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Molecular determinants of AR-enhancer interaction and cistrome reprogramming in prostate cancer progression.

The androgen receptor (AR) is a key transcription factor in prostate cancer (PCa), whose enhanced and altered functions are known drivers of cancer progression. A key aspect of this is reprogramming of the AR cistrome, which consists of genome-wide enhancer-binding sites through which AR regulates gene expression. The magnitude and biological impact of the AR cistrome are impacted by the AR itself, including the responses to ligand, as well as the organization of the associated DNA response elements, and availability of pioneer factors, cofactors, and noncoding RNAs, all of which contribute to a functional transcription complex. In this review, we will examine, in the context of PCa progression, the factors that affect the binding of AR and its interacting partners at enhancers, with a focus on AR cistrome reprogramming. We also discuss the clinical utility of targeting the AR-enhancer nucleoprotein complex and the potential of using the AR cistrome as a prognostic tool.

Humans

Metabolic reprogramming and taxonomic drivers in bacterial vaginosis: A large-scale metagenomic meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) represents a profound ecological shift from a Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota to a diverse polymicrobial biofilm associated with adverse outcomes. While taxonomic signatures are well-documented, the functional mechanisms driving this transition remain obscured. This study elucidates the genomic potential for metabolic reprogramming and the putative "functional handover" underpinning the stability of the dysbiotic state. METHODS: A computational meta-analysis of 3557 vaginal microbiomes from diverse global cohorts was performed using the standardized MGnify pipeline. A high-resolution subset of 187 whole-genome shotgun (WGS) metagenomes was stratified to compare functional potential across demographic groups. Taxon-function interaction networks were constructed, utilizing a dual-filter statistical approach (p&#x202f;<&#x202f;0.05 and effect size ranking), to map the shift from homeostatic maintenance to dysbiotic metabolic potential. RESULTS: BV was characterized by a fundamental shift from "maintenance" pathways to high-turnover "growth-oriented" genomic repertoires. While ABC transporter-like domains were present in healthy communities, dysbiosis was marked by a quantitative expansion and diversification of these systems alongside P-loop NTPases. Network analysis revealed a putative "functional handover": while Gardnerella serves as the adherent structural scaffold, the metabolic burden appears to be associated with secondary anaerobes, specifically BVAB1 and Sneathia, which exhibit strong genomic correlations with nutrient transport and stress response pathways. Crucially, microbiomes from women of African ancestry (Black cohort) exhibited a distinct functional profile with genomic signatures consistent with functions previously associated with resistome expansion (e.g., tetracycline/macrolide resistance), contrasting with Asian cohorts. CONCLUSION: BV is a state of metabolic reprogramming where genomic functional dominance is transferred from Lactobacillus to a cooperative network of anaerobic opportunists. Identifying BVAB1 and Sneathia as candidate metabolic engines, supported by a Gardnerella scaffold, challenges current therapeutic paradigms and highlights the potential for precision medicine targeting specific functional drivers and resistome profiles across diverse populations.

Humans

Loss of PBRM1 accelerates pancreatic cancer progression by inducing acquisition of mesenchymal phenotype and inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts reprogramming.

BACKGROUND: PBRM1 is an important subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, which broadly regulates gene transcription by chromatin remodeling. Genomic alterations of PBRM1 have been found in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but its molecular functions remain unclear. METHODS: Clinical relevance of PBRM1 was analyzed by using human PDAC samples and public genomic datasets. Mice with concomitant pancreas-specific Pbrm1 deletion in Kras-driven genetic PDAC models were generated. Single-cell transcriptomics were performed to determine tumor phenotype and microenvironment reprogramming. RESULTS: Reduction of PBRM1 expression was observed in human PDAC tissues and correlated with poor prognosis and metastasis. Pbrm1 loss promoted ductal metaplasia and delayed epithelial recovery in mice with caerulein-induced pancreatic injury. In PDAC model with either mutant Kras alone or in combination with Trp53 mutation, lack of Pbrm1 markedly accelerated tumor development and progression. Bulk transcriptomics and scRNA-seq identified reprogramming of both tumor compartment with mesenchymal phenotype acquisition and stroma compartment with inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs) transformation. Mechanistically, Pbrm1 deletion induced Zeb1 upregulation through epigenetic chromatin remodeling, thereby enhancing epithelial-mesenchymal and basal-like subtype transition. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated a tumor-suppressing role of PBRM1 in PDAC. PBRM1-deficient PDAC constitutes a specific subgroup of patients with aggressive phenotype and prognostic significance.

Animals

Integrative multi-omics and single-cell analysis identifies EGFR pathway activation and metabolic reprogramming as potential synthetic lethal vulnerabilities in resistance to the FGFR inhibitor AZD4547.

BACKGROUND: Although fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors (FGFRi) have demonstrated clinical promise, the inevitable emergence of acquired resistance remains a critical bottleneck, severely compromising their long-term clinical efficacy. The pan-cancer molecular landscape and heterogeneous mechanisms driving this resistance, ranging from genetic alterations to dynamic network rewiring, remain poorly understood. METHODS: We integrated large-scale pharmacogenomic profiling of the FGFR inhibitor AZD4547 from the GDSC2 and PRISM databases with single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the multi-omics landscape of FGFRi resistance across 312 cell lines from 8 cancer types. This multi-omics framework was further extended by machine learning modeling and systematic synthetic lethality screening to uncover actionable therapeutic targets. In vitro viability assays and western blot analysis were subsequently conducted to experimentally evaluate the predicted FGFR-EGFR synthetic lethality. RESULTS: Our dual-database analysis unveiled a multi-dimensional atlas of FGFRi resistance. We identified cancer-specific genomic drivers, such as ELF4 amplification in glioblastoma, alongside key transcriptomic markers including UCP2 and FSCN1, highlighting a shift towards metabolic reprogramming and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Single-cell analysis unveiled that resistance is linked to the heterogeneous enrichment of baseline subpopulations characterized by distinct metaprograms, including cell-cycle dysregulation. Furthermore, a random forest model built on a LASSO-derived transcriptomic signature was constructed, demonstrating promising predictive capability for AZD4547 sensitivity (mean test-set AUC&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.73, 95% CI [0.63, 0.80]); the signature generalized well to erdafitinib but showed limited transferability to some other FGFR inhibitors (e.g. pemigatinib, BGJ398). Most notably, our synthetic lethal screening revealed a convergent reliance on compensatory RTK signaling (specifically EGFR pathway enrichment) and downstream MAPK/PI3K cascades in resistant phenotypes, providing converging computational evidence for EGFR pathway activation as an adaptive bypass mechanism. This predicted synthetic lethality was experimentally supported in two FGFR-dependent cell line models (RT112 and CCLP1), in which combined FGFR-EGFR inhibition produced marked synergistic antiproliferative effects. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes a comprehensive multi-omics atlas of resistance to the FGFR inhibitor AZD4547, delineating convergent mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming and EGFR-mediated bypass signaling. Our findings characterize the resistance as a dynamic network rewiring and nominate rational combination strategies to overcome this therapeutic bottleneck. While FGFR-EGFR co-inhibition is experimentally supported, metabolic co-targeting remains a computationally derived, hypothesis-generating strategy.

Benzamides

Epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of innate immune cells establishes immunological memory in the Schistosomiasis vector snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Innate immune memory enables non-vertebrates to mount faster and more effective immune responses upon re-exposure to a previously encountered pathogen, yet its cellular and molecular bases remain poorly understood. The freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate host of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni, provides a powerful model to investigate this phenomenon. Here, we show that innate immune memory in B. glabrata is carried by hemocytes and relies on profound metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming initiated during primary infection. Using an integrative multi-omics approach combining transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility profiling, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and targeted metabolomics, we reveal that the first parasite encounter induces a stable rewiring of hemocyte metabolism and chromatin landscape. This reprogramming primes hemocytes for a massive and rapid transcriptional response upon secondary challenge, characterized by an immune shift toward highly specific humoral effector pathways. Metabolic analyses demonstrate an early switch toward aerobic glycolysis, altered tricarboxylic acid cycle activity and amino acid metabolism, consistent with a Warburg-like metabolic state previously described in vertebrate trained immunity. Notably, metabolic and epigenetic remodeling occurs primarily during the primary infection and remains stable upon secondary exposure, suggesting that immune memory is encoded prior to pathogen re-encounter. Together, our results identify conserved metabolic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying innate immune memory in a non-vertebrate host and provide direct evidence that hemocyte-mediated innate immune memory in B. glabrata shares core features with trained immunity described in vertebrates.

Animals

Amplification-Driven S100A11 Overexpression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Associated with Metabolic Reprogramming, ECM Remodelling, and Immune Evasion: A Pan-Cancer Genomic Study.

BACKGROUND: S100A11, a calcium-binding S100 family protein, is increasingly implicated in carcinogenesis, yet its molecular regulation and clinical relevance across cancers remain unclear. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carries a dismal prognosis, in part due to a lack of reliable biomarkers for risk stratification of established disease. METHODS: We conducted a pan-cancer analysis of S100A11 genomic alterations across 31 studies (10,767 samples) obtained from TCGA, encompassing copy number alterations, somatic mutations, and DNA methylation. HCC-specific analyses evaluated S100A11 expression, its potential as a diagnostic/prognostic marker, co-expression networks, and pathway enrichment using TCGA-LIHC data, with univariate and multivariate Cox regression to assess survival associations. RESULTS: S100A11 alterations were predominantly driven by copy number amplification, with the highest frequencies in hepatobiliary cancers, lung and breast cancers. Copy number amplification showed a consistent inverse relationship with promoter methylation, indicating amplification-driven transcriptional activation. In HCC, S100A11 was markedly overexpressed compared with normal liver tissue, with strong diagnostic discriminatory capacity. High S100A11 expression was significantly associated with inferior overall survival (log-rank p = 0.032; HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.03-2.06) and remained an independent predictor of overall survival after adjustment for age, sex, and AJCC pathologic stage (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.01-1.60, p = 0.038). Co-expression and pathway analyses demonstrated an association between S100A11 and metabolic reprogramming, extracellular matrix remodelling, and immune dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings identify S100A11 as a candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC whose overexpression is associated with metabolic reprogramming, ECM remodelling, and immune dysregulation, warranting experimental validation of a mechanistic role.

ECM

Ligand-Mediated Reprogramming Redirects Liver-Tropic Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles for Lung-Selective mRNA Delivery.

Systemic delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA) to target tissues and cells using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) holds transformative potential for gene therapy. However, most clinically validated LNP exhibit strong liver tropism, and redirecting their organ specificity without redesigning entirely new chemistries remains challenging. Here we present a ligand-mediated lipid reprogramming approach that repurposes chemically defined, liver-tropic, ionizable lipids (lipidoids) for mRNA delivery beyond the liver. From a library of 90 degradable lipidoids, we identified 2-t6b as a potent liver-targeting platform. By site-specific displaying of small molecule ligands onto 2-t6b headgroup, we engineered a series of reconfigured lipidoids that achieve lung-specific targeting while retaining the parent delivery scaffold. Ligand7-2-t6b-lipid-functionalized LNP achieved over 200-fold higher mRNA translation in the lungs compared to the parent liver-tropic LNP. Proteomics and molecular docking analysis revealed enhanced binding of the modified lipid to vitronectin, a serum glycoprotein that improves integrin binding and thus promotes cellular uptake and translation efficiency. Ligand-mediated 2-t6b/ligand7 LNPs achieved outperformed efficacy and therapeutic potential in lung-specific genome editing relative to SORT-constructed 2-t6b LNP system. Our modular reprogramming strategy provides a generalizable framework to upgrade existing liver-biased LNPs into lung-selective mRNA carriers, advancing next-generation tissue-specific mRNA therapies for gene editing, protein replacement therapy, and regenerative medicine.

RNA, Messenger

Epigenetic Reprogramming and Zygotic Genome Activation in Human Preimplantation Development: Mechanisms, Models, and Translational Prospects.

PURPOSE: Early human embryogenesis unfolds through a tightly coupled sequence of events-clearance of maternal transcripts, remodeling of parental chromatin, zygotic genome activation (ZGA), lineage segregation, implantation, and post-implantation patterning-accompanied by epigenetic reprogramming, including X-chromosome dosage compensation around the time of implantation. This review aims to synthesize recent advances in understanding this developmental program and to consider their implications for reproductive medicine. METHODS: I review recent literature on human early embryogenesis, with particular emphasis on findings enabled by single-cell genomics and stem-cell-based embryo modeling, and integrate these insights to identify human-specific features of early development. RESULTS: These approaches have made previously inaccessible aspects of human early embryogenesis experimentally tractable, revealing molecular and epigenetic features that distinguish human development from that of model organisms, including species-specific dynamics of ZGA, maternal transcript clearance, chromatin reprogramming, and X-chromosome dosage compensation. CONCLUSIONS: Advances in single-cell genomics and embryo modeling are transforming our understanding of human early embryogenesis. Building on these insights, while recognizing their current limitations, I propose a vision for improving reproductive medicine, including the potential for next-generation embryo selection strategies.

Journal Article

Next-generation macrophage engineering in cancer therapy: From TAM reprogramming to CAR-macrophages.

Macrophages are central regulators of the tumor microenvironment (TME), shaping immune suppression, angiogenesis, metabolism, and therapeutic resistance in solid cancers. While early strategies sought to deplete tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) or block monocyte recruitment, limited efficacy and compensatory mechanisms revealed the need for functional reprogramming rather than elimination. Recent advances in viral vectors, CRISPR-Cas genome editing, and RNA-based delivery platforms have enabled precise genetic modification of macrophages, giving rise to chimeric antigen receptor macrophages (CAR-Ms) and related engineered products. Beyond antigen targeting, effective macrophage engineering requires stabilization of pro-inflammatory identity, resistance to tumor-induced repolarization, metabolic reinforcement, and integration of checkpoint modulation pathways. This review synthesizes current strategies across DNA, mRNA, and siRNA-based platforms, highlighting convergent design principles that connect TAM reprogramming with CAR-M development. We discuss reshaping phagocytosis checkpoints, metabolic and transcriptional stabilization, cytokine augmentation, and synthetic receptor architecture, emphasizing combinatorial and context-aware engineering, while proposing new candidate gene targets. Engineered macrophages are thus evolving from simple effector cells into programmable immune coordinators capable of converting immunologically "cold" tumors into inflamed, therapy-responsive niches.

CAR-M

Genetic diversity of Collaborative Cross mice implicates FFAR3 as a target for ILC2 anti-inflammatory reprogramming.

Pulmonary group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are key drivers of Type 2 inflammation in diseases like asthma, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating their function are incompletely understood. Using the genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse panel, we mapped a quantitative trait locus (QTL) that governs ILC2 prevalence in the lung after aeroallergen exposure. This QTL induces a large population of ILC2s in the lung that are resistant to activation and have diminished Type 2 effector function. We identified free-fatty acid receptor 3 (Ffar3) as a gene responsible for this effect and demonstrated that FFAR3 signaling reprograms ILC2s to an anti-inflammatory state by promoting their survival, reducing Type 2 cytokine production, and enhancing IL-10 expression. This anti-inflammatory state is dependent on IL-2 signaling, is characterized by decreased ST2 expression, and is distinct from previously described IL-10-producing ILC2 phenotypes. FFAR3-dependent reprogramming is mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) upregulation, and FFAR3's anti-inflammatory effect is partially conserved in human ILC2s.

Animals

Penicillium melinii promotes root growth through subtle host reprogramming across model and crop species.

Root development is highly responsive to microbial interactions, yet the mechanisms by which beneficial fungi promote root growth remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified Penicillium melinii 'isolate 2' through a screen of endophytic fungi isolated from Arabidopsis and characterized it as a promoter of root development in both Arabidopsis and crop species. We combined phenotyping in vitro, rhizotron, greenhouse and field assays with reporter and mutant analyses, transcriptomics, phytohormone profiling and sequencing and annotation of the fungal genome to investigate the basis of this interaction. P. melinii consistently stimulated root growth and modified root architecture across experimental systems and host species. These effects were associated with subtle but reproducible host transcriptional reprogramming, supporting a model in which the fungus fine-tunes endogenous developmental programmes rather than broadly perturbing stress or growth pathways. Genetic and reporter analyses further suggested that this interaction modulates root branching through localized developmental reprogramming. Genomic analysis provided a framework for understanding the fungal traits associated with this beneficial interaction. The conservation of the response across model and crop species supports the relevance of P. melinii as both a useful experimental system to study beneficial plant-fungus interactions and a promising candidate for improving root traits and crop performance.

Penicillium melinii

Reprogramming of implanted pacemaker following external defibrillation.

This report describes reprogramming of a pulse generator consequent to cardiac defibrillation. Analysis of the explanted pulse generator revealed normal function. We tested the electrical properties of several defibrillators and our studies suggest that erratic electrostatic discharges at the time of paddle application before defibrillation may create a signal sequence capable of reprogramming the particular pulse generator by activating either the reed switch or internal electronics.

Electric Countershock

Amino acid reprogramming and biofilm-specific tricarboxylate transporters in PET-degrading Piscinibacter sakaiensis.

Plastic-degrading bacteria predominantly colonize polymer surfaces as biofilms, yet it remains unclear whether the biofilm phenotype contributes to metabolism beyond retaining extracellular enzymes. Here, we combine population-level RNA-sequencing across three conditions-biofilm cells on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), planktonic cells incubated with PET, and planktonic cells on maltose-with single-cell Raman spectroscopy to characterize the PET response of Piscinibacter sakaiensis (formerly Ideonella sakaiensis). This integrated approach reveals two metabolically distinct response layers. A carbon-source-driven response shared by all PET-exposed cells is dominated by a broad amino acid reprogramming, led by upregulation of branched-chain amino acid transport genes, enhanced serine biosynthesis, and reduced chemotaxis. A biofilm-specific layer selectively induces tripartite tricarboxylate transporter genes from three distinct genomic loci. This transcriptional feature is accompanied by a single-cell phenotype consistent with a protein-rich and saturated membrane. These results suggest that biofilm formation is not limited to enzyme retention but is associated with selective activation of transport systems, consistent with a putative role in capturing PET-derived intermediates at the polymer interface. This two-layer model separates general metabolic adaptation to PET from biofilm-specific functions and provides a framework for understanding how surface-associated bacterial physiology contributes to plastic degradation.IMPORTANCEPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation in natural and engineered environments is largely mediated by surface-attached microbial communities, yet the physiological role of biofilm state during plastic degradation remains poorly understood. Using the model PET degrader Piscinibacter sakaiensis, we show that biofilm-associated cells are not simply retained near the polymer surface but exhibit a distinct metabolic program characterized by selective induction of tripartite tricarboxylate transporters. In contrast, extensive amino acid reprogramming occurs in both biofilm and planktonic PET-exposed cells, indicating that it is driven by carbon source rather than surface attachment. These findings reveal that PET degradation involves two separable physiological layers: a general metabolic response to PET-derived carbon shared across cell phenotypes, and a biofilm-specific transport response potentially linked to substrate capture at the plastic interface. This work advances our understanding of how microbial physiology is organized during plastic biodegradation and identifies transport processes as previously unrecognized components of PET-degrading biofilms.

PET biodegradation

PRRSV suppresses FTO-dependent m6A demethylation to reprogram STAT signaling and innate immunity.

RNA viruses have evolved diverse strategies to evade host interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene (ISG) defenses; however, how they exploit host epitranscriptomic regulation remains poorly understood. Here, we identify an immune-evasion mechanism in which porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) targets the m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) to suppress antiviral signaling. Mechanistically, the viral endoribonuclease nsp11 inhibits STAT5-dependent transcription through the key residues Q96 and S104, thereby reducing FTO expression. Loss of FTO increases m6A modification of STAT2 and STAT3 transcripts, impairing their translation and phosphorylation, thereby attenuating ISG responses. Reduced STAT3 activity further dampens STAT5 signaling, establishing a feed-forward circuit that amplifies suppression of antiviral immunity. Functionally, disruption of this regulatory region (Q96A and S104A) attenuates viral pathogenicity in vivo and restores ISG induction. These mutations also reduce infection-associated inflammatory responses and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Together, these findings define a nsp11-STAT5-FTO-STAT2/3 axis that enables PRRSV to reprogram host epitranscriptomic control of innate immunity. Our work reveals a mechanism of epitranscriptomic hijacking and identifies FTO as a key host factor exploited by RNA viruses, highlighting m6A regulation as a potential target for antiviral intervention.IMPORTANCEViruses must overcome host innate immune defenses to establish infection; however, the mechanisms by which they manipulate host RNA regulation remain incompletely understood. In this study, we show that porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) suppresses interferon responses by targeting the host m6A demethylase FTO through its endoribonuclease nsp11. This process involves the inhibition of STAT5 phosphorylation, which reduces FTO expression and increases m6A modification of key immune regulators, including STAT2 and STAT3, thereby impairing their activation. Disruption of this pathway attenuates viral pathogenicity in vivo and restores antiviral signaling. These results demonstrate that PRRSV can reprogram host epitranscriptomic regulation to modulate innate immunity and suggest that m6A-related pathways may be potential targets for antiviral intervention.

Immunity, Innate

Oncogenic PIK3CA reprograms glutamine metabolism to drive bladder cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: Genomic analysis has revealed that approximately 40% of bladder cancer (BLCA) tumors harbor alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway, with PIK3CA mutations occurring in 15-25% of cases. PIK3CA, which encodes the catalytic p110&#x3b1; subunit of PI3K, plays a critical role in regulating cell survival, proliferation, and metabolism. However, the metabolic and functional consequences of PIK3CA mutations in BLCA remain poorly defined. METHODS: To investigate the role of PIK3CA mutations in BLCA, we performed targeted sequencing on tumors from patients, identifying recurrent alterations. Using CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in models in SCaBER and UM-UC-3 cell lines, we introduced the PIK3CA E545K mutation to study its effects. We conducted transcriptomic profiling, targeted metabolomics, and stable isotope tracing to assess metabolic reprogramming. Functional assays measured proliferation, mitochondrial complex I activity, and glutaminolysis. Orthotopic xenografts in mice were used to evaluate in vivo tumor growth and metabolism. RESULTS: PIK3CA mutations were present in 20% of cases, consistent with TCGA data. The E545K and E545Q hotspots accounted for 70% of these mutations. PIK3CA E545K strongly activated PI3K/AKT signaling. Transcriptomic analysis revealed enrichment of OXPHOS, fatty acid metabolism, and mTORC1 signaling. Metabolomics indicated changes in TCA cycle metabolites and enhanced reductive carboxylation of glutamine to citrate, driving fatty acid synthesis. Mutant cells showed increased expression of GLS1 and FASN, higher proliferation rates, and elevated mitochondrial complex I activity. In vivo, PIK3CA-mutant xenografts displayed significantly increased tumor growth. CONCLUSION: PIK3CA mutations are frequent drivers of metabolic reprogramming in BLCA, leading to increased glutamine flux, elevated OXPHOS activity, and enhanced fatty acid synthesis, all of which contribute to tumor progression. These findings provide the first comprehensive evidence that PIK3CA-driven metabolic alterations are both biomarkers of aggressive disease and actionable therapeutic targets. The efficacy of PI3K&#x3b1; inhibition in combination with metabolic targets may support its potential in precision medicine for PIK3CA-mutant BLCA and highlights the value of integrating metabolic biomarkers into treatment strategies for advanced BLCA.

Journal Article

Lipid metabolic reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages drives resistance to immune checkpoint blockade in lung cancer: a narrative review of mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), represented by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have shown remarkable efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, many patients still develop resistance to immunotherapy. Although small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is also an important histological type of lung cancer, NSCLC accounts for the majority of lung cancer cases. Current research on ICI development, first-line treatment efficacy, and the mechanisms of lipid metabolism in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is predominantly focused on NSCLC. In patients with advanced NSCLC, objective response rates (ORRs) with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy remain limited. Only in patients with high PD-L1 expression [tumor proportion score (TPS) &#x2265;50%] and without sensitizing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements does the ORR increase to approximately 40-45%. TAMs are a key component of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Lipid metabolic reprogramming profoundly influences the functional and transcriptional features of TAMs. This review aims to integrate relevant evidence, elucidate how TAM lipid metabolism promotes immunosuppression and resistance to ICIs, and outline potential therapeutic strategies. METHODS: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus for publications up to June 2026 using terms combining lung cancer, TAMs, lipid metabolism, and immune checkpoint blockade/resistance. Mechanistic, translational, and clinically relevant studies were selected by author consensus. KEY CONTENT AND FINDINGS: Lipid uptake, de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation (FAO), cholesterol remodeling, and eicosanoid metabolism are not independent processes in TAMs. Lipid metabolic reprogramming in TAMs ultimately suppresses type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling, upregulates PD-L1 expression, and impairs the function of CD8+ T cells with stem-like features, thereby establishing an immunosuppressive TME and leading to resistance to ICIs. In lung cancer, hypoxia, high lactate levels, and tobacco exposure further shape the lipid phenotype of TAMs, such as lipid raft enrichment and lipid-laden macrophage subsets like SPP1+ macrophages. Different driver genomic backgrounds differentially impact tumor cell-intrinsic metabolism and the lipid metabolic programs of myeloid cells. In preclinical models, interventions targeting these metabolic axes, including TAM-directed delivery systems, have demonstrated potential therapeutic benefit when combined with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting TAM lipid metabolism to convert immunologically cold tumors into more inflamed, ICI-responsive tumors is a promising strategy to overcome resistance in NSCLC. Identification of predictive biomarkers of therapeutic response and development of cell-selective drug delivery systems come to be major challenges.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Rapid transcriptional reprogramming underlies Fusarium wilt resistance in strawberry: insights from comparative physiological and transcriptomic analyses.

INTRODUCTION: Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae (Fof) severely constrains strawberry production, yet the underlying resistance mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS: A total of 64 strawberry germplasm accessions were evaluated for Fusarium wilt resistance. Integrated physiological and transcriptomic analyses were subsequently performed using the highly resistant cultivar 'Akihime' (ZJ) and the highly susceptible cultivar 'Ning Yu' (NY). RESULTS: Resistant resources were abundant, particularly among wild strawberry accessions. Compared with NY, ZJ exhibited higher soluble sugar accumulation, reduced oxidative damage, and increased peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities. Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct temporal response patterns: ZJ underwent rapid and extensive transcriptional reprogramming at 24 h post-inoculation, whereas NY showed limited early responses but pronounced changes at 120 h. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses indicated that the early response of ZJ was mainly associated with stress-related processes, jasmonic acid-mediated signaling, transmembrane transport, plant-pathogen interaction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, glutathione metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and secondary metabolism. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation supported the RNA-seq results and identified candidate genes associated with pathogen recognition, signaling, redox regulation, and protein homeostasis. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that rapid early immune activation and coordinated physiological and metabolic reprogramming are closely associated with strawberry resistance to Fof and provide useful germplasm and candidate genes for future functional validation and resistance breeding.

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae

Oxidative stress-driven epigenetic reprogramming of immune cells in COPD: from epitranscriptomic and metabolic crosstalk to treatable traits.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by persistent oxidative stress and maladaptive immune responses, rather than a single disease entity. Oxidative stress not only damages lung tissue but also reprograms immune cells through both classical epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modifications) and epitranscriptomic regulation (m6A RNA methylation), shaping disease endotypes and treatment resistance. This review presents an integrated framework in which redox signals dynamically reshape the epigenetic and epitranscriptomic landscape, thereby locking immune cells into pathogenic states. Metabolic intermediates (S-adenosylmethionine, &#x3b1;-ketoglutarate, succinate, NAD+) serve as critical nodes that connect immunometabolism to both classical epigenetic enzymes and the m6A machinery, thereby linking redox status to RNA fate. Using NETosis as a paradigm, we illustrate how oxidative-epigenetic-metabolic loops sustain neutrophilic inflammation and resolution failure. Finally, we outline a treatable traits framework that integrates these mechanistic insights into precision combination therapies. This conceptual roadmap aims to shift COPD management from symptom control toward durable, mechanism-driven disease modification.

Humans