Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Exp Med. Dec 20, 2024; 14(4): 98599
Published online Dec 20, 2024. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i4.98599
Harnessing aryl hydrocarbon receptor dynamics: Unveiling therapeutic pathways in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Chun-Han Cheng, Wen-Rui Hao, Tzu-Hurng Cheng
Chun-Han Cheng, Department of Medical Education, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan City 33305, Taiwan
Wen-Rui Hao, Division of Cardiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
Wen-Rui Hao, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11002, Taiwan
Tzu-Hurng Cheng, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 404328, Taiwan
Co-corresponding authors: Wen-Rui Hao and Tzu-Hurng Cheng.
Author contributions: Cheng CH and Hao WR wrote the paper; Hao WR and Cheng TH share equal responsibility for the overall integrity of this work and contributed equally to its completion. Hao WR and Cheng TH, as co-corresponding authors, contributed equally to the conceptualization and drafting of the manuscript, and collaboratively revised the content for important intellectual input; Cheng CH, Hao WR, and Cheng TH read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tzu-Hurng Cheng, PhD, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Xueshi Road, North District, Taichung City 404328, Taiwan. thcheng@mail.cmu.edu.tw
Received: June 30, 2024
Revised: October 11, 2024
Accepted: October 24, 2024
Published online: December 20, 2024
Processing time: 122 Days and 18.9 Hours
Abstract

This editorial discusses the insightful minireview by Rahmati et al. The minireview delves into the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the development and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic target. The authors concisely summarize the current understanding of how aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulation influences immune responses and the tumor microenvironment, offering fresh perspectives on therapeutic strategies. This editorial aimed to emphasize the significance of these findings and their potential impact on future research and clinical practices for the management of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Keywords: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor; Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Immune modulation; Therapeutic opportunities; Tumor microenvironment

Core Tip: This editorial highlighted the critical insights from the minireview by Rahmati et al on the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, especially with regards to the modulation of immune responses and the potential of AHR as a therapeutic target. By discussing these findings, this editorial highlighted the importance of AHR dynamics in the development of innovative treatment strategies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, paving the way for future research and clinical applications.