Scientific Publications

Inhibitors of Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TKIs) are producing impressive benefits to responsive types of cancers but challenged with drug resistances. FHND drugs are newly modified small molecule inhibitors based on the third-generation EGFR-TKI AZD9291 (Osimertinib) that are mainly for targeting the mutant-selective EGFR, particularly for the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

• Link: https://www.aging-us.com/article/205634/text#

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used in the treatment of cancer, but they cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in around 40% of patients treated. Identifying biomarkers predictive of irAEs has become a priority for the optimal management of patients on ICIs. Herein, we review the state of the art regarding the most relevant biomarkers for predicting irAEs, distinguishing between biomarkers already clinically available and those under investigation. Although none of these biomarkers has been validated in prospective studies, there is growing evidence supporting their use for irAE prediction and clinical characterization, which depend on cancer type, ICI agent and organ affected by the toxicity. A better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying irAEs and the combination of different emerging biomarkers would allow us to improve the risk-benefit balance for patients who are candidates for ICI therapy.

• Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/5/1629

Autoantibodies (AAbs) hold promise for monitoring treatment responses in cancer immunotherapy. We propose a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of an AAb panel to predict treatment responses in advanced NSCLC during immunotherapy. Furthermore, it explores the functional implications of HDAC3 on the immune microenvironment at the single-cell transcriptomics and protein level.

• Link: https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(24)00429-0/fulltext

This study aims to investigate the expression of UBQLN1 in lung cancer (LC) tissue and the diagnostic capability of autoantibody to UBQLN1 (anti-UBQLN1) in the detection of LC and the discrimination of pulmonary nodules (PNs).

• Link: https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-024-12019-w

R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) is a standard first-line treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, 20%–40% of patients survive less than 5 years. Novel prognostic biomarkers remain in demand.

• Link: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.35158

The role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC), has repeatedly been demonstrated. However, very few lncRNAs have been well annotated functionally. Our study identified a novel lncRNA upregulated in CRC, NONHSAT136151, which was correlated with clinical progression. In functional assays, NONHSAT136151 significantly enhanced CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Mechanistically, NONHSAT136151 interacted with RNA-binding protein (RBP) QKI (Quaking) to interfere with QKI binding to target mRNAs and regulate their expression.

• Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcmm.18068

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease that requires precise diagnosis for effective treatment. However, the diagnostic value of carbohydrate antigen 19 − 9 (CA19-9) is limited. Therefore, this study aims to identify novel tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAAbs) for PDAC diagnosis.

• Link: https://cancerci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12935-023-03107-1

To evaluate the potential of zinc finger protein 1 (ZPR1) as a diagnostic biomarker and explore the underlying role for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A human proteome microarray was customized to identify anti-ZPR1 autoantibody, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to assess the diagnostic performance of anti-ZPR1 autoantibody in 294 patients with ESCC and 294 normal controls.

• Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cas.16004

Circulating senescent CD8+ T (T8sen) cells are characterized by a lack of proliferative capacities but retain cytotoxic activity and have been associated to resistance to immunotherapy in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). We aimed to better characterize T8sen and to determine which factors were associated with their accumulation in patients with aNSCLC. Circulating T8sen cells were characterized by a higher expression of SA-βgal and the transcription factor T-bet, confirming their senescent status. Using whole virome profiling, cytomegalovirus (CMV) was the only virus associated with T8sen. CMV was necessary but not sufficient to explain high accumulation of T8sen (T8senhigh status).

• Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh0708

Short-lived proteins (SLiPs), defective ribosomal products (DRiPs), and Cancer’s dark matter/non-canonical peptides (NCP) are unstable and rapidly degraded, loaded onto MHC and represent a large proportion of the epitopes presented by cancer cells. Recent data suggests that NCP may play a role in molecular control of some malignant processes, further strengthening the rationale for characterizing their presence and developing pharmacologic and immunologic approaches to impact their effect [PMID: 37040070].

• Link: https://jitc.bmj.com/content/11/Suppl_1/A168