1
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Kidman J, Zemek RM, Sidhom JW, Correa D, Principe N, Sheikh F, Fear VS, Forbes CA, Chopra A, Boon L, Zaitouny A, de Jong E, Holt RA, Jones M, Millward MJ, Lassmann T, Forrest AR, Nowak AK, Watson M, Lake RA, Lesterhuis WJ, Chee J. Immune checkpoint therapy responders display early clonal expansion of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2345859. [PMID: 38686178 PMCID: PMC11057660 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2345859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) causes durable tumour responses in a subgroup of patients, but it is not well known how T cell receptor beta (TCRβ) repertoire dynamics contribute to the therapeutic response. Using murine models that exclude variation in host genetics, environmental factors and tumour mutation burden, limiting variation between animals to naturally diverse TCRβ repertoires, we applied TCRseq, single cell RNAseq and flow cytometry to study TCRβ repertoire dynamics in ICT responders and non-responders. Increased oligoclonal expansion of TCRβ clonotypes was observed in responding tumours. Machine learning identified TCRβ CDR3 signatures unique to each tumour model, and signatures associated with ICT response at various timepoints before or during ICT. Clonally expanded CD8+ T cells in responding tumours post ICT displayed effector T cell gene signatures and phenotype. An early burst of clonal expansion during ICT is associated with response, and we report unique dynamics in TCRβ signatures associated with ICT response.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta/metabolism
- Mice
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Humans
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Female
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Kidman
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | | | - Debora Correa
- Complex Systems Group, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Nicola Principe
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Fezaan Sheikh
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | | | - Abha Chopra
- Medical Genomics Laboratories (IIID), Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | | | - Ayham Zaitouny
- Complex Systems Group, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Emma de Jong
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Matt Jones
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | | | - Alistair R.R. Forrest
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Anna K. Nowak
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Mark Watson
- Medical Genomics Laboratories (IIID), Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Richard A. Lake
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - W. Joost Lesterhuis
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - Jonathan Chee
- National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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2
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Meng J, Tan JYT, Joseph CR, Ye J, Lim JCT, Goh D, Xue Y, Lim X, Koh VCY, Wee F, Tay TKY, Chan JY, Ng CCY, Iqbal J, Lau MC, Lim HE, Toh HC, Teh BT, Dent RA, Tan PH, Yeong JPS. The Prognostic Value of CD39 as a Marker of Tumor-Specific T Cells in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Asian Women. J Transl Med 2024; 104:100303. [PMID: 38103870 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis with limited therapeutic options available for affected patients. Efforts are ongoing to identify surrogate markers for tumor-specific CD8+ T cells that can predict the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies, such as programmed cell death protein 1 or programmed cell death ligand-1 blockade. We have previously identified tumor-specific CD39+CD8+ T cells in non-small cell lung cancer that might help predict patient responses to programmed cell death protein 1 or programmed cell death ligand-1 blockade. Based on this finding, we conducted a comparative interrogation of TNBC in an Asian cohort to evaluate the potential of CD39 as a surrogate marker of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. Using ICI-treated TNBC mouse models (n = 24), flow cytometric analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes revealed that >99% of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells also expressed CD39. To investigate the relationship between CD39+CD8+ T-cell density and CD39 expression with disease prognosis, we performed multiplex immunohistochemistry staining on treatment-naive human TNBC tissues (n = 315). We saw that the proportion of CD39+CD8+ T cells in human TNBC tumors correlated with improved overall survival, as did the densities of other CD39+ immune cell infiltrates, such as CD39+CD68+ macrophages. Finally, increased CD39 expression on CD8+ T cells was also found to predict the response to ICI therapy (pembrolizumab) in a separate cohort of 11 TNBC patients. These findings support the potential of CD39+CD8+ T-cell density as a prognostic factor in Asian TNBC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Meng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jing Ying Tira Tan
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Craig Ryan Joseph
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jiangfeng Ye
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jeffrey Chun Tatt Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Denise Goh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yuezhen Xue
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Xinru Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Valerie Cui Yun Koh
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Felicia Wee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Timothy Kwang Yong Tay
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | | | | | - Jabed Iqbal
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Mai Chan Lau
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hsuen Elaine Lim
- National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Han Chong Toh
- National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Bin Tean Teh
- National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Rebecca Alexandra Dent
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Puay Hoon Tan
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Luma Women's Imaging Centre/Medical Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Joe Poh Sheng Yeong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
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3
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Hsu J, Donahue RN, Katragadda M, Lowry J, Huang W, Srinivasan K, Guntas G, Tang J, Servattalab R, Moisan J, Tsai YT, Stoop A, Palakurthi S, Chopra R, Liu K, Wherry EJ, Su Z, Gulley JL, Bayliffe A, Schlom J. A T cell receptor β chain-directed antibody fusion molecule activates and expands subsets of T cells to promote antitumor activity. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi0258. [PMID: 38019931 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi0258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors in treating solid tumors, only a proportion of patients respond. Here, we describe a first-in-class bifunctional therapeutic molecule, STAR0602, that comprises an antibody targeting germline Vβ6 and Vβ10 T cell receptors (TCRs) fused to human interleukin-2 (IL-2) and simultaneously engages a nonclonal mode of TCR activation with costimulation to promote activation and expansion of αβ T cell subsets expressing distinct variable β (Vβ) TCR chains. In solution, STAR0602 binds IL-2 receptors in cis with Vβ6/Vβ10 TCRs on the same T cell, promoting expansion of human Vβ6 and Vβ10 CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that acquire an atypical central memory phenotype. Monotherapy with a mouse surrogate molecule induced durable tumor regression across six murine solid tumor models, including several refractory to anti-PD-1. Analysis of murine tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) transcriptomes revealed that expanded Vβ T cells acquired a distinct effector memory phenotype with suppression of genes associated with T cell exhaustion and TCR signaling repression. Sequencing of TIL TCRs also revealed an increased T cell repertoire diversity within targeted Vβ T cell subsets, suggesting clonal revival of tumor T cell responses. These immunological and antitumor effects in mice were recapitulated in studies of STAR0602 in nonhuman primates and human ex vivo models, wherein STAR0602 boosted human antigen-specific T cell responses and killing of tumor organoids. Thus, STAR0602 represents a distinct class of T cell-activating molecules with the potential to deliver enhanced antitumor activity in checkpoint inhibitor-refractory settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Renee N Donahue
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | | | - Wei Huang
- Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Jian Tang
- Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Yo-Ting Tsai
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | | | - Raj Chopra
- Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ke Liu
- Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - E John Wherry
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhen Su
- Marengo Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James L Gulley
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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4
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Ferrari V, Lo Cascio A, Melacarne A, Tanasković N, Mozzarelli AM, Tiraboschi L, Lizier M, Salvi M, Braga D, Algieri F, Penna G, Rescigno M. Sensitizing cancer cells to immune checkpoint inhibitors by microbiota-mediated upregulation of HLA class I. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:1717-1730.e4. [PMID: 37738976 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent data have shown that gut microbiota has a major impact on the clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the context of solid tumors. ICI-based therapy acts by unlocking cognate cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effector responses, and increased sensitivity to ICIs is due to an enhancement of patients' tumor antigen (TA)-specific CTL responses. Cancer clearance by TA-specific CTL requires expression of relevant TAs on cancer cells' HLA class I molecules, and reduced HLA class I expression is a common mechanism used by cancer cells to evade the immune system. Here, we show that metabolites released by bacteria, in particular, phytosphingosine, can upregulate HLA class I expression on cancer cells, sensitizing them to TA-specific CTL lysis in vitro and in vivo, in combination with immunotherapy. This effect is mediated by postbiotic-induced upregulation of NLRC5 in response to upstream MYD88-NF-κB activation, thus significantly controlling tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Ferrari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Lo Cascio
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Melacarne
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro M Mozzarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Tiraboschi
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Lizier
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Salvi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Braga
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Penna
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; Postbiotica S.r.l, Milan 20123, Italy
| | - Maria Rescigno
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
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5
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Vendetti FP, Pandya P, Clump DA, Schamus-Haynes S, Tavakoli M, diMayorca M, Islam NM, Chang J, Delgoffe GM, Beumer JH, Bakkenist CJ. The schedule of ATR inhibitor AZD6738 can potentiate or abolish antitumor immune responses to radiotherapy. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e165615. [PMID: 36810257 PMCID: PMC9977511 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.165615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitors of the DNA damage signaling kinase ATR increase tumor cell killing by chemotherapies that target DNA replication forks but also kill rapidly proliferating immune cells including activated T cells. Nevertheless, ATR inhibitor (ATRi) and radiotherapy (RT) can be combined to generate CD8+ T cell-dependent antitumor responses in mouse models. To determine the optimal schedule of ATRi and RT, we determined the impact of short-course versus prolonged daily treatment with AZD6738 (ATRi) on responses to RT (days 1-2). Short-course ATRi (days 1-3) plus RT caused expansion of tumor antigen-specific, effector CD8+ T cells in the tumor-draining lymph node (DLN) at 1 week after RT. This was preceded by acute decreases in proliferating tumor-infiltrating and peripheral T cells and a rapid proliferative rebound after ATRi cessation, increased inflammatory signaling (IFN-β, chemokines, particularly CXCL10) in tumors, and an accumulation of inflammatory cells in the DLN. In contrast, prolonged ATRi (days 1-9) prevented the expansion of tumor antigen-specific, effector CD8+ T cells in the DLN, and entirely abolished the therapeutic benefit of short-course ATRi with RT and anti-PD-L1. Our data argue that ATRi cessation is essential to allow CD8+ T cell responses to both RT and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank P. Vendetti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Pinakin Pandya
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David A. Clump
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Sandra Schamus-Haynes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Meysam Tavakoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maria diMayorca
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Naveed M. Islam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jina Chang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Greg M. Delgoffe
- Department of Immunology and
- Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jan H. Beumer
- Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, and
| | - Christopher J. Bakkenist
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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The Memory T Cell “Communication Web” in Context with Gastrointestinal Disorders—How Memory T Cells Affect Their Surroundings and How They Are Influenced by It. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182780. [PMID: 36139354 PMCID: PMC9497182 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut-related diseases like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or colorectal cancer affect millions of people worldwide. It is an ongoing process finding causes leading to the development and manifestation of those disorders. This is highly relevant since understanding molecular processes and signalling pathways offers new opportunities in finding novel ways to interfere with and apply new pharmaceuticals. Memory T cells (mT cells) and their pro-inflammatory properties have been proven to play an important role in gastrointestinal diseases and are therefore increasingly spotlighted. This review focuses on mT cells and their subsets in the context of disease pathogenesis and maintenance. It illustrates the network of regulatory proteins and metabolites connecting mT cells with other cell types and tissue compartments. Furthermore, the crosstalk with various microbes will be a subject of discussion. Characterizing mT cell interactions will help to further elucidate the sophisticated molecular and cellular networking system in the intestine and may present new ideas for future research approaches to control gut-related diseases.
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7
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Stringhini M, Spadafora I, Catalano M, Mock J, Probst P, Spörri R, Neri D. Cancer therapy in mice using a pure population of CD8 + T cell specific to the AH1 tumor rejection antigen. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 70:3183-3197. [PMID: 33796916 PMCID: PMC8505334 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02912-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the use of patient-derived T cells for the treatment of various types of malignancies. The expansion of a polyclonal and polyspecific population of tumor-reactive T cells, with a subsequent infusion into the same donor patient, has been implemented, sometimes with positive results. It is not known, however, whether a set of T cells with a single antigen specificity may be sufficient for an effective therapy. To gain more insights in this matter, we used naturally occurring T cells recognizing a retroviral peptide (AH1), which is endogenous in many tumor cell lines of BALB/c origin and which serves as potent tumor rejection antigen. We were able to isolate and expand this rare population of T cells to numbers suitable for therapy experiments in mice (i.e., up to 30 × 106 cells/mouse). After the expansion process, T cells efficiently killed antigen-positive tumor cells in vitro and demonstrated tumor growth inhibition in two syngeneic murine models of cancer. However, AH1-specific T cells failed to induce complete regressions of established tumors. The incomplete activity was associated with a failure of injected T cells to survive in vivo, as only a very limited amount of T cells was found in tumor or secondary lymphoid organs 72 h after injection. These data suggest that future therapeutic strategies based on autologous T cells may require the potentiation of tumor-homing and survival properties of cancer-specific T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Stringhini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ilaria Spadafora
- Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Catalano
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jacqueline Mock
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Probst
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roman Spörri
- Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
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8
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Corbellari R, Stringhini M, Mock J, Ongaro T, Villa A, Neri D, De Luca R. A Novel Antibody-IL15 Fusion Protein Selectively Localizes to Tumors, Synergizes with TNF-based Immunocytokine, and Inhibits Metastasis. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:859-871. [PMID: 33632875 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
IL15 is an immunostimulatory cytokine that holds promises for cancer therapy, but its performance (alone or as partner for fusion proteins) has often been limited by suboptimal accumulation in the tumor and very rapid clearance from circulation. Most recently, the Sushi Domain (SD, the shortest region of IL15 receptor α, capable of binding to IL15) has been fused to IL15-based anticancer products to increase its biological activity. Here, we describe two novel antibody fusion proteins (termed F8-F8-IL15 and F8-F8-SD-IL15), specific to the alternatively spliced EDA domain of fibronectin (a marker of tumor neoangiogenisis, expressed in the majority of solid and hematologic tumors, but absent in normal healthy tissues) and featuring the F8 antibody in single-chain diabody format (with a short linker between VH and VL, thus allowing the domains to pair with the complementary ones of another chain). Unlike previously described fusions of the F8 antibody with human IL15, F8-F8-IL15 and F8-F8-SD-IL15 exhibited a preferential uptake in solid tumors, as evidenced by quantitative biodistribution analysis with radioiodinated protein preparations. Both products were potently active in vivo against mouse metastatic colon carcinomas and in sarcoma lesion in combination with targeted TNF. The results may be of clinical significance, as F8-F8-IL15 and F8-F8-SD-IL15 are fully human proteins, which recognize the cognate tumor-associated antigen with identical affinity in mouse and man.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Corbellari
- CiBIO (Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology), University of Trento, Povo, Trento, Italy.,Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Switzerland
| | - Marco Stringhini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jaqueline Mock
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zurich, Switzerland
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9
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Zhang L, Wang IM, Solban N, Cristescu R, Zeng G, Long B. Comprehensive investigation of T and B cell receptor repertoires in an MC38 tumor model following murine anti‑PD‑1 administration. Mol Med Rep 2020; 22:975-985. [PMID: 32468004 PMCID: PMC7339640 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The MC38 (derived from carcinogen-induced colon adenocarcinoma) tumor model is sensitive to anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) treatment. However, there is no comprehensive description of the T and B cell receptor (TCR, BCR) repertoires of the MC38 tumor model following anti-PD-1 treatment, an improved understanding of which is highly important in the development of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The present study analyzed the TCR and BCR repertoires of three types of tissue, including tumor, spleen and tumor draining lymph node (DLN) from 20 MC38 syngeneic mice receiving murine anti-PD-1 (mDX400) treatment or mouse immunoglobulin G1 (mIgG1) control treatment. To obtain enough tissues for high-throughput sequencing, samples were collected on day 8 after the start of initial treatment. The usage frequencies of seven TCR β chain (TRB) V genes and one TRBJ gene were significantly different between mDX400- and mIgG1-group tumors. TCR repertoire diversity was significantly lower in mDX400-group tumors compared with mIgG1-group tumors, with the top 10 most frequent TCR clonotypes notably expanded in mDX400-group tumors. In addition, the proportion of high-frequency TCR clonotypes from mDX400-group tumors that were also present both in the DLN and spleen was significantly higher than that in mIgG1-group tumors. Among the highly expanded TCR clonotypes, one TCR clonotype was consistently expanded in >50% of the mDX400-group tumors compared with mIgG1-group tumors. Similarly, one BCR clonal family was highly expanded in >50% of mDX400-group tumor samples. The consistently expanded TCR and BCR clones were co-expanded in 29% of mDX400-group tumors. Moreover, mutation rates of immunoglobulin heavy chain sequences in the spleen within complementarity determining region 2 and framework region 3 were significantly higher in the mDX400 group than in the mIgG1 group. The findings of this study may contribute to an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of anti-PD-1 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - I-Ming Wang
- Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | | | | | - Gefei Zeng
- Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
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