Search

Following the publication of the above article, the authors noticed that data shown in certain of the panels in Figs. 4 and 5 were selected incorrectly and presented wrongly in these figures. Essentially, in Fig. 4, the data shown for the Tunel, anti‑EGFR‑iRGD and Tunel, anti‑EGFR‑iGRD+IR data panels (i.e., the panels in the third row, columns 2 and 4), were chosen incorrectly, and in Fig. 5, the data panel for the Lung, IR experiment (fourth row, third column) was selected incorrectly. The revised versions of Figs. 4 and 5, featuring all the correct data panels, are shown on the next page. Furthermore, the results were re‑analyzed based on the correct data. The errors made in the compilation of these Figures did not affect the overall conclusions reported in the paper. The authors are grateful to the Editor of Oncology Reports for allowing them the opportunity to publish this Corrigendum, and apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Oncology Reports 40: 1583-1591, 2018; DOI: 10.3892/or.2018.6532].

Efficient trafficking of lymphocytes to the tumor microenvironment is crucial for the success of an effective antitumor immunotherapy. A major challenge to achieve effective adoptive immunotherapy is poor tumor penetration and inefficient migration of T cells to the tumor site. Several approaches to facilitate the trafficking of lymphocytes to the tumor microenvironment have been suggested to overcome these obstacles. Here, we address this issue with a focus on the tumor-penetrating peptide iRGD, which can specifically increase the permeability of the tumor vasculature and tumor tissue, enhancing drug penetration. We previously constructed a bispecific tumor-penetrating protein, anti-EGFR-iRGD, which consists of the variable region of the heavy chain of anti-EGFR antibody and a tumor-penetrating peptide iRGD, and verified its ability to improve the penetration of antitumor drugs. Herein, we introduce a novel method of co-administering T cells and anti-EGFR-iRGD to enhance the trafficking, penetration and antitumoral activity of T cells. Our results provide new insights for effectively enhancing T-cell infiltration in tumors and demonstrate a preclinical translational approach for the use of anti-EGFR-iRGD as a therapeutic modifier of cancer immunotherapy to improve clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: None.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not peiminine inhibits lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in a rat model of bleomycin-induced lung injury. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. In 3 groups, intratracheal bleomycin (5 mg/kg) was used to induce acute lung injury, followed by administration of either carboxymethyl cellulose (control group, n=14), dexamethasone (DXS group, n=14) or peiminine (peiminine group, n=10). In the fourth group (sham-operated, n=12), normal saline was instilled instead of bleomycin, followed by administration of carboxymethyl cellulose. Drugs were administered intragastrically for 28 days. Lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome, to grade the degree of alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis. The lung index was calculated as the ratio of lung to body weight. Serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were obtained using a radioimmunoassay. Immunocytochemical methods were employed to assess the expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), NF-κB, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK1/2), Fas and FasL in lung tissue. Peiminine and DXS significantly reduced alveolar inflammation and pulmonary interstitial inflammation in rats with bleomycin-induced lung injury. These protective effects were associated with significant (P<0.05) decreases in the levels of IFN-γ in serum and of TGF-β, CTGF, ERK1/2, NF-κB and FasL in lung tissue. No effects were observed on serum TNF-α or IL-4. In conclusion, peiminine inhibits lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in a rat model of bleomycin-induced lung injury, by reducing circulating IFN-γ levels and inhibiting signal transduction pathways involving TGF-β, CTGF, ERK1/2, NF-κB and FasL.