Cancer Biomarkers - Volume 32, issue 2

Authors: Kang, Ben | Lee, Hyun Seok | Jeon, Seong Woo | Park, Soo Yeun | Choi, Gyu Seog | Lee, Won Kee | Heo, Somi | Lee, Duk Hee | Kim, Dong Sun

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the world. It is characterized by different pathways of carcinogenesis and is a heterogeneous disease with diverse molecular landscapes that reflect histopathological and clinical information. Changes in the DNA methylation status of colon epithelial cells have been identified as critical components in CRC development and appear to be emerging biomarkers for the early detection and prognosis of CRC. OBJECTIVE: To explore the underlying disease mechanisms and identify more effective biomarkers of CRC. METHODS: We compared the levels and …frequencies of DNA methylation in 11 genes (Alu, APC, DAPK, MGMT, MLH1, MINT1, MINT2, MINT31, p16, RGS6, and TFPI2 ) in colorectal cancer and its precursor adenomatous polyp with normal tissue of healthy subjects using pyrosequencing and then evaluated the clinical value of these genes. RESULTS: Aberrant methylation of Alu, MGMT, MINT2 , and TFPI2 genes was progressively accumulated during the normal-adenoma-carcinoma progression. Additionally, CGI methylation occurred either as an adenoma-associated event for APC, MLH1, MINT1, MINT31, p16 , and RGS6 or a tumor-associated event for DAPK . Moreover, relatively high levels and frequencies of DAPK , MGMT , and TFPI2 methylation were detected in the peritumoral nonmalignant mucosa of cancer patients in a field-cancerization manner, as compared to normal mucosa from healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: This study identified several biomarkers associated with the initiation and progression of CRC. As novel findings, they may have important clinical implications for CRC diagnostic and prognostic applications. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings. Show more

Keywords: Colon mucosa, normal-adenoma-carcinoma, DNA methylation, pyrosequencing, biomarkers

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-203259

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 231-236, 2021

Authors: Cao, Yuting | Li, Qiang | Liu, Huihui | He, Xianglei | Huang, Fang | Wang, Yigang

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Over the past decade, cancer immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICRs), has attained considerable progresses in clinical practice. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) act as next ICRs, and originally function as a co-inhibitory receptor expressed on interferon (IFN)-γ producing CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells. Furthermore, Tim-3 has also been found to express on innate immune cells and several types of tumors, signifying the pivotal role that Tim-3 plays in chronic viral infections and cancer. In addition, Tim-3 and multiple ICRs are concurrently expressed and …regulated on dysfunctional or exhausted T-cells, leading to improved antitumor immune responses in preclinical or clinical cancer therapy through co-blockade of Tim-3 and other ICRs such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). In this review, the biological characteristics of Tim-3 and the function of Tim-3 in regulating tumorigenesis and inflammation have been summarized. The usage of a single blockade of Tim-3 or in combination with multiple immunotherapy regimens have drawn attention to antitumor potential as a target for immunotherapy. Show more

Keywords: Immune checkpoint receptor, Tim-3, cancer immunotherapy, tumorigenesis, immune blockade

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-210114

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 237-248, 2021

Article Type: Correction

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-219528

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 249-, 2021