Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026
08:03
Generation of Prostate Cancer Patient Derived Xenograft Models from Circulating Tumor Cells
Published on: October 20, 2015
14.6K
Smoking Behavior Is Associated With an Altered Immune Landscape in Prostate Cancer: Implications for Patient
Amod Sharma1,2, Sarabjeet Kour Sudan1,2, Mohammad Aslam Khan3
1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA.
The Prostate
|February 10, 2026
Summary
Active smoking promotes an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in prostate cancer (PCa), increasing regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages. Smoking cessation may reverse these immune changes, improving PCa patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Smoking is a known risk factor for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, recurrence, and mortality.
- The impact of smoking on the tumor microenvironment (TME) immune landscape in PCa is not well understood.
- This study explores how smoking alters the PCa immune profile and its correlation with patient survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of smoking on the immune cell composition within the PCa TME.
- To identify specific immune pathways and gene expression changes associated with smoking in PCa.
- To determine the association between smoking-induced immune alterations and PCa patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Multiplex gene expression analysis of immune cells in tumor tissues from smokers and nonsmokers using the nanoString nCounter® PanCancer immune profiling panel.
- Bioinformatic analysis using Enrichr to identify differentially activated pathways.
- Survey of public databases to correlate gene expression and immune cell abundance with patient survival data.
Main Results:
- Current smokers showed significantly higher infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) compared to nonsmokers.
- A strong positive correlation between TAMs and Tregs was observed, particularly in current smokers.
- Upregulation of immunosuppressive pathways (e.g., PD-L1 expression) and downregulation of antigen-presentation pathways were identified in smokers.
- Key upregulated genes (MAGEA3, POU2AF1, SEMG1) correlated with immune suppression and poorer survival.
- High TAM and Treg infiltration significantly correlated with reduced overall survival.
Conclusions:
- Active smoking induces an immunosuppressive TME in prostate cancer, potentially promoting tumor growth and progression.
- These smoking-induced immune changes are linked to poorer patient survival outcomes.
- Smoking cessation may offer a strategy to reverse these immunosuppressive effects and improve PCa disease outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Alterations in Respiration II
1.9K
There are numerous types of normal and abnormal respiration. Based on ventilatory movements, breathing patterns are classified as regular, deep, or shallow. Examples include Biot's breathing, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, Kussmaul's breathing, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation. Each pattern is clinically significant and aids in evaluating patients.
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
1.9K
01:06Altered States of Awareness
1.2K
Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
1.2K
02:24Predicting Reaction Outcomes
11.0K
Kinetics describes the rate and path by which a reaction occurs. In contrast, thermodynamics deals with state functions and describes the properties, behavior, and components of a system. It is not concerned with the path taken by the process and cannot address the rate at which a reaction occurs. Although it does provide information about what can happen during a reaction process, it does not describe the detailed steps of what appears on an atomic or a molecular level. On the other hand,...
11.0K
01:38What is the Immune System?
131.2K
Overview
131.2K
01:13Outcomes of Glycolysis
107.6K
Nearly all the energy used by cells comes from the bonds that make up complex organic compounds. These organic compounds are broken down into simpler molecules, such as glucose. As a result, cells extract energy from glucose over many chemical reactions—a process called cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration can occur aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). In the presence of oxygen, cellular respiration starts with glycolysis and continues with pyruvate...
Cellular respiration can occur aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). In the presence of oxygen, cellular respiration starts with glycolysis and continues with pyruvate...
107.6K
00:54What is Behavior?
10.3K
Behaviors are actions that an organism engages in—they can be related to finding food, reproducing, defending against threats, and many other possible actions. Behaviors include activities related to the environment around the animal—such as migration—as well as social interactions within a species or population. Many behaviors involve motor output—that is, muscle movements—while others involve less visible actions, such as learning.
10.3K