RESUMEN

Triggering ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, has recently emerged as an approach for treating cancer. A better understanding of the role and regulation of ferroptosis is needed to realize the potential of this therapeutic strategy. Here, we observed extensive activation of ferroptosis in hepatoma cells and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Patients with low to moderate activation of ferroptosis in tumors had the highest risk of recurrence compared to patients with no or high ferroptosis. Upon encountering ferroptotic liver cancer cells, aggregated macrophages efficiently secreted proinflammatory IL1ß to trigger neutrophil-mediated sinusoidal vascular remodeling, thereby creating favorable conditions for aggressive tumor growth and lung metastasis. Mechanistically, hyaluronan fragments released by cancer cells acted via an NF-κB-dependent pathway to upregulate IL1ß precursors and the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, and oxidized phospholipids secreted by ferroptotic cells activated the NLRP3 inflammasome to release functional IL1ß. Depleting either macrophages or neutrophils or neutralizing IL1ß in vivo effectively abrogated ferroptosis-mediated liver cancer growth and lung metastasis. More importantly, the ferroptosis-elicited inflammatory cellular network served as a negative feedback mechanism that led to therapeutic resistance to sorafenib in HCC. Targeting the ferroptosis-induced inflammatory axis significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib in vivo. Together, this study identified a role for ferroptosis in promoting HCC by triggering a macrophage/IL1ß/neutrophil/vasculature axis. SIGNIFICANCE: Ferroptosis induces a favorable tumor microenvironment and supports liver cancer progression by stimulating an inflammatory cellular network that can be targeted to suppress metastasis and improve the efficacy of sorafenib.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Ferroptosis , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Sorafenib/farmacología , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR , Inflamasomas , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Inflamación/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Línea Celular Tumoral , Microambiente Tumoral

RESUMEN

The reinvigoration of anti-tumor T cells in response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is well established. Whether and how ICB therapy manipulates antibody-mediated immune response in cancer environments, however, remains elusive. Using tandem mass spectrometric analysis of modification of immunoglobulin G (IgG) from hepatoma tissues, we identified a role of ICB therapy in catalyzing IgG sialylation in the Fc region. Effector T cells triggered sialylation of IgG via an interferon (IFN)-γ-ST6Gal-I-dependent pathway. DC-SIGN+ macrophages represented the main target cells of sialylated IgG. Upon interacting with sialylated IgG, DC-SIGN stimulated Raf-1-elicited elevation of ATF3, which inactivated cGAS-STING pathway and eliminated subsequent type-I-IFN-triggered antitumorigenic immunity. Although enhanced IgG sialylation in tumors predicted improved therapeutic outcomes for patients receiving ICB therapy, impeding IgG sialylation augmented antitumorigenic T cell immunity after ICB therapy. Thus, targeting antibody-based negative feedback action of ICB therapy has potential for improving efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Interferón Tipo I , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina G , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Inmunoterapia/métodos

RESUMEN

PD-1/PD-L1 axis represents an important target for renormalizing and resetting anti-tumor immunity in cancer patients. Currently, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy has been applied in a broad spectrum of tumors and has yielded durable remission in patients. However, how to further broaden the application, guide personalized therapeutic strategies, and improve clinical responses remains a vital task. At present, PD-L1 expression is an important parameter of clinical indications for immune checkpoint blockade in many types of cancers, a strategy based on the supposition that positive PD-L1 expression reflects local T cell response. Recent studies have revealed that PD-L1 expression is regulated by multiple layers of complicated factors, during which the host immune microenvironment exerts a pivotal role and determines the clinical efficacy of the therapy. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on PD-1/PD-L1 in cancer, focusing on how local immune landscape participates in the regulation of PD-L1 expression and modification. Importantly, we will also discuss these topics in the context of clinical treatment and analyze how these fundamental principles might inspire our efforts to develop more precise and effective immune therapeutics for cancer.

Asunto(s)

Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Neoplasias/patología , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/inmunología , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Antígeno B7-H1/inmunología , Humanos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/inmunología , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/inmunología , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Procesamiento Proteico-Postraduccional , Transducción de Señal , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Linfocitos T/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral

RESUMEN

B cells constitute abundant cellular components in inflamed human tissues, but their role in pathogenesis of inflammatory T helper (TH) subsets is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that B cells, particularly resting naïve B cells, have a previously unrecognized helper function that is involved in shaping the metabolic process and subsequent inflammatory differentiation of T-cell receptor-primed TH cells. ICOS/ICOSL axis-mediated glucose incorporation and utilization were crucial for inflammatory TH subset induction by B cells, and activation of mTOR was critical for T cell glycolysis in this process. Consistently, upon encountering ICOSL+ B cells, activated effector memory TH cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus spontaneously differentiated into inflammatory TH subsets. Immunotherapy using rituximab that specifically depleted B cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis efficiently abrogated the capabilities of memory TH cells to incorporate and use glucose, thereby impairing the pathogenic differentiation of inflammatory TH subsets.

Asunto(s)

Artritis Reumatoide , Linfocitos T Colaboradores-Inductores , Artritis Reumatoide/etiología , Glucosa , Glucólisis , Humanos , Activación de Linfocitos

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The effects of overweightness and weight loss on the development and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of overweightness and weight loss on the survival of patients with intermediate/advanced HCC receiving chemoembolization as initial treatment. METHODS: We examined 1,170 patients who underwent chemoembolization as initial treatment for Barcelona-Clínic Liver Cancer stages B and C HCC at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China) between December 2009 and May 2015. A baseline body mass index (BMI) of ≥23 kg/m2 was defined as overweight, and body-weight loss of ≥5.0% from baseline was defined as critical weight loss (CWL). Cox regression analysis was used to determine the association between overweightness or CWL and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The median survival time was 16.8 (95% confidence interval, 13.9-19.7) months and 11.1 (95% confidence interval, 10.0-12.2) months in the overweight and non-overweight groups (log-rank test, P < 0.001), respectively. Cox multivariate analysis identified overweightness as an independent protective prognostic factor for OS (P < 0.001). Subgroup stratification analysis revealed a significant association between overweightness and survival among patients receiving further treatment (P = 0.005), but not in those not receiving further treatment (P = 0.683). Multivariate analysis showed that both overweightness and CWL were independent prognostic factors for OS among patients receiving further treatment. CONCLUSION: Among patients with intermediate- or advanced-stage HCC initially treated with chemoembolization, overweightness was associated with longer OS. Furthermore, CWL was an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS in patients receiving additional treatment.

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is recommended to treat intermediate/advanced stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the overall survival among initially TACE-treated patients varies significantly. The clinical characterization of long-term survival following TACE remains uncertain. We sought to identify clinical parameters and treatment requirements for long-term survival among patients with hepatitis B-related HCC who were initially treated with TACE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The included patients with HCC were admitted to our cancer center between December 2009 and May 2015. Patients who survived for >3 years were compared with those who died within 3 years. The clinical and laboratory findings that were associated with the survival were also analyzed. RESULTS: One in six (17.9%) patients with HCC in this cohort survived for > 3 years after TACE. Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 23kg/m2 , aspartate aminotransferase levels ≤ 40 U/L, an activated partial thromboplastin time ≤ 34 seconds, α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels ≤ 25 ng/mL, antiviral therapy, tumor size ≤ 8 cm, solitary nodule, and the absence of vascular invasion were independently favorably associated with a 3-year survival. An absence of vascular invasion was the only independent factor associated with 3-year survival in patients who received resection and/or ablation after TACE. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, a 3-year survival was associated with BMI, antivirus treatment, tumor status, hepatic function, and AFP level. Distant metastasis did not negatively impact the long-term survival among patients with hepatitis B-related HCC initially treated with TACE. Vascular invasion was the single impediment to long-term survival in patients who received add-on resection and/or ablation after TACE.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular/etiología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Hepatitis B/complicaciones , Neoplasias Hepáticas/etiología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Adulto , Anciano , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Quimioembolización Terapéutica/efectos adversos , Quimioembolización Terapéutica/métodos , Toma de Decisiones Clínicas , Terapia Combinada , Manejo de la Enfermedad , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades , Femenino , Encuestas de Atención de la Salud , Hepatitis B/diagnóstico , Hepatitis B/tratamiento farmacológico , Hepatitis B/virología , Humanos , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/terapia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Pronóstico , Modelos de Riesgos Proporcionales , Resultado del Tratamiento

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Radical surgery for Bismuth type III/IV hilar cholangiocellular carcinoma, which was usually considered unresectable, seems to improve prognosis by increasing the surgical curability rate. However, the dilemma of multiple billiary stumps and high postoperative complication rate caused by hepato-enteric anastomosis has been the main impediment. Thus, we practiced and introduce a new technique called "basin-shaped" hepaticojejunostomy to improve the treatment. METHODS: Thirty-two cases with Bismuth type III/IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma admitted to our department from Aug. 2013 to Dec. 2015 and who underwent hilar resection and resection segment 4(or plus resection segment 1) were reconstructed by "basin-shaped" hepaticojejunostomy. The clinical data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: All patients underwent successful R0 high hilar resection following basin-shaped hepaticojejunostomy and were discharged from the hospital without severe postoperative complications. The average operation time for hepato-enteric anastomosis was 42.1 ± 8.5 min. The postoperative bile leakage rate was 3.1% (1/32), and the biliary infection rate was 6.2% (2/32). Within a median follow-up of 25.6 months, none of the patients developed local recurrence around the hepato-enteric anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with Bismuth type III/IV hilar cholangiocellular carcinoma who underwent resection segment 4(or plus resection segment 1), basin-shaped hepaticojejunostomy was a safe, simple and valid method for bile duct reconstruction, with a relatively low incidence of postoperative complications.

Asunto(s)

Neoplasias de los Conductos Biliares/cirugía , Hepatectomía/métodos , Yeyunostomía/métodos , Yeyuno/cirugía , Tumor de Klatskin/cirugía , Hígado/cirugía , Anastomosis Quirúrgica/métodos , Neoplasias de los Conductos Biliares/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Tumor de Klatskin/patología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Resultado del Tratamiento

RESUMEN

PD-L1 is a promising therapeutic target in aggressive cancers. However, immune landscapes and cancer hallmarks of human PD-L1+ tumors, as well as their roles in determining therapeutic efficacies are unknown. Here we identified, in detailed studies of gene data regarding 9769 patients of 32 types of human cancers, that PD-L1 could not exclusively represent IFN-γ signature and potentially signified pro-inflammatory myeloid responses in a tumor. PD-L1 heterogeneity endowed by local immune landscapes controlled cancer hallmarks and clinical outcomes of patients. Mechanically, NF-κB signal elicited by macrophage inflammatory responses generated PD-L1+ cancer cells exhibiting capabilities to aggressively survive, support angiogenesis, and metastasize, whereas STAT1 signal triggered by activated T cells induced PD-L1+ cancer cells susceptive to apoptosis. Importantly, PD-L1+ cancer cells generated by macrophages established great resistance to conventional chemotherapy, cytotoxicity of tumor-specific effector T cells, and therapy of immune checkpoint blockade. Therapeutic strategy combining immune checkpoint blockade with macrophage depletion or NF-κB inhibition in vivo effectively and successfully elicited caner regression. Our results provide insight into the functional features of PD-L1+ tumors and suggest that strategies to influence functional activities of inflammatory cells may benefit immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Asunto(s)

Antígeno B7-H1/inmunología , Inmunoterapia , Macrófagos/inmunología , Proteínas de Neoplasias/inmunología , Neoplasias , Linfocitos T , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Animales , Femenino , Células Hep G2 , Humanos , Macrófagos/patología , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos NOD , Ratones SCID , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neoplasias/inmunología , Neoplasias/patología , Neoplasias/terapia , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Linfocitos T/patología , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) represents more than one third of pancreatic cancers and owns poor survival after the standard chemotherapy. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a novel method and has been recently used in LAPC. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of IRE and radiotherapy after induction chemotherapy for patients with LAPC. METHODS: From August 2015 to August 2017, a total of 76 patients with biopsy proven LAPC and who had received IRE or radiotherapy after chemotherapy were included. Thirty-two pairs of patients were selected through propensity score matching (PSM) analysis and the efficacy of two treatments was compared. RESULTS: Before PSM analysis, after induction chemotherapy, patients with LAPC benefited more in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) from IRE, compared with radiotherapy (2-year OS rates, 53.5% vs 26.9%, p = 0.039; 2-year PFS rates, 28.4% vs 13.3%, p = 0.045). After PSM analysis, the survival benefits of OS and PFS of patients after induction chemotherapy followed by IRE were more obvious than those of patients treated with radiotherapy (2-year OS rates, 53.5% vs 20.7%, p = 0.011; 2-year PFS rates, 28.4% vs 5.6%, p = 0.004). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that IRE after induction chemotherapy was identified as a significant favourable factor for both OS and PFS in both the whole and matched cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Induction chemotherapy followed by IRE is superior to induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy for treating LAPC. A randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of IRE and radiotherapy after the induction chemotherapy is therefore considerable.

Asunto(s)

Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéutico , Electroporación/métodos , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/terapia , Radioterapia/métodos , Adulto , Anciano , Terapia Combinada , Femenino , Humanos , Quimioterapia de Inducción/métodos , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Páncreas/efectos de los fármacos , Páncreas/patología , Páncreas/efectos de la radiación , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/patología , Supervivencia sin Progresión , Puntaje de Propensión

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The role of nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) therapy in intermediate and advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. AIMS: The aim was to evaluate the effect of NAs therapy on survival of intermediate- and advanced-stage HBV-related HCC patients initially treated with chemoembolization. METHODS: A total of 1016 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B/C HBV-related HCC patients initially treated with chemoembolization were included. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to decrease heterogeneity between the antiviral and non-antiviral groups. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the effects of NAs therapy on overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Antiviral group (n = 394) significantly prolonged OS compared with non-antiviral group (n = 622) (p = 0.003). NAs therapy (p < 0.001) along with tumor size (p = 0.002), tumor number (p = 0.001), gross vascular invasion (p < 0.001), metastasis (p < 0.001), α-fetoprotein (p < 0.001), Child-Pugh score (p = 0.008), aspartate aminotransferase (p < 0.001), and HBV DNA (p = 0.018) were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS. After PSM processing, deducting the influence of subsequent treatments for HCC, NAs therapy was still identified as an independent protective factor (p = 0.009) for OS in patients who survived ≥ 7 months, regardless of BCLC stage B or C HCC. CONCLUSION: NAs therapy prolongs OS in intermediate- and advanced-stage HBV-related HCC patients initially treated with chemoembolization. After PSM processing, patients who survived ≥ 7 months still benefited from NAs therapy.

Asunto(s)

Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/virología , Quimioembolización Terapéutica , Hepatitis B Crónica/complicaciones , Hepatitis B Crónica/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/virología , Nucleósidos/análogos & derivados , Biomarcadores de Tumor/sangre , Terapia Combinada , Femenino , Humanos , Pruebas de Función Hepática , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Nucleósidos/uso terapéutico , Puntaje de Propensión , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tasa de Supervivencia

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the composition and generation of plasma cell subsets in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and how these associate with outcomes. We investigated whether, or how, plasma cells differentiate and function in patients with HCC and mice with liver tumors. METHODS: We analyzed subset composition and distribution of plasma cells in HCC samples from 342 patients who underwent curative resection at the Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University in China; samples of non-tumor liver tissue were used as controls. We associated plasma cell profiles with patient outcomes. Tissue-derived leukocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. The ability of macrophages to regulate plasma cell differentiation was determined in ex vivo cultures of cells from human HCC tissues. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were given injections of Hepa1-6 cells, which formed hepatomas, or H22 cells, which formed ascitic hepatomas. Gene expression patterns were analyzed in human HCC, mouse hepatoma, and non-tumor tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mice with hepatomas were given injections of GSK126 (an inhibitor of histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase [EZH2]) and 5-AZA-dC (an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferases); tumor tissues were analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry for the presence of immune cells and cytokines. RESULTS: B cells isolated from HCCs had somatic hypermutations and class-switch recombinations to the IgG phenotype that were not observed in non-tumor tissues. Increased level of plasma cells correlated with poor outcomes of patients. Activated CD4+ T cells from HCCs stimulated C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) production by macrophages. CXCL10 bound CXC chemokine receptor 3 on B cells and signaled via extracellular signal-regulated kinase to cause them to become IgG-producing plasma cells. IgG activated Fc receptors on macrophages and induced them to produce interleukin 6, interleukin 10, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20). In mice with hepatomas, depletion of B cells prevented generation of these macrophage, increased the anti-tumor T cell response, and reduced growth of hepatomas. However, these effects were lost after injection of CXC chemokine receptor 3-positive plasma cells. Human HCC and mouse hepatoma tissues had increased expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 and EZH2 compared with non-tumor tissues. Injection of mice with GSK126 and 5-AZA-dC induced expression of CXCL10 by tumor cells and caused plasma cell polarization, suppression of the anti-tumor T cell response, and hepatoma growth. CONCLUSIONS: Human HCC tissues contain B cells with class-switch recombinations to the IgG phenotype. Activated CD4+ T cells from HCCs stimulate CXCL10 production by macrophages; CXCL10 binds CXC chemokine receptor 3 on B cells and causes them to become IgG-producing plasma cells. IgG activates Fc receptor in macrophages to produce cytokines that reduce the anti-tumor immune response. In mice with hepatomas, depletion of B cells prevented generation of these macrophages, increased the anti-tumor T cell response, and reduced growth of hepatomas. This pathway involves increased expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 and EZH2 by HCC and hepatoma cells.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Epigénesis Genética , Inmunoglobulina G/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Células Plasmáticas/metabolismo , Adulto , Anciano , Animales , Antimetabolitos Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/inmunología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Diferenciación Celular , Línea Celular Tumoral , Quimiocina CCL20/metabolismo , Quimiocina CXCL10/metabolismo , ADN (Citosina-5-)-Metiltransferasa 1/metabolismo , Decitabina/farmacología , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Proteína Potenciadora del Homólogo Zeste 2/metabolismo , Quinasas MAP Reguladas por Señal Extracelular/metabolismo , Femenino , Humanos , Indoles/farmacología , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Hígado/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/inmunología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Recuento de Linfocitos , Masculino , Ratones , Persona de Mediana Edad , Trasplante de Neoplasias , Fenotipo , Células Plasmáticas/inmunología , Piridonas/farmacología , Receptores CXCR3/metabolismo , Receptores Fc/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , Transcriptoma

RESUMEN

Background: Nodal status and tumor site are prognostic factors for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Parameters for nodal status are diverse, and the number of examined lymph nodes (eNs) needed for good prognosis are uncertain. We try to modify staging system of resectable PDAC with parameters mentioned above by recursive partitioning analysis. Methods: Patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were divided into training cohort and internal validation cohort, randomly. PDAC patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were regarded as external validation cohort. The training cohort was used to refine staging model by recursive partitioning analysis, while the internal validation cohort and the external validation cohort were applied to assess discriminatory capacity of staging model. For parameters included in the modified model, their effects were studied. Results: The number of eNs, tumor site and tumor size were risk factors for positive nodal status. Lymph nodes ratio (LNR), tumor site, eNs and T stages of 8th the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) were selected to develop a refined model, dividing patients into 5 groups of different outcomes, preceding 8th AJCC classification. Besides, we found that (1) for small PDAC (diameter < 1cm), lymph node metastasis was rarely found; (2) enough eNs were needed to ensure better prognosis of node-negative patients; (3) tumors in the head of pancreas were prone to lymph nodes metastasis; (4) for node-positive patients, LNR was a better nodal parameter compared to positive lymph nodes (pNs). Conclusion: Our improved staging system helps to illuminate the interactions among tumor site, size and eNs.

RESUMEN

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an important catabolic process mediating cellular homeostasis and plays critical roles in cancer development. Whereas autophagy has been widely studied in various pathological models, little is known about the distribution, clinical significance and regulatory mechanism of this process in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we found that tumor tissues exhibited significantly increased levels of autophagy compared with non-tumor tissues, and cancer cells with higher levels of autophagy were predominantly enriched in the invading edge regions of human HCC. Increased MAP1LC3B/LC3B expression in the invading edge regions was significantly correlated with a higher density of closely located monocytes, and TNF and IL1B derived from tumor-activated monocytes synergistically induced cancer cell autophagy in the invading edge regions of HCC. Monocyte-elicited autophagy induced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells and promoted tumor metastasis by activating the NFKB-SNAI1 signaling pathway. Moreover, the increase of LC3B+ cancer cells in the invading edge areas was associated with high mortality and reduced survival of patients with HCC. These findings indicated that cancer cell autophagy is regulated by a collaborative interaction between tumor and immune cell components in distinct HCC microenvironments, thus allowing the inflammatory monocytes to be rerouted in a tumor-promoting direction.

Asunto(s)

Autofagia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Monocitos/patología , Autofagia/efectos de los fármacos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/ultraestructura , Línea Celular Tumoral , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Transición Epitelial-Mesenquimal/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Interleucina-1beta/farmacología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/ultraestructura , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Monocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Monocitos/ultraestructura , Análisis Multivariante , FN-kappa B/metabolismo , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/patología , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Factores de Transcripción de la Familia Snail/metabolismo , Solubilidad , Análisis de Supervivencia , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/farmacología , Regulación hacia Arriba/efectos de los fármacos

RESUMEN

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) rarely occurs as a primary renal neoplasm. Renal (r)PNET is a rare but aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis; the majority of patients are diagnosed as advanced stage at presentation and face a worse prognosis than patients with localized disease. The present study describes the diagnosis and management of eight cases of rPNET at an advanced stage, who were treated at two institutions [Lingnan Hospital (branch of The Third Affiliated Hospital) and the Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou], from December 2004 to January 2013. The clinical and pathological results of all patients were retrospectively obtained. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to estimate patient survival. The study cohort comprised five males and three females. Radical nephrectomy was performed in seven cases, while the remaining case only received needle biopsy of the tumor. Five cases received adjuvant chemotherapy, while three received no further treatment after surgery. Of note, one case received cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy combined with surgery and chemotherapy. The overall median survival was 20 months with a 3-year survival rate of 25%. The overall survival of the four patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery was 36 months, compared with 10 months in the three patients without further treatment. The patient who received CIK cell immunotherapy survived for 20 months. Based on the observations of the present and previous studies, surgical excision and chemotherapy are recommended for treating rPNET at advanced stage. Furthermore, the present study was the first to report on CIK cell immunotherapy for a patient with rPNET, indicating that it may be a promising optional treatment. However, further studies are required to validate the benefit of CIK cells and to establish an appropriate immunotherapy protocol.

RESUMEN

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been regarded as a prognostic factor in various types of cancer. The present study aimed to identify the association between NLR and combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) in patients who underwent surgical resection. The present study retrospectively reviewed 59 patients who were diagnosed with cHCC-CC and treated with surgical resection between January 2000 and October 2014 at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China). The patients were divided into two groups: NLR≤2.75 and NLR>2.75. Patients with stage I and II or stage III and IV disease were classified into early- and advanced-stage groups, respectively, according to the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system. Overall survival time (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to evaluate the prognostic value of NLR. The NLR value was significantly higher in the HCC advanced-stage group compared with that in the HCC early-stage group according to the TNM staging system (3.19 vs. 2.00; P=0.001). The median survival time was 83.6 months in the NLR≤2.75 group and 15 months in the NLR>2.75 group (P=0.004). Upon multivariate analysis, NLR>2.75 was an independent prognostic factor for poor cHCC-CC outcomes. Overall, the easily evaluated pre-treatment NLR may be an independent prognostic factor for patients with cHCC-CC treated by surgical resection.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Diaphragmatic resection is not common in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate retrospectively the clinical characteristics and surgical results of HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy plus diaphragmatic resection. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2013, 52 HCC patients underwent curative resections combined with diaphragmatic resection, with 11 patients had pathological diaphragmatic invasion (DI), 41 patients had diaphragmatic fibrous adhesion (DFA). The clinicopathological features and results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 86.5% of the patients had HBV infection. Diameter of tumors was 8.6 ±â€¯3.4 cm, and 34.6% had multiple tumors. In addition, 28.8% had microvascular invasion, 3.8% had macrovascular invasion, but none of the patients had lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis. Moreover, 21.2% had tumor rupture before surgical resection. The DI group exhibited similar clinicopathological features with the DFA group. There were no treatment-related deaths, and major complication was postoperative pleural effusion (46.2%). Other clinical pulmonary issues, such as pneumothorax (5.8%) and pneumonia (3.8%), were also detected. OS at 1, 3 and 5 years was 82.0%, 41.2% and 35.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS and DFS between the DI and DFA groups (P = 0.499 and P = 0.956, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: En bloc resection of diaphragm was associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality, and there was no difference in OS and DFS between HCC patients with DI or DFA. Therefore, it would be advisable to perform en bloc diaphragmatic resection when HCC patients present with gross diaphragmatic involvement.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular/cirugía , Diafragma/cirugía , Hepatectomía/métodos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/cirugía , Adulto , Anciano , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Resultado del Tratamiento

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Patients with intermediate to advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are most commonly treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Previous studies showed that TACE combined with recombinant human adenovirus type 5 (H101) may provide a clinical survival benefit. In the present study, we aimed to determine the survival benefit of TACE with or without H101 for patients with intermediate to advanced HCC and to develop an effective nomogram for predicting individual survival outcomes of these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 590 patients with intermediate to advanced HCC who were treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2007 and July 2015. After propensity score matching, 238 patients who received TACE with H101 (TACE with H101 group) and 238 patients who received TACE without H101 (TACE group) were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method; the nomogram was developed based on Cox regression analysis. Discrimination and calibration were measured using the concordance index (c-index) and calibration plots. RESULTS: Clinical and radiologic features were similar between the two groups. OS rates were significantly lower in the TACE group than in the TACE with H101 group (1-year OS rate, 53.8% vs. 61.3%; 2-year OS rate, 33.4% vs. 44.2%; 3-year OS rate, 22.4% vs. 40.5%; all P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis for the entire cohort showed that alpha-fetoprotein level, alkaline phosphatase level, tumor size, metastasis, vascular invasion, and TACE with or without H101 were independent factors for OS, all of which were included in the nomogram. Calibration curves showed good agreement between nomogram-predicted survival and observed survival. The c-index of the nomogram for predicting OS was 0.716 (95% confidence interval 0.686-0.746). CONCLUSIONS: TACE plus H101 extends the survival of patients with intermediate to advanced HCC. Our proposed nomogram provides individual survival prediction and stratification for patients with intermediate to advanced HCC who receive TACE with or without H101.

Asunto(s)

Vacunas contra el Adenovirus/administración & dosificación , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Quimioembolización Terapéutica/métodos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/terapia , Adulto , Anciano , Vacunas contra el Cáncer/administración & dosificación , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/prevención & control , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/prevención & control , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Nomogramas , Pronóstico

RESUMEN

It is widely understood that transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) has dual functions in tumors-tumor promoter or tumor suppressor. As a tumor promoter, TGF-ß drives tumor initiation and progression partially by suppressing the antitumor responses of CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of measuring TGF-ß and CD8 CTLs levels and their relationship in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Immunohistochemical staining was conducted to analyze the prognostic value of TGF-ß expression and/or CD8 CTLs levels in 407 HCC patients. The relationship between TGF-ß and CD8 T-cell was also evaluated using HCC cell lines and patients' peripheral blood. Lower TGF-ß expression or a higher CD8 CTL density was associated with better overall survival and recurrence-free survival, and the patients with low TGF-ß expression and more CD8 CTLs had the best prognosis. Although there was no correlation between TGF-ß expression and the density of CD8 CTLs, the survival of patients with more CD8 CTL cells was only significantly improved when the tumor expressed low levels of TGF-ß. Furthermore, the TGF-ß levels was not associated with the proportion of CD8 T cells, but negatively related to interferon γ secretion by CD8 T cells in peripheral blood of HCC patients. Higher TGF-ß also resulted in decreased interferon γ secreted by CD8 T cells in vitro. In conclusion, our study suggests that TGF-ß is a poor prognostic factor for patients and negatively affect the prognostic value of CD8 CTLs through suppressing antitumor activity of CD8 T-cell in HCC.

Asunto(s)

Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Linfocitos T Citotóxicos/inmunología , Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta/metabolismo , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Línea Celular Tumoral , Femenino , Humanos , Interferón gamma/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Recuento de Linfocitos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Pronóstico , Análisis de Supervivencia , Adulto Joven

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs rarely in children and adolescents (C&A), and its clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment were rarely explored. METHODS: This retrospective study focused on 65 HCC patients aged ≤20 years from August 1994 to August 2012. Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to investigate prognostic factors and compare overall survival (OS), respectively. RESULTS: We found 61.5% of patients to have multiple tumors, 30.8% to have portal vein tumor thrombus, and 16.9% to have distant metastasis. Diameter of tumors was 10.2 ± 4.1 cm. OS at 5 years was 15.8%. Multivariate analyses showed initial treatment (P < 0.001) to be a predictor for OS. For moderate-stage HCC, the median OS of patients who underwent resection was longer than that of patients who underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or supportive treatment (ST) (P < 0.001). For advanced-stage HCC, the median OS of patients who underwent TACE was longer than that of patients who underwent ST (P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: HCC in C&A tends to be more advanced than that in adults, and resection remains the mainstay of treatment for those patients. Moreover, compared with ST, TACE may benefit C&A with moderate- and advanced-stage HCC, which needs further study.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Neoplasias Hepáticas/terapia , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Modelos de Riesgos Proporcionales , Estudios Retrospectivos , Resultado del Tratamiento

RESUMEN

Inflammation is a component of tumor progression mechanisms. Neutrophils are a common inflammatory infiltrate in many tumors, but their regulation and functions in neoplasia are not understood. Here, we showed, in detailed studies of c-Met molecule in 225 untreated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), that high infiltration of neutrophils in HCC tissues determined malignant cell c-Met-associated clinical outcome of patients. High infiltration of neutrophils in HCCs determined malignant cell c-Met-associated clinical outcome of patients. Neutrophils were enriched predominantly in invading tumor edge of HCCs; the accumulated neutrophils were the major source of c-Met ligand HGF in HCCs. Exposure to HCC environments resulted in neutrophil activation and the following HGF production. Inhibiting the activities of Erk1/2, p38, and NF-κB, but not the phosphorylation of AKT or JNK, successfully attenuated the neutrophil HGF production induced by HCC environments. Further investigation revealed that GM-CSF was an important determinant in malignant cell-elicited neutrophil HGF production in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated that tumor neutrophils, via HGF/c-Met interaction, actively enhanced the metastasis of malignant cells in vitro and in vivo. These data provide direct evidence supporting the critical role of neutrophils in human tumor progression and reveal a fine-tuned collaborative action between cancer cells and immune cells in tumor milieu, which reroutes the immune activation into a tumor-promoting direction.