Haruka Nishimura, Hiroshi Kawano, Seidai Satou, Takeshi Imakura, Yuya Yamashita, Kojin Murakami, Keiko Haji, Hiroki Bando, Nobuhito Naito, Kozo Kagawa, Yuta Isomura, Kazuya Koyama, Hirohisa Ogawa, Yoshihiro Nishimura and Yasuhiko Nishioka : Analysis of the anti-fibrotic potential of a JAK inhibitor in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model, The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI, 72, 3, 298-307, 2025.
(Summary)
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD-ILD) remains to be a major cause of mortality. Different from idiopathic form, CTD-ILD involves more immune dysregulation along with aberrant fibroblast activation. Therefore, therapy targeting both profibrotic and proinflammatory molecules could be ideal for CTD-ILD. Janus kinase (JAK) is a family of intracellular, non-receptor tyrosine kinases that transduce cytokine-mediated signals. The purpose of this study is to reveal the anti-fibrotic potential of JAK inhibitors (JAKis). The anti-fibrotic effect of a JAKi with a particular focus on baricitinib was examined using a human lung fibroblast cell line and a bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in mice. Baricitinib, a selective JAK1, 2 inhibitor suppressed transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced phosphorylation of JAK2 in human lung fibroblasts. Baricitinib also strongly suppressed the TGF-β-induced collagen1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in fibroblasts. Moreover, baricitinib ameliorated lung fibrosis in BLM-treated mice, particularly when administered in the late phase. The number of α-SMA or collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) positive fibroblasts in BLM-treated lungs was reduced by administration of baricitinib. Our data suggest that baricitinib may improve pulmonary fibrosis by directly inhibiting fibroblast activation via JAK2 blockade. J. Med. Invest. 72 : 298-307, August, 2025.
Yuki Tsukazaki, Hirokazu Ogino, Yoshio Okano, Soji Kakiuchi, Shoko Harada, Yuko Toyoda, Yugo Matsumura, Seiya Ichihara, Takeshi Imakura, Rikako Matsumoto, Ryohiko Ozaki, Ei Ogawa, Yutaka Morita, Atsushi Mitsuhashi, Yohei Yabuki, Hiroto Yoneda, Masaki Hanibuchi, Kayoko Hase, Eiji Takeuchi, Takashi Haku and Yasuhiko Nishioka : Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor has the potential to attenuate the therapeutic efficacy of chemo-immunotherapy for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, International Journal of Clinical Oncology, 29, 10, 1451-1460, 2024.
(Summary)
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has the potential to attenuate the anti-tumor immune responses of T-cells by increasing immune suppressive neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. However, the clinical impact of G-CSF on the efficacy of immunotherapy remains unknown. This multi-center retrospective analysis evaluated the impact of G-CSF in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) treated with chemo-immunotherapy. We analyzed 65 patients with ES-SCLC who completed four cycles of induction chemo-immunotherapy and evaluated the effects of G-CSF on progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and a durable response to immunotherapy (defined as PFS 12 months). Fifty patients (76.9%) received 1 dose of G-CSF. The PFS of the patients with G-CSF was poorer than that of the patients without G-CSF (median PFS 8.3 vs. 4.9 months, p = 0.009). The OS of the patients with G-CSF tended to be shorter, but not statistically significant, than that of the patients without G-CSF (median OS 24.3 vs. 16.4 months, p = 0.137). In the multivariate analysis, G-CSF administration was associated with poorer PFS (hazard ratio 2.78, 95% CI 1.36-5.69, p = 0.005) and was identified as a determinant of a durable response (odds ratio 0.18, 95% CI 0.04-0.80, p = 0.024). These results were consistent with other definitions of G-CSF administration (administration of 1 dose of pegfilgrastim, or either 5 doses of filgrastim or 1 dose of pegfilgrastim). G-CSF has the potential to attenuate the efficacy of immunotherapy; therefore, the indication for G-CSF during chemo-immunotherapy should be carefully considered for ES-SCLC.
(Keyword)
Chemo-immunotherapy / Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer / Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor