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Ahn T, Bae EA, Seo H. Decoding and overcoming T cell exhaustion: Epigenetic and transcriptional dynamics in CAR-T cells against solid tumors. Mol Ther 2024; 32:1617-1627. [PMID: 38582965 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell exhaustion, which is observed in various chronic infections and malignancies, is characterized by elevated expression of multiple inhibitory receptors, impaired effector functions, decreased proliferation, and reduced cytokine production. Notably, while adoptive T cell therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, have shown promise in treating cancer and other diseases, the efficacy of these therapies is often compromised by T cell exhaustion. It is imperative, therefore, to understand the mechanisms underlying this exhaustion to promote advances in T cell-related therapies. Here, we divided exhausted T cells into three distinct subsets according to their developmental and functional profiles: stem-like progenitor cells, intermediately exhausted cells, and terminally exhausted cells. These subsets are carefully regulated by synergistic mechanisms that involve transcriptional and epigenetic modulators. Key transcription factors, such as TCF1, BACH2, and TOX, are crucial for defining and sustaining exhaustion phenotypes. Concurrently, epigenetic regulators, such as TET2 and DNMT3A, shape the chromatin dynamics that direct T cell fate. The interplay of these molecular drivers has recently been highlighted in CAR-T research, revealing promising therapeutic directions. Thus, a profound understanding of exhausted T cell hierarchies and their molecular complexities may reveal innovative and improved tumor treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taeyoung Ahn
- Laboratory of Cell & Gene Therapy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ah Bae
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, and College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungseok Seo
- Laboratory of Cell & Gene Therapy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Verdura S, Encinar JA, Gratchev A, Llop-Hernández À, López J, Serrano-Hervás E, Teixidor E, López-Bonet E, Martin-Castillo B, Micol V, Bosch-Barrera J, Cuyàs E, Menendez JA. Silibinin is a suppressor of the metastasis-promoting transcription factor ID3. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 128:155493. [PMID: 38484626 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ID3 (inhibitor of DNA binding/differentiation-3) is a transcription factor that enables metastasis by promoting stem cell-like properties in endothelial and tumor cells. The milk thistle flavonolignan silibinin is a phytochemical with anti-metastatic potential through largely unknown mechanisms. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE We have mechanistically investigated the ability of silibinin to inhibit the aberrant activation of ID3 in brain endothelium and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) models. METHODS Bioinformatic analyses were performed to investigate the co-expression correlation between ID3 and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) ligands/BMP receptors (BMPRs) genes in NSCLC patient datasets. ID3 expression was assessed by immunoblotting and qRT-PCR. Luciferase reporter assays were used to evaluate the gene sequences targeted by silibinin to regulate ID3 transcription. In silico computational modeling and LanthaScreen TR-FRET kinase assays were used to characterize and validate the BMPR inhibitory activity of silibinin. Tumor tissues from NSCLC xenograft models treated with oral silibinin were used to evaluate the in vivo anti-ID3 effects of silibinin. RESULTS Analysis of lung cancer patient datasets revealed a top-ranked positive association of ID3 with the BMP9 endothelial receptor ACVRL1/ALK1 and the BMP ligand BMP6. Silibinin treatment blocked the BMP9-induced activation of the ALK1-phospho-SMAD1/5-ID3 axis in brain endothelial cells. Constitutive, acquired, and adaptive expression of ID3 in NSCLC cells were all significantly downregulated in response to silibinin. Silibinin blocked ID3 transcription via BMP-responsive elements in ID3 gene enhancers. Silibinin inhibited the kinase activities of BMPRs in the micromolar range, with the lower IC50 values occurring against ACVRL1/ALK1 and BMPR2. In an in vivo NSCLC xenograft model, tumoral overexpression of ID3 was completely suppressed by systematically achievable oral doses of silibinin. CONCLUSIONS ID3 is a largely undruggable metastasis-promoting transcription factor. Silibinin is a novel suppressor of ID3 that may be explored as a novel therapeutic approach to interfere with the metastatic dissemination capacity of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Verdura
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - José Antonio Encinar
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), Elche 03202, Spain
| | - Alexei Gratchev
- Laboratory for Tumor Stromal Cell Biology, Institute of Carcinogenesis, Nikolaj Nikolajevich (N.N.) Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow 115478, Russia
| | - Àngela Llop-Hernández
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Júlia López
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Eila Serrano-Hervás
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Eduard Teixidor
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGir-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain
| | - Eugeni López-Bonet
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital of Girona, Girona 17007, Spain
| | - Begoña Martin-Castillo
- Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Unit of Clinical Research, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain
| | - Vicente Micol
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE), Universitas Miguel Hernández (UMH), Elche 03202, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Joaquim Bosch-Barrera
- Precision Oncology Group (OncoGir-Pro), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain; Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Department of Medical Sciences, Medical School, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain
| | - Javier A Menendez
- Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona, 17007, Spain; Metabolism and Cancer Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona 17190, Spain.
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3
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Rezvan A, Romain G, Fathi M, Heeke D, Martinez-Paniagua M, An X, Bandey IN, Montalvo MJ, Adolacion JRT, Saeedi A, Sadeghi F, Fousek K, Puebla-Osorio N, Cooper LJN, Bernatchez C, Singh H, Ahmed N, Mattie M, Bot A, Neelapu S, Varadarajan N. Identification of a clinically efficacious CAR T cell subset in diffuse large B cell lymphoma by dynamic multidimensional single-cell profiling. NATURE CANCER 2024:10.1038/s43018-024-00768-3. [PMID: 38750245 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00768-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells used for the treatment of B cell malignancies can identify T cell subsets with superior clinical activity. Here, using infusion products of individuals with large B cell lymphoma, we integrated functional profiling using timelapse imaging microscopy in nanowell grids with subcellular profiling and single-cell RNA sequencing to identify a signature of multifunctional CD8+ T cells (CD8-fit T cells). CD8-fit T cells are capable of migration and serial killing and harbor balanced mitochondrial and lysosomal volumes. Using independent datasets, we validate that CD8-fit T cells (1) are present premanufacture and are associated with clinical responses in individuals treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel, (2) longitudinally persist in individuals after treatment with CAR T cells and (3) are tumor migrating cytolytic cells capable of intratumoral expansion in solid tumors. Our results demonstrate the power of multimodal integration of single-cell functional assessments for the discovery and application of CD8-fit T cells as a T cell subset with optimal fitness in cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Rezvan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabrielle Romain
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | - Xingyue An
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irfan N Bandey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Melisa J Montalvo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jay R T Adolacion
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arash Saeedi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fatemeh Sadeghi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kristen Fousek
- Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nahum Puebla-Osorio
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Chantale Bernatchez
- Department of Biologics Development, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Harjeet Singh
- Divsion of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nabil Ahmed
- Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mike Mattie
- Kite, a Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Adrian Bot
- Kite, a Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Sattva Neelapu
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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4
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Li YR, Zhou Y, Yu J, Kim YJ, Li M, Lee D, Zhou K, Chen Y, Zhu Y, Wang YC, Li Z, Yu Y, Dunn ZS, Guo W, Cen X, Husman T, Bajpai A, Kramer A, Wilson M, Fang Y, Huang J, Li S, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Hahn Z, Zhu E, Ma F, Pan C, Lusis AJ, Zhou JJ, Seet CS, Kohn DB, Wang P, Zhou XJ, Pellegrini M, Puliafito BR, Larson SM, Yang L. Generation of allogeneic CAR-NKT cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using a clinically guided culture method. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02226-y. [PMID: 38744947 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy with autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells faces challenges in manufacturing and patient selection that could be avoided by using 'off-the-shelf' products, such as allogeneic CAR natural killer T (AlloCAR-NKT) cells. Previously, we reported a system for differentiating human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells into AlloCAR-NKT cells, but the use of three-dimensional culture and xenogeneic feeders precluded its clinical application. Here we describe a clinically guided method to differentiate and expand IL-15-enhanced AlloCAR-NKT cells with high yield and purity. We generated AlloCAR-NKT cells targeting seven cancers and, in a multiple myeloma model, demonstrated their antitumor efficacy, expansion and persistence. The cells also selectively depleted immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenviroment and antagonized tumor immune evasion via triple targeting of CAR, TCR and NK receptors. They exhibited a stable hypoimmunogenic phenotype associated with epigenetic and signaling regulation and did not induce detectable graft versus host disease or cytokine release syndrome. These properties of AlloCAR-NKT cells support their potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiaji Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu Jeong Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Miao Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Derek Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kuangyi Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuning Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yichen Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Chen Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yanqi Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zachary Spencer Dunn
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinjian Cen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany Husman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aarushi Bajpai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adam Kramer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ying Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yonggang Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuchong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zoe Hahn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Enbo Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Feiyang Ma
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Calvin Pan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aldons J Lusis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jin J Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher S Seet
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Donald B Kohn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Pin Wang
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xianghong Jasmine Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences-The Collaboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin R Puliafito
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah M Larson
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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5
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Qin C, Zhang M, Mou DP, Zhou LQ, Dong MH, Huang L, Wang W, Cai SB, You YF, Shang K, Xiao J, Wang D, Li CR, Hao Y, Heming M, Wu LJ, Meyer Zu Hörste G, Dong C, Bu BT, Tian DS, Wang W. Single-cell analysis of anti-BCMA CAR T cell therapy in patients with central nervous system autoimmunity. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadj9730. [PMID: 38728414 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adj9730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of neurological autoimmune diseases is promising, but CAR T cell kinetics and immune alterations after treatment are poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell multi-omics sequencing of paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples from patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) treated with anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR T cells. Proliferating cytotoxic-like CD8+ CAR T cell clones were identified as the main effectors in autoimmunity. Anti-BCMA CAR T cells with enhanced features of chemotaxis efficiently crossed the blood-CSF barrier, eliminated plasmablasts and plasma cells in the CSF, and suppressed neuroinflammation. The CD44-expressing early memory phenotype in infusion products was potentially associated with CAR T cell persistence in autoimmunity. Moreover, CAR T cells from patients with NMOSD displayed distinctive features of suppressed cytotoxicity compared with those from hematological malignancies. Thus, we provide mechanistic insights into CAR T cell function in patients with neurological autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Qin
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Da-Peng Mou
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Lab, Beijing, China
| | - Luo-Qi Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ming-Hao Dong
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Liang Huang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Nanjing IASO Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Song-Bai Cai
- Nanjing IASO Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Yun-Fan You
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ke Shang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chun-Rui Li
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Hao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Michael Heming
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Long-Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Gerd Meyer Zu Hörste
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Chen Dong
- Shanghai Immune Therapy Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine-affiliated Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Bi-Tao Bu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Dai-Shi Tian
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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6
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Nishimura CD, Corrigan D, Zheng XY, Galbo PM, Wang S, Liu Y, Wei Y, Suo L, Cui W, Mercado N, Zheng D, Zhang CC, Zang X. TOP CAR with TMIGD2 as a safe and effective costimulatory domain in CAR cells treating human solid tumors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1857. [PMID: 38718110 PMCID: PMC11078193 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy shows impressive efficacy treating hematologic malignancies but requires further optimization in solid tumors. Here, we developed a TMIGD2 optimized potent/persistent (TOP) CAR that incorporated the costimulatory domain of TMIGD2, a T and NK cell costimulator, and monoclonal antibodies targeting the IgV domain of B7-H3, an immune checkpoint expressed on solid tumors and tumor vasculature. Comparing second- and third-generation B7-H3 CARs containing TMIGD2, CD28, and/or 4-1BB costimulatory domains revealed superior antitumor responses in B7-H3.TMIGD2 and B7-H3.CD28.4-1BB CAR-T cells in vitro. Comparing these two constructs using in vivo orthotopic human cancer models demonstrated that B7-H3.TMIGD2 CAR-T cells had equivalent or superior antitumor activity, survival, expansion, and persistence. Mechanistically, B7-H3.TMIGD2 CAR-T cells maintained mitochondrial metabolism; produced less cytokines; and established fewer exhausted cells, more central memory cells, and a larger CD8/CD4 T cell ratio. These studies demonstrate that the TOP CAR with TMIGD2 costimulation offered distinct benefits from CD28.41BB costimulation and is effective against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D. Nishimura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Devin Corrigan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Xiang Yu Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Phillip M. Galbo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yao Wei
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Linna Suo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Nadia Mercado
- Department of Biostatistics, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Cheng Cheng Zhang
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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7
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Taibi T, Cheon S, Perna F, Vu LP. mRNA-based therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00299-5. [PMID: 38702886 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the rapidly evolving landscape of medical research, the emergence of RNA-based therapeutics is paradigm shifting. It is mainly driven by the molecular adaptability and capacity to provide precision in targeting. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic crisis underscored the effectiveness of the mRNA therapeutic development platform and brought it to the forefront of RNA-based interventions. These RNA-based therapeutic approaches can reshape gene expression, manipulate cellular functions, and correct the aberrant molecular processes underlying various diseases. The new technologies hold the potential to engineer and deliver tailored therapeutic agents to tackle genetic disorders, cancers, and infectious diseases in a highly personalized and precisely tuned manner. The review discusses the most recent advancements in the field of mRNA therapeutics for cancer treatment, with a focus on the features of the most utilized RNA-based therapeutic interventions, current pre-clinical and clinical developments, and the remaining challenges in delivery strategies, effectiveness, and safety considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilelli Taibi
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Interdisciplinary Oncology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sehyun Cheon
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Fabiana Perna
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ly P Vu
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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8
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Perez CR, Garmilla A, Nilsson A, Baghdassarian HM, Gordon KS, Lima LG, Smith BE, Maus MV, Lauffenburger DA, Birnbaum ME. Library-based single-cell analysis of CAR signaling reveals drivers of in vivo persistence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591541. [PMID: 38746119 PMCID: PMC11092467 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The anti-tumor function of engineered T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is dependent on signals transduced through intracellular signaling domains (ICDs). Different ICDs are known to drive distinct phenotypes, but systematic investigations into how ICD architectures direct T cell function-particularly at the molecular level-are lacking. Here, we use single-cell sequencing to map diverse signaling inputs to transcriptional outputs, focusing on a defined library of clinically relevant ICD architectures. Informed by these observations, we functionally characterize transcriptionally distinct ICD variants across various contexts to build comprehensive maps from ICD composition to phenotypic output. We identify a unique tonic signaling signature associated with a subset of ICD architectures that drives durable in vivo persistence and efficacy in liquid, but not solid, tumors. Our findings work toward decoding CAR signaling design principles, with implications for the rational design of next-generation ICD architectures optimized for in vivo function.
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9
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Dai A, Zhang X, Wang X, Liu G, Wang Q, Yu F. Transcription factors in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell development. Hum Cell 2024; 37:571-581. [PMID: 38436882 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-024-01040-7] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a new and innovative approach to treating cancers that has shown promising results in the treatment of lymphoma. However, it has been found to be less effective in the treatment of solid tumors. To overcome the limitation, researchers have explored the use of combined CAR-T therapy with other complementary regimens that target specific genes or biomarkers, which would enhance the synergistic therapeutic effects. Transcription factors (TFs) have been identified as potential markers that can regulate gene expression in CAR-T cells to enhance their cytotoxicity and safety. TFs are known to bind DNA specifically and recruit cofactor proteins to regulate the expression of target genes. By targeting TFs, it is possible to improve the anti-tumor response of CAR-T cells by altering their phenotype and transcriptional map, thereby increasing their effector function, such as reducing the exhaustion, enhancing the survival, and cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells. This review summarizes the application of transcription factors in CART therapy to enhance the synergistic therapeutic effect of CAR-T cells in the treatment of solid tumors and improve their anti-tumor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anran Dai
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Xiangzhi Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Suqian First People's Hospital, Suqian, 223800, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guodong Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Suqian First People's Hospital, Suqian, 223800, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Feng Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
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10
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Yang Z, Liu Y, Zhao H. CAR T treatment beyond cancer: Hope for immunomodulatory therapy of non-cancerous diseases. Life Sci 2024; 344:122556. [PMID: 38471620 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Engineering a patient's own T cells to accurately identify and eliminate cancer cells has effectively cured individuals afflicted with previously incurable hematologic cancers. These findings have stimulated research into employing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy across various areas within the field of oncology. However, evidence from both clinical and preclinical investigations emphasize the broader potential of CAR T therapy, extending beyond oncology to address autoimmune disorders, persistent infections, cardiac fibrosis, age-related ailments and other conditions. Concurrently, the advent of novel technologies and platforms presents additional avenues for utilizing CAR T therapy in non-cancerous contexts. This review provides an overview of the rationale behind CAR T therapy, delineates ongoing challenges in its application to cancer treatment, summarizes recent findings in non-cancerous diseases, and engages in discourse regarding emerging technologies that bear relevance. The review delves into prospective applications of this therapeutic approach across a diverse range of scenarios. Lastly, the review underscores concerns related to precision and safety, while also outlining the envisioned trajectory for extending CAR T therapy beyond cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, 3201 Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Hanzhong, Shaanxi 723000, China
| | - Yingfeng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianshui First People's Hospital, Tianshui, Gansu 741000, China
| | - Hai Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266005, China.
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11
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Wehrli M, Guinn S, Birocchi F, Kuo A, Sun Y, Larson RC, Almazan AJ, Scarfò I, Bouffard AA, Bailey SR, Anekal PV, Llopis PM, Nieman LT, Song Y, Xu KH, Berger TR, Kann MC, Leick MB, Silva H, Salas-Benito D, Kienka T, Grauwet K, Armstrong TD, Zhang R, Zhu Q, Fu J, Schmidts A, Korell F, Jan M, Choi BD, Liss AS, Boland GM, Ting DT, Burkhart RA, Jenkins RW, Zheng L, Jaffee EM, Zimmerman JW, Maus MV. Mesothelin CAR T Cells Secreting Anti-FAP/Anti-CD3 Molecules Efficiently Target Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and its Stroma. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1859-1877. [PMID: 38393682 PMCID: PMC11062832 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Targeting solid tumors with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells remains challenging due to heterogenous target antigen expression, antigen escape, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a thick stroma generated by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), which may contribute to the limited efficacy of mesothelin-directed CAR T cells in early-phase clinical trials. To provide a more favorable TME for CAR T cells to target pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we generated T cells with an antimesothelin CAR and a secreted T-cell-engaging molecule (TEAM) that targets CAF through fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and engages T cells through CD3 (termed mesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using a suite of in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo patient-derived models containing cancer cells and CAF, we examined the ability of mesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells to target PDAC cells and CAF within the TME. We developed and used patient-derived ex vivo models, including patient-derived organoids with patient-matched CAF and patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids. RESULTS We demonstrated specific and significant binding of the TEAM to its respective antigens (CD3 and FAP) when released from mesothelin-targeting CAR T cells, leading to T-cell activation and cytotoxicity of the target cell. MesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells were superior in eliminating PDAC and CAF compared with T cells engineered to target either antigen alone in our ex vivo patient-derived models and in mouse models of PDAC with primary or metastatic liver tumors. CONCLUSIONS CAR-TEAM cells enable modification of tumor stroma, leading to increased elimination of PDAC tumors. This approach represents a promising treatment option for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Wehrli
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Guinn
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Filippo Birocchi
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam Kuo
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Larson
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonio J. Almazan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irene Scarfò
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda A. Bouffard
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefanie R. Bailey
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Linda T. Nieman
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuhui Song
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine H. Xu
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Trisha R. Berger
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael C. Kann
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark B. Leick
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Harrison Silva
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diego Salas-Benito
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tamina Kienka
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Korneel Grauwet
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Todd D. Armstrong
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qingfeng Zhu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Juan Fu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Schmidts
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Felix Korell
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Max Jan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bryan D. Choi
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew S. Liss
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve M. Boland
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - David T. Ting
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard A. Burkhart
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Russell W. Jenkins
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Jaffee
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacquelyn W. Zimmerman
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marcela V. Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Dobrin A, Lindenbergh PL, Shi Y, Perica K, Xie H, Jain N, Chow A, Wolchok JD, Merghoub T, Sadelain M, Hamieh M. Synthetic dual co-stimulation increases the potency of HIT and TCR-targeted cell therapies. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:760-773. [PMID: 38503896 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00744-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells have dramatically improved the treatment of hematologic malignancies. T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-based cell therapies are yet to achieve comparable outcomes. Importantly, chimeric antigen receptors not only target selected antigens but also reprogram T cell functions through the co-stimulatory pathways that they engage upon antigen recognition. We show here that a fusion receptor comprising the CD80 ectodomain and the 4-1BB cytoplasmic domain, termed 80BB, acts as both a ligand and a receptor to engage the CD28 and 4-1BB pathways, thereby increasing the antitumor potency of human leukocyte antigen-independent TCR (HIT) receptor- or TCR-engineered T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Furthermore, 80BB serves as a switch receptor that provides agonistic 4-1BB co-stimulation upon its ligation by the inhibitory CTLA4 molecule. By combining multiple co-stimulatory features in a single antigen-agnostic synthetic receptor, 80BB is a promising tool to sustain CD3-dependent T cell responses in a wide range of targeted immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Dobrin
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pieter L Lindenbergh
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuzhe Shi
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karlo Perica
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Cell Therapy Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hongyao Xie
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nayan Jain
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew Chow
- Thoracic Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumour Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jedd D Wolchok
- Department of Medicine and Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Department of Pharmacology and Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michel Sadelain
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Mohamad Hamieh
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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13
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Bagley SJ, Logun M, Fraietta JA, Wang X, Desai AS, Bagley LJ, Nabavizadeh A, Jarocha D, Martins R, Maloney E, Lledo L, Stein C, Marshall A, Leskowitz R, Jadlowsky JK, Christensen S, Oner BS, Plesa G, Brennan A, Gonzalez V, Chen F, Sun Y, Gladney W, Barrett D, Nasrallah MP, Hwang WT, Ming GL, Song H, Siegel DL, June CH, Hexner EO, Binder ZA, O'Rourke DM. Intrathecal bivalent CAR T cells targeting EGFR and IL13Rα2 in recurrent glioblastoma: phase 1 trial interim results. Nat Med 2024; 30:1320-1329. [PMID: 38480922 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02893-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) remains a major unmet medical need, with a median overall survival of less than 1 year. Here we report the first six patients with rGBM treated in a phase 1 trial of intrathecally delivered bivalent chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2). The study's primary endpoints were safety and determination of the maximum tolerated dose. Secondary endpoints reported in this interim analysis include the frequency of manufacturing failures and objective radiographic response (ORR) according to modified Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria. All six patients had progressive, multifocal disease at the time of treatment. In both dose level 1 (1 ×107 cells; n = 3) and dose level 2 (2.5 × 107 cells; n = 3), administration of CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2 cells was associated with early-onset neurotoxicity, most consistent with immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and managed with high-dose dexamethasone and anakinra (anti-IL1R). One patient in dose level 2 experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (grade 3 anorexia, generalized muscle weakness and fatigue). Reductions in enhancement and tumor size at early magnetic resonance imaging timepoints were observed in all six patients; however, none met criteria for ORR. In exploratory endpoint analyses, substantial CAR T cell abundance and cytokine release in the cerebrospinal fluid were detected in all six patients. Taken together, these first-in-human data demonstrate the preliminary safety and bioactivity of CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2 cells in rGBM. An encouraging early efficacy signal was also detected and requires confirmation with additional patients and longer follow-up time. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05168423 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Bagley
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Meghan Logun
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joseph A Fraietta
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arati S Desai
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Linda J Bagley
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ali Nabavizadeh
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Danuta Jarocha
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rene Martins
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eileen Maloney
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lester Lledo
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carly Stein
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amy Marshall
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel Leskowitz
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie K Jadlowsky
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shannon Christensen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bike Su Oner
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gabriela Plesa
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrea Brennan
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vanessa Gonzalez
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fang Chen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yusha Sun
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - David Barrett
- Kite Pharma, a Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - MacLean P Nasrallah
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wei-Ting Hwang
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Donald L Siegel
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth O Hexner
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zev A Binder
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Donald M O'Rourke
- Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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14
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Andreu-Saumell I, Rodriguez-Garcia A, Mühlgrabner V, Gimenez-Alejandre M, Marzal B, Castellsagué J, Brasó-Maristany F, Calderon H, Angelats L, Colell S, Nuding M, Soria-Castellano M, Barbao P, Prat A, Urbano-Ispizua A, Huppa JB, Guedan S. CAR affinity modulates the sensitivity of CAR-T cells to PD-1/PD-L1-mediated inhibition. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3552. [PMID: 38670972 PMCID: PMC11053011 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47799-z] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy for solid tumors faces significant hurdles, including T-cell inhibition mediated by the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. The effects of disrupting this pathway on T-cells are being actively explored and controversial outcomes have been reported. Here, we hypothesize that CAR-antigen affinity may be a key factor modulating T-cell susceptibility towards the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. We systematically interrogate CAR-T cells targeting HER2 with either low (LA) or high affinity (HA) in various preclinical models. Our results reveal an increased sensitivity of LA CAR-T cells to PD-L1-mediated inhibition when compared to their HA counterparts by using in vitro models of tumor cell lines and supported lipid bilayers modified to display varying PD-L1 densities. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of PD-1 enhances LA CAR-T cell cytokine secretion and polyfunctionality in vitro and antitumor effect in vivo and results in the downregulation of gene signatures related to T-cell exhaustion. By contrast, HA CAR-T cell features remain unaffected following PD-1 KO. This behavior holds true for CD28 and ICOS but not 4-1BB co-stimulated CAR-T cells, which are less sensitive to PD-L1 inhibition albeit targeting the antigen with LA. Our findings may inform CAR-T therapies involving disruption of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway tailored in particular for effective treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Andreu-Saumell
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Rodriguez-Garcia
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Vanessa Mühlgrabner
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marta Gimenez-Alejandre
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Marzal
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Castellsagué
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fara Brasó-Maristany
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hugo Calderon
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Angelats
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salut Colell
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mara Nuding
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Soria-Castellano
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Barbao
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix Prat
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alvaro Urbano-Ispizua
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johannes B Huppa
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonia Guedan
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
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15
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Sabag B, Puthenveetil A, Levy M, Joseph N, Doniger T, Yaron O, Karako-Lampert S, Lazar I, Awwad F, Ashkenazi S, Barda-Saad M. Dysfunctional natural killer cells can be reprogrammed to regain anti-tumor activity. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00094-5. [PMID: 38637625 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00094-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are critical to the innate immune system, as they recognize antigens without prior sensitization, and contribute to the control and clearance of viral infections and cancer. However, a significant proportion of NK cells in mice and humans do not express classical inhibitory receptors during their education process and are rendered naturally "anergic", i.e., exhibiting reduced effector functions. The molecular events leading to NK cell anergy as well as their relation to those underlying NK cell exhaustion that arises from overstimulation in chronic conditions, remain unknown. Here, we characterize the "anergic" phenotype and demonstrate functional, transcriptional, and phenotypic similarities to the "exhausted" state in tumor-infiltrating NK cells. Furthermore, we identify zinc finger transcription factor Egr2 and diacylglycerol kinase DGKα as common negative regulators controlling NK cell dysfunction. Finally, experiments in a 3D organotypic spheroid culture model and an in vivo tumor model suggest that a nanoparticle-based delivery platform can reprogram these dysfunctional natural killer cell populations in their native microenvironment. This approach may become clinically relevant for the development of novel anti-tumor immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batel Sabag
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Abhishek Puthenveetil
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Moria Levy
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Noah Joseph
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Tirtza Doniger
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Orly Yaron
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Sarit Karako-Lampert
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Itay Lazar
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Fatima Awwad
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Shahar Ashkenazi
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Mira Barda-Saad
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel.
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16
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Ruffin AT, Wittling MC, Cole AC, Paulos CM. IL15 and IL21: Better When Membrane-Tethered Together on Antitumor T Cells. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1431-1433. [PMID: 38289325 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Systemic administration of homeostatic γ-chain cytokines mediates antitumor responses in some patients treated with adoptive immunotherapy. Yet many patients experience toxic side effects. New work presented herein suggests these limitations can be overcome by membrane-tethering IL15 and IL21 to T-cell products. This finding has major implications in advancing medicine. See related article by Nguyen et al., p. 1555.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayana T Ruffin
- Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Megen C Wittling
- Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna C Cole
- Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Chrystal M Paulos
- Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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17
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Chen T, Wang M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Current challenges and therapeutic advances of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:133. [PMID: 38622705 PMCID: PMC11017638 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03315-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors. According to recent studies, optimizing the design of CAR-T cells, implementing logic-gated CAR-T cells and refining the delivery methods of therapeutic agents can all enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, combination therapy shows promise as a way to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. At present, numerous clinical trials involving CAR-T cells for solid tumors are actively in progress. In conclusion, CAR-T cell therapy has both potential and challenges when it comes to treating solid tumors. As CAR-T cell therapy continues to evolve, further innovations will be devised to surmount the challenges associated with this treatment modality, ultimately leading to enhanced therapeutic response for patients suffered solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Mingzhao Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanchao Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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18
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Nguyen R, Doubrovina E, Mousset CM, Jin BY, Okada R, Zhang X, Clavel A, Reyes-Gonzalez JM, Dyomin V, Diaz L, Zhang L, Abbas S, Sun M, Hsieh CM, Ho M, Shern JF, Gulley JL, Hinrichs CS. Cooperative Armoring of CAR and TCR T Cells by T Cell-Restricted IL15 and IL21 Universally Enhances Solid Tumor Efficacy. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1555-1566. [PMID: 37910044 PMCID: PMC11018485 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1872] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T-cell receptor (TCR) T-cell therapies are effective in a subset of patients with solid tumors, but new approaches are needed to universally improve patient outcomes. Here, we developed a technology to leverage the cooperative effects of IL15 and IL21, two common cytokine-receptor gamma chain family members with distinct, pleiotropic effects on T cells and other lymphocytes, to enhance the efficacy of adoptive T cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We designed vectors that induce the constitutive expression of either membrane-tethered IL15, IL21, or IL15/IL21. We used clinically relevant preclinical models of transgenic CARs and TCRs against pediatric and adult solid tumors to determine the effect of the membrane-tethered cytokines on engineered T cells for human administration. RESULTS We found that self-delivery of these cytokines by CAR or TCR T cells prevents functional exhaustion by repeated stimulation and limits the emergence of dysfunctional natural killer (NK)-like T cells. Across different preclinical murine solid tumor models, we observed enhanced regression with each individual cytokine but the greatest antitumor efficacy when T cells were armored with both. CONCLUSIONS The coexpression of membrane-tethered IL15 and IL21 represents a technology to enhance the resilience and function of engineered T cells against solid tumors and could be applicable to multiple therapy platforms and diseases. See related commentary by Ruffin et al., p. 1431.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Nguyen
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ekaterina Doubrovina
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Charlotte M. Mousset
- Genitourinary Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Y. Jin
- Genitourinary Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reona Okada
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Arina Clavel
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jeyshka M. Reyes-Gonzalez
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vadim Dyomin
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Louis Diaz
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Ling Zhang
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shahroze Abbas
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ming Sun
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chao-Ming Hsieh
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jack F. Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - James L. Gulley
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christian S. Hinrichs
- Duncan and Nancy MacMillan Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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19
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De Castro V, Galaine J, Loyon R, Godet Y. CRISPR-Cas gene knockouts to optimize engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41417-024-00771-x. [PMID: 38609574 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00771-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
While CAR-T and tgTCR-T therapies have exhibited noteworthy and promising outcomes in hematologic and solid tumors respectively, a set of distinct challenges remains. Consequently, the quest for novel strategies has become imperative to safeguard and more effectively release the full functions of engineered T cells. These factors are intricately linked to the success of adoptive cell therapy. Recently, CRISPR-based technologies have emerged as a major breakthrough for maintaining T cell functions. These technologies have allowed the discovery of T cells' negative regulators such as specific cell-surface receptors, cell-signaling proteins, and transcription factors that are involved in the development or maintenance of T cell dysfunction. By employing a CRISPR-genic invalidation approach to target these negative regulators, it has become possible to prevent the emergence of hypofunctional T cells. This review revisits the establishment of the dysfunctional profile of T cells before delving into a comprehensive summary of recent CRISPR-gene invalidations, with each invalidation contributing to the enhancement of engineered T cells' antitumor capacities. The narrative unfolds as we explore how these advancements were discovered and identified, marking a significant advancement in the pursuit of superior adoptive cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentine De Castro
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Jeanne Galaine
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Romain Loyon
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Yann Godet
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France.
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20
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Steffin D, Ghatwai N, Montalbano A, Rathi P, Courtney AN, Arnett AB, Fleurence J, Sweidan R, Wang T, Zhang H, Masand P, Maris JM, Martinez D, Pogoriler J, Varadarajan N, Thakkar SG, Lyon D, Lapteva N, Mei Z, Patel K, Lopez-Terrada D, Ramos C, Lulla P, Armaghany T, Grilley BJ, Dotti G, Metelitsa LS, Heslop HE, Brenner MK, Sumazin P, Heczey A. Interleukin-15-armored GPC3-CAR T cells for patients with solid cancers. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4103623. [PMID: 38645165 PMCID: PMC11030543 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4103623/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL15) promotes the survival of T lymphocytes and enhances the antitumor properties of CAR T cells in preclinical models of solid neoplasms in which CAR T cells have limited efficacy1-4. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is expressed in a group of solid cancers5-10, and here we report the first evaluation in humans of the effects of IL15 co-expression on GPC3-CAR T cells. Cohort 1 patients (NCT02905188/NCT02932956) received GPC3-CAR T cells, which were safe but produced no objective antitumor responses and reached peak expansion at two weeks. Cohort 2 patients (NCT05103631/NCT04377932) received GPC3-CAR T cells that co-expressed IL15 (15.CAR), which mediated significantly increased cell expansion and induced a disease control rate of 66% and antitumor response rate of 33%. Infusion of 15.CAR T cells was associated with increased incidence of cytokine release syndrome, which was rapidly ameliorated by activation of the inducible caspase 9 safety switch. Compared to non-responders, tumor-infiltrating 15.CAR T cells from responders showed repression of SWI/SNF epigenetic regulators and upregulation of FOS and JUN family members as well as genes related to type I interferon signaling. Collectively, these results demonstrate that IL15 increases the expansion, intratumoral survival, and antitumor activity of GPC3-CAR T cells in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Steffin
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Nisha Ghatwai
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Antonino Montalbano
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Purva Rathi
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Azlann B Arnett
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Julien Fleurence
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ramy Sweidan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Thao Wang
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Prakash Masand
- Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - John M Maris
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel Martinez
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer Pogoriler
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Sachin G Thakkar
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Deborah Lyon
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Natasha Lapteva
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Zhuyong Mei
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Kalyani Patel
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Carlos Ramos
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Premal Lulla
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Tannaz Armaghany
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Bambi J Grilley
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Helen E Heslop
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Malcolm K Brenner
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andras Heczey
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Texas Children’s Hospital Liver Tumor Program, Houston, Texas
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21
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Chu GJ, Bailey CG, Nagarajah R, Liang O, Metierre C, Sagnella SM, Castelletti L, Yeo D, Adelstein S, Rasko JEJ. Mesothelin antigen density influences anti-mesothelin chimeric antigen receptor T cell cytotoxicity. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:325-333. [PMID: 38349311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Several anti-mesothelin (MSLN) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are in phase 1/2 clinical trials to treat solid-organ malignancies. The effect of MSLN antigen density on MSLN CAR cytotoxicity against tumor cells has not been examined previously, nor are there data regarding the effect of agents that increase MSLN antigen density on anti-MSLN CAR T cell efficacy. METHODS MSLN antigen density was measured on a panel of pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cell lines by flow cytometry. In parallel, the cytotoxicity and specificity of two anti-MSLN CAR T cells (m912 and SS1) were compared against these cell lines using a real-time impedance-based assay. The effect of two MSLN 'sheddase' inhibitors (lanabecestat and TMI-1) that increase MSLN surface expression was also tested in combination with CAR T cells. RESULTS SS1 CAR T cells were more cytotoxic compared with m912 CAR T cells against cell lines that expressed fewer than ∼170 000 MSLN molecules/cell. A comparison of the m912 and amatuximab (humanized SS1) antibodies identified that amatuximab could detect and bind to lower levels of MSLN on pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cell lines, suggesting that superior antibody/scFv affinity was the reason for the SS1 CAR's superior cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of m912 CAR T cells was improved in the presence of sheddase inhibitors, which increased MSLN antigen density. CONCLUSIONS These data highlight the value of assessing CAR constructs against a panel of cells expressing varying degrees of target tumor antigen as occurs in human tumors. Furthermore, the problem of low antigen density may be overcome by concomitant administration of drugs that inhibit enzymatic shedding of MSLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard J Chu
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Charles G Bailey
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cancer and Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Rajini Nagarajah
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Oliver Liang
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Metierre
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Sharon M Sagnella
- Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Laura Castelletti
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Dannel Yeo
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Stephen Adelstein
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - John E J Rasko
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
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22
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Tian DS, Qin C, Dong MH, Heming M, Zhou LQ, Wang W, Cai SB, You YF, Shang K, Xiao J, Wang D, Li CR, Zhang M, Bu BT, Meyer Zu Hörste G, Wang W. B cell lineage reconstitution underlies CAR-T cell therapeutic efficacy in patients with refractory myasthenia gravis. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:966-987. [PMID: 38409527 PMCID: PMC11018773 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00043-z] [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: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), expressed in plasmablasts and plasma cells, could serve as a promising therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. We reported here chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting BCMA in two patients with highly relapsed and refractory myasthenia gravis (one with AChR-IgG, and one with MuSk-IgG). Both patients exhibited favorable safety profiles and persistent clinical improvements over 18 months. Reconstitution of B-cell lineages with sustained reduced pathogenic autoantibodies might underlie the therapeutic efficacy. To identify the possible mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of CAR-T cells in these patients, longitudinal single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing was conducted on serial blood samples post infusion as well as their matching infusion products. By tracking the temporal evolution of CAR-T phenotypes, we demonstrated that proliferating cytotoxic-like CD8 clones were the main effectors in autoimmunity, whereas compromised cytotoxic and proliferation signature and profound mitochondrial dysfunction in CD8+ Te cells before infusion and subsequently defect CAR-T cells after manufacture might explain their characteristics in these patients. Our findings may guide future studies to improve CAR T-cell immunotherapy in autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai-Shi Tian
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuan Qin
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming-Hao Dong
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Michael Heming
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Luo-Qi Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Nanjing IASO Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 210018, Nanjing, China
| | - Song-Bai Cai
- Nanjing IASO Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 210018, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun-Fan You
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Shang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Chun-Rui Li
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Bi-Tao Bu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Gerd Meyer Zu Hörste
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China.
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23
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Johnston AC, Alicea GM, Lee CC, Patel PV, Hanna EA, Vaz E, Forjaz A, Wan Z, Nair PR, Lim Y, Chen T, Du W, Kim D, Nichakawade TD, Rebecca VW, Bonifant CL, Fan R, Kiemen AL, Wu PH, Wirtz D. Engineering self-propelled tumor-infiltrating CAR T cells using synthetic velocity receptors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.13.571595. [PMID: 38168186 PMCID: PMC10760159 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells express antigen-specific synthetic receptors, which upon binding to cancer cells, elicit T cell anti-tumor responses. CAR T cell therapy has enjoyed success in the clinic for hematological cancer indications, giving rise to decade-long remissions in some cases. However, CAR T therapy for patients with solid tumors has not seen similar success. Solid tumors constitute 90% of adult human cancers, representing an enormous unmet clinical need. Current approaches do not solve the central problem of limited ability of therapeutic cells to migrate through the stromal matrix. We discover that T cells at low and high density display low- and high-migration phenotypes, respectively. The highly migratory phenotype is mediated by a paracrine pathway from a group of self-produced cytokines that include IL5, TNFα, IFNγ, and IL8. We exploit this finding to "lock-in" a highly migratory phenotype by developing and expressing receptors, which we call velocity receptors (VRs). VRs target these cytokines and signal through these cytokines' cognate receptors to increase T cell motility and infiltrate lung, ovarian, and pancreatic tumors in large numbers and at doses for which control CAR T cells remain confined to the tumor periphery. In contrast to CAR therapy alone, VR-CAR T cells significantly attenuate tumor growth and extend overall survival. This work suggests that approaches to the design of immune cell receptors that focus on migration signaling will help current and future CAR cellular therapies to infiltrate deep into solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian C Johnston
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | | | - Cameron C Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Payal V Patel
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Eban A Hanna
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Eduarda Vaz
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - André Forjaz
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Zeqi Wan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Praful R Nair
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Yeongseo Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Tina Chen
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Wenxuan Du
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Dongjoo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
| | - Tushar D Nichakawade
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Vito W Rebecca
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Challice L Bonifant
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
| | - Ashley L Kiemen
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Pei-Hsun Wu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University
| | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
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24
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Chen DG, Xie J, Choi J, Ng RH, Zhang R, Li S, Edmark R, Zheng H, Solomon B, Campbell KM, Medina E, Ribas A, Khatri P, Lanier LL, Mease PJ, Goldman JD, Su Y, Heath JR. Integrative systems biology reveals NKG2A-biased immune responses correlate with protection in infectious disease, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113872. [PMID: 38427562 PMCID: PMC10995767 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113872] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Infection, autoimmunity, and cancer are principal human health challenges of the 21st century. Often regarded as distinct ends of the immunological spectrum, recent studies hint at potential overlap between these diseases. For example, inflammation can be pathogenic in infection and autoimmunity. T resident memory (TRM) cells can be beneficial in infection and cancer. However, these findings are limited by size and scope; exact immunological factors shared across diseases remain elusive. Here, we integrate large-scale deeply clinically and biologically phenotyped human cohorts of 526 patients with infection, 162 with lupus, and 11,180 with cancer. We identify an NKG2A+ immune bias as associative with protection against disease severity, mortality, and autoimmune/post-acute chronic disease. We reveal that NKG2A+ CD8+ T cells correlate with reduced inflammation and increased humoral immunity and that they resemble TRM cells. Our results suggest NKG2A+ biases as a cross-disease factor of protection, supporting suggestions of immunological overlap between infection, autoimmunity, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Chen
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Clinical Research Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jingyi Xie
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA; Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Rachel H Ng
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rongyu Zhang
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sarah Li
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rick Edmark
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hong Zheng
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ben Solomon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katie M Campbell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Egmidio Medina
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Purvesh Khatri
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lewis L Lanier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Mease
- Swedish Center for Research and Innovation, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Providence St. Joseph Health, Renton, WA, USA
| | - Jason D Goldman
- Swedish Center for Research and Innovation, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Providence St. Joseph Health, Renton, WA, USA; Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yapeng Su
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Clinical Research Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James R Heath
- Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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25
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Blunt MD. Targeting CD161 in B-cell malignancies. Blood 2024; 143:1061-1062. [PMID: 38512265 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023023785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
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26
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Alvarez Calderon F, Kang BH, Kyrysyuk O, Zheng S, Wang H, Mathewson ND, Luoma AM, Ning X, Pyrdol J, Cao X, Suvà ML, Yuan GC, Wittrup KD, Wucherpfennig KW. Targeting of the CD161 inhibitory receptor enhances T-cell-mediated immunity against hematological malignancies. Blood 2024; 143:1124-1138. [PMID: 38153903 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023022882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The CD161 inhibitory receptor is highly upregulated by tumor-infiltrating T cells in multiple human solid tumor types, and its ligand, CLEC2D, is expressed by both tumor cells and infiltrating myeloid cells. Here, we assessed the role of the CD161 receptor in hematological malignancies. Systematic analysis of CLEC2D expression using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia revealed that CLEC2D messenger RNA was most abundant in hematological malignancies, including B-cell and T-cell lymphomas as well as lymphocytic and myelogenous leukemias. CLEC2D protein was detected by flow cytometry on a panel of cell lines representing a diverse set of hematological malignancies. We, therefore, used yeast display to generate a panel of high-affinity, fully human CD161 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that blocked CLEC2D binding. These mAbs were specific for CD161 and had a similar affinity for human and nonhuman primate CD161, a property relevant for clinical translation. A high-affinity CD161 mAb enhanced key aspects of T-cell function, including cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and proliferation, against B-cell lines originating from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and Burkitt lymphoma. In humanized mouse models, this CD161 mAb enhanced T-cell-mediated immunity, resulting in a significant survival benefit. Single cell RNA-seq data demonstrated that CD161 mAb treatment enhanced expression of cytotoxicity genes by CD4 T cells as well as a tissue-residency program by CD4 and CD8 T cells that is associated with favorable survival outcomes in multiple human cancer types. These fully human mAbs, thus, represent potential immunotherapy agents for hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Alvarez Calderon
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Byong H Kang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Oleksandr Kyrysyuk
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Shiwei Zheng
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Nathan D Mathewson
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Adrienne M Luoma
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Xiaohan Ning
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jason Pyrdol
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Xuan Cao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Mario L Suvà
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - K Dane Wittrup
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Kai W Wucherpfennig
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
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27
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Appelbaum J, Price AE, Oda K, Zhang J, Leung WH, Tampella G, Xia D, So PP, Hilton SK, Evandy C, Sarkar S, Martin U, Krostag AR, Leonardi M, Zak DE, Logan R, Lewis P, Franke-Welch S, Ngwenyama N, Fitzgerald M, Tulberg N, Rawlings-Rhea S, Gardner RA, Jones K, Sanabria A, Crago W, Timmer J, Hollands A, Eckelman B, Bilic S, Woodworth J, Lamble A, Gregory PD, Jarjour J, Pogson M, Gustafson JA, Astrakhan A, Jensen MC. Drug-regulated CD33-targeted CAR T cells control AML using clinically optimized rapamycin dosing. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e162593. [PMID: 38502193 PMCID: PMC11060733 DOI: 10.1172/jci162593] [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: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) designs that incorporate pharmacologic control are desirable; however, designs suitable for clinical translation are needed. We designed a fully human, rapamycin-regulated drug product for targeting CD33+ tumors called dimerizaing agent-regulated immunoreceptor complex (DARIC33). T cell products demonstrated target-specific and rapamycin-dependent cytokine release, transcriptional responses, cytotoxicity, and in vivo antileukemic activity in the presence of as little as 1 nM rapamycin. Rapamycin withdrawal paused DARIC33-stimulated T cell effector functions, which were restored following reexposure to rapamycin, demonstrating reversible effector function control. While rapamycin-regulated DARIC33 T cells were highly sensitive to target antigen, CD34+ stem cell colony-forming capacity was not impacted. We benchmarked DARIC33 potency relative to CD19 CAR T cells to estimate a T cell dose for clinical testing. In addition, we integrated in vitro and preclinical in vivo drug concentration thresholds for off-on state transitions, as well as murine and human rapamycin pharmacokinetics, to estimate a clinically applicable rapamycin dosing schedule. A phase I DARIC33 trial has been initiated (PLAT-08, NCT05105152), with initial evidence of rapamycin-regulated T cell activation and antitumor impact. Our findings provide evidence that the DARIC platform exhibits sensitive regulation and potency needed for clinical application to other important immunotherapy targets.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3/immunology
- Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3/metabolism
- Sirolimus/pharmacology
- Sirolimus/administration & dosage
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Appelbaum
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Kaori Oda
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joy Zhang
- 2seventy bio, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Giacomo Tampella
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dong Xia
- 2seventy bio, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Claudya Evandy
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Semanti Sarkar
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | - Marissa Leonardi
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Rachael Logan
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael Fitzgerald
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Niklas Tulberg
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stephanie Rawlings-Rhea
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Gardner
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kyle Jones
- Inhibrx, Torrey Pines Science Park, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | - William Crago
- Inhibrx, Torrey Pines Science Park, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - John Timmer
- Inhibrx, Torrey Pines Science Park, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Andrew Hollands
- Inhibrx, Torrey Pines Science Park, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Adam Lamble
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joshua A. Gustafson
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Michael C. Jensen
- Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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28
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Yang Y, Vedvyas Y, Alcaina Y, Son JY, Min IM, Jin MM. Low-dose targeted radionuclide therapy synergizes with CAR T cells and enhances tumor response. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1355388. [PMID: 38550578 PMCID: PMC10972862 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1355388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation has garnered considerable attention as a combination partner for immunotherapy due to its potential immunostimulatory effects. In contrast to the more commonly used external beam radiation, we explored the feasibility of combining chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy with targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT), which is achieved by delivering β-emitting 177Lu-DOTATATE to tumor via tumor-infiltrating CAR T cells that express somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2). We hypothesized that the delivery of radiation to tumors could synergize with CAR T therapy, resulting in enhanced antitumor immunity and tumor response. To determine the optimal dosage and timing of 177Lu-DOTATATE treatment, we measured CAR T cell infiltration and expansion in tumors longitudinally through positron emission tomography (PET) using a SSTR2-specific positron-emitting radiotracer,18F-NOTA-Octreotide. In animals receiving CAR T cells and a low-dose (2.5 Gy) of TRT following the administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE, we observed a rapid regression of large subcutaneous tumors, which coincided with a dramatic increase in serum proinflammatory cytokines. Tumor burden was also reduced when a higher radiation dose (6 Gy) was delivered to the tumor. However, this higher dose led to cell death in both the tumor and CAR T cells. Our study suggests that there may exist an optimum range of TRT dosage that can enhance T cell activity and sensitize tumor cells to T cell killing, which may result in more durable tumor control compared to a higher radiation dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Yang
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yogindra Vedvyas
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yago Alcaina
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ju Y. Son
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Irene M. Min
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Moonsoo M. Jin
- Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Li Y, Han M, Wei H, Huang W, Chen Z, Zhang T, Qian M, Jing L, Nan G, Sun X, Dai S, Wang K, Jiang J, Zhu P, Chen L. Id2 epigenetically controls CD8 + T-cell exhaustion by disrupting the assembly of the Tcf3-LSD1 complex. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:292-308. [PMID: 38287103 PMCID: PMC10902300 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01118-6] [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: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T-cell exhaustion is a state of dysfunction that promotes tumor progression and is marked by the generation of Slamf6+ progenitor exhausted (Texprog) and Tim-3+ terminally exhausted (Texterm) subpopulations. Inhibitor of DNA binding protein 2 (Id2) has been shown to play important roles in T-cell development and CD8+ T-cell immunity. However, the role of Id2 in CD8+ T-cell exhaustion is unclear. Here, we found that Id2 transcriptionally and epigenetically regulates the generation of Texprog cells and their conversion to Texterm cells. Genetic deletion of Id2 dampens CD8+ T-cell-mediated immune responses and the maintenance of stem-like CD8+ T-cell subpopulations, suppresses PD-1 blockade and increases tumor susceptibility. Mechanistically, through its HLH domain, Id2 binds and disrupts the assembly of the Tcf3-Tal1 transcriptional regulatory complex, and thus modulates chromatin accessibility at the Slamf6 promoter by preventing the interaction of Tcf3 with the histone lysine demethylase LSD1. Therefore, Id2 increases the abundance of the permissive H3K4me2 mark on the Tcf3-occupied E-boxes in the Slamf6 promoter, modulates chromatin accessibility at the Slamf6 promoter and epigenetically regulates the generation of Slamf6+ Texprog cells. An LSD1 inhibitor GSK2879552 can rescue the Id2 knockout phenotype in tumor-bearing mice. Inhibition of LSD1 increases the abundance of Slamf6+Tim-3- Texprog cells in tumors and the expression level of Tcf1 in Id2-deleted CD8+ T cells. This study demonstrates that Id2-mediated transcriptional and epigenetic modification drives hierarchical CD8+ T-cell exhaustion, and the mechanistic insights gained may have implications for therapeutic intervention with tumor immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Li
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Mingwei Han
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Haolin Wei
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Wan Huang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Zhinan Chen
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Tianjiao Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Meirui Qian
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Lin Jing
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Gang Nan
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Xiuxuan Sun
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Shuhui Dai
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Jianli Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
| | - Ping Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology of National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Clinical Immunology of Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
| | - Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
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30
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Ghaffari S, Saleh M, Akbari B, Ramezani F, Mirzaei HR. Applications of single-cell omics for chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy. Immunology 2024; 171:339-364. [PMID: 38009707 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a promising cancer treatment modality. The breakthroughs in CAR T cell therapy were, in part, possible with the help of cell analysis methods, such as single-cell analysis. Bulk analyses have provided invaluable information regarding the complex molecular dynamics of CAR T cells, but their results are an average of thousands of signals in CAR T or tumour cells. Since cancer is a heterogeneous disease where each minute detail of a subclone could change the outcome of the treatment, single-cell analysis could prove to be a powerful instrument in deciphering the secrets of tumour microenvironment for cancer immunotherapy. With the recent studies in all aspects of adoptive cell therapy making use of single-cell analysis, a comprehensive review of the recent preclinical and clinical findings in CAR T cell therapy was needed. Here, we categorized and summarized the key points of the studies in which single-cell analysis provided insights into the genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics and proteomics as well as their respective multi-omics of CAR T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasan Ghaffari
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mahshid Saleh
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin Graduate School, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Behnia Akbari
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faezeh Ramezani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Mirzaei
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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31
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Sun D, Shi X, Li S, Wang X, Yang X, Wan M. CAR‑T cell therapy: A breakthrough in traditional cancer treatment strategies (Review). Mol Med Rep 2024; 29:47. [PMID: 38275119 PMCID: PMC10835665 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2024.13171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‑T cell therapy is an innovative approach to immune cell therapy that works by modifying the T cells of a patient to express the CAR protein on their surface, and thus induce their recognition and destruction of cancer cells. CAR‑T cell therapy has shown some success in treating hematological tumors, but it still faces a number of challenges in the treatment of solid tumors, such as antigen selection, tolerability and safety. In response to these issues, studies continue to improve the design of CAR‑T cells in pursuit of improved therapeutic efficacy and safety. In the future, CAR‑T cell therapy is expected to become an important cancer treatment, and may provide new ideas and strategies for individualized immunotherapy. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the principles, clinical applications, therapeutic efficacy and challenges of CAR‑T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahua Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Shi
- Department of Pathology, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
| | - Sanyan Li
- Department of Pathology, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
| | - Meiping Wan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei 433100, P.R. China
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Tieu V, Sotillo E, Bjelajac JR, Chen C, Malipatlolla M, Guerrero JA, Xu P, Quinn PJ, Fisher C, Klysz D, Mackall CL, Qi LS. A versatile CRISPR-Cas13d platform for multiplexed transcriptomic regulation and metabolic engineering in primary human T cells. Cell 2024; 187:1278-1295.e20. [PMID: 38387457 PMCID: PMC10965243 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR technologies have begun to revolutionize T cell therapies; however, conventional CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing tools are limited in their safety, efficacy, and scope. To address these challenges, we developed multiplexed effector guide arrays (MEGA), a platform for programmable and scalable regulation of the T cell transcriptome using the RNA-guided, RNA-targeting activity of CRISPR-Cas13d. MEGA enables quantitative, reversible, and massively multiplexed gene knockdown in primary human T cells without targeting or cutting genomic DNA. Applying MEGA to a model of CAR T cell exhaustion, we robustly suppressed inhibitory receptor upregulation and uncovered paired regulators of T cell function through combinatorial CRISPR screening. We additionally implemented druggable regulation of MEGA to control CAR activation in a receptor-independent manner. Lastly, MEGA enabled multiplexed disruption of immunoregulatory metabolic pathways to enhance CAR T cell fitness and anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. MEGA offers a versatile synthetic toolkit for applications in cancer immunotherapy and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Tieu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elena Sotillo
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jeremy R Bjelajac
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Crystal Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Meena Malipatlolla
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Justin A Guerrero
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Peng Xu
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Patrick J Quinn
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chris Fisher
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dorota Klysz
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Crystal L Mackall
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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33
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Tao R, Han X, Bai X, Yu J, Ma Y, Chen W, Zhang D, Li Z. Revolutionizing cancer treatment: enhancing CAR-T cell therapy with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1354825. [PMID: 38449862 PMCID: PMC10914996 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1354825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapy, a novel immunotherapy, has made significant breakthroughs in clinical practice, particularly in treating B-cell-associated leukemia and lymphoma. However, it still faces challenges such as poor persistence, limited proliferation capacity, high manufacturing costs, and suboptimal efficacy. CRISPR/Cas system, an efficient and simple method for precise gene editing, offers new possibilities for optimizing CAR-T cells. It can increase the function of CAR-T cells and reduce manufacturing costs. The combination of CRISPR/Cas9 technology and CAR-T cell therapy may promote the development of this therapy and provide more effective and personalized treatment for cancer patients. Meanwhile, the safety issues surrounding the application of this technology in CAR-T cells require further research and evaluation. Future research should focus on improving the accuracy and safety of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to facilitate the better development and application of CAR-T cell therapy. This review focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in CAR-T cell therapy, including eliminating the inhibitory effect of immune checkpoints, enhancing the ability of CAR-T cells to resist exhaustion, assisting in the construction of universal CAR-T cells, reducing the manufacturing costs of CAR-T cells, and the security problems faced. The objective is to show the revolutionary role of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in CAR-T cell therapy for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyu Tao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiaopeng Han
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xue Bai
- Department of Urology, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jianping Yu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Youwei Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Weikai Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Zhengkai Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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Huang Y, Shao M, Teng X, Si X, Wu L, Jiang P, Liu L, Cai B, Wang X, Han Y, Feng Y, Liu K, Zhang Z, Cui J, Zhang M, Hu Y, Qian P, Huang H. Inhibition of CD38 enzymatic activity enhances CAR-T cell immune-therapeutic efficacy by repressing glycolytic metabolism. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101400. [PMID: 38307031 PMCID: PMC10897548 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy has shown superior efficacy against hematopoietic malignancies. However, many patients failed to achieve sustainable tumor control partially due to CAR-T cell exhaustion and limited persistence. In this study, by performing single-cell multi-omics data analysis on patient-derived CAR-T cells, we identify CD38 as a potential hallmark of exhausted CAR-T cells, which is positively correlated with exhaustion-related transcription factors and further confirmed with in vitro exhaustion models. Moreover, inhibiting CD38 activity reverses tonic signaling- or tumor antigen-induced exhaustion independent of single-chain variable fragment design or costimulatory domain, resulting in improved CAR-T cell cytotoxicity and antitumor response. Mechanistically, CD38 inhibition synergizes the downregulation of CD38-cADPR -Ca2+ signaling and activation of the CD38-NAD+-SIRT1 axis to suppress glycolysis. Collectively, our findings shed light on the role of CD38 in CAR-T cell exhaustion and suggest potential clinical applications of CD38 inhibition in enhancing the efficacy and persistence of CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mi Shao
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xinyi Teng
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaohui Si
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Longyuan Wu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Penglei Jiang
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lianxuan Liu
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bohan Cai
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiujian Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yingli Han
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Youqin Feng
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhaoru Zhang
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiazhen Cui
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yongxian Hu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Pengxu Qian
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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35
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Liao YM, Hsu SH, Chiou SS. Harnessing the Transcriptional Signatures of CAR-T-Cells and Leukemia/Lymphoma Using Single-Cell Sequencing Technologies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2416. [PMID: 38397092 PMCID: PMC10889174 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy has greatly improved outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies. However, challenges such as treatment resistance, relapse, and severe toxicity still hinder its widespread clinical application. Traditional transcriptome analysis has provided limited insights into the complex transcriptional landscape of both leukemia cells and engineered CAR-T-cells, as well as their interactions within the tumor microenvironment. However, with the advent of single-cell sequencing techniques, a paradigm shift has occurred, providing robust tools to unravel the complexities of these factors. These techniques enable an unbiased analysis of cellular heterogeneity and molecular patterns. These insights are invaluable for precise receptor design, guiding gene-based T-cell modification, and optimizing manufacturing conditions. Consequently, this review utilizes modern single-cell sequencing techniques to clarify the transcriptional intricacies of leukemia cells and CAR-Ts. The aim of this manuscript is to discuss the potential mechanisms that contribute to the clinical failures of CAR-T immunotherapy. We examine the biological characteristics of CAR-Ts, the mechanisms that govern clinical responses, and the intricacies of adverse events. By exploring these aspects, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of CAR-T therapy, which will ultimately lead to improved clinical outcomes and broader therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Mei Liao
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Shih-Hsien Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center of Applied Genomics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Shyh-Shin Chiou
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center of Applied Genomics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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36
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Klysz DD, Fowler C, Malipatlolla M, Stuani L, Freitas KA, Chen Y, Meier S, Daniel B, Sandor K, Xu P, Huang J, Labanieh L, Keerthi V, Leruste A, Bashti M, Mata-Alcazar J, Gkitsas N, Guerrero JA, Fisher C, Patel S, Asano K, Patel S, Davis KL, Satpathy AT, Feldman SA, Sotillo E, Mackall CL. Inosine induces stemness features in CAR-T cells and enhances potency. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:266-282.e8. [PMID: 38278150 PMCID: PMC10923096 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Adenosine (Ado) mediates immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment and exhausted CD8+ CAR-T cells express CD39 and CD73, which mediate proximal steps in Ado generation. Here, we sought to enhance CAR-T cell potency by knocking out CD39, CD73, or adenosine receptor 2a (A2aR) but observed only modest effects. In contrast, overexpression of Ado deaminase (ADA-OE), which metabolizes Ado to inosine (INO), induced stemness and enhanced CAR-T functionality. Similarly, CAR-T cell exposure to INO augmented function and induced features of stemness. INO induced profound metabolic reprogramming, diminishing glycolysis, increasing mitochondrial and glycolytic capacity, glutaminolysis and polyamine synthesis, and reprogrammed the epigenome toward greater stemness. Clinical scale manufacturing using INO generated enhanced potency CAR-T cell products meeting criteria for clinical dosing. These results identify INO as a potent modulator of CAR-T cell metabolism and epigenetic stemness programming and deliver an enhanced potency platform for cell manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota D Klysz
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carley Fowler
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Meena Malipatlolla
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lucille Stuani
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine A Freitas
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yiyun Chen
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stefanie Meier
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bence Daniel
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katalin Sandor
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Peng Xu
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jing Huang
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Louai Labanieh
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vimal Keerthi
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amaury Leruste
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Malek Bashti
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Janette Mata-Alcazar
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nikolaos Gkitsas
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Justin A Guerrero
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chris Fisher
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sunny Patel
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Asano
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shabnum Patel
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kara L Davis
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ansuman T Satpathy
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Steven A Feldman
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elena Sotillo
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Crystal L Mackall
- Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Jiang J, Wang Y, Sun M, Luo X, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Li S, Hu D, Zhang J, Wu Z, Chen X, Zhang B, Xu X, Wang S, Xu S, Huang W, Xia L. SOX on tumors, a comfort or a constraint? Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:67. [PMID: 38331879 PMCID: PMC10853543 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) family, composed of 20 transcription factors, is a conserved family with a highly homologous HMG domain. Due to their crucial role in determining cell fate, the dysregulation of SOX family members is closely associated with tumorigenesis, including tumor invasion, metastasis, proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness and drug resistance. Despite considerable research to investigate the mechanisms and functions of the SOX family, confusion remains regarding aspects such as the role of the SOX family in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and contradictory impacts the SOX family exerts on tumors. This review summarizes the physiological function of the SOX family and their multiple roles in tumors, with a focus on the relationship between the SOX family and TIME, aiming to propose their potential role in cancer and promising methods for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqing Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiangyuan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zerui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Siwen Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Dian Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Jiaqian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhangfan Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake university school of medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Shengjun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases; Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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Qin C, Dong MH, Zhou LQ, Wang W, Cai SB, You YF, Shang K, Xiao J, Wang D, Li CR, Zhang M, Bu BT, Tian DS, Wang W. Single-cell analysis of refractory anti-SRP necrotizing myopathy treated with anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315990121. [PMID: 38289960 PMCID: PMC10861907 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315990121] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) is an autoimmune disorder associated with the presence of autoantibodies, characterized by severe clinical presentation with rapidly progressive muscular weakness and elevated levels of creatine kinase, while traditional pharmacological approaches possess varying and often limited effects. Considering the pathogenic role of autoantibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells targeting B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. We reported here a patient with anti-signal recognition particle IMNM refractory to multiple available therapies, who was treated with BCMA-targeting CAR-T cells, exhibited favorable safety profiles, sustained reduction in pathogenic autoantibodies, and persistent clinical improvements over 18 mo. Longitudinal single-cell RNA, B cell receptor, T cell receptor sequencing analysis presented the normalization of immune microenvironment after CAR-T cell infusion, including reconstitution of B cell lineages, replacement of T cell subclusters, and suppression of overactivated immune cells. Analysis on characteristics of CAR-T cells in IMNM demonstrated a more active expansion of CD8+ CAR-T cells, with a dynamic phenotype shifting pattern similar in CD4+ and CD8+ CAR-T cells. A comparison of CD8+ CAR-T cells in patients with IMNM and those with malignancies collected at different timepoints revealed a more NK-like phenotype with enhanced tendency of cell death and neuroinflammation and inhibited proliferating ability of CD8+ CAR-T cells in IMNM while neuroinflammation might be the distinct characteristics. Further studies are warranted to define the molecular features of CAR-T cells in autoimmunity and to seek higher efficiency and longer persistence of CAR-T cells in treating autoimmune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Qin
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Ming-Hao Dong
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Luo-Qi Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics Ltd., Nanjing210000, China
| | - Song-Bai Cai
- Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics Ltd., Nanjing210000, China
| | - Yun-Fan You
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Ke Shang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Chun-Rui Li
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Bi-Tao Bu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Dai-Shi Tian
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
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Ong SY, Chen Y, Tan MSY, Ho AYL, Hwang WYK, Lim FLWI. Current perspectives on resistance to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and strategies to improve efficacy in B-cell lymphoma. Eur J Haematol 2024; 112:144-152. [PMID: 36987995 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in patients with chemo-refractory B-cell lymphoma, a significant portion is refractory or relapse. Resistance is a major barrier to improving treatment efficacy and long-term survival in CAR T-cell therapy, and clinicians have very limited tools to discriminate a priori patients who will or will not respond to treatment. While CD19-negative relapses due to loss of target antigen is well described, it accounts for only about 30% of cases with treatment failure. Recent efforts have shed light on mechanisms of CD19-positive relapse due to tumor intrinsic resistance, T-cell quality/manufacturing, or CAR T-cell exhaustion mediated by hostile tumor microenvironment. Here, we review the latest updates of preclinical and clinical trials to investigate the mechanisms of resistance and relapse post CAR T-cell therapy in B cell lymphoma and discuss novel treatment strategies to overcome resistance as well as advances that are useful for a CAR T therapist to optimize and personalize CAR T-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Yeu Ong
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yunxin Chen
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Melinda Si Yun Tan
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - William Ying Khee Hwang
- Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore
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40
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Guo L, Wu D, Shen J, Gao Y. ERG mediates the inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity through the HLX/STAT4/Perforin signaling pathway, thereby promoting the progression of myocardial infarction. J Physiol Biochem 2024; 80:219-233. [PMID: 38091230 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-023-00999-5] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of ERG in the HLX/STAT4/Perforin signaling axis, impacting natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and myocardial infarction (MI) progression. NK cell cytotoxicity was assessed via co-culture and 51Cr release assays. Datasets GSE34198 and GSE97320 identified common differentially expressed genes in MI. NK cell gene expression was analyzed in MI patients and healthy individuals using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. ERG's regulation of HLX and STAT4's regulation of perforin were studied through computational tools (MEM) and ChIP experiments. HLX's influence on STAT4 was explored with the MG132 proteasome inhibitor. Findings were validated in a mouse MI model.ERG, a commonly upregulated gene, was identified in NK cells from MI patients and mice. ERG upregulated HLX, leading to STAT4 proteasomal degradation and reduced Perforin expression. Consequently, NK cell cytotoxicity decreased, promoting MI progression. ERG mediates the HLX/STAT4/Perforin axis to inhibit NK cell cytotoxicity, fostering MI progression. These results provide vital insights into MI's molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Guo
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianfen Shen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China.
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Tang HY, Cao YZ, Zhou YW, Ma YS, Jiang H, Zhang H, Jiang L, Yang QX, Tang XM, Yang C, Liu XY, Liu FX, Liu JB, Fu D, Wang YF, Yu H. The power and the promise of CAR-mediated cell immunotherapy for clinical application in pancreatic cancer. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00027-4. [PMID: 38244773 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer, referred to as the "monarch of malignancies," is a neoplastic growth mostly arising from the epithelial cells of the pancreatic duct and acinar cells. This particular neoplasm has a highly unfavorable prognosis due to its marked malignancy, inconspicuous initial manifestation, challenging early detection, rapid advancement, and limited survival duration. Cellular immunotherapy is the ex vivo culture and expansion of immune effector cells, granting them the capacity to selectively target malignant cells using specialized techniques. Subsequently, these modified cells are reintroduced into the patient's organism with the purpose of eradicating tumor cells and providing therapeutic intervention for cancer. PRESENT SITUATION Presently, the primary cellular therapeutic modalities employed in the treatment of pancreatic cancer encompass CAR T-cell therapy, TCR T-cell therapy, NK-cell therapy, and CAR NK-cell therapy. AIM OF REVIEW This review provides a concise overview of the mechanisms and primary targets associated with various cell therapies. Additionally, we will explore the prospective outlook of cell therapy in the context of treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Tang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China; Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226631, Jiangsu, China; General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Zhi Cao
- General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Wei Zhou
- General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Shui Ma
- Cancer Institute, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The 905th Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, Shanghai 200050, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226631, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Qin-Xin Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Tang
- General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xin-Yun Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fu-Xing Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226631, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Da Fu
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226631, Jiangsu, China; General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yun-Feng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai 201299, China.
| | - Hong Yu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China; Department of Pathology, Taizhou School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu, China.
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Hosseinzadeh R, Moini A, Hosseini R, Fatehnejad M, Yekaninejad MS, Javidan M, Changaei M, Feizisani F, Rajaei S. A higher number of exhausted local PD1+, but not TIM3+, NK cells in advanced endometriosis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23294. [PMID: 38173487 PMCID: PMC10761348 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23294] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMT) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the presence and growth of endometrial-like glandular epithelial and stromal cells outside the uterus. Natural Killer (NK) cell dysfunction/exhaustion has been shown in patients with EMT. In this case-control study, we compared the frequency of exhausted PD-1 or TIM-3 positive NK cells in peripheral blood (PB) and peritoneal fluid (PF) of women with advanced endometriosis to control fertile women. PB and PF were collected from women aged 25-40 who underwent the laparoscopic procedure, including 13 stages III/IV endometriosis and 13 control samples. Multicolor flowcytometry was used to compare the frequency of PD-1 or TIM-3 positive NK (CD3-CD56+) cells in PB and PF of two groups. We demonstrated a higher percentage of PD-1+ NK cells in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis rather than controls (P-value = 0.039). This significance was related to stage IV of endometriosis (P-value = 0.047). We can not show any significant difference in the number of PD-1 or TIM-3 positive NK cells in peripheral blood. Our results suggest a local exhausted NK cell response in endometriosis that can be a leading factor in the endometriosis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ashraf Moini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arash Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Hosseini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arash Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Fatehnejad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arash Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mir Saeed Yekaninejad
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moslem Javidan
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Changaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Feizisani
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Sarab Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sarab, Iran
| | - Samira Rajaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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López-Cobo S, Fuentealba JR, Gueguen P, Bonté PE, Tsalkitzi K, Chacón I, Glauzy S, Bohineust A, Biquand A, Silva L, Gouveia Z, Goudot C, Perez F, Saitakis M, Amigorena S. SUV39H1 Ablation Enhances Long-term CAR T Function in Solid Tumors. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:120-141. [PMID: 37934001 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-1350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Failure of adoptive T-cell therapies in patients with cancer is linked to limited T-cell expansion and persistence, even in memory-prone 41BB-(BBz)-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. We show here that BBz-CAR T-cell stem/memory differentiation and persistence can be enhanced through epigenetic manipulation of the histone 3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) pathway. Inactivation of the H3K9 trimethyltransferase SUV39H1 enhances BBz-CAR T cell long-term persistence, protecting mice against tumor relapses and rechallenges in lung and disseminated solid tumor models up to several months after CAR T-cell infusion. Single-cell transcriptomic (single-cell RNA sequencing) and chromatin opening (single-cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin) analyses of tumor-infiltrating CAR T cells show early reprogramming into self-renewing, stemlike populations with decreased expression of dysfunction genes in all T-cell subpopulations. Therefore, epigenetic manipulation of H3K9 methylation by SUV39H1 optimizes the long-term functional persistence of BBz-CAR T cells, limiting relapses, and providing protection against tumor rechallenges. SIGNIFICANCE Limited CAR T-cell expansion and persistence hinders therapeutic responses in solid cancer patients. We show that targeting SUV39H1 histone methyltransferase enhances 41BB-based CAR T-cell long-term protection against tumor relapses and rechallenges by increasing stemness/memory differentiation. This opens a safe path to enhancing adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors. See related article by Jain et al., p. 142. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila López-Cobo
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Jaime R Fuentealba
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Paul Gueguen
- Department of Oncology, UNIL CHUV and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Kyriaki Tsalkitzi
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
- Mnemo Therapeutics, Paris, France
| | - Irena Chacón
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Salomé Glauzy
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 144, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Lisseth Silva
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Zelia Gouveia
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 144, Paris, France
| | - Christel Goudot
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Franck Perez
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 144, Paris, France
| | - Michael Saitakis
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
- Mnemo Therapeutics, Paris, France
| | - Sebastian Amigorena
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunity and Cancer, Paris, France
- Mnemo Therapeutics, Paris, France
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Wang Y, He S, Calendo G, Bui T, Tian Y, Lee CY, Zhou Y, Zhao X, Abraham C, Mo W, Chen M, Sanders-Braggs R, Madzo J, Issa JP, Hexner EO, Wiest DL, Reshef R, Xue HH, Zhang Y. Tissue-infiltrating alloreactive T cells require Id3 to deflect PD-1-mediated immune suppression during GVHD. Blood 2024; 143:166-177. [PMID: 37871574 PMCID: PMC10797551 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023021126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Persisting alloreactive donor T cells in target tissues are a determinant of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), but the transcriptional regulators that control the persistence and function of tissue-infiltrating T cells remain elusive. We demonstrate here that Id3, a DNA-binding inhibitor, is critical for sustaining T-cell responses in GVHD target tissues in mice, including the liver and intestine. Id3 loss results in aberrantly expressed PD-1 in polyfunctional T helper 1 (Th1) cells, decreased tissue-infiltrating PD-1+ polyfunctional Th1 cell numbers, impaired maintenance of liver TCF-1+ progenitor-like T cells, and inhibition of GVHD. PD-1 blockade restores the capacity of Id3-ablated donor T cells to mediate GVHD. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that Id3 loss leads to significantly decreased CD28- and PI3K/AKT-signaling activity in tissue-infiltrating polyfunctional Th1 cells, an indicator of active PD-1/PD-L1 effects. Id3 is also required for protecting CD8+ T cells from the PD-1 pathway-mediated suppression during GVHD. Genome-wide RNA-sequencing analysis reveals that Id3 represses transcription factors (e.g., Nfatc2, Fos, Jun, Ets1, and Prdm1) that are critical for PD-1 transcription, exuberant effector differentiation, and interferon responses and dysfunction of activated T cells. Id3 achieves these effects by restraining the chromatin accessibility for these transcription factors. Id3 ablation in donor T cells preserved their graft vs tumor effects in mice undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of ID3 in human CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cells retained their antitumor activity in NOD/SCID/IL2Rg-/- mice early after administration. These findings identify that ID3 is an important target to reduce GVHD, and the gene-editing program of ID3 may have broad implications in T-cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Shan He
- Fels Institute and Department of Cancer Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Tien Bui
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Yuanyuan Tian
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Che Young Lee
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Yan Zhou
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Xin Zhao
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Ciril Abraham
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
- Fels Institute and Department of Cancer Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Wenbin Mo
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Mimi Chen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | | | - Jozef Madzo
- Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ
| | | | - Elizabeth O. Hexner
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - David L. Wiest
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Ran Reshef
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Hai-Hui Xue
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Nutley, NJ
- Fels Institute and Department of Cancer Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
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45
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Tang Y, Liu W, Kadu S, Johnson O, Hasanali ZS, Kelly A, Shestov A, Pajarillo R, Greenblatt E, Holmes M, Wang LP, Shih N, O’Connor RS, Ruella M, Garfall AL, Allman D, Vogl DT, Cohen A, June CH, Sheppard NC. Exploiting the CD200-CD200R immune checkpoint axis in multiple myeloma to enhance CAR T-cell therapy. Blood 2024; 143:139-151. [PMID: 37616575 PMCID: PMC10862366 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022018658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells usually relapse with BCMA+ disease, indicative of CAR T-cell suppression. CD200 is an immune checkpoint that is overexpressed on aberrant plasma cells (aPCs) in MM and is an independent negative prognostic factor for survival. However, CD200 is not present on MM cell lines, a potential limitation of current preclinical models. We engineered MM cell lines to express CD200 at levels equivalent to those found on aPCs in MM and show that these are sufficient to suppress clinical-stage CAR T-cells targeting BCMA or the Tn glycoform of mucin 1 (TnMUC1), costimulated by 4-1BB and CD2, respectively. To prevent CD200-mediated suppression of CAR T cells, we compared CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout of the CD200 receptor (CD200RKO), to coexpression of versions of the CD200 receptor that were nonsignaling, that is, dominant negative (CD200RDN), or that leveraged the CD200 signal to provide CD28 costimulation (CD200R-CD28 switch). We found that the CD200R-CD28 switch potently enhanced the polyfunctionality of CAR T cells, and improved cytotoxicity, proliferative capacity, CAR T-cell metabolism, and performance in a chronic antigen exposure assay. CD200RDN provided modest benefits, but surprisingly, the CD200RKO was detrimental to CAR T-cell activity, adversely affecting CAR T-cell metabolism. These patterns held up in murine xenograft models of plasmacytoma, and disseminated bone marrow predominant disease. Our findings underscore the importance of CD200-mediated immune suppression in CAR T-cell therapy of MM, and highlight a promising approach to enhance such therapies by leveraging CD200 expression on aPCs to provide costimulation via a CD200R-CD28 switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tang
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Wei Liu
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Siddhant Kadu
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Omar Johnson
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Zainul S. Hasanali
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Andre Kelly
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Alexander Shestov
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Raymone Pajarillo
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | - Li-Ping Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Natalie Shih
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Roddy S. O’Connor
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Marco Ruella
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Alfred L. Garfall
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - David Allman
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Dan T. Vogl
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Adam Cohen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Carl H. June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Neil C. Sheppard
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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46
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Luo W, Wen T, Qu X. Tumor immune microenvironment-based therapies in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: time to update the concept. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:8. [PMID: 38167055 PMCID: PMC10759657 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02935-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal solid tumors. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) formed by interactions among cancer cells, immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), and extracellular matrix (ECM) components drives PDAC in a more immunosuppressive direction: this is a major cause of therapy resistance and poor prognosis. In recent years, research has advanced our understanding of the signaling mechanism by which TIME components interact with the tumor and the evolution of immunophenotyping. Through revolutionary technologies such as single-cell sequencing, we have gone from simply classifying PDACs as "cold" and "hot" to a more comprehensive approach of immunophenotyping that considers all the cells and matrix components. This is key to improving the clinical efficacy of PDAC treatments. In this review, we elaborate on various TIME components in PDAC, the signaling mechanisms underlying their interactions, and the latest research into PDAC immunophenotyping. A deep understanding of these network interactions will contribute to the effective combination of TIME-based therapeutic approaches, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), adoptive cell therapy, therapies targeting myeloid cells, CAF reprogramming, and stromal normalization. By selecting the appropriate integrated therapies based on precise immunophenotyping, significant advances in the future treatment of PDAC are possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
- Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China
| | - Ti Wen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
- Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China.
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
- Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China.
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China.
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47
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Albelda SM. CAR T cell therapy for patients with solid tumours: key lessons to learn and unlearn. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:47-66. [PMID: 37904019 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00832-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been approved for use in patients with B cell malignancies or relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma, yet efficacy against most solid tumours remains elusive. The limited imaging and biopsy data from clinical trials in this setting continues to hinder understanding, necessitating a reliance on imperfect preclinical models. In this Perspective, I re-evaluate current data and suggest potential pathways towards greater success, drawing lessons from the few successful trials testing CAR T cells in patients with solid tumours and the clinical experience with tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes. The most promising approaches include the use of pluripotent stem cells, co-targeting multiple mechanisms of immune evasion, employing multiple co-stimulatory domains, and CAR ligand-targeting vaccines. An alternative strategy focused on administering multiple doses of short-lived CAR T cells in an attempt to pre-empt exhaustion and maintain a functional effector pool should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Albelda
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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48
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Zhu Z, Lou G, Teng XL, Wang H, Luo Y, Shi W, Yihunie K, Hao S, DeGolier K, Liao C, Huang H, Zhang Q, Fry T, Wang T, Yao C, Wu T. FOXP1 and KLF2 reciprocally regulate checkpoints of stem-like to effector transition in CAR T cells. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:117-128. [PMID: 38012417 PMCID: PMC10841689 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01685-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
In cancer and infections, self-renewing stem-like CD8+ T cells mediate the response of immunotherapies and replenish terminally exhausted T cells and effector-like T cells. However, the programs governing the lineage choice in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are unclear. Here, by simultaneously profiling single-cell chromatin accessibility and transcriptome in the same CAR T cells, we identified heterogeneous chromatin states within CD8+ T cell subsets that foreshadowed transcriptional changes and were primed for regulation by distinct transcription factors. Transcription factors that controlled each CD8+ T cell subset were regulated by high numbers of enhancers and positioned as hubs of gene networks. FOXP1, a hub in the stem-like network, promoted expansion and stemness of CAR T cells and limited excessive effector differentiation. In the effector network, KLF2 enhanced effector CD8+ T cell differentiation and prevented terminal exhaustion. Thus, we identified gene networks and hub transcription factors that controlled the differentiation of stem-like CD8+ CAR T cells into effector or exhausted CD8+ CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziang Zhu
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Immunology Ph.D. Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Guohua Lou
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Xiao-Lu Teng
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Haixia Wang
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ying Luo
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Wangke Shi
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kiddist Yihunie
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Shumeng Hao
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kole DeGolier
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chengheng Liao
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Huocong Huang
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Terry Fry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tao Wang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chen Yao
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Kidney Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Tuoqi Wu
- Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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49
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Kim H, Choi H, Lee D, Kim J. A review on gene regulatory network reconstruction algorithms based on single cell RNA sequencing. Genes Genomics 2024; 46:1-11. [PMID: 38032470 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01473-8] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is essential for unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing cellular behavior. With the advent of high-throughput transcriptome measurement technology, researchers have aimed to reverse engineer the biological systems, extracting gene regulatory rules from their outputs, which represented by gene expression data. Bulk RNA sequencing, a widely used method for measuring gene expression, has been employed for GRN reconstruction. However, it falls short in capturing dynamic changes in gene expression at the level of individual cells since it averages gene expression across mixed cell populations. OBJECTIVE In this review, we provide an overview of 15 GRN reconstruction tools and discuss their respective strengths and limitations, particularly in the context of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). METHODS Recent advancements in scRNA-seq break new ground of GRN reconstruction. They offer snapshots of the individual cell transcriptomes and capturing dynamic changes. We emphasize how these technological breakthroughs have enhanced GRN reconstruction. CONCLUSION GRN reconstructors can be classified based on their requirement for cellular trajectory, which represents a dynamical cellular process including differentiation, aging, or disease progression. Benchmarking studies support the superiority of GRN reconstructors that do not require trajectory analysis in identifying regulator-target relationships. However, methods equipped with trajectory analysis demonstrate better performance in identifying key regulatory factors. In conclusion, researchers should select a suitable GRN reconstructor based on their specific research objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonkyu Kim
- School of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06978, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwisoo Choi
- School of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06978, Republic of Korea
| | - Daewon Lee
- School of Art and Technology, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-Daero, Anseong-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 17546, Republic of Korea.
| | - Junil Kim
- School of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06978, Republic of Korea.
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50
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Zhao N, Kabotyanski EB, Saltzman AB, Malovannaya A, Yuan X, Reineke LC, Lieu N, Gao Y, Pedroza DA, Calderon SJ, Smith AJ, Hamor C, Safari K, Savage S, Zhang B, Zhou J, Solis LM, Hilsenbeck SG, Fan C, Perou CM, Rosen JM. Targeting eIF4A triggers an interferon response to synergize with chemotherapy and suppress triple-negative breast cancer. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e172503. [PMID: 37874652 PMCID: PMC10721161 DOI: 10.1172/jci172503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is frequently dysregulated in cancer and selective inhibition of mRNA translation represents an attractive cancer therapy. Here, we show that therapeutically targeting the RNA helicase eIF4A with zotatifin, the first-in-class eIF4A inhibitor, exerts pleiotropic effects on both tumor cells and the tumor immune microenvironment in a diverse cohort of syngeneic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) mouse models. Zotatifin not only suppresses tumor cell proliferation but also directly repolarizes macrophages toward an M1-like phenotype and inhibits neutrophil infiltration, which sensitizes tumors to immune checkpoint blockade. Mechanistic studies revealed that zotatifin reprograms the tumor translational landscape, inhibits the translation of Sox4 and Fgfr1, and induces an interferon (IFN) response uniformly across models. The induction of an IFN response is partially due to the inhibition of Sox4 translation by zotatifin. A similar induction of IFN-stimulated genes was observed in breast cancer patient biopsies following zotatifin treatment. Surprisingly, zotatifin significantly synergizes with carboplatin to trigger DNA damage and an even heightened IFN response, resulting in T cell-dependent tumor suppression. These studies identified a vulnerability of eIF4A in TNBC, potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers for zotatifin, and provide a rationale for new combination regimens consisting of zotatifin and chemotherapy or immunotherapy as treatments for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
| | | | | | - Anna Malovannaya
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and
| | | | - Lucas C. Reineke
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nadia Lieu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
| | | | | | | | - Clark Hamor
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
| | - Kazem Safari
- Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sara Savage
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bing Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jianling Zhou
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Luisa M. Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Susan G. Hilsenbeck
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Cheng Fan
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles M. Perou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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