Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
IGFBP2 promotes immunosuppression by regulating macrophage PD-L1 expression in NEUROD1-high small cell lung cancer.
He S, et al
This study investigated the role of IGFBP2 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2) in suppressing immune responses within a specific subtype of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) defined by high expression of the transcription factor NEUROD1. Researchers found that IGFBP2 promotes immunosuppression by upregulating the expression of PD-L1 on macrophages — immune cells that normally help fight tumors — effectively shielding cancer cells from immune attack. This mechanism links a tumor-secreted protein to the rewiring of the immune microenvironment, explaining in part why NEUROD1-high SCLC is particularly difficult to treat. The findings suggest that targeting the IGFBP2 signaling axis could restore anti-tumor immunity and potentially improve the response to existing immunotherapy approaches in this aggressive cancer subtype. For patients with NEUROD1-high SCLC, who currently have limited therapeutic options, this discovery opens a potential new avenue for combination immunotherapy strategies.
Journal of translational medicine
Source →Lobectomy results in a greater increase in the pulmonary artery to aorta ratio compared to sublobar resection: a retrospective study.
Nakai T, et al
A retrospective study published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery investigated how different lung cancer surgery techniques affect the pulmonary artery-to-aorta (PA/A) ratio, a CT-based marker of pressure on the right side of the heart. Researchers analyzed 301 patients with early-stage (stage 0-I) lung cancer who underwent either lobectomy (removal of an entire lung lobe, n=210) or sublobar resection (removal of a smaller portion of lung tissue, n=91) between 2018 and 2020. The PA/A ratio was measured before surgery and at one and three years after the procedure. The study found that lobectomy was associated with a significantly greater increase in the PA/A ratio compared to sublobar resection at both follow-up time points, and multivariable analysis confirmed that lobectomy independently predicted a postoperative rise in this ratio with an odds ratio of nearly 8. These findings suggest that removing a larger amount of lung tissue places greater strain on the pulmonary blood vessels and the right side of the heart. Clinicians may benefit from routinely monitoring the PA/A ratio after lobectomy to identify patients who could be at risk of developing right-heart complications over time.
Journal of cardiothoracic surgery
Source →CD55-expressing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) drive cancer immunoevasion.
Jiang X, et al
Researchers investigated how a protein called CD55, found on the surface of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), helps tumors escape destruction by the immune system. By analyzing single-cell gene expression data across eight cancer types and conducting experiments in human samples and mouse models, scientists discovered that CD55 is consistently overexpressed on MDSCs and that its high expression correlates with worse patient outcomes. Mechanistically, CD55 promotes a metabolic shift toward glycolysis in MDSCs by activating an enzyme called glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL), which sustains the immunosuppressive behavior of these cells and suppresses cancer-killing CD8+ T cells. The team also found that a natural compound called tomatidine can block the CD55-PYGL interaction, relieving immune suppression and significantly boosting the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 checkpoint immunotherapy in preclinical models. These findings identify CD55 as a key driver of tumor immune evasion and present a novel therapeutic strategy that could help patients who do not respond adequately to current immunotherapies.
Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Source →Reprogramming the gut-liver immune axis: probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles as precision nanotherapeutics in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Javidan M, et al
This study investigated the potential of extracellular vesicles derived from probiotic bacteria as precision nanotherapeutics for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer. The research focused on the gut-liver immune axis, a bidirectional communication pathway through which intestinal microbiota influence liver immunity and tumor development. Probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles — nanoscale particles naturally secreted by beneficial bacteria — were explored for their ability to reprogram immune responses within the liver tumor microenvironment. The findings suggest that these vesicles may offer a novel, biologically inspired strategy to enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome immune evasion mechanisms characteristic of HCC. This approach is particularly significant because HCC carries a poor prognosis and current therapeutic options remain limited, making microbiome-based nanomedicine a promising frontier for improving patient outcomes.
Infectious agents and cancer
Source →Evaluation of season and sex specific differential gonadal transcriptomics in Himalayan snow trout Schizothorax plagiostomus, Heckel, 1838.
Bhattacharya I, et al
This study investigated seasonal and sex-specific differences in gene expression within the gonads of the Himalayan snow trout, Schizothorax plagiostomus, a fish species native to high-altitude river systems. Researchers used transcriptomic sequencing to identify which genes are activated or suppressed in male versus female reproductive tissues across different seasons of the year. The findings provide detailed insight into the molecular mechanisms governing reproductive cycles in this ecologically important cold-water species. While not directly related to human cancer treatment, understanding gonadal gene regulation in fish models can inform broader research into hormonal signaling and reproductive biology relevant to aquatic conservation and fisheries management.
Scientific reports
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