Extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) is an aggressive lymphoid malignancy with a poor prognosis and lacks standard treatment. Targeted therapies are urgently needed. Here we systematically investigated the druggable mechanisms through chemogenomic screening and identified that Bcl-xL-specific BH3 mimetics effectively induced ENKTL cell apoptosis. Notably, the specific accumulation of Bcl-xL, but not other Bcl-2 family members, was verified in ENKTL cell lines and patient tissues. Furthermore, Bcl-xL high expression was shown to be closely associated with worse patient survival. The critical role of Bcl-xL in ENKTL cell survival was demonstrated utilizing selective inhibitors, genetic silencing, and a specific degrader. Additionally, the IL2-JAK1/3-STAT5 signaling was implicated in Bcl-xL dysregulation. In vivo, Bcl-xL inhibition reduced tumor burden, increased apoptosis, and prolonged survival in ENKTL cell line xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models. Our study indicates Bcl-xL as a promising therapeutic target for ENKTL, warranting monitoring in ongoing clinical trials by targeting Bcl-xL.

目的·观察安罗替尼用于治疗难治性自然杀伤/T细胞淋巴瘤(natural killer/T-cell lymphoma,NKTCL)的有效性和安全性.方法·招募于2018年8月至2019年12月在上海交通大学医学院附属新华医院门诊就诊的经病理检查确诊为NKTCL,表现为门冬酰胺酶耐药,且具有可测量/可评估病灶和一定器官功能储备的患者纳入研究;患者接受安罗替尼单药(12 mg/d)或安罗替尼(10 mg/d)联合程序性死亡蛋白-1(programmed death-1,PD-1)单克隆抗体(单抗)治疗,直至疾病进展或者不能耐受不良反应,根据Lugano 2014标准评估治疗应答.不良反应按照美国国家癌症研究所常见不良反应事件评价标准4.03版进行分级评估.Kaplan-Meier法对患者进行生存分析.结果·共12例患者纳入研究,中位年龄44岁,其中男性9例;6例患者接受安罗替尼单药治疗,6例患者接受安罗替尼联合PD-1单抗治疗.所有受试者均出现了治疗相关的不良反应,3级不良反应为高血压(2例)和低钠血症(1例),无非预期的不良反应.50.0％的患者获得客观应答,安罗替尼单药的应答率为33.3％,安罗替尼联合PD-1单抗的应答率为66.7％.中位疾病无进展生存期为3.0个月,中位总生存期(overall survival,OS)为3.0个月.接受安罗替尼单药治疗患者的中位OS为2.8个月,接受安罗替尼联合PD-1单抗治疗患者的中位OS为8.0个月;应答患者的中位OS为8.0个月,无应答患者的中位OS仅2.8个月.结论·安罗替尼可能是一个治疗难治性NKTCL的潜在药物,且与PD-1单抗具有潜在协同增效作用;该药整体安全性良好,患者普遍耐受.

The standard treatment in elderly patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has not yet been finely established. We investigated the efficacy and safety of rituximab with a reduced-dose of EPOCH chemotherapy in elderly patients who had advanced DLBCL with high IPI scores. The dose of 70% EPOCH was given to patients aged 75 to 79 years, and dose of 50% to patients aged over 80 years. Thirty-one patients with a median age of 79 years (range 75–86 years) were enrolled. Patients received a median of 6 cycle’s chemotherapy. The complete response rate was 71.0%. The 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival rates were 62.8 and 60.3%, respectively. The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse effects were neutropenia (3 patients, 7 events), febrile neutropenia (3 patients, 5 events), and pulmonary infection (3 patients, 3 events). Our study showed that ECOG score 3–4, bulky disease, β2-MG > 5.0 mg/L, and loss of any IADL are prognostic factors for OS in univariate analysis. In summary, reduced-dose EPOCH-R chemotherapy for very elderly patients is very effective with acceptable toxicities. Our preliminary study may provide an alternative approach to manage very elderly fit patients with advanced and poor risk DLBCL by first-line treatment with reduced-dose EPOCH-R.

目的:观察TIM-3在NK/T细胞淋巴瘤(natural killer/T cell lymphoma,NK/TCL)细胞株中的表达及其配体galectin-9(GAL-9)诱导瘤细胞凋亡的作用及其部分机制.方法:Western blotting测定NK/TCL细胞株SNK-1、SNK-6、SNT-8和健康人外周血NK细胞中TIM-3的表达;采用不同质量浓度重组人GAL-9(rhGAL-9)作用于NK/TCL细胞株24 h后,通过CCK-8法检测细胞增殖活性;流式细胞术Annexin-V/PI双染法检测瘤细胞凋亡;Western blotting检测caspase-3、PARP及其剪接体和MAPK信号通路蛋白磷酸化表达水平变化.结果:NK/TCL细胞株SNK-1、SNK-6和SNT-8的TIM-3表达较健康人外周血NK细胞显著增高,其中SNK-1、SNK-6细胞株与对照组相比差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05);CCK-8检测结果显示,rhGAL-9对NK/TCL细胞增殖活力具有明显抑制作用,并有浓度依赖性;流式细胞术检测显示,rhGAL-9可诱导3种NK/TCL细胞株凋亡;Western blotting结果显示,cleaved-caspase-3、cleaved-PARP蛋白表达量增高,MAPK通路中JNK蛋白磷酸化水平升高.结论:TIM-3在NK/TCL细胞株中异常高表达,其配体GAL-9可诱导细胞凋亡,其机制可能与JNK磷酸化水平升高相关.

Objective· To identify the effect and potential mechanism of gambogic acid (GA) on natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NK/TCL) cell lines.Methods · SNK-1,SNK-6 and SNT-8 were incubated with various concentrations of GA for 24 h,and cell viability was detected with CCK-8 assay.Cell apoptosis was examined by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay.Levels of proteins regulating cell apoptosis and phosphorylation levels of proteins in key signaling pathways were detected by Western blotting.Results · GA showed a potent effect on reduction of cell viability of NK/fCL cell lines in CCK-8 assay.GA increased the percentages of Annexin V positive cells and induced activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9,cleavage of PARP as well as the reduction of Bcl-xl.GA also inhibited the phosphorylation levels of STAT3 in SNK-1 and SNT-8,and ERK1/2 in SNK-1 and SNK-6 significantly.Conclusion· GA induces cell apoptosis in NK/TCL cell lines SNK-1,SNK-6 and SNT-8.Anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-xl and signaling pathway JAKs/STATs and MEK/MAPK might be involved in this process.

目的:检测转录因子Sp1在NK/T细胞淋巴瘤(NK/TCL)细胞株中的表达,探讨Sp1对肿瘤细胞侵袭的作用及其可能的调控机制.方法:利用Real-time PCR、免疫荧光技术和蛋白质免疫印迹技术检测Sp1的表达,Real-time PCR技术和蛋白质免疫印迹技术检测血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)和基质金属蛋白酶(MMP)2的表达,Transwell技术观察Sp1抑制剂光神霉素A(MIT)对细胞侵袭能力的影响.结果:NK/TCL细胞株SNK 1、SNK-6和SNT-8均高表达Sp1.MIT显著抑制SNK-1、SNK-6和SNT-8中VEGF基因和蛋白水平的表达,MMP2蛋白的表达以及细胞的侵袭能力.结论:NK/TCL肿瘤细胞株中存在高表达的Sp1,并可促进肿瘤细胞的侵袭.Sp1可通过调控VEGF和MMP2的表达影响细胞的侵袭力.

Objective To identify the expression of transcription factor Sp1 in NK/T-cell lymphoma (NK/TCL) cell lines and to investigate the role of Sp1 in regulation of cell invasion. Methods Real-time PCR, immunofluorescence and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of Sp1 in NK/TCL cell lines SNK-1 and SNK-6 and normal NK cells. Expression levels of IGF-1R and MMP-2 were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Transwell assay was applied to observe the effects of mythramycin A(MIT) on cell invasion. Results Sp1 expression in mRNA and protein were over-expression in NK/TCL cell lines SNK-1 and SNK-6 when compared with normal NK cells. Inhibition of Sp1 by MIT remarkably reduced expression of IGF-1R and MMP-2 in SNK-1, SNK-6 and as a result, or significantly suppressed cell invasion. Expression levels of Sp1 mRNA in SNK-1 and SNK-6 were (9.4±0.3) and (10.6±0.3) foldsincrease as compared with that of control group, respectively (P=0.005 2, P=0.003 7). Levels of Sp1 protein were (5.4±0.3) and (8.6±0.5) foldsincrease times than control groups, respectively (P=0.008 3, P=0.006 9). Inhibition of Sp1 by MIT (100 nmol/L) remarkably reduced expression levels of IGF-1R mRNA by (83.9±3.7) % and (65.8±4.2) % (P = 0.008 2, P = 0.009 7) as compared with controls. Meanwhile, levels of IGF-1R protein were reduced by (51.5±7.1) % and (49.6±9.1) % (P = 0.017 8, P = 0.015 5) as compared with control group. Inhibition of Sp1 by MIT (100 nmol/L) significantly reduced cell invasion and MMP-2 expression in the two cell lines,the cell invasion rates were reduced by (29.6±6.4) % and (37.2±7.6) % (P =0.041 8, P = 0.037 2) in SNK-1 and SNK-6 as compared with control group. The MMP-2 protein levels were found to be (52.7±4.7) % and (29.7±5.6) % (P = 0.028 6, P = 0.020 2) of control group. Conclusion Sp1 is over-expressed in NK/TCL cell lines, and it promotes NK/TCL cell invasion by up-regulating IGF-1R and further increasing MMP-2 expression.