N-acetyltransferase 10 facilitates tumorigenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by regulating AMPK/mTOR signalling through N4-acetylcytidine modification of SLC30A9.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating studies suggested that posttranscriptional modifications exert a vital role in the tumorigenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification, catalyzed by the N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), was a novel type of chemical modification that improves translation efficiency and mRNA stability. METHODS: GEO databases and clinical samples were used to explore the expression and clinical value of NAT10 in DLBCL. CRISPER/Cas9-mediated knockout of NAT10 was performed to determine the biological functions of NAT10 in DLBCL. RNA sequencing, acetylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (acRIP-seq), LC-MS/MS, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP)-qPCR and RNA stability assays were performed to explore the mechanism by which NAT10 contributed to DLBCL progression. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrated that NAT10-mediated ac4C modification regulated the occurrence and progression of DLBCL. Dysregulated N-acetyltransferases expression was found in DLBCL samples. High expression of NAT10 was associated with poor prognosis of DLBCL patients. Deletion of NAT10 expression inhibited cell proliferation and induced G0/G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, knockout of NAT10 increased the sensitivity of DLBCL cells to ibrutinib. AcRIP-seq identified solute carrier family 30 member 9 (SLC30A9) as a downstream target of NAT10 in DLBCL. NAT10 regulated the mRNA stability of SLC30A9 in an ac4C-dependent manner. Genetic silencing of SLC30A9 suppressed DLBCL cell growth via regulating the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings highlighted the essential role of ac4C RNA modification mediated by NAT10 in DLBCL, and provided insights into novel epigenetic-based therapeutic strategies.

Update of antibody-drug conjugates for hematological malignancies.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), consisting of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) covalently linked to cytotoxic drugs via chemical linkers, are a kind of promising tumor immunotherapy. ADCs also face a number of challenges, including unavoidable adverse effects, drug resistance, tumor targeting and payload release. To address these issues, in addition to optimizing the individual components of ADCs, such as new payloads, linkage sites and new targets, and using bispecific antibodies to increase precision, attention should be paid to optimizing the dosage of ADCs. RECENT FINDINGS: There are currently 7 ADCs approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for hematological malignancies, and dozens of other ADCs are either in clinical trials or in the process of applying for marketing. In recent clinical studies targeting ADCs in hematologic malignancies, in addition to validating effectiveness in different indications, researchers have attempted to combine ADCs with other chemotherapeutic agents in anticipation of increased therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, the availability of bispecific antibodies may increase the safety and efficacy of ADCs. SUMMARY: This review summarized the progress of research on ADCs in hematological malignancies, the challenges being faced, and possible future directions to improve the efficacy of ADCs, which can provide novel insight into the future exploration of ADCs in the treatment of hematological malignancies.

The regulatory roles and clinical significance of glycolysis in tumor.

Metabolic reprogramming has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the biological behaviors of tumor cells, among which glycolysis is an important form. Recent research has revealed that the heightened glycolysis levels, the abnormal expression of glycolytic enzymes, and the accumulation of glycolytic products could regulate the growth, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells and provide a favorable microenvironment for tumor development and progression. Based on the distinctive glycolytic characteristics of tumor cells, novel imaging tests have been developed to evaluate tumor proliferation and metastasis. In addition, glycolytic enzymes have been found to serve as promising biomarkers in tumor, which could provide assistance in the early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of tumor patients. Numerous glycolytic enzymes have been identified as potential therapeutic targets for tumor treatment, and various small molecule inhibitors targeting glycolytic enzymes have been developed to inhibit tumor development and some of them are already applied in the clinic. In this review, we systematically summarized recent advances of the regulatory roles of glycolysis in tumor progression and highlighted the potential clinical significance of glycolytic enzymes and products as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in tumor treatment.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 3a promotes the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma through regulating cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: One-third of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients suffer relapse after standard treatment. Eukaryotic initiation factor 3a (eIF3a) is a key player in the initial stage of translation, which has been widely reported to be correlated with tumorigenesis and therapeutic response. This study aimed to explore the biological role of eIF3a, evaluate its prognostic and therapeutic potential in DLBCL. METHODS: RNA-seq datasets from GEO database were utilized to detect the expression and prognostic role of eIF3a in DLBCL patients. Protein level of eIF3a was estimated by western blot and immunohistochemical. Next, DLBCL cells were transfected with lentiviral vector either eIF3a-knockdown or empty to assess the biological role of eIF3a. Then, samples were divided into 2 clusters based on eIF3a expression and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Function enrichment and mutation analysis of DEGs were employed to detect potential biological roles. Moreover, we also applied pan-cancer and chemosensitivity analysis for deep exploration. RESULTS: eIF3a expression was found to be higher in DLBCL than healthy controls, which was associated with worse prognosis. The expression of eIF3a protein was significantly increased in DLBCL cell lines compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors. eIF3a knockdown inhibited the proliferation of DLBCL cells and the expression of proliferation-related proteins and increase cell apoptosis rate. Besides, 114 DEGs were identified which had a close linkage to cell cycle and tumor immune. eIF3a and DEGs mutations were found to be correlated to chemosensitivity and vital signal pathways. Pan-cancer analysis demonstrated that high eIF3a expression was associated with worse prognosis in several tumors. Moreover, eIF3a expression was found to be related to chemosensitivity of several anti-tumor drugs in DLBCL, including Vincristine and Wee1 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: We firstly revealed the high expression and prognostic role of eIF3a in DLBCL, and eIF3a might promote the development of DLBCL through regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. eIF3a expression was related to immune profile and chemosensitivity in DLBCL. These results suggest that eIF3a could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in DLBCL.

Targeting natural killer cells: from basic biology to clinical application in hematologic malignancies.

Natural killer (NK) cell belongs to innate lymphoid cell family that contributes to host immunosurveillance and defense without pre-immunization. Emerging studies have sought to understand the underlying mechanism behind NK cell dysfunction in tumor environments, and provide numerous novel therapeutic targets for tumor treatment. Strategies to enhance functional activities of NK cell have exhibited promising efficacy and favorable tolerance in clinical treatment of tumor patients, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), chimeric antigen receptor NK (CAR-NK) cell, and bi/trispecific killer cell engager (BiKE/TriKE). Immunotherapy targeting NK cell provides remarkable advantages compared to T cell therapy, including a decreased rate of graft versus-host disease (GvHD) and neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, advanced details on how to support the maintenance and function of NK cell to obtain better response rate and longer duration still remain to be elucidated. This review systematically summarizes the profound role of NK cells in tumor development, highlights up-to-date advances and current challenges of therapy targeting NK cell in the clinical treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Activation of STING by SAMHD1 Deficiency Promotes PANoptosis and Enhances Efficacy of PD-L1 Blockade in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma.

Genomic instability is a significant driver of cancer. As the sensor of cytosolic DNA, the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway plays a critical role in regulating anti-tumor immunity and cell death. However, the role and regulatory mechanisms of STING in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are still undefined. In this study, we reported that sterile alpha motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) deficiency induced STING expression and inhibited tumor growth in DLBCL. High level of SAMHD1 was associated with poor prognosis in DLBCL patients. Down-regulation of SAMHD1 inhibited DLBCL cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we found that SAMHD1 deficiency induced DNA damage and promoted the expression of DNA damage adaptor STING. STING overexpression promoted the formation of Caspase 8/RIPK3/ASC, further leading to MLKL phosphorylation, Caspase 3 cleavage, and GSDME cleavage. Up-regulation of necroptotic, apoptotic, and pyroptotic effectors indicated STING-mediated PANoptosis. Finally, we demonstrated that the STING agonist, DMXAA, enhanced the efficacy of a PD-L1 inhibitor in DLBCL. Our findings highlight the important role of STING-mediated PANoptosis in restricting DLBCL progression and provide a potential strategy for enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor agents in DLBCL.

Recent advances of ferroptosis in tumor: From biological function to clinical application.

Ferroptosis is a recently recognized form of cell death with distinct features in terms of morphology, biochemistry, and molecular mechanisms. Unlike other types of cell death, ferroptosis is characterized by iron dependence, reactive oxygen species accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Recent studies have demonstrated that selective autophagy plays a vital role in the induction of ferroptosis, including ferritinophagy, lipophagy, clockophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. Emerging evidence has indicated the involvement of ferroptosis in tumorigenesis through regulating various biological processes, including tumor growth, metastasis, stemness, drug resistance, and recurrence. Clinical and preclinical studies have found that novel therapies targeting ferroptosis exert great potential in the treatment of tumors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms in ferroptosis, especially in autophagy-driven ferroptosis, discusses the recent advances in the biological roles of ferroptosis in tumorigenesis, and highlights the application of novel ferroptosis-targeted therapies in the clinical treatment of tumors.

Derivation and validation of a nutrition-covered prognostic scoring system for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.

Introduction: Patients with aggressive lymphomas are at high risk of losing body resources, resulting in malnutrition, immunodeficiency and inferior outcomes. Nutritional status is closely associated with survival, but often neglected in the prognostic assessment. This study aimed to explore the significance of nutritional status in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). Methods: Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to examine the significance of nutritional index on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). A nutrition-incorporated score system was constructed based on the multivariate results, and its calibration, discrimination and clinical utility were tested in the training and validation cohort. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score could independently predict OS (HR 10.247, P=0.001) and PFS (HR 5.587, P=0.001) in addition to prognostic index of natural killer lymphoma plus EBV (PINK-E). Herein, a reformative model, CONUT-PINK-E, was developed and further verified in external validation cohort. CONUT-PINK-E classified patients into three risk grades with significant survival differences (P < 0.001). Compared with the current models, CONUT-PINK-E presented superior discrimination, calibration and clinical benefit. Discussion: In this study, we firstly verified that CONUT score was efficient to screen prognosis-related malnutrition in ENKTL. Moreover, we developed the first nutritional assessment-covered scoring system, CONUT-PINK-E, which might be a promising tool to provide references for clinical decision-making of ENKTL patients.

Single-cell transcriptome analysis profiles the expression features of TMEM173 in BM cells of high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: As an essential regulator of type I interferon (IFN) response, TMEM173 participates in immune regulation and cell death induction. In recent studies, activation of TMEM173 has been regarded as a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. However, transcriptomic features of TMEM173 in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remain elusive. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting (WB) were applied to determine the mRNA and protein levels of TMEM173 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). TMEM173 mutation status was assessed by Sanger sequencing. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed to explore the expression of TMEM173 in different types of bone marrow (BM) cells. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein levels of TMEM173 were increased in PBMCs from B-ALL patients. Besides, frameshift mutation was presented in TMEM173 sequences of 2 B-ALL patients. ScRNA-seq analysis identified the specific transcriptome profiles of TMEM173 in the BM of high-risk B-ALL patients. Specifically, expression levels of TMEM173 in granulocytes, progenitor cells, mast cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) were higher than that in B cells, T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and dendritic cells (DCs). Subset analysis further revealed that TMEM173 and pyroptosis effector gasdermin D (GSDMD) restrained in precursor-B (pre-B) cells with proliferative features, which expressed nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), CD19, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) during the progression of B-ALL. In addition, TMEM173 was associated with the functional activation of NK cells and DCs in B-ALL. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide insights into the transcriptomic features of TMEM173 in the BM of high-risk B-ALL patients. Targeted activation of TMEM173 in specific cells might provide new therapeutic strategies for B-ALL patients.

PGD2 displays distinct effects in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma depending on different concentrations.

Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), an arachidonic acid metabolite, has been implicated in allergic responses, parasitic infection and tumor development. The biological functions and molecular mechanisms of PGD2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are still undefined. In this study, we firstly found the high concentration of serum PGD2 and low expression of PGD2 receptor CRTH2 in DLBCL, which were associated with clinical features and prognosis of DLBCL patients. Interestingly, different concentration of PGD2 displayed divergent effects on DLBCL progression. Low-concentration PGD2 promoted cell growth through binding to CRTH2 while high-concentration PGD2 inhibited it via regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and invasion. Besides, high-concentration PGD2 could induce ROS-mediated DNA damage and enhance the cytotoxicity of adriamycin, bendamustine and venetoclax. Furthermore, HDAC inhibitors, vorinostat (SAHA) and panobinostat (LBH589) regulated CRTH2 expression and PGD2 production, and CRTH2 inhibitor AZD1981 and high-concentration PGD2 enhanced their anti-tumor effects in DLBCL. Altogether, our findings demonstrated PGD2 and CRTH2 as novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in DLBCL, and highlighted the potency of high-concentration PGD2 as a promising therapeutic strategy for DLBCL patients.

Ferroptosis-related STEAP3 acts as predictor and regulator in diffuse large B cell lymphoma through immune infiltration.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a usual-seen hematological malignant tumor possessing molecular and genetic heterogeneity. Ferroptosis induction has been increasingly acknowledged to be an advantageous therapeutic method in tumor treatment by triggering cell death of tumor cells. However, studies on the function of ferroptosis in DLBCL remain scarce, especially the interaction with the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The clinical and biological functions of ferroptosis-related genes in DLBCL were still warranted to be explored. A ferroptosis-related risk model was constructed, followed by functional enrichment analyses and evaluation of immune profile. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were conducted to examine the RNA and protein levels. Dysregulated expression of the major ferroptosis-related genes was found in DLBCL. A prognostic risk model based on 10 ferroptosis-related genes was constructed. The risk score served as an independent prognostic indicator for DLBCL patients in univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Patients with low-risk scores presented a more favorable prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that immune-related pathways were significantly enriched, and the high-risk group exhibited less immunocyte infiltration, lower immunoscore, and downregulated PD-L1 expression relative to the low-risk group. Two molecular subtypes were determined through consensus clustering of the expression of ferroptosis-related genes. Cluster 1 was relevant to favorable prognosis, higher immunoscore, and elevated PD-L1 expression. More importantly, STEAP3 was screened as a reliable biomarker for DLBCL, and its enhanced expression levels of mRNA and protein were verified in public databases and clinical specimens. Our study demonstrated the crucial role of ferroptosis-related genes including STEAP3 in the TIME of DLBCL and identified promising novel molecular targets for DLBCL treatment.

Glycoprotein PTGDS promotes tumorigenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by MYH9-mediated regulation of Wnt-ß-catenin-STAT3 signaling.

Glycoprotein prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) is a member of the lipocalin superfamily and plays dual roles in prostaglandins metabolism and lipid transport. PTGDS has been involved in various cellular processes including the tumorigenesis of solid tumors, yet its role in carcinogenesis is contradictory and the significance of PTGDS in hematological malignancies is ill-defined. Here, we aimed to explore the expression and function of PTGDS in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), especially the potential role of PTGDS inhibitor, AT56, in lymphoma therapy. Remarkable high expression of PTGDS was found in DLBCL, which was significantly correlated with poor prognosis. PTGDS overexpression and rhPTGDS were found to promote cell proliferation. Besides, in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that PTGDS knockdown and AT56 treatment exerted an anti-tumor effect by regulating cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and invasion, and enhanced the drug sensitivity to adriamycin and bendamustine through promoting DNA damage. Moreover, the co-immunoprecipitation-based mass spectrum identified the interaction between PTGDS and MYH9, which was found to promote DLBCL progression. PTGDS inhibition led to reduced expression of MYH9, and then declined activation of the Wnt-ß-catenin-STAT3 pathway through influencing the ubiquitination and degradation of GSK3-ß in DLBCL. The rescue experiment demonstrated that PTGDS exerted an oncogenic role through regulating MYH9 and then the Wnt-ß-catenin-STAT3 pathway. Based on point mutation of glycosylation sites, we confirmed the N-glycosylation of PTGDS in Asn51 and Asn78 and found that abnormal glycosylation of PTGDS resulted in its nuclear translocation, prolonged half-life, and enhanced cell proliferation. Collectively, our findings identified for the first time that glycoprotein PTGDS promoted tumorigenesis of DLBCL through MYH9-mediated regulation of Wnt-ß-catenin-STAT3 signaling, and highlighted the potential role of AT56 as a novel therapeutic strategy for DLBCL treatment.

Derivation and validation of a lipid-covered prognostic model for mature T-cell lymphomas.

BACKGROUND: Mature T-cell lymphomas (MTCLs), a group of diseases with high aggressiveness and vulnerable prognosis, lack for the accurate prognostic stratification systems at present. Novel prognostic markers and models are urgently demanded. Aberrant lipid metabolism is closely related to the tumor progression but its prognostic significance in MTCLs remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate the relationship between dysregulated lipid metabolism and survival prognosis of MTCLs and establish a novel and well-performed prognostic scoring system for MTCL patients. METHODS: A total of 173 treatment-naive patients were enrolled in this study. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the prognostic significance of serum lipid profiles and screen out independent prognostic factors, which constituted a novel prognostic model for MTCLs. The performance of the novel model was assessed in the training and validation cohort, respectively, by examining its calibration, discrimination and clinical utility. RESULTS: Among the 173 included patients, 115 patients (01/2006-12/2016) constituted the training cohort and 58 patients (01/2017-06/2020) formed the validation cohort. Univariate analysis revealed declined total cholesterol (TC, P = 0.000), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, P = 0.000) and increased triglycerides (TG, P = 0.000) correlated to inferior survival outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed extranodal involved sites ≥ 2 (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.439; P = 0.036), ß2-MG ≥ 3 mg/L (HR: 4.165; P = 0.003) and TC < 3.58 mmol/L (HR: 3.338; P = 0.000) were independent predictors. Subsequently, a novel prognostic model, EnBC score, was constructed with these three factors. Harrell's C-index of the model in the training and validation cohort was 0.840 (95% CI 0.810-0.870) and 0.882 (95% CI 0.822-0.942), respectively, with well-fitted calibration curves. The model divided patients into four risk groups with distinct OS [median OS: not available (NA) vs. NA vs. 14.0 vs. 4.0 months, P < 0.0001] and PFS (median PFS: 84.0 vs. 19.0 vs. 8.0 vs. 1.5 months, P < 0.0001). Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve and decision curve analysis  further revealed that EnBC score provided higher diagnostic capacity and clinical benefit, compared with International Prognostic Index (IPI). CONCLUSION: Firstly, abnormal serum lipid metabolism was demonstrated significantly related to the survival of MTCL patients. Furthermore, a lipid-covered prognostic scoring system was established and performed well in stratifying patients with MTCLs.

Inhibition of Polo-like kinase 4 induces mitotic defects and DNA damage in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4), a key regulator of centriole biogenesis, has recently been shown to play key roles in tumorigenesis. Blocking PLK4 expression by interference or targeted drugs exhibits attractive potential in improving the efficacy of chemotherapy. Nevertheless, the role of PLK4 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is still undefined. In this study, we discover that PLK4 is a potential target for the treatment of DLBCL, and demonstrate the efficacy of a PLK4 inhibitor when used in combination with doxorubicin. Pharmaceutical inhibition of PLK4 with CFI-400945 inhibited DLBCL cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death. The anti-tumor effects were accompanied by mitotic defects, including polyploidy and cytokinesis failure. Activation of p53 and Hippo/YAP tumor suppressor signaling pathway was identified as the potential mechanisms driving CFI-400945 activity. Moreover, CFI-400945 treatment resulted in activation of DNA damage response. Combining CFI-400945 with doxorubicin markedly delayed tumor progression in DLBCL xenografts. Finally, PLK4 was increased in primary DLBCL tissues and cell lines. High levels of PLK4 expression were associated with poor survival in the patients receiving CHOP-based treatment, implicating PLK4 as a predictive biomarker of DLBCL chemosensitivity. These results provide the therapeutic potential of CFI-400945 both as monotherapy or in combination with doxorubicin for the treatment of DLBCL.

Circulating Exosomal MiR-107 Restrains Tumorigenesis in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma by Targeting 14-3-3η.

Exosomes, nanometer-sized membranous vesicles in body fluids, have emerged as promising non-invasive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. However, the function of exosomes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate the role of exosomal miR-107 in lymphomagenesis and explore its clinical significance. In this study, decreased exosomal miR-107, miR-375-3p, and upregulated exosomal miR-485-3p were detected in the plasma of DLBCL patients and showed potential diagnostic value. Downregulated miR-107 expression was associated with advanced Ann Arbor stage, high IPI score, LDH, and ß2-MG level in DLBCL patients. Overexpression of miR-107 by miR-107 Agomir significantly abrogated cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and inhibited cell invasion in vitro, and repressed tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, the downregulation of miR-107 went in the opposite direction. The target genes of miR-107 were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt, Hippo, and AMPK signaling pathways. Notably, upregulated 14-3-3η (YWHAH) was suppressed by miR-107 in DLBCL, suggesting that miR-107 may restrain tumorigenesis by targeting 14-3-3η. In summary, this study unveils the function of miR-107 in lymphomagenesis, highlighting its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator and as a new therapeutic target in the management of DLBCL.

Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in Vindesine-Based and Bortezomib-Based Regimens for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: A Retrospective Study of Efficacy and Safety.

PURPOSE: Although pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) has been approved in combination with bortezomib for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM), the antitumor efficacy and tolerability of PLD in different regimens for patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) have not been fully defined. METHODS: A total of 249 NDMM patients diagnosed between January 2008 and October 2019 were included in this retrospective study. Among them, 112 patients received vindesine-based chemotherapy (35 vDD and 77 vAD) and 137 received bortezomib-based chemotherapy (58 VDD and 79 VD). RESULTS: In bortezomib-containing regimens, the complete response rate (48.3 vs. 30.4%, p = 0.033) and very good partial response or better rate (74.1 vs. 57.0%, p = 0.038) of VDD were significantly higher than those of VD subgroup. While no superior survival was found between VDD and VD subgroup. In vindesine-containing regimens, no statistical significance was identified between vDD and vAD in terms of response rate and survival. The occurrence rates of all cardiac AEs were similar between VDD and VD. CONCLUSIONS: The vDD regimen was similar with vAD in the aspect of response rate, survival, and toxicity in NDMM patients. The addition of PLD to VD brought deeper response without increased toxicity, while no superior survival was found.

Berberine exerts anti-tumor activity in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by modulating c-myc/CD47 axis.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) with high clinical heterogeneity and poor prognosis. Immune escape mediated by CD47 overexpression contributes to the limited efficacy of rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody, which indicates a target to improve the efficacy of DLBCL treatment. Here, we validated berberine, a natural compound, as a suppressor of CD47 and revealed the involved mechanism and biological function in DLBCL. Berberine downregulated the expression of CD47 in DLBCL at the transcriptional level by suppressing c-myc expression. Berberine-induced CD47 inhibition enhanced the phagocytosis of macrophages, thereby eliminating DLBCL cells in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, berberine enhanced the efficiency of anti-CD47 antibody and rituximab-mediated phagocytosis. Moreover, a novel prognostic model based on the combination of CD47 and CD68, a biomarker of macrophages, was established in DLBCL. Our results highlighted for the first time that berberine could restore macrophage function in the tumor microenvironment, enhance rituximab-mediated phagocytosis and promote anti-CD47 antibody function via suppressing CD47 expression, which revealed a new anti-tumor mechanism of berberine and provided novel insights into the rituximab-based immunochemotherapy and CD47-targeted immunotherapy in DLBCL.

The prognostic roles of hepatitis B virus antibody in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been correlated with virus infection and immunity status. We retrospectively analyzed the association between HBV antibody and DLBCL development in HBsAg- patients. Compared with HBeAb- patients, HBeAb+ patients displayed unique clinical features. HBV antibody-negative patients had better therapeutic efficiency (p < .05). The media progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of HBV antibody-positive group were shorter than the negative group (p < .05). Furthermore, we found positive association between CD21 and HBsAb and their synergistic effect for prognostic predication. Interestingly, the effect of Rituximab in prognostic improvement was more significant in HBV antibody-positive group than negative group. Univariate analysis showed that HBV antibody was independent risk factor for disease prognosis. Altogether, our investigations identified for the first time the close association between HBV antibody and clinical prognosis in DLBCL patients. These findings provide potential biomarker to predict the effect of Rituximab and prognosis in DLBCL patients.

Risk Stratification for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma by Integrating Interim Evaluation and International Prognostic Index: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

The baseline International Prognostic Index (IPI) is not sufficient for the initial risk stratification of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). The aims of this study were to evaluate the prognostic relevance of early risk stratification in DLBCL and develop a new stratification system that combines an interim evaluation and IPI. This multicenter retrospective study enrolled 314 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with baseline and interim evaluations. All patients were treated with R-CHOP or R-CHOP-like regimens as the first-line therapy. Survival differences were evaluated for different risk stratification systems including the IPI, interim evaluation, and the combined system. When stratified by IPI, the high-intermediate and high-risk groups presented overlapping survival curves with no significant differences, and the high-risk group still had >50% of 3-year overall survival (OS). The interim evaluation can also stratify patients into three groups, as 3-year OS and progression-free survival (PFS) rates in patients with stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) were not significantly different. The SD and PD patients had significantly lower 3-year OS and PFS rates than complete remission and partial response patients, but the percentage of these patients was only ~10%. The IPI and interim evaluation combined risk stratification system separated the patients into low-, intermediate-, high-, and very high-risk groups. The 3-year OS rates were 96.4%, 86.7%, 46.4%, and 40%, while the 3-year PFS rates were 87.1%, 71.5%, 42.5%, and 7.2%. The OS comparison between the high-risk group and very high-risk group was marginally significant, and OS and PFS comparisons between any other two groups were significantly different. This combined risk stratification system could be a useful tool for the prognostic prediction of DLBCL patients.

The role of helper innate lymphoid cells in cancer.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an emerging family of innate immune cells and have been found to have an important role in infection, inflammation and tissue repair. In particular, recent work has identified significant alterations of ILC responses in tumor patients, suggesting potential roles of ILCs in tumor development. In this paper, we have focused on the basic features of ILCs and their interaction with other immune cells. Importantly, as the role of cytotoxic natural killer cells, assigned to ILC1 family, in cancer has been well established, we have summarized the new findings that showcase the potential role and mechanism of helper ILCs in different tumors. Helper ILCs might promote or inhibit tumor growth and metastasis, which depends on tumor type and ILC subset.