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Alarcon NO, Jaramillo M, Mansour HM, Sun B. Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines—Antigen Discovery and Adjuvant Delivery Platforms. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071448. [PMID: 35890342 PMCID: PMC9325128 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, vaccines have played a significant role in protecting public and personal health against infectious diseases and proved their great potential in battling cancers as well. This review focused on the current progress of therapeutic subunit vaccines for cancer immunotherapy. Antigens and adjuvants are key components of vaccine formulations. We summarized several classes of tumor antigens and bioinformatic approaches of identification of tumor neoantigens. Pattern recognition receptor (PRR)-targeting adjuvants and their targeted delivery platforms have been extensively discussed. In addition, we emphasized the interplay between multiple adjuvants and their combined delivery for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neftali Ortega Alarcon
- Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (N.O.A.); (M.J.); (H.M.M.)
| | - Maddy Jaramillo
- Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (N.O.A.); (M.J.); (H.M.M.)
| | - Heidi M. Mansour
- Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (N.O.A.); (M.J.); (H.M.M.)
- The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
- BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Bo Sun
- Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (N.O.A.); (M.J.); (H.M.M.)
- The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-520-621-6420
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Schuhmacher J, Heidu S, Balchen T, Richardson JR, Schmeltz C, Sonne J, Schweiker J, Rammensee HG, Thor Straten P, Røder MA, Brasso K, Gouttefangeas C. Vaccination against RhoC induces long-lasting immune responses in patients with prostate cancer: results from a phase I/II clinical trial. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-001157. [PMID: 33184050 PMCID: PMC7662471 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Peptide-based vaccination is a rational option for immunotherapy of prostate cancer. In this first-in-man phase I/II study, we assessed the safety, tolerability and immunological impact of a synthetic long peptide vaccine targeting Ras homolog gene family member C (RhoC) in patients with prostate cancer. RhoC is a small GTPase overexpressed in advanced solid cancers, metastases and cancer stem cells. Methods Twenty-two patients who had previously undergone radical prostatectomy received subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg of a single RhoC-derived 20mer peptide emulsified in Montanide ISA-51 every 2 weeks for the first six times, then five times every 4 weeks for a total treatment time of 30 weeks. The drug safety and vaccine-specific immune responses were assessed during treatment and thereafter within a 13-month follow-up period. Serum level of prostate-specific antigen was measured up to 26 months postvaccination. Results Most patients (18 of 21 evaluable) developed a strong CD4 T cell response against the vaccine, which lasted at least 10 months following the last vaccination. Three promiscuouslypresented HLA-class II epitopes were identified. Vaccine-specific CD4 T cells were polyfunctional and effector memory T cells that stably expressed PD-1 (CD279) and OX-40 (CD134), but not LAG-3 (CD223). One CD8 T cell response was detected in addition. The vaccine was well tolerated and no treatment-related adverse events of grade ≥3 were observed. Conclusion Targeting of RhoC induced a potent and long-lasting T cell immunity in the majority of the patients. The study demonstrates an excellent safety and tolerability profile. Vaccination against RhoC could potentially delay or prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis formation. Trial registration number NCT03199872.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Schuhmacher
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tubingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sonja Heidu
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tubingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Jennifer Rebecca Richardson
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tubingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Jesper Sonne
- Zelo Phase I Unit, DanTrials ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Schweiker
- Department of Oncology, Haematology, Immunology, Rheumatology and Pulmonology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tubingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Per Thor Straten
- Department of Oncology, Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), University Hospital Herlev & Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Andreas Røder
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen Prostate Cancer Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus Brasso
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen Prostate Cancer Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cécile Gouttefangeas
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tubingen, Germany .,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Xiao B, Liu L, Chen Z, Li A, Wang P, Xiang C, Zeng Y, Li H, Xiao T. Identification of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Related Prognostic lncRNAs Biomarkers Associated With Melanoma Microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:679133. [PMID: 34136488 PMCID: PMC8201078 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.679133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most common cancer of the skin, associated with a worse prognosis and distant metastasis. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a reversible cellular biological process that plays significant roles in diverse tumor functions, and it is modulated by specific genes and transcription factors. The relevance of EMT-related lncRNAs in melanoma has not been determined. Therefore, RNA expression data and clinical features were collected from the TCGA database (N = 447). Melanoma samples were randomly assigned into the training (315) and testing sets (132). An EMT-related lncRNA signature was constructed via comprehensive analyses of lncRNA expression level and corresponding clinical data. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences in overall survival in patients with melanoma in the low and high-risk groups in two sets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to measure the performance of the model. Cox regression analysis indicated that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor in two sets. Besides, a nomogram was constructed based on the independent variables. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was applied to evaluate the potential biological functions in the two risk groups. Furthermore, the melanoma microenvironment was evaluated using ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms in the risk groups. This study indicates that EMT-related lncRNAs can function as potential independent prognostic biomarkers for melanoma survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Xiao
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Liyan Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Zhuoyuan Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Aoyu Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Pingxiao Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Cheng Xiang
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Yi Zeng
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Tao Xiao
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Orthopedic Biomedical Materials Engineering Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
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Knockdown of RhoC Inhibits Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Invasion and Metastasis via Regulation of HMGA2. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:6644077. [PMID: 33519932 PMCID: PMC7817318 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6644077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ras homolog family member C (RhoC) is an important component of intracellular signal transduction and its overexpression has been reported to be involved in regulating tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in various malignant tumors. However, its role and underlying mechanism in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) still remain obscure. In our study, RhoC expression, its relation with clinical stages, and survival rate in OSCC were analyzed using datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Next, a RhoC knockdown cell model was established in vitro, and the effects of RhoC knockdown in OSCC cells were detected by the MTT assay, colony formation assay, transwell invasion assay, scratch assay, and F-actin phalloidin staining. An in vivo tongue-xenografted nude mouse model was established to measure the effects of knockdown of RhoC on tumor cell growth and lymph node metastasis. A mechanism study was conducted by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. The results of TCGA analysis showed that RhoC was overexpressed in OSCC tumor tissues. In vitro assays indicated that knockdown of RhoC did not have much effect on OSCC cell growth but significantly suppressed cell colony formation, invasion, and migration abilities, and F-actin polymerization was also reduced. The tongue-xenografted in vivo model demonstrated that knockdown of RhoC suppressed OSCC cell growth and inhibited metastasis to the superficial cervical lymph nodes. Further mechanism studies showed that knockdown of RhoC downregulated HMGA2 expression, and HMGA2 expression was highly correlated with RhoC expression in OSCC tumor tissues via the analysis of TCGA datasets. Overall, our study showed that knockdown of RhoC inhibited OSCC cells invasion and migration in vitro and OSCC cell growth and lymph node metastasis in vivo. Moreover, the potential mechanisms involved in these activities may be related to the regulation of HMGA2 expression. The RhoC gene could serve as a promising therapeutic target for OSCCs in the future.
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Guo Y, Wang J, Zhou K, Lv J, Wang L, Gao S, Keller ET, Zhang ZS, Wang Q, Yao Z. Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 promotes bladder cancer angiogenesis through activating RhoC. FASEB J 2020; 34:7927-7940. [PMID: 32314833 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201903266rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), a leading cause of urinary tract infections, is associated with prostate and bladder cancers. Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) is a key UPEC toxin; however, its role in bladder cancer is unknown. In the present study, we found CNF1 induced bladder cancer cells to secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) through activating Ras homolog family member C (RhoC), leading to subsequent angiogenesis in the bladder cancer microenvironment. We then investigated that CNF1-mediated RhoC activation modulated the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) to upregulate the VEGF. We demonstrated in vitro that active RhoC increased heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) phosphorylation, which induced the heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) expression, leading to stabilization of HIF1α. Active RhoC elevated HSP90α, HIF1α, VEGF expression, and angiogenesis in the human bladder cancer xenografts. In addition, HSP90α, HIF1α, and VEGF expression were also found positively correlated with the human bladder cancer development. These results provide a potential mechanism through which UPEC contributes to bladder cancer progression, and may provide potential therapeutic targets for bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxiu Guo
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kaichen Zhou
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Junqiang Lv
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Evan T Keller
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zhi-Song Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Quan Wang
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhi Yao
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Eriksson J, Le Joncour V, Jahkola T, Juteau S, Laakkonen P, Saksela O, Hölttä E. Prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 1 (P4HA1) is a biomarker of poor prognosis in primary melanomas, and its depletion inhibits melanoma cell invasion and disrupts tumor blood vessel walls. Mol Oncol 2020; 14:742-762. [PMID: 32053263 PMCID: PMC7138405 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is an unpredictable, highly metastatic malignancy, and treatment of advanced melanoma remains challenging. Novel molecular markers based on the alterations in gene expression and the molecular pathways activated or deactivated during melanoma progression are needed for predicting the course of the disease already in primary tumors and for providing new targets for therapy. Here, we sought to identify genes whose expression in primary melanomas correlate with patient disease‐specific survival using global gene expression profiling. Many of the identified potential markers of poor prognosis were associated with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix formation, and angiogenesis. We studied further the significance of one of the genes, prolyl 4‐hydroxylase subunit alpha 1 (P4HA1), in melanoma progression. P4HA1 depletion in melanoma cells reduced cell adhesion, invasion, and viability in vitro. In melanoma xenograft assays, we found that P4HA1 knockdown reduced melanoma tumor invasion as well as the deposition of collagens, particularly type IV collagen, in the interstitial extracellular matrix and in the basement membranes of tumor blood vessels, leading to vessel wall rupture and hemorrhages. Further, P4HA1 knockdown reduced the secretion of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), an important mediator of melanoma cell migration and invasion, in vitro and its deposition around tumor blood vessels in vivo. Taken together, P4HA1 is an interesting potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in primary melanomas, influencing many aspects of melanoma tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vadim Le Joncour
- Faculty of Medicine, Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Jahkola
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | - Susanna Juteau
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | - Pirjo Laakkonen
- Faculty of Medicine, Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, University of Helsinki, Finland.,Laboratory Animal Center, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Saksela
- Department of Dermatology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
| | - Erkki Hölttä
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Thomas P, Pranatharthi A, Ross C, Srivastava S. RhoC: a fascinating journey from a cytoskeletal organizer to a Cancer stem cell therapeutic target. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:328. [PMID: 31340863 PMCID: PMC6651989 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1327-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity results in differential response to therapy due to the existence of plastic tumor cells, called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which exhibit the property of resistance to therapy, invasion and metastasis. These cells have a distinct, signaling network active at every stage of progression. It is difficult to envisage that the CSCs will have a unique set of signaling pathways regulating every stage of disease progression. Rather, it would be easier to believe that a single pivotal pathway having significant contribution at every stage, which can further turn on a battery of signaling mechanisms specific to that stage, would be instrumental in regulating the signaling network, enabling easy transition from one state to another. In this context, we discuss the role of RhoC which has contributed to several phenotypes during tumor progression. RhoC (Ras homolog gene family member C) has been widely reported to regulate actin organization. It has been shown to impact the motility of cancer cells, resultantly affecting invasion and metastasis, and has contributed to carcinoma progression of the breast, pancreas, lung, ovaries and cervix, among several others. The most interesting finding has been its indispensable role in metastasis. Also, it has the ability to modulate various other phenotypes like angiogenesis, motility, invasion, metastasis, and anoikis resistance. These observations suggest that RhoC imparts the plasticity required by tumor cells to exhibit such diverse functions based on microenvironmental cues. This was further confirmed by recent reports which show that it regulates cancer stem cells in breast, ovary and head and neck cancers. Studies also suggest that the inhibition of RhoC results in abolition of advanced tumor phenotypes. Our review throws light on how RhoC, which is capable of modulating various phenotypes may be the apt core signaling candidate regulating disease progression. Additionally, mice studies show that RhoC is not essential for embryogenesis, giving scope for its development as a possible therapeutic target. This review thus stresses on the need to understand the protein and its functioning in greater detail to enable its development as a stem cell marker and a possible therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavana Thomas
- Translational and Molecular Biology Laboratory (TMBL), St. John's Research Institute (SJRI), Bangalore, 560034, India.,School of Integrative Health Sciences, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bangalore, 560064, India
| | - Annapurna Pranatharthi
- Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bangalore, 560041, India.,National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, 560065, India.,Translational and Molecular Biology Laboratory (TMBL), Department of Medicine, St. John's Medical College Hospital (SJMCH), Bangalore, 560034, India
| | - Cecil Ross
- Translational and Molecular Biology Laboratory (TMBL), Department of Medicine, St. John's Medical College Hospital (SJMCH), Bangalore, 560034, India
| | - Sweta Srivastava
- Translational and Molecular Biology Laboratory (TMBL), Department of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, St. John's Medical College Hospital (SJMCH), Bangalore, 560034, India.
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Brunet LR, Hagemann T, Andrew G, Mudan S, Marabelle A. Have lessons from past failures brought us closer to the success of immunotherapy in metastatic pancreatic cancer? Oncoimmunology 2015; 5:e1112942. [PMID: 27141395 PMCID: PMC4839322 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2015.1112942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is extremely resistant to chemo- and radiation-therapies due to its inherent genetic instability, the local immunosuppressive microenvironment and the remarkable desmoplastic stromal changes which characterize this cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improvement on standard current therapeutic options. Immunotherapies aimed at harnessing endogenous antitumor immunity have shown promise in multiple tumor types. In this review, we give an overview of new immune-related therapeutic strategies currently being tested in clinical trials in pancreatic cancer. We propose that immunotherapeutic strategies in combination with current therapies may offer new hopes in this most deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gayab Andrew
- Deparment of Clinical Oncology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust , London, UK
| | | | - Aurelien Marabelle
- INSERM, U1015, Villejuif, France; Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 507, Villejuif, France; Drug Development Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
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Overgaard NH, Frøsig TM, Welner S, Rasmussen M, Ilsøe M, Sørensen MR, Andersen MH, Buus S, Jungersen G. Establishing the pig as a large animal model for vaccine development against human cancer. Front Genet 2015; 6:286. [PMID: 26442104 PMCID: PMC4584933 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has increased overall survival of metastatic cancer patients, and cancer antigens are promising vaccine targets. To fulfill the promise, appropriate tailoring of the vaccine formulations to mount in vivo cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses toward co-delivered cancer antigens is essential. Previous development of therapeutic cancer vaccines has largely been based on studies in mice, and the majority of these candidate vaccines failed to induce therapeutic responses in the subsequent human clinical trials. Given that antigen dose and vaccine volume in pigs are translatable to humans and the porcine immunome is closer related to the human counterpart, we here introduce pigs as a supplementary large animal model for human cancer vaccine development. IDO and RhoC, both important in human cancer development and progression, were used as vaccine targets and 12 pigs were immunized with overlapping 20mer peptides spanning the entire porcine IDO and RhoC sequences formulated in CTL-inducing adjuvants: CAF09, CASAC, Montanide ISA 51 VG, or PBS. Taking advantage of recombinant swine MHC class I molecules (SLAs), the peptide-SLA complex stability was measured for 198 IDO- or RhoC-derived 9-11mer peptides predicted to bind to SLA-1*04:01, −1*07:02, −2*04:01, −2*05:02, and/or −3*04:01. This identified 89 stable (t½ ≥ 0.5 h) peptide-SLA complexes. By IFN-γ release in PBMC cultures we monitored the vaccine-induced peptide-specific CTL responses, and found responses to both IDO- and RhoC-derived peptides across all groups with no adjuvant being superior. These findings support the further use of pigs as a large animal model for vaccine development against human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana H Overgaard
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas M Frøsig
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simon Welner
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Rasmussen
- Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Ilsøe
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria R Sørensen
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads H Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Denmark
| | - Søren Buus
- Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gregers Jungersen
- Department of Immunology and Vaccinology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark
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Meola J, Dentillo DB, Rosa e Silva JC, Hidalgo GDS, Paz CCPD, Ferriani RA. RHOC: a key gene for endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2013; 20:998-1002. [PMID: 23302395 DOI: 10.1177/1933719112472743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Considerable efforts have been invested in elucidating the potential mechanisms involved in the physiopathology of endometriosis. The aims of our study were to investigate whether RHOC expression is differentially altered in the endometrium and in endometriotic lesions. A total of 40 patients diagnosed with endometriosis and 15 healthy fertile women were selected for the study. Paired biopsies of endometrial tissue (eutopic endometrium) and endometriotic lesions (ectopic endometrium) were obtained from the patients with endometriosis. Endometrium from women without endometriosis was used as a control. Expression of the RHOC gene was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in autologous endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis and in the endometrium of control women. Increased RHOC expression was detected in endometriotic lesions compared to the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis and control women. RHOC changes may be among the key elements involved in the origin and the maintenance of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Meola
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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A Promiscuous Survivin-Derived T-Cell Epitope Restricted to the HLA-A3 Super-Type Alleles. J Invest Dermatol 2012; 132:2115-8. [DOI: 10.1038/jid.2012.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Junker N, Kvistborg P, Køllgaard T, Straten PT, Andersen MH, Svane IM. Tumor associated antigen specific T-cell populations identified in ex vivo expanded TIL cultures. Cell Immunol 2011; 273:1-9. [PMID: 22230732 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2011.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Revised: 11/21/2011] [Accepted: 12/05/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ex vivo expanded tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from malignant melanoma (MM) and head & neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) share a similar oligoclonal composition of T effector memory cells, with HLA class I restricted lysis of tumor cell lines. In this study we show that ex vivo expanded TILs from MM and HNSCC demonstrate a heterogeneous composition in frequency and magnitude of tumor associated antigen specific populations by Elispot IFNγ quantitation. TILs from MM and HNSCC shared reactivity towards NY ESO-1, cyclin B1 and Bcl-x derived peptides. Additionally we show that dominating T-cell clones and functionality persists through out expansion among an oligoclonal composition of T-cells. Our findings mirror prior results on the oligoclonal composition of TIL cultures, further indicating a potential for a broader repertoire of specific effector cells recognizing the heterogeneous tumors upon adoptive transfer; increasing the probability of tumor control by minimizing immune evasion by tumor cell escape variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Junker
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark.
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Therapeutic cancer vaccines in combination with conventional therapy. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010; 2010:237623. [PMID: 20617155 PMCID: PMC2896846 DOI: 10.1155/2010/237623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Revised: 05/05/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical efficacy of most therapeutic vaccines against cancer has not yet met its promise. Data are emerging that strongly support the notion that combining immunotherapy with conventional therapies, for example, radiation and chemotherapy may improve efficacy. In particular combination with chemotherapy may lead to improved clinical efficacy by clearing suppressor cells, reboot of the immune system, by rendering tumor cells more susceptible to immune mediated killing, or by activation of cells of the immune system. In addition, a range of tumor antigens have been characterized to allow targeting of proteins coupled to intrinsic properties of cancer cells. For example, proteins associated with drug resistance can be targeted, and form ideal target structures for use in combination with chemotherapy for killing of surviving drug resistant cancer cells. Proteins associated with the malignant phenotype can be targeted to specifically target cancer cells, but proteins targeted by immunotherapy may also simultaneously target cancer cells as well as suppressive cells in the tumor stroma.
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Cheever MA, Allison JP, Ferris AS, Finn OJ, Hastings BM, Hecht TT, Mellman I, Prindiville SA, Viner JL, Weiner LM, Matrisian LM. The prioritization of cancer antigens: a national cancer institute pilot project for the acceleration of translational research. Clin Cancer Res 2009; 15:5323-37. [PMID: 19723653 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-09-0737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 984] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the National Cancer Institute pilot project to prioritize cancer antigens was to develop a well-vetted, priority-ranked list of cancer vaccine target antigens based on predefined and preweighted objective criteria. An additional aim was for the National Cancer Institute to test a new approach for prioritizing translational research opportunities based on an analytic hierarchy process for dealing with complex decisions. Antigen prioritization involved developing a list of "ideal" cancer antigen criteria/characteristics, assigning relative weights to those criteria using pairwise comparisons, selecting 75 representative antigens for comparison and ranking, assembling information on the predefined criteria for the selected antigens, and ranking the antigens based on the predefined, preweighted criteria. Using the pairwise approach, the result of criteria weighting, in descending order, was as follows: (a) therapeutic function, (b) immunogenicity, (c) role of the antigen in oncogenicity, (d) specificity, (e) expression level and percent of antigen-positive cells, (f) stem cell expression, (g) number of patients with antigen-positive cancers, (h) number of antigenic epitopes, and (i) cellular location of antigen expression. None of the 75 antigens had all of the characteristics of the ideal cancer antigen. However, 46 were immunogenic in clinical trials and 20 of them had suggestive clinical efficacy in the "therapeutic function" category. These findings reflect the current status of the cancer vaccine field, highlight the possibility that additional organized efforts and funding would accelerate the development of therapeutically effective cancer vaccines, and accentuate the need for prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin A Cheever
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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Andersen MH, Sørensen RB, Brimnes MK, Svane IM, Becker JC, thor Straten P. Identification of heme oxygenase-1-specific regulatory CD8+ T cells in cancer patients. J Clin Invest 2009; 119:2245-56. [PMID: 19662679 DOI: 10.1172/jci38739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Treg deficiencies are associated with autoimmunity. Conversely, CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs accumulate in the tumor microenvironment and are associated with prevention of antitumor immunity and anticancer immunotherapy. Recently, CD4+ Tregs have been much studied, but little is known about CD8+ Tregs and the antigens they recognize. Here, we describe what we believe to be the first natural target for CD8+ Tregs. Naturally occurring HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ T cells specific for the antiinflammatory molecule heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were able to suppress cellular immune responses with outstanding efficacy. HO-1-specific CD8+ T cells were detected ex vivo and in situ among T cells from cancer patients. HO-1-specific T cells isolated from the peripheral blood of cancer patients inhibited cytokine release, proliferation, and cytotoxicity of other immune cells. Notably, the inhibitory effect of HO-1-specific T cells was far more pronounced than that of conventional CD4+CD25+CD127- Tregs. The inhibitory activity of HO-1-specific T cells seemed at least partly to be mediated by soluble factors. Our data link the cellular stress response to the regulation of adaptive immunity, expand the role of HO-1 in T cell-mediated immunoregulation, and establish a role for peptide-specific CD8+ T cells in regulating cellular immune responses. Identification of potent antigen-specific CD8+ Tregs may open new avenues for therapeutic interventions in both autoimmune diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Hald Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Herlev University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
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Zheng D, Sun Y, Gu S, Ji C, Zhao W, Xie Y, Mao Y. LNX (Ligand of Numb-protein X) interacts with RhoC, both of which regulate AP-1-mediated transcriptional activation. Mol Biol Rep 2009; 37:2431-7. [PMID: 19701800 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-009-9754-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2009] [Accepted: 08/06/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
LNX (Ligand of Numb-protein X) was originally isolated as a binding partner to the cell-fate Determinant Numb during development, and then identified to act as a RING finger-type E3 ubiquitin ligase for the ubiquitylation and degradation of Numb. LNX contains 4 PDZ domains which are proved to play a central role in organizing diverse cell signaling assemblies. A yeast two-hybrid screening was used to identify LNX as a potential binding partner for RhoC. RhoC, a member of the Ras family of small GTPases, promotes reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and regulation of cell shape, attachment, and motility. The interaction between LNX and RhoC in mammalian cells was identified by co-immunoprecipitation assays, and the efficient binding required the first PDZ domain of LNX. LNX and RhoC were further colocalized with each other in mammalian cells, in which RhoC changed its sublocalization from cytoplasm to nucleus when co-transferred with LNX. Furthermore, co-expression of RhoC reduced the transcriptional activity of AP-1, which was up-regulated by over-expression of LNX alone. These results suggest that LNX and RhoC might be part of a larger protein complex that would have important functions in signaling transduction about regulating the transcriptional activities of AP-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Buac K, Xu M, Cronin J, Weeraratna AT, Hewitt SM, Pavan WJ. NRG1 / ERBB3 signaling in melanocyte development and melanoma: inhibition of differentiation and promotion of proliferation. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2009; 22:773-84. [PMID: 19659570 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-148x.2009.00616.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin (NRG) signaling through the receptor tyrosine kinase, ERBB3, is required for embryonic development, and dysregulated signaling has been associated with cancer progression. Here, we show that NRG1/ERBB3 signaling inhibits melanocyte (MC) maturation and promotes undifferentiated, migratory and proliferative cellular characteristics. Embryonic analyses demonstrated that initial MC specification and distribution were not dependent on ERBB3 signaling. However NRG1/ERBB3 signaling was both necessary and sufficient to inhibit differentiation of later stages of MC development in culture. Analysis of tissue arrays of human melanoma samples suggests that ERBB3 signaling may also contribute to metastatic progression of melanoma as ERBB3 was phosphorylated in primary tumors compared with nevi or metastatic lesions. Neuregulin 1-treated MCs demonstrated increased proliferation and invasion and altered morphology concomitant with decreased levels of differentiation genes, increased levels of proliferation genes and altered levels of melanoma progression and metastases genes. ERBB3 activation in primary melanomas suggests that NRG1/ERBB3 signaling may contribute to the progression of melanoma from benign nevi to malignancies. We propose that targeting ERBB3 activation and downstream genes identified in this study may provide novel therapeutic interventions for malignant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Buac
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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