1
|
Cogno N, Axenie C, Bauer R, Vavourakis V. Agent-based modeling in cancer biomedicine: applications and tools for calibration and validation. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2344600. [PMID: 38678381 PMCID: PMC11057625 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2344600] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational models are not just appealing because they can simulate and predict the development of biological phenomena across multiple spatial and temporal scales, but also because they can integrate information from well-established in vitro and in vivo models and test new hypotheses in cancer biomedicine. Agent-based models and simulations are especially interesting candidates among computational modeling procedures in cancer research due to the capability to, for instance, recapitulate the dynamics of neoplasia and tumor - host interactions. Yet, the absence of methods to validate the consistency of the results across scales can hinder adoption by turning fine-tuned models into black boxes. This review compiles relevant literature that explores strategies to leverage high-fidelity simulations of multi-scale, or multi-level, cancer models with a focus on verification approached as simulation calibration. We consolidate our review with an outline of modern approaches for agent-based models' validation and provide an ambitious outlook toward rigorous and reliable calibration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Cogno
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Condensed Matter Physics, Technische Universit¨at Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Cristian Axenie
- Computer Science Department and Center for Artificial Intelligence, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Roman Bauer
- Nature Inspired Computing and Engineering Research Group, Computer Science Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Vasileios Vavourakis
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
McBride DA, Wang JS, Johnson WT, Bottini N, Shah NJ. ABCD of IA: A multi-scale agent-based model of T cell activation in inflammatory arthritis. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:2041-2056. [PMID: 38349277 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01674a] [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] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Biomaterial-based agents have been demonstrated to regulate the function of immune cells in models of autoimmunity. However, the complexity of the kinetics of immune cell activation can present a challenge in optimizing the dose and frequency of administration. Here, we report a model of autoreactive T cell activation, which are key drivers in autoimmune inflammatory joint disease. The model is termed a multi-scale Agent-Based, Cell-Driven model of Inflammatory Arthritis (ABCD of IA). Using kinetic rate equations and statistical theory, ABCD of IA simulated the activation and presentation of autoantigens by dendritic cells, interactions with cognate T cells and subsequent T cell proliferation in the lymph node and IA-affected joints. The results, validated with in vivo data from the T cell driven SKG mouse model, showed that T cell proliferation strongly correlated with the T cell receptor (TCR) affinity distribution (TCR-ad), with a clear transition state from homeostasis to an inflammatory state. T cell proliferation was strongly dependent on the amount of antigen in antigenic stimulus event (ASE) at low concentrations. On the other hand, inflammation driven by Th17-inducing cytokine mediated T cell phenotype commitment was influenced by the initial level of Th17-inducing cytokines independent of the amount of arthritogenic antigen. The introduction of inhibitory artificial antigen presenting cells (iaAPCs), which locally suppress T cell activation, reduced T cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The findings in this work set up a framework based on theory and modeling to simulate personalized therapeutic strategies in IA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A McBride
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - James S Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Wade T Johnson
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Nunzio Bottini
- Kao Autoimmunity Institute and Division of Rheumatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Nisarg J Shah
- Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Y, Bucher E, Rocha H, Jadhao V, Metzcar J, Heiland R, Frieboes HB, Macklin P. Drug-loaded nanoparticles for cancer therapy: a high-throughput multicellular agent-based modeling study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.09.588498. [PMID: 38645004 PMCID: PMC11030335 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.09.588498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Interactions between biological systems and nanomaterials have become an important area of study due to the application of nanomaterials in medicine. In particular, the application of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis or treatment presents a challenging opportunity due to the complex biology of this disease spanning multiple time and spatial scales. A system-level analysis would benefit from mathematical modeling and computational simulation to explore the interactions between anticancer drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs), cells, and tissues, and the associated parameters driving this system and a patient's overall response. Although a number of models have explored these interactions in the past, few have focused on simulating individual cell-NP interactions. This study develops a multicellular agent-based model of cancer nanotherapy that simulates NP internalization, drug release within the cell cytoplasm, "inheritance" of NPs by daughter cells at cell division, cell pharmacodynamic response to the intracellular drug, and overall drug effect on tumor dynamics. A large-scale parallel computational framework is used to investigate the impact of pharmacokinetic design parameters (NP internalization rate, NP decay rate, anticancer drug release rate) and therapeutic strategies (NP doses and injection frequency) on the tumor dynamics. In particular, through the exploration of NP "inheritance" at cell division, the results indicate that cancer treatment may be improved when NPs are inherited at cell division for cytotoxic chemotherapy. Moreover, smaller dosage of cytostatic chemotherapy may also improve inhibition of tumor growth when cell division is not completely inhibited. This work suggests that slow delivery by "heritable" NPs can drive new dimensions of nanotherapy design for more sustained therapeutic response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Wang
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Elmar Bucher
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Heber Rocha
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Vikram Jadhao
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - John Metzcar
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Randy Heiland
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Hermann B. Frieboes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville. Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bishop RT, Miller AK, Froid M, Nerlakanti N, Li T, Frieling JS, Nasr MM, Nyman KJ, Sudalagunta PR, Canevarolo RR, Silva AS, Shain KH, Lynch CC, Basanta D. The bone ecosystem facilitates multiple myeloma relapse and the evolution of heterogeneous drug resistant disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2458. [PMID: 38503736 PMCID: PMC10951361 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46594-0] [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: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an osteolytic malignancy that is incurable due to the emergence of treatment resistant disease. Defining how, when and where myeloma cell intrinsic and extrinsic bone microenvironmental mechanisms cause relapse is challenging with current biological approaches. Here, we report a biology-driven spatiotemporal hybrid agent-based model of the MM-bone microenvironment. Results indicate MM intrinsic mechanisms drive the evolution of treatment resistant disease but that the protective effects of bone microenvironment mediated drug resistance (EMDR) significantly enhances the probability and heterogeneity of resistant clones arising under treatment. Further, the model predicts that targeting of EMDR deepens therapy response by eliminating sensitive clones proximal to stroma and bone, a finding supported by in vivo studies. Altogether, our model allows for the study of MM clonal evolution over time in the bone microenvironment and will be beneficial for optimizing treatment efficacy so as to significantly delay disease relapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Bishop
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Anna K Miller
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Matthew Froid
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Niveditha Nerlakanti
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Jeremy S Frieling
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Mostafa M Nasr
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Karl J Nyman
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Praneeth R Sudalagunta
- Department of Metabolism and Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Rafael R Canevarolo
- Department of Metabolism and Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Ariosto Siqueira Silva
- Department of Metabolism and Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Kenneth H Shain
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
- Department of Malignant Hematology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Conor C Lynch
- Department of Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - David Basanta
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Azam I, Benson JD. Multiscale transport and 4D time-lapse imaging in precision-cut liver slices (PCLS). PeerJ 2024; 12:e16994. [PMID: 38426134 PMCID: PMC10903333 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16994] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Monitoring cellular processes across different levels of complexity, from the cellular to the tissue scale, is important for understanding tissue structure and function. However, it is challenging to monitor and estimate these structural and dynamic interactions within three-dimensional (3D) tissue models. Objective The aim of this study was to design a method for imaging, tracking, and quantifying 3D changes in cell morphology (shape and size) within liver tissue, specifically a precision-cut liver slice (PCLS). A PCLS is a 3D model of the liver that allows the study of the structure and function of liver cells in their native microenvironment. Methods Here, we present a method for imaging liver tissue during anisosmotic exposure in a multispectral four-dimensional manner. Three metrics of tissue morphology were measured to quantify the effects of osmotic stress on liver tissue. We estimated the changes in the volume of whole precision cut liver slices, quantified the changes in nuclei position, and calculated the changes in volumetric responses of tissue-embedded cells. Results During equilibration with cell-membrane-permeating and non-permeating solutes, the whole tissue experiences shrinkage and expansion. As nuclei showed a change in position and directional displacement under osmotic stress, we demonstrate that nuclei could be used as a probe to measure local osmotic and mechanical stress. Moreover, we demonstrate that cells change their volume within tissue slices as a result of osmotic perturbation and that this change in volume is dependent on the position of the cell within the tissue and the duration of the exposure. Conclusion The results of this study have implications for a better understanding of multiscale transport, mechanobiology, and triggered biological responses within complex biological structures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iqra Azam
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - James D. Benson
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Patnam S, Majumder B, Joshi P, Singh AD, Nagalla B, Kumar D, Biswas M, Ranjan A, Majumder PK, Rengan AK, Kamath AV, Ray A, Manda SV. Differential Expression of SRY-Related HMG-Box Transcription Factor 2, Oligodendrocyte Lineage Transcription Factor 2, and Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox 1 in Serum-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Implications for Mithramycin Sensitivity and Targeted Therapy in High-Grade Glioma. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:137-149. [PMID: 38230292 PMCID: PMC10789128 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00198] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of glioma and is often resistant to traditional therapies. Evidence suggests that glioma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to this resistance. Mithramycin (Mit-A) targets GSCs and exhibits antitumor activity in GBM by affecting transcriptional targets such as SRY-related HMG-box transcription factor 2 (SOX2), oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (OLIG2), and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1). However, its clinical use has been limited by toxicity. This study explored the diagnostic potential of serum extracellular vesicles (EVs) to identify Mit-A responders. Serum EVs were isolated from 70 glioma patients, and targeted gene expression was analyzed using qRT-PCR. Using chemosensitivity assay, we identified 8 Mit-A responders and 17 nonresponders among 25 glioma patients. The M-score showed a significant correlation (p = 0.045) with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation but not other clinical variables. The genes SOX2 (p = 0.005), OLIG2 (p = 0.003), and ZEB1 (p = 0.0281) were found to be upregulated in the responder EVs. SOX2 had the highest diagnostic potential (AUC = 0.875), followed by OLIG2 (AUC = 0.772) and ZEB1 (AUC = 0.632).The combined gene panel showed significant diagnostic efficacy (AUC = 0.956) through logistic regression analysis. The gene panel was further validated in the serum EVs of 45 glioma patients. These findings highlight the potential of Mit-A as a targeted therapy for high-grade glioma based on differential gene expression in serum EVs. The gene panel could serve as a diagnostic tool to predict Mit-A sensitivity, offering a promising approach for personalized treatment strategies and emphasizing the role of GSCs in therapeutic resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sreekanth Patnam
- Apollo
Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation (AHERF), Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute
of Technology, Kandi, Hyderabad 502285, India
| | - Biswanath Majumder
- Farcast
Biosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka 560100, India
- Oncology
Division, Bugworks Research India Pvt. Ltd., C-CAMP, Bangalore, Karnataka 560065, India
| | - Parth Joshi
- Department
of Neurosurgery, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana 500029, India
| | - Anula Divyash Singh
- Apollo
Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation (AHERF), Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute
of Technology, Kandi, Hyderabad 502285, India
| | - Balakrishna Nagalla
- Apollo
Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, Hyderabad 500090, India
| | - Dilli Kumar
- Farcast
Biosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka 560100, India
| | | | - Alok Ranjan
- Department
of Neurosurgery, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana 500029, India
| | - Pradip K. Majumder
- Department
of Cancer Biology, Praesidia Biotherapeutics, 1167 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, Massachusetts 02476, United States
| | - Aravind Kumar Rengan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute
of Technology, Kandi, Hyderabad 502285, India
| | | | - Amitava Ray
- Department
of Neurosurgery, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana 500029, India
- Exsegen
Genomics Research Pvt.Ltd, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India
| | - Sasidhar Venkata Manda
- Apollo
Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation (AHERF), Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India
- UrvogelBio
Private Ltd, Hyderabad, Telangana 500096, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Johnson JA, Stein-O’Brien GL, Booth M, Heiland R, Kurtoglu F, Bergman DR, Bucher E, Deshpande A, Forjaz A, Getz M, Godet I, Lyman M, Metzcar J, Mitchell J, Raddatz A, Rocha H, Solorzano J, Sundus A, Wang Y, Gilkes D, Kagohara LT, Kiemen AL, Thompson ED, Wirtz D, Wu PH, Zaidi N, Zheng L, Zimmerman JW, Jaffee EM, Hwan Chang Y, Coussens LM, Gray JW, Heiser LM, Fertig EJ, Macklin P. Digitize your Biology! Modeling multicellular systems through interpretable cell behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.17.557982. [PMID: 37745323 PMCID: PMC10516032 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.17.557982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Cells are fundamental units of life, constantly interacting and evolving as dynamical systems. While recent spatial multi-omics can quantitate individual cells' characteristics and regulatory programs, forecasting their evolution ultimately requires mathematical modeling. We develop a conceptual framework-a cell behavior hypothesis grammar-that uses natural language statements (cell rules) to create mathematical models. This allows us to systematically integrate biological knowledge and multi-omics data to make them computable. We can then perform virtual "thought experiments" that challenge and extend our understanding of multicellular systems, and ultimately generate new testable hypotheses. In this paper, we motivate and describe the grammar, provide a reference implementation, and demonstrate its potential through a series of examples in tumor biology and immunotherapy. Altogether, this approach provides a bridge between biological, clinical, and systems biology researchers for mathematical modeling of biological systems at scale, allowing the community to extrapolate from single-cell characterization to emergent multicellular behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette A.I. Johnson
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Genevieve L. Stein-O’Brien
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Max Booth
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Randy Heiland
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Furkan Kurtoglu
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Daniel R. Bergman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Elmar Bucher
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Atul Deshpande
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - André Forjaz
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Michael Getz
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Ines Godet
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. New York, NY USA
| | - Melissa Lyman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - John Metzcar
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
- Department of Informatics, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Jacob Mitchell
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Andrew Raddatz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University. Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Heber Rocha
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Jacobo Solorzano
- Centre de Recherches en Cancerologie de Toulouse. Toulouse, France
| | - Aneequa Sundus
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Yafei Wang
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Danielle Gilkes
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Luciane T. Kagohara
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Ashley L. Kiemen
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | | | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Pei-Hsun Wu
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Neeha Zaidi
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Jacquelyn W. Zimmerman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Young Hwan Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Lisa M. Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Joe W. Gray
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Laura M. Heiser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Elana J. Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Surendran A, Jenner AL, Karimi E, Fiset B, Quail DF, Walsh LA, Craig M. Agent-Based Modelling Reveals the Role of the Tumor Microenvironment on the Short-Term Success of Combination Temozolomide/Immune Checkpoint Blockade to Treat Glioblastoma. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2023; 387:66-77. [PMID: 37442619 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.122.001571] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common and deadly primary brain tumor in adults. All glioblastoma patients receiving standard-of-care surgery-radiotherapy-chemotherapy (i.e., temozolomide (TMZ)) recur, with an average survival time of only 15 months. New approaches to the treatment of glioblastoma, including immune checkpoint blockade and oncolytic viruses, offer the possibility of improving glioblastoma outcomes and have as such been under intense study. Unfortunately, these treatment modalities have thus far failed to achieve approval. Recently, in an attempt to bolster efficacy and improve patient outcomes, regimens combining chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been tested in trials. Unfortunately, these efforts have not resulted in significant increases to patient survival. To better understand the various factors impacting treatment outcomes of combined TMZ and immune checkpoint blockade, we developed a systems-level, computational model that describes the interplay between glioblastoma, immune, and stromal cells with this combination treatment. Initializing our model to spatial resection patient samples labeled using imaging mass cytometry, our model's predictions show how the localization of glioblastoma cells, influence therapeutic success. We further validated these predictions in samples of brain metastases from patients given they generally respond better to checkpoint blockade compared with primary glioblastoma. Ultimately, our model provides novel insights into the mechanisms of therapeutic success of immune checkpoint inhibitors in brain tumors and delineates strategies to translate combination immunotherapy regimens more effectively into the clinic. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Extending survival times for glioblastoma patients remains a critical challenge. Although immunotherapies in combination with chemotherapy hold promise, clinical trials have not shown much success. Here, systems models calibrated to and validated against patient samples can improve preclinical and clinical studies by shedding light on the factors distinguishing responses/failures. By initializing our model with imaging mass cytometry visualization of patient samples, we elucidate how factors such as localization of glioblastoma cells and CD8+ T cell infiltration impact treatment outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anudeep Surendran
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Adrianne L Jenner
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Elham Karimi
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Benoit Fiset
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Daniela F Quail
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Logan A Walsh
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| | - Morgan Craig
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada (A.S., M.C.); Centre de recherches mathématiques, Montréal, Canada (A.S.); School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (A.L.J.); Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (E.K., B.F., D.F.Q., L.A.W.); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (D.F.Q.); Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada (L.A.W.); and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada (M.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lems CM, Burger GA, Beltman JB. Tumor-mediated immunosuppression and cytokine spreading affects the relation between EMT and PD-L1 status. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1219669. [PMID: 37638024 PMCID: PMC10449452 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1219669] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune resistance mediated by Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) upregulation are established drivers of tumor progression. Their bi-directional crosstalk has been proposed to facilitate tumor immunoevasion, yet the impact of immunosuppression and spatial heterogeneity on the interplay between these processes remains to be characterized. Here we study the role of these factors using mathematical and spatial models. We first designed models incorporating immunosuppressive effects on T cells mediated via PD-L1 and the EMT-inducing cytokine Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ). Our models predict that PD-L1-mediated immunosuppression merely reduces the difference in PD-L1 levels between EMT states, while TGFβ-mediated suppression also causes PD-L1 expression to correlate negatively with TGFβ within each EMT phenotype. We subsequently embedded the models in multi-scale spatial simulations to explicitly describe heterogeneity in cytokine levels and intratumoral heterogeneity. Our multi-scale models show that Interferon gamma (IFNγ)-induced partial EMT of a tumor cell subpopulation can provide some, albeit limited protection to bystander tumor cells. Moreover, our simulations show that the true relationship between EMT status and PD-L1 expression may be hidden at the population level, highlighting the importance of studying EMT and PD-L1 status at the single-cell level. Our findings deepen the understanding of the interactions between EMT and the immune response, which is crucial for developing novel diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joost B. Beltman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mattei F, Jolly MK. Interdisciplinary research in cancer and immunity employing biophysical approaches. iScience 2023; 26:106507. [PMID: 37250324 PMCID: PMC10214275 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Three leading scientists Fabrizio Mattei, Kandice Tanner, and Mohit Kumar Jolly working in different continents and in different areas of cancer and immunology came together for an iScience Special Issue focused on the biophysical aspect of the tumor-immune dynamics. In this backstory, the iScience editor discusses with Mattei and Jolly their thoughts about this topic, the current state of the field, the collection of articles in this Special Issue, and the future of the research in this area in the coming years, and personal advice to aspiring young minds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Mattei
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Bon JJ, Bretherton A, Buchhorn K, Cramb S, Drovandi C, Hassan C, Jenner AL, Mayfield HJ, McGree JM, Mengersen K, Price A, Salomone R, Santos-Fernandez E, Vercelloni J, Wang X. Being Bayesian in the 2020s: opportunities and challenges in the practice of modern applied Bayesian statistics. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2023; 381:20220156. [PMID: 36970822 PMCID: PMC10041356 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2022.0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Building on a strong foundation of philosophy, theory, methods and computation over the past three decades, Bayesian approaches are now an integral part of the toolkit for most statisticians and data scientists. Whether they are dedicated Bayesians or opportunistic users, applied professionals can now reap many of the benefits afforded by the Bayesian paradigm. In this paper, we touch on six modern opportunities and challenges in applied Bayesian statistics: intelligent data collection, new data sources, federated analysis, inference for implicit models, model transfer and purposeful software products. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bayesian inference: challenges, perspectives, and prospects'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J. Bon
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adam Bretherton
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Katie Buchhorn
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susanna Cramb
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christopher Drovandi
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Conor Hassan
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adrianne L. Jenner
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Helen J. Mayfield
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - James M. McGree
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kerrie Mengersen
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Aiden Price
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robert Salomone
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Edgar Santos-Fernandez
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Julie Vercelloni
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
West J, Robertson-Tessi M, Anderson ARA. Agent-based methods facilitate integrative science in cancer. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:300-311. [PMID: 36404257 PMCID: PMC10918696 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In this opinion, we highlight agent-based modeling as a key tool for exploration of cell-cell and cell-environment interactions that drive cancer progression, therapeutic resistance, and metastasis. These biological phenomena are particularly suited to be captured at the cell-scale resolution possible only within agent-based or individual-based mathematical models. These modeling approaches complement experimental work (in vitro and in vivo systems) through parameterization and data extrapolation but also feed forward to drive new experiments that test model-generated predictions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey West
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark Robertson-Tessi
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alexander R A Anderson
- Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gazeau S, Deng X, Ooi HK, Mostefai F, Hussin J, Heffernan J, Jenner AL, Craig M. The race to understand immunopathology in COVID-19: Perspectives on the impact of quantitative approaches to understand within-host interactions. IMMUNOINFORMATICS (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 9:100021. [PMID: 36643886 PMCID: PMC9826539 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuno.2023.100021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the need for the increased integration of modelling and data analysis to public health, experimental, and clinical studies. Throughout the first two years of the pandemic, there has been a concerted effort to improve our understanding of the within-host immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus to provide better predictions of COVID-19 severity, treatment and vaccine development questions, and insights into viral evolution and the impacts of variants on immunopathology. Here we provide perspectives on what has been accomplished using quantitative methods, including predictive modelling, population genetics, machine learning, and dimensionality reduction techniques, in the first 26 months of the COVID-19 pandemic approaches, and where we go from here to improve our responses to this and future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Gazeau
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada
| | - Xiaoyan Deng
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada
| | - Hsu Kiang Ooi
- Digital Technologies Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Toronto, Canada
| | - Fatima Mostefai
- Montréal Heart Institute Research Centre, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Julie Hussin
- Montréal Heart Institute Research Centre, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Jane Heffernan
- Modelling Infection and Immunity Lab, Mathematics Statistics, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Centre for Disease Modelling (CDM), Mathematics Statistics, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Adrianne L Jenner
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia
| | - Morgan Craig
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montréal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Modelling the spatial dynamics of oncolytic virotherapy in the presence of virus-resistant tumour cells. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010076. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising form of cancer treatment that uses native or genetically engineered viruses to target, infect and kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, this form of therapy is not effective in a substantial proportion of cancer patients, partly due to the occurrence of infection-resistant tumour cells. To shed new light on the mechanisms underlying therapeutic failure and to discover strategies that improve therapeutic efficacy we designed a cell-based model of viral infection. The model allows us to investigate the dynamics of infection-sensitive and infection-resistant cells in tumour tissue in presence of the virus. To reflect the importance of the spatial configuration of the tumour on the efficacy of virotherapy, we compare three variants of the model: two 2D models of a monolayer of tumour cells and a 3D model. In all model variants, we systematically investigate how the therapeutic outcome is affected by the properties of the virus (e.g. the rate of viral spread), the tumour (e.g. production rate of resistant cells, cost of resistance), the healthy stromal cells (e.g. degree of resistance to the virus) and the timing of treatment. We find that various therapeutic outcomes are possible when resistant cancer cells arise at low frequency in the tumour. These outcomes depend in an intricate but predictable way on the death rate of infected cells, where faster death leads to rapid virus clearance and cancer persistence. Our simulations reveal three different causes of therapy failure: rapid clearance of the virus, rapid selection of resistant cancer cells, and a low rate of viral spread due to the presence of infection-resistant healthy cells. Our models suggest that improved therapeutic efficacy can be achieved by sensitizing healthy stromal cells to infection, although this remedy has to be weighed against the toxicity induced in the healthy tissue.
Collapse
|
15
|
Sové RJ, Verma BK, Wang H, Ho WJ, Yarchoan M, Popel AS. Virtual clinical trials of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma using a quantitative systems pharmacology model. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e005414. [PMID: 36323435 PMCID: PMC9639136 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of primary liver cancer and is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Most patients with HCC are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and the median survival for patients with advanced HCC treated with modern systemic therapy is less than 2 years. This leaves the advanced stage patients with limited treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand, are widely used in the treatment of HCC and are associated with durable responses in a subset of patients. ICIs targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) also have clinical activity in HCC. Combination therapy of nivolumab (anti-PD-1) and ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) is the first treatment option for HCC to be approved by Food and Drug Administration that targets more than one immune checkpoints. METHODS In this study, we used the framework of quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) to perform a virtual clinical trial for nivolumab and ipilimumab in HCC patients. Our model incorporates detailed biological mechanisms of interactions of immune cells and cancer cells leading to antitumor response. To conduct virtual clinical trial, we generate virtual patient from a cohort of 5,000 proposed patients by extending recent algorithms from literature. The model was calibrated using the data of the clinical trial CheckMate 040 (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01658878). RESULTS Retrospective analyses were performed for different immune checkpoint therapies as performed in CheckMate 040. Using machine learning approach, we predict the importance of potential biomarkers for immune blockade therapies. CONCLUSIONS This is the first QSP model for HCC with ICIs and the predictions are consistent with clinically observed outcomes. This study demonstrates that using a mechanistic understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, QSP models can facilitate patient selection and design clinical trials with improved success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Sové
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Babita K Verma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hanwen Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Won Jin Ho
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Yarchoan
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Aleksander S Popel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bergman D, Marazzi L, Chowkwale M, Maheshvare M D, Bidanta S, Mapder T, Li J. PhysiPKPD: A pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics module for PhysiCell. GIGABYTE 2022; 2022:gigabyte72. [PMID: 36950142 PMCID: PMC10027063 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PKPD) are key considerations in any study of molecular therapies. It is thus imperative to factor their effects into any in silico model of biological tissue involving such therapies. Furthermore, creating a standardized and flexible framework will benefit the community by increasing access to such modules and enhancing their communicability. PhysiCell is an open-source physics-based cell simulator, i.e., a platform for modeling biological tissue, that is quickly being adopted and utilized by the mathematical biology community. We present here PhysiPKPD, an open-source PhysiCell-based package that allows users to include PKPD in PhysiCell models. Availability & Implementation The source code for PhysiPKPD is located here: https://github.com/drbergman/PhysiPKPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bergman
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Lauren Marazzi
- Center for Quantitative Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Mukti Chowkwale
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Deepa Maheshvare M
- Department of Computational and Data Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | | | - Tarunendu Mapder
- Quantitative Systems Pharmacology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton Lawrenceville, NJ, USA
| | - Jialun Li
- McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|