Journal: Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
Article Title: Transketolase-like 1 potentiates PD-1 blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma by glycolysis to prime dendritic cell lactylation
doi: 10.1038/s41392-026-02875-2
Figure Lengend Snippet: TKTL1 drives tumor progression while potentiating anti-PD-1 immunotherapy sensitivity rather than apatinib in HCC. a Schematic of the orthotopic tumor mouse model: Hepa1-6 cells transduced with OE-TKTL1 (TKTL1 overexpression) or OE-VE (vector control) lentiviruses were subcutaneously implanted, followed by tumor transplantation to the liver. Anti-PD-1 treatment was administered, with live imaging at day 21 and sample harvest at day 42. b Tumor growth curves of orthotopic models in OE-VE, OE-TKTL1, OE-VE+Anti-PD-1, and OE-TKTL1+Anti-PD-1 groups (days 21, 28, 35). c Quantification of tumor volume and tumor weight in each treatment group. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 5, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). d TUNEL immunofluorescence staining of orthotopic tumors to detect apoptotic cells. Scale bar: 50 µm. e Ki67 immunofluorescence staining of orthotopic tumors to assess cell proliferation. Scale bar: 50 µm. f Quantification of TUNEL-positive cells in orthotopic tumors. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). g Quantification of Ki67-positive cells in orthotopic tumors. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). h Immunofluorescence staining and analysis of CD8 + (green) and PD-1 + (red) T cells in orthotopic tumors. Nuclei: DAPI (blue). Scale bar: 50 µm. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). i Flow cytometry analysis of CD8 + T cell exhaustion markers (PD-1, CTLA-4, TOX) and effector cytokine (IFN-γ) in orthotopic tumor tissues. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). j Schematic of the diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced orthotopic HCC model: Mice were treated with DEN+CCl4, followed by AAV-VE (vector control) or AAV-TKTL1 injection at week 20, anti-PD-1 treatment from week 24, MRI scanning, and liver tissue harvest at week 28. k Representative micro-MRI images of mouse livers pre- and post-treatment; representative photographs of excised livers. Scale bar: 1 cm. H&E staining of tumor (T) and peritumoral (P) tissues from DEN/CCl4-induced models. Scale bar: 50 µm. l TUNEL and Ki67 immunofluorescence staining of DEN/CCl4-induced tumor tissues. Scale bar: 50 µm. m Quantification of tumor size changes pre- and post-treatment in DEN/CCl4-induced models related to ( k ). Data are mean ± SD ( n = 5, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). n Quantification of TUNEL-positive and Ki67-positive cells in DEN/CCl4-induced models related to ( l ). Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). o Immunofluorescence staining of CD8 + and PD-1 + CD8 + T cells in DEN/CCl4-induced tumors. Scale bar: 50 µm. p Quantification of CD8 + and PD-1 + CD8 + T cell proportions in DEN/CCl4-induced tumors. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001; One-way ANOVA). q Flow cytometry analysis of CD8 + T cell exhaustion markers (PD-1, CTLA-4, TOX) and effector cytokine (IFN-γ) in DEN/CCl4-induced tumor tissues. Data are mean ± SD ( n = 3, ns: not significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001; One-way ANOVA). r Schematic illustrating the role of TKTL1 in promoting HCC progression and sensitizing tumors to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy via modulating CD8 + T cell function in the TME
Article Snippet: A combined secondary antibody was applied and left to incubate for 1 h. To maintain the integrity of the nucleus, DAPI staining (Beyotime, China) was utilized.
Techniques: Sensitivity, Transduction, Over Expression, Plasmid Preparation, Control, Transplantation Assay, Imaging, TUNEL Assay, Immunofluorescence, Staining, Analysis, Flow Cytometry, Injection, Tissue, Micro-MRI, Cell Function Assay