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A programmed cell death learning signature predicts immunotherapy response and identifies AP1S1 as a regulator of immune exclusion in breast cancer
Chin J Cancer Res. 2026 Aug 30;38(4):480-500. doi: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2026.04.08.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of global cancer mortality, characterized by profound heterogeneity. While immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed oncology, its efficacy in breast cancer is often hindered by "immune-cold" microenvironments and immune exclusion. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a critical regulator of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). However, its role in the breast cancer immune microenvironment remains poorly understood.
METHODS: We integrated multi-omics data from six breast cancer cohorts (N=3,764) to develop a programmed cell death learning signature (PCDsig) using over 100 machine learning combinations. The model was benchmarked against 29 published signatures. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis decoded the immune landscape and cellular crosstalk. The role of adaptor-related protein complex 1 subunit sigma 1 (AP1S1) was validated through a clinical cohort, in vitro functional assays, and in vivo syngeneic mouse models.
RESULTS: PCDsig significantly stratified patient prognosis across all cohorts, consistently outperforming 29 existing models. High PCDsig scores correlated with immune-excluded phenotypes, reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration, and lower immunophenoscores. Single-cell analysis revealed that high-PCDsig tumors utilize vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) signaling to foster an immunosuppressive microenvironment. AP1S1 was identified as the core driver of immune exclusion. And our clinical cohort supported the immune exclusion effect of AP1S1. AP1S1 knockdown impaired tumor progression in vitro and fundamentally remodeled the tumor immune ecosystem in vivo. Combining AP1S1 inhibition with anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy exerted profound synergistic effects, driven by massive infiltration and functional activation of cytotoxic Granzyme B (GZMB)+CD8+ T cells.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study establishes the PCDsig we developed is a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker for breast cancer. We provide the first evidence of AP1S1 as a core immunomodulatory oncogene that mediates immune exclusion. Targeting AP1S1 represents a highly promising strategy to sensitize cold breast tumors to ICB, offering a new perspective for precision immunotherapy.
PMID:42712842 | PMC:PMC13551362 | DOI:10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2026.04.08
A programmed cell death learning signature predicts immunotherapy response and identifies AP1S1 as a regulator of immune exclusion in breast cancer
Chin J Cancer Res. 2026 Aug 30;38(4):480-500. doi: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2026.04.08.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of global cancer mortality, characterized by profound heterogeneity. While immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed oncology, its efficacy in breast cancer is often hindered by "immune-cold" microenvironments and immune exclusion. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a critical regulator of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). However, its role in the breast cancer immune microenvironment remains poorly understood.
METHODS: We integrated multi-omics data from six breast cancer cohorts (N=3,764) to develop a programmed cell death learning signature (PCDsig) using over 100 machine learning combinations. The model was benchmarked against 29 published signatures. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis decoded the immune landscape and cellular crosstalk. The role of adaptor-related protein complex 1 subunit sigma 1 (AP1S1) was validated through a clinical cohort, in vitro functional assays, and in vivo syngeneic mouse models.
RESULTS: PCDsig significantly stratified patient prognosis across all cohorts, consistently outperforming 29 existing models. High PCDsig scores correlated with immune-excluded phenotypes, reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration, and lower immunophenoscores. Single-cell analysis revealed that high-PCDsig tumors utilize vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) signaling to foster an immunosuppressive microenvironment. AP1S1 was identified as the core driver of immune exclusion. And our clinical cohort supported the immune exclusion effect of AP1S1. AP1S1 knockdown impaired tumor progression in vitro and fundamentally remodeled the tumor immune ecosystem in vivo. Combining AP1S1 inhibition with anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy exerted profound synergistic effects, driven by massive infiltration and functional activation of cytotoxic Granzyme B (GZMB)+CD8+ T cells.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study establishes the PCDsig we developed is a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker for breast cancer. We provide the first evidence of AP1S1 as a core immunomodulatory oncogene that mediates immune exclusion. Targeting AP1S1 represents a highly promising strategy to sensitize cold breast tumors to ICB, offering a new perspective for precision immunotherapy.
PMID:42712842 | PMC:PMC13551362 | DOI:10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2026.04.08
Flow-OPD: On-Policy Distillation for Flow Matching Models
FDX1 as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target for lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer
Clin Exp Med. 2026 May 10. doi: 10.1007/s10238-026-02160-0. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The prognostic values of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis (GCLM), especially in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), remain unclear. We analyzed the expression, mutation, immunity, drug sensitivity, and prognostic value of CRGs in GCLM using TCGA and GEO cohorts. Consensus clustering was performed to identify CRG subtypes, with differences characterized by multi-omics analysis. A CRG-based prognostic risk score and immune score were constructed for individualized assessment, and the role of CRGs was validated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Consensus clustering revealed that CRGs were significantly enriched in biological processes related to mitosis and energy metabolism, as well as in immune-related and cancer-associated pathways. Four distinct CRG subtypes were identified, showing marked differences in expression profiles, prognosis, genetic alterations, TIME, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. We developed an exploratory CRG-based prognostic risk score for preliminary individualized assessment, and the functional relevance of CRGs in GCLM was further validated through in vitro experiments. Among these, FDX1, LIAS, DLAT, MTF1, and GLS were identified as key determinants of overall survival in patients with GCLM, with FDX1 emerging as a potential independent prognostic factor. Notably, upregulation of FDX1 significantly suppressed lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer cells in a mouse popliteal lymph node metastasis model. Our data uncovers FDX1 might be a potential favorable prognostic factors in GCLM patients. These findings may improve our understanding of CRGs in GCLM and provide new in-sights for assessing prognosis and developing more effective treatment strategies.
PMID:42107026 | DOI:10.1007/s10238-026-02160-0
CX3CR1-mediated immune networks in sepsis: implications for precision therapy
Cell Death Discovery, Published online: 11 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41420-026-03102-1
CX3CR1-mediated immune networks in sepsis: implications for precision therapyPIAS4 inhibition induces cell cycle arrest and exhibits a synergistic effect in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitor in breast cancer treatment
Oncogene, Published online: 07 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41388-026-03753-5
PIAS4 inhibition induces cell cycle arrest and exhibits a synergistic effect in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitor in breast cancer treatmentLearning to Learn-at-Test-Time: Language Agents with Learnable Adaptation Policies
Accuracy of Radiomics-Based Machine Learning for Predicting Risk of Recurrence in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Vision-DeepResearch: Incentivizing DeepResearch Capability in Multimodal Large Language Models
Fluid-Derived Organoids from Pleural Effusion and Ascites: Emerging Models for Drug Resistance and Personalized Oncology
J Cancer. 2026 Mar 4;17(3):614-625. doi: 10.7150/jca.127511. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and malignant ascites (MA) are common complications in advanced-stage cancers, often signifying disease progression and resistance to treatment. Compared to tissue biopsies or surgical specimens, materials derived from effusions offer advantages such as minimal invasiveness, ease of accessibility, and the feasibility of repeated collection during therapeutic interventions. Organoids generated from tumor cells in effusions, termed fluid-derived organoids (FDOs), have demonstrated the ability to maintain genetic heterogeneity and accurately replicate patient-specific tumor phenotypes. These characteristics position FDOs as promising models for investigating drug resistance mechanisms and informing personalized oncology strategies. In the context of lung cancer, organoids derived from pleural effusions have been employed to study acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy. Similarly, in ovarian and gastrointestinal cancers, organoids derived from ascites have proven to be valuable platforms for examining chemotherapy resistance and conducting drug sensitivity testing. FDOs have shown significant potential for translational applications by effectively correlating ex vivo drug responses with clinical outcomes, thus facilitating real-time monitoring of resistance evolution. However, several challenges remain, such as achieving culture standardization, maintaining the integrity of tumor microenvironment components, and integrating with multi-omics approaches. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the use of pleural effusion- and ascites-derived organoids for drug resistance research, underscores their applications in personalized oncology, and explores future research directions.
PMID:41869438 | PMC:PMC13003542 | DOI:10.7150/jca.127511
Fluid-Derived Organoids from Pleural Effusion and Ascites: Emerging Models for Drug Resistance and Personalized Oncology
J Cancer. 2026 Mar 4;17(3):614-625. doi: 10.7150/jca.127511. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and malignant ascites (MA) are common complications in advanced-stage cancers, often signifying disease progression and resistance to treatment. Compared to tissue biopsies or surgical specimens, materials derived from effusions offer advantages such as minimal invasiveness, ease of accessibility, and the feasibility of repeated collection during therapeutic interventions. Organoids generated from tumor cells in effusions, termed fluid-derived organoids (FDOs), have demonstrated the ability to maintain genetic heterogeneity and accurately replicate patient-specific tumor phenotypes. These characteristics position FDOs as promising models for investigating drug resistance mechanisms and informing personalized oncology strategies. In the context of lung cancer, organoids derived from pleural effusions have been employed to study acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy. Similarly, in ovarian and gastrointestinal cancers, organoids derived from ascites have proven to be valuable platforms for examining chemotherapy resistance and conducting drug sensitivity testing. FDOs have shown significant potential for translational applications by effectively correlating ex vivo drug responses with clinical outcomes, thus facilitating real-time monitoring of resistance evolution. However, several challenges remain, such as achieving culture standardization, maintaining the integrity of tumor microenvironment components, and integrating with multi-omics approaches. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the use of pleural effusion- and ascites-derived organoids for drug resistance research, underscores their applications in personalized oncology, and explores future research directions.
PMID:41869438 | PMC:PMC13003542 | DOI:10.7150/jca.127511
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor is critical for both AR-dependent and AR-indifferent enzalutamide resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Oncogene, Published online: 23 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41388-026-03723-x
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor is critical for both AR-dependent and AR-indifferent enzalutamide resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancerExtracellular Vesicles in Osteosarcoma: Mechanisms, Diagnostics and Therapeutic Applications
Drug Des Devel Ther. 2026 Jan 6;20:565059. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S565059. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
Osteosarcoma is a primary bone malignancy of adolescents and young adults with marked heterogeneity and a high metastatic propensity. Five-year survival exceeds 70% in localized disease but falls to about 20% with pulmonary metastasis or chemoresistance, and overall outcomes have plateaued for decades. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as critical mediators of osteosarcoma progression and metastasis. EVs remodel the tumor microenvironment (TME) by promoting immune evasion, extracellular matrix reprogramming, and angiogenesis, while also facilitating invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like plasticity, and formation of lung pre-metastatic niches through organotropic integrins and glycoproteins. Their cargo, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, drives intercellular communication that sustains proliferation, migration, and therapy resistance under metabolic or hypoxic stress. Clinically, the stability of EVs in body fluids and their tumor-specific molecular signatures highlight their promise as liquid-biopsy biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. Therapeutically, EVs are being engineered as delivery vehicles for drugs or RNA therapeutics, and interventions targeting their biogenesis, cargo sorting, or uptake are under exploration. Future research should integrate single-EV multi-omics, longitudinal cohort validation, and causal perturbation models to delineate functional mechanisms. Rational strategies that modulate EV dynamics and incorporate standardized analytic pipelines may transform EVs into actionable biomarkers and therapeutic targets, offering new avenues to overcome resistance and improve clinical outcomes in osteosarcoma.
PMID:41858917 | PMC:PMC12998350 | DOI:10.2147/DDDT.S565059
LINC-AC092535.5 regulates MICAL2 mRNA level to inhibit p53-mediated ferroptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Oncogene, Published online: 14 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41388-026-03714-y
LINC-AC092535.5 regulates MICAL2 mRNA level to inhibit p53-mediated ferroptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinomaAuthor Correction: Gut stem cell necroptosis by genome instability triggers bowel inflammation
Nature, Published online: 11 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10302-3
Author Correction: Gut stem cell necroptosis by genome instability triggers bowel inflammation