Latest Breakthroughs in Tumor Immune Microenvironment: From Cellular Discovery to Cutting-Edge Technology

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Microenvironment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 3813

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstr. 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Interests: cancer metastasis; cancer stem cells; therapy resistance; molecular mechanisms; cancer microenvironment
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Guest Editor
1. Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2. Department of Medical Humanities and Education, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Interests: cancer comorbidity; cancer treatment complication; cancer prognosis; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Interests: radiotherapy and combination therapy in cancer; image guidance; biomarker; palliative care; IMRT; VMAT; IGRT; tomotherapy; SMART
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interactions between cells in the ecosystem where a tumor resides contribute to cancer cell progression, invasion, and metastasis. In 1889, Dr. Stephen Paget proposed the “seed and soil” hypothesis, highlighting the importance of a fertile environment for the tumor cells to grow. Tumor-infiltrating cells, mainly immune cells, produce inflammatory mediators to form a microenvironment promoting cancer development and progression. Mounting evidence from preclinical studies and clinical trials have shown that the combination of immune-checkpoint blockade and radiation therapy (RT) result in a synergy.

With the advent of immunotherapy and innovative imaging technology, more abscopal effects upon RT in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibition have been reported. An abscopal effect is an appealing phenomenon after RT activates the antitumor immune response, and was described as early as 1953. From a molecular standpoint, RT causes not only direct DNA damage but also ample reactive-oxygen-species-dependent damage to DNA, potentially culminating in the permanent inactivation of cell division, cellular senescence, or the initiation of cell death programs. While many recent studies clearly attribute the abscopal effect to the activation of the immune system against cancer cells, the cellular and molecular mechanisms remain mysterious.

We welcome in-depth reviews and original articles from the latest research on multi-modality treatment strategies (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy combined with RT) addressing the roles and interactions of the abscopal effect, micro-environmental factors, radiosensitizers, ground-breaking RT technology, and natural food extracts to overcome treatment complications, as well as biomarkers for predicting RT outcome.

Prof. Dr. Ira-Ida Skvortsova
Dr. Johjong Huang
Dr. Hsin-Hua Lee
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • tumor microenvironment
  • natural food extracts
  • molecular markers
  • abscopal effect
  • RT technology
  • prognosis
  • side effects and abscopal effects

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4967 KiB  
Article
XPF–ERCC1 Blocker Improves the Therapeutic Efficacy of 5-FU- and Oxaliplatin-Based Chemoradiotherapy in Colorectal Cancer
by Ming-Yii Huang, Yi-Jung Huang, Tian-Lu Cheng, Wun-Ya Jhang, Chien-Chih Ke, Yi-Ting Chen, Shih-Hsun Kuo, I-Ling Lin, Yu-Hsiang Huang and Chih-Hung Chuang
Cells 2023, 12(11), 1475; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12111475 - 25 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1454
Abstract
5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and oxaliplatin-based CRT are commonly used therapies for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, patients with a high expression of ERCC1 have a worse prognosis than those with a low expression. In this study, we investigated the effect of XPF–ERCC1 blockers [...] Read more.
5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and oxaliplatin-based CRT are commonly used therapies for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, patients with a high expression of ERCC1 have a worse prognosis than those with a low expression. In this study, we investigated the effect of XPF–ERCC1 blockers on chemotherapy and 5-FU-based CRT and oxaliplatin (OXA)-based CRT in colorectal cancer cell lines. We investigated the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5-FU, OXA, XPF–ERCC1 blocker, and XPF–ERCC1 blocker, and 5-FU or OXA combined and analyzed the effect of XPF–ERCC1 blocker on 5-FU-based CRT and oxaliplatin-based CRT. Furthermore, the expression of XPF and γ-H2AX in colorectal cells was analyzed. In animal models, we combined the XPF–ERCC1 blocker with 5-FU and OXA to investigate the effects of RC and finally combined the XPF–ERCC1 blocker with 5-FU- and oxaliplatin-based CRT. In the IC50 analysis of each compound, the cytotoxicity of the XPF–ERCC1 blocker was lower than that of 5-FU and OXA. In addition, the XPF–ERCC1 blocker combined with 5-FU or OXA enhanced the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapy drugs in colorectal cells. Furthermore, the XPF–ERCC1 blocker also increased the cytotoxicity of 5-FU-based CRT and OXA -based CRT by inhibiting the XPF product DNA locus. In vivo, the XPF–ERCC1 blocker was confirmed to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU, OXA, 5-FU-based CRT, and OXA CRT. These findings show that XPF–ERCC1 blockers not only increase the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs but also increase the efficacy of combined chemoradiotherapy. In the future, the XPF–ERCC1 blocker may be used to improve the efficacy of 5-FU- and oxaliplatin-based CRT. Full article
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16 pages, 1501 KiB  
Article
Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLSs) and Stromal Blood Vessels Have Significant and Heterogeneous Impact on Recurrence, Lymphovascular and Perineural Invasion amongst Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes
by Alina Cristina Barb, Mihaela Pasca Fenesan, Marilena Pirtea, Madalin Marius Margan, Larisa Tomescu, Eugen Melnic and Anca Maria Cimpean
Cells 2023, 12(8), 1176; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12081176 - 17 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1834
Abstract
Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) mediate local antitumor immunity, and interest in them significantly increased since cancer immunotherapy was implemented. We examined TLS− tumor stromal blood vessel interplay for each breast cancer (BC) molecular subtype related to recurrence, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and perineural [...] Read more.
Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) mediate local antitumor immunity, and interest in them significantly increased since cancer immunotherapy was implemented. We examined TLS− tumor stromal blood vessel interplay for each breast cancer (BC) molecular subtype related to recurrence, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and perineural invasion (PnI). Methods: TLSs were quantified on hematoxylin and eosin stain specimens followed by CD34/smooth muscle actin (SMA) double immunostaining for stromal blood vessel maturation assessment. Statistical analysis linked microscopy to recurrence, LVI, and PnI. Results: TLS negative (TLS−) subgroups in each BC molecular subtype (except to Luminal A) have higher LVI, PnI, and recurrence. A significant rise in LVI and PnI were observed for the HER2+/TLS− subgroup (p < 0.001). The triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)/TLS− subgroup had the highest recurrence and invasion risk which was also significantly related to tumor grade. PnI but not LVI significantly influenced recurrence in the TNBC/TLS+ subgroup (p < 0.001). TLS−stromal blood vessel interrelation was different amongst BC molecular subtypes. Conclusion: BC invasion and recurrence are strongly influenced by TLS presence and stromal blood vessels, especially for HER2 and TNBC BC molecular subtypes. Full article
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