Pyroptosis: A road to next-generation cancer immunotherapy

The goal of cancer immunotherapy is to clear tumor cells by activating antitumor immunity, especially by mobilizing tumor-reactive CD8⁺T cells. Pyroptosis, programmed lytic cell death mediated by gasdermin (GSDM), results in the release of cellular antigens, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and cytokines. Therefore, pyroptotic tumor cell-derived tumor antigens and DAMPs not only reverse immunosuppression of the tumor microenvironment (TME) but also enhance tumor antigen presentation by dendritic cells, leading to robust antitumor immunity. Exploring nanoparticles and other approaches to spatiotemporally control tumor pyroptosis by regulating gasdermin expression and activation is promising for next-generation immunotherapy.     

Pyroptosis and its role in cancer

Programmed cell death (PCD) is mediated by specific genes that encode signals. It can balance cell survival and death. Pyroptosis is a type of inflammatory, caspase-dependent PCD mediated by gasdermin proteins, which function in pore formation, cell expansion, and plasma membrane rupture, followed by the release of intracellular contents. Pyroptosis is mediated by caspase-1/3/4/5/11 and is primarily divided into the classical pathway, which is dependent on caspase-1, and the non-classical pathway, which is dependent on caspase-4/5/11. Inflammasomes play a vital role in these processes. The various components of the pyroptosis pathway are related to the occurrence, invasion, and metastasis of tumors. Research on pyroptosis has revealed new options for tumor treatment. This article summarizes the recent research progress on the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis, the relationship between the various components of the pyroptosis pathway and cancer, and the applications and prospects of pyroptosis in anticancer therapy.     

焦亡及其与头颈部肿瘤关系的研究进展

细胞程序性死亡是指细胞依赖于某些特定的基因编码信号或活动的死亡方式。细胞凋亡、自噬、胀亡、焦亡等均属于细胞程序性死亡。其中,焦亡是一种依赖含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶（caspase）的细胞程序性死亡方式。近年来,国内外相关研究发现,焦亡与炎性疾病、自身免疫性疾病及肿瘤均有关系。充分了解焦亡发生的机制及其与肿瘤的关系,对肿瘤的治疗具有一定的指导意义。本文针对焦亡的相关机制及焦亡与头颈部肿瘤的相关研究进展进行综述。     

Research progresses of molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and its related diseases

Pyroptosis is a newly discovered untypical form of programmed cell death by inflammatory response, which is dependent on the classic pathway of Caspase-1 and the non-canonical pathway of Caspase-11 in mice or orthologue Caspase-4/-5 in Humans. It has been found that the Gasdermin family of protein is a key molecule in the formation of membrane pores of pyroptosis. After being cleaved by inflammatory caspases, it releases a N-terminal fragment with perforating activity to trigger pyroptosis. That pyroptosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of certain diseases. Now, the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and pyroptosis-related diseases are reviewed.     

焦亡的分子机制及其在血液肿瘤中的研究进展

焦亡是一种新的程序性细胞死亡类型,它不同于凋亡和坏死,可以由各种细胞内或细胞外刺激引发.焦亡主要由Caspase-1/3/4/5/11和Gasdermin蛋白家族介导产生,具有细胞肿胀、胞膜溶解和炎症因子释放的特点.血液肿瘤亦称恶性血液病,包括急/慢性白血病、淋巴瘤、多发性骨髓瘤、骨髓增生异常综合征等,以恶性转化的造血...     

Gasdermin基因家族在胃癌中的表达及功能的生物信息学分析

背景与目的 Gasdermin（GSDM）家族由6个重要分子组成,主要负责调控细胞焦亡等多种生物学过程。近来不断有研究表明GSDM家族的表达失调参与多种癌症进程,然而GSDM家族成员在胃癌中的表达、预后、功能和潜在机制研究尚待阐明。本研究旨在通过生物信息学方法系统性的分析GSDM基因家族各成员在胃癌中的作用。方法 使用ONCOMINE、GEPIA2、UALCAN、Kaplan-Meier Plotter、cBioPortal、TIMER 2.0、DiseaseMeth等多个数据库对GSDM家族分子在胃癌患者中的表达差异、预后价值、功能富集、基因改变、免疫浸润相关性、甲基化改变等方面进行了综合分析。结果 GSDM家族中仅DFNA5在胃癌中明显高表达,表达水平较正常组织升高2.479倍。DFNA5在TNM 2、3、4期的表达明显升高,同时在肿瘤分级2、3级的表达明显升高。GSDM家族中仅DFNA5在胃癌中有预后价值,高表达的DFNA5提示较差的总生存期。GSDM家族中GSDMD的基因变异率最高（19%）,GSDMA、GSDMB、GSDMC次之（14%）,DFNA5（8%）和PJVK最低（6%）。在胃癌中筛选出186个GSDM相关的共表达基因,这些分子可能通过炎症细胞凋亡、趋化因子反应、急性炎症反应相关的信号通路参与胃癌进程。多数GSDM家族成员的表达与CD4⁺ T细胞、CD8⁺ T细胞、B细胞、中性粒细胞、巨噬细胞、树突细胞的浸润存在不同程度的显著正相关,仅PJVK在巨噬细胞和树突细胞浸润中呈负相关。GSDMA、GSDMD在胃癌组织中处于低甲基化水平。结论 GSDM家族成员在胃癌中存在表达及功能紊乱。GSDM家族特别是DFNA5分子可能成为胃癌诊断和预后评估的重要肿瘤标志物,为开发新的胃癌治疗靶点提供思路。     

焦亡在肿瘤治疗中作用的研究进展

细胞焦亡是一种伴随炎症反应的程序性细胞死亡,主要通过激活炎性半胱氨酸蛋白酶Caspase-1/4/5/11切割GSDMD或激活凋亡半胱氨酸蛋白酶Caspase-3切割GSDME两种途径被触发。细胞焦亡参与多种疾病的发生发展。近年来,焦亡在肿瘤治疗中的意义得到了广泛关注,积累了诸多新成果,形成了一些新见解。本文谨就此进行简要综述,以期为拓展细胞死亡方式与肿瘤治疗之间的研究提供参考。     

Shikonin from Chinese herbal medicine induces GSDME-controlled pyroptosis in tumor cells

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin (SKN) extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum (Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. & Zucc.).MethodsWe first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis. Subsequently, the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN, and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and propidium iodide (PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments. Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis. To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery, two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins (GSDMA-E). Moreover, endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines.ResultsCompared with the control, both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells (P = .028 and P = .032, respectively). In addition, the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK-293T) cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME. In addition, we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels. Additionally, the cleavage of GSDME was also detected, and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism.ConclusionOur study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells, but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.     

Epithelial STAT6 O-GlcNAcylation drives a concerted anti-helminth alarmin response dependent on tuft cell hyperplasia and Gasdermin C

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