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Qiu F, Jiang P, Zhang G, An J, Ruan K, Lyu X, Zhou J, Sheng W. Priming with LSD1 inhibitors promotes the persistence and antitumor effect of adoptively transferred T cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4327. [PMID: 38773088 PMCID: PMC11109160 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48607-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The antitumor efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells is limited by their poor persistence, in part due to exhaustion, but the underlying mechanisms and potential interventions remain underexplored. Here, we show that targeting histone demethylase LSD1 by chemical inhibitors reshapes the epigenome of in vitro activated and expanded CD8+ T cells, and potentiates their antitumor efficacy. Upon T cell receptor activation and IL-2 signaling, a timely and transient inhibition of LSD1 suffices to improve the memory phenotype of mouse CD8+ T cells, associated with a better ability to produce multiple cytokines, resist exhaustion, and persist in both antigen-dependent and -independent manners after adoptive transfer. Consequently, OT1 cells primed with LSD1 inhibitors demonstrate an enhanced antitumor effect in OVA-expressing solid tumor models implanted in female mice, both as a standalone treatment and in combination with PD-1 blockade. Moreover, priming with LSD1 inhibitors promotes polyfunctionality of human CD8+ T cells, and increases the persistence and antitumor efficacy of human CD19-CAR T cells in both leukemia and solid tumor models. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of LSD1 could be exploited to improve adoptive T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqi Qiu
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peishan Jiang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Immunology and Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guiheng Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Immunology and Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie An
- Institute of Immunology and Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kexin Ruan
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowen Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Research, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Jianya Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Wanqiang Sheng
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Immunology and Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Sun LL, Zhao LN, Sun J, Yuan HF, Wang YF, Hou CY, Lv P, Zhang HH, Yang G, Zhang NN, Zhang XD, Lu W. Inhibition of USP7 enhances CD8 + T cell activity in liver cancer by suppressing PRDM1-mediated FGL1 upregulation. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01263-2. [PMID: 38589688 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01263-2] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), an immune checkpoint molecule expressed on activated T cells, functions as a negative regulator of immune responses. Persistent antigen exposure in the tumor microenvironment results in sustained LAG3 expression on T cells, contributing to T cell dysfunction. Fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1) has been identified as a major ligand of LAG3, and FGL1/LAG3 interaction forms a novel immune checkpoint pathway that results in tumor immune evasion. In addition, ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) plays a crucial role in cancer development. In this study we investigated the role of USP7 in modulation of FGL1-mediated liver cancer immune evasion. We showed that knockdown of USP7 or treatment with USP7 inhibitor P5091 suppressed liver cancer growth by promoting CD8+ T cell activity in Hepa1-6 xenograft mice and in HepG2 or Huh7 cells co-cultured with T cells, whereas USP7 overexpression produced the opposite effect. We found that USP7 upregulated FGL1 in HepG2 and Huh7 cells by deubiquitination of transcriptional factor PR domain zinc finger protein 1 (PRDM1), which transcriptionally activated FGL1, and attenuated the CD8+ T cell activity, leading to the liver cancer growth. Interestingly, USP7 could be transcriptionally stimulated by PRDM1 as well in a positive feedback loop. P5091, an inhibitor of USP7, was able to downregulate FGL1 expression, thus enhancing CD8+ T cell activity. In an immunocompetent liver cancer mouse model, the dual blockade of USP7 and LAG3 resulted in a superior antitumor activity compared with anti-LAG3 therapy alone. We conclude that USP7 diminishes CD8+ T cell activity by a USP7/PRDM1 positive feedback loop on FGL1 production in liver cancer; USP7 might be a promising target for liver cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Lin Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Li-Na Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Jiao Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Hong-Feng Yuan
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yu-Fei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Chun-Yu Hou
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Pan Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Hui-Hui Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Guang Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China.
| | - Ning-Ning Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, China.
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Drug ability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer / Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Cancer Institute, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China.
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Liver Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300060, China.
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3
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Chomiak AA, Tiedemann RL, Liu Y, Kong X, Cui Y, Wiseman AK, Thurlow KE, Cornett EM, Topper MJ, Baylin SB, Rothbart SB. Select EZH2 inhibitors enhance viral mimicry effects of DNMT inhibition through a mechanism involving NFAT:AP-1 signaling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk4423. [PMID: 38536911 PMCID: PMC10971413 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk4423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
DNA methyltransferase inhibitor (DNMTi) efficacy in solid tumors is limited. Colon cancer cells exposed to DNMTi accumulate lysine-27 trimethylation on histone H3 (H3K27me3). We propose this Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2)-dependent repressive modification limits DNMTi efficacy. Here, we show that low-dose DNMTi treatment sensitizes colon cancer cells to select EZH2 inhibitors (EZH2is). Integrative epigenomic analysis reveals that DNMTi-induced H3K27me3 accumulates at genomic regions poised with EZH2. Notably, combined EZH2i and DNMTi alters the epigenomic landscape to transcriptionally up-regulate the calcium-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT):activating protein 1 (AP-1) signaling pathway. Blocking this pathway limits transcriptional activating effects of these drugs, including transposable element and innate immune response gene expression involved in viral defense. Analysis of primary human colon cancer specimens reveals positive correlations between DNMTi-, innate immune response-, and calcium signaling-associated transcription profiles. Collectively, we show that compensatory EZH2 activity limits DNMTi efficacy in colon cancer and link NFAT:AP-1 signaling to epigenetic therapy-induced viral mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison A. Chomiak
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | - Yanqing Liu
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Xiangqian Kong
- Department of Oncology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Oncology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Ashley K. Wiseman
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kate E. Thurlow
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Evan M. Cornett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Michael J. Topper
- Department of Oncology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Stephen B. Baylin
- Department of Oncology, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Scott B. Rothbart
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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4
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Russo S, Feola S, Feodoroff M, Chiaro J, Antignani G, Fusciello M, D’Alessio F, Hamdan F, Pellinen T, Mölsä R, Tripodi L, Pastore L, Grönholm M, Cerullo V. Low-dose decitabine enhances the efficacy of viral cancer vaccines for immunotherapy. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200766. [PMID: 38596301 PMCID: PMC10869747 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy requires a specific antitumor CD8+ T cell-driven immune response; however, upon genetic and epigenetic alterations of the antigen processing and presenting components, cancer cells escape the CD8+ T cell recognition. As a result, poorly immunogenic tumors are refractory to conventional immunotherapy. In this context, the use of viral cancer vaccines in combination with hypomethylating agents represents a promising strategy to prevent cancer from escaping immune system recognition. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity of melanoma (B16-expressing ovalbumin) and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (4T1) cell lines to FDA-approved low-dose decitabine in combination with PeptiCRAd, an adenoviral anticancer vaccine. The two models showed different sensitivity to decitabine in vitro and in vivo when combined with PeptiCRAd. In particular, mice bearing syngeneic 4T1 cancer showed higher tumor growth control when receiving the combinatorial treatment compared to single controls in association with a higher expression of MHC class I on cancer cells and reduction in Tregs within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, remodeling of the CD8+ T cell infiltration and cytotoxic activity toward cancer cells confirmed the effect of decitabine in enhancing anticancer vaccines in immunotherapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Russo
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sara Feola
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michaela Feodoroff
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jacopo Chiaro
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gabriella Antignani
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Manlio Fusciello
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Federica D’Alessio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology and CEINGE, Naples University, 24 Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Firas Hamdan
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teijo Pellinen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka Mölsä
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lorella Tripodi
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology and CEINGE, Naples University, 24 Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore s.c.a.r.l, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Lucio Pastore
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology and CEINGE, Naples University, 24 Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore s.c.a.r.l, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mikaela Grönholm
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vincenzo Cerullo
- Drug Research Program (DRP), ImmunoViroTherapy Lab (IVT), Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Fabianinkatu 33, 00710 Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Immunology Program (TRIMM), Faculty of Medicine Helsinki University, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship (iCAN), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology and CEINGE, Naples University, 24 Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
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5
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Mecca M, Picerno S, Cortellino S. The Killer's Web: Interconnection between Inflammation, Epigenetics and Nutrition in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2750. [PMID: 38473997 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052750] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a key contributor to both the initiation and progression of tumors, and it can be triggered by genetic instability within tumors, as well as by lifestyle and dietary factors. The inflammatory response plays a critical role in the genetic and epigenetic reprogramming of tumor cells, as well as in the cells that comprise the tumor microenvironment. Cells in the microenvironment acquire a phenotype that promotes immune evasion, progression, and metastasis. We will review the mechanisms and pathways involved in the interaction between tumors, inflammation, and nutrition, the limitations of current therapies, and discuss potential future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisabel Mecca
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), 85028 Rionero in Vulture, PZ, Italy
| | - Simona Picerno
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), 85028 Rionero in Vulture, PZ, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cortellino
- Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, Responsible Research Hospital, 86100 Campobasso, CB, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM), Clinical and Translational Oncology, 80138 Naples, NA, Italy
- S.H.R.O. Italia Foundation ETS, 10060 Candiolo, TO, Italy
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6
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Falkowski L, Buddenkotte J, Datsi A. Epigenetics in T-cell driven inflammation and cancer. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:250-260. [PMID: 36641367 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.01.008] [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: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
For decades, scientists have been investigating how processes such as gene expression, stem cell plasticity, and cell differentiation can be modulated. The discovery of epigenetics helped unravel these processes and enabled the identification of major underlying mechanisms that, for example, are central for T cell maturation. T cells go through various stages in their development evolving from progenitor cells into double positive CD4/CD8 T cells that finally leave the thymus as naïve T cells. One major mechanism driving T cell maturation is the modulation of gene activity by temporally sequenced transcription of spatially exposed gene loci. DNA methylation, demethylation, and acetylation are key processes that enable a sequenced gene expression required for T cell differentiation. In vivo, differentiated T cells are subjected to enormous pressures originating from the microenvironment. Signals from this environment, particularly from an inflammatory or a tumor microenvironment, can push T cells to differentiate into specific effector and memory T cells, and even prompt T cells to adopt a state of dysfunctional exhaustion, en route of an epigenetically controlled mechanism. Fundamentals of these processes will be discussed in this review highlighting potential therapeutic interventions, in particular those beneficial to revive exhausted T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Falkowski
- Institute for Transplantational Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joerg Buddenkotte
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Angeliki Datsi
- Institute for Transplantational Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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7
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Geissler F, Nesic K, Kondrashova O, Dobrovic A, Swisher EM, Scott CL, J. Wakefield M. The role of aberrant DNA methylation in cancer initiation and clinical impacts. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2024; 16:17588359231220511. [PMID: 38293277 PMCID: PMC10826407 DOI: 10.1177/17588359231220511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations, including aberrant DNA methylation, are now recognized as bone fide hallmarks of cancer, which can contribute to cancer initiation, progression, therapy responses and therapy resistance. Methylation of gene promoters can have a range of impacts on cancer risk, clinical stratification and therapeutic outcomes. We provide several important examples of genes, which can be silenced or activated by promoter methylation and highlight their clinical implications. These include the mismatch DNA repair genes MLH1 and MSH2, homologous recombination DNA repair genes BRCA1 and RAD51C, the TERT oncogene and genes within the P15/P16/RB1/E2F tumour suppressor axis. We also discuss how these methylation changes might occur in the first place - whether in the context of the CpG island methylator phenotype or constitutional DNA methylation. The choice of assay used to measure methylation can have a significant impact on interpretation of methylation states, and some examples where this can influence clinical decision-making are presented. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) are also showing great promise in the context of non-invasive cancer detection and monitoring using liquid biopsies; however, caution must be taken in interpreting these results in cases where constitutional methylation may be present. Thus, this review aims to provide researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive summary of this broad, but important subject, illustrating the potentials and pitfalls of assessing aberrant DNA methylation in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Geissler
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ksenija Nesic
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Olga Kondrashova
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Alexander Dobrovic
- University of Melbourne Department of Surgery, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Clare L. Scott
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Wakefield
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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8
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Zhang H, Huang C, Gordon J, Yu S, Morton G, Childers W, Abou-Gharbia M, Zhang Y, Jelinek J, Issa JPJ. MC180295 is a highly potent and selective CDK9 inhibitor with preclinical in vitro and in vivo efficacy in cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:3. [PMID: 38172923 PMCID: PMC10765884 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01617-3] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), a novel epigenetic target in cancer, can reactivate epigenetically silenced genes in cancer by dephosphorylating the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler BRG1. Here, we characterized the anti-tumor efficacy of MC180295, a newly developed CDK9 inhibitor. METHODS In this study, we explored the pharmacokinetics of MC180295 in mice and rats, and tested the anti-tumor efficacy of MC180295, and its enantiomers, in multiple cancer cell lines and mouse models. We also combined CDK9 inhibition with a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor, decitabine, in multiple mouse models, and tested MC180295 dependence on T cells. Drug toxicity was measured by checking body weights and complete blood counts. RESULTS MC180295 had high specificity for CDK9 and high potency against multiple neoplastic cell lines (median IC50 of 171 nM in 46 cell lines representing 6 different malignancies), with the highest potency seen in AML cell lines derived from patients with MLL translocations. MC180295 is a racemic mixture of two enantiomers, MC180379 and MC180380, with MC180380 showing higher potency in a live-cell epigenetic assay. Both MC180295 and MC180380 showed efficacy in in vivo AML and colon cancer xenograft models, and significant synergy with decitabine in both cancer models. Lastly, we found that CDK9 inhibition-mediated anti-tumoral effects were partially dependent on CD8 + T cells in vivo, indicating a significant immune component to the response. CONCLUSIONS MC180380, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), is an efficacious anti-cancer agent worth advancing further toward clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanghang Zhang
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Chen Huang
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - John Gordon
- Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Sijia Yu
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - George Morton
- Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Wayne Childers
- Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Magid Abou-Gharbia
- Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - Jaroslav Jelinek
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
- Coriell Institute for Medical Research, 403 Haddon Avenue, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA
- Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre J Issa
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
- Coriell Institute for Medical Research, 403 Haddon Avenue, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA.
- Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ, 08103, USA.
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9
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Herrity E, Pereira MP, Kim DDH. Acute myeloid leukaemia relapse after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Mechanistic diversity and therapeutic directions. Br J Haematol 2023; 203:722-735. [PMID: 37787151 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Emerging biological and clinical data, along with advances in new technologies, have exposed the mechanistic diversity in post-haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) relapse. Post-HCT relapse mechanisms are relevant for guiding sophisticated selection of therapeutic interventions and identification of areas for further research. Clonal evolution and emergence of resistant leukemic strains is a common mechanism shared by relapse post-chemotherapy and post-HCT, other mechanisms such as leukemic immune escape and donor T cell exhaustion are unique entities to post-HCT relapse. Due to diversity in the mechanisms behind post-HCT relapse, the subsequent clinical approach relies on clinician discretion, rather than objective evidence. Lack of standardized selection based on post-HCT relapse mechanism(s) could be a contributing factor to observed poor outcomes. Therapeutic strategies including donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), second transplant, immunotherapies, hypomethylating agents, and targeted strategies are supported options and efficacy may be enhanced when post-HCT AML relapse mechanism is established and guides treatment selection. This review aims, through compilation of supporting studies, to describe mechanisms of post-HCT relapse and their implications for subsequent treatment selection and inspiration for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Herrity
- Hans Messner Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mariana Pinto Pereira
- Hans Messner Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dennis Dong Hwan Kim
- Hans Messner Allogeneic Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Leukemia Program, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Boeke JD, Burns KH, Chiappinelli KB, Classon M, Coffin JM, DeCarvalho DD, Dukes JD, Greenbaum B, Kassiotis G, Knutson SK, Levine AJ, Nath A, Papa S, Rios D, Sedivy J, Ting DT. Proceedings of the inaugural Dark Genome Symposium: November 2022. Mob DNA 2023; 14:18. [PMID: 37990347 PMCID: PMC10664479 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-023-00306-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In November 2022 the first Dark Genome Symposium was held in Boston, USA. The meeting was hosted by Rome Therapeutics and Enara Bio, two biotechnology companies working on translating our growing understanding of this vast genetic landscape into therapies for human disease. The spirit and ambition of the meeting was one of shared knowledge, looking to strengthen the network of researchers engaged in the field. The meeting opened with a welcome from Rosana Kapeller and Kevin Pojasek followed by a first session of field defining talks from key academics in the space. A series of panels, bringing together academia and industry views, were then convened covering a wide range of pertinent topics. Finally, Richard Young and David Ting gave their views on the future direction and promise for patient impact inherent in the growing understanding of the Dark Genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jef D Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Kathleen H Burns
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine B Chiappinelli
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Marie Classon
- Pfizer Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, San Diego, USA
| | - John M Coffin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Daniel D DeCarvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph D Dukes
- Enara Bio Limited, Magdalen Centre, 1 Robert Robinson Avenue, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, OX4 4GA, UK
| | - Benjamin Greenbaum
- Computational Oncology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - George Kassiotis
- Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah K Knutson
- Rome Therapeutics, 201 Brookline Avenue, Suite 1001, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arnold J Levine
- Simons Center for Systems Biology, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section for Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sophie Papa
- Enara Bio Limited, Magdalen Centre, 1 Robert Robinson Avenue, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, OX4 4GA, UK.
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Daniel Rios
- Rome Therapeutics, 201 Brookline Avenue, Suite 1001, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Sedivy
- Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - David T Ting
- Department of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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11
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Stiff PJ, Mehrotra S, Potkul RK, Banerjee S, Walker C, Drakes ML. Selinexor in Combination with Decitabine Attenuates Ovarian Cancer in Mice. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4541. [PMID: 37760508 PMCID: PMC10526280 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184541] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-grade serous ovarian cancer is a lethal gynecologic disease. Conventional therapies, such as platinum-based chemotherapy, are rendered inadequate for disease management as most advanced disease patients develop resistance to this therapy and soon relapse, leading to poor prognosis. Novel immunotherapy and targeted therapy are currently under investigation as treatment options for ovarian cancer, but so far with little success. Epigenetic changes, such as aberrant DNA methylation, have been reported in resistance to platinum-based therapy. Decitabine is a hypomethylating agent which is effective against platinum-resistant disease and also exhibits several anti-tumor immune functions. Selinexor is a selective inhibitor of nuclear protein export. It restored platinum sensitivity in patient-derived ovarian cancer cell lines and is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. We hypothesized that these two agents used in combination could elicit more potent anti-tumor immune responses in vivo than either agent used alone. METHODS These studies were designed to investigate the efficacy of these two agents used in combination to treat ovarian cancer by assessing murine models for changes in disease pathology and in anti-tumor responses. RESULTS Decitabine priming followed by selinexor treatment significantly limited ascites formation and tumor size. This combination of agents also promoted T cell effector function as measured by granzyme B secretion. Treatment of mice with decitabine and selinexor led to the significant release of a broader range of macrophage and T cell cytokines and chemokines above control PBS and vehicle and above decitabine or selinexor treatment alone. CONCLUSIONS These results reveal crucial information for the design of clinical trials which may advance therapy outcomes in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J. Stiff
- Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | | | - Ronald K. Potkul
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Swarnali Banerjee
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | | | - Maureen L. Drakes
- Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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12
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Grandits M, Chauhan J, Bax HJ. Anti-PD1 therapy outcome can be predicted by pre-therapy IFN-I responsiveness of T eff cells. Allergy 2023; 78:2562-2564. [PMID: 37119458 DOI: 10.1111/all.15756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Grandits
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jitesh Chauhan
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Heather J Bax
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
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13
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Liu R, Zhao E, Yu H, Yuan C, Abbas MN, Cui H. Methylation across the central dogma in health and diseases: new therapeutic strategies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:310. [PMID: 37620312 PMCID: PMC10449936 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01528-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The proper transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein is essential for cell-fate control, development, and health. Methylation of DNA, RNAs, histones, and non-histone proteins is a reversible post-synthesis modification that finetunes gene expression and function in diverse physiological processes. Aberrant methylation caused by genetic mutations or environmental stimuli promotes various diseases and accelerates aging, necessitating the development of therapies to correct the disease-driver methylation imbalance. In this Review, we summarize the operating system of methylation across the central dogma, which includes writers, erasers, readers, and reader-independent outputs. We then discuss how dysregulation of the system contributes to neurological disorders, cancer, and aging. Current small-molecule compounds that target the modifiers show modest success in certain cancers. The methylome-wide action and lack of specificity lead to undesirable biological effects and cytotoxicity, limiting their therapeutic application, especially for diseases with a monogenic cause or different directions of methylation changes. Emerging tools capable of site-specific methylation manipulation hold great promise to solve this dilemma. With the refinement of delivery vehicles, these new tools are well positioned to advance the basic research and clinical translation of the methylation field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Erhu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Huijuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Chaoyu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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14
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Gjerstorff MF. Epigenetic targeting of myeloid-derived suppressor cells: time to move into infectious diseases? Front Immunol 2023; 14:1247715. [PMID: 37680643 PMCID: PMC10482232 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1247715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Morten Frier Gjerstorff
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Academy of Geriatric Cancer Research (AgeCare), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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15
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Zhong F, Lin Y, Zhao L, Yang C, Ye Y, Shen Z. Reshaping the tumour immune microenvironment in solid tumours via tumour cell and immune cell DNA methylation: from mechanisms to therapeutics. Br J Cancer 2023:10.1038/s41416-023-02292-0. [PMID: 37117649 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02292-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the tumour microenvironment (TME) of solid tumours has attracted more and more attention from researchers, especially those non-tumour components such as immune cells. Infiltration of various immune cells causes tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) heterogeneity, and results in different therapeutic effects. Accumulating evidence showed that DNA methylation plays a crucial role in remodelling TIME and is associated with the response towards immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). During carcinogenesis, DNA methylation profoundly changes, specifically, there is a global loss of DNA methylation and increased DNA methylation at the promoters of suppressor genes. Immune cell differentiation is disturbed, and exclusion of immune cells from the TME occurs at least in part due to DNA methylation reprogramming. Therefore, pharmaceutical interventions targeting DNA methylation are promising. DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTis) enhance antitumor immunity by inducing transcription of transposable elements and consequent viral mimicry. DNMTis upregulate the expression of tumour antigens, mediate immune cells recruitment and reactivate exhausted immune cells. In preclinical studies, DNMTis have shown synergistic effect when combined with immunotherapies, suggesting new strategies to treat refractory solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyun Zhong
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yilin Lin
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Changjiang Yang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yingjiang Ye
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhanlong Shen
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Laboratory of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Peking University People's Hospital, 100044, Beijing, P. R. China.
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16
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Ford BR, Poholek AC. Regulation and Immunotherapeutic Targeting of the Epigenome in Exhausted CD8 T Cell Responses. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:869-879. [PMID: 36947818 PMCID: PMC10037537 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Exhaustion is a state of CD8 T cell differentiation that occurs in settings of chronic Ag such as tumors, chronic viral infection, and autoimmunity. Cellular differentiation is driven by a series of environmental signals that promote epigenetic landscapes that set transcriptomes needed for function. For CD8 T cells, the epigenome that underlies exhaustion is distinct from effector and memory cell differentiation, suggesting that signals early on set in motion a process where the epigenome is modified to promote a trajectory toward a dysfunctional state. Although we know many signals that promote exhaustion, putting this in the context of the epigenetic changes that occur during differentiation has been less clear. In this review, we aim to summarize the epigenetic changes associated with exhaustion in the context of signals that promote it, highlighting immunotherapeutic studies that support these observations or areas for future therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Rhodes Ford
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; and Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Amanda C Poholek
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; and Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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17
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Menezes DL, See WL, Risueño A, Tsai KT, Lee JK, Ma J, Khan R, Prebet T, Skikne B, Beach CL, Thakurta A, Gandhi A. Oral azacitidine modulates the bone marrow microenvironment in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in remission: A subanalysis from the QUAZAR AML-001 trial. Br J Haematol 2023. [PMID: 36990798 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Oral azacitidine (Oral-AZA) maintenance therapy improved relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) significantly versus placebo for AML patients in remission after intensive chemotherapy (IC) in the phase 3 QUAZAR AML-001 study. Immune profiling was performed on the bone marrow (BM) at remission and on-treatment in a subset of patients with the aim of identifying prognostic immune features and evaluating associations of on-treatment immune effects by Oral-AZA with clinical outcomes. Post-IC, increased levels of lymphocytes, monocytes, T cells and CD34 + CD117+ BM cells were prognostically favourable for RFS. CD3+ T-cell counts were significantly prognostic for RFS in both treatment arms. At baseline, high expression of the PD-L1 checkpoint marker was identified on a subset of CD34 + CD117+ BM cells; many of which were PD-L2+. High co-expression of T-cell exhaustion markers PD-1 and TIM-3 was associated with inferior outcomes. Oral-AZA augmented T-cell numbers during early treatment, increased CD4+:CD8+ ratios and reversed T-cell exhaustion. Unsupervised clustering analysis identified two patient subsets defined by T-cell content and expression of T-cell exhaustion markers that were enriched for MRD negativity. These results indicate that Oral-AZA modulates T-cell activity in the maintenance setting of AML, and these immune-mediated responses are associated with clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wendy L See
- Bristol Myers Squibb, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | - Jae K Lee
- Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA
| | - Johnny Ma
- Bristol Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rida Khan
- Bristol Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Barry Skikne
- Bristol Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, USA
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - C L Beach
- Bristol Myers Squibb, Summit, New Jersey, USA
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18
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Well-TEMP-seq as a microwell-based strategy for massively parallel profiling of single-cell temporal RNA dynamics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1272. [PMID: 36882403 PMCID: PMC9992361 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36902-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) reveals the transcriptional heterogeneity of cells, but the static snapshots fail to reveal the time-resolved dynamics of transcription. Herein, we develop Well-TEMP-seq, a high-throughput, cost-effective, accurate, and efficient method for massively parallel profiling the temporal dynamics of single-cell gene expression. Well-TEMP-seq combines metabolic RNA labeling with scRNA-seq method Well-paired-seq to distinguish newly transcribed RNAs marked by T-to-C substitutions from pre-existing RNAs in each of thousands of single cells. The Well-paired-seq chip ensures a high single cell/barcoded bead pairing rate (~80%) and the improved alkylation chemistry on beads greatly alleviates chemical conversion-induced cell loss (~67.5% recovery). We further apply Well-TEMP-seq to profile the transcriptional dynamics of colorectal cancer cells exposed to 5-AZA-CdR, a DNA-demethylating drug. Well-TEMP-seq unbiasedly captures the RNA dynamics and outperforms the splicing-based RNA velocity method. We anticipate that Well-TEMP-seq will be broadly applicable to unveil the dynamics of single-cell gene expression in diverse biological processes.
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19
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Zhang J, Huang L, Ge G, Hu K. Emerging Epigenetic-Based Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy: Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206169. [PMID: 36599655 PMCID: PMC9982594 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulated epigenetic modifications dynamically drive the abnormal transcription process to affect the tumor microenvironment; thus, promoting cancer progression, drug resistance, and metastasis. Nowadays, therapies targeting epigenetic dysregulation of tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment appear to be promising adjuncts to other cancer therapies. However, the clinical results of combination therapies containing epigenetic agents are disappointing due to systemic toxicities and limited curative effects. Here, the role of epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, post-translational modification of histones, and noncoding RNAs is discussed, followed by detailed descriptions of epigenetic regulation of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the application of epigenetic modulators in antitumor therapy, with an emphasis on the epigenetic-based advanced drug delivery system in targeting the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical BiologyInstitute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine ResearchShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghai201203China
| | - Leaf Huang
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular PharmaceuticsEshelman School of PharmacyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNC27599USA
| | - Guangbo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical BiologyInstitute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine ResearchShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghai201203China
| | - Kaili Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical BiologyInstitute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine ResearchShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghai201203China
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20
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Zhang X. Conditioning regimens for HSCT for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and secondary acute myeloid leukaemia. Lancet Haematol 2023; 10:e159-e160. [PMID: 36702139 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3026(22)00404-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China; Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China.
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21
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Urabe A, Chi S, Minami Y. The Immuno-Oncology and Genomic Aspects of DNA-Hypomethylating Therapeutics in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043727. [PMID: 36835136 PMCID: PMC9961620 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) have been used for decades in the treatment of hematologic neoplasms, and now, have gathered attention again in terms of their combination with potent molecular-targeted agents such as a BCL-6 inhibitor venetoclax and an IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib, as well as a novel immune-checkpoint inhibitor (anit-CD47 antibody) megrolimab. Several studies have shown that leukemic cells have a distinct immunological microenvironment, which is at least partially due to genetic alterations such as the TP53 mutation and epigenetic dysregulation. HMAs possibly improve intrinsic anti-leukemic immunity and sensitivity to immune therapies such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and anti-CD47 agents. This review describes the immuno-oncological backgrounds of the leukemic microenvironment and the therapeutic mechanisms of HMAs, as well as current clinical trials of HMAs and/or venetoclax-based combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yosuke Minami
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-4-7133-1111; Fax: +81-7133-6502
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22
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Pre-Clinical Evaluation of the Hypomethylating Agent Decitabine for the Treatment of T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030647. [PMID: 36765607 PMCID: PMC9913791 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is a rare and aggressive lymphatic cancer, often diagnosed at a young age. Patients are treated with intensive chemotherapy, potentially followed by a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although prognosis of T-LBL has improved with intensified treatment protocols, they are associated with side effects and 10-20% of patients still die from relapsed or refractory disease. Given this, the search toward less toxic anti-lymphoma therapies is ongoing. Here, we targeted the recently described DNA hypermethylated profile in T-LBL with the DNA hypomethylating agent decitabine. We evaluated the anti-lymphoma properties and downstream effects of decitabine, using patient derived xenograft (PDX) models. Decitabine treatment resulted in prolonged lymphoma-free survival in all T-LBL PDX models, which was associated with downregulation of the oncogenic MYC pathway. However, some PDX models showed more benefit of decitabine treatment compared to others. In more sensitive models, differentially methylated CpG regions resulted in more differentially expressed genes in open chromatin regions. This resulted in stronger downregulation of cell cycle genes and upregulation of immune response activating transcripts. Finally, we suggest a gene signature for high decitabine sensitivity in T-LBL. Altogether, we here delivered pre-clinical proof of the potential use of decitabine as a new therapeutic agent in T-LBL.
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23
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Wu Z, Wang J, Li Y, Liu J, Kang Z, Yan W. Characterization of a lactate metabolism-related signature for evaluation of immune features and prediction prognosis in glioma. Front Neurol 2023; 13:1064349. [PMID: 36698888 PMCID: PMC9868722 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1064349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glioma is one of the most typical tumors in the central nervous system with a poor prognosis, and the optimal management strategy remains controversial. Lactate in the tumor microenvironment is known to promote cancer progression, but its impact on clinical outcomes of glioma is largely unknown. Methods Glioma RNA-seq data were obtained from TCGA and GCGA databases. Lactate metabolism genes (LMGs) were then evaluated to construct an LMG model in glioma using Cox and LASSO regression. Immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint gene expression, enriched pathways, genetic alteration, and drug sensitivity were compared within the risk subgroups. Based on the risk score and clinicopathological features, a nomogram was developed to predict prognosis in patients with glioma. Results Five genes (LDHA, LDHB, MRS2, SL16A1, and SL25A12) showed a good prognostic value and were used to construct an LMG-based risk score. This risk score was shown as an independent prognostic factor with good predictive power in both training and validation cohorts (p < 0.001). The LMG signature was found to be correlated with the expression of immune checkpoint genes and immune infiltration and could shape the tumor microenvironment. Genetic alteration, dysregulated metabolism, and tumorigenesis pathways could be the underlying contributing factors that affect LMG risk stratification. The patients with glioma in the LMG high-risk group showed high sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors. In addition, our nomogram model could effectively predict overall survival with an area under the curve value of 0.894. Conclusion We explored the characteristics of LMGs in glioma and proposed an LMG-based signature. This prognostic model could predict the survival of patients with glioma and help clinical oncologists plan more individualized and effective therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Wu
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Neurovascular Center, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Neurovascular Center, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianmin Liu
- Neurovascular Center, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Jianmin Liu ✉
| | - Zijian Kang
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China,Zijian Kang ✉
| | - Wangjun Yan
- Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Wangjun Yan ✉
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24
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Endogenous retroelements as alarms for disruptions to cellular homeostasis. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:55-68. [PMID: 36216729 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous retroelements are DNA sequences which can duplicate and move to new locations in the genome. Actively moving endogenous retroelements can be disruptive to the host, and their expression is therefore often repressed. Interestingly, drugs that disrupt the repression of endogenous retroelements show promise for treating cancer. Expressed endogenous retroelements can activate innate immune receptors that activate the antiviral response, potentially leading to the death of cancer cells. We discuss disruptions to cellular processes which can lead to activation of the antiviral state from endogenous retroelements, and present the 'fire alarm hypothesis', where we argue that endogenous retroelements act as alarms for disruptions to these cellular processes. Furthermore, we discuss the properties of endogenous retroelements which make them suitable as alarms.
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25
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Ma R, Rei M, Woodhouse I, Ferris K, Kirschner S, Chandran A, Gileadi U, Chen JL, Pereira Pinho M, Ariosa-Morejon Y, Kriaucionis S, Ternette N, Koohy H, Ansorge O, Ogg G, Plaha P, Cerundolo V. Decitabine increases neoantigen and cancer testis antigen expression to enhance T-cell-mediated toxicity against glioblastoma. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:2093-2106. [PMID: 35468205 PMCID: PMC9713507 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Despite maximal treatment, median survival remains dismal at 14-24 months. Immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibition, have revolutionized management of some cancers but have little benefit for GBM patients. This is, in part, due to the low mutational and neoantigen burden in this immunogenically "cold" tumor. METHODS U87MG and patient-derived cell lines were treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC) and underwent whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. Cell lines were then subjected to cellular assays with neoantigen and cancer testis antigen (CTA) specific T cells. RESULTS We demonstrate that DAC increases neoantigen and CTA mRNA expression through DNA hypomethylation. This results in increased neoantigen presentation by MHC class I in tumor cells, leading to increased neoantigen- and CTA-specific T-cell activation and killing of DAC-treated cancer cells. In addition, we show that patients have endogenous cancer-specific T cells in both tumor and blood, which show increased tumor-specific activation in the presence of DAC-treated cells. CONCLUSIONS Our work shows that DAC increases GBM immunogenicity and consequent susceptibility to T-cell responses in vitro. Our results support a potential use of DAC as a sensitizing agent for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruichong Ma
- Corresponding Authors: Ruichong Ma, DPhil, Department of neurosurgery, Level 3 West wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK ()
| | - Margarida Rei
- Margarida Rei, PhD, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK ()
| | - Isaac Woodhouse
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Katherine Ferris
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sophie Kirschner
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anandhakumar Chandran
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Uzi Gileadi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ji-Li Chen
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mariana Pereira Pinho
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yoanna Ariosa-Morejon
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Skirmantas Kriaucionis
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola Ternette
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (Y.A-M., N.T.)
| | - Hashem Koohy
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Olaf Ansorge
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University ofOxford, UK
| | - Graham Ogg
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Puneet Plaha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University ofOxford, UK
| | - Vincenzo Cerundolo
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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26
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Kitajima S, Tani T, Springer BF, Campisi M, Osaki T, Haratani K, Chen M, Knelson EH, Mahadevan NR, Ritter J, Yoshida R, Köhler J, Ogino A, Nozawa RS, Sundararaman SK, Thai TC, Homme M, Piel B, Kivlehan S, Obua BN, Purcell C, Yajima M, Barbie TU, Lizotte PH, Jänne PA, Paweletz CP, Gokhale PC, Barbie DA. MPS1 inhibition primes immunogenicity of KRAS-LKB1 mutant lung cancer. Cancer Cell 2022; 40:1128-1144.e8. [PMID: 36150391 PMCID: PMC9561026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2022.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
KRAS-LKB1 (KL) mutant lung cancers silence STING owing to intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in T cell exclusion and resistance to programmed cell death (ligand) 1 (PD-[L]1) blockade. Here we discover that KL cells also minimize intracellular accumulation of 2'3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (2'3'-cGAMP) to further avoid downstream STING and STAT1 activation. An unbiased screen to co-opt this vulnerability reveals that transient MPS1 inhibition (MPS1i) potently re-engages this pathway in KL cells via micronuclei generation. This effect is markedly amplified by epigenetic de-repression of STING and only requires pulse MPS1i treatment, creating a therapeutic window compared with non-dividing cells. A single course of decitabine treatment followed by pulse MPS1i therapy restores T cell infiltration in vivo, enhances anti-PD-1 efficacy, and results in a durable response without evidence of significant toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Kitajima
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Tetsuo Tani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Benjamin F Springer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Experimental Therapeutics Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Tatsuya Osaki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Haratani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Minyue Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erik H Knelson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Navin R Mahadevan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Ritter
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryohei Yoshida
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Jens Köhler
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Atsuko Ogino
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Ryu-Suke Nozawa
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shriram K Sundararaman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tran C Thai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Mizuki Homme
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Brandon Piel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Sophie Kivlehan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bonje N Obua
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Connor Purcell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Thanh U Barbie
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick H Lizotte
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pasi A Jänne
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Cloud P Paweletz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prafulla C Gokhale
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Experimental Therapeutics Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA.
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27
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Song Z, Lu L, Gao Z, Zhou Q, Wang Z, Sun L, Zhou Y. Immunotherapy for liposarcoma: emerging opportunities and challenges. Future Oncol 2022; 18:3449-3461. [PMID: 36214331 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Liposarcoma (LPS) is a rare adipocyte-derived malignancy accounting for 20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Although surgery and chemotherapy are the standard treatment for LPS, the large tumor burden and high recurrence rate make it difficult to treat, especially when the disease progresses. With the progress of immunotherapies in other tumors such as melanoma and lung cancer, interest has been risen in exploring immunotherapy for LPS. This review discusses the understanding of the tumor microenvironment of LPS; the current status of immunotherapy in LPS, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses and combination therapies; and the future directions for exploiting strategies to make the effect of immunotherapy stronger and more durable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqing Song
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lili Lu
- Biotherapy Centre, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zixu Gao
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiwen Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Institute of Developmental Biology and Molecular Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuhong Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Biotherapy Centre, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
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28
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Symeonidou V, Metzner M, Usukhbayar B, Jackson AE, Fox S, Craddock CF, Vyas P. Heterogeneous genetic and non-genetic mechanisms contribute to response and resistance to azacitidine monotherapy. EJHAEM 2022; 3:794-803. [PMID: 36051087 PMCID: PMC9421974 DOI: 10.1002/jha2.527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukaemia is prevalent in older patients that are often ineligible for intensive chemotherapy and treatment options remain limited with azacitidine being at the forefront. Azacitidine has been used in the clinic for decades, however, we still lack a complete understanding of the mechanisms by which the drug exerts its anti-tumour effect. To gain insight into the mechanism of action, we defined the mutational profile of sequential samples of patients treated with azacitidine. We did not identify any mutations that could predict response and observed lack of a uniform pattern of clonal evolution. Focusing on responders, at remission, we observed three types of response: (1) an almost complete elimination of mutations (33%), (2) no change (17%), and (3) change with no discernible pattern (50%). Heterogeneous patterns were also observed at relapse, with no clonal evolution between remission and relapse in some patients. Lack of clonal evolution suggests that non-genetic mechanisms might be involved. Towards understanding such mechanisms, we investigated the immune microenvironment in a number of patients and we observed lack of a uniform response following therapy. We identified a higher frequency of cytotoxic T cells in responders and higher frequency of naïve helper T cells in non-responders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Symeonidou
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Marlen Metzner
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Batchimeg Usukhbayar
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Aimee E. Jackson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials UnitUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Sonia Fox
- Centre for Clinical HaematologyQueen Elizabeth HospitalBirminghamUK
| | | | - Paresh Vyas
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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29
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Zheng D, Hou X, Yu J, He X. Combinatorial Strategies With PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Breast Cancer Therapy: Mechanisms and Clinical Outcomes. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:928369. [PMID: 35935874 PMCID: PMC9355550 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.928369] [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] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As an emerging antitumor strategy, immune checkpoint therapy is one of the most promising anticancer therapies due to its long response duration. Antibodies against the programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) axis have been extensively applied to various cancers and have demonstrated unprecedented efficacy. Nevertheless, a poor response to monotherapy with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 has been observed in metastatic breast cancer. Combination therapy with other standard treatments is expected to overcome this limitation of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in the treatment of breast cancer. In the present review, we first illustrate the biological functions of PD-1/PD-L1 and their role in maintaining immune homeostasis as well as protecting against immune-mediated tissue damage in a variety of microenvironments. Several combination therapy strategies for the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with standard treatment modalities have been proposed to solve the limitations of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and other immunotherapies. The corresponding clinical trials provide valuable estimates of treatment effects. Notably, several combination options significantly improve the response and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. This review provides a PD-1/PD-L1 clinical trial landscape survey in breast cancer to guide the development of more effective and less toxic combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zheng
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiujing He
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Xiujing He,
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30
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Boukhaled GM, Gadalla R, Elsaesser HJ, Abd-Rabbo D, Quevedo R, Yang SYC, Guo M, Wang BX, Noamani B, Gray D, Lau SCM, Taylor K, Aung K, Spreafico A, Hansen AR, Saibil SD, Hirano N, Guidos C, Pugh TJ, McGaha TL, Ohashi PS, Sacher AG, Butler MO, Brooks DG. Pre-encoded responsiveness to type I interferon in the peripheral immune system defines outcome of PD1 blockade therapy. Nat Immunol 2022; 23:1273-1283. [PMID: 35835962 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-022-01262-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFN-Is) are central regulators of anti-tumor immunity and responses to immunotherapy, but they also drive the feedback inhibition underlying therapeutic resistance. In the present study, we developed a mass cytometry approach to quantify IFN-I-stimulated protein expression across immune cells and used multi-omics to uncover pre-therapy cellular states encoding responsiveness to inflammation. Analyzing peripheral blood cells from multiple cancer types revealed that differential responsiveness to IFN-Is before anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) treatment was highly predictive of long-term survival after therapy. Unexpectedly, IFN-I hyporesponsiveness efficiently predicted long-term survival, whereas high responsiveness to IFN-I was strongly associated with treatment failure and diminished survival time. Peripheral IFN-I responsive states were not associated with tumor inflammation, identifying a disconnect between systemic immune potential and 'cold' or 'hot' tumor states. Mechanistically, IFN-I responsiveness was epigenetically imprinted before therapy, poising cells for differential inflammatory responses and dysfunctional T cell effector programs. Thus, we identify physiological cell states with clinical importance that can predict success and long-term survival of PD1-blocking immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giselle M Boukhaled
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ramy Gadalla
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heidi J Elsaesser
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Diala Abd-Rabbo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rene Quevedo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - S Y Cindy Yang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mengdi Guo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ben X Wang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Babak Noamani
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Diana Gray
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sally C M Lau
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kirsty Taylor
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kyaw Aung
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anna Spreafico
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron R Hansen
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samuel D Saibil
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Naoto Hirano
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cynthia Guidos
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor J Pugh
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tracy L McGaha
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pamela S Ohashi
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adrian G Sacher
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcus O Butler
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David G Brooks
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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31
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Li Q, Yang M, Chen K, Zhou S, Zhou S, Wu H. Tight correlation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine expression with the scarring damage of discoid lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2022; 31:1306-1316. [PMID: 35817588 DOI: 10.1177/09612033221114761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a heterogenous skin disease. The two most common subtypes are discoid LE (DLE) characterized by scarring skin damage and acute CLE (ACLE) presenting with transiently reversible skin lesions. It remains unknown what causes the difference of skin lesions. Studies have shown the existence of tissue-specific 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5 hmC)-modified regions in human tissues, which may affect the tissue-related diseases. Here, we aim to assess the expression of 5 hmc in DLE and ACLE lesions and explore the relationship of 5 hmc with scarring damage in DLE. METHODS 84 CLE samples were included in the study. We evaluated the skin damage score and reviewed the histopathologic sections. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of 5 hmc in the appendage and periappendageal inflammatory cells. The 5 hmc expression in periappendageal lymphocytic cells was investigated by multi-spectrum immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS Scarring/atrophy was the most significant damage in differentiating the DLE from ACLE. Perifollicular inflammatory infiltration was present in all patients with DLE scarring alopecia (DLESA). The 5 hmc expression in the appendage and periappendageal inflammatory cells was significantxly increased in DLESA than ACLE. Similar expression pattern was seen in the staining of IFN-alpha/beta Receptor (IFNAR). The expression of 5 hmc in the appendage was positively correlated with that in the periappendageal inflammatory cells. There was an increased 5 hmc expression in lymphocytes cluster around hair follicle consisting of CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD19+ cells in DLESA lesions. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate a close association of the expression pattern of 5 hmc with the histopathological characteristic distribution, and with the type I interferons (IFNs) signals in DLESA, supporting the importance of 5 hmc in the amplification of appendage damage and periappendageal inflammation, thereby offering a novel insight into the scarring damage of DLE and the heterogeneity of CLE skin lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwen Li
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,12570The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Kaili Chen
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,12570The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, China
| | - Suqing Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,12570The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, China
| | - Shengnan Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,12570The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, 70566The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,12570The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, China
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Zhigarev D, Varshavsky A, MacFarlane AW, Jayaguru P, Barreyro L, Khoreva M, Dulaimi E, Nejati R, Drenberg C, Campbell KS. Lymphocyte Exhaustion in AML Patients and Impacts of HMA/Venetoclax or Intensive Chemotherapy on Their Biology. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143352. [PMID: 35884414 PMCID: PMC9320805 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are routinely treated with either intensive chemotherapy or DNA hypomethylating agents (HMA) in combination with the Bcl-2 inhibitor, venetoclax. While both treatment regimens are highly cytotoxic to the aggressive AML tumor cells, they are also toxic to immune cells. Therefore, we sought to establish the detrimental impacts of these therapies on lymphocytes and their recovery over time in AML patients. Even prior to treatment initiation, the patients were found to have exhausted lymphocytes in peripheral blood, and additional signs of exhaustion were noted after treatment with HMA/venetoclax. In fact, the lymphocytes were still suppressed for two to three months after the initiation of induction therapy. Furthermore, T cells in a subset of patients subsequently found to be resistant to venetoclax therapy exhibited a higher expression of perforin and CD39 and more pronounced IFN-γ production. Abstract Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy that requires rapid treatment with chemotherapies to reduce tumor burden. However, these chemotherapies can compromise lymphocyte function, thereby hindering normal anti-tumor immune responses and likely limiting the efficacy of subsequent immunotherapy. To better understand these negative impacts, we assessed the immunological effects of standard-of-care AML therapies on lymphocyte phenotype and function over time. When compared to healthy donors, untreated AML patients showed evidence of lymphocyte activation and exhaustion and had more prevalent CD57+NKG2C+ adaptive NK cells, which was independent of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) status. HMA/venetoclax treatment resulted in a greater fraction of T cells with effector memory phenotype, inhibited IFN-γ secretion by CD8+ T cells, upregulated perforin expression in NK cells, downregulated PD-1 and 2B4 expression on CD4+ T cells, and stimulated Treg proliferation and CTLA-4 expression. Additionally, we showed increased expression of perforin and CD39 and enhanced IFN-γ production by T cells from pre-treatment blood samples of venetoclax-resistant AML patients. Our results provide insight into the lymphocyte status in previously untreated AML patients and the effects of standard-of-care treatments on their biology and functions. We also found novel pre-treatment characteristics of T cells that could potentially predict venetoclax resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Zhigarev
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; (D.Z.); (A.W.M.IV)
- Department of Immunology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia;
| | - Asya Varshavsky
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA;
| | - Alexander W. MacFarlane
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; (D.Z.); (A.W.M.IV)
| | - Prathiba Jayaguru
- Oncology Translational Research, Janssen R&D, Spring House, PA 19477, USA; (P.J.); (L.B.); (C.D.)
| | - Laura Barreyro
- Oncology Translational Research, Janssen R&D, Spring House, PA 19477, USA; (P.J.); (L.B.); (C.D.)
| | - Marina Khoreva
- Department of Immunology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia;
| | - Essel Dulaimi
- Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; (E.D.); (R.N.)
| | - Reza Nejati
- Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; (E.D.); (R.N.)
| | - Christina Drenberg
- Oncology Translational Research, Janssen R&D, Spring House, PA 19477, USA; (P.J.); (L.B.); (C.D.)
| | - Kerry S. Campbell
- Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA; (D.Z.); (A.W.M.IV)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-215-728-7761; Fax: +1-215-727-2412
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Chen Y, Yi X, Sun N, Guo W, Li C. Epigenetics Regulates Antitumor Immunity in Melanoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:868786. [PMID: 35693795 PMCID: PMC9174518 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.868786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most malignant skin cancer, which originates from epidermal melanocytes, with increasing worldwide incidence. The escape of immune surveillance is a hallmark of the tumor, which is manifested by the imbalance between the enhanced immune evasion of tumor cells and the impaired antitumor capacity of infiltrating immune cells. According to this notion, the invigoration of the exhausted immune cells by immune checkpoint blockades has gained encouraging outcomes in eliminating tumor cells and significantly prolonged the survival of patients, particularly in melanoma. Epigenetics is a pivotal non-genomic modulatory paradigm referring to heritable changes in gene expression without altering genome sequence, including DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNAs, and m6A RNA methylation. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated how the dysregulation of epigenetics regulates multiple biological behaviors of tumor cells and contributes to carcinogenesis and tumor progression in melanoma. Nevertheless, the linkage between epigenetics and antitumor immunity, as well as its implication in melanoma immunotherapy, remains elusive. In this review, we first introduce the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and therapeutic innovations of melanoma. Then, the tumor microenvironment and the functions of different types of infiltrating immune cells are discussed, with an emphasis on their involvement in antitumor immunity in melanoma. Subsequently, we systemically summarize the linkage between epigenetics and antitumor immunity in melanoma, from the perspective of distinct paradigms of epigenetics. Ultimately, the progression of the clinical trials regarding epigenetics-based melanoma immunotherapy is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiuli Yi
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ningyue Sun
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Weinan Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chunying Li
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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34
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Xu Y, Li P, Liu Y, Xin D, Lei W, Liang A, Han W, Qian W. Epi-immunotherapy for cancers: rationales of epi-drugs in combination with immunotherapy and advances in clinical trials. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2022; 42:493-516. [PMID: 35642676 PMCID: PMC9198339 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, several epi-drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies have received clinical approval for use in certain types of cancer. However, monotherapy with epi-drugs or ICIs has shown limited efficacy in most cancer patients. Epigenetic agents have been shown to regulate the crosstalk between the tumor and host immunity to alleviate immune evasion, suggesting that epi-drugs can potentially synergize with immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss recent insights into the rationales of incorporating epigenetic therapy into immunotherapy, called epi-immunotherapy, and focus on an update of current clinical trials in both hematological and solid malignancies. Furthermore, we outline the future challenges and strategies in the field of cancer epi-immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xu
- Department of Hematologythe Second Affiliated HospitalCollege of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310009P. R. China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell BiologyLife Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310058P. R. China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of HematologyTongji Hospital of Tongji UniversityShanghai200065P. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Bio‐Therapeuticthe First Medical CentreChinese PLA General HospitalBeijing100853P. R. China
| | - Dijia Xin
- Department of Hematologythe Second Affiliated HospitalCollege of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310009P. R. China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell BiologyLife Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310058P. R. China
| | - Wen Lei
- Department of Hematologythe Second Affiliated HospitalCollege of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310009P. R. China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell BiologyLife Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310058P. R. China
| | - Aibin Liang
- Department of HematologyTongji Hospital of Tongji UniversityShanghai200065P. R. China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Bio‐Therapeuticthe First Medical CentreChinese PLA General HospitalBeijing100853P. R. China
| | - Wenbin Qian
- Department of Hematologythe Second Affiliated HospitalCollege of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310009P. R. China
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35
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Targeting nucleotide metabolism: a promising approach to enhance cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:45. [PMID: 35477416 PMCID: PMC9044757 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01263-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting nucleotide metabolism can not only inhibit tumor initiation and progression but also exert serious side effects. With in-depth studies of nucleotide metabolism, our understanding of nucleotide metabolism in tumors has revealed their non-proliferative effects on immune escape, indicating the potential effectiveness of nucleotide antimetabolites for enhancing immunotherapy. A growing body of evidence now supports the concept that targeting nucleotide metabolism can increase the antitumor immune response by (1) activating host immune systems via maintaining the concentrations of several important metabolites, such as adenosine and ATP, (2) promoting immunogenicity caused by increased mutability and genomic instability by disrupting the purine and pyrimidine pool, and (3) releasing nucleoside analogs via microbes to regulate immunity. Therapeutic approaches targeting nucleotide metabolism combined with immunotherapy have achieved exciting success in preclinical animal models. Here, we review how dysregulated nucleotide metabolism can promote tumor growth and interact with the host immune system, and we provide future insights into targeting nucleotide metabolism for immunotherapeutic treatment of various malignancies.
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Epigenetic Maintenance Strategies after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Exp Hematol 2022; 109:1-10.e1. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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37
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Li Y, Mo H, Wu S, Liu X, Tu K. A Novel Lactate Metabolism-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Clinical Outcome and Tumor Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:801959. [PMID: 35047511 PMCID: PMC8762248 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.801959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main subtype of primary liver cancer with high malignancy and poor prognosis. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer and has great importance on the tumor microenvironment (TME). As an abundant metabolite, lactate plays a crucial role in cancer progression and the immunosuppressive TME. Nonetheless, the potential roles of lactate in HCC remain unclear. In this study, we downloaded transcriptomic data of HCC patients with corresponding clinical information from the TCGA and ICGC portals. The TCGA-HCC dataset used as the training cohort, while the ICGC-LIRI-JP dataset was served as an external validation cohort. Cox regression analysis and the LASSO regression model were combined to construct the lactate metabolism-related gene signature (LMRGS). Then, we assessed the clinical significance of LMRGS in HCC. Besides, enriched molecular functions, tumor mutation burden (TMB), infiltrating immune cells, and immune checkpoint were comprehensively analyzed in different LMRGS subgroups. In total, 66 differentially expressed lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) were screened. The functions of LMRGs were mainly enriched in mitochondrial activity and metabolic processes. The LMRGS comprised of six key LMRGs (FKTN, PDSS1, PET117, PUS1, RARS1, and RNASEH1) had significant clinical value for independently predicting the prognosis of HCC patients. The overall survival and median survival of patients in the LMRGS-high group were significantly shorter than in the LMRGS-low group. In addition, there were differences in TMB between the two LMRGS subgroups. The probability of genetic mutations was higher in the LMRGS-high group. Most importantly, the LMRGS reflected the TME characteristics. In the LMRGS-high group, the immune microenvironment presented a suppressed state, accompanied by more inhibitory immune cell infiltration, including follicular helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Additionally, the expression of inhibitory checkpoint molecules was much higher in the LMRGS-high group. Our study suggested that the LMRGS was a robust biomarker to predict the clinical outcomes and evaluate the TME of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huanye Mo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shengli Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kangsheng Tu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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38
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Myer PA, Kim H, Blümel AM, Finnegan E, Kel A, Thompson TV, Greally JM, Prehn JHM, O’Connor DP, Friedman RA, Floratos A, Das S. Master Transcription Regulators and Transcription Factors Regulate Immune-Associated Differences Between Patients of African and European Ancestry With Colorectal Cancer. GASTRO HEP ADVANCES 2022; 1:328-341. [PMID: 35711675 PMCID: PMC9151447 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background and Aims Individuals of African (AFR) ancestry have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) than those of European (EUR) ancestry and exhibit significant health disparities. Previous studies have noted differences in the tumor microenvironment between AFR and EUR patients with CRC. However, the molecular regulatory processes that underpin these immune differences remain largely unknown. Methods Multiomics analysis was carried out for 55 AFR and 456 EUR patients with microsatellite-stable CRC using The Cancer Genome Atlas. We evaluated the tumor microenvironment by using gene expression and methylation data, transcription factor, and master transcriptional regulator analysis to identify the cell signaling pathways mediating the observed phenotypic differences. Results We demonstrate that downregulated genes in AFR patients with CRC showed enrichment for canonical pathways, including chemokine signaling. Moreover, evaluation of the tumor microenvironment showed that cytotoxic lymphocytes and neutrophil cell populations are significantly decreased in AFR compared with EUR patients, suggesting AFR patients have an attenuated immune response. We further demonstrate that molecules called “master transcriptional regulators” (MTRs) play a critical role in regulating the expression of genes impacting key immune processes through an intricate signal transduction network mediated by disease-associated transcription factors (TFs). Furthermore, a core set of these MTRs and TFs showed a positive correlation with levels of cytotoxic lymphocytes and neutrophils across both AFR and EUR patients with CRC, thus suggesting their role in driving the immune infiltrate differences between the two ancestral groups. Conclusion Our study provides an insight into the intricate regulatory landscape of MTRs and TFs that orchestrate the differences in the tumor microenvironment between patients with CRC of AFR and EUR ancestry.
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The Role of DNA Methylation and DNA Methyltransferases in Cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1389:317-348. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11454-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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40
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Conery AR, Rocnik JL, Trojer P. Small molecule targeting of chromatin writers in cancer. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 18:124-133. [PMID: 34952934 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00920-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
More than a decade after the launch of DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, 2020 heralded the approval of the first histone methyltransferase inhibitor, revitalizing the concept that targeted manipulation of the chromatin regulatory landscape can have profound therapeutic impact. Three chromatin regulatory pathways-DNA methylation, histone acetylation and methylation-are frequently implicated in human cancer but hundreds of potentially druggable mechanisms complicate identification of key targets for therapeutic intervention. In addition to human genetics and functional screening, chemical biology approaches have proven critical for the discovery of key nodes in these pathways and in an ever-increasing complexity of molecularly defined human cancer contexts. This review introduces small molecule targeting approaches, showcases chemical probes and drug candidates for epigenetic writer enzymes, illustrates molecular features that may represent epigenetic dependencies and suggests translational strategies to maximize their impact in cancer therapy.
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41
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Dutta A, Venkataganesh H, Love PE. New Insights into Epigenetic Regulation of T Cell Differentiation. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123459. [PMID: 34943965 PMCID: PMC8700096 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immature CD4− CD8− thymocytes progress through several developmental steps in the thymus, ultimately emerging as mature CD4+ (helper) or CD8+ (cytotoxic) T cells. Activation of naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the presence of specific cytokines results in the induction of transcriptional programs that result in their differentiation into effector or memory cells and in the case of CD4+ T cells, the adoption of distinct T-helper fates. Previous studies have shown that histone modification and DNA methylation play important roles in each of these events. More recently, the roles of specific epigenetic regulators in T cell differentiation have been clarified. The identification of the epigenetic modifications and modifiers that control mature T cell differentiation and specification has also provided further insights into how dysregulation of these processes can lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize recent findings that have provided new insights into epigenetic regulation of T cell differentiation in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avik Dutta
- Section on Hematopoiesis and Lymphocyte Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (A.D.); (H.V.)
| | - Harini Venkataganesh
- Section on Hematopoiesis and Lymphocyte Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (A.D.); (H.V.)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Paul E. Love
- Section on Hematopoiesis and Lymphocyte Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (A.D.); (H.V.)
- Correspondence:
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Vitiello GAF, Ferreira WAS, Cordeiro de Lima VC, Medina TDS. Antiviral Responses in Cancer: Boosting Antitumor Immunity Through Activation of Interferon Pathway in the Tumor Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2021; 12:782852. [PMID: 34925363 PMCID: PMC8674309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.782852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, it became apparent that cancers either associated with viral infections or aberrantly expressing endogenous retroviral elements (EREs) are more immunogenic, exhibiting an intense intra-tumor immune cell infiltration characterized by a robust cytolytic apparatus. On the other hand, epigenetic regulation of EREs is crucial to maintain steady-state conditions and cell homeostasis. In line with this, epigenetic disruptions within steady-state cells can lead to cancer development and trigger the release of EREs into the cytoplasmic compartment. As such, detection of viral molecules by intracellular innate immune sensors leads to the production of type I and type III interferons that act to induce an antiviral state, thus restraining viral replication. This knowledge has recently gained momentum due to the possibility of triggering intratumoral activation of interferon responses, which could be used as an adjuvant to elicit strong anti-tumor immune responses that ultimately lead to a cascade of cytokine production. Accordingly, several therapeutic approaches are currently being tested using this rationale to improve responses to cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we discuss the immune mechanisms operating in viral infections, show evidence that exogenous viruses and endogenous retroviruses in cancer may enhance tumor immunogenicity, dissect the epigenetic control of EREs, and point to interferon pathway activation in the tumor milieu as a promising molecular predictive marker and immunotherapy target. Finally, we briefly discuss current strategies to modulate these responses within tumor tissues, including the clinical use of innate immune receptor agonists and DNA demethylating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wallax Augusto Silva Ferreira
- Translational Immuno-Oncology Group, International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Environmental Mutagenesis, Environment Section (SAMAM), Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | | | - Tiago da Silva Medina
- Translational Immuno-Oncology Group, International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, São Paulo, Brazil
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Wang H, Wu Y, Chen S, Hou M, Yang Y, Xie M. Construction and Validation of a Ferroptosis-Related Prognostic Model for Endometrial Cancer. Front Genet 2021; 12:729046. [PMID: 34650597 PMCID: PMC8505971 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.729046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common female reproductive system tumors, with close to 200,000 new cases each year. It accounts for approximately 7% of the total number of female cancers, but until now the cause of EC has remained unclear. Ferroptosis is regulated cell death that distinguishes apoptosis and caused by oxidative damage. The process has unique biological effects on metabolism and redox biology. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between EC and ferroptosis. According to the different expression levels of related genes, we first divided 544 EC samples into four clusters and found that most of the infiltrating immune cells were significantly different among the four groups. A differential gene expression analysis between Fe.cluster groups was performed, and the samples were again divided into three Fe.gene.cluster groups. The molecular characteristics and clinical characteristics of the groups were significantly different. Finally, 13 characteristic genes were selected as ferroptosis gene signatures, and the Fe.score was obtained by calculation. The Fe.score is closely related to the clinical and molecular characteristics of EC, and a low Fe.score has a significant survival advantage. The GDSC predicts that the IC50 of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs is also significantly different between the two groups. In conclusion, our research has explored the relationship between EC and ferroptosis in detail, provides comprehensive insights for ferroptosis-mediated EC mechanism research, and emphasizes the clinical application potential of Fe.score-based immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingchen Wu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengfu Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minzhi Hou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanning Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meiqing Xie
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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44
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Chen R, Ishak CA, De Carvalho DD. Endogenous Retroelements and the Viral Mimicry Response in Cancer Therapy and Cellular Homeostasis. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:2707-2725. [PMID: 34649957 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Features of the cancer epigenome distinguish cancers from their respective cell of origin and establish therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be exploited through pharmacologic inhibition of DNA- or histone-modifying enzymes. Epigenetic therapies converge with cancer immunotherapies through "viral mimicry," a cellular state of active antiviral response triggered by endogenous nucleic acids often derived from aberrantly transcribed endogenous retrotransposons. This review describes the initial characterization and expansion of viral mimicry-inducing approaches as well as features that "prime" cancers for viral mimicry induction. Increased understanding of viral mimicry in therapeutic contexts suggests potential physiologic roles in cellular homeostasis. SIGNIFICANCE: Recent literature establishes elevated cytosolic double strand RNA (dsRNA) levels as a cancer-specific therapeutic vulnerability that can be elevated by viral mimicry-inducing therapies beyond tolerable thresholds to induce antiviral signaling and increase dependence on dsRNA stress responses mediated by ADAR1. Improved understanding of viral mimicry signaling and tolerance mechanisms reveals synergistic treatment combinations with epigenetic therapies that include inhibition of BCL2, ADAR1, and immune checkpoint blockade. Further characterization of viral mimicry tolerance may identify contexts that maximize efficacy of conventional cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Chen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles A Ishak
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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45
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Mehdipour P, Chen R, De Carvalho DD. The next generation of DNMT inhibitors. NATURE CANCER 2021; 2:1000-1001. [PMID: 35121882 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-021-00271-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Parinaz Mehdipour
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Raymond Chen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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46
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Loo Yau H, De Carvalho DD. Measuring the effect of drug treatments on primary human CD8+ T cell activation and cytolytic potential. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100549. [PMID: 34095863 PMCID: PMC8164095 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are key effector cells in adaptive immune responses against intracellular pathogens and cancer cells. Systemic drug treatments, like chemotherapy, may positively or negatively affect CD8+ T cell function. In this protocol, we describe robust and optimized ex vivo polyclonal activation and cell culture conditions to measure drug treatments' effects on primary human CD8+ T cell activation and cytolytic potential. We provide streamlined methods for measuring effector cytokines and activation markers of CD8+ T cells via flow cytometry. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Loo Yau et al. (2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Loo Yau
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C1, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G1L7, Canada
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C1, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G1L7, Canada
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47
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Jansz N, Faulkner GJ. Endogenous retroviruses in the origins and treatment of cancer. Genome Biol 2021; 22:147. [PMID: 33971937 PMCID: PMC8108463 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02357-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are emerging as promising therapeutic targets in cancer. As remnants of ancient retroviral infections, ERV-derived regulatory elements coordinate expression from gene networks, including those underpinning embryogenesis and immune cell function. ERV activation can promote an interferon response, a phenomenon termed viral mimicry. Although ERV expression is associated with cancer, and provisionally with autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, ERV-mediated inflammation is being explored as a way to sensitize tumors to immunotherapy. Here we review ERV co-option in development and innate immunity, the aberrant contribution of ERVs to tumorigenesis, and the wider biomedical potential of therapies directed at ERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Jansz
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey J Faulkner
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia. .,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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48
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Surowka M, Schaefer W, Klein C. Ten years in the making: application of CrossMab technology for the development of therapeutic bispecific antibodies and antibody fusion proteins. MAbs 2021; 13:1967714. [PMID: 34491877 PMCID: PMC8425689 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.1967714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies have recently attracted intense interest. CrossMab technology was described in 2011 as novel approach enabling correct antibody light-chain association with their respective heavy chain in bispecific antibodies, together with methods enabling correct heavy-chain association using existing pairs of antibodies. Since the original description, CrossMab technology has evolved in the past decade into one of the most mature, versatile, and broadly applied technologies in the field, and nearly 20 bispecific antibodies based on CrossMab technology developed by Roche and others have entered clinical trials. The most advanced of these are the Ang-2/VEGF bispecific antibody faricimab, currently undergoing regulatory review, and the CD20/CD3 T cell bispecific antibody glofitamab, currently in pivotal Phase 3 trials. In this review, we introduce the principles of CrossMab technology, including its application for the generation of bi-/multispecific antibodies with different geometries and mechanisms of action, and provide an overview of CrossMab-based therapeutics in clinical trials.
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