1
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Filipsky F, Läubli H. Regulation of sialic acid metabolism in cancer. Carbohydr Res 2024; 539:109123. [PMID: 38669826 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2024.109123] [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: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Sialic acid, the terminal structure of cell surface glycans, has essential functions in regulating immune response, cell-to-cell communication, and cell adhesion. More importantly, an increased level of sialic acid, termed hypersialylation, has emerged as a commonly observed phenotype in cancer. Therefore, targeting sialic acid ligands (sialoglycans) and their receptors (Siglecs) may provide a new therapeutic approach for cancer immunotherapy. We highlight the complexity of the sialic acid metabolism and its involvement in malignant transformation within individual cancer subtypes. In this review, we focus on the dysregulation of sialylation, the intricate nature of sialic acid synthesis, and clinical perspective. We aim to provide a brief insight into the mechanism of hypersialylation and how our understanding of these processes can be leveraged for the development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Filipsky
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Läubli
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Basel, Switzerland; Division of Oncology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
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2
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Chen Y, Liang Z, Lai M. Targeting the devil: Strategies against cancer-associated fibroblasts in colorectal cancer. Transl Res 2024; 270:81-93. [PMID: 38614213 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as significant constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a pivotal role in the progression of cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this comprehensive review, we presented the origins and activation mechanisms of CAFs in CRC, elaborating on how CAFs drive tumor progression through their interactions with CRC cells, immune cells, vascular endothelial cells, and the extracellular matrix within the TME. We systematically outline the intricate web of interactions among CAFs, tumor cells, and other TME components, and based on this complex interplay, we summarize various therapeutic strategies designed to target CAFs in CRC. It is also essential to recognize that CAFs represent a highly heterogeneous group, encompassing various subtypes such as myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF), inflammatory CAF (iCAF), antigen-presenting CAF (apCAF), vessel-associated CAF (vCAF). Herein, we provide a summary of studies investigating the heterogeneity of CAFs in CRC and the characteristic expression patterns of each subtype. While the majority of CAFs contribute to the exacerbation of CRC malignancy, recent findings have revealed specific subtypes that exert inhibitory effects on CRC progression. Nevertheless, the comprehensive landscape of CAF heterogeneity still awaits exploration. We also highlight pivotal unanswered questions that need to be addressed before CAFs can be recognized as feasible targets for cancer treatment. In conclusion, the aim of our review is to elucidate the significance and challenges of advancing in-depth research on CAFs, while outlining the pathway to uncover the complex roles of CAFs in CRC and underscore their significant potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Chen
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Zhiyong Liang
- Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Disease, Molecular Pathology Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Maode Lai
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Research Unit of Intelligence Classification of Tumor Pathology and Precision Therapy of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU042), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
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3
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Boelaars K, Rodriguez E, Huinen ZR, Liu C, Wang D, Springer BO, Olesek K, Goossens-Kruijssen L, van Ee T, Lindijer D, Tak W, de Haas A, Wehry L, Nugteren-Boogaard JP, Mikula A, de Winde CM, Mebius RE, Tuveson DA, Giovannetti E, Bijlsma MF, Wuhrer M, van Vliet SJ, van Kooyk Y. Pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts modulate macrophage differentiation via sialic acid-Siglec interactions. Commun Biol 2024; 7:430. [PMID: 38594506 PMCID: PMC11003967 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06087-8] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unresponsive due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by the abundance of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Once identified, CAF-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms could be exploited for cancer immunotherapy. Siglec receptors are increasingly recognized as immune checkpoints, and their ligands, sialic acids, are known to be overexpressed by cancer cells. Here, we unveil a previously unrecognized role of sialic acid-containing glycans on PDAC CAFs as crucial modulators of myeloid cells. Using multiplex immunohistochemistry and transcriptomics, we show that PDAC stroma is enriched in sialic acid-containing glycans compared to tumor cells and normal fibroblasts, and characterized by ST3GAL4 expression. We demonstrate that sialic acids on CAF cell lines serve as ligands for Siglec-7, -9, -10 and -15, distinct from the ligands on tumor cells, and that these receptors are found on myeloid cells in the stroma of PDAC biopsies. Furthermore, we show that CAFs drive the differentiation of monocytes to immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages in vitro, and that CAF sialylation plays a dominant role in this process compared to tumor cell sialylation. Collectively, our findings unravel sialic acids as a mechanism of CAF-mediated immunomodulation, which may provide targets for immunotherapy in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Boelaars
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Rodriguez
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zowi R Huinen
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chang Liu
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pulmonary Medicine, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Di Wang
- Leiden University Medical Center, Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Babet O Springer
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Olesek
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Goossens-Kruijssen
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas van Ee
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitri Lindijer
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willemijn Tak
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aram de Haas
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laetitia Wehry
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joline P Nugteren-Boogaard
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra Mikula
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte M de Winde
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Reina E Mebius
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Medical Oncology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, AIRC Start-Up Unit, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maarten F Bijlsma
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, location University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Leiden University Medical Center, Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra J van Vliet
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvette van Kooyk
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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4
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Wang F, Zhao D, Xu WY, Liu Y, Sun H, Lu S, Ji Y, Jiang J, Chen Y, He Q, Gong C, Liu R, Su Z, Dong Y, Yan Z, Liu L. Blood leukocytes as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules: a prospective cohort study. BMC Med 2024; 22:147. [PMID: 38561764 PMCID: PMC10986011 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroid nodule (TN) patients in China are subject to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The implementation of existing technologies such as thyroid ultrasonography has indeed contributed to the improved diagnostic accuracy of TNs. However, a significant issue persists, where many patients undergo unnecessary biopsies, and patients with malignant thyroid nodules (MTNs) are advised to undergo surgery therapy. METHODS This study included a total of 293 patients diagnosed with TNs. Differential methylation haplotype blocks (MHBs) in blood leukocytes between MTNs and benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) were detected using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Subsequently, an artificial intelligence blood leukocyte DNA methylation (BLDM) model was designed to optimize the management and treatment of patients with TNs for more effective outcomes. RESULTS The DNA methylation profiles of peripheral blood leukocytes exhibited distinctions between MTNs and BTNs. The BLDM model we developed for diagnosing TNs achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.858 in the validation cohort and 0.863 in the independent test cohort. Its specificity reached 90.91% and 88.68% in the validation and independent test cohorts, respectively, outperforming the specificity of ultrasonography (43.64% in the validation cohort and 47.17% in the independent test cohort), albeit with a slightly lower sensitivity (83.33% in the validation cohort and 82.86% in the independent test cohort) compared to ultrasonography (97.62% in the validation cohort and 100.00% in the independent test cohort). The BLDM model could correctly identify 89.83% patients whose nodules were suspected malignant by ultrasonography but finally histological benign. In micronodules, the model displayed higher specificity (93.33% in the validation cohort and 92.00% in the independent test cohort) and accuracy (88.24% in the validation cohort and 87.50% in the independent test cohort) for diagnosing TNs. This performance surpassed the specificity and accuracy observed with ultrasonography. A TN diagnostic and treatment framework that prioritizes patients is provided, with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy performed only on patients with indications of MTNs in both BLDM and ultrasonography results, thus avoiding unnecessary biopsies. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to demonstrate the potential of non-invasive blood leukocytes in diagnosing TNs, thereby making TN diagnosis and treatment more efficient in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feihang Wang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Danyang Zhao
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wang-Yang Xu
- Singlera Genomics (Shanghai) Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yiying Liu
- Singlera Genomics (Shanghai) Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huiyi Sun
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shanshan Lu
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuan Ji
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jingjing Jiang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiye He
- Singlera Genomics (Shanghai) Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | | | - Rui Liu
- Singlera Genomics (Shanghai) Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhixi Su
- Singlera Genomics (Shanghai) Ltd., Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Ultrasound, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Zhiping Yan
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Lingxiao Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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5
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Hazrati A, Malekpour K, Khorramdelazad H, Rajaei S, Hashemi SM. Therapeutic and immunomodulatory potentials of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells and immune checkpoints related molecules. Biomark Res 2024; 12:35. [PMID: 38515166 PMCID: PMC10958918 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00580-2] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are used in many studies due to their therapeutic potential, including their differentiative ability and immunomodulatory properties. These cells perform their therapeutic functions by using various mechanisms, such as the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, direct cell-to-cell contact, extracellular vesicles (EVs) production, and mitochondrial transfer. However, mechanisms related to immune checkpoints (ICPs) and their effect on the immunomodulatory ability of MSCs are less discussed. The main function of ICPs is to prevent the initiation of unwanted responses and to regulate the immune system responses to maintain the homeostasis of these responses. ICPs are produced by various types of immune system regulatory cells, and defects in their expression and function may be associated with excessive responses that can ultimately lead to autoimmunity. Also, by expressing different types of ICPs and their ligands (ICPLs), tumor cells prevent the formation and durability of immune responses, which leads to tumors' immune escape. ICPs and ICPLs can be produced by MSCs and affect immune cell responses both through their secretion into the microenvironment or direct cell-to-cell interaction. Pre-treatment of MSCs in inflammatory conditions leads to an increase in their therapeutic potential. In addition to the effect that inflammatory environments have on the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines by MSCs, they can increase the expression of various types of ICPLs. In this review, we discuss different types of ICPLs and ICPs expressed by MSCs and their effect on their immunomodulatory and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Hazrati
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kosar Malekpour
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Khorramdelazad
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Samira Rajaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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6
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Boelaars K, van Kooyk Y. Targeting myeloid cells for cancer immunotherapy: Siglec-7/9/10/15 and their ligands. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:230-241. [PMID: 38160071 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.11.009] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Advances in immunotherapy have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet many patients do not show clinical responses. While most immunotherapies target T cells, myeloid cells are the most abundant cell type in solid tumors and are key orchestrators of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), hampering effective T cell responses. Therefore, unraveling the immune suppressive pathways within myeloid cells could unveil new avenues for cancer immunotherapy. Over the past decade, Siglec receptors and their ligand, sialic acids, have emerged as a novel immune checkpoint on myeloid cells. In this review, we highlight key findings on how sialic acids modify immunity in the TME through engagement of Siglec-7/9/10/15 expressed on myeloid cells, and how the sialic acid-Siglec axis can be targeted for future cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Boelaars
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvette van Kooyk
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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7
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Boelaars K, Goossens-Kruijssen L, Wang D, de Winde CM, Rodriguez E, Lindijer D, Springer B, van der Haar Àvila I, de Haas A, Wehry L, Boon L, Mebius RE, van Montfoort N, Wuhrer M, den Haan JMM, van Vliet SJ, van Kooyk Y. Unraveling the impact of sialic acids on the immune landscape and immunotherapy efficacy in pancreatic cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007805. [PMID: 37940346 PMCID: PMC10632901 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007805] [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] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers. Despite the successful application of immune checkpoint blockade in a range of human cancers, immunotherapy in PDAC remains unsuccessful. PDAC is characterized by a desmoplastic, hypoxic and highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), where T-cell infiltration is often lacking (immune desert), or where T cells are located distant from the tumor islands (immune excluded). Converting the TME to an immune-inflamed state, allowing T-cell infiltration, could increase the success of immunotherapy in PDAC. METHOD In this study, we use the KPC3 subcutaneous PDAC mouse model to investigate the role of tumor-derived sialic acids in shaping the tumor immune landscape. A sialic acid deficient KPC3 line was generated by genetic knock-out of the CMAS (cytidine monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase) enzyme, a critical enzyme in the synthesis of sialic acid-containing glycans. The effect of sialic acid-deficiency on immunotherapy efficacy was assessed by treatment with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and agonistic CD40. RESULT The absence of sialic acids in KPC3 tumors resulted in increased numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the TME, and reduced frequencies of CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) within the T-cell population. Importantly, CD8+ T cells were able to infiltrate the tumor islands in sialic acid-deficient tumors. These favorable alterations in the immune landscape sensitized sialic acid-deficient tumors to immunotherapy, which was ineffective in sialic acid-expressing KPC3 tumors. In addition, high expression of sialylation-related genes in human pancreatic cancer correlated with decreased CD8+ T-cell infiltration, increased presence of Tregs, and poorer survival probability. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that tumor-derived sialic acids mediate T-cell exclusion within the PDAC TME, thereby impairing immunotherapy efficacy. Targeting sialic acids represents a potential strategy to enhance T-cell infiltration and improve immunotherapy outcomes in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Boelaars
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Goossens-Kruijssen
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Di Wang
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte M de Winde
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Rodriguez
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitri Lindijer
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Babet Springer
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Irene van der Haar Àvila
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aram de Haas
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laetitia Wehry
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Reina E Mebius
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nadine van Montfoort
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joke M M den Haan
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra J van Vliet
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvette van Kooyk
- Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology, Amsterdam institute for Infection and Immunity, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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Al Saoud R, Hamrouni A, Idris A, Mousa WK, Abu Izneid T. Recent advances in the development of sialyltransferase inhibitors to control cancer metastasis: A comprehensive review. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115091. [PMID: 37421784 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-associated mortalities, representing a huge health and economic burden. One of the mechanisms that enables metastasis is hypersialylation, characterized by an overabundance of sialylated glycans on the tumor surface, which leads to repulsion and detachment of cells from the original tumor. Once the tumor cells are mobilized, sialylated glycans hijack the natural killer T-cells through self-molecular mimicry and activatea downstream cascade of molecular events that result in inhibition of cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses against cancer cells, ultimately leading to immune evasion. Sialylation is mediated by a family of enzymes known as sialyltransferases (STs), which catalyse the transfer of sialic acid residue from the donor, CMP-sialic acid, onto the terminal end of an acceptor such as N-acetylgalactosamine on the cell-surface. Upregulation of STs increases tumor hypersialylation by up to 60% which is considered a distinctive hallmark of several types of cancers such as pancreatic, breast, and ovarian cancer. Therefore, inhibiting STs has emerged as a potential strategy to prevent metastasis. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the recent advances in designing novel sialyltransferase inhibitors using ligand-based drug design and high-throughput screening of natural and synthetic entities, emphasizing the most successful approaches. We analyse the limitations and challenges of designing selective, potent, and cell-permeable ST inhibitors that hindered further development of ST inhibitors into clinical trials. We conclude by analysing emerging opportunities, including advanced delivery methods which further increase the potential of these inhibitors to enrich the clinics with novel therapeutics to combat metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranim Al Saoud
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amar Hamrouni
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Adi Idris
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point, QLD, Australia; School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Walaa K Mousa
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tareq Abu Izneid
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 112612, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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