Role of STAT3-FOXO3 Signaling in the Modulation of Neuroplasticity by PD-L1-HGF-Decorated Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes in a Murine Stroke Model.

The limited therapeutic strategies available for stroke leave many patients disabled for life. This study assessed the potential of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-engineered mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (EXO-PD-L1-HGF) in enhancing neurological recovery post-stroke. EXO-PD-L1-HGF, which efficiently endocytosed into target cells, significantly diminishes the H2O2-induced neurotoxicity and increased the antiapoptotic proteins in vitro. EXO-PD-L1-HGF attenuates inflammation by inhibiting T-cell proliferation and increasing the number of CD8+CD122+IL-10+ regulatory T cells. Intravenous injection of EXO-PD-L1-HGF could target stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α+) cells over the peri-infarcted area of the ischemic brain through CXCR4 upregulation and accumulation in neuroglial cells post-stroke. EXO-PD-L1-HGF facilitates endogenous nestin+ neural progenitor cell (NPC)-induced neurogenesis via STAT3-FOXO3 signaling cascade, which plays a pivotal role in cell survival and neuroprotection, thereby mitigating infarct size and enhancing neurological recovery in a murine stroke model. Moreover, increasing populations of the immune-regulatory CD19+IL-10+ and CD8+CD122+IL-10+ cells, together with reducing populations of proinflammatory cells, created an anti-inflammatory microenvironment in the ischemic brain. Thus, innovative approaches employing EXO-PD-L1-HGF intervention, which targets SDF-1α+ expression, modulates the immune system, and enhances the activation of resident nestin+ NPCs, might significantly alter the brain microenvironment and create a niche conducive to inducing neuroplastic regeneration post-stroke.

Manipulating the Crosstalk between Cancer and Immunosuppressive Cells with Phototherapeutic Gold-Nanohut for Reprogramming Tumor Microenvironment.

Photoimmunotherapy faces challenges due to insufficient intratumoral accumulation of photothermal agents and the reversion of the cancer-immunity cycle during treatment. In this study, an anti-PD-L1-immobilized magnetic gold nanohut, AuNH-2-Ab, with photoresponsive, thermosensitive, and immunomodulatory properties to effectively suppress the growth of primary tumors, elevate immunogenic cell death (ICD) levels, reverse the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and consequently inhibit metastases are developed. AuNH-2-Ab achieves high tumor accumulation (9.54% injected dose) following systemic administration, allowing the modulation of hyperthermia dose of over 50 °C in the tumor. By optimizing the hyperthermia dose, AuNH-2-Ab simultaneously target and eliminate cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages, thereby activating potent antitumor immunity without being compromised by immunosuppressive elements. Hyperthermia/pH induced morphological transformation of AuNH-2-Ab involving the detachment of the surface antibody for in situ PD-L1 inhibition, and exposure of the inner fucoidan layer for natural killer (NK) cell activation. This precision photoimmunotherapy approach reprograms the TIME, significantly prolongs survival in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model (Hep55.1c), and harnesses the synergistic effects of ICD production and checkpoint inhibitors by utilizing a single nanoplatform.

Combination treatment of pembrolizumab with DC-CIK cell therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

Background: Recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising method for advanced HCC treatment. There are several clinical trials and meta-analyses of immune checkpoint inhibitors and immune cell therapy, but clinical evidence on the combination of these two therapies is lacking. Case description: A 66-year-old man with chronic hepatitis B-related cirrhosis complained of acute abdominal pain in an emergency department of a hospital. On exams, there was a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant of his abdomen. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography showed a large tumor in the right lobe, 13 cm × 17 cm in size, and right portal vein thrombosis. The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 30,905 mg/dL. Therefore this patient was diagnosed with BCLC stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). He underwent trans-arterial chemo-embolization (TACE), abdominal radiotherapy, nivolumab, and lenvatinib. His disease had been under control until two years later, the disease progressed with multiple lung metastases, and his AFP level rose from around 1000 to 17,000 ng/ml. At this stage, he underwent new combination immunotherapy in January 2022. He used pembrolizumab (100 mg) first, and the AFP level decreased by 600 ng/ml daily. Then he received DC-CIK cell therapy two weeks after using pembrolizumab, and the AFP level declined to 900 ng/ml a day. Unfortunately, severe pneumonitis and tension pneumothorax developed after therapy. The patient denied undergoing further treatment and expired peacefully. Conclusion: The previous in-vivo study found that combination immunotherapy can improve tumor control in the mice model. Besides, in previous clinical studies, the level of AFP may be a surrogate marker of tumor response. Therefore we thought the more rapidly declined level of AFP was the clinical evidence of the synergistic effect of checkpoint inhibitors combined with cell therapy in HCC treatment.

Novel Programmed Death Ligand 1-AKT-engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Neuroplasticity to Target Stroke Therapy.

Although tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and endovascular thrombectomy are well-established treatments for acute ischemic stroke, over half of patients with stroke remain disabled for a long time. Thus, a significant unmet need exists to develop an effective strategy for treating acute stroke. We developed a combination of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and AKT-modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSC-PD-L1-AKT) implanted through intravenous (IV) and intracarotid (IA) routes to enhance therapeutic efficacy in a murine stroke model for overcoming the hypoxic environment of the ischemic brain, to prolong stem cell survival, and to attenuate systemic inflammation to protect neuroglial cells from ischemic injury. Higher cellular proliferation and survival upon exposure to toxic agents were observed in UMSC-PD-L1-AKT cells than in UMSCs in vitro. Moreover, increased attenuation of CFSE+ cell proliferation and increased survival of primary cortical cells were verified by the interaction with UMSC-PD-L1-AKT. Consistently, dual-route administration (IV + IA) of UMSC-PD-L1-AKT resulted in a significant reduction in infarction volume and improvement of neurological dysfunction in a stroke model. Furthermore, enhancing CD8+CD122+IL-10+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells and reducing CD11b+CD80+ microglial/macrophages and CD3+CD8+TNF-α+ and CD3+CD8+ IFN-α+ cytotoxic T cells induced an anti-inflammatory microenvironment to protect neuroglial cells in the ischemic brain. Collectively, therapeutic intervention using UMSC-PD-L1-AKT could provide a niche for inducing neuroplastic regeneration in brains after stroke.

Cbx7 promotes the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells.

The iPS cells were discovered in 2006. With their ability to differentiate into cells of all three germ layers, iPS cells have great potential for clinical applications. Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4 were identified as the most effective factors for generating iPS cells. Despite this, iPS cells manufactured with these factors would still be inefficient. As a member of the chromobox family, chromobox protein homolog 7 (Cbx7) binds to PRC1 and PRC2 to inhibit genes involved in differentiation. A decrease in the expression of Cbx7 is observed during embryonic stem cell differentiation. Currently, no report discusses the role of Cbx7 in the production of iPS cells. In this study, we hypothesized that Cbx7 could increase iPS cell generation. We confirmed that Cbx7 is highly expressed in pluripotent stem cells (including ES and iPS cells). In addition, transfecting Cbx7 into fibroblasts increased Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4 expression. Moreover, we describe a novel approach to producing iPS cells using Cbx7 in combination with Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4. In summary, we have demonstrated that Cbx7 enhances the reprogramming of iPS cells and characterized the stemness and pluripotency of iPS cells.

Interaction of a Novel Alternatively Spliced Variant of HSD11B1L with Parkin Enhances the Carcinogenesis Potential of Glioblastoma: Peiminine Interferes with This Interaction.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a primary brain tumor of unknown etiology. It is extremely aggressive, incurable and has a short average survival time for patients. Therefore, understanding the precise molecular mechanisms of this diseases is essential to establish effective treatments. In this study, we cloned and sequenced a splice variant of the hydroxysteroid 11-ß dehydrogenase 1 like gene (HSD11B1L) and named it HSD11B1L-181. HSD11 B1L-181 was specifically expressed only in GBM cells. Overexpression of this variant can significantly promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of GBM cells. Knockdown of HSD11B1L-181 expression inhibited the oncogenic potential of GBM cells. Furthermore, we identified the direct interaction of parkin with HSD11B1L-181 by screening the GBM cDNA expression library via yeast two-hybrid. Parkin is an RBR E3 ubiquitin ligase whose mutations are associated with tumorigenesis. Small interfering RNA treatment of parkin enhanced the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of GBM. Finally, we found that the alkaloid peiminine from the bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq blocks the interaction between HSD11B1L-181 and parkin, thereby lessening carcinogenesis of GBM. We further confirmed the potential of peiminine to prevent GBM in cellular, ectopic and orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Taken together, these findings not only provide insight into GBM, but also present an opportunity for future GBM treatment.

Stem cell-nanomedicine system as a theranostic bio-gadolinium agent for targeted neutron capture cancer therapy.

The potential clinical application of gadolinium-neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment has been compromised by the fast clearance and nonspecific biodistribution of gadolinium-based agents. We have developed a stem cell-nanoparticle system (SNS) to actively target GBM for advanced Gd-NCT by magnetizing umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSCs) using gadodiamide-concealed magnetic nanoparticles (Gd-FPFNP). Nanoformulated gadodiamide shielded by a dense surface composed of fucoidan and polyvinyl alcohol demonstrates enhanced cellular association and biocompatibility in UMSCs. The SNS preserves the ability of UMSCs to actively penetrate the blood brain barrier and home to GBM and, when magnetically navigates by an external magnetic field, an 8-fold increase in tumor-to-blood ratio is achieved compared with clinical data. In an orthotopic GBM-bearing rat model, using a single dose of irradiation and an ultra-low gadolinium dose (200 µg kg-1), SNS significantly attenuates GBM progression without inducing safety issues, prolonging median survival 2.5-fold compared to free gadodiamide. The SNS is a cell-based delivery system that integrates the strengths of cell therapy and nanotechnology, which provides an alternative strategy for the treatment of brain diseases.

Neuroprotective Capability of Narcissoside in 6-OHDA-Exposed Parkinson's Disease Models through Enhancing the MiR200a/Nrf-2/GSH Axis and Mediating MAPK/Akt Associated Signaling Pathway.

We assessed the antioxidant potential of narcissoside from Sambucus nigra flowers (elderflowers) in Parkinson's disease models in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that narcissoside lessened the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. In the 6-OHDA-exposed Caenorhabditis elegans model, narcissoside reduced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and ROS generation, and also improved dopamine-related food-sensitive behavior and shortened lifespan. Moreover, NCS increased total glutathione (GSH) by increasing the expression of the catalytic subunit and modifier subunit of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase in cells and nematodes. Treatment with a GSH inhibitor partially abolished the anti-apoptotic ability of narcissoside. Furthermore, narcissoside diminished the 6-OHDA-induced phosphorylation of JNK and p38, while rising activities of ERK and Akt in resisting apoptosis. The antioxidant response element (ARE)-luciferase reporter activity analysis and electromobility gel shift assay showed that narcissoside promotes the transcriptional activity mediated by Nrf2. Finally, we found that narcissoside augmented the expression of miR200a, a translational inhibitor of the Nrf2 repressor protein Keap1. Downregulation of Nrf2 and miR200a by RNAi and anti-miR200a, respectively, reversed the neuroprotective ability of narcissoside. In summary, narcissoside can enhance the miR200a/Nrf2/GSH antioxidant pathway, alleviate 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis, and has the neuroprotective potential.

Mini Review: Molecular Interpretation of the IGF/IGF-1R Axis in Cancer Treatment and Stem Cells-Based Therapy in Regenerative Medicine.

In addition to the fundamental role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling dysregulation in cancer initiation and proliferation, the IGF/IGF-1R signaling also plays an important role in the maintenance of stem cell characteristics and enhancement of stem cell-based therapeutic efficacy. This review focused on the role of IGF/IGF-1R signaling in preclinical IGF-targeted therapies, including IGF-1R monoclonal antibodies, IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and neutralizing antibodies of IGFs in multiple tumors and endocrine disorders. On the other hand, the function of IGF/IGF-1R signaling in stem cell self-renewal, pluripotency and therapeutic efficacy in regenerative medicine was outlined. Finally, the review summarized ongoing studies on IGF/IGF-1R signaling blockade in multiple cancers and highlighted the IGF-1R signaling modifications in stem cells as a potential strategy to improve stem cell-based therapeutics in regenerative medicine.

C9-ALS-Associated Proline-Arginine Dipeptide Repeat Protein Induces Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome of HMC3 Microglia Cells by Binding of Complement Component 1 Q Subcomponent-Binding Protein (C1QBP), and Syringin Prevents This Effect.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease in which motor neurons gradually degenerate. The mutation of the C9orf72 gene is the main genetic cause of ALS (C9-ALS). One of its specific pathological features is the production of proline-arginine (PR) dipeptide repeat protein (DPR). In this study, we developed a PR-DPR (PR50)-expressing human HMC3 microglial cell model. We found that PR50 mainly aggregates into spots in the nucleus and induces significant NLRP3 inflammasome activity. Moreover, mouse NSC-34 motor neuron cells treated with a conditional medium of PR50-expressing HMC3 cells (PR-CM) caused cell damage and apoptosis activity. However, R50-expressing HMC cells treated with MCC950 (an NLRP3 inhibitor) reversed this result. Furthermore, we identified complement component 1 q subcomponent-binding protein (C1QBP) as one of the interaction partners of PR50. The downregulation of C1QBP in HMC3 cells induces NLRP3 inflammasome activity similar to PR50 expression. Finally, we found that syringin can block the interaction between PR50 and C1QBP, and effectively reduce the PR50-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activity in HMC3 cells. This improves the apoptosis of NSC-34 cells caused by PR-CM. This study is the first to link PR50, C1QBP, and NLRP3 inflammasome activity in microglia and develop potential therapeutic strategies for syringin intervention in C9-ALS.

A Novel Splice Variant of BCAS1 Inhibits ß-Arrestin 2 to Promote the Proliferation and Migration of Glioblastoma Cells, and This Effect Was Blocked by Maackiain.

Brain-enriched myelin-associated protein 1 (BCAS1) is frequently highly expressed in human cancer, but its detailed function is unclear. Here, we identified a novel splice variant of the BCAS1 gene in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) named BCAS1-SV1. The expression of BCAS1-SV1 was weak in heathy brain cells but high in GBM cell lines. The overexpression of BCAS1-SV1 significantly increased the proliferation and migration of GBM cells, whereas the RNA-interference-mediated knockdown of BCAS1-SV1 reduced proliferation and migration. Moreover, using a yeast-two hybrid assay, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence staining, we confirmed that ß-arrestin 2 is an interaction partner of BCAS1-SV1 but not BCAS1. The downregulation of ß-arrestin 2 directly enhanced the malignancy of GBM and abrogated the effects of BCAS1-SV1 on GBM cells. Finally, we used a yeast two-hybrid-based growth assay to identify that maackiain (MK) is a potential inhibitor of the interaction between BCAS1-SV1 and ß-arrestin 2. MK treatment lessened the proliferation and migration of GBM cells and prolonged the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice in subcutaneous xenograft and intracranial U87-luc xenograft models. This study provides the first evidence that the gain-of-function BCAS1-SV1 splice variant promotes the development of GBM by suppressing the ß-arrestin 2 pathway and opens up a new therapeutic perspective in GBM.

First-in-human pilot trial of combined intracoronary and intravenous mesenchymal stem cell therapy in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) elicits a robust cardiomyocyte death and inflammatory responses despite timely revascularization. Objectives: This phase 1, open-label, single-arm, first-in-human study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of combined intracoronary (IC) and intravenous (IV) transplantation of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UMSC01) for heart repair in STEMI patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF 30-49%) following successful reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: Consenting patients received the first dose of UMSC01 through IC injection 4-5 days after STEMI followed by the second dose of UMSC01 via IV infusion 2 days later. The primary endpoint was occurrence of any treatment-related adverse events and the secondary endpoint was changes of serum biomarkers and heart function by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging during a 12-month follow-up period. Results: Eight patients gave informed consents, of whom six completed the study. None of the subjects experienced treatment-related serious adverse events or major adverse cardiovascular events during IC or IV infusion of UMSC01 and during the follow-up period. The NT-proBNP level decreased (1362 ± 1801 vs. 109 ± 115 pg/mL, p = 0.0313), the LVEF increased (52.67 ± 12.75% vs. 62.47 ± 17.35%, p = 0.0246), and the wall motion score decreased (26.33 ± 5.57 vs. 22.33 ± 5.85, p = 0.0180) at the 12-month follow-up compared to the baseline values. The serial changes of LVEF were 0.67 ± 3.98, 8.09 ± 6.18, 9.04 ± 10.91, and 9.80 ± 7.56 at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively as compared to the baseline. Conclusion: This pilot study shows that combined IC and IV transplantation of UMSC01 in STEMI patients with impaired LVEF appears to be safe, feasible, and potentially beneficial in improving heart function. Further phase 2 studies are required to explore the effectiveness of dual-route transplantation of UMSC01 in STEMI patients.

Ephrin receptor A10 monoclonal antibodies and the derived chimeric antigen receptor T cells exert an antitumor response in mouse models of triple-negative breast cancer.

Expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase ephrin receptor A10 (EphA10), which is undetectable in most normal tissues except for the male testis, has been shown to correlate with tumor progression and poor prognosis in several malignancies, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, EphA10 could be a potential therapeutic target, likely with minimal adverse effects. However, no effective clinical drugs against EphA10 are currently available. Here, we report high expression levels of EphA10 in tumor regions of breast, lung, and ovarian cancers as well as in immunosuppressive myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we developed anti-EphA10 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that specifically recognize cell surface EphA10, but not other EphA family isoforms, and target tumor regions precisely in vivo with no apparent accumulation in other organs. In syngeneic TNBC mouse models, we found that anti-EphA10 mAb clone #4 enhanced tumor regression, therapeutic response rate, and T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Notably, the chimeric antigen receptor T cells derived from clone #4 significantly inhibited TNBC cell viability in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Together, our findings suggest that targeting EphA10 via EphA10 mAbs and EphA10-specific chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy may represent a promising strategy for patients with EphA10-positive tumors.

Correction notice to "Combination therapy with dendritic cell vaccine and programmed death ligand 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor for hepatocellular carcinoma in an orthotopic mouse model".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/1758835920922034.].

Peiminine Reduces ARTS-Mediated Degradation of XIAP by Modulating the PINK1/Parkin Pathway to Ameliorate 6-Hydroxydopamine Toxicity and α-Synuclein Accumulation in Parkinson's Disease Models In Vivo and In Vitro.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease that can cause motor, cognitive, and behavioral disorders. The treatment strategies being developed are based on the typical pathologic features of PD, including the death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain and the accumulation of α-synuclein in neurons. Peiminine (PMN) is an extract of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq that has antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory effects. We used Caenorhabditis elegans and SH-SY5Y cell models of PD to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of PMN and address its corresponding mechanism of action. We found that pretreatment with PMN reduced reactive oxygen species production and DA neuron degeneration caused by exposure to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and therefore significantly improved the DA-mediated food-sensing behavior of 6-OHDA-exposed worms and prolonged their lifespan. PMN also diminished the accumulation of α-synuclein in transgenic worms and transfected cells. In our study of the mechanism of action, we found that PMN lessened ARTS-mediated degradation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) by enhancing the expression of PINK1/parkin. This led to reduced 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis, enhanced activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and increased autophagy, which diminished the accumulation of α-synuclein. The use of small interfering RNA to down-regulate parkin reversed the benefits of PMN in the PD models. Our findings suggest PMN as a candidate compound worthy of further evaluation for the treatment of PD.

Gain of CXCR7 function with mesenchymal stem cell therapy ameliorates experimental arthritis via enhancing tissue regeneration and immunomodulation.

BACKGROUND: The major barriers to mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are a low extent of tissue regeneration and insufficient immunomodulation after cell transplantation. In addition, the role of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7) and its mechanism of action in MSC-mediated osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation and immunomodulation are unclear. METHODS: Gain of CXCR7 function on human MSCs was carried out by lentiviral vector-mediated CXCR7 overexpression or CXCR7 agonist, TC14012. These cells were determined the role and potential mechanisms for CXCR7-regulated MSC differentiation and immunomodulation using cellular and molecular assays. The therapeutic benefits in RA were investigated in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). RESULTS: CXCR7 was upregulated in MSCs during the induction of osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation. Blockage of CXCR7 function inhibited osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs whereas gain of CXCR7 function had the opposite effects. Besides, MSCs with CXCR7 gain-of-function facilitated macrophage apoptosis and regulatory T cell differentiation in a co-culture system. Gain of CXCR7 function also promoted the production of anti-inflammatory soluble factors. A gene expression profiling assay and signaling reporter assays revealed that CXCR7 could regulate several candidate genes related to the PPAR, WNT, Hedgehog or Notch pathways, and their signaling activities, which are known to control cell differentiation and immunomodulation. Finally, MSCs with CXCR7 gain-of-function significantly reduced the articular index scores, ankle circumference, radiographic scores, histologic scores, and inflammation in rats with CIA compared with control MSCs. CONCLUSIONS: CXCR7 promotes the osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and MSC-mediated immunomodulation by regulating several signaling pathways and anti-inflammatory soluble factors. MSCs with CXCR7 gain-of-function significantly ameliorate arthritic symptoms in a CIA model.

Therapeutic efficacy of dendritic cell vaccine combined with programmed death 1 inhibitor for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a serious cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Developing new therapeutic strategies is urgently needed to improve the outcomes of HCC patients. Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines and programmed death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors have been regarded as potential immunotherapeutics for HCC. However, the therapeutic efficacy of combining these two treatments for HCC remains to be evaluated. METHODS: In this study, DCs were derived from mouse bone marrow and pulsed with mouse HCC cell lysates to generate a DC vaccine. A monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction of mouse PD-1 with its ligands was used as a PD-1 inhibitor. An orthotopic HCC mouse model was established to assess the effect of a DC vaccine in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor on overall survival and tumor volume. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated control, single treatment with a DC vaccine or PD-1 inhibitor prolonged the overall survival and reduced the tumor volume of HCC mice. Further, compared with the single treatment with the DC vaccine or the PD-1 inhibitor, a combination treatment using both agents elicited a higher cytotoxicity of T cells against HCC cells and resulted in a better overall survival, smaller tumor volume, and greater tumor cell apoptosis in HCC mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a combination treatment with DC vaccine and PD-1 inhibitor may be a promising therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Increased infiltration of regulatory T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma of patients with hepatitis B virus pre-S2 mutant.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent and deadly human cancer worldwide that is intimately associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Pre-S2 mutant is a HBV oncoprotein that plays important roles in HCC development and is linked to poor prognosis in HCC patients. However, the profiles of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in HCC tissues of pre-S2 mutant-positive patients remain unknown. In this study, we performed fluorescent immunohistochemistry staining to detect the infiltration of 'anti-tumor' cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and 'pro-tumor' regulatory T cells (Tregs) in pre-S2 mutant-positive and -negative HCC patients. We showed that pre-S2 mutant-positive patients had a significantly higher infiltration of CD4+CD25+ cells and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3)-expressing cells but similar CTLs and lower granzyme B-expressing cells in HCC tissues compared with pre-S2 mutant-negative patients. Moreover, the percentage of pre-S2 plus pre-S1 + pre-S2 deletion (pre-S2 mutant) was positively correlated with the density of CD4+CD25+ cells and Foxp3-expressing cells but negatively with granzyme B-expressing cells in HCC tissues. Considering that increased intratumoral Tregs have been shown to promote tumor immune evasion, our data may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HBV pre-S2 mutant-induced HCC and suggest that therapeutics targeting Tregs may be a promising strategy for treating pre-S2 mutant-positive high-risk patient population.

Dextran-modified Quercetin-Cu(II)/hyaluronic acid nanomedicine with natural poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor and dual targeting for programmed synthetic lethal therapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

Serious side effects from chemotherapies are the main problem with cancer treatments. To solve these issues, precision cancer nanomedicine based on natural therapeutic materials is developed, which enables specifically apoptosis by interacting with genetic mutation in cancer cells, while leaving normal cells unaffected. Here, we report a novel nanomedicine (CuQDA/IO@HA) composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) / copper ion (Cu(II))-chelated dextran-aldehyde (DA)-quercetin (Q) with dual targeting for synthetic lethal therapy. The CuQDA/IO@HA prepared using a ratio of metal/Q at 0.5:1 resulted in a stable particle structure with uniform particle distribution. The CuQDA/IO@HA can specifically target and induce specific cytotoxicity in BRCA-mutant cancer cells in vitro. Combination treatment with CuQDA/IO@HA and magnetic navigation can induce poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition and DNA damage in BRCA-mutant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) via CD44 targeting. The dual-targeting CuQDA/IO@HA can extend the median survival of the BRCA-mutant xenograft mice from 34 to 61 days in comparison to Q treatment alone in vivo, which is attributed to the significant increase in γH2AX, leading to significant apoptosis. More importantly, the CuQDA/IO@HA displayed biocompatibility and no obvious side-effect in normal organs. These results demonstrate the promising potential of integrating natural and metal ions into a nanomedicine that can provide precision medicine through synthetic lethality.

Increased Expression of Programmed Death Ligand 1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma of Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Pre-S2 Mutant.

PURPOSE: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The HCC patients who harbor HBV pre-S2 mutant, an oncoprotein that plays key roles in HCC development, have been closely associated with a worse prognosis after curative surgical resection, suggesting an urgent need for alternative therapeutic options to improve their survival. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression profiles of programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), two of the most well-studied immune checkpoint molecules that promote tumor immune evasion, in tumor of the pre-S2 mutant-positive/high HCC patients. METHODS: We classified 40 HBV-related HCC patients into the pre-S2-positive/high and -negative/low groups by a next-generation sequencing-based approach. The fluorescent immunohistochemistry staining was performed to detect the expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in HCC tissues of patients. RESULTS: We showed that patients with either deletion spanning pre-S2 gene segment or high percentage of pre-S2 plus pre-S1+pre-S2 deletion (the pre-S2 mutant-positive/high group) exhibited a significantly higher density of PD-L1-positive cells in HCC tissues than those without. Moreover, the percentage of pre-S2 plus pre-S1+pre-S2 deletion displayed a high positive correlation with the density of PD-L1-positive cells in HCC tissues. CONCLUSION: The increased expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues of the pre-S2 mutant-positive HCC patients suggest that pre-S2 mutant may play a potential role in dysregulation of tumor immune microenvironment in the progression of HBV-related HCC, implicating for the development of future therapeutic strategies.