Dear editor,
With great interest, we read the article published by Li et al. [1] and are deeply impressed by the significant contribution this research has made to the exploration of the immune microenvironment in ovarian cancer. This study offers new perspectives and ideas for research in this field, and its application of multiplex immunofluorescence technology to analyze the spatial distribution of immune cells is highly innovative. Here, we would like to put forward a few thoughts which may have extended value for your reference.
In terms of the depth of molecular mechanism exploration, this study mainly focused on the impact of immune cell phenotypes and spatial distribution on prognosis. The infiltration and functional changes of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment are regulated by multiple complex molecular signaling pathways. For instance, ubiquitination modification plays a crucial role in tumor immune regulation. In addition, the E3 ligase β-TRCP mediates the K48 ubiquitination of PD-L1, promoting its proteasome degradation and enhancing the anti-tumor activity of T cells. Meanwhile, the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 removes the ubiquitin chains of PD-L1, prolonging its half-life and leading to immune escape [2]. In ovarian cancer, in-depth studies on molecular mechanisms such as ubiquitination modification have the potential to reveal the intrinsic reasons for the association between the spatial distribution of immune cells and prognosis, providing more precise molecular targets for targeted therapy.
In terms of the practical transformation and application of the research, although the ICRPI model currently constructed integrates spatial variables and clinical parameters, there may still be a gap from the actual clinical application. Ovarian cancer has different subtypes, and the immune characteristics of the tumor microenvironment vary significantly among these subtypes. For example, high-grade serous carcinomas are suitable for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with IDO1/Tim-3 blockade [3], while the immune microenvironment of endometrioid carcinomas is less suppressed, and it may be more suitable for immunotherapy [4].
We express our gratitude and appreciation to the author for their efforts in this research. We also thank the author and the editorial team for their contributions to the development of the field of ovarian cancer. We look forward to the innovative directions of future research and anticipate that there will be more high-quality research results in the future to promote the development of the field of ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment. The above viewpoints are for reference only. If there are any inaccuracies, please bear with us.
Author Contribution
Wu Chao and Sun Jiaao are responsible for the concept; Wu Chao, Sun Jiaao, and Liu Yuhang are responsible for the writing; Ma Chi is responsible for editing and reviewing.
Funding
Not applicable.
Declarations
Conflict of interest
All authors have no conflicts to report and all authors agree to submit the manuscript.
Footnotes
Publisher’s note
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References
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