruenwald
Summary: Prostate cancer is the most common tumor in men and metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer remains a deadly disease despite new developments. This article provides an overview of current and new treatment options, including androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), combination therapies, chemotherapy, ARSI, PARP inhibitors, Lu-PSMA radioligand therapy, and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTE). The role of immunotherapy in prostate cancer is still being investigated, but overall, the field of prostate cancer therapy is challenging and promising.
Review
Immunology
Carolyn H. H. Baloh, Michelle F. F. Huffaker, Tanya Laidlaw
Summary: Immunotherapy has been effective in some food-allergic patients, but long-term tolerance is still difficult to achieve. Recent clinical trials have identified biomarkers and mechanisms for achieving tolerance, including age, IgE levels, linear epitopes, and T cell subsets.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jeaneen Venkatas, Moganavelli Singh
Summary: Cervical cancer presents immense complexity at the molecular level, limiting traditional treatment methods. Immunotherapy and nanotechnology offer new hope for cancer treatment, but their efficacy varies depending on the patient population, requiring further research and improvement.
Review
Oncology
Yiming Li, Juan Tang, Jianli Jiang, Zhinan Chen
Summary: Immunotherapy has achieved significant success in treating cancer, but resistance to this treatment often occurs due to the complex metabolic networks in the tumor microenvironment. Metabolic checkpoints play a crucial role in regulating T cell development, differentiation, and function, as well as coordinating metabolic competition between tumor cells and infiltrating T cells. Thus, targeting metabolic checkpoints may enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hyunho Yoon, Ayoung Kim, Hoon Jang
Summary: Ovarian cancer (OC) is a gynecological cancer. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnoses have emerged as novel methods for identifying molecules and pathways in cancer research. NGS-based applications in OC research have expanded for early detection, identification of aberrant genes and dysregulation pathways, and comprehensive views of the entire transcriptome. Immunotherapy, including vaccines, checkpoint inhibitors, and CAR-T cell transplantation, has also advanced as a treatment strategy for OC.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christine J. Watson
Summary: This editorial outlines the content of The FEBS Journal's Special Issue on Cancer Therapeutics, which covers a wide repertoire of cancer therapeutic approaches.
Article
Immunology
Xingliang Fang, Jinfang Xu, Ketao Jin, Jun Qian
Summary: Evidence shows that gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy in humans, leading to around 770,000 deaths annually. It is more prevalent among men than women. Although surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are conventional treatments for gastric cancer, researchers are exploring novel approaches such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy for patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Studies indicate that combination therapy is a more practical option than monotherapy for treating metastatic gastric cancer.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Hafiza Padinharayil, Reema Rose Alappat, Liji Maria Joy, Kavya V. Anilkumar, Cornelia M. Wilson, Alex George, Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan, Harishkumar Madhyastha, Thiyagarajan Ramesh, Ezhaveni Sathiyamoorthi, Jintae Lee, Raja Ganesan
Summary: Despite progress in understanding the progression, risk, immunologic control, and treatment choices of lung cancer, it remains the leading cause of cancer-related death. Lung cancer cells have low and heterogeneous antigenicity, allowing them to evade immune defenses. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a promising therapy, but there is a need for new predictive biomarkers. A multi-parameter analysis of the immune system considering tumor, stroma, and beyond may be a future-oriented predictive marker.
Review
Oncology
Lavanya Sivapalan, Joseph C. Murray, Jenna VanLiere Canzoniero, Blair Landon, Jennifer Jackson, Susan Scott, Vincent Lam, Benjamin P. Levy, Mark Sausen, Valsamo Anagnostou
Summary: Circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) can act as a real-time biomarker for tumor burden and provide valuable insights into the molecular changes of cancers during immunotherapy. While liquid biopsies offer quick and accurate evaluation of tumor dynamics, the complexity of immune responses cannot be fully captured by single-feature ctDNA analyses. Integrative studies modeling both the tumor and immune compartment are needed to understand tumor clearance kinetics and immune responses.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Xixi Zhao, Yongkun Wei, Yu-Yi Chu, Yintao Li, Jung-Mao Hsu, Zhou Jiang, Chunxiao Liu, Jennifer L. Hsu, Wei-Chao Chang, Riyao Yang, Li-Chuan Chan, Jingkun Qu, Shuqun Zhang, Haoqiang Ying, Dihua Yu, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This study reveals the role of CK2 in immunosuppression by phosphorylation and stabilization of PD-L1, and suggests CK2 inhibition as a potential immunotherapeutic approach for treating cancer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jong-Ho Cha, Li-Chuan Chan, Ying-Nai Wang, Yu-Yi Chu, Chie-Hong Wang, Heng-Huan Lee, Weiya Xia, Woei-Cherng Shyu, Shih-Ping Liu, Jun Yao, Chiung-Wen Chang, Fan-Ru Cheng, Jielin Liu, Seung-Oe Lim, Jennifer L. Hsu, Wen-Hao Yang, Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, Chunru Lin, Liuqing Yang, Dihua Yu, Long-Bin Jeng, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: The expression of EphA10, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in several malignancies. This study demonstrates high expression levels of EphA10 in tumor regions and immune suppressive myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment. The development of anti-EphA10 monoclonal antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy targeting EphA10 shows potential as a promising strategy for patients with EphA10-positive tumors.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Riyao Yang, Linlin Sun, Ching-Fei Li, Yu-Han Wang, Weiya Xia, Boning Liu, Yu-Yi Chu, Laura Bover, Long Vien, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This study reports the development of two novel Gal-9-neutralizing antibodies that effectively protect human T cells from Gal-9-induced cell death and promote T cell-mediated killing of tumor cells. These findings demonstrate the potential of targeting Gal-9 for cancer immunotherapy.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jian Tu, Zijun Huo, Yao Yu, Dandan Zhu, An Xu, Mo-Fan Huang, Ruifeng Hu, Ruoyu Wang, Julian A. Gingold, Yi-Hung Chen, Kuang-Lei Tsai, Nicolas R. Forcioli-Conti, Sarah X. L. Huang, Thomas R. Webb, Jie Su, Danielle A. Bazer, Peilin Jia, Jason T. Yustein, Lisa L. Wang, Mien-Chie Hung, Zhongming Zhao, Chad D. Huff, Jingnan Shen, Ruiying Zhao, Dung-Fang Lee
Summary: The study reveals that the spliceosome is an up-regulated target in RB1-mutant cells responding to oncogenic stress, and pRB and E2F3a coregulate spliceosomal gene expression, affecting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. These findings suggest that the spliceosomal machinery could be a potential therapeutic vulnerability for pRB-deficient cancers.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yun-Long Wang, Wan-Wen Zhao, Shao-Mei Bai, Li-Li Feng, Shu-Ying Bie, Li Gong, Fang Wang, Ming-Biao Wei, Wei-Xing Feng, Xiao-Lin Pang, Cao-Litao Qin, Xin-Ke Yin, Ying-Nai Wang, Weihua Zhou, Daniel R. Wahl, Quentin Liu, Ming Chen, Mien-Chie Hung, Xiang-Bo Wan
Summary: MRNIP forms liquid-like condensates to promote DSB repair. It concentrates the MRN complex to the damaged DNA in the nucleus, accelerating DSB sensing and end resection.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wei-Jan Wang, Yeh Chen, Wen-Chi Su, Yen-Yi Liu, Wan-Jou Shen, Wei-Chao Chang, Sheng-Teng Huang, Cheng-Wen Lin, Yu-Chuan Wang, Chia-Shin Yang, Mei-Hui Hou, Yu-Chi Chou, Yang-Chang Wu, Shao-Chun Wang, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: In this study, we identified a naturally derived compound called peimine, extracted from Fritillaria, that can inhibit viral infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in lung cells. Peimine blocks viral entry by interfering with the interaction between the spike protein and ACE2. Molecular docking analysis showed that peimine has a strong binding affinity for the N501Y mutation in the spike protein. Furthermore, Fritillaria was found to significantly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. These findings suggest that peimine and Fritillaria could be potential drugs and food sources for COVID-19 patients.
JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Yun-Long Wang, Wan-Wen Zhao, Shao-Mei Bai, Yan Ma, Xin-Ke Yin, Li-Li Feng, Guang-Dong Zeng, Fang Wang, Wei-Xing Feng, Jian Zheng, Ying-Nai Wang, Bing Zeng, Quentin Liu, Mien-Chie Hung, Xiang-Bo Wan
Summary: The research revealed the crucial role of radiation-induced paraspeckles in DNA repair and tumor radioresistance, offering a new insight into the ribosome-independent function of ribosomal proteins.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Hsiao-Fan Chen, Po-Ren Hsueh, Yen-Yi Liu, Yeh Chen, Sui-Yuan Chang, Wei-Jan Wang, Chen-Shiou Wu, Ya-Min Tsai, Yu-Shu Liu, Wen-Chi Su, Yu-Chi Chou, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: Disulfiram has shown potential as a therapy against COVID-19 by inhibiting viral replication and blocking viral entry into host cells. It has demonstrated activity against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 in molecular and cellular biology assays.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Shih-Han Wang, Wen-Cheng Chou, Hsiang -Chi Huang, Te-An Lee, Tzu-Chun Hsiao, Ling -Hui Wang, Ke-Bin Huang, Chun-Tse Kuo, Chi -Hong Chao, Shing-Jyh Chang, Jung -Mao Hsu, Jialei Weng, Ning Ren, Fu -An Li, Yun-Ju Lai, Chenhao Zhou, Mien-Chie Hung, Chia -Wei Li
Summary: N-linked glycosylation of proteins is a post-translational modification that protects tumor antigens from immune attack. This study explores the role of N-glycosylation of SLAMF7 in breast cancer progression and highlights the potential strategy of using ADC to enhance immunotherapeutic agents through deglycosylation.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Yi-Chuan Li, Hirohito Yamaguchi, Yen-Yi Liu, Kai-Cheng Hsu, Ting-Hsuan Sun, Pei-Chi Sun, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This article investigates the interaction between ribonuclease 1 (RNase1) and EphA4 and reveals their structure and role in cellular activation. The study suggests that electrostatic force plays a crucial role in the binding and activation of RNase1 and EphA4.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Chun-Te Ho, Shih-Pei Lin, Ling-Ming Tseng, Mien-Chie Hung, Shih-Chieh Hung
Summary: This study found that a mutant form of Snail reduced the expression of Src in luminal A breast cancer cells and enhanced their migration and invasion abilities, while reducing their capacity to form tumor spheres. Additionally, human luminal A breast cancer samples showed a negative correlation between Vimentin and Src expression.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chen-Shiou Wu, Hsiu-Mei Chiang, Yeh Chen, Chung-Yu Chen, Hsiao-Fan Chen, Wen-Chi Su, Wei-Jan Wang, Yu-Chi Chou, Wei-Chao Chang, Shao-Chun Wang, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This research explores natural plant extracts that have the potential to combat SARS-CoV-2 and provide alternative options for prevention and disinfection. The study identifies coffee leaf extract as an effective inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection in various strains. Additionally, the extract proves to be more potent at preventing viral entry into cells when applied topically than the standard disinfectant ethanol. Compounds such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and mangiferin are found to be associated with the extract's antiviral activity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Poyee Lau, Guanxiong Zhang, Shuang Zhao, Long Liang, Hailun Zhang, Guowei Zhou, Mien-Chie Hung, Xiang Chen, Hong Liu
Summary: This study reveals the important role of SPHK1 in tumor immunity and shows that its inhibition can suppress tumor growth and promote antitumor immunity. Additionally, SPHK1 and MTA3 are identified as biological markers for predicting the efficacy of anti-PD-1 mAb therapy in melanoma patients.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Zhen Xue, Shuang Zheng, Dongli Linghu, Boning Liu, Yi Yang, Mei-Kuang Chen, Hua Huang, Jiaming Song, Hongyue Li, Jing Wang, Mien-Chie Hung, Diansheng Zhong, Linlin Sun
Summary: PD-L1 plays a crucial role in DNA damage repair in cancer cells and can enhance the efficacy of existing immunotherapy by modulating pathways related to innate immunity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Fu Ou-Yang, Chung-Liang Li, Chia-Chi Chen, Yi-Chun Shen, Sin-Hua Moi, Chi-Wen Luo, Wei-Ya Xia, Ying-Nai Wang, Heng-Huan Lee, Lu-Hai Wang, Shao-Chun Wang, Mei-Ren Pan, Ming-Feng Hou, Mien-Chie Hung
Summary: This study found that de-glycosylation of tumor cell surface PD-L1 staining is significantly correlated with clinical response in atezolizumab treatment for breast cancer. These findings suggest that de-glycosylation procedure may serve as a patient stratification strategy and should be further explored.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)