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Li Y, Chen CM, Li WW, Shao MT, Dong Y, Zhang QC. Radiomic features based on pyradiomics predict CD276 expression associated with breast cancer prognosis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37345. [PMID: 39296227 PMCID: PMC11408765 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37345] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background CD276 is a promising immune checkpoint molecule with significant therapeutic potential. Several clinical trials are currently investigating CD276-targeted therapies. Purpose This study aims to assess the prognostic significance of CD276 expression levels and to predict its expression using a radiomic approach in breast cancer (BC). Methods A cohort of 840 patients diagnosed with BC from The Cancer Genome Atlas was included in this study. The Cancer Imaging Archive provided 98 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which were randomly allocated to training and validation datasets in a 7:3 ratio. The association between CD276 expression and patient survival was assessed using Cox regression analysis. Feature selection was performed using the maximum relevance minimum redundancy algorithm and recursive feature elimination. Subsequently, support vector machine (SVM) and logistic regression (LR) models were constructed to predict CD276 expression. Results The expression of CD276 was found to be elevated in BC. It was an independent risk factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.579, 95 % CI: 1.054-2.366). There were eight radiomic features selected in total. In both the training and validation subsets, the SVM and LR models demonstrated favorable predictive abilities with AUC values of 0.744 and 0.740 for the SVM model and 0.742 and 0.735 for the LR model. These results indicate that the radiomic models efficiently differentiate the CD276 expression status. Conclusions CD276 expression levels can have an impact on cancer prognosis. The MRI-based radiomic signature described in this study can discriminate the CD276 expression status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Li
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Chun-Mei Chen
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Wei-Wen Li
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Ming-Tao Shao
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Qun-Chen Zhang
- Department of Breast, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, PR China
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2
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Vilela T, Valente S, Correia J, Ferreira F. Advances in immunotherapy for breast cancer and feline mammary carcinoma: From molecular basis to novel therapeutic targets. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189144. [PMID: 38914239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189144] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The role of inflammation in cancer is a topic that has been investigated for many years. As established, inflammation emerges as a defining characteristic of cancer, presenting itself as a compelling target for therapeutic interventions in the realm of oncology. Controlling the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained paramount significance, modifying not only the effectiveness of immunotherapy but also modulating the outcomes and prognoses of standard chemotherapy and other anticancer treatments. Immunotherapy has surfaced as a central focus within the domain of tumor treatments, using immune checkpoint inhibitors as cancer therapy. Immune checkpoints and their influence on the tumor microenvironment dynamic are presently under investigation, aiming to ascertain their viability as therapeutic interventions across several cancer types. Cancer presents a significant challenge in humans and cats, where female breast cancer ranks as the most prevalent malignancy and feline mammary carcinoma stands as the third most frequent. This review seeks to summarize the data about the immune checkpoints cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) respective ongoing investigations as prospective targets for therapy for human breast cancer, while also outlining findings from studies reported on feline mammary carcinoma (FMC), strengthening the rationale for employing FMC as a representative model in the exploration of human breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Vilela
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Valente
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge Correia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; CIISA-Center of Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fernando Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; CIISA-Center of Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.
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3
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Cheng Z, Fobian SF, Gurrieri E, Amin M, D'Agostino VG, Falahati M, Zalba S, Debets R, Garrido MJ, Saeed M, Seynhaeve ALB, Balcioglu HE, Ten Hagen TLM. Lipid-based nanosystems: the next generation of cancer immune therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:53. [PMID: 39030582 PMCID: PMC11265205 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01574-1] [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: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has become an important part of the oncotherapy arsenal. Its applicability in various cancer types is impressive, as well as its use of endogenous mechanisms to achieve desired ends. However, off-target or on-target-off-tumor toxicity, limited activity, lack of control in combination treatments and, especially for solid tumors, low local accumulation, have collectively limited clinical use thereof. These limitations are partially alleviated by delivery systems. Lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as revolutionary carriers due to favorable physicochemical characteristics, with specific applications and strengths particularly useful in immunotherapeutic agent delivery. The aim of this review is to highlight the challenges faced by immunotherapy and how lipid-based NPs have been, and may be further utilized to address such challenges. We discuss recent fundamental and clinical applications of NPs in a range of areas and provide a detailed discussion of the main obstacles in immune checkpoint inhibition therapies, adoptive cellular therapies, and cytokine therapies. We highlight how lipid-based nanosystems could address these through either delivery, direct modulation of the immune system, or targeting of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We explore advanced and emerging liposomal and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) systems for nucleic acid delivery, intrinsic and extrinsic stimulus-responsive formulations, and biomimetic lipid-based nanosystems in immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss the key challenges relating to the clinical use of lipid-based NP immunotherapies, suggesting future research directions for the near term to realize the potential of these innovative lipid-based nanosystems, as they become the crucial steppingstone towards the necessary enhancement of the efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyun Cheng
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Nanomedicine Innovation Center Erasmus (NICE), Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Seth-Frerich Fobian
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Nanomedicine Innovation Center Erasmus (NICE), Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Gurrieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Mohamadreza Amin
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Nanomedicine Innovation Center Erasmus (NICE), Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vito Giuseppe D'Agostino
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Mojtaba Falahati
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Zalba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Reno Debets
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - María J Garrido
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mesha Saeed
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ann L B Seynhaeve
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hayri E Balcioglu
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Timo L M Ten Hagen
- Precision Medicine in Oncology (PrMiO), Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Nanomedicine Innovation Center Erasmus (NICE), Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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4
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Li Y, Zhao J, Wang Y, Xu Y, Li R, Zhao Y, Dong X, Yao X, Li Y. Common endocrine system adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. CANCER PATHOGENESIS AND THERAPY 2024; 2:164-172. [PMID: 39027145 PMCID: PMC11252504 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpt.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a novel anti-tumor therapeutic modality, are monoclonal antibodies targeting certain immune checkpoints (ICs) that reactivate T cells to achieve anti-tumor immunity by targeting, binding, and blocking ICs. Targeted inhibitory antibodies against the ICs cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen and programmed death receptor-1 have demonstrated efficacy and durable anti-tumor activity in patients with cancer. ICs may prevent autoimmune reactions. However, ICIs may disrupt ICs properties and trigger autoimmune-related adverse reactions involving various organ systems including the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, musculoskeletal, dermal, and endocrine systems. Approximately 10% of patients with damage to target organs such as the thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, and adrenal glands develop endocrine system immune-related adverse events (irAEs) such as thyroid dysfunction, pituitary gland inflammation, diabetes mellitus, and primary adrenal insufficiency. However, the symptoms of immunotherapy-associated endocrine system irAEs may be nonspecific and similar to those of other treatment-related adverse reactions, and failure to recognize them early may lead to death. Timely detection and treatment of immunotherapy-associated endocrine irAEs is essential to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy, prognosis, and the quality of life of patients. This study aimed to review the mechanisms by which ICIs cause endocrine irAEs providing guidance for the development of appropriate management protocols. Here, we discuss (1) the biological mechanisms of ICs in tumorigenesis and progression, focusing on cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen and programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1; and (2) the epidemiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of four immunotherapy-related endocrine complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
| | - Junfeng Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
| | - Yue Wang
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Yali Xu
- Department of Pathology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
| | - Ruyue Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261000, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
| | - Xue Dong
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
| | - Xiujing Yao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261000, China
| | - Yintao Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250000, China
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Morel VJ, Rössler J, Bernasconi M. Targeted immunotherapy and nanomedicine for rhabdomyosarcoma: The way of the future. Med Res Rev 2024. [PMID: 38885148 DOI: 10.1002/med.22059] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. Histology separates two main subtypes: embryonal RMS (eRMS; 60%-70%) and alveolar RMS (aRMS; 20%-30%). The aggressive aRMS carry one of two characteristic chromosomal translocations that result in the expression of a PAX3::FOXO1 or PAX7::FOXO1 fusion transcription factor; therefore, aRMS are now classified as fusion-positive (FP) RMS. Embryonal RMS have a better prognosis and are clinically indistinguishable from fusion-negative (FN) RMS. Next to histology and molecular characteristics, RMS risk groupings are now available defining low risk tumors with excellent outcomes and advanced stage disease with poor prognosis, with an overall survival of about only 20% despite intensified multimodal treatment. Therefore, development of novel effective targeted strategies to increase survival and to decrease long-term side effects is urgently needed. Recently, immunotherapies and nanomedicine have been emerging for potent and effective tumor treatments with minimal side effects, raising hopes for effective and safe cures for RMS patients. This review aims to describe the most relevant preclinical and clinical studies in immunotherapy and targeted nanomedicine performed so far in RMS and to provide an insight in future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Judith Morel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Rössler
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michele Bernasconi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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6
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Fang T, Chen G. Non-viral vector-based genome editing for cancer immunotherapy. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:3068-3085. [PMID: 38716572 DOI: 10.1039/d4bm00286e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite the exciting promise of cancer immunotherapy in the clinic, immune checkpoint blockade therapy and T cell-based therapies are often associated with low response rates, intrinsic and adaptive immune resistance, and systemic side effects. CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing appears to be an effective strategy to overcome these unmet clinical needs. As a safer delivery platform for the CRISPR-Cas system, non-viral nanoformulations have been recently explored to target tumor cells and immune cells, aiming to improve cancer immunotherapy on a gene level. In this review, we summarized the efforts of non-viral vector-based CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome editing in tumor cells and immune cells for cancer immunotherapy. Their design rationale and specific applications were highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxu Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada.
- Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Guojun Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada.
- Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
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7
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Louault K, De Clerck YA, Janoueix-Lerosey I. The neuroblastoma tumor microenvironment: From an in-depth characterization towards novel therapies. EJC PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY 2024; 3:100161. [PMID: 39036648 PMCID: PMC11259008 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcped.2024.100161] [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] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system that develops in young children, either as low-risk or high-risk disease. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is now recognized as an important player of the tumor ecosystem that may promote drug resistance and immune escape. Targeting the TME in combination with therapies directly targeting tumor cells therefore represents an interesting strategy to prevent the emergence of resistance in cancer and improve patient's outcome. The development of such strategies however requires an in-depth understanding of the TME landscape, due to its high complexity and intra and inter-tumoral heterogeneity. Various approaches have been used in the last years to characterize the immune and non-immune cell populations present in tumors of neuroblastoma patients, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in particular with the use of single-cell transcriptomics. It is anticipated that in the near future, both genomic and TME information in tumors will contribute to a precise approach to therapy in neuroblastoma. Deciphering the mechanisms of interaction between neuroblastoma cells and stromal or immune cells in the TME is key to identify novel therapeutic combinations. Over the last decade, numerous in vitro studies and in vivo pre-clinical experiments in immune-competent and immune-deficient models have identified therapeutic approaches to circumvent drug resistance and immune escape. Some of these studies have formed the basis for early phase I and II clinical trials in children with recurrent and refractory high-risk neuroblastoma. This review summarizes recently published data on the characterization of the TME landscape in neuroblastoma and novel strategies targeting various TME cellular components, molecules and pathways activated as a result of the tumor-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Louault
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Cancer, and Blood Disease Institute, 4650 Sunset Bld., Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yves A. De Clerck
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Cancer, and Blood Disease Institute, 4650 Sunset Bld., Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, CA, USA
| | - Isabelle Janoueix-Lerosey
- Curie Institute, PSL Research University, Inserm U830, Paris, France
- SIREDO: Care, Innovation and Research for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, Curie Institute, Paris, France
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Li W, Zhou Q, Lv B, Li N, Bian X, Chen L, Kong M, Shen Y, Zheng W, Zhang J, Luo F, Luo Z, Liu J, Wu JL. Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharide Supplementation Significantly Activates T-Cell-Mediated Antitumor Immunity and Enhances Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy Efficacy in Colorectal Cancer. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:12072-12082. [PMID: 38750669 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) is a prebiotic with immunomodulatory effects. However, the therapeutic potential of GLP in tumor immunotherapy has not been fully explored, especially in T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. In this study, we found that GLP significantly inhibited tumor growth and activated antitumor immunity in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the spleens and tumor tissues, the proportion of cytotoxic CD8+T cells and Th1 helper cells increased, while immunosuppressive Tregs decreased. Additionally, microbiota dysbiosis was alleviated by GLP, and short-chain fatty acid production was increased. Meanwhile, GLP decreased the ratio of kynurenine and tryptophan (Kyn/Trp) in the serum, which contributed to antitumor immunity of T cells. More importantly, the combination of GLP and the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody further enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Thus, GLP as a prebiotic has the potential to be used in tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshuai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Bin Lv
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Na Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Xiqing Bian
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Lirong Chen
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Mingjia Kong
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yuru Shen
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Wanwei Zheng
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Feifei Luo
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zhongguang Luo
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350212, China
| | - Jian-Lin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
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Yin L, Wei Y, Liu Y, Mo X, Song J, Cai W. Bio-responsive Au-miR-183 inhibitor enhances immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing immunogenic cell death. J Control Release 2024; 368:498-517. [PMID: 38428529 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited, and immunotherapy is the current research focus of multi-disciplinary collaborative comprehensive treatment of HCC. Herein, we constructed a bio-responsive Au-miR-183 inhibitor (Au@miR-183i) delivery system targeting liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), and adopted the strategy of combining αPD-L1 immunotherapy. The multifunctional Au@miR-183i nanocomplexes (NCs), which self-assemble based on the tumor microenvironment, consume NADPH and H2O2, leading to redox homeostasis disturbance, ROS accumulation, regulation of the LCSC niche, and induction of stemness regression. Moreover, self-assembled Au@miR-183i NCs specifically target the delivery of miR-183i to LCSCs, triggering the immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect, promoting the maturation of dendritic cells, inducing infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and facilitating the transformation of 'cold' tumors into 'hot' tumors. More importantly, consistent with the results in vitro, Au@miR-183i NCs demonstrated effective tumor targeting and strong ICD induction in vivo, assisted in enhancing αPD-L1 immunotherapy, and activated a robust systemic anti-tumor immune response in tumor-bearing mouse models. Overall, we provide a simple and universal therapeutic strategy by constructing a multifunctional bio-responsive Au@miR-183i NCs delivery system with LCSC targeting capability. Furthermore, nanocomplex-based ICD inducers have great promise in enhancing anti-tumor immunity and the PD-1/PD-L1 blocking efficacy in HCC, which provides a theoretical basis for effectively eliminating LCSCs and achieving a high-efficiency synergistic treatment strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Yin
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Yu Wei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University Medical School, Shihezi 832008, China
| | - Ya Liu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Xianwei Mo
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Jintong Song
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Weijuan Cai
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang 524000, China.
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Ahmadnia A, Mohammadi S, Yamchi A, Kalani MR, Farazmandfar T, Khosravi A, Memarian A. Augmenting the Antitumor Efficacy of Natural Killer Cells via SynNotch Receptor Engineering for Targeted IL-12 Secretion. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:2931-2945. [PMID: 38666913 PMCID: PMC11048765 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46040183] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial components of innate immunity, known for their potent tumor surveillance abilities. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have shown promise in cancer targeting, but optimizing CAR designs for NK cell functionality remains challenging. CAR-NK cells have gained attention for their potential to reduce side effects and enable scalable production in cancer immunotherapy. This study aimed to enhance NK cell anti-tumor activity by incorporating PD1-synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors. A chimeric receptor was designed using UniProt database sequences, and 3D structure models were generated for optimization. Lentiviral transduction was used to introduce PD1-Syn receptors into NK cells. The expression of PD1-Syn receptors on NK cell surfaces was assessed. Engineered NK cells were co-cultured with PDL1+ breast cancer cells to evaluate their cytotoxic activity and ability to produce interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-gamma (IFNγ) upon interaction with the target cells. This study successfully expressed the PD1-Syn receptors on NK cells. CAR-NK cells secreted IL-12 and exhibited target-dependent IFNγ production when engaging PDL1+ cells. Their cytotoxic activity was significantly enhanced in a target-dependent manner. This study demonstrates the potential of synNotch receptor-engineered NK cells in enhancing anti-tumor responses, especially in breast cancer cases with high PDL1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ahmadnia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Saeed Mohammadi
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ahad Yamchi
- Department of Biotechnology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan P.O. Box 386, Iran
| | - Mohamad Reza Kalani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Touraj Farazmandfar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ayyoub Khosravi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ali Memarian
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
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11
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Luo Q, Dong Y, Liu P, He C, Chen L, Zhang K, Pan C, Gao Y, Qin T. Inhibition Effect of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment in Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Study. Immunotargets Ther 2024; 13:45-54. [PMID: 38317658 PMCID: PMC10840537 DOI: 10.2147/itt.s442247] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ChIM) is used to treat advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the efficacy of ChIM is similar to that of chemotherapy alone. Methods To assess potential factors affecting the effectiveness of ChIM, we analyzed the clinical data of 359 patients with PDAC who visited the hospital during June 2017 to December 2022. Results Surgical resection, diabetes, and ChIM were risk factors for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI). The adjusted odds ratio of ChIM was 2.63 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.492-4.626) (P = 0.001). The incidence of PEI in the ChIM group (76.9%) was significantly higher than that of the chemotherapy group (60.2%) (P = 0.004). Survival analysis showed that ChIM did not improve the survival rate of patients with PDAC (hazard ratio (HR) 0.92, 0.707-1.197) (P = 0.534) in comparison with that of the chemotherapy group. However, in patients without PEI, those receiving ChIM showed a higher 1-year overall survival (OS) rate of 70.8% (two-sided, P = 0.045) and a median OS of 22.0 months (95% CI 11.5-32.5). Moreover, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy significantly improved the OS of patients with PDAC (HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.561-0.956) (P = 0.022). Conclusion Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) increased the incidence of PEI in patients with PDAC. The OS was not different between patients receiving chemotherapy and ChIM due to irregular PERT treatment. The finding show that pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy may improve the response rate of patients with PDAC to ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiankun Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yifei Dong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pan Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chao He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kailun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changjie Pan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yahui Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Qin
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
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12
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Guo Y, Gao F, Ahmed A, Rafiq M, Yu B, Cong H, Shen Y. Immunotherapy: cancer immunotherapy and its combination with nanomaterials and other therapies. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8586-8604. [PMID: 37614168 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01358h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a new type of tumor treatment after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and can be used to manage and destroy tumor cells through activating or strengthening the immune response. Immunotherapy has the benefits of a low recurrence rate and high specificity compared to traditional treatment methods. Immunotherapy has developed rapidly in recent years and has become a research hotspot. Currently, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors are the most effective tumor immunotherapies in clinical practice. While tumor immunotherapy brings hope to patients, it also faces some challenges and still requires continuous research and progress. Combination therapy is the future direction of anti-tumor treatment. In this review, the main focus is on an overview of the research progress of immune checkpoint inhibitors, cellular therapies, tumor vaccines, small molecule inhibitors and oncolytic virotherapy in tumor treatment, as well as the combination of immunotherapy with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Guo
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Fengyuan Gao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Adeel Ahmed
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Bing Yu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Hailin Cong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Youqing Shen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Center for Bionanoengineering, and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China
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13
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Wu Y, Li M, Meng G, Ma Y, Ye J, Sun T, Ji C. Immune checkpoint-related gene polymorphisms are associated with acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Med 2023; 12:18588-18596. [PMID: 37602517 PMCID: PMC10557852 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy is still the standard regimen for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its disappointing efficacy requires the urgent need for new therapeutic targets. It is well known that immune response plays an increasingly significant role in the pathogenesis of AML. METHODS We detected nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in immune checkpoint-related genes, including PD1, LAG3, TIM3, and TIGIT in 285 AML inpatients and 324 healthy controls. SNP genotyping was performed on the MassARRAY platform. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between the susceptibility and prognosis of AML and the selected SNPs. RESULTS Our results showed that rs2227982 and rs10204525 in PD1 were significantly associated with susceptibility to AML after false discovery rate correction. PD1 rs10204525 also showed a significant correlation with the response to chemotherapy and risk stratification of AML. Importantly, the AA genotype of PD1 (rs2227982) under the recessive model showed a negative impact on AML prognosis independently. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that PD1 SNPs are important for susceptibility and prognosis in AML, which may provide a new therapeutic target for AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Wu
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Mingying Li
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Guangqiang Meng
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Yuechan Ma
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Ye
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of ImmunohematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of ImmunohematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
| | - Chunyan Ji
- Department of HematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of ImmunohematologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong ProvincePeople's Republic of China
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14
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Ying H, Li ZQ, Li MP, Liu WC. Metabolism and senescence in the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma: focus on new therapeutic strategies. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1217669. [PMID: 37497349 PMCID: PMC10366376 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1217669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a highly aggressive and metastatic malignant tumor. It has the highest incidence of all malignant bone tumors and is one of the most common solid tumors in children and adolescents. Osteosarcoma tissues are often richly infiltrated with inflammatory cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, lymphocytes, and dendritic cells, forming a complex immune microenvironment. The expression of immune checkpoint molecules is also high in osteosarcoma tissues, which may be involved in the mechanism of anti-tumor immune escape. Metabolism and senescence are closely related to the immune microenvironment, and disturbances in metabolism and senescence may have important effects on the immune microenvironment, thereby affecting immune cell function and immune responses. Metabolic modulation and anti-senescence therapy are gaining the attention of researchers as emerging immunotherapeutic strategies for tumors. Through an in-depth study of the interconnection of metabolism and anti- senescence in the tumor immune microenvironment and its regulatory mechanism on immune cell function and immune response, more precise therapeutic strategies can be developed. Combined with the screening and application of biomarkers, personalized treatment can be achieved to improve therapeutic efficacy and provide a scientific basis for clinical decision-making. Metabolic modulation and anti- senescence therapy can also be combined with other immunotherapy approaches, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor vaccines, to form a multi-level and multi-dimensional immunotherapy strategy, thus further enhancing the effect of immunotherapy. Multidisciplinary cooperation and integrated treatment can optimize the treatment plan and maximize the survival rate and quality of life of patients. Future research and clinical practice will further advance this field, promising more effective treatment options for patients with osteosarcoma. In this review, we reviewed metabolic and senescence characteristics in the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma and related immunotherapies, and provide a reference for development of more personalized and effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ying
- Department of Emergency Trauma Surgery, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
- Department of Spine Surgery, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Li
- Department of Emergency Trauma Surgery, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
- Department of Spine Surgery, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
| | - Meng-Pan Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wen-Cai Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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15
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Pesce S, Melaiu O. Editorial: Cell network in antitumor immunity of pediatric and adult solid tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1246695. [PMID: 37483600 PMCID: PMC10359700 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1246695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pesce
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ombretta Melaiu
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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16
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Tian H, Cao J, Li B, Nice EC, Mao H, Zhang Y, Huang C. Managing the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma: the outlook for osteosarcoma treatment. Bone Res 2023; 11:11. [PMID: 36849442 PMCID: PMC9971189 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma, with poor survival after metastasis, is considered the most common primary bone cancer in adolescents. Notwithstanding the efforts of researchers, its five-year survival rate has only shown limited improvement, suggesting that existing therapeutic strategies are insufficient to meet clinical needs. Notably, immunotherapy has shown certain advantages over traditional tumor treatments in inhibiting metastasis. Therefore, managing the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma can provide novel and valuable insight into the multifaceted mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity and progression of the disease. Additionally, given the advances in nanomedicine, there exist many advanced nanoplatforms for enhanced osteosarcoma immunotherapy with satisfactory physiochemical characteristics. Here, we review the classification, characteristics, and functions of the key components of the immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma. This review also emphasizes the application, progress, and prospects of osteosarcoma immunotherapy and discusses several nanomedicine-based options to enhance the efficiency of osteosarcoma treatment. Furthermore, we examine the disadvantages of standard treatments and present future perspectives for osteosarcoma immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Tian
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Jiangjun Cao
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Bowen Li
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Edouard C. Nice
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia
| | - Haijiao Mao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315020, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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17
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The Combination of Immune Checkpoint Blockade with Tumor Vessel Normalization as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Breast Cancer: An Overview of Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043226. [PMID: 36834641 PMCID: PMC9964596 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have a modest clinical activity when administered as monotherapy against breast cancer (BC), the most common malignancy in women. Novel combinatorial strategies are currently being investigated to overcome resistance to ICIs and promote antitumor immune responses in a greater proportion of BC patients. Recent studies have shown that the BC abnormal vasculature is associated with immune suppression in patients, and hampers both drug delivery and immune effector cell trafficking to tumor nests. Thus, strategies directed at normalizing (i.e., at remodeling and stabilizing) the immature, abnormal tumor vessels are receiving much attention. In particular, the combination of ICIs with tumor vessel normalizing agents is thought to hold great promise for the treatment of BC patients. Indeed, a compelling body of evidence indicates that the addition of low doses of antiangiogenic drugs to ICIs substantially improves antitumor immunity. In this review, we outline the impact that the reciprocal interactions occurring between tumor angiogenesis and immune cells have on the immune evasion and clinical progression of BC. In addition, we overview preclinical and clinical studies that are presently evaluating the therapeutic effectiveness of combining ICIs with antiangiogenic drugs in BC patients.
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18
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An Inhibitory Role for Human CD96 Endodomain in T Cell Anti-Tumor Responses. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020309. [PMID: 36672244 PMCID: PMC9856660 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020309] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy involves the inhibition of immune checkpoint regulators which reverses their limitation of T cell anti-tumor responses and results in long-lasting tumor regression. However, poor clinical response or tumor relapse was observed in some patients receiving such therapy administered via antibodies blocking the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) or the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) pathway alone or in combination, suggesting the involvement of additional immune checkpoints. CD96, a possible immune checkpoint, was previously shown to suppress natural killer (NK) cell anti-tumor activity but its role in human T cells remains controversial. Here, we demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-based deletion of CD96 in human T cells enhanced their killing of leukemia cells in vitro. T cells engineered with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) comprising human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (EGFR2/HER2)-binding extracellular region and intracellular regions of CD96 and CD3ζ (4D5-96z CAR-T cells) were less effective in suppressing the growth of HER2-expressing tumor cells in vitro and in vivo compared with counterparts bearing CAR that lacked CD96 endodomain (4D5-z CAR-T cells). Together, our findings implicate a role for CD96 endodomain in attenuating T cell cytotoxicity and support combination tumor immunotherapy targeting multiple rather than single immune checkpoints.
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19
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Xuan Z, Fang L, Zhang G, Zhang X, Jiang J, Wang K, Huang P. The Heterogeneity of Tumour-Associated Macrophages Contributes to the Recurrence and Outcomes of Glioblastoma Patients. J Mol Neurosci 2023; 73:1-14. [PMID: 36542317 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02081-z] [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: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity and immune cell molecular phenotypes may be involved in the malignant progression of glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we aimed to know whether the heterogeneity of tumour-associated macrophages contributes to the recurrence and outcomes of glioblastoma patients. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data were used to assess the heterogeneity of CD45 + immune cells in recurrent GBM and analyse differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in master cells. Then, a prognostic signature based on the identified DEGs was established and validated, the correlation between risk score and tumour microenvironment (TME) was explored. The correlation between immune infiltration and LGMN, an important DEG in GBM tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) was illuminated, using integrated bioinformatics analyses. Finally, immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) were used to analyse the expression of LGMN in GBM tissues from our hospital. scRNA-Seq analysis showed that the heterogeneity of recurrent GBM mainly comes from TAMs, which can be divided into 8 cell subclusters. Among these subclusters, TAM1 (markers: CXCL10, ADORA3), TAM3 (markers: MRC1, CFP), TAM4 (markers: GPNMB, PLTP), and TAM5 (markers: CCL4, IRAK2) were specifically present in recurrent GBM. After 342 DEGs in TAMs were identified, a prognostic signature was established based on 13 TAM-associated DEGs, and this signature could serve as an excellent prognostic predictor for patients with GBM. LGMN, one of 13 TAM-associated DEGs, was an important gene in lysosome pathway, we found that macrophage infiltration levels were higher after LGMN upregulation. GBM tissues from our hospital were collected for histopathologic validation, then LGMN was co-expressed with CD68, which is associated with the immune regulation of GBM. In conclusion, cell heterogeneity of TAMs is important for recurrent GBM, a prognostic signature based on 13 TAM-related DEGs can predict the survival outcome of GBM patients. An important DEG, LGMN may regulate the immune cell infiltration of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixue Xuan
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Ling Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Guobing Zhang
- Quality Management Office, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinying Jiang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China.
| | - Kai Wang
- Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
| | - Ping Huang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China.
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20
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Lucarini V, Melaiu O, D’Amico S, Pastorino F, Tempora P, Scarsella M, Pezzullo M, De Ninno A, D’Oria V, Cilli M, Emionite L, Infante P, Di Marcotullio L, De Ioris MA, Barillari G, Alaggio R, Businaro L, Ponzoni M, Locatelli F, Fruci D. Combined mitoxantrone and anti-TGFβ treatment with PD-1 blockade enhances antitumor immunity by remodelling the tumor immune landscape in neuroblastoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:326. [PMID: 36397148 PMCID: PMC9670422 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02525-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Poor infiltration of functioning T cells renders tumors unresponsive to checkpoint-blocking immunotherapies. Here, we identified a combinatorial in situ immunomodulation strategy based on the administration of selected immunogenic drugs and immunotherapy to sensitize poorly T-cell-infiltrated neuroblastoma (NB) to the host antitumor immune response. Methods 975A2 and 9464D NB cell lines derived from spontaneous tumors of TH-MYCN transgenic mice were employed to study drug combinations able of enhancing the antitumor immune response using in vivo and ex vivo approaches. Migration of immune cells towards drug-treated murine-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (MDOTS) were assessed by microfluidic devices. Activation status of immune cells co-cultured with drug-treated MDOTS was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis. The effect of drug treatment on the immune content of subcutaneous or orthotopic tumors was comprehensively analyzed by flow-cytometry, immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunofluorescence. The chemokine array assay was used to detect soluble factors released into the tumor microenvironment. Patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (PDOTS) were generated from human NB specimens. Migration and activation status of autologous immune cells to drug-treated PDOTS were performed. Results We found that treatment with low-doses of mitoxantrone (MTX) recalled immune cells and promoted CD8+ T and NK cell activation in MDOTS when combined with TGFβ and PD-1 blockade. This combined immunotherapy strategy curbed NB growth resulting in the enrichment of a variety of both lymphoid and myeloid immune cells, especially intratumoral dendritic cells (DC) and IFNγ- and granzyme B-expressing CD8+ T cells and NK cells. A concomitant production of inflammatory chemokines involved in remodelling the tumor immune landscape was also detected. Interestingly, this treatment induced immune cell recruitment against PDOTS and activation of CD8+ T cells and NK cells. Conclusions Combined treatment with low-dose of MTX and anti-TGFβ treatment with PD-1 blockade improves antitumor immunity by remodelling the tumor immune landscape and overcoming the immunosuppressive microenvironment of aggressive NB. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02525-9.
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21
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Cui K, Yao S, Liu B, Sun S, Gong L, Li Q, Fei B, Huang Z. A novel high-risk subpopulation identified by CTSL and ZBTB7B in gastric cancer. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:1450-1460. [PMID: 35941174 PMCID: PMC9553888 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01936-x] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is characterised by a heterogeneous tumour microenvironment (TME) that is closely associated with the response to treatment, especially immunotherapies. However, most previous GC molecular subtyping systems need complex gene signatures and examination methods, restricting their clinical applications. Thus, we developed a new TME-based molecular subtype using only two genes. METHODS Nine independent GC cohorts at the tissue- or single-cell level with more than 2000 patients were used in this study, including data we examined by single-cell sequencing, quantitative RT-PCR and immunochemistry/immunofluorescence staining. Nine different methods, five existing molecular subtypes and a series of signatures were used to evaluate the TME and molecular characteristics of GC. RESULTS We established a CTSL/ZBTB7B subtyping system and uncovered the novel CTSLHighZBTB7BLow high-risk subgroup, but characterised by relative higher immune cell infiltration and lower tumour purity. This subgroup demonstrate higher levels of immune checkpoints and more enrichment of cancer-related pathways compared with other cases. CONCLUSIONS We identified a high-risk subpopulation with unique TME features based on expressions of CTSL and ZBTB7B, suggesting a counterbalancing phenotype between immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive mechanisms. This subtyping system could be used to select treatment and management strategies for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaisa Cui
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214062, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Surui Yao
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214062, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bingxin Liu
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214062, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shengbai Sun
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214062, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liang Gong
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qilin Li
- Computer Vision Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Bojian Fei
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Zhaohui Huang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 214062, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, 214122, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhong M, Gao R, Zhao R, Huang Y, Chen C, Li K, Yu X, Nie D, Chen Z, Liu X, Liu Z, Chen S, Lu Y, Yu Z, Wang L, Li P, Zeng C, Li Y. BET bromodomain inhibition rescues PD-1-mediated T-cell exhaustion in acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:671. [PMID: 35918330 PMCID: PMC9346138 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05123-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Sustained expression of programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) is correlated with the exhaustion of T cells, and blockade of the PD-1 pathway is an effective immunotherapeutic strategy for treating various cancers. However, response rates are limited, and many patients do not achieve durable responses. Thus, it is important to seek additional strategies that can improve anticancer immunity. Here, we report that the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibitor JQ1 inhibits PD-1 expression in Jurkat T cells, primary T cells, and T-cell exhaustion models. Furthermore, JQ1 dramatically impaired the expression of PD-1 and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-domain-containing-3 (Tim-3) and promoted the secretion of cytokines in T cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In line with that, BET inhibitor-treated CD19-CAR T and CD123-CAR T cells have enhanced anti-leukemia potency and resistant to exhaustion. Mechanistically, BRD4 binds to the NFAT2 and PDCD1 (encoding PD-1) promoters, and NFAT2 binds to the PDCD1 and HAVCR2 (encoding Tim-3) promoters. JQ1-treated T cells showed downregulated NFAT2, PD-1, and Tim-3 expression. In addition, BET inhibitor suppressed programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and cell growth in AML cell lines and in primary AML cells. We also demonstrated that JQ1 treatment led to inhibition of leukemia progression, reduced T-cell PD-1/Tim-3 expression, and prolonged survival in MLL-AF9 AML mouse model and Nalm6 (B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell)-bearing mouse leukemia model. Taken together, BET inhibition improved anti-leukemia immunity by regulating PD-1/PD-L1 expression, and also directly suppressed AML cells, which provides novel insights on the multiple effects of BET inhibition for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjun Zhong
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Rili Gao
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Ruocong Zhao
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Center for Cell Regeneration and Biotherapy, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Youxue Huang
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Cunte Chen
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Kehan Li
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xibao Yu
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Dingrui Nie
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zheng Chen
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xin Liu
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhuandi Liu
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yuhong Lu
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhi Yu
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Liang Wang
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Peng Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Center for Cell Regeneration and Biotherapy, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510530 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chengwu Zeng
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, Jinan University, 510632 Guangzhou, P. R. China
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Focaccetti C, Benvenuto M, Pighi C, Vitelli A, Napolitano F, Cotugno N, Fruci D, Palma P, Rossi P, Bei R, Cifaldi L. DNAM-1-chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells, combined with Nutlin-3a, more effectively fight neuroblastoma cells in vitro: a proof-of-concept study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:886319. [PMID: 35967339 PMCID: PMC9367496 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.886319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of engineered NK cells, one of clinical approaches to fight cancer, is gaining great interest in the last decade. However, the development of new strategies is needed to improve clinical efficacy and safety of NK cell-based immunotherapy. NK cell-mediated recognition and lysis of tumor cells are strictly dependent on the expression of ligands for NK cell-activating receptors NKG2D and DNAM-1 on tumor cells. Of note, the PVR/CD155 and Nectin-2/CD112 ligands for DNAM-1 are expressed primarily on solid tumor cells and poorly expressed in normal tissue cells. Here, we generated human NK cells expressing either the full length DNAM-1 receptor or three different DNAM-1-based chimeric receptor that provide the expression of DNAM-1 fused to a costimulatory molecule such as 2B4 and CD3ζ chain. Upon transfection into primary human NK cells isolated from healthy donors, we evaluated the surface expression of DNAM-1 and, as a functional readout, we assessed the extent of degranulation, cytotoxicity and the production of IFNγ and TNFα in response to human leukemic K562 cell line. In addition, we explored the effect of Nutlin-3a, a MDM2-targeting drug able of restoring p53 functions and known to have an immunomodulatory effect, on the degranulation of DNAM-1-engineered NK cells in response to human neuroblastoma (NB) LA-N-5 and SMS-KCNR cell lines. By comparing NK cells transfected with four different plasmid vectors and through blocking experiments, DNAM-1-CD3ζ-engineered NK cells showed the strongest response. Furthermore, both LA-N-5 and SMS-KCNR cells pretreated with Nutlin-3a were significantly more susceptible to DNAM-1-engineered NK cells than NK cells transfected with the empty vector. Our results provide a proof-of-concept suggesting that the combined use of DNAM-1-chimeric receptor-engineered NK cells and Nutlin-3a may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of solid tumors, such as NB, carrying dysfunctional p53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Focaccetti
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Benvenuto
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Pighi
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Dipartimento Pediatrico Universitario Ospedaliero (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Nicola Cotugno
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Dipartimento Pediatrico Universitario Ospedaliero (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Doriana Fruci
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Palma
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Dipartimento Pediatrico Universitario Ospedaliero (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Bei
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Cifaldi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Loredana Cifaldi,
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24
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Huo JL, Wang YT, Fu WJ, Lu N, Liu ZS. The promising immune checkpoint LAG-3 in cancer immunotherapy: from basic research to clinical application. Front Immunol 2022; 13:956090. [PMID: 35958563 PMCID: PMC9361790 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.956090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
LAG-3, a type of immune checkpoint receptor protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, is confirmed to be expressed on activated immune cells, mainly including activated T cells. LAG-3 can negatively regulate the function of T cells, exerting important effects on maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system under normal physiological conditions and promoting tumor cells immune escape in the tumor microenvironment. Given its important biological roles, LAG-3 has been regarded as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. To date, many LAG-3 inhibitors have been reported, which can be divided into monoclonal antibody, double antibody, and small molecule drug, some of which have entered the clinical research stage. LAG-3 inhibitors can negatively regulate and suppress T cell proliferation and activation through combination with MHC II ligand. Besides, LAG-3 inhibitors can also affect T cell function via binding to Galectin-3 and LSECtin. In addition, LAG-3 inhibitors can prevent the FGL1-LAG-3 interaction, thereby enhancing the human body’s antitumor immune effect. In this review, we will describe the function of LAG-3 and summarize the latest LAG-3 inhibitors in the clinic for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ling Huo
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Research Institute of Nephrology, Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center For Kidney Disease, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease in Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ya-Tao Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu, Shangqiu, China
| | - Wen-Jia Fu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Research Institute of Nephrology, Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center For Kidney Disease, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease in Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Nan Lu
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Nan Lu, ; Zhang-Suo Liu,
| | - Zhang-Suo Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Research Institute of Nephrology, Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center For Kidney Disease, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease in Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Nan Lu, ; Zhang-Suo Liu,
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25
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D’Amico S, Tempora P, Melaiu O, Lucarini V, Cifaldi L, Locatelli F, Fruci D. Targeting the antigen processing and presentation pathway to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint therapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:948297. [PMID: 35936007 PMCID: PMC9352877 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.948297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant clinical advances with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in a wide range of cancer patients, response rates to the therapy are variable and do not always result in long-term tumor regression. The development of ICI-resistant disease is one of the pressing issue in clinical oncology, and the identification of new targets and combination therapies is a crucial point to improve response rates and duration. Antigen processing and presentation (APP) pathway is a key element for an efficient response to ICI therapy. Indeed, malignancies that do not express tumor antigens are typically poor infiltrated by T cells and unresponsive to ICIs. Therefore, improving tumor immunogenicity potentially increases the success rate of ICI therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the key elements of the APP machinery that can be exploited to enhance tumor immunogenicity and increase the efficacy of ICI-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia D’Amico
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Tempora
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Ombretta Melaiu
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Lucarini
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Cifaldi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Doriana Fruci
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Doriana Fruci,
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26
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Zhou X, Ren T, Zan H, Hua C, Guo X. Novel Immune Checkpoints in Esophageal Cancer: From Biomarkers to Therapeutic Targets. Front Immunol 2022; 13:864202. [PMID: 35669786 PMCID: PMC9163322 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.864202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer ranks as the sixth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Due to the limited efficacy of conventional therapeutic strategies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, treatments are still far from satisfactory in terms of survival, prompting the search for novel treatment methods. Immune checkpoints play crucial roles in immune evasion mediated by tumor cells, and successful clinical outcomes have been achieved via blocking these pathways. However, only a small fraction of patients can benefit from current immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4. Unfortunately, some patients show primary and/or acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Until now, novel immune checkpoint pathways have rarely been studied in esophageal cancer, and there is a great need for biomarkers to predict who will benefit from existing strategies. Herein, we primarily discuss the roles of new immune checkpoints as predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for esophageal cancer. In addition, we summarize the ongoing clinical trials and provide future research directions targeting these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyin Zhou
- School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ting Ren
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyuan Zan
- School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chunyan Hua
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Chunyan Hua, ; Xufeng Guo,
| | - Xufeng Guo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Chunyan Hua, ; Xufeng Guo,
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27
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Huang J, Liu D, Wang Y, Liu L, Li J, Yuan J, Jiang Z, Jiang Z, Hsiao WLW, Liu H, Khan I, Xie Y, Wu J, Xie Y, Zhang Y, Fu Y, Liao J, Wang W, Lai H, Shi A, Cai J, Luo L, Li R, Yao X, Fan X, Wu Q, Liu Z, Yan P, Lu J, Yang M, Wang L, Cao Y, Wei H, Leung ELH. Ginseng polysaccharides alter the gut microbiota and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, potentiating the antitumour effect of antiprogrammed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy. Gut 2022; 71:734-745. [PMID: 34006584 PMCID: PMC8921579 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 99.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Programmed death 1 and its ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy is promising for late-stage lung cancer treatment, however, the response rate needs to be improved. Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in immunotherapy sensitisation and Panax ginseng has been shown to possess immunomodulatory potential. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the combination treatment of ginseng polysaccharides (GPs) and αPD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) could sensitise the response by modulating gut microbiota. DESIGN Syngeneic mouse models were administered GPs and αPD-1 mAb, the sensitising antitumour effects of the combination therapy on gut microbiota were assessed by faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and 16S PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. To assess the immune-related metabolites, metabolomics analysis of the plasma samples was performed. RESULTS We found GPs increased the antitumour response to αPD-1 mAb by increasing the microbial metabolites valeric acid and decreasing L-kynurenine, as well as the ratio of Kyn/Trp, which contributed to the suppression of regulatory T cells and induction of Teff cells after combination treatment. Besides, the microbial analysis indicated that the abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis and Bacteroides vulgatus was higher in responders to anti-PD-1 blockade than non-responders in the clinic. Furthermore, the combination therapy sensitised the response to PD-1 inhibitor in the mice receiving microbes by FMT from six non-responders by reshaping the gut microbiota from non-responders towards that of responders. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that GPs combined with αPD-1 mAb may be a new strategy to sensitise non-small cell lung cancer patients to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The gut microbiota can be used as a novel biomarker to predict the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jumin Huang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Di Liu
- Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Virus Resources and Application, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Jian Li
- Precision Medicine Institute, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Department of Bacteriology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Jiang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Zebo Jiang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - WL Wendy Hsiao
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Haizhou Liu
- Computational Virology Group, Center for Bacteria and Virus Resources and Application, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Imran Khan
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Ying Xie
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Jianlin Wu
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yajia Xie
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yizhong Zhang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yu Fu
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Junyi Liao
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wenjun Wang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Huanling Lai
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Axi Shi
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Jun Cai
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Lianxiang Luo
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Runze Li
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Xingxing Fan
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Qibiao Wu
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Zhongqiu Liu
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiyu Yan
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Jingguang Lu
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Mingrong Yang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Dr Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yabing Cao
- Department of Oncology, Kiang Wu Hospital, Macau, Macau, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Precision Medicine Institute, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Elaine Lai-Han Leung
- Dr Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery/State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
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Nelson A, Gebremeskel S, Lichty BD, Johnston B. Natural killer T cell immunotherapy combined with IL-15-expressing oncolytic virotherapy and PD-1 blockade mediates pancreatic tumor regression. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e003923. [PMID: 35246474 PMCID: PMC8900046 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death, with a 5-year -year survival rate of less than 10%. This results from late detection, high rates of metastasis, and resistance to standard chemotherapies. Furthermore, chemotherapy and radiation are associated with significant morbidity, underscoring the need for novel therapies. Recent clinical studies have shown that immunotherapies can provide durable outcomes in cancer patients, but successes in pancreatic cancer have been limited. It is likely that novel and combined therapies will be needed to achieve clinical benefits. METHODS Using experimental mouse models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, we examined natural killer T (NKT) cell activation therapy in combination with a recombinant oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVΔM51) engineered to express the cytokine IL-15 (VSV-IL-15). Panc02 pancreatic ductal carcinoma cells were implanted subcutaneously or orthotopically into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Mice were then treated with VSV expressing green fluorescent protein (VSV-GFP) or VSV-IL-15 and/or NKT cell activation therapy via delivery of α-GalCer-loaded DCs. We further assessed whether the addition of PD-1 blockade could increase the therapeutic benefit of our combination treatment. Three days after NKT cell activation, some groups of mice were treated with anti-PD-1 antibodies weekly for 3 weeks. RESULTS VSV-GFP and VSV-IL-15 mediated equal killing of human and mouse pancreatic cancer lines in vitro. In vivo, VSV-IL-15 combined with NKT cell activation therapy to enhance tumor regression and increase survival time over individual treatments, and was also superior to NKT cell therapy combined with VSV-GFP. Enhanced tumor control was associated with increased immune cell infiltration and anti-tumor effector functions (cytotoxicity and cytokine production). While ineffective as a monotherapy, the addition of blocking PD-1 antibodies to the combined protocol sustained immune cell activation and effector functions, resulting in prolonged tumor regression and complete tumor clearance in 20% of mice. Mice who cleared the initial tumor challenge exhibited reduced tumor growth uponon rechallenge, consistent with the formation of immune memory. CONCLUSION TThese results demonstrate that NKT cell immunotherapy combined with oncolytic VSV-IL-15 virotherapy and PD-1 blockade enhances tumor control and presents a promising treatment strategy for targeting pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Nelson
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Simon Gebremeskel
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Brian D Lichty
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brent Johnston
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Xu L, Ling J, Su C, Su YW, Xu Y, Jiang Z. Emerging Roles on Immunological Effect of Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase in Liver Injuries. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:756435. [PMID: 34869457 PMCID: PMC8636938 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.756435] [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: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is one of the initial rate-limiting enzymes of the kynurenine pathway (KP), which causes immune suppression and induction of T cell anergy. It is associated with the imbalance of immune homeostasis in numerous diseases including cancer, chronic viral infection, allergy, and autoimmune diseases. Recently, IDO has extended its role to liver field. In this review, we summarize the dysregulation and potentials of IDO in the emerging field of liver injuries, as well as current challenges for IDO targets. In particular, we discuss unexpected conclusions against previous work published. IDO is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver dysfunction and exerts an immunosuppressive effect, whereas the improvement of liver injury may require consideration of multiple factors besides IDO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Xu
- Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiawei Ling
- Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chang Su
- Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Wen Su
- Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhenzhou Jiang
- New Drug Screening Center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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Nelson A, Lukacs JD, Johnston B. The Current Landscape of NKT Cell Immunotherapy and the Hills Ahead. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205174. [PMID: 34680322 PMCID: PMC8533824 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of lipid-reactive T cells that enhance anti-tumor immunity. While preclinical studies have shown NKT cell immunotherapy to be safe and effective, clinical studies lack predictable therapeutic efficacy and no approved treatments exist. In this review, we outline the current strategies, challenges, and outlook for NKT cell immunotherapy. Abstract NKT cells are a specialized subset of lipid-reactive T lymphocytes that play direct and indirect roles in immunosurveillance and anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies have shown that NKT cell activation via delivery of exogenous glycolipids elicits a significant anti-tumor immune response. Furthermore, infiltration of NKT cells is associated with a good prognosis in several cancers. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of NKT cells in cancer as well as the current strategies and status of NKT cell immunotherapy. This review also examines challenges and future directions for improving the therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Nelson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (A.N.); (J.D.L.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jordan D. Lukacs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (A.N.); (J.D.L.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Brent Johnston
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (A.N.); (J.D.L.)
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Results of immunotherapy in childhood solid cancer have been so far, with the exception of neuroblastoma, quite disappointing. Lack of knowledge of the immune contexture of these tumors may have contributed to the failure of immunotherapies so far. Here, we systematically reviewed the literature regarding the immunology of Wilms tumor (WT), one of the most frequent pediatric solid tumors of the abdomen. In Wilms tumor patients the high cure rate of >90%, achieved by the combination of surgery and radio-chemotherapy, is at the expense of a high early and late toxicity. Moreover, treatment-resistant entities, such as diffuse anaplastic tumors or recurrent disease, still pose unsolved clinical problems. Successful immunotherapy could represent a novel and possibly less-toxic treatment option. Employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) method of literature search, we analyzed the current knowledge of the immunological landscape of Wilms tumors in terms of tumor microenvironment, prognostic implications of single biomarkers, and immunotherapy response.
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Han S, Zhu W, Yang W, Guan Q, Chen C, He Q, Zhong Z, Zhao R, Xiong H, Han H, Li Y, Sun Z, Hu X, Tian J. A Prognostic Signature Constructed by CTHRC1 and LRFN4 in Stomach Adenocarcinoma. Front Genet 2021; 12:646818. [PMID: 34512711 PMCID: PMC8427509 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.646818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is the most common histological type of stomach cancer, which causes a considerable number of deaths worldwide. This study aimed to identify its potential biomarkers with the notion of revealing the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS Gene expression profile microarray data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The "limma" R package was used to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between STAD and matched normal tissues. The Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used for function enrichment analyses of DEGs. The STAD dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify a prognostic gene signature, which was verified in another STAD dataset from the GEO database. CIBERSORT algorithm was used to characterize the 22 human immune cell compositions. The expression of LRFN4 and CTHRC1 in tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR from the patients recruited to the present study. RESULTS Three public datasets including 90 STAD patients and 43 healthy controls were analyzed, from which 44 genes were differentially expressed in all three datasets. These genes were implicated in biological processes including cell adhesion, wound healing, and extracellular matrix organization. Five out of 44 genes showed significant survival differences. Among them, CTHRC1 and LRFN4 were selected for construction of prognostic signature by univariate Cox regression and stepwise multivariate Cox regression in the TCGA-STAD dataset. The fidelity of the signature was evaluated in another independent dataset and showed a good classification effect. The infiltration levels of multiple immune cells between high-risk and low-risk groups had significant differences, as well as two immune checkpoints. TIM-3 and PD-L2 were highly correlated with the risk score. Multiple signaling pathways differed between the two groups of patients. At the same time, the expression level of LRFN4 and CTHRC1 in tissues analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR were consistent with the in silico findings. CONCLUSION The present study constructed the prognostic signature by expression of CTHRC1 and LRFN4 for the first time via comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, which provided the potential therapeutic targets of STAD for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songling Han
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Changshu Qiushi Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China
| | - Weili Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qijie Guan
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Nephrology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuoheng Zhong
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruoke Zhao
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangming Xiong
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haote Han
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaohan Li
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zijian Sun
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xingjiang Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Evaluation and Clinical Research, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingkui Tian
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Nigro O, Ferrari A, Casanova M, Orbach D, Leruste A, Gatz SA, Frappaz D, Massimino M. Controversies on the possible role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in pediatric cancers: balancing irAEs and efficacy. TUMORI JOURNAL 2021; 107:276-281. [PMID: 33877022 DOI: 10.1177/03008916211010214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric cancers are not the equivalent of adult cancers occurring at a younger age and the prospect of immunotherapy in children has not been received with the same enthusiasm as in the adult setting. Although most pediatric malignancies are considered immunologically cold, we are learning more about PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite instability in several pediatric cancers. The side effects of immunotherapy are an important consideration. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) engender a unique constellation of inflammatory toxicities known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Three early-phase trials-KEYNOTE-051, iMATRIX, and ADVL1412-were the first to describe irAEs in pediatric patients and ICIs were well tolerated. There was concern about unknown late irAEs in pediatric patients, as they have much more time to develop than in adult or elderly patients. Academic clinicians, biopharmaceutical companies, and parents' advocates concluded that no benefit could be expected from further monotherapy trials employing other ICIs with the same mechanism of action until more scientific knowledge becomes available. On the other hand, ICIs could be useful in combination with other therapies to prevent the functional inactivation of several pathways in the hostile microenvironment. Future clinical studies on ICIs in children need to build on strong biological premises, taking into account the distinctive immunobiology of pediatric cancers vis-à-vis ICI-responsive adult cancers. We need to gain and share experiences of new therapies for managing pediatric patients with cancer, clarifying to what extent we can extrapolate the data obtained in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Nigro
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Ferrari
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Michela Casanova
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniel Orbach
- SIREDO Pediatric Cancer Center, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Amaury Leruste
- SIREDO Pediatric Cancer Center, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Susanne A Gatz
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Didier Frappaz
- Département de Neuro-Oncologie, Centre Léon-Bérard, Institut d'Hématologie et Oncologie Pédiatrique et Adulte, Lyon, France
| | - Maura Massimino
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
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Shi H, Li K, Ni Y, Liang X, Zhao X. Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells: Implications in the Resistance of Malignant Tumors to T Cell-Based Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:707198. [PMID: 34336860 PMCID: PMC8317971 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.707198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
T lymphocytes function as major players in antigen-mediated cytotoxicity and have become powerful tools for exploiting the immune system in tumor elimination. Several types of T cell-based immunotherapies have been prescribed to cancer patients with durable immunological response. Such strategies include immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive T cell therapy, cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus, and modulatory cytokines. However, the majority of cancer patients still failed to take the advantage of these kinds of treatments. Currently, extensive attempts are being made to uncover the potential mechanism of immunotherapy resistance, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been identified as one of vital interpretable factors. Here, we discuss the immunosuppressive mechanism of MDSCs and their contributions to failures of T cell-based immunotherapy. Additionally, we summarize combination therapies to ameliorate the efficacy of T cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houhui Shi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanghong Ni
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xia Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Cui K, Yao S, Zhang H, Zhou M, Liu B, Cao Y, Fei B, Huang S, Huang Z. Identification of an immune overdrive high-risk subpopulation with aberrant expression of FOXP3 and CTLA4 in colorectal cancer. Oncogene 2021; 40:2130-2145. [PMID: 33627780 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a heterogeneous tumor microenvironment (TME) that regulates cancer progression and therapeutic response. Overexpression of FOXP3 and CTLA4 is associated with immunosuppressive TME and poor prognosis in many cancer types. However, opposite results were reported in CRC. Thus, we performed comprehensive analyses to evaluate the exact prognostic value of FOXP3 and CTLA4 in CRC. Here, the expression levels of FOXP3 and CTLA4 were used to construct a subtyping system based on >1200 CRC patients from multiple independent public datasets. We revealed that, in CRC patients with relatively high expression of FOXP3, there exist two different subpopulations with opposite survival patterns according to CLTA4 expression. We further established a method for evaluating all cohorts and identified a novel FOXP3HighCTLA4High* CRC risk subpopulation that accounts for 5-10% of CRC patients. Moreover, different methods of functional enrichment and immune evaluation were used to analyze the TME characteristics of different FOXP3/CTLA4 subtypes. The FOXP3HighCTLA4High* CRC risk subpopulation was characterized by an immune overdrive TME phenotype, including high immune cell infiltration, low tumor purity, high immune checkpoint levels, and TGF-β activation. Finally, the constructed FOXP3/CTLA4 subtyping system was further validated by quantitative RT-PCR, immunochemistry staining, and multicolor immunofluorescence in an independent CRC cohort we collected. This high-risk subpopulation was also observed in kidney cancers and low-grade glioma patients by a Pan-cancer analysis. Together, our study revealed that the established FOXP3/CTLA4 molecular subtyping system could be used to select treatment and management strategies for CRC and other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaisa Cui
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Surui Yao
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingyue Zhou
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bingxin Liu
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yulin Cao
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bojian Fei
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shenglin Huang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaohui Huang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China. .,Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
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Correlations between glycolysis with clinical traits and immune function in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:227821. [PMID: 33558879 PMCID: PMC7897921 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20203982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glycolysis was a representative hallmark in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and we aimed to explore the correlations between glycolysis with immune activity and clinical traits in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA). METHODS Our study obtained glycolysis scores for each BLCA samples from TCGA by a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm, based on a glycolytic gene set. The relationship between glycolysis with prognosis, clinical characteristics, and immune function were investigated subsequently. RESULTS We found that enhanced glycolysis was associated with poor prognosis and metastasis in BLCA. Moreover, glycolysis had a close correlation with immune function, and enhanced glycolysis increased immune activities. In other words, glycolysis had a positive correlation with immune activities. Immune checkpoints such as IDO1, CD274, were up-regulated in high-glycolysis group as well. CONCLUSION We speculated that in BLCA, elevated glycolysis enhanced immune function, which caused tumor cells to overexpress immune checkpoints to evade immune surveillance. Inhibition of glycolysis might be a promising assistant for immunotherapy in bladder cancer.
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Lucarini V, Melaiu O, Tempora P, D’Amico S, Locatelli F, Fruci D. Dendritic Cells: Behind the Scenes of T-Cell Infiltration into the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:433. [PMID: 33498755 PMCID: PMC7865357 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells have been shown to play a crucial role in controlling tumor progression. However, the recruitment and activation of these immune cells at the tumor site are strictly dependent on several factors, including the presence of dendritic cells (DCs), the main orchestrators of the antitumor immune responses. Among the various DC subsets, the role of cDC1s has been demonstrated in several preclinical experimental mouse models. In addition, the high density of tumor-infiltrating cDC1s has been associated with improved survival in many cancer patients. The ability of cDC1s to modulate antitumor activity depends on their interaction with other immune populations, such as NK cells. This evidence has led to the development of new strategies aimed at increasing the abundance and activity of cDC1s in tumors, thus providing attractive new avenues to enhance antitumor immunity for both established and novel anticancer immunotherapies. In this review, we provide an overview of the various subsets of DCs, focusing in particular on the role of cDC1s, their ability to interact with other intratumoral immune cells, and their prognostic significance on solid tumors. Finally, we outline key therapeutic strategies that promote the immunogenic functions of DCs in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lucarini
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
| | - Ombretta Melaiu
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
| | - Patrizia Tempora
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
| | - Silvia D’Amico
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Doriana Fruci
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (O.M.); (P.T.); (S.D.); (F.L.)
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Wienke J, Dierselhuis MP, Tytgat GAM, Künkele A, Nierkens S, Molenaar JJ. The immune landscape of neuroblastoma: Challenges and opportunities for novel therapeutic strategies in pediatric oncology. Eur J Cancer 2020; 144:123-150. [PMID: 33341446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of pediatric cancers. In neuroblastoma, the recent implementation of anti-GD2 antibody Dinutuximab into the standard of care has improved patient outcomes substantially. However, 5-year survival rates are still below 50% in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma, which has sparked investigations into novel immunotherapeutic approaches. T cell-engaging therapies such as immune checkpoint blockade, antibody-mediated therapy and adoptive T cell therapy have proven remarkably successful in a range of adult cancers but still meet challenges in pediatric oncology. In neuroblastoma, their limited success may be due to several factors. Neuroblastoma displays low immunogenicity due to its low mutational load and lack of MHC-I expression. Tumour infiltration by T and NK cells is especially low in high-risk neuroblastoma and is prognostic for survival. Only a small fraction of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes shows tumour reactivity. Moreover, neuroblastoma tumours employ a variety of immune evasion strategies, including expression of immune checkpoint molecules, induction of immunosuppressive myeloid and stromal cells, as well as secretion of immunoregulatory mediators, which reduce infiltration and reactivity of immune cells. Overcoming these challenges will be key to the successful implementation of novel immunotherapeutic interventions. Combining different immunotherapies, as well as personalised strategies, may be promising approaches. We will discuss the composition, function and prognostic value of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in neuroblastoma, reflect on challenges for immunotherapy, including a lack of TIL reactivity and tumour immune evasion strategies, and highlight opportunities for immunotherapy and future perspectives with regard to state-of-the-art developments in the tumour immunology space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Wienke
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | | | | | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Mints M, Tirosh I. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma joins the single-cell party. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2020; 40:453-455. [PMID: 32841535 PMCID: PMC7494061 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mints
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Itay Tirosh
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
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