Work

PTEN as a prognostic factor for radiotherapy plus immunotherapy response in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: In the context of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment, radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy (IR + RT) is gaining traction. This study focuses on analyzing exosomal proteins, particularly Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN), for predicting the efficacy of NPC treatments. Serum samples from NPC patients and IR + RT recipients were utilized for exosome (Exo) extraction and subsequent transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to identify treatment-related proteins. Flow cytometry of cells and exosomal analysis were performed to examine these proteins. In vitro experiments using C666-1 cells and their Exos explored various cellular responses, while a murine subcutaneous NPC model investigated the impact of PTEN modulation on tumor growth and the immune microenvironment. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that PTEN serves as a crucial predictive biomarker, with its expression changes correlated with M2 macrophage polarization and CD8+ T cell activity. This highlights the potential significance of PTEN in predicting treatment outcomes and influencing the immune response in NPC. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that PTEN could play a key role in enhancing the efficacy of NPC radiotherapy and immunotherapy. By shedding light on PTEN's impact on tumor growth and the immune microenvironment, this study lays the groundwork for future personalized therapeutic strategies in NPC treatment.

Source: Journal of Nanobiotechnology

DOI: 10.1186/s12951-025-03315-z

Authors: Jiaxing Guo, Ming Zhang, Xiaoli Li, Jiashuo Wang

Institutions: First Hospital of China Medical University, China Medical University, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Head and Neck Cancer Studies

Subfield: Otorhinolaryngology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,790