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Chatterjee A, Chaudhary A, Ghosh A, Arun P, Mukherjee G, Arun I, Maitra A, Biswas N, Majumder PP. Overexpression of CD73 is associated with recurrence and poor prognosis of gingivobuccal oral cancer as revealed by transcriptome and deep immune profiling of paired tumor and margin tissues. Cancer Med 2023; 12:16774-16787. [PMID: 37392167 PMCID: PMC10501293 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For various cancers, differences in response to treatment and subsequent survival period have been reported to be associated with variation in immune contextures. AIM We sought to identify whether such association exists in respect of gingivobuccal oral cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed deep immune profiling of tumor and margin tissues collected from 46 treatment naïve, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) negative, patients. Each patient was followed for 24 months and prognosis (recurrence/death) noted. Key findings were validated by comparing with TCGA-HNSC cohort data. RESULTS About 28% of patients showed poor post-treatment prognosis. These patients exhibited a high probability of recurrence even within 1 year and death within 2 years. There was restricted immune cell infiltration in tumor, but not in margin, among these patients. Reduced expression of eight immune-related genes (IRGs) (NT5E, THRA, RBP1, TLR4, ITGA6, BMPR1B, ITGAV, SSTR1) in tumor strongly predicted better quality of prognosis, both in our patient cohort and in TCGA-HNSC cohort. Tumors of patients with better prognosis were associated with (a) lower CD73+ cells with concomitant lower expression level of NT5E/CD73, (b) higher proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, B cells, NK cells, M1 macrophages, (c) higher %Granzyme+ cells, (d) higher TCR and BCR repertoire diversities. CD73 expression in tumor was associated with low CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, low immune repertoire diversity, and advanced cancer stage. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION High infiltration of anti-tumor immune cells in both tumors and margins results in good prognosis, while in patients with minimal infiltration in tumors in spite of high infiltration in margins results in poor prognosis. Targeted CD73 immune-checkpoint inhibition may improve clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Chatterjee
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniIndia
- John C. Martin Centre for Liver Research and InnovationsKolkataIndia
| | | | - Arnab Ghosh
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniIndia
| | | | | | | | | | - Nidhan Biswas
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniIndia
| | - Partha P. Majumder
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniIndia
- John C. Martin Centre for Liver Research and InnovationsKolkataIndia
- Indian Statistical InstituteKolkataIndia
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Kallinger I, Rubenich DS, Głuszko A, Kulkarni A, Spanier G, Spoerl S, Taxis J, Poeck H, Szczepański MJ, Ettl T, Reichert TE, Meier JK, Braganhol E, Ferris RL, Whiteside TL, Ludwig N. Tumor gene signatures that correlate with release of extracellular vesicles shape the immune landscape in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Exp Immunol 2023; 213:102-113. [PMID: 36752300 PMCID: PMC10324554 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) evade immune responses through multiple resistance mechanisms. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by the tumor and interacting with immune cells induce immune dysfunction and contribute to tumor progression. This study evaluates the clinical relevance and impact on anti-tumor immune responses of gene signatures expressed in HNSCC and associated with EV production/release. Expression levels of two recently described gene sets were determined in The Cancer Genome Atlas Head and Neck Cancer cohort (n = 522) and validated in the GSE65858 dataset (n = 250) as well as a recently published single-cell RNA sequencing dataset (n = 18). Clustering into HPV(+) and HPV(-) patients was performed in all cohorts for further analysis. Potential associations between gene expression levels, immune cell infiltration, and patient overall survival were analyzed using GEPIA2, TISIDB, TIMER, and the UCSC Xena browser. Compared to normal control tissues, vesiculation-related genes were upregulated in HNSCC cells. Elevated gene expression levels positively correlated (P < 0.01) with increased abundance of CD4(+) T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells infiltrating tumor tissues but were negatively associated (P < 0.01) with the presence of B cells and CD8(+) T cells in the tumor. Expression levels of immunosuppressive factors NT5E and TGFB1 correlated with the vesiculation-related genes and might explain the alterations of the anti-tumor immune response. Enhanced expression levels of vesiculation-related genes in tumor tissues associates with the immunosuppressive tumor milieu and the reduced infiltration of B cells and CD8(+) T cells into the tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Kallinger
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Dominique S Rubenich
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul/Fundação Universitária do Instituto de Cardiologia (IC-FUC), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alicja Głuszko
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aditi Kulkarni
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gerrit Spanier
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Spoerl
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Juergen Taxis
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hendrik Poeck
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg and Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mirosław J Szczepański
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tobias Ettl
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Torsten E Reichert
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Johannes K Meier
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Elizandra Braganhol
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul/Fundação Universitária do Instituto de Cardiologia (IC-FUC), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Robert L Ferris
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Theresa L Whiteside
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nils Ludwig
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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3
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Bendell J, LoRusso P, Overman M, Noonan AM, Kim DW, Strickler JH, Kim SW, Clarke S, George TJ, Grimison PS, Barve M, Amin M, Desai J, Wise-Draper T, Eck S, Jiang Y, Khan AA, Wu Y, Martin P, Cooper ZA, Elgeioushi N, Mueller N, Kumar R, Patel SP. First-in-human study of oleclumab, a potent, selective anti-CD73 monoclonal antibody, alone or in combination with durvalumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:2443-2458. [PMID: 37016126 PMCID: PMC10264501 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03430-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CD73 upregulation in tumors leads to local immunosuppression. This phase I, first-in-human study evaluated oleclumab (MEDI9447), an anti-CD73 human IgG1λ monoclonal antibody, alone or with durvalumab in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), or epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS Patients received oleclumab 5-40 mg/kg (dose-escalation) or 40 mg/kg (dose-expansion) intravenously every 2 weeks (Q2W), alone (escalation only) or with durvalumab 10 mg/kg intravenously Q2W. RESULTS 192 patients were enrolled, 66 during escalation and 126 (42 CRC, 42 PDAC, 42 NSCLC) during expansion. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred during escalation. In the monotherapy and combination therapy escalation cohorts, treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 55 and 54%, respectively, the most common being fatigue (17 and 25%). In the CRC, PDAC, and NSCLC expansion cohorts, 60, 57, and 45% of patients had TRAEs, respectively; the most common were fatigue (15%), diarrhea (9%), and rash (7%). Free soluble CD73 and CD73 expression on peripheral T cells and tumor cells showed sustained decreases, accompanied by reduced CD73 enzymatic activity in tumor cells. Objective response rate during escalation was 0%. Response rates in the CRC, PDAC, and NSCLC expansion cohorts were 2.4% (1 complete response [CR]), 4.8% (1 CR, 1 partial response [PR]), and 9.5% (4 PRs), respectively; 6-month progression-free survival rates were 5.4, 13.2, and 16.0%. CONCLUSIONS Oleclumab ± durvalumab had a manageable safety profile, with pharmacodynamic activity reflecting oleclumab's mechanism of action. Evidence of antitumor activity was observed in tumor types that are generally immunotherapy resistant. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02503774; date of registration, July 17, 2015.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Bendell
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
| | | | - Michael Overman
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anne M Noonan
- Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Dong-Wan Kim
- Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | | | - Stephen Clarke
- Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas J George
- University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Minal Barve
- Mary Crowley Cancer Research, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Manik Amin
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jayesh Desai
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | | | - Yu Jiang
- AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sandip Pravin Patel
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA
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4
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Wenger V, Zeiser R. Editorial: Current concepts of cellular and biological drugs to modulate regulatory T cell activity in the clinic, volume II. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1221904. [PMID: 37383231 PMCID: PMC10294709 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1221904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Wenger
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Zeiser
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling Research Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS) Freiburg and CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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5
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Benavente S. Remodeling the tumor microenvironment to overcome treatment resistance in HPV-negative head and neck cancer. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:291-313. [PMID: 37457128 PMCID: PMC10344731 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite intensive efforts and refined techniques, overall survival in HPV-negative head and neck cancer remains poor. Robust immune priming is required to elicit a strong and durable antitumor immune response in immunologically cold and excluded tumors like HPV-negative head and neck cancer. This review highlights how the tumor microenvironment could be affected by different immune and stromal cell types, weighs the need to integrate metabolic regulation of the tumor microenvironment into cancer treatment strategies and summarizes the emerging clinical applicability of personalized immunotherapeutic strategies in HPV-negative head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Benavente
- Correspondence to: Dr. Sergi Benavente, Department of Radiation Oncology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119, Barcelona 08035, Spain. E-mail:
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Xiang Y, Gong M, Deng Y, Wang H, Ye D. T cell effects and mechanisms in immunotherapy of head and neck tumors. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:49. [PMID: 36872320 PMCID: PMC9985928 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck tumors (HNCs) are a common tumor in otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery, accounting for 5% of all malignant tumors in the body and are the sixth most common malignant tumor worldwide. In the body, immune cells can recognize, kill, and remove HNCs. T cell-mediated antitumor immune activity is the most important antitumor response in the body. T cells have different effects on tumor cells, among which cytotoxic T cells and helper T cells play a major killing and regulating role. T cells recognize tumor cells, activate themselves, differentiate into effector cells, and activate other mechanisms to induce antitumor effects. In this review, the immune effects and antitumor mechanisms mediated by T cells are systematically described from the perspective of immunology, and the application of new immunotherapy methods related to T cells are discussed, with the objective of providing a theoretical basis for exploring and forming new antitumor treatment strategies. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Xiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengdan Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongqin Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dong Ye
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China.
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7
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Gao Z, Bai Y, Lin A, Jiang A, Zhou C, Cheng Q, Liu Z, Chen X, Zhang J, Luo P. Gamma delta T-cell-based immune checkpoint therapy: attractive candidate for antitumor treatment. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:31. [PMID: 36793048 PMCID: PMC9930367 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01722-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
As a nontraditional T-cell subgroup, γδT cells have gained popularity in the field of immunotherapy in recent years. They have extraordinary antitumor potential and prospects for clinical application. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which are efficacious in tumor patients, have become pioneer drugs in the field of tumor immunotherapy since they were incorporated into clinical practice. In addition, γδT cells that have infiltrated into tumor tissues are found to be in a state of exhaustion or anergy, and there is upregulation of many immune checkpoints (ICs) on their surface, suggesting that γδT cells have a similar ability to respond to ICIs as traditional effector T cells. Studies have shown that targeting ICs can reverse the dysfunctional state of γδT cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and exert antitumor effects by improving γδT-cell proliferation and activation and enhancing cytotoxicity. Clarification of the functional state of γδT cells in the TME and the mechanisms underlying their interaction with ICs will solidify ICIs combined with γδT cells as a good treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Gao
- grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471The Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282 People’s Republic of China ,grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471The Second Clinical Medical School, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yifeng Bai
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060The Department of Oncology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731 China
| | - Anqi Lin
- grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471The Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282 People’s Republic of China
| | - Aimin Jiang
- grid.73113.370000 0004 0369 1660The Department of Urology, Changhai hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, China
| | - Chaozheng Zhou
- grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471The Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282 People’s Republic of China ,grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471The First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quan Cheng
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164The Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733The Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan China
| | - Xin Chen
- The Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jian Zhang
- The Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China.
| | - Peng Luo
- The Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China.
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Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Molecular Insights, Preclinical and Clinical Data, and Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315384. [PMID: 36499710 PMCID: PMC9738355 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of the programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) constitutes one of the main immune evasion mechanisms of cancer cells. The approval of drugs against the PD-1-PD-L1 axis has given new impetus to the chemo-therapy of many malignancies. We performed a literature review from 1992 to August 2022, summarizing evidence regarding molecular structures, physiological and pathological roles, mechanisms of PD-L1 overexpression, and immunotherapy evasion. Furthermore, we summarized the studies concerning head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) immunotherapy and the prospects for improving the associated outcomes, such as identifying treatment response biomarkers, new pharmacological combinations, and new molecules. PD-L1 overexpression can occur via four mechanisms: genetic modifications; inflammatory signaling; oncogenic pathways; microRNA or protein-level regulation. Four molecular mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy have been identified: tumor cell adaptation; changes in T-cell function or proliferation; alterations of the tumor microenvironment; alternative immunological checkpoints. Immunotherapy was indeed shown to be superior to traditional chemotherapy in locally advanced/recurrent/metastatic HNSCC treatments.
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9
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Shen A, Ye Y, Chen F, Xu Y, Zhang Z, Zhao Q, Zeng ZL. Integrated multi-omics analysis identifies CD73 as a prognostic biomarker and immunotherapy response predictor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:969034. [PMID: 36466881 PMCID: PMC9708745 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.969034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advances in tumor immunotherapy have been developed for patients with advanced recurrent or metastatic (R/M) HNSCC. However, the response of most HNSCC patients to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) remains unsatisfactory. CD73 is a promising target for tumor immunotherapy, but its role in HNSCC remains insufficient. In this study, we aim to explore the function of CD73 in HNSCC. METHODS Transcriptomic and clinical data of TCGA-HNSC were downloaded from UCSC Xena for analysis of CD73 mRNA expression and prognosis. Immunohistochemical assay were performed to validate the expression of CD73 in tumor tissues and its relationship with CD8+ T cells. GSEA analysis was performed with the "clusterProfiler" R package. Immune infiltration analysis was calculated with ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT and MCP-counter algorithms. Single-cell transcriptomic data was originated from GSE103322. Cell clustering, annotation and CD73 expression were from the TISCH database. Correlation data between CD73 and tumor signatures were obtained from the CancerSEA database. Somatic mutation data were obtained from TCGA-HNSC and analyzed by "maftools" R package. Immune efficacy prediction was performed using TIDE algorithm and validated with the IMvigor210 cohort. RESULTS Compared with normal tissues, both mRNA and protein expressions of CD73 were elevated in tumor tissues (P = 9.7×10-10, P = 7.6×10-5, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with high expression of CD73 had worse overall survival (log-rank P = 0.0094), and CD73 could be used as a diagnostic factor for HNSCC (AUC = 0.778). Both bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq analysis showed that high CD73 expression can promote EMT and metastasis, samples with high CD73 expression had reduced CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, it was found that CD73-high group was more prone to have mutations in TP53, HRAS and CDKN2A, and were negatively correlated with TMB (P = 0.0055) and MSI (P = 0.00034). Mutational signature analysis found that CD73 was associated with APOBEC signature. Immunotherapy efficacy analysis showed that CD73-high group was less sensitive to immune efficacy. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that CD73 has an inhibitory effect on the tumor microenvironment, and is more likely to be unresponsive to ICI therapy. Collectively, targeting CD73 may provide new insights for tumor targeted therapy and/or immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Research Unit of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yafen Ye
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Institute for Diabetes, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Research Unit of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunyun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Research Unit of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Research Unit of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhao-lei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Research Unit of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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10
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Shurin GV, Vats K, Kruglov O, Bunimovich YL, Shurin MR. Tumor-Induced T Cell Polarization by Schwann Cells. Cells 2022; 11:3541. [PMID: 36428970 PMCID: PMC9688729 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nerve-cancer crosstalk resulting in either tumor neurogenesis or intratumoral neurodegeneration is critically controlled by Schwann cells, the principal glial cells of the peripheral nervous system. Though the direct stimulating effect of Schwann cells on malignant cell proliferation, motility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and the formation of metastases have been intensively investigated, the ability of Schwann cells to affect the effector and regulatory immune cells in the tumor environment is significantly less studied. Here, we demonstrated that tumor cells could stimulate Schwann cells to produce high levels of prostaglandin E, which could be blocked by COX-2 inhibitors. This effect was mediated by tumor-derived TGF-β as neutralization of this cytokine in the tumor-conditioned medium completely blocked the inducible prostaglandin E production by Schwann cells. Similar protective effects were also induced by the Schwann cell pretreatment with TGF-βR1/ALK4/5/7 and MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitors of the canonical and non-canonical TGF-β signaling pathways, respectively. Furthermore, prostaglandin E derived from tumor-activated Schwann cells blocked the proliferation of CD3/CD28-activated T cells and upregulated the expression of CD73 and PD-1 on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, suggesting T cell polarization to the exhausted phenotype. This new pathway of tumor-induced T cell inhibition via the activation of neuroglial cells represents new evidence of the importance of nerve-cancer crosstalk in controlling tumor development and progression. A better understanding of the tumor-neuro-immune axis supports the development of efficient targets for harnessing this axis and improving the efficacy of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina V. Shurin
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Kavita Vats
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Oleg Kruglov
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Yuri L. Bunimovich
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Michael R. Shurin
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Clinical Immunopathology UPMC, CLB, Room 4024, 3477 Euler Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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11
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Reprogramming T-Cell Metabolism for Better Anti-Tumor Immunity. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193103. [PMID: 36231064 PMCID: PMC9562038 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells play central roles in the anti-tumor immunity, whose activation and differentiation are profoundly regulated by intrinsic metabolic reprogramming. Emerging evidence has revealed that metabolic processes of T cells are generally altered by tumor cells or tumor released factors, leading to crippled anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, better understanding of T cell metabolic mechanism is crucial in developing the next generation of T cell-based anti-tumor immunotherapeutics. In this review, we discuss how metabolic pathways affect T cells to exert their anti-tumor effects and how to remodel the metabolic programs to improve T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses. We emphasize that glycolysis, carboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid oxidation, cholesterol metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism work together to tune tumor-reactive T-cell activation and proliferation.
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12
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Xue F, Wang T, Shi H, Feng H, Feng G, Wang R, Yao Y, Yuan H. CD73 facilitates invadopodia formation and boosts malignancy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma via the MAPK signaling pathway. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:2704-2715. [PMID: 35657703 PMCID: PMC9357645 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated adenosine generated by CD73 (ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase; NT5E) could boost immunosuppressive responses and promote immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment. However, despite the immune response, CD73 could also promote tumor progression in a variety of cancers, and the nonimmunologic role and corresponding molecular mechanism of CD73 involved in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression are not well characterized. Here, we demonstrated that CD73/NT5E is overexpressed in HNSCC tissues and predicts poor prognosis. Suppression of CD73 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNSCC cell lines (CAL27 and HN4) in vitro and in vivo. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) predicted that CD73 may be involved in invadopodia formation and MAPK signaling activation. As expected, knockdown of CD73 inhibited the MAPK signaling pathway, and the suppressive effect of CD73 knockdown on proliferation, migration, invasion, and invadopodia formation was reversed by a MAPK signaling activator. Our results suggest that CD73 could promote the proliferation, migration, invasion, and invadopodia formation of HNSCC via the MAPK signaling pathway and provide new mechanistic insights into the nonimmunological role of CD73 in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Xue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianxiao Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Shi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongjie Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guanying Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruixia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Yao
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hua Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing, China
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13
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Da M, Chen L, Enk A, Ring S, Mahnke K. The Multifaceted Actions of CD73 During Development and Suppressive Actions of Regulatory T Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:914799. [PMID: 35711418 PMCID: PMC9197450 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.914799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenosine (Ado) has been shown to have immunosuppressive effects in a variety of diseases. It can either be released directly into the extracellular environment by cells, or it can be produced by degradation of ATP within the extracellular spaces. This extracellular pathway is facilitated by the concerted actions of the ectoenzymes CD39 and CD73. In a first step CD39 dephosphorylates ATP to ADP and AMP, respectively, and in a second step CD73 converts AMP to Ado. Thus, activity of CD73 on the cell surface of cells is the rate limiting step in the generation of extracellular Ado. Among T cells, CD73 is most abundantly expressed by regulatory T cells (Tregs) and is even upregulated after their activation. Functionally, the generation of Ado by CD73+ Tregs has been shown to play a role in immune suppression of dendritic cells, monocytes and T cells, and the defined expression of CD73 by Tregs in immunosuppressive environments, such as tumors, made CD73 a novel checkpoint inhibitor. Therefore, therapeutical intervention by anti-CD73 antibodies or by chemical inhibitors of the enzymatic function is currently under investigation in some preclinical animal models. In the following we summarize the expression pattern and the possible functions of CD73 in T cells and Tregs, and exemplify novel ways to manipulate CD73 functions in Tregs to stimulate anti-tumor immunity.
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14
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Rizzo A, Massafra R, Fanizzi A, Rinaldi L, Cusmai A, Latorre A, Zaccaria GM, Ronchi M, Telegrafo M, Gadaleta-Caldarola G, Giotta F, Lorusso V, Palmiotti G. Adenosine pathway inhibitors: novel investigational agents for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:707-713. [DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2078191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Rizzo
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaella Massafra
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Fisica Sanitaria, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Annarita Fanizzi
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Fisica Sanitaria, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Lucia Rinaldi
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Cusmai
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Agnese Latorre
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Oncologia Medica, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Gian Maria Zaccaria
- Unit of Hematology and Cell Therapy, IRCCS-Istituto Tumori ‘Giovanni Paolo II’, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Ronchi
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Michele Telegrafo
- DETO, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantations, Breast Care Unit, Aldo Moro University of Bari Medical School, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Gennaro Gadaleta-Caldarola
- Medical Oncology Unit, ‘Mons. R. Dimiccoli’ Hospital, Barletta (BT), Azienda Sanitaria Locale Barletta, 76121, Italy
| | - Francesco Giotta
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Oncologia Medica, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Vito Lorusso
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Oncologia Medica, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Gennaro Palmiotti
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Viale Orazio Flacco 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
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15
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Baghbani E, Noorolyai S, Shanehbandi D, Mokhtarzadeh A, Aghebati-Maleki L, Shahgoli VK, Brunetti O, Rahmani S, Shadbad MA, Baghbanzadeh A, Silvestris N, Baradaran B. Regulation of immune responses through CD39 and CD73 in cancer: Novel checkpoints. Life Sci 2021; 282:119826. [PMID: 34265363 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has been implicated in attenuating anti-tumoral immune responses and tumor growth in various cancers. Inhibitory immune checkpoints have been introduced as the primary culprits for developing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Therefore, a better understanding of the cross-talk between inhibitory immune checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment can pave the way for introducing novel approaches for treating affected patients. Growing evidence indicates that CD39 and CD73, as novel checkpoints, can transform adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-mediated pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment into an adenosine-mediated immunosuppressive one via the purinergic signaling pathway. Indeed, enzymatic processes of CD39 and CD73 have crucial roles in adjusting the extent, intensity, and chemical properties of purinergic signals. This study aims to review the biological function of CD39 and CD73 and shed light on their significance in regulating anti-tumoral immune responses in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Baghbani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeed Noorolyai
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Dariush Shanehbandi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Vahid Khaze Shahgoli
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Cancer and Inflammation Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Oronzo Brunetti
- Medical Oncology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy
| | - Shima Rahmani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Abdoli Shadbad
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Baghbanzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- IRCCS Bari, Italy, Medical Oncology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" of Bari, Bari, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology DIMO, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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16
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Kepp O, Bezu L, Yamazaki T, Di Virgilio F, Smyth MJ, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. ATP and cancer immunosurveillance. EMBO J 2021; 40:e108130. [PMID: 34121201 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) occupies a key position in the bioenergetic metabolism of all the cellular compartments that form the tumor microenvironment (TME), extracellular ATP operates as a potent signal transducer. The net effects of purinergic signaling on the biology of the TME depend not only on the specific receptors and cell types involved, but also on the activation status of cis- and trans-regulatory circuitries. As an additional layer of complexity, extracellular ATP is rapidly catabolized by ectonucleotidases, culminating in the accumulation of metabolites that mediate distinct biological effects. Here, we discuss the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which ATP and its degradation products influence cancer immunosurveillance, with a focus on therapeutically targetable circuitries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Kepp
- Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U1138, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France
| | - Lucillia Bezu
- Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U1138, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France
| | - Takahiro Yamazaki
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Mark J Smyth
- Immunology in Cancer and Infection Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U1138, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Suzhou Institute for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Université de Paris, Paris, France
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17
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Cheng H, Ma K, Zhang L, Li G. The tumor microenvironment shapes the molecular characteristics of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Cancer Lett 2021; 506:55-66. [PMID: 33662493 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The persistent antigen stimulation during chronic infections and cancer results in CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The exhausted T (Tex) cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are characterized by increased expression of multiple co-inhibitory receptors simultaneously, progressive loss of effector function, poor proliferation and self-renewal capacity, and dysregulated metabolic activity. Emerging insights into molecular mechanisms underlying T cell exhaustion have proposed potential approaches to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy via restoring the effector function of Tex cells. In this review, we summarize the fundamental characteristics (e.g., inhibitory receptors and transcriptional factors) regarding Tex cell differentiation and discuss in particular how those exhaustion features are acquired and shaped by key factors within the TME. Additionally, we discuss the progress and limitations of current cancer immunotherapeutic strategies targeting Tex cells in clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Cheng
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kaili Ma
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China
| | - Lianjun Zhang
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China.
| | - Guideng Li
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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18
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Tumor microenvironment and immune-related therapies of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2021; 20:342-351. [PMID: 33614915 PMCID: PMC7878981 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are a type of common malignant tumor, mainly manifesting as oropharyngeal, oral cavity, laryngopharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers. These highly aggressive malignant tumors reportedly affect more than 830,000 patients worldwide every year. Currently, the main treatments for HNSCC include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, as well as combination therapy. However, the overall 5-year survival rate of HNSCC has remained 50%, and it has not significantly improved in the past 10 years. Previous studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in the recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance of patients with HNSCC. In this review, we summarize the role of anti-tumor and pro-tumor immune cells, as well as extracellular components in the TME of HNSCC. We also discuss classical HNSCC immunotherapy and highlight examples of clinical trials using CTLA-4 inhibitors and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-related combination therapies. We also outline some molecules in the TME known to regulate immunosuppressive cells. Furthermore, the role and underlying mechanism of radiation therapy on the TME, immune cells, and immune response are discussed.
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19
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Kågedal Å, Hjalmarsson E, Farrajota Neves da Silva P, Piersiala K, Georén SK, Margolin G, Munck-Wikland E, Winqvist O, Häyry V, Cardell LO. Activation of T helper cells in sentinel node predicts poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22352. [PMID: 33339891 PMCID: PMC7749121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79273-3] [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: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrence in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) significantly reduces overall survival. Improved understanding of the host’s immune status in head and neck cancer may facilitate identification of patients at higher risk of recurrence and improve patients’ selection for ongoing clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI). We aimed to investigate Sentinel Node-derived T-cells and their impact on survival. We enrolled prospectively 28 OSCC patients treated at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden with primary tumour excision and elective neck dissection. On top of the standard treatment, the enrolled patients underwent sentinel node procedure. T cells derived from Sentinel nodes, non-sentinel nodes, primary tumour and PBMC were analyzed in flow cytometry. Patients who developed recurrence proved to have significantly lower level of CD4+ CD69+ in their sentinel node (31.38 ± 6.019% vs. 43.44 ± 15.33%, p = 0.0103) and significantly higher level of CD8+ CD HLA-DR+ (38.95 ± 9.479% vs. 24.58 ± 11.36%, p = 0.0116) compared to disease-free individuals. Survival analysis of studied population revealed that patients with low proportion of CD4+ CD69+ had significantly decreased disease-free survival (DFS) of 19.7 months (95% CI 12.6–26.9) compared with 42.6 months (95% CI 40.1–45.1) in those with high CD4+ CD69+ proportion in their Sentinel Nodes (log-rank test, p = 0.033). Our findings demonstrate that characterization of T-cell activation in Sentinel Node serves as a complementary prognostic marker. Flow cytometry of Sentinel Node may be useful in both patients’ surveillance and selection for ongoing CPI clinical trials in head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åsa Kågedal
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eric Hjalmarsson
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Krzysztof Piersiala
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susanna Kumlien Georén
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gregori Margolin
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Munck-Wikland
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ola Winqvist
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valtteri Häyry
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Olaf Cardell
- Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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20
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Abstract
Exhausted T cells are a group of dysfunctional T cells, which are present in chronic infections or tumors. The most significant characteristics of exhausted T cells are attenuated effector cytotoxicity, reduced cytokine production, and upregulation of multiple inhibitory molecular receptors (e.g., PD-1, TIM-3, and LAG-3). The intracellular metabolic changes, altered expression of transcription factors, and a unique epigenetic landscape constitute the exhaustion program. Recently, researchers have made progress in understanding exhausted T cells, with the definition and identification of exhausted T cells changing from phenotype-based to being classified at the transcriptional and epigenetic levels. Recent studies have revealed that exhausted T cells can be separated into two subgroups, namely TCF1+PD-1+ progenitor-like precursor exhausted cells and TCF1-PD-1+ terminally differentiated exhausted T cells. Moreover, the progenitor-like precursor cell population may be a subset of T cells that can respond to immunotherapy. Studies have also found that TOX initiates and dominates the development of exhausted T cells at the transcriptional and epigenetic levels. TOX also maintains T cell survival and may affect decisions regarding treatment strategies. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in T cell exhaustion in regards to definitions, subpopulations, development mechanisms, differences in diverse diseases, and treatment prospects for exhausted T cells. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the epigenetic state regulated by TOX might be the key point, which can determine the reversibility of exhaustion and the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing Zeng
- Department of Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Feng Wei
- Department of Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Xiubao Ren
- Department of Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China.,Department of Biotherapy Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
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21
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Roh M, Wainwright DA, Wu JD, Wan Y, Zhang B. Targeting CD73 to augment cancer immunotherapy. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2020; 53:66-76. [PMID: 32777746 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
CD73 (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) is a novel immunoinhibitory protein that plays a key role for tumor growth and metastasis. Its main function is to convert extracellular ATP to immunosuppressive adenosine in concert with CD39 in normal tissues to limit excessive immune response. However, tumors take advantage of the CD73-mediated adenosinergic mechanism to protect them from immune attack. In particular, inducible expression of CD73 along with other adenosinergic molecules on both cancer cells and host cells sustains immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by affecting multiple aspects of the immune response. Owing to its multifaceted capacity to tumor promotion as an emerging immune checkpoint, CD73 is an ideal therapeutic target for cancer treatment especially in combination with conventional therapy and/or other immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we will discuss the roles of CD73 on tumor and immune cells and will highlight the therapeutic value of CD73 for combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meejeon Roh
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine-Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Derek A Wainwright
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jennifer D Wu
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yong Wan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine-Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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22
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Turner RJ, Geraghty NJ, Williams JG, Ly D, Brungs D, Carolan MG, Guy TV, Watson D, de Leon JF, Sluyter R. Comparison of peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation techniques and the impact of cryopreservation on human lymphocytes expressing CD39 and CD73. Purinergic Signal 2020; 16:389-401. [PMID: 32754836 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-020-09714-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CD39 and CD73 are ecto-nucleotidases present on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and are emerging biomarkers on these cells in various disorders including cancer. Many factors influence PBMC quality, so it is essential to validate sample processing methods prior to incorporation in clinical studies. This study examined the impact of both PBMC cryopreservation and PBMC isolation using SepMate density gradient centrifugation on CD39 and CD73 expressing subsets. First, PBMCs were isolated from the peripheral blood of 11 healthy donors by routine Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation, cryopreserved and compared with freshly isolated PBMCs by flow cytometry. The proportions of T and B cells expressing combinations of CD39 and CD73 were relatively stable over 6-month cryopreservation, although some T cell combinations revealed small but significant changes. Second, peripheral blood was collected from six healthy donors to compare PBMCs isolated by SepMate or Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation. Compared with Ficoll-Paque, the more rapid SepMate method yielded 9.1% less PBMCs but did not alter cell viability or proportions of T and B cells expressing combinations of CD39 and CD73. The present study reveals that cryopreservation is suitable for studying T and B cells expressing combinations of CD39 and CD73. However, caution should be exercised when observing small differences in these cryopreserved subsets between different cohorts. Further, SepMate and Ficoll-Paque methods of PBMC isolation show similar results for T and B cell subset analysis; however, SepMate is a faster and easier approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross J Turner
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,CONCERT - Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Geraghty
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Jonathan G Williams
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Diane Ly
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Daniel Brungs
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,CONCERT - Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia.,Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia
| | - Martin G Carolan
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,CONCERT - Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia.,Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia
| | - Thomas V Guy
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Debbie Watson
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.,CONCERT - Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia
| | - Jeremiah F de Leon
- Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia.,GenesisCare, St Vincent's Clinic, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Ronald Sluyter
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. .,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. .,CONCERT - Centre for Oncology Education and Research Translation, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia.
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23
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Tahkola K, Ahtiainen M, Kellokumpu I, Mecklin JP, Laukkarinen J, Laakkonen J, Kenessey I, Jalkanen S, Salmi M, Böhm J. Prognostic impact of CD73 expression and its relationship to PD-L1 in patients with radically treated pancreatic cancer. Virchows Arch 2020; 478:209-217. [PMID: 32676968 PMCID: PMC7969575 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-020-02888-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Immune suppressing molecule CD73 is overexpressed in various cancers and associated with poor survival. Little is so far known about the predictive value of CD73 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of CD73 in PDAC. The study material consisted of 110 radically treated patients for PDAC. Tissue microarray blocks were constructed and stained immunohistochemically using CD73 antibody. Staining intensity and numbers of stained tumour cells, inflammatory cells, stroma, and blood vessels were assessed. High-level CD73 expression in tumour cells was positively associated with PD-L1 expression, perineural invasion, and histopathological grade. CD73 positivity in tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis. Lymphocytic CD73 positivity was also associated with staining positivity in both stroma and vascular structures. In addition, CD73 positivity in vascular structures and stroma were associated with each other. There were no significant associations between CD73 positive tumour cells and CD73 positivity in any other cell types. PD-L1 expression was associated with CD73 staining positivity in stroma (p = 0.007) and also with histopathological grade (p = 0.033) and T class (p = 0.016) of the primary tumour. CD73 positivity in tumour cells was significantly associated with poor disease-specific (p = 0.021) and overall survival (p = 0.016). In multivariate analysis, CD73 positivity in tumour cells was an independent negative prognostic factor together with histopathological grade, TNM stage, and low immune cell score. In conclusion, high CD73 expression in tumour cells is associated with poor survival in PDAC independently of the number of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes or TNM stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyösti Tahkola
- Department of Surgery, Central Finland Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, 40620, Jyväskylä, Finland. .,Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Maarit Ahtiainen
- Department of Education and Research, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ilmo Kellokumpu
- Department of Surgery, Central Finland Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, 40620, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jukka-Pekka Mecklin
- Department of Surgery, Central Finland Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, 40620, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Sport &Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Johanna Laukkarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Joni Laakkonen
- MediCity Research Laboratory and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Istvan Kenessey
- MediCity Research Laboratory and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Sirpa Jalkanen
- MediCity Research Laboratory and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Marko Salmi
- MediCity Research Laboratory and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jan Böhm
- Department of Pathology, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
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24
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Panigrahi S, Bazdar DA, Albakri M, Ferrari B, Antonelli CJ, Freeman ML, Dubyak G, Zender C, Sieg SF. CD8 + CD73 + T cells in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck cancer patients are linked to diminished T cell infiltration and activation in tumor tissue. Eur J Immunol 2020; 50:2055-2066. [PMID: 32548862 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have implicated a role for adenosine-dependent immunosuppression in head and neck tumor microenvironments. We describe expression of CD73, an enzyme critical to the generation of adenosine from extracellular AMP, in T cells and other cell types within human head and neck tumors. Flow cytometric analyses of tumor-infiltrating cells indicate that CD3+ cells are the predominant source of CD73 among immune infiltrating cells and that CD73 expression, especially among CD8+ T cells, is inversely related to indices of T cell infiltration and T cell activation in the microenvironment of head and neck tumors. We provide evidence that CD73 expression on peripheral T cells and levels of soluble CD73 in circulation are correlated with CD73 expression on CD8+ T cells in tumors. Moreover, fluorescent microscopy studies reveal that CD8+ CD73+ cells are observed in close proximity to tumor cells as well as in surrounding tissue. In vitro studies with peripheral blood T cells indicate that anti-CD3-stimulation causes loss of CD73 expression, especially among cells that undergo proliferation and that exogenous AMP can impair T cell proliferation, while sustaining CD73 expression. These data suggest that CD8+ CD73+ T cells may be especially important mediators of immunosuppression in human head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Panigrahi
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Douglas A Bazdar
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Marwah Albakri
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.,Taibah University, KSA, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology
| | - Brian Ferrari
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Christopher J Antonelli
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael L Freeman
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - George Dubyak
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Chad Zender
- MED-Otolaryngology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Scott F Sieg
- Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
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25
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Shevchenko I, Mathes A, Groth C, Karakhanova S, Müller V, Utikal J, Werner J, Bazhin AV, Umansky V. Enhanced expression of CD39 and CD73 on T cells in the regulation of anti-tumor immune responses. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1744946. [PMID: 33457090 PMCID: PMC7790505 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1744946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis of extracellular adenosine by the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 represents an important pathway of immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Using two mouse models (RET transgenic melanoma and Panc02 orthotopic pancreatic adenocarcinoma), we identified an elevated frequency of ectonucleotidase-expressing T cells in tumors and spleens. Importantly, these ectonucleotidase-positive T cells also showed a pronounced expression of PD-1. Conversely, the PD-1+ T cell subsets in tumors contained substantially larger proportions of ectonucleotidase-expressing cells compared to their counterparts lacking PD-1 expression. Our in vitro experiments showed that the activation of normal T cells resulted in an increase in the CD39 expression. CD39+ and CD73+ T cells displayed effector or memory phenotypes and produced IFN-γ, thereby linking ectonucleotidase expression to T cell effector functions. An accumulation of conventional and regulatory T cells expressing CD39 and/or CD73 was also detected in the peripheral blood of patients with melanoma and pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we demonstrated a significant association between low frequencies of circulating CD73+CD8+ T cells and CD73+CD4+ regulatory T cells and better overall survival of melanoma patients. Tumor-derived soluble factors (in particular, TGF-β) significantly enhanced the frequencies of ectonucleotidase-expressing cells in mice. Our findings suggest that the upregulation of ectonucleotidase expression in T cells promotes extracellular adenosine accumulation and represents an important mechanism of homeostatic immune auto-regulation, which could be hijacked by tumors to evade anti-cancer immunity. Targeting CD39 and CD73 can open new avenues for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Shevchenko
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of General Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Mathes
- Department of General Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Sana Klinikum Offenbach, Offenbach, Germany
| | - Christopher Groth
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Verena Müller
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jens Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Viktor Umansky
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Dermato-Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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26
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Capone M, Fratangelo F, Giannarelli D, Sorrentino C, Turiello R, Zanotta S, Galati D, Madonna G, Tuffanelli M, Scarpato L, Grimaldi AM, Esposito A, Azzaro R, Pinto A, Cavalcanti E, Pinto A, Morello S, Ascierto PA. Frequency of circulating CD8+CD73+T cells is associated with survival in nivolumab-treated melanoma patients. J Transl Med 2020; 18:121. [PMID: 32160899 PMCID: PMC7065327 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02285-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PD-1 blocking agents, such as nivolumab, have demonstrated clear anti-tumor effects and clinical benefits in a subset of patients with advanced malignancies. Nonetheless, more efforts are needed to identify reliable biomarkers for outcome, to correctly select patients who will benefit from anti-PD-1 treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of peripheral CD8+T cells expressing CD73, involved in the generation of the immune suppressive molecule adenosine, in predicting outcome after nivolumab treatment in advanced melanoma patients. METHODS PBMCs from 100 melanoma patients treated with nivolumab were collected at National Cancer Institute "G. Pascale" of Naples. Frequencies of CD8+ lymphocytes phenotypes were assessed by flow cytometry at baseline before nivolumab treatment, along with clinical characteristics and blood count parameters. Healthy controls (n = 20) were also analysed. Percentages of baseline T cells expressing PD-1 and CD73 were correlated with outcome after nivolumab treatment. RESULTS Melanoma patients presented a lower frequency of total circulating CD8+ lymphocytes than control subjects (p = 0.008). Patients with low baseline percentage of circulating CD8+PD-1+CD73+ lymphocytes (< 2.3%) had better survival (22.4 months vs 6.9 months, p = 0.001). Patients (39%) with clinical benefit from nivolumab therapy presented a significantly lower frequency of circulating CD8+PD-1+CD73+ lymphocytes than patients who progressed to nivolumab treatment (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Our observations suggest that baseline CD73 expression on circulating CD8+PD-1+ lymphocytes appear a promising biomarker of response to anti-PD-1 treatment in melanoma patients. Further investigations are needed for validation and for clarifying its role as prognostic or predictive marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariaelena Capone
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Claudia Sorrentino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA Italy
- Present Address: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Roberta Turiello
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA Italy
- PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Serena Zanotta
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Galati
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriele Madonna
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Scarpato
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Assunta Esposito
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Azzaro
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Pinto
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Ernesta Cavalcanti
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Aldo Pinto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA Italy
| | - Silvana Morello
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA Italy
| | - Paolo A. Ascierto
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS - Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
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27
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Zhuang Y, Liu C, Liu J, Li G. Resistance Mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade in the Cancer-Immunity Cycle. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:83-94. [PMID: 32021257 PMCID: PMC6954840 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s239398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade has become a very promising therapy with significant clinical benefits for multiple tumor types. However, some patients still do not respond sufficiently to PD-1/PD-L1 targeted monotherapy. Therefore, investigating the mechanism of PD-1 blockade resistance will assist in exploring new immunotherapy strategies, controlling the progress of the disease, and thus bringing more sustainable survival benefits to patients. The tumor-immune cycle is divided into the following seven steps: the release of cancer antigens, cancer antigen presentation, priming and activation, trafficking of T cells to tumors, infiltration of T cells into tumors, recognition of cancer cells by T cells, and killing of cancer cells. Given that PD-1/PD-L1 blockade is primarily involved in step 7, any abnormalities in the previous steps may affect the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and lead to drug resistance. This review discussed the resistance mechanisms of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in each cancer-immunity step to finding a more suitable treatment population and an optimized combination therapy to exert immunotherapy in tumor treatment to a greater extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhuang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaqing Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Guang Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
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28
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Kok VC. Current Understanding of the Mechanisms Underlying Immune Evasion From PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Head and Neck Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:268. [PMID: 32185135 PMCID: PMC7058818 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Starting in 2014, large phase III clinical trials began to disclose the study results of using programmed death (PD)-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) and PD-ligand (L)1 (atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab) ICIs immunotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the recurrent and metastatic (R/M), cisplatin-refractory setting, nivolumab achieved a 2.2-fold increase of the median 1-year overall survival as compared with investigators' choice of salvage chemotherapy (36.0 vs. 16.6%). A paradigm shift to the winning regimen, pembrolizumab combined with platinum and infusional fluorouracil, has outperformed the past gold standard of cetuximab-based platinum and fluorouracil combination in terms of overall survival (median, 13.6 vs. 10.1 mo) when administered as the first-line treatment for R/M HNSCC. Nevertheless, many patients still did not respond to the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor treatment, indicating innate, adapted, or quickly acquired resistance to the immunotherapy. The mechanisms of resistance to ICIs targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway in the context of HNSCC are the focus of this review. The past 5 years have seen improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying checkpoint inhibition resistance in tumor cells, such as: tumor cell adaption with malfunction of the antigen-presenting machinery via class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA), reintroduction of cyclin D-cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 complex to cell cycles, enrichment of CD44+ cancer stem-like cells, or development of inactivating mutation in IKZF1 gene; impairment of T-cell functions and proliferation through mutations in the interferon-γ-regulating genes, suppression of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, or resulted from constitutional nutritional iron deficiency state; metabolic reprogramming by cancer cells with changes in metabolites such as GTP cyclohydrolase 1, tetrahydrobiopterin, kynurenine, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, and arginase 1; defective dendritic cells, CD-69 sufficient state; and the upregulation or activation of the alternative immune checkpoints, including lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG3), T-cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT)/CD155 pathway, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3), and V domain-containing Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA). Several potential biomarkers or biosignatures, which could predict the response or resistance to the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint immunotherapy, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor C. Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kuang Tien General Hospital Cancer Center, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University Taiwan, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Victor C. Kok
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29
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de Leve S, Wirsdörfer F, Jendrossek V. The CD73/Ado System-A New Player in RT Induced Adverse Late Effects. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101578. [PMID: 31623231 PMCID: PMC6827091 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is a central component of standard treatment for many cancer patients. RT alone or in multimodal treatment strategies has a documented contribution to enhanced local control and overall survival of cancer patients, and cancer cure. Clinical RT aims at maximizing tumor control, while minimizing the risk for RT-induced adverse late effects. However, acute and late toxicities of IR in normal tissues are still important biological barriers to successful RT: While curative RT may not be tolerable, sub-optimal tolerable RT doses will lead to fatal outcomes by local recurrence or metastatic disease, even when accepting adverse normal tissue effects that decrease the quality of life of irradiated cancer patients. Technical improvements in treatment planning and the increasing use of particle therapy have allowed for a more accurate delivery of IR to the tumor volume and have thereby helped to improve the safety profile of RT for many solid tumors. With these technical and physical strategies reaching their natural limits, current research for improving the therapeutic gain of RT focuses on innovative biological concepts that either selectively limit the adverse effects of RT in normal tissues without protecting the tumor or specifically increase the radiosensitivity of the tumor tissue without enhancing the risk of normal tissue complications. The biology-based optimization of RT requires the identification of biological factors that are linked to differential radiosensitivity of normal or tumor tissues, and are amenable to therapeutic targeting. Extracellular adenosine is an endogenous mediator critical to the maintenance of homeostasis in various tissues. Adenosine is either released from stressed or injured cells or generated from extracellular adenine nucleotides by the concerted action of the ectoenzymes ectoapyrase (CD39) and 5′ ectonucleotidase (NT5E, CD73) that catabolize ATP to adenosine. Recent work revealed a role of the immunoregulatory CD73/adenosine system in radiation-induced fibrotic disease in normal tissues suggesting a potential use as novel therapeutic target for normal tissue protection. The present review summarizes relevant findings on the pathologic roles of CD73 and adenosine in radiation-induced fibrosis in different organs (lung, skin, gut, and kidney) that have been obtained in preclinical models and proposes a refined model of radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity including the disease-promoting effects of radiation-induced activation of CD73/adenosine signaling in the irradiated tissue environment. However, expression and activity of the CD73/adenosine system in the tumor environment has also been linked to increased tumor growth and tumor immune escape, at least in preclinical models. Therefore, we will discuss the use of pharmacologic inhibition of CD73/adenosine-signaling as a promising strategy for improving the therapeutic gain of RT by targeting both, malignant tumor growth and adverse late effects of RT with a focus on fibrotic disease. The consideration of the therapeutic window is particularly important in view of the increasing use of RT in combination with various molecularly targeted agents and immunotherapy to enhance the tumor radiation response, as such combinations may result in increased or novel toxicities, as well as the increasing number of cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone de Leve
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany.
| | - Florian Wirsdörfer
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany.
| | - Verena Jendrossek
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany.
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30
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Manipulating the tumor microenvironment by adoptive cell transfer of CAR T-cells. Mamm Genome 2018; 29:739-756. [PMID: 29987406 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-018-9756-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
T-cells expressing synthetic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have revolutionized immuno-oncology and highlighted the use of adoptive cell transfer, for the treatment of cancer. The phenomenal clinical success obtained in the treatment of hematological malignancies with CAR T-cells has not been reproduced in the treatment of solid tumors, mainly due to the suppressive and hostile tumor microenvironment (TME). This review will address the immunosuppressive features of the TME, which include the stroma, cytokine and chemokine milieu, suppressive regulatory cells and hypoxic conditions, which can all pose formidable barriers for the effective anti-tumor function of CAR T-cells. Some of the novel next generation CARs that have been developed and tested against the TME, will be discussed, to highlight the status of current research in CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors.
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