Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xian Zhang, Shun Li, Isha Malik, Mytrang H. Do, Liangliang Ji, Chun Chou, Wei Shi, Kristelle J. Capistrano, Jing Zhang, Ting-Wei Hsu, Briana G. Nixon, Ke Xu, Xinxin Wang, Andrea Ballabio, Laura S. Schmidt, W. Marston Linehan, Ming O. O. Li
Summary: In metazoan organisms, cell competition functions as a mechanism to eliminate unfit cells and promote the survival of more robust cells. However, little is known about how environmental factors affect cancer cell competition. This study reveals that tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) can be reprogrammed through diet or genes to outcompete MYC-overexpressing cancer cells. This discovery highlights a novel innate immune tumour suppression pathway that could be targeted for cancer therapy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zoe R. C. Marks, Nicole Campbell, Niamh Mangan, Cassandra S. Vandenberg, Linden S. Gearing, Antony Matthews, Jodee L. Gould, Michelle N. Tate, Georgie Wray-McCann, Le J. Ying, Sarah Rosli, Natasha Brockwell, Belinda Parker, San Lim, Maree Bilandzic, Elizabeth Christie, Andrew Stephens, Eveline de Geus, Matthew Wakefield, Gwo-Yaw Ho, Orla A. McNally, David D. L. Australian Ovarian Cancer Study, Iain A. McNeish, David D. L. L. Bowtell, Nicole M. de Weerd, Clare J. Scott, Nollaig Bourke, Paul Hertzog
Summary: High-grade serous ovarian cancers have low survival rates due to late presentation and chemoresistance. In this study, we investigate the tumor-suppressive activities of interferon-e (IFNe) in ovarian cancer models. We find that IFNe is constitutively expressed in the fallopian tube and lost during tumor development. IFNe directly acts on tumor cells and activates anti-tumor immunity. It prevents the accumulation and activation of suppressor cells and regulatory T cells. Our findings suggest that IFNe could be a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.
Editorial Material
Oncology
Rafael Winograd, Diane M. Simeone, Dafna Bar-Sagi
Summary: Immune checkpoint blockade has shown efficacy in multiple cancers, but further improvements are needed to increase response rates and achieve clinical efficacy in cold tumors. Mechanistic studies of tumor-specific immunosuppressive pathways can uncover biological barriers to immunotherapy and offer new therapeutic insights.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Richard Morgan, Keith Hunter, Hardev S. Pandha
Summary: HOX genes are highly conserved transcription factors with key roles in early development and are also highly expressed in most cancers. Studies have found strong associations between HOX gene expression in tumors and clinical parameters, with high expression levels often associated with worse patient outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Oncology
M. Cummings, C. Freer, N. M. Orsi
Summary: Ovarian cancer often presents at an advanced stage and initial response to platinum-based therapies is positive, but chemoresistance develops leading to poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment has been found to play a central role in therapy resistance and disease progression, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Focus has been on targeting cancer associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, cancer stem cells, and cancer cell metabolic vulnerabilities for new therapies.
SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Upasana Ray, Deok-Beom Jung, Ling Jin, Yinan Xiao, Subramanyam Dasari, Sayantani Sarkar Bhattacharya, Prabhu Thirusangu, Julie K. Staub, Debarshi Roy, Bhaskar Roy, S. John Weroha, Xiaonan Hou, James W. Purcell, Jamie N. Bakkum-Gamez, Scott H. Kaufmann, Nagarajan Kannan, Anirban K. Mitra, Viji Shridhar
Summary: This study identifies the role of LRRC15 in promoting ovarian cancer metastasis and demonstrates that the LRRC15-targeted antibody-drug conjugate can suppress ovarian cancer metastasis.
Review
Oncology
Maria Davern, Noel E. Donlon, Robert Power, Conall Hayes, Ross King, Margaret R. Dunne, John V. Reynolds
Summary: Oesophageal cancer is associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, obesity, and tobacco use. Knowledge of the tumour microenvironment is crucial for understanding OC development and therapy sensitivity. Immunological characterisation can provide prognostic implications and enable precision medicine for OC patients.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roopak Murali, Vaishnavi Balasubramaniam, Satish Srinivas, Sandhya Sundaram, Ganesh Venkatraman, Sudha Warrier, Arun Dharmarajan, Rajesh Kumar Gandhirajan
Summary: Ovarian cancers are a type of tumor that originates from different cells of the ovary and account for around 4% of all cancers in women worldwide. There are more than 30 identified tumor types based on cellular origins, with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) being the most common and deadly type. EOC can be further categorized into different subtypes. The development of ovarian cancer has long been associated with endometriosis, a chronic inflammation leading to the accumulation of mutations. Recent studies have elucidated the role of somatic mutations and their impact on altered tumor metabolism. Several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have been implicated in ovarian cancer progression. This review highlights the genetic alterations and their impact on metabolic networks in ovarian cancer, providing insights into potential personalized therapies.
Article
Oncology
Huanhuan Chen, Keqing Yang, Lingxiao Pang, Jing Fei, Yongliang Zhu, Jianwei Zhou
Summary: This study identified a novel protein, ANKRD22, involved in regulating the immunosuppressive ability of PMN-MDSCs. It was found that ANKRD22 levels were associated with the clinical characteristics and prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Sehbanul Islam, Parul Dutta, Osheen Sahay, Kesavaperumal Gopalakrishnan, Sushrita Roy Muhury, Parinitha Parameshwar, Praveenkumar Shetty, Manas Kumar Santra
Summary: The oncogene c-Myc suppresses the expression of FBXO31 in ovarian cancer, impairing its tumor-suppressive functions. In contrast, FBXO31 degrades c-Myc through the proteasome pathway, inhibiting ovarian cancer growth. The c-Myc-FBXO31 axis shows promise as a target for developing better cancer therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kira Philipsen Prahm, Claus Kim Hogdall, Mona Aarenstrup Karlsen, Ib Jarle Christensen, Guy Wayne Novotny, Estrid Hogdall
Summary: The study aimed to investigate differences in microRNA expression according to clinicopathological characteristics and predict cytoreductive outcome in ovarian cancer patients. One microRNA, miR-130a, was associated with serous histology and advanced FIGO stage, while seven other microRNAs were found to be significantly associated with clinicopathological characteristics but need further validation.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Daria Grafodatskaya, Darren D. O'Rielly, Karine Bedard, Darci T. Butcher, Christopher J. Howlett, Alice Lytwyn, Elizabeth McCready, Jillian Parboosingh, Elizabeth L. Spriggs, Andrea K. Vaags, Tracy L. Stockley
Summary: This document provides considerations and recommendations for Canadian clinical laboratories developing, validating, and offering next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based BRCA1/2 tumor testing in ovarian cancers. It was drafted by the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists (CCMG) BRCA Ad Hoc Working Group and representatives from the Canadian Association of Pathologists, and approved by the CCMG board of directors. However, the current CCMG Practice Guidelines do not include all the information laboratories should consider when validating and using NGS for BRCA1/2 tumor testing in ovarian cancers.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Stefanie Seitz, Tobias F. Dreyer, Christoph Stange, Katja Steiger, Rosalinde Braeuer, Leandra Scheutz, Gabriele Multhoff, Wilko Weichert, Marion Kiechle, Viktor Magdolen, Holger Bronger
Summary: CXCL9 acts as a driver of successful immune checkpoint blockade in ovarian cancer, and has potential as a predictive biomarker. Patients with clear-cell subtype display higher CXCL9 expression.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Li Zuo, Xiaoli Li, Hailong Zhu, Anqi Li, Yonggang Wang
Summary: Detection of miR-181a in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of ovarian cancer patients may allow for early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation. MiR-181a could be involved in the development and progression of ovarian cancer as an oncogene. The expression of miR-181a in CTCs captured by EpCAM liposome magnetic beads (Ep-LMBs) correlates with clinical characteristics of ovarian cancer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joo Mi Yi, Tae-Hong Kang, Yu Kyeong Han, Ha Young Park, Ju Hwan Yang, Jin-Han Bae, Jung-Soo Suh, Tae-Jin Kim, Joong-Gook Kim, Yan-Hong Cui, Hiromu Suzuki, Kohei Kumegawa, Sung Joo Kim, Yi Zhao, In Ja Park, Seung-Mo Hong, Joon-Yong Chung, Su-Jae Lee
Summary: This study identifies Neuralized (NEURL) as a novel tumor suppressor gene that targets oncogenic Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in human cancers. NEURL expression is epigenetically regulated and suppressed in colorectal cancer. NEURL acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, interacting with oncogenic beta-catenin and reducing its cytoplasmic levels, thereby disrupting the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.
Article
Oncology
Jacobus van der Velden, Noortje Pleunis, Ellen Barlow, Henry Zijlmans, Joanne de Hullu, Neville F. Hacker, Guus Fons
Summary: The study found that in patients with a single intracapsular positive lymph node who did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy, the risk of groin recurrence was low and survival rate was good. Therefore, it is recommended that adjuvant radiotherapy to the groin can be safely omitted to prevent unnecessary toxicity and morbidity.
GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Dane Cheasley, Abhimanyu Nigam, Magnus Zethoven, Sally Hunter, Dariush Etemadmoghadam, Timothy Semple, Prue Allan, Mark S. Carey, Marta L. Fernandez, Amy Dawson, Martin Kobel, David G. Huntsman, Cecile Le Page, Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Diane Provencher, Neville Hacker, Yunkai Gao, David Bowtell, Anna deFazio, Kylie L. Gorringe, Ian G. Campbell
Summary: Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is linked with poor response to chemotherapy, emphasizing the importance of genomic analysis to identify new therapeutic targets. A comprehensive study of LGSOC patients revealed potential driver aberrations and protein expressions that could impact disease outcomes and treatment responses.
(c) 2020 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Phuc-Loi Luu, Phuc-Thinh Ong, Tran Thai Huu Loc, Dilys Lam, Ruth Pidsley, Clare Stirzaker, Susan J. Clark
Summary: MethPanel is a computational pipeline for rapid analysis of multiplex bisulphite PCR sequencing data, with features such as epipoly-morphism score calculation and PCR bias correction capabilities. It supports processing methylation data from all samples in parallel and automatically forwards outputs to shinyApp for convenient display and sharing.
Article
Oncology
Katherine A. Giles, Cathryn M. Gould, Joanna Achinger-Kawecka, Scott G. Page, Georgia R. Kafer, Samuel Rogers, Phuc-Loi Luu, Anthony J. Cesare, Susan J. Clark, Phillippa C. Taberlay
Summary: The study found that BRG1 is overexpressed in prostate cancer and mainly affects global transcription programs by down-regulating gene expression, with most downregulated genes related to proliferation. Depletion of BRG1 results in G1 arrest.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ya Wang, Brian Gloss, Benjamin Tang, Suat Dervish, Brigitte Santner-Nanan, Christina Whitehead, Kristy Masters, Kristen Skarratt, Sally Teoh, Stephen Schibeci, Nicole Fewings, Chrystelle Brignone, Frederic Triebel, David Booth, Anthony McLean, Marek Nalos
Summary: Sepsis is associated with dysregulated inflammatory response and immune suppression, leading to susceptibility to secondary infections. Using high-dimensional flow cytometry, researchers identified two major immune response subgroups in septic patients: hypo-responsive and hyper-responsive. Pre-treatment with IFN-gamma or LAG-3Ig showed that cells from the hypo-responsive group were more responsive to immunostimulants compared to the hyper-responsive group.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saeed Esmaili, Peter Langfelder, T. Grant Belgard, Daniele Vitale, Mahmoud Karimi Azardaryany, Ghazal Alipour Talesh, Mehdi Ramezani-Moghadam, Vikki Ho, Daniel Dvorkin, Suat Dervish, Brian S. Gloss, Henning Gronbaek, Christopher Liddle, Jacob George
Summary: This study suggests that alterations in immune responses and metabolism core modules occur in both humans and mice when hepatic homeostasis is disrupted. The extent of derailment in core modules can predict survival in liver cancer patients.
Article
Immunology
Scott A. Read, Brian S. Gloss, Christopher Liddle, Jacob George, Golo Ahlenstiel
Summary: IFN-lambda s play a critical role in eliminating acute infections by activating interferon stimulated genes, but excessive production can lead to tissue inflammation and barrier disruption. In vitro experiments showed that IFN-lambda 3 exacerbated inflammatory responses triggered by different microbial ligands. Additionally, in SARS-CoV-2 infections, IFN-lambda s were implicated in myeloid cell-driven pathogenesis.
JOURNAL OF INFLAMMATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florencia Haase, Brian S. Gloss, Patrick P. L. Tam, Wendy A. Gold
Summary: Rett Syndrome is an X linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, with symptoms typically appearing between 6 to 18 months of age. Recent studies have found subtle cellular and molecular changes in neural cells before symptoms onset, suggesting global translational dysregulation may start prior to neuronal lineage commitment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Toshikazu Ushijima, Susan J. Clark, Patrick Tan
Summary: Cancer, driven by genomic and epigenomic derangements, requires multimodal data integration to understand the molecular evolution of malignant cell states across its lifecycle. Driver mutations and epigenetic alterations in normal-appearing tissues prompt a reassessment of cancer initiation, while studying clonal selection, epigenomic adaptation, and persister cells in metastasis and therapy resistance is an emerging field. The importance of tumor ecosystems in cancer development is being unveiled by advancing single-cell and spatial technologies.
Article
Oncology
Neville F. Hacker, Ellen Barlow, Stephen Morrell, Katrina Tang
Summary: This study found that leaving the lateral lymph nodes in situ in vulvar cancer patients, if the medial nodes are negative, can significantly reduce the risk of lower limb lymphedema.
Editorial Material
Oncology
Susan J. Clark, Peter L. Molloy
Summary: DNA methylation plays an essential role in normal cells but is altered in cancer cells, possibly as an early step in tumorigenesis. Esteller and colleagues' landmark study revealed high frequency promoter methylation in cancer and suggested it as a key characteristic of oncogenesis. Over the past 20 years, the field of cancer epigenetics has exploded, generating numerous methylome maps and informatic tools for studying cancer biology and discovering DNA methylation biomarkers.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Yolanda Colino-Sanguino, Susan J. Clark, Fatima Valdes-Mora
Summary: This review discusses the diverse roles of H2A.Z in gene transcription, embryonic development, cell differentiation, and brain function, highlighting the importance of histone variants in gene regulation and disease.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Dmitrii Shek, Brian Gloss, Joey Lai, Li Ma, Hui E. Zhang, Matteo S. Carlino, Hema Mahajan, Adnan Nagrial, Bo Gao, Scott A. Read, Golo Ahlenstiel
Summary: Increasing evidence supports the crucial role of the tumour microenvironment in response to systemic therapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The immune component of the tumour microenvironment, though poorly understood, has the potential to provide valuable insights for improving the efficacy and safety of ICI therapy. The use of advanced spatial and single-cell technologies can help identify and validate factors that may lead to the development of broad acting adjunct therapies and personalised cancer immunotherapies in the future.
METHODS AND PROTOCOLS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Timothy J. Peters, Michael J. Buckley, Yunshun Chen, Gordon K. Smyth, Christopher C. Goodnow, Susan J. Clark
Summary: Whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) allows for genome-wide study of single molecule methylation patterns. The study aims to locate differential methylation patterns across the genome using statistical methods, data simulation, and benchmarking. DMRcate is found to be the fastest and the best predictor of DMRs among the methods compared in the study.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Immunology
David Jonathan Gottlieb, Leighton Edward Clancy, Barbara Withers, Helen Marie McGuire, Fabio Luciani, Mandeep Singh, Brendan Hughes, Brian Gloss, David Kliman, Chun Kei Kris Ma, Shyam Panicker, David Bishop, Ming-Celine Dubosq, Ziduo Li, Selmir Avdic, Kenneth Micklethwaite, Emily Blyth
Summary: Adoptive immunotherapy using donor-derived antigen-specific T-cells can effectively prevent and treat infections after allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplant. The study showed that rapid reconstitution of immunity to a broad range of viral and fungal infections can be achieved using a multi-pathogen-specific T-cell product, but precautions should be taken to control the development of graft-versus-host disease.
CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
