Publications by authors named "Qianfei Zhang"
Article Synopsis
- Liver metastases often resist immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the liver may contribute to this resistance, but their specific role is not well understood.* -
- The study utilized flow cytometry and RNA sequencing to analyze the behavior of hepatic Tregs, revealing a unique population that grows significantly in response to ICI treatment, regardless of tumor presence.* -
- The findings suggest that a specific subpopulation of CD29 Tregs in the liver is crucial for the enhanced suppression and resistance to ICI therapy, indicating their potential as targets for improving treatment outcomes.*
Article Synopsis
- * Fecal transplantation shows that this iNKT regulation is linked to microbiome changes rather than simply increasing the number of iNKT cells; it indicates an indirect effect since in vitro activated iNKT cells from vancomycin-treated mice do not exhibit increased activation.
- * The findings reveal that IL-18 from liver macrophages, particularly those expressing CSF-1R, is crucial for the enhanced iNKT activation, highlighting the gut microbiome's role in regulating immune response through these macrophages.
Cancer immunotherapy often depends on recognition of peptide epitopes by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The tumor microenvironment (TME) is enriched for peroxynitrite (PNT), a potent oxidant produced by infiltrating myeloid cells and some tumor cells. We demonstrate that PNT alters the profile of MHC class I bound peptides presented on tumor cells.
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- Platelets, often seen as just clotting agents, actually play a surprising role in promoting tumor growth and can also inhibit liver cancer (HCC) in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
- The study showed that the anti-tumor effects of platelets come from their release of CD40L through a pathway involving the P2Y12 receptor, which helps activate CD8 T cells.
- Unlike traditional anti-platelet medications like aspirin, which don't affect CD40L release, this research suggests that targeting platelets without blocking CD40L could benefit liver cancer patients with NAFLD.
Article Synopsis
- Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a type of immune cell that can recognize specific non-peptide antigens, and they show potential in attacking tumors when activated.
- In this study, researchers found that MAIT cells activated by a synthetic antigen (5-OP-RU) and a TLR9 agonist (CpG) greatly expanded and enhanced their activity, leading to improved antitumor responses in mice with various types of cancer.
- The effectiveness of this MAIT-directed immunotherapy was demonstrated even when the tumor cells lacked MR1, indicating that MAIT cells might use an indirect method to combat cancer, making them promising candidates for future cancer treatments.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the combination of trametinib, a MEK inhibitor, with anti-PD-1 therapy in mouse models of iCCA to enhance treatment efficacy.
- Results demonstrated that trametinib not only inhibited tumor growth in multiple cell lines but also improved survival rates and reduced tumor burden when combined with anti-PD-1, promoting a more favorable immune response in the tumor microenvironment.
Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (~75-85%) and cholangiocarcinoma (~10-15%) account for the majority of primary liver malignancies. Patients with primary liver cancer are often diagnosed with unresectable diseases and do not respond well to current therapies.
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- Gut dysbiosis in patients with cirrhosis and chronic gastrointestinal disorders can negatively impact antitumor immunity in the liver, particularly in cases of cholangiocarcinoma.
- The study found that conditions like primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and colitis lead to an increase in specific immune cells (PMN-MDSCs) that suppress the body's ability to fight tumors.
- Neomycin treatment was shown to counteract this immune suppression by blocking the expression of factors that promote these suppressive immune cells, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue for liver cancer prevention.
Article Synopsis
- Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) often show minimal response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) like PD-1, prompting researchers to explore the use of a CD40 agonist to enhance immune response.
- In various murine models of intrahepatic CCAs, combining CD40 agonist therapy with anti-PD-1 treatment significantly reduced tumor burden and boosted the activation of essential immune cells, such as T cells and natural killer cells.
- The findings suggest that activating macrophages and dendritic cells through CD40 stimulation can improve the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy, particularly when combined with traditional chemotherapy agents like gemcitabine and cisplatin.
Article Synopsis
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) negatively impacts the effectiveness of immunotherapy against liver tumors in mice, leading to an increase in tumor growth due to a decrease in CD4 T cells.
- In experiments, while immunotherapies like M30 and aOX40 did inhibit tumor growth in normal mice, they were ineffective in those with steatohepatitis unless treatment with N-acetylcysteine was used to preserve CD4 T cells.
- The study highlights the role of CD4 T cells in tumor fighting and suggests that targeting steatohepatitis could improve responses to immunotherapy in liver cancer.
Background & Aims: Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell-based immunotherapy is effective as an adjuvant therapy in early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but lacks efficacy in advanced HCC. We aimed to investigate immune suppressor mechanisms in HCC, focusing on the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in response to CIK therapy.
Methods: MDSCs were quantified by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a main treatment for prostate cancer (PCa) but the disease often recurs and becomes castration-resistant in nearly all patients. Recent data implicate the involvement of immune cells in the development of this castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In particular, T cells have been found to be expanded in both PCa patients and mouse models shortly after androgen deprivation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Immune checkpoint blockade with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies has shown promising results in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC. The anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, is now approved for patients who have had progressive disease on the current standard of care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrimary liver tumors and liver metastasis currently represent the leading cause of cancer-related death. Commensal bacteria are important regulators of antitumor immunity, and although the liver is exposed to gut bacteria, their role in antitumor surveillance of liver tumors is poorly understood. We found that altering commensal gut bacteria in mice induced a liver-selective antitumor effect, with an increase of hepatic CXCR6 natural killer T (NKT) cells and heightened interferon-γ production upon antigen stimulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. As obesity and diabetes become more prevalent, the contribution of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to HCC is rising. Recently, we reported intrahepatic CD4 T cells are critical for anti-tumor surveillance in NAFLD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most frequent neoplasm and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a common disorder in obese people, has been identified as an important risk factor for HCC. Following the increasing prevalence of obesity, it is expected that the contribution of NAFLD to HCC's incidence worldwide will grow.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLipid molecules are key structural components of plant male reproductive organs, such as the anther and pollen. Although advances have been made in the understanding of acyl lipids in plant reproduction, the metabolic pathways of other lipid compounds, particularly glycerolipids, are not fully understood. Here we report that an endoplasmic reticulum-localized enzyme, Glycerol-3-Phosphate Acyltransferase 3 (OsGPAT3), plays an indispensable role in anther development and pollen formation in rice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe tumor-promoting chemokine CCL5 has been implicated in malignant transformation of breast epithelial cells, with studies to date focusing mainly on basal-type breast cancers. In this study, we investigated the consequences of CCL5 deletion in the MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model of luminal breast cancer. In this model, primary tumor burden and pulmonary metastases were reduced significantly in CCL5-deficient subjects, an effect found to be associated with a deficit of Th2 (IL4⁺CD4⁺ T) cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF[Protective effect of ademetionine 1, 4-butanedisulfonate on liver injury caused by chemotherapeutic agents].
Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi
October 2013
The aim of this study was to observe the protective effect of ademetionine 1, 4-butanedisulfonate on liver injury caused by chemotherapy in patients with leukemia. The clinical data of protective effect were analyzed retrospectively from January 2010 to April 2012. A total of 62 acute leukemia patients were divided into A group (27 cases) and B group (35 cases), the polyene phosphatidyl choline combined with ademetionine or combined with compound glycyrrhizin were given in A and B group, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF[Analysis of clinical characteristics and prognosis of 13 cases of acute erythroleukemia].
Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi
October 2013
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute erythroleukemia (AEL, AML-M6). The clinical features and results of morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular biologic detections were retrospectively analyzed in 13 cases of AEL from 305 acute leukemia patients hospitalized between October 2007 and October 2012. The results showed that the expression of erythroid and non-erythroid cells increased at the same time.
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