Featured
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| Open AccessRapid P-TEFb-dependent transcriptional reorganization underpins the glioma adaptive response to radiotherapy
The mechanisms underlying adaptive response to the stress elicited by radiotherapy in glioma cells remains unclear. Here, the authors show that therapeutic ionizing radiation induces rapid genome-wide chromatin reorganization to facilitate P-TEFb-mediated nascent transcriptional induction, which could be targeted to sensitize radiotherapy response in glioma.
- Faye M. Walker
- , Lays Martin Sobral
- & Nathan A. Dahl
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Article
| Open AccessGlucocorticoids paradoxically promote steroid resistance in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia through CXCR4/PLC signaling
Resistance to glucocorticoids (GC) is a major obstacle for the treatment of pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Here, the authors report that GC-triggered CXCR4 internalization promotes a phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated cell survival pathway, driving GC resistance in B-ALL.
- Souleymane Abdoul-Azize
- , Rihab Hami
- & Olivier Boyer
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Article
| Open AccessL-RNA aptamer-based CXCL12 inhibition combined with radiotherapy in newly-diagnosed glioblastoma: dose escalation of the phase I/II GLORIA trial
Recent studies show that targeting CXCL12 can improve the effect of radiotherapy (RT) in preclinical models of glioblastoma (GBM). Here, the authors report the safety and preliminary efficacy of a phase I/II clinical trial investigating an L-RNA aptamer-based CXCL12 inhibitor (NOX-A12) in combination with RT in patients with newly-diagnosed GBM.
- Frank A. Giordano
- , Julian P. Layer
- & Michael Hölzel
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Article
| Open AccessDeleting the mitochondrial respiration negative regulator MCJ enhances the efficacy of CD8+ T cell adoptive therapies in pre-clinical studies
Treatment failure following chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is common yet incompletely understood. In this study, the authors demonstrate that deletion of the mitochondrial negative regulator, MCJ, in CAR T cells promotes target cell killing ex vivo and augments their efficacy in an in vivo B cell leukaemia model.
- Meng-Han Wu
- , Felipe Valenca-Pereira
- & Mercedes Rincon
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Article
| Open AccessH2AX promotes replication fork degradation and chemosensitivity in BRCA-deficient tumours
Histone H2AX has a known role in DNA damage repair but interestingly, its loss is associated with resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition in BRCA-deficient tumours. Here, the authors identify a role of γH2AX in the degradation of replication forks and demonstrate that H2AX loss drives PARP inhibitor resistance via increased stressed fork stability in BRCA-deficient tumours.
- Diego Dibitetto
- , Martin Liptay
- & Sven Rottenberg
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Article
| Open AccessDrug screening on digital microfluidics for cancer precision medicine
In-vitro platforms for personalized cancer diagnosis is required high sensitivity. Here, the authors developed a digital microfluidic system for drug screening using primary tumor cells and established a working protocol for precision medicine.
- Jiao Zhai
- , Yingying Liu
- & Yanwei Jia
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Article
| Open AccessPriming with LSD1 inhibitors promotes the persistence and antitumor effect of adoptively transferred T cells
Phenotypic changes in exhausted T cells are linked to chromatin remodeling. Here the authors show that pharmacological inhibition of the H3K4me1/2 demethylase LSD1 promotes the persistence and enhances the therapeutic activity of adoptively transferred T cells for cancer therapy.
- Fengqi Qiu
- , Peishan Jiang
- & Wanqiang Sheng
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Article
| Open AccessProdrug-conjugated tumor-seeking commensals for targeted cancer therapy
The chemotherapeutic efficacy of prodrug is limited by its cancer-targeting ability. Here this group reports an engineered commensal Lactobacillus plantarum strain with anticancer prodrugs loading on the surface for nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell-targeting and growth inhibition.
- Haosheng Shen
- , Changyu Zhang
- & Matthew Wook Chang
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Article
| Open AccessTargeting SOX13 inhibits assembly of respiratory chain supercomplexes to overcome ferroptosis resistance in gastric cancer
The ability of anti-cancer therapies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy to induce ferroptosis has been linked to their efficacy. Here, the authors demonstrate that SOX13 promotes ferroptosis-resistance via transactivation of SCAF1, identifying SOX13 as a targeted therapeutic vulnerability in gastric cancer.
- Hui Yang
- , Qingqing Li
- & Mingzhe Ma
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Article
| Open AccessStimulation of tumoricidal immunity via bacteriotherapy inhibits glioblastoma relapse
Despite initial treatment with surgical resection, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) frequently recurs. Here the authors report the design of an immunostimulatory autolysing Salmonella based-nanocapsule delivery system, promoting anti-tumor immune responses and preventing postoperative relapse in preclinical GBM models.
- Yulin Zhang
- , Kaiyan Xi
- & Shilei Ni
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Article
| Open AccessHsc70 promotes anti-tumor immunity by targeting PD-L1 for lysosomal degradation
Hsc70 (heat shock protein family A member 8) is a cytoplasmic chaperone protein involved in endosomal micro-autophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy. Here the authors report that Hsc70 promotes lysosomal degradation of PD-L1 and that its overexpression promotes anti-tumor immune responses in preclinical cancer models.
- Xiaoyan Xu
- , Tingxue Xie
- & Hongguang Xia
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Article
| Open AccessFerritinophagy mediates adaptive resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer
The mechanisms leading to acquired resistance to targeted therapy in cancer are not completely understood. Here, the authors show that ferritinophagy mediates adaptive resistance to Osimertinib, and that combining this EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with copper ionophores improves its therapeutic efficacy in preclinical models of non-small cell lung cancer.
- Hui Wang
- , Qianfan Hu
- & Feng Jiang
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Article
| Open AccessOctyl itaconate enhances VSVΔ51 oncolytic virotherapy by multitarget inhibition of antiviral and inflammatory pathways
The use of oncolytic viruses as a therapy for cancer is limited by mechanisms inhibiting viral replication in the tumor. Here, the authors show that a chemical derivative of itaconate, 4-octyl itaconate, increases oncolytic virus VSVΔ51 efficacy in various cancer models, through decreasing antiviral immunity.
- Naziia Kurmasheva
- , Aida Said
- & David Olagnier
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Article
| Open AccessCEA-CD3 bispecific antibody cibisatamab with or without atezolizumab in patients with CEA-positive solid tumours: results of two multi-institutional Phase 1 trials
Cibisatamab is a T-cell bispecific antibody targeting the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) on tumor cells and CD3 epsilon chain on T cells. Here the authors report the results of two clinical trials of cibisatamab as monotherapy (NCT02324257) and in combination with atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1; NCT02650713) in patients with CEA-positive solid tumors.
- Neil H. Segal
- , Ignacio Melero
- & Guillem Argilés
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Article
| Open AccessdsRNAi-mediated silencing of PIAS2beta specifically kills anaplastic carcinomas by mitotic catastrophe
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a particularly aggressive cancer type with limited effective therapeutic options. Here, the authors identify the SUMO E3 ligase PIAS2 as a potential therapeutic target in ATC and mechanistically investigate its role in mitotic spindle and centrosome assembly.
- Joana S. Rodrigues
- , Miguel Chenlo
- & Clara V. Alvarez
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Article
| Open AccessSystematic dissection of tumor-normal single-cell ecosystems across a thousand tumors of 30 cancer types
Single-cell sequencing has enabled detailed analyses of the tumour microenvironment (TME). Here, the authors perform an integrative analysis of the TME using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics data from over a thousand tumours across thirty cancer types, identifying interferon-enriched community states predictive of immunotherapeutic responses.
- Junho Kang
- , Jun Hyeong Lee
- & Jong-Eun Park
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Article
| Open AccessPlatelets favor the outgrowth of established metastases
It is unclear if platelets regulate the growth of established metastases. Using syngeneic mouse models of metastasis, the authors show that platelets support the outgrowth of established metastases via immune suppression, and that targeting the platelet-specific receptor GPVI, efficiently reduces established metastases, providing a promising therapeutic avenue for inhibiting cancer metastasis.
- Maria J. Garcia-Leon
- , Cristina Liboni
- & Jacky G. Goetz
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Article
| Open AccessPretreatment with IL-15 and IL-18 rescues natural killer cells from granzyme B-mediated apoptosis after cryopreservation
Natural killer (NK) cells are assessed for various therapies, but sub-optimal cryopreservation dampens their clinical feasibility. Here the authors show that pretreating human NK cells with IL-15/IL-18 prior to cryopreservation improves NK cell post-thaw viability and functions, potentially via anti-apoptosis gene induction and granzyme B degranulation.
- Abdulla Berjis
- , Deeksha Muthumani
- & Neil C. Sheppard
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Article
| Open AccessThe STING agonist IMSA101 enhances chimeric antigen receptor T cell function by inducing IL-18 secretion
It has been previously suggested that STING agonists can improve response to CAR-T therapy. Here the authors report the characterization of the STING agonist IMSA101, showing that STING-induced IL18 secretion enhances CAR-T activity in preclinical cancer models.
- Ugur Uslu
- , Lijun Sun
- & Carl H. June
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Article
| Open AccessChiral coordination polymer nanowires boost radiation-induced in situ tumor vaccination
Radiation-induced tumor vaccination is insufficient to elicit robust antitumor immune response. Here they combine chiral vidarabine monophosphate-gadolinium nanowires with immune checkpoint blockade therapy to synergistically induce antitumor immunity.
Reviewer recognition:
- Zhusheng Huang
- , Rong Gu
- & Ahu Yuan
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Article
| Open AccessNetwork-based elucidation of colon cancer drug resistance mechanisms by phosphoproteomic time-series analysis
Aberrant signalling pathway activity is relevant for tumour growth and resistance to therapy, but remains hard to understand and target. Here, the authors develop VESPA, a phosphoproteomics-based machine learning algorithm that can elucidate response and adaptation to drug perturbations in cancer signalling pathways.
- George Rosenberger
- , Wenxue Li
- & Andrea Califano
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Article
| Open AccessPD-1/CD80+ small extracellular vesicles from immunocytes induce cold tumours featured with enhanced adaptive immunosuppression
Immune checkpoint inhibition is a successful form of immune therapy; however response rates vary widely among individual patients. Here authors show that circulating small extracellular vesicles might contribute to poor response to anti-PD-1 treatment by carrying PD-1 and CD80 which results in higher level of vesicular PD-L1 expression in the circulation at the expense of expression on tumour cell membranes, causing immunosuppression.
- Lin-Zhou Zhang
- , Jie-Gang Yang
- & Gang Chen
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Article
| Open AccessPlasma proteome profiling reveals dynamic of cholesterol marker after dual blocker therapy
Dual blockade therapy is currently being trialled for multiple tumour types, but efficacy is variable. Here, the authors use longitudinal proteomics profiling of 22 patients to develop a predictive model of therapy response.
- Jiacheng Lyu
- , Lin Bai
- & Chen Ding
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Article
| Open AccessFGFR inhibition blocks NF-ĸB-dependent glucose metabolism and confers metabolic vulnerabilities in cholangiocarcinoma
FGFR inhibitors (FGFRi) benefit patients with FGFR2-fusion positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) but depth and duration of response is often limited. Here, the authors demonstrate that oncogenic FGFR2 signaling promotes a glycolytic phenotype, which is blocked by FGFRi, resulting in a targetable dependence on mitochondrial metabolism.
- Yuanli Zhen
- , Kai Liu
- & Nabeel Bardeesy
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Article
| Open AccessDe novo generation of multi-target compounds using deep generative chemistry
Polypharmacology drugs are compounds designed to inhibit multiple protein targets. Here, authors use recent advances in AI to rapidly generate polypharmacology compounds against any pair of protein targets, experimentally validating numerous compounds targeting MEK1 and mTOR.
- Brenton P. Munson
- , Michael Chen
- & Trey Ideker
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Article
| Open AccessDiscovery of immunotherapy targets for pediatric solid and brain tumors by exon-level expression
CAR T cell immunotherapy for paediatric solid and brain tumours is constrained by the availability of targetable antigens. Here, the authors investigate the landscape of cancer-specific exons as potential targets by analysing 1,532 RNAseq datasets from 16 types of paediatric solid and brain tumours.
- Timothy I. Shaw
- , Jessica Wagner
- & Stephen Gottschalk
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Article
| Open AccessFocal adhesion kinase-YAP signaling axis drives drug-tolerant persister cells and residual disease in lung cancer
Remaining drug-tolerant persistent (DTP) cancer cells limit the efficacy of targeted therapy in EGFR, ALK and KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, the authors show that focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-YAP signalling supports DTP cells promoting residual disease and targeting this pathway improved tumour response in NSCLC preclinical models.
- Franziska Haderk
- , Yu-Ting Chou
- & Trever G. Bivona
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Article
| Open AccessSynthetic BZLF1-targeted transcriptional activator for efficient lytic induction therapy against EBV-associated epithelial cancers
EBV (Epstein-Barr virus)-targeted therapy is limited by efficient agents inducing lytic cycle in cancer cells. Here they report a transcriptional activator incorporated into lipid nanoparticles that could specifically activate endogenous BZLF1 and induce lytic reactivation in EBV-positive cancer cells thereby suppress tumor progression.
- Man Wu
- , Pok Man Hau
- & Kwok-Wai Lo
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Article
| Open AccessInvestigation of inherited noncoding genetic variation impacting the pharmacogenomics of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment
The effect of noncoding genetic variation on acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment response is not fully understood. Here, the authors functionally evaluated variants associated with pharmacological traits and validate the role of rs1247117 in gene regulation impacting therapeutic response.
- Kashi Raj Bhattarai
- , Robert J. Mobley
- & Daniel Savic
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Article
| Open AccessFn-OMV potentiates ZBP1-mediated PANoptosis triggered by oncolytic HSV-1 to fuel antitumor immunity
The potential of oncolytic virus (OV) for cancer therapy is limited by the efficiency of immune response induced. Here the authors show that HSV-1-based OV is capable of triggering ZBP1-mediated PANoptosis resulting in effective tumor growth inhibition.
- Shuo Wang
- , An Song
- & Zhi-Jun Sun
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Article
| Open AccessPrimary prophylaxis with mTOR inhibitor enhances T cell effector function and prevents heart transplant rejection during talimogene laherparepvec therapy of squamous cell carcinoma
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is more frequent and more aggressive in the organ transplanted and represent a therapeutic challenge due to the ongoing transplantrelated immune suppression. Here, the authors present a case report of a patient whose T cell responses were successfully strengthened via primary prophylactic therapy with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition and intra-lesion injection of the oncolytic herpesvirus T-VEC.
- Victor Joo
- , Karim Abdelhamid
- & Michel Obeid
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Article
| Open AccessA vascularized breast cancer spheroid platform for the ranked evaluation of tumor microenvironment-targeted drugs by light sheet fluorescence microscopy
Assessing tumour microenvironment-targeted drug candidates remains challenging. Here, the authors develop a comprehensive screening platform that allows for monitoring, quantifying, and ranking drug-induced effects in self-organizing, vascularized tumour spheroids.
- David Ascheid
- , Magdalena Baumann
- & Erik Henke
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Article
| Open AccessCAR affinity modulates the sensitivity of CAR-T cells to PD-1/PD-L1-mediated inhibition
It has been suggested that targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis can increase the anti-tumor properties of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells. Here the authors report that CAR affinity modulates the sensitivity of CAR-T cells to PD-1/PD-L1-mediated inhibition.
- Irene Andreu-Saumell
- , Alba Rodriguez-Garcia
- & Sonia Guedan
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Article
| Open AccessGroup 3 medulloblastoma transcriptional networks collapse under domain specific EP300/CBP inhibition
The differential effects of targeting individual domains of multidomain enzymatic proteins are generally poorly understood. Here, the authors demonstrate lineage-specific sensitivities to domain-specific inhibition of EP300/CBP proteins across cancer and link these effects in group 3 medulloblastoma to control of a transcriptional dependency network.
- Noha A. M. Shendy
- , Melissa Bikowitz
- & Adam D. Durbin
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Article
| Open AccessTargeting NRAS via miR-1304-5p or farnesyltransferase inhibition confers sensitivity to ALK inhibitors in ALK-mutant neuroblastoma
Targeting oncogenic ALK activity in neuroblastoma is an attractive therapeutic strategy but success has been limited by resistance to ALK inhibitors. Here, the authors identify loss of miR-1304-5p as a driver of ALK inhibitor resistance via regulation of NRAS, and therapeutically target this axis with the addition of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor in preclinical models of neuroblastoma.
- Perla Pucci
- , Liam C. Lee
- & Suzanne D. Turner
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Article
| Open AccessBispecific CAR T cell therapy targeting BCMA and CD19 in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a phase I/II trial
CAR-T cell therapies targeting BCMA have shown promising responses in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), however primary resistance and relapse are frequently observed. Here the authors report the results of a phase I//II study of bispecific CAR T-cells targeting BCMA and CD19 in relapsed/refractory MM.
- Ming Shi
- , Jiaojiao Wang
- & Jiang Cao
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Article
| Open AccessNeoadjuvant tislelizumab plus stereotactic body radiotherapy and adjuvant tislelizumab in early-stage resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: the Notable-HCC phase 1b trial
The feasibility and efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been previously suggested. Here the authors report the results of a phase 1b trial of neoadjuvant tislelizumab plus stereotactic body radiotherapy and adjuvant tislelizumab in early-stage resectable HCC.
- Zhongchao Li
- , Jing Liu
- & Lei Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessThe physiological interactome of TCR-like antibody therapeutics in human tissues
The use of bispecific antibodies to target tumour-specific epitopes presented by MHC molecules in tumour tissue is a promising avenue for cancer immunotherapy. Here the authors use a mass-spectrometry guided analysis to identify off-target MHC-peptide complexes that bind to TCR-like antibodies next to the target peptide, enabling a novel approach to monitoring of antibody specificity during clinical maturation and development.
- Estelle Marrer-Berger
- , Annalisa Nicastri
- & Nicola Ternette
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Article
| Open AccessReciprocal antagonism of PIN1-APC/CCDH1 governs mitotic protein stability and cell cycle entry
Unveiling the regulation of mitotic protein degradation is crucial for cancer therapy. Here, the authors reveal that a reciprocal inhibition of PIN1-APC/CCDH1 controls the cell cycle and mitotic protein degradation, offering a synergistic anti-tumor strategy.
- Shizhong Ke
- , Fabin Dang
- & Kun Ping Lu
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Comment
| Open AccessReporting outcome comparisons by sex in oncology clinical trials
Many aspects of human health and disease are influenced by sex as a biological variable and gender as a social construct. A recent study from Nature Communications reported the landscape of outcome comparisions by sex in oncology clinical trials, highlighting the need for a more thorough reporting of sex differences.
- Guo Zhao
- , Yuning Wang
- & Ning Li
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Article
| Open AccessMolecular patterns of resistance to immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma
A large fraction of patients with melanoma still does not benefit from immune checkpoint blockade, associated with both primary and acquired resistance. Here the authors report genetic and immunological patterns of resistance in patients with melanoma after progression on anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 monotherapy.
- Martin Lauss
- , Bengt Phung
- & Göran Jönsson
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Article
| Open AccessStroma-infiltrating T cell spatiotypes define immunotherapy outcomes in adolescent and young adult patients with melanoma
Therapeutic resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment is incompletely understood in adolescent and young-adult (AYA) patients with melanoma. Here, the authors demonstrate that AYA patients exhibit a unique stroma-infiltrating T cell immunogenomic profile compared with adults, which impacts on their responsiveness to immunotherapy.
- Xinyu Bai
- , Grace H. Attrill
- & Camelia Quek
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Article
| Open AccessTumor-activated in situ synthesis of single-atom catalysts for O2-independent photodynamic therapy based on water-splitting
The utility of single-atom catalysts (SACs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been limited by tumor hypoxia and side effects on normal tissues. Here the authors address these issues by developing an approach of tumor microenvironment-activated in situ synthesis of SACs for tumor-specific water-based PDT.
- Yiyan Yin
- , Xiyang Ge
- & Na Na
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Article
| Open AccessTargeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation sensitizes ovarian tumors to immune checkpoint blockade
Cancer cells can employ aberrant glycosylation patterns to evade the host immune response. Here the authors report that inhibition of branched N-glycans sensitizes homologous recombination (HR)-proficient, but not HR-deficient, epithelial ovarian cancer to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
- Hao Nie
- , Pratima Saini
- & Rugang Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessCD276-dependent efferocytosis by tumor-associated macrophages promotes immune evasion in bladder cancer
Tumor associated macrophages (TAM) are playing an active role in tumor immune evasion in multiple cancer type. Here authors show that CD276 expression by TAMs may underpin this immune-suppressive role via promoting efferocytosis and suppressing MHC class II expression, which result in decreased CD4+ and CD8 + T cell infiltration.
- Maosheng Cheng
- , Shuang Chen
- & Liang Peng
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Article
| Open AccessThe CHK1 inhibitor prexasertib in BRCA wild-type platinum-resistant recurrent high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: a phase 2 trial
ATR/CHK1 pathway inhibitors represent a therapeutic option for platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Here the authors report the results of a phase 2 clinical study of the CHK1 inhibitor prexasertib in patients with BRCA wild-type platinum-resistant HGSOC with or without biopsiable disease.
- Elena Giudice
- , Tzu-Ting Huang
- & Jung-Min Lee
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Article
| Open AccessCombination of acalabrutinib with lenalidomide and rituximab in relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a single-arm phase II trial
Potential synergism between BTK inhibitor and lenalidomide in treating aggressive B-cell lymphoma has been suggested. Here, the authors report a single-arm phase II clinical trial of combination of acalabrutinib, lenalidomide and rituximab in patients with aggressive Relapsed/Refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Changhee Park
- , Ho Sup Lee
- & Youngil Koh
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Article
| Open AccessNanoparticles targeting mutant p53 overcome chemoresistance and tumor recurrence in non-small cell lung cancer
In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), inactivating p53 mutations can drive resistance to cisplatin. Here, the authors develop fluplatin nanoparticles comprising a prodrug of cisplatin and fluvastin (mutant p53 inhibitor) which selectively degrades mutant p53, prevent tumor recurrences in preclinical models of p53 mutant NSCLC.
- Yu-Yang Bi
- , Qiu Chen
- & Hu-Lin Jiang
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Perspective
| Open AccessExpected and unexpected effects after systemic inhibition of Hippo transcriptional output in cancer
Hyperactivation of YAP/TAZ, the Hippo pathway downstream effectors, is common in human cancer. In this perspective, the authors review the role of the Hippo pathway in distinct tumor cell populations, discuss the impact of inhibiting Hippo output on tumor growth, and examine current developments in YAP/TAZ inhibitors.
- Isabel Baroja
- , Nikolaos C. Kyriakidis
- & Iván M. Moya