Dendritic cells (DCs) play important roles in the initiation and maintenance of the immune response. The dysfunction of DCs contributes to tumor evasion and growth. Here we report our findings on the dysfunction of DCs in radiation-induced thymic lymphomas, and the up-regulation of the expression of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and the fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), and the level of triacylglycerol (TAG) in serum after total body irradiation, which contribute to DCs lipid accumulation. DCs with high lipid content showed low expression of co-stimulatory molecules and DCs-related cytokines, and were not able to effectively stimulate allogeneic T cells. Normalization of lipid abundance in DCs with an inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase restored the function of DCs. A high-fat diet promoted radiation-induced thymic lymphoma growth. In all, our study shows that dysfunction of DCs in radiation-induced thymic lymphomas was due to lipid accumulation and may represent a new mechanism in radiation-induced carcinogenesis.

Purpose: APOBEC3-UNG imbalance contributes to hepatitis B virus (HBV) inhibition and somatic mutations. We aimed to explore the associations between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk and genetic polymorphisms predisposing the imbalance. Experimental Design: Genetic polymorphisms at APOBEC3 promoter and UNG enhancer regions were genotyped in 5,621 participants using quantitative PCR. HBV mutations (nt.1600-nt.1945, nt.2848-nt.155) were determined by Sanger sequencing. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to detect the transcriptional activity. Effects of APOBEC3B/UNG SNPs and expression levels on HCC prognosis were evaluated with a cohort of 400 patients with HCC and public databases, respectively. Results: APOBEC3B rs2267401-G allele and UNG rs3890995-C allele significantly increased HCC risk. rs2267401-G allele was significantly associated with the generation of APOBEC-signature HBV mutation whose frequency consecutively increased from asymptomatic HBV carriers to patients with HCC. Multiplicative interaction of rs2267401-G allele with rs3890995-C allele increased HCC risk, with an adjusted OR (95% confidence interval) of 1.90 (1.34-2.81). rs2267401 T-to-G and rs3890995 T-to-C conferred increased activities of APOBEC3B promoter and UNG enhancer, respectively. IL6 significantly increased APOBEC3B promoter activity and inhibited UNG enhancer activity, and these effects were more evident in those carrying rs2267401-G and rs3890995-C, respectively. APOBEC3B rs2267401-GG genotype, higher APOBEC3B expression, and higher APOBEC3B/UNG expression ratio in HCCs indicated poor prognosis. APOBEC-signature somatic mutation predicts poor prognosis in HBV-free HCCs rather than in HBV-positive ones. Conclusions: Polymorphic genotypes predisposing the APOBEC3B-UNG imbalance in IL6-presenting microenvironment promote HCC development, possibly via promoting the generation of high-risk HBV mutations. This can be transformed into specific prophylaxis of HBV-caused HCC.

The role of Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) in radio-resistance remained largely unknown. TLR2 knockout (TLR2−/−) mice received radiation of 6.5 Gy, and then were studied. We found that radiation resulted in more severe mortality and morbidity rates in TLR2−/− mice. The cause of death in TLR2−/− mice may be severe and persistent bone marrow cell loss. Injection of the TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4 into wild type (WT) mice induced radio-resistance. Myd88−/− mice were more susceptible to radiation. In conclusion, our data indicate that, similar to TLR4, TLR2 plays a critical role in radio-resistance.

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Background Recurrence is the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) death. We aimed to identify circular RNA (circRNA) with predictive and therapeutic value for recurrent HCC. Methods Tissue samples from recurrent and non‐recurrent HCC patients were subjected to circRNA sequencing and transcriptome sequencing. circKCNN2 was identified through multi‐omics analyses. The effects of circKCNN2 on HCC were evaluated in cells, animals, database of The Cancer Genome Atlas, and a cohort with 130 HCC patients. circRNA precipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, RNA pull‐down, luciferase assay, and cell experiments were applied to evaluate the interaction of circKCNN2 with miRNAs and proteins. The association between circKCNN2 and the therapeutic effect of lenvatinib was investigated in HCC cell lines and HCC tissue‐derived organoids. Results The expression of circKCNN2 was downregulated in HCC tissues and predicted a favorable overall survival and recurrence‐free survival. The expression of circKCNN2 was positively correlated with the parental gene, potassium calcium‐activated channel subfamily N member (KCNN2). Nuclear transcription factor Y subunit alpha (NFYA) was proven to inhibit the promoter activity of KCNN2, downregulate the expression of KCNN2 and circKCNN2, and predict an unfavorable recurrence‐free survival. Ectopic expression of circKCNN2 inhibited HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and tumor formation in a mouse model. miR‐520c‐3p sponged by circKCNN2 could reverse the inhibitory effect of circKCNN2 on HCC cells and down‐regulate the expression of methyl‐DNA‐binding domain protein 2 (MBD2). The intratumoral expression of MBD2 predicted a favorable recurrence‐free survival. circKCNN2 down‐regulated the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4), which can be reversed by miR‐520c‐3p and knockdown of MBD2. Lenvatinib inhibited the expression of FGFR4 and upregulated the expression of circKCNN2 and MBD2. Ectopic expression of circKCNN2 in HCC cells enhanced the therapeutic effect of lenvatinib. However, the high inherent level of circKCNN2 in HCC cells was associated with lenvatinib resistance. Conclusions circKCNN2, transcriptionally repressed by NFYA, suppresses HCC recurrence via the miR‐520c‐3p/MBD2 axis. Inherent level of circKCNN2 in HCC cells predisposes anti‐tumor effect of lenvatinib possibly because both circKCNN2 and lenvatinib repress the expression of FGFR4. circKCNN2 may be a promising predictive biomarker and therapeutic agent for HCC recurrence.