Zhefeng Liu

Dr. Zhefeng Liu


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

14Years (2013-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 May 2025 in Clinical and Experimental Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YLYahui Lv
Yahui Lv
XCXiaoran Cui
Xiaoran Cui
TLTao Li
Tao Li
CLChang Liu
Chang Liu
AWAn Wang
An Wang
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu
Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are a promising cancer therapy for targeted delivery of drugs to tumor cells. However, resistance to ADCs remains a challenge, necessitating the exploration of combination therapies. A strong biological theory suggests that ADCs interact with cancer cells and immune cells by triggering mechanisms such as immunogenic cell death, dendritic cell activation, and memory T-cell activation, resulting in long-term anti-tumor immunity and ultimately potential synergistic effects with immunotherapy. Based on extensive and reliable preclinical data, several clinical trials are currently combining ADCs with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of various cancers, including breast, gastric, and non-small-cell lung cancers, to evaluate the safety and anti-tumor activity of the combination therapy. Preliminary evidence from early clinical trials has reported more effective efficacy data. This paper reviews the combination of ADCs and immunotherapy, highlights the key mechanisms by which the two act synergistically, and summarizes the available clinical evidence against different ADCs targets. The paper also explores the re-challenges used for combination therapies and optimized design options for ADCs drugs.

3 April 2024 in Frontiers in Neurology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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YQYuhui Qin
Yuhui Qin
SCSiyuan Chen
Siyuan Chen
QGQian Gui
Qian Gui
TZTeng Zhang
Teng Zhang
YLYanan Li
Yanan Li
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu
Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)-induced myasthenia gravis (MG) is an uncommon but potentially fatal neurotoxicity. We aim to help physicians familiarize themselves with the clinical characteristics of ICI-induced MG, facilitating early diagnosis and prompt intervention.Methods: We searched the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital medical record system from January 2017 to August 2023 for patients diagnosed with ICI-induced MG. We systematically reviewed the literature until August 2023 to identify all similar patients. We collected clinical information on these patients.Results: 110 patients were identified, 9 from our institution and 101 from case reports. In our institution, Median age was 66 years (range: 49–79 years). 6 were males. The most common was lung cancer (n = 4). All patients had no previous history of MG and received PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. The median time from ICI initiation to first MG symptoms was 4 weeks (range: 2–15 weeks). ICIs were discontinued in all patients. Most patients initially received high-dose corticosteroids, and their symptoms improved. Some patients are discharged with corticosteroids maintenance therapy. In addition, 55 patients (50%) with concomitant myositis and/or myocarditis and MG-induced mortality were more common in the myositis and/or myocarditis group (10.9% vs. 34.5%, p = 0.016). Overlap of myositis with MG (OR = 3.148, p = 0.009) and anti-AChR antibody positivity (OR = 3.364, p = 0.005) were both significantly associated with poor outcomes.Conclusion: Our study reveals the prognosis of ICI-induced MG and suggests that myositis and/or myocarditis are severe comorbidities of ICI-induced MG, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and clinical intervention.

18 November 2023 in BMC Cancer
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SJShuai Jin
Shuai Jin
TLTianci Liu
Tianci Liu
WWWeiwei Wang
Weiwei Wang
TLTao Li
Tao Li
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu
MZMan Zhang
Man Zhang
Background: The migration of lymphocytes shares many similarities in mode and mechanism with the metastasis of lung cancer tumor cells. But changes in the expression of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in urine exosomes remain unclear. This study is to investigate the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in urine exosomes of lung cancer patients, and further verify their correlation with the development and progression of lung cancer. Methods: Urine exosomes were collected from lung cancer patients and healthy people aged 15–79 years. Mass spectrometry was used to screen and explore the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in healthy people of different ages. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting were used to detect the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in lung cancer patients. Results: Analyzing the data of urine exosome proteomics, a total of 12 lymphocyte related proteins were identified, 5 of which were lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins. Among these proteins, WASL and STK10 proteins showed a gradual decrease in expression with age, and WNK1 protein showed a gradual increase. Lung cancer patients had reduced expression of WASL and increased expression of STK10 and WNK1 proteins in urine exosomes compared to normal people. Urine exosome WASL, STK10, and WNK1 were diagnosed with lung cancer, with a combined AUC of 0.760. Conclusions: Lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins were differentially expressed in the urine exosome of lung cancer patients, and WASL, STK10 and WNK1 may serve as potential biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis.

29 January 2016 in Tumor Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
YZYahui Zhang
Yahui Zhang
YZyanpeng zhao
yanpeng zhao
SSShengjie Sun
Shengjie Sun
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu
YZYixin Zhang
Yixin Zhang
SJShunchang Jiao
Shunchang Jiao

17 August 2022 in Frontiers in Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
SCSiyuan Chen
Siyuan Chen
YQYu Qiao
Yu Qiao
JCJuan Chen
Juan Chen
YLYanan Li
Yanan Li
JXJianlian Xie
Jianlian Xie
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu
Objective: The study was designed to explore the evolution of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) management in the last 20 years.Methods: The top 100 most-cited papers on NSCLC treatment were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. R and VOSviewer were used to extract bibliographic information, including the year of publication, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, impact factor, and total citations. The topic and type of papers were checked independently by authors. Bibliometric analysis was conducted and visualized with R, CiteSpace, Excel and VOSviewer to identify output dynamics, research forces, topics, hotspots, and frontiers in the field.Results: The average citation of each retrieved top 100 most-cited NSCLC management papers was 1,725 (range: 615-7,340). Fifty-seven corresponding authors were from the United States. This country contributed the most papers (n=76), followed by Germany (n=34), France (n=33), and South Korea (n=32). The top contributors were Paz-Ares L. (n=12) and Reck M. (n=12). The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center published the largest number of papers (n=20). There were two significant citation paths, indicating publications in medicine/medical/clinical journals primarily cited journals in molecular/biology/genetics fields, partly cited health/nursing/medicine fields. Top-cited papers mainly came from the New England Journal of Medicine (n=33, citations=80,427), followed closely by the Journal of Clinical Oncology (n=28, citations=32,408). “Chemotherapy” (n=36) was the keyword with the greatest frequency of co-occurrence. “Open-label” was the keyword with the strongest burst strength (=4.01), followed by “nivolumab” (=3.85), “blockade” (=2.86), and “efficacy” (=2.85).Conclusions: The United States as a nation and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as an institute contributed the most to this field. The New England Journal of Medicine is the most eye-catching journal. Hotspots of NSCLC management have almost undergone an evolution from chemotherapy and radiotherapy to targeted therapy to immunotherapy. Molecular/biological/genetic fields become the main research base for NSCLC treatment. Immunotherapy and combination therapy are research frontiers.

7 June 2024 in International Immunopharmacology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
YQYuhui Qin
Yuhui Qin
TZTeng Zhang
Teng Zhang
ZDZhijuan Du
Zhijuan Du
SCSiyuan Chen
Siyuan Chen
YLYanan Li
Yanan Li
ZLZhefeng Liu
Zhefeng Liu