Tumor microenvironment-based drug discovery: a novel insight into bladder cancer immunotherapy

[...]we propose that it is possible to identify drugs potentially regulative for BCa, based on a newly established algorithm predicting the infiltration level of immune and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. [...]these results enhance the idea that HIF-1α may be a potential target of immunotherapy for BCa. Caspase-8 plays an essential role by regulating the immune response, B and T lymphocyte activation, and macrophage differentiation and polarization. [...]caspase-8 is an important regulator of immune cell homeostasis and cytokine production, which are the two major components of the tumor microenvironment. [...]the current study identified six potentially regulative drugs (FG-2216, Emricasan, ENMD-1198, Carvedilol, PX-478, and 2-Methoxyestradiol) and a potential immunotherapy target (EFNB2) of BCa based on the concept of the tumor microenvironment.