The global incidence of biliary tract cancer (BTC) is on the rise, presenting a substantial healthcare challenge. The integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with molecularly targeted therapies is emerging as a strategy to enhance immune responses. However, the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of these treatments in BTC are still largely unexplored. In this study, tissue samples from 19 BTC patients treated with camrelizumab and apatinib were analysed using the NanoString 289-panel to identify key molecular biomarkers. Comparative analyses and subsequent experimental validations, including cell-based assays and histopathological examinations, identified adrenomedullin (ADM) as a critical molecular marker associated with treatment efficacy and poor prognosis. ADM has been shown to promote BTC cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, primarily by interacting with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and increasing AKT phosphorylation. Furthermore, ADM disrupts endothelial cell barrier function via the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin signalling pathway. Preclinical inhibition of ADM or CRLR resulted in suppressed tumour growth. Additionally, elevated ADM expression was correlated with increased tumour-infiltrating immune cells and higher immune checkpoint expression. These findings suggest that ADM plays a pivotal role in resistance to immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic treatment in BTC, and thus, targeting ADM may offer a promising therapeutic approach to enhance treatment efficacy.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.70460 | DOI Listing |
J Cell Mol Med
March 2025
Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
The global incidence of biliary tract cancer (BTC) is on the rise, presenting a substantial healthcare challenge. The integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with molecularly targeted therapies is emerging as a strategy to enhance immune responses. However, the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of these treatments in BTC are still largely unexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKeio J Med
March 2025
Center for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) is traditionally associated with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, predominantly impacting breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers. However, recent research suggests that these mutations may also predispose carriers to a broader spectrum of malignancies, including biliary tract, cervical, colorectal, endometrial, esophageal, and gastric cancers. This review presents findings from extensive datasets, including a significant study from a nationwide Japanese biobank that examined cancer risks in 63,828 patients and 37,086 controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRespir Med Case Rep
February 2025
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Based on the results of a multicenter phase II study of patients with previously treated thymic carcinoma, lenvatinib administration for unresectable thymic cancer has been covered under insurance in Japan since 2021. However, patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) were excluded from that study; therefore, the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib in these patients remain unknown. Herein, we report the case of a woman in her 50s who was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma complicated with ILD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer Cell
March 2025
Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Systems Regulation and Clinical Translation for Cancer, Shanghai 200127, China; State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200127, China. Electronic address:
Gallbladder cancer (GBC) frequently mimics gallbladder benign lesions (GBBLs) in radiological images, leading to preoperative misdiagnoses. To address this challenge, we initiated a prospective, multicenter clinical trial (ChicCTR2100049249) and proposed a multimodal, non-invasive diagnostic model to distinguish GBC from GBBLs. A total of 301 patients diagnosed with gallbladder-occupying lesions (GBOLs) from 11 medical centers across 7 provinces in China were enrolled and divided into a discovery cohort and an independent external validation cohort.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
March 2025
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, P.R. China.
Asymptomatic gallbladder and biliary tract calculus may make into symptomatic disease or bring anxiety for patients. The formation of gallstones was associated with genetic risk factors and metabolic abnormalities. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data of 1400 plasma metabolites (PMs) and 91 circulating inflammatory cytokines (CICs) were obtained from the GWAS catalog, while the GWAS data of calculus of gallbladder without cholecystitis and calculus of bile duct without cholangitis or cholecystitis were retrieved from the IEU OpenGWAS project.
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