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Glöckner HJ, Martinenaite E, Landkildehus Lisle T, Grauslund J, Ahmad S, Met Ö, Thor Straten P, Hald Andersen M. Arginase-1 specific CD8+ T cells react toward malignant and regulatory myeloid cells. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2318053. [PMID: 38404966 PMCID: PMC10885169 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2318053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Arginase-1 (Arg1) is expressed by regulatory myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), where they play a pro-tumorigenic and T-cell suppressive role. Arg1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells have been observed in both healthy individuals and cancer patients. However, while the function of anti-regulatory Arg1-specific CD4+ T cells has been characterized, our knowledge of CD8+ Arg1-specific T cells is only scarce. In the current study, we describe the immune-modulatory capabilities of CD8+ Arg1-specific T cells. We generated CD8+ Arg1-specific T cell clones to target Arg1-expressing myeloid cells. Our results demonstrate that these T cells recognize both malignant and nonmalignant regulatory myeloid cells in an Arg1-expression-dependent manner. Notably, Arg1-specific CD8+ T cells possess cytolytic effector capabilities. Immune modulatory vaccines (IMVs) represent a novel treatment modality for cancer. The activation of Arg1-specific CD8+ T cells through Arg1-based IMVs can contribute to the modulatory effects of this treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Jorinde Glöckner
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- IO Biotech, Research and Development Department, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Landkildehus Lisle
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Jacob Grauslund
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Shamaila Ahmad
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Per Thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, CCIT-DK, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
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Lorentzen CL, Kjeldsen JW, Ehrnrooth E, Andersen MH, Marie Svane I. Long-term follow-up of anti-PD-1 naïve patients with metastatic melanoma treated with IDO/PD-L1 targeting peptide vaccine and nivolumab. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2023-006755. [PMID: 37217243 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have previously published initial efficacy of the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)/anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) vaccine in combination with nivolumab in 30 anti-PD-1 therapy naïve patients with metastatic melanoma (cohort A). We now report long-term follow-up of patients in cohort A. Further, we report results from cohort B, where the peptide vaccine was added to anti-PD-1 therapy for patients with progressive disease during anti-PD-1 treatment. METHODS All patients were treated with a therapeutic peptide vaccine in Montanide targeting IDO and PD-L1 combined with nivolumab (NCT03047928). A long-term follow-up of safety, response rates, and survival rates were performed in cohort A including patient subgroup analyses. Safety and clinical responses were analyzed for cohort B. RESULTS Cohort A: At data cut-off, January 5, 2023, the overall response rate (ORR) was 80%, and 50% of the 30 patients obtained a complete response (CR). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 25.5 months (95% CI 8.8 to 39), and median overall survival (mOS) was not reached (NR) (95% CI 36.4 to NR). The minimum follow-up time was 29.8 months, and the median follow-up was 45.3 months (IQR 34.8-59.2). A subgroup evaluation further revealed that cohort A patients with unfavorable baseline characteristics, including either PD-L1 negative tumors (n=13), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (n=11), or M1c (n=17) obtained both favorable response rates and durable responses. The ORR was 61.5%, 79%, and 88% for patients with PD-L1- tumors, elevated LDH, and M1c, respectively. The mPFS was 7.1 months for patients with PD-L1- tumors, 30.9 months for patients with elevated LDH, and 27.9 months for M1c patients. Cohort B: At data cut-off, the best overall response was stable disease for 2 of the 10 evaluable patients. The mPFS was 2.4 months (95% CI 1.38 to 2.52), and the mOS was 16.7 months (95% CI 4.13 to NR). CONCLUSION This long-term follow-up confirms the promising and durable responses in cohort A. Subgroup analyses of patients with unfavorable baseline characteristics revealed that high response rates and survival rates were also found in patients with either PD-L1 negative tumors, elevated LDH levels, or M1c. No meaningful clinical effect was demonstrated in cohort B patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03047928.
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Starikova EA, Rubinstein AA, Mammedova JT, Isakov DV, Kudryavtsev IV. Regulated Arginine Metabolism in Immunopathogenesis of a Wide Range of Diseases: Is There a Way to Pass between Scylla and Charybdis? Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:3525-3551. [PMID: 37185755 PMCID: PMC10137093 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45040231] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
More than a century has passed since arginine was discovered, but the metabolism of the amino acid never ceases to amaze researchers. Being a conditionally essential amino acid, arginine performs many important homeostatic functions in the body; it is involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system and regeneration processes. In recent years, more and more facts have been accumulating that demonstrate a close relationship between arginine metabolic pathways and immune responses. This opens new opportunities for the development of original ways to treat diseases associated with suppressed or increased activity of the immune system. In this review, we analyze the literature describing the role of arginine metabolism in the immunopathogenesis of a wide range of diseases, and discuss arginine-dependent processes as a possible target for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora A Starikova
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Akademika Pavlova 12, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Medical Faculty, First Saint Petersburg State I. Pavlov Medical University, L'va Tolstogo St. 6-8, 197022 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Artem A Rubinstein
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Akademika Pavlova 12, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Jennet T Mammedova
- Laboratory of General Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Akademika Pavlova 12, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Dmitry V Isakov
- Medical Faculty, First Saint Petersburg State I. Pavlov Medical University, L'va Tolstogo St. 6-8, 197022 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Igor V Kudryavtsev
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Akademika Pavlova 12, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, FEFU Campus, 10 Ajax Bay, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
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4
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Mortensen REJ, Holmström MO, Lisle TL, Hasselby JP, Willemoe GL, Met Ö, Marie Svane I, Johansen J, Nielsen DL, Chen IM, Andersen MH. Pre-existing TGF-β-specific T-cell immunity in patients with pancreatic cancer predicts survival after checkpoint inhibitors combined with radiotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-006432. [PMID: 36948507 PMCID: PMC10040073 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-specific T cells that recognize TGF-β-expressing immune regulatory cells have been described in patients with cancer. TGF-β-derived peptide vaccination modulates the tumor microenvironment and has shown clinical effects in animal models of pancreatic cancer (PC). TGF-β-expressing regulatory cells are especially elevated in PC and may prevent the clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Thus, in the present study we investigated the significance of TGF-β-specific T-cell immunity in patients with PC treated with ICI combined with radiotherapy in a randomized phase 2 study (CheckPAC). METHODS Immune responses to a TGF-β-derived epitope entitled TGF-β-15 as well as epitopes from Clostridium tetani (tetanus) and influenza were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with interferon-ɣ enzyme-linked immunospot assays. PBMCs were isolated before and after treatment. Correlations between immune response data and clinical data were evaluated with parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. Survival was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox-regression. TGF-β-15 specific T cells were isolated and expanded and examined for recognition of autologous regulatory immune cells by flow cytometry. RESULTS PBMCs from 32 patients were analyzed for immune responses to the TGF-β-derived epitope entitled TGF-β-15. Patients with a strong TGF-β-specific immune response at treatment initiation had longer progression-free and overall survival, compared with patients with a weak or no TGF-β-specific immune response. This remained significant in multivariate analysis. Patients with weak and strong TGF-β-specific responses displayed similar responses towards viral antigens. Furthermore, we show that TGF-β-specific T cells from a clinical responder specifically reacted to and lysed autologous, regulatory immune cells. Finally, mimicking a TGF-β-15 vaccination, we showed that repeated stimulations with the TGF-β-15 epitope in vitro enhanced the immune response to TGF-β-15. CONCLUSION A strong TGF-β-15 specific immune response was associated with clinical benefit and improved survival after ICI/radiotherapy for patients with PC. Importantly, the lack of TGF-β-specific T cells in some patients was not caused by a general immune dysfunction. TGF-β-specific T cells recognized regulatory immune cells and could be introduced in vitro in patients without spontaneous responses. Taken together, our data suggest that combining TGF-β-based vaccination with ICI/radiotherapy will be beneficial for patients with PC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jane P Hasselby
- Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gro L Willemoe
- Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Julia Johansen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Dorte L Nielsen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Inna M Chen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Grauslund JH, Holmström MO, Martinenaite E, Lisle TL, Glöckner HJ, El Fassi D, Klausen U, Mortensen REJ, Jørgensen N, Kjær L, Skov V, Svane IM, Hasselbalch HC, Andersen MH. An arginase1- and PD-L1-derived peptide-based vaccine for myeloproliferative neoplasms: A first-in-man clinical trial. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1117466. [PMID: 36911725 PMCID: PMC9996128 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1117466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Arginase-1 (ARG1) and Programed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) play a vital role in immunosuppression in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and directly inhibit T-cell activation and proliferation. We previously identified spontaneous T-cell responses towards PD-L1 and ARG1 derived peptide epitopes in patients with MPNs. In the present First-in-Man study we tested dual vaccinations of ARG1- derived and PD-L1-derived peptides, combined with Montanide ISA-51 as adjuvant, in patients with Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F-mutated MPN. Methods Safety and efficacy of vaccination with ARG1- derived and PD-L1-derived peptides with montanide as an adjuvant was tested in 9 patients with MPN The primary end point was safety and toxicity evaluation. The secondary end point was assessment of the immune response to the vaccination epitope (www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04051307). Results The study included 9 patients with JAK2-mutant MPN of which 8 received all 24 planned vaccines within a 9-month treatment period. Patients reported only grade 1 and 2 vaccine related adverse events. No alterations in peripheral blood counts were identified, and serial measurements of the JAK2V617F allelic burden showed that none of the patients achieved a molecular response during the treatment period. The vaccines induced strong immune responses against both ARG1 and PD-L1- derived epitopes in the peripheral blood of all patients, and vaccine-specific skin-infiltrating lymphocytes from 5/6 patients could be expanded in vitro after a delayed-type hypersensitivity test. In two patients we also detected both ARG1- and PD-L1-specific T cells in bone marrow samples at the end of trial. Intracellular cytokine staining revealed IFNγ and TNFγ producing CD4+- and CD8+- T cells specific against both vaccine epitopes. Throughout the study, the peripheral CD8/CD4 ratio increased significantly, and the CD8+ TEMRA subpopulation was enlarged. We also identified a significant decrease in PD-L1 mRNA expression in CD14+ myeloid cells in the peripheral blood in all treated patients and a decrease in ARG1 mRNA expression in bone marrow of 6 out of 7 evaluated patients. Conclusion Overall, the ARG1- and PD-L1-derived vaccines were safe and tolerable and induced strong T-cell responses in all patients. These results warrant further studies of the vaccine in other settings or in combination with additional immune-activating treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Handlos Grauslund
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Landkildehus Lisle
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Hannah Jorinde Glöckner
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Daniel El Fassi
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Uffe Klausen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rasmus E J Mortensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Nicolai Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Lasse Kjær
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Vibe Skov
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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6
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Lorentzen CL, Martinenaite E, Kjeldsen JW, Holmstroem RB, Mørk SK, Pedersen AW, Ehrnrooth E, Andersen MH, Svane IM. Arginase-1 targeting peptide vaccine in patients with metastatic solid tumors - A phase I trial. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1023023. [PMID: 36330525 PMCID: PMC9622376 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1023023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arginase-1-producing cells inhibit T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses by reducing L-arginine levels in the tumor microenvironment. T cell-facilitated elimination of arginase-1-expressing cells could potentially restore L-arginine levels and improve anti-tumor responses. The activation of arginase-1-specific T cells may convert the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and induce or strengthen local Th1 inflammation. In the current clinical study, we examined the safety and immunogenicity of arginase-1-based peptide vaccination. METHODS In this clinical phase I trial, ten patients with treatment-refractory progressive solid tumors were treated. The patients received an arginase-1 peptide vaccine comprising three 20-mer peptides from the ARG1 immunological "hot spot" region in combination with the adjuvant Montanide ISA-51. The vaccines were administered subcutaneously every third week (maximum 16 vaccines). The primary endpoint was to evaluate safety assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 4.0 and laboratory monitoring. Vaccine-specific immune responses were evaluated using enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot assays and intracellular cytokine staining on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Clinical responses were evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. RESULTS The vaccination was feasible, and no vaccine-related grade 3-4 adverse events were registered. Nine (90%) of ten patients exhibited peptide-specific immune responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Six (86%) of the seven evaluable patients developed a reactive T cell response against at least one of the ARG1 peptides during treatment. A phenotypic classification revealed that arginase-1 vaccine-specific T cells were both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. Two (20%) of ten patients obtained stable disease for respectively four- and seven months on vaccination treatment. CONCLUSION The peptide vaccine against arginase-1 was safe. Nine (90%) of ten patients had measurable peptide-specific responses in the periphery blood, and two (20%) of ten patients attained stable disease on protocol treatment. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03689192, identifier NCT03689192.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathrine Lund Lorentzen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julie Westerlin Kjeldsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Rikke Boedker Holmstroem
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Sofie Kirial Mørk
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | | | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
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Weis-Banke SE, Lisle TL, Perez-Penco M, Schina A, Hübbe ML, Siersbæk M, Holmström MO, Jørgensen MA, Marie Svane I, Met Ö, Ødum N, Madsen DH, Donia M, Grøntved L, Andersen MH. Arginase-2-specific cytotoxic T cells specifically recognize functional regulatory T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005326. [PMID: 36316062 PMCID: PMC9628693 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High expression of the metabolic enzyme arginase-2 (ARG2) by cancer cells, regulatory immune cells, or cells of the tumor stroma can reduce the availability of arginine (L-Arg) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Depletion of L-Arg has detrimental consequences for T cells and leads to T-cell dysfunction and suppression of anticancer immune responses. Previous work from our group has demonstrated the presence of proinflammatory ARG2-specific CD4 T cells that inhibited tumor growth in murine models on activation with ARG2-derived peptides. In this study, we investigated the natural occurrence of ARG2-specific CD8 T cells in both healthy donors (HDs) and patients with cancer, along with their immunomodulatory capabilities in the context of the TME. Materials and methods A library of 15 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted ARG2-derived peptides were screened in HD peripheral blood mononuclear cells using interferon gamma (IFN-γ) ELISPOT. ARG2-specific CD8 T-cell responses were identified using intracellular cytokine staining and ARG2-specific CD8 T-cell cultures were established by enrichment and rapid expansion following in vitro peptide stimulation. The reactivity of the cultures toward ARG2-expressing cells, including cancer cell lines and activated regulatory T cells (Tregs), was assessed using IFN-γ ELISPOT and a chromium release assay. The Treg signature was validated based on proliferation suppression assays, flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). In addition, vaccinations with ARG2-derived epitopes were performed in the murine Pan02 tumor model, and induction of ARG2-specific T-cell responses was evaluated with IFN-γ ELISPOT. RNAseq and subsequent GO-term and ImmuCC analysis was performed on the tumor tissue. Results We describe the existence of ARG2-specific CD8+ T cells and demonstrate these CD8+ T-cell responses in both HDs and patients with cancer. ARG2-specific T cells recognize and react to an ARG2-derived peptide presented in the context of HLA-B8 and exert their cytotoxic function against cancer cells with endogenous ARG2 expression. We demonstrate that ARG2-specific T cells can specifically recognize and react to activated Tregs with high ARG2 expression. Finally, we observe tumor growth suppression and antitumorigenic immunomodulation following ARG2 vaccination in an in vivo setting. Conclusion These findings highlight the ability of ARG2-specific T cells to modulate the immunosuppressive TME and suggest that ARG2-based immunomodulatory vaccines may be an interesting option for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Thomas Landkildehus Lisle
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Maria Perez-Penco
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Aimilia Schina
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mie Linder Hübbe
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Majken Siersbæk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Niels Ødum
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Hargbøl Madsen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Marco Donia
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Lars Grøntved
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark .,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abstract
The identification and characterization of tumor antigens are central objectives in developing anti-cancer immunotherapy. Traditionally, tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are considered relatively restricted to tumor cells (i.e., overexpressed proteins in tumor cells), whereas tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) are considered unique to tumor cells. Recent studies have focused on identifying patient-specific neoantigens, which might be highly immunogenic because they are not expressed in normal tissues. The opposite strategy has emerged with the discovery of anti-regulatory T cells (anti-Tregs) that recognize and attack many cell types in the tumor microenvironment, such as regulatory immune cells, in addition to tumor cells. The term proposed in this review is "tumor microenvironment antigens" (TMAs) to describe the antigens that draw this attack. As therapeutic targets, TMAs offer several advantages that differentiate them from more traditional tumor antigens. Targeting TMAs leads not only to a direct attack on tumor cells but also to modulation of the tumor microenvironment, rendering it immunocompetent and tumor-hostile. Of note, in contrast to TAAs and TSAs, TMAs also are expressed in non-transformed cells with consistent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression. Inflammation often induces HLA expression in malignant cells, so that targeting TMAs could additionally affect tumors with no or very low levels of surface HLA expression. This review defines the characteristics, differences, and advantages of TMAs compared with traditional tumor antigens and discusses the use of these antigens in immune modulatory vaccines as an attractive approach to immunotherapy. Different TMAs are expressed by different cells and could be combined in anti-cancer immunotherapies to attack tumor cells directly and modulate local immune cells to create a tumor-hostile microenvironment and inhibit tumor angiogenesis. Immune modulatory vaccines offer an approach for combinatorial therapy with additional immunotherapy including checkpoint blockade, cellular therapy, or traditional cancer vaccines. These combinations would increase the number of patients who can benefit from such therapeutic measures, which all have optimal efficiency in inflamed tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 5th floor, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark.
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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9
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Lecoq I, Kopp KL, Chapellier M, Mantas P, Martinenaite E, Perez-Penco M, Rønn Olsen L, Zocca MB, Wakatsuki Pedersen A, Andersen MH. CCL22-based peptide vaccines induce anti-cancer immunity by modulating tumor microenvironment. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2115655. [PMID: 36052217 PMCID: PMC9427044 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2115655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
CCL22 is a macrophage-derived immunosuppressive chemokine that recruits regulatory T cells through the CCL22:CCR4 axis. CCL22 was shown to play a key role in suppressing anti-cancer immune responses in different cancer types. Recently, we showed that CCL22-specific T cells generated from cancer patients could kill CCL22-expressing tumor cells and directly influence the levels of CCL22 in vitro. The present study aimed to provide a rationale for developing a CCL22-targeting immunotherapy. Vaccination with CCL22-derived peptides induced CCL22-specific T-cell responses in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, assessed by interferon-γ secretion ex vivo. Anti-tumor efficacy of the peptides was evaluated in mouse models engrafted with syngeneic tumor models showing a reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival of the treated mice. Vaccination induced changes in the cellular composition of immune cells that infiltrated the tumor microenvironment assessed with multicolor flow cytometry. In particular, the infiltration of CD8+ cells and M1 macrophages increased, which increased the CD8/Treg and the M1/M2 macrophage ratio. This study provided preclinical evidence that targeting CCL22 with CCL22 peptide vaccines modulated the immune milieu in the tumor microenvironment. This modulation led to an augmentation of anti-tumor responses. This study provided a rationale for developing a novel immunotherapeutic modality in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Lecoq
- Department of Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.,National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Katharina L Kopp
- Department of Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marion Chapellier
- Department of Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Panagiotis Mantas
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- Department of Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.,National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Maria Perez-Penco
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Lars Rønn Olsen
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mai-Britt Zocca
- Department of Research and Development, IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Niu F, Yu Y, Li Z, Ren Y, Li Z, Ye Q, Liu P, Ji C, Qian L, Xiong Y. Arginase: An emerging and promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 149:112840. [PMID: 35316752 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Arginase is a key hydrolase in the urea cycle that hydrolyses L-arginine to urea and L-ornithine. Increasing number of studies in recent years demonstrate that two mammalian arginase isoforms, arginase 1 (ARG1) and arginase 2 (ARG2), were aberrantly upregulated in various types of cancers, and played crucial roles in the regulation of tumor growth and metastasis through various mechanisms such as regulating L-arginine metabolism, influencing tumor immune microenvironment, etc. Thus, arginase receives increasing focus as an attractive target for cancer therapy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the physiological and biological roles of arginase in a variety of cancers, and shed light on the underlying mechanisms of arginase mediating cancer cells growth and development, as well as summarize the recent clinical research advances of targeting arginase for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanglin Niu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhuozhuo Li
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ren
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zi Li
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Ye
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; Department of Endocrinology, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an 710018, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chenshuang Ji
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lu Qian
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; Department of Endocrinology, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an 710018, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Yuyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China; Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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11
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Bendtsen SK, Perez-Penco M, Hübbe ML, Martinenaite E, Orebo Holmström M, Weis-Banke SE, Grønne Dahlager Jørgensen N, Jørgensen MA, Munir Ahmad S, Jensen KM, Friese C, Lundsager MT, Johansen AZ, Carretta M, Ødum N, Met Ö, Svane IM, Madsen DH, Andersen MH. Peptide vaccination activating Galectin-3-specific T cells offers a novel means to target Galectin-3-expressing cells in the tumor microenvironment. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2026020. [PMID: 35111385 PMCID: PMC8802901 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2026020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectin-3 (Gal3) can be expressed by many cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), including cancer cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, and regulatory T cells (Tregs). In addition to immunosuppression, Gal3 expression has been connected to malignant cell transformation, tumor progression, and metastasis. In the present study, we found spontaneous T-cell responses against Gal3-derived peptides in PBMCs from both healthy donors and cancer patients. We isolated and expanded these Gal3-specific T cells in vitro and showed that they could directly recognize target cells that expressed Gal3. Finally, therapeutic vaccination with a long Gal3-derived peptide epitope, which induced the expansion of Gal3-specific CD8+ T cells in vivo, showed a significant tumor-growth delay in mice inoculated with EO771.LMB metastatic mammary tumor cells. This was associated with a significantly lower percentage of both Tregs and tumor-infiltrating Gal3+ cells in the non-myeloid CD45+CD11b− compartment and with an alteration of the T-cell memory populations in the spleens of Gal3-vaccinated mice. These results suggest that by activating Gal3-specific T cells by an immune-modulatory vaccination, we can target Gal3-producing cells in the TME, and thereby induce a more immune permissive TME. This indicates that Gal3 could be a novel target for therapeutic cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Kloch Bendtsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Maria Perez-Penco
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mie Linder Hübbe
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Nicolai Grønne Dahlager Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Shamaila Munir Ahmad
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Kasper Mølgaard Jensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Christina Friese
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mia Thorup Lundsager
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Astrid Zedlitz Johansen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Marco Carretta
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Niels Ødum
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Daniel Hargbøl Madsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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12
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Aaboe Jørgensen M, Ugel S, Linder Hübbe M, Carretta M, Perez-Penco M, Weis-Banke SE, Martinenaite E, Kopp K, Chapellier M, Adamo A, De Sanctis F, Frusteri C, Iezzi M, Zocca MB, Hargbøll Madsen D, Wakatsuki Pedersen A, Bronte V, Andersen MH. Arginase 1-Based Immune Modulatory Vaccines Induce Anticancer Immunity and Synergize with Anti-PD-1 Checkpoint Blockade. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:1316-1326. [PMID: 34518197 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-21-0280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Expression of the L-arginine catabolizing enzyme arginase 1 (ARG1) is a central immunosuppressive mechanism mediated by tumor-educated myeloid cells. Increased activity of ARG1 promotes the formation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment and leads to a more aggressive phenotype in many cancers. Intrinsic T-cell immunity against ARG1-derived epitopes in the peripheral blood of cancer patients and healthy subjects has previously been demonstrated. To evaluate the antitumor efficacy of ARG1-derived peptide vaccines as a monotherapy and as a combinational therapy with checkpoint blockade, different in vivo syngeneic mouse tumor models were utilized. To evaluate the antitumor effects, flow cytometry analysis and IHC were performed on tumors, and ELISPOT assays were performed to characterize immune responses. We show that ARG1-targeting therapeutic vaccines were able to activate endogenous antitumor immunity in several in vivo syngeneic mouse tumor models and to modulate the cell composition of the tumor microenvironment without causing any associated side effects or systemic toxicity. ARG1-targeting vaccines in combination with anti-PD-1 also resulted in increased T-cell infiltration, decreased ARG1 expression, reduced suppressive function of tumor-educated myeloid cells, and a shift in the M1/M2 ratio of tumor-infiltrating macrophages. These results indicated that the induced shift toward a more proinflammatory microenvironment by ARG1-targeting immunotherapy favors effective tumor control when combined with anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Our data illustrate the ability of ARG1-based immune modulatory vaccination to elicit antigen-specific immunosurveillance and imply the feasibility of this novel immunotherapeutic approach for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Stefano Ugel
- Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Mie Linder Hübbe
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Marco Carretta
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Maria Perez-Penco
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Annalisa Adamo
- Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Frusteri
- Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Manuela Iezzi
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Neurosciences Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Daniel Hargbøll Madsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Vincenzo Bronte
- Immunology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark. .,IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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13
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Ren X, Wang N, Zhou Y, Song A, Jin G, Li Z, Luan Y. An injectable hydrogel using an immunomodulating gelator for amplified tumor immunotherapy by blocking the arginase pathway. Acta Biomater 2021; 124:179-190. [PMID: 33524560 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Arginase 1 (ARG1) inactivates T cells by degrading L-arginine, severely reducing the immunotherapeutic efficacy. Effectively blocking the ARG1 pathway remains a challenge. L-norvaline is a very cheap and negligible side effects inhibitor of ARG1. However, its blockage efficacy for ARG1 is impeded by its high half-maximal-inhibitory concentration (IC50) requiring high drug loading content of L-norvaline in carriers. Moreover its high water solubility results in bursting and uncontrolled release. Herein we reported an injectable hydrogel strategy via an L-norvaline-based immunomodulating gelator that could effectively block ARG1 pathway. The designed gelator was a diblock copolymer containing L-norvaline-based polypeptide block, which could construct a thermally responsive injectable hydrogel by its self-gelation in tumor microenvironments. The hydrogel not only ensures high drug loading of L-norvaline, but also ensures controlled release of L-norvaline through responsive peptide bond cleavage, thereby solving the problems encountered by L-norvaline. The injectable hydrogel in combination with doxorubicin hydrochloride demonstrated a potent immunotherapy for removal of primary tumors, suppression of abscopal tumors and inhibition of pulmonary metastasis by combining the blockage of ARG1 pathway and the immunogenic cell death. Our immunomodulating gelator strategy provides a robust injectable hydrogel platform to efficiently reverse ARG1 immunosuppressive environments for amplified immunotherapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We designed an injectable hydrogel via an L-norvaline-based immunomodulating gelator. The designed gelator, a diblock copolymer containing an L-norvaline-based polypeptide block, enabled a thermally responsive injectable hydrogel by its self-gelation in tumor microenvironments. The injectable hydrogel not only guarantees high drug loading of L-norvaline, but also ensures controlled release of L-norvaline through responsive peptide bonds cleavage, thereby solving the problems encountered by L-norvaline. By further introducing doxorubicin hydrochloride in the hydrogel for inducing immunogenic cell death, the hydrogel showed remarkable immunotherapeutic efficacy towards ablation of primary tumors, suppression of abscopal tumors and inhibition of pulmonary metastasis. Our immunomodulating gelator strategy provides a new concept to efficiently reverse Arginase 1 immunosuppressive environments for amplified immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Ren
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Ningning Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Yaxin Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Aixin Song
- Key Laboratory of Colloid & Interface Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Guoxia Jin
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Zhonghao Li
- Key Laboratory of Colloid & Interface Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Yuxia Luan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
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14
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Handlos Grauslund J, Holmström MO, Jørgensen NG, Klausen U, Weis-Banke SE, El Fassi D, Schöllkopf C, Clausen MB, Gjerdrum LMR, Breinholt MF, Kjeldsen JW, Hansen M, Koschmieder S, Chatain N, Novotny GW, Petersen J, Kjær L, Skov V, Met Ö, Svane IM, Hasselbalch HC, Andersen MH. Therapeutic Cancer Vaccination With a Peptide Derived From the Calreticulin Exon 9 Mutations Induces Strong Cellular Immune Responses in Patients With CALR-Mutant Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Front Oncol 2021; 11:637420. [PMID: 33718228 PMCID: PMC7952976 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.637420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The calreticulin (CALR) exon 9 mutations that are identified in 20% of patients with Philadelphia chromosome negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) generate immunogenic antigens. Thus, therapeutic cancer vaccination against mutant CALR could be a new treatment modality in CALR-mutant MPN. Methods The safety and efficacy of vaccination with the peptide CALRLong36 derived from the CALR exon 9 mutations was tested in a phase I clinical vaccination trial with montanide as adjuvant. Ten patients with CALRmut MPN were included in the trial and received 15 vaccines over the course of one year. The primary end point was evaluation of safety and toxicity of the vaccine. Secondary endpoint was assessment of the immune response to the vaccination epitope (www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT03566446). Results Patients had a median age of 59.5 years and a median disease duration of 6.5 years. All patients received the intended 15 vaccines, and the vaccines were deemed safe and tolerable as only two grade three AE were detected, and none of these were considered to be related to the vaccine. A decline in platelet counts relative to the platelets counts at baseline was detected during the first 100 days, however this did not translate into neither a clinical nor a molecular response in any of the patients. Immunomonitoring revealed that four of 10 patients had an in vitro interferon (IFN)-γ ELISPOT response to the CALRLong36 peptide at baseline, and four additional patients displayed a response in ELISPOT upon receiving three or more vaccines. The amplitude of the immune response increased during the entire vaccination schedule for patients with essential thrombocythemia. In contrast, the immune response in patients with primary myelofibrosis did not increase after three vaccines. Conclusion Therapeutic cancer vaccination with peptide vaccines derived from mutant CALR with montanide as an adjuvant, is safe and tolerable. The vaccines did not induce any clinical responses. However, the majority of patients displayed a marked T-cell response to the vaccine upon completion of the trial. This suggests that vaccines directed against mutant CALR may be used with other cancer therapeutic modalities to enhance the anti-tumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Handlos Grauslund
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Nicolai Grønne Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Uffe Klausen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Daniel El Fassi
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Department of Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claudia Schöllkopf
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mette Borg Clausen
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | | | - Julie Westerlin Kjeldsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Morten Hansen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Steffen Koschmieder
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Chatain
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Guy Wayne Novotny
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Jesper Petersen
- Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Lasse Kjær
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Vibe Skov
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
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15
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Holmström MO, Mortensen REJ, Pavlidis AM, Martinenaite E, Weis-Banke SE, Aaboe-Jørgensen M, Bendtsen SK, Met Ö, Pedersen AW, Donia M, Svane IM, Andersen MH. Cytotoxic T cells isolated from healthy donors and cancer patients kill TGFβ-expressing cancer cells in a TGFβ-dependent manner. Cell Mol Immunol 2021; 18:415-426. [PMID: 33408343 PMCID: PMC8027197 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-020-00593-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) is a highly potent immunosuppressive cytokine. Although TGFβ is a tumor suppressor in early/premalignant cancer lesions, the cytokine has several tumor-promoting effects in advanced cancer; abrogation of the antitumor immune response is one of the most important tumor-promoting effects. As several immunoregulatory mechanisms have recently been shown to be targets of specific T cells, we hypothesized that TGFβ is targeted by naturally occurring specific T cells and thus could be a potential target for immunomodulatory cancer vaccination. Hence, we tested healthy donor and cancer patient T cells for spontaneous T-cell responses specifically targeting 38 20-mer epitopes derived from TGFβ1. We identified numerous CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against several epitopes in TGFβ. Additionally, several ex vivo responses were identified. By enriching specific T cells from different donors, we produced highly specific cultures specific to several TGFβ-derived epitopes. Cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell clones specific for both a 20-mer epitope and a 9-mer HLA-A2 restricted killed epitope peptide were pulsed in HLA-A2+ target cells and killed the HLA-A2+ cancer cell lines THP-1 and UKE-1. Additionally, stimulation of THP-1 cancer cells with cytokines that increased TGFβ expression increased the fraction of killed cells. In conclusion, we have shown that healthy donors and cancer patients harbor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells specific for TGFβ-derived epitopes and that cytotoxic T cells with specificity toward TGFβ-derived epitopes are able to recognize and kill cancer cell lines in a TGFβ-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Orebo Holmström
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Angelos Michail Pavlidis
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mia Aaboe-Jørgensen
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Simone Kloch Bendtsen
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Özcan Met
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Marco Donia
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- Department of Oncology, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
- Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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16
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Jou J, Harrington KJ, Zocca MB, Ehrnrooth E, Cohen EEW. The Changing Landscape of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines-Novel Platforms and Neoantigen Identification. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 27:689-703. [PMID: 33122346 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic cancer vaccines, an exciting development in cancer immunotherapy, share the goal of creating and amplifying tumor-specific T-cell responses, but significant obstacles still remain to their success. Here, we briefly outline the principles underlying cancer vaccine therapy with a focus on novel vaccine platforms and antigens, underscoring the renewed optimism. Numerous strategies have been investigated to overcome immunosuppressive mechanisms of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and counteract tumor escape, including improving antigen selection, refining delivery platforms, and use of combination therapies. Several new cancer vaccine platforms and antigen targets are under development. In an effort to amplify tumor-specific T-cell responses, a heterologous prime-boost antigen delivery strategy is increasingly used for virus-based vaccines. Viruses have also been engineered to express targeted antigens and immunomodulatory molecules simultaneously, to favorably modify the TME. Nanoparticle systems have shown promise as delivery vectors for cancer vaccines in preclinical research. T-win is another platform targeting both tumor cells and the TME, using peptide-based vaccines that engage and activate T cells to target immunoregulatory molecules expressed on immunosuppressive and malignant cells. With the availability of next-generation sequencing, algorithms for neoantigen selection are emerging, and several bioinformatic platforms are available to select therapeutically relevant neoantigen targets for developing personalized therapies. However, more research is needed before the use of neoepitope prediction and personalized immunotherapy becomes commonplace. Taken together, the field of therapeutic cancer vaccines is fast evolving, with the promise of potential synergy with existing immunotherapies for long-term cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Jou
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, California
| | - Kevin J Harrington
- The Institute of Cancer Research/Royal Marsden National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Ezra E W Cohen
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, California.
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17
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Weis-Banke SE, Hübbe ML, Holmström MO, Jørgensen MA, Bendtsen SK, Martinenaite E, Carretta M, Svane IM, Ødum N, Pedersen AW, Met Ö, Madsen DH, Andersen MH. The metabolic enzyme arginase-2 is a potential target for novel immune modulatory vaccines. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1771142. [PMID: 32923127 PMCID: PMC7458644 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1771142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
One way that tumors evade immune destruction is through tumor and stromal cell expression of arginine-degrading enzyme arginase-2 (ARG2). Here we describe the existence of pro-inflammatory effector T-cells that recognize ARG2 and can directly target tumor and tumor-infiltrating cells. Using a library of 34 peptides covering the entire ARG2 sequence, we examined reactivity toward these peptides in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from cancer patients and healthy individuals. Interferon-γ ELISPOT revealed frequent immune responses against several of the peptides, indicating that ARG2–specific self-reactive T-cells are natural components of the human T-cell repertoire. Based on this, the most immunogenic ARG2 protein region was further characterized. By identifying conditions in the microenvironment that induce ARG2 expression in myeloid cells, we showed that ARG2-specific CD4T-cells isolated and expanded from a peripheral pool from a prostate cancer patient could recognize target cells in an ARG2-dependent manner. In the ‘cold’ in vivo tumor model Lewis lung carcinoma, we found that activation of ARG2-specific T-cells by vaccination significantly inhibited tumor growth. Immune-modulatory vaccines targeting ARG2 thus are a candidate strategy for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mie Linder Hübbe
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simone Kloch Bendtsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark.,IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marco Carretta
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Ødum
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Özcan Met
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Hargbøl Madsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark.,IO Biotech ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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18
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Vanmeerbeek I, Sprooten J, De Ruysscher D, Tejpar S, Vandenberghe P, Fucikova J, Spisek R, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Garg AD. Trial watch: chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death in immuno-oncology. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1703449. [PMID: 32002302 PMCID: PMC6959434 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1703449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The term ‘immunogenic cell death’ (ICD) denotes an immunologically unique type of regulated cell death that enables, rather than suppresses, T cell-driven immune responses that are specific for antigens derived from the dying cells. The ability of ICD to elicit adaptive immunity heavily relies on the immunogenicity of dying cells, implying that such cells must encode and present antigens not covered by central tolerance (antigenicity), and deliver immunostimulatory molecules such as damage-associated molecular patterns and cytokines (adjuvanticity). Moreover, the host immune system must be equipped to detect the antigenicity and adjuvanticity of dying cells. As cancer (but not normal) cells express several antigens not covered by central tolerance, they can be driven into ICD by some therapeutic agents, including (but not limited to) chemotherapeutics of the anthracycline family, oxaliplatin and bortezomib, as well as radiation therapy. In this Trial Watch, we describe current trends in the preclinical and clinical development of ICD-eliciting chemotherapy as partner for immunotherapy, with a focus on trials assessing efficacy in the context of immunomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaure Vanmeerbeek
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jenny Sprooten
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk De Ruysscher
- Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO Clinic), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Sabine Tejpar
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandenberghe
- Department of Haematology, UZ Leuven, and Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U1015, Villejuif, France.,Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France.,Université Paris Sud/Paris XI, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Suzhou Institute for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Abhishek D Garg
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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19
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Martinenaite E, Ahmad SM, Bendtsen SK, Jørgensen MA, Weis-Banke SE, Svane IM, Andersen MH. Arginase-1-based vaccination against the tumor microenvironment: the identification of an optimal T-cell epitope. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:1901-1907. [PMID: 31690955 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02425-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
L-arginine depletion by regulatory cells and cancer cells expressing arginase-1 (Arg-1) is a vital contributor to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in patients with cancer. We have recently described the existence of pro-inflammatory effector T cells that recognize Arg-1. Hence, Arg-1-specific self-reactive T cells are a naturally occurring part of the memory T-cell repertoire of the human immune system. Here, we further characterize a highly immunogenic epitope from Arg-1. We describe frequent T-cell-based immune responses against this epitope in patients with cancer, as well as in healthy donors. Furthermore, we show that Arg-1-specific T cells expand in response to the TH2 cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 without any specific stimulation. Arg-1-specific memory TH1 cells that respond to increased IL-4 concentration may, therefore, drive the immune response back into the TH1 pathway. Arg-1-specific T cells thus appear to have an important function in immune regulation. Because Arg-1 plays an important role in the immunosuppressive microenvironment in most cancers, an immune modulatory vaccination approach can readily be employed to tilt the balance away from immune suppression in these settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Martinenaite
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
- IO Biotech ApS, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shamaila Munir Ahmad
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Simone Kloch Bendtsen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Stine Emilie Weis-Banke
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-dk), Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, 2730, Herlev, Denmark.
- IO Biotech ApS, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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20
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Ødum N. Anti-regulatory T cells are natural regulatory effector T cells. Cell Stress 2019; 3:310-311. [PMID: 31680691 PMCID: PMC6789433 DOI: 10.15698/cst2019.10.199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Niels Ødum
- The LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Martinenaite E, Ahmad SM, Svane IM, Andersen MH. Peripheral memory T cells specific for Arginase-1. Cell Mol Immunol 2019; 16:718-719. [PMID: 31076727 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-019-0231-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Martinenaite
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
| | - Shamaila Munir Ahmad
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark. .,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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22
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Klausen U, Holmberg S, Holmström MO, Jørgensen NGD, Grauslund JH, Svane IM, Andersen MH. Novel Strategies for Peptide-Based Vaccines in Hematological Malignancies. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2264. [PMID: 30327655 PMCID: PMC6174926 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides vaccination is an interesting approach to activate T-cells toward desired antigens in hematological malignancies. In addition to classical tumor associated antigens, such as cancer testis antigens, new potential targets for peptide vaccination comprise neo-antigens including JAK2 and CALR mutations, and antigens from immune regulatory proteins in the tumor microenvironment such as programmed death 1 ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2). Immunosuppressive defenses of tumors are an important challenge to overcome and the T cell suppressive ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2 are often present in tumor microenvironments. Thus, PD-L1 and PD-L2 are interesting targets for peptide vaccines in diseases where the tumor microenvironment is known to play an essential role such as multiple myeloma and follicular lymphoma. In myelodysplastic syndromes the drug azacitidine re-exposes tumor associated antigens, why vaccination with related peptides would be an interesting addition. In myeloproliferative neoplasms the JAK2 and CALR mutations has proven to be immunogenic neo-antigens and thus possible targets for peptide vaccination. In this mini review we summarize the basis for these novel approaches, which has led to the initiation of clinical trials with various peptide vaccines in myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, multiple myeloma, and follicular lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uffe Klausen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Staffan Holmberg
- Department of Hematology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
- Division of Immunology - T cells & Cancer, DTU Nanotech, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Jacob Handlos Grauslund
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Herlev, Denmark
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Herlev, Denmark
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Hald Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Herlev, Denmark
- Institute for Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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23
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Jørgensen MA, Holmström MO, Martinenaite E, Riley CH, Hasselbalch HC, Andersen MH. Spontaneous T-cell responses against Arginase-1 in the chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms relative to disease stage and type of driver mutation. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1468957. [PMID: 30228936 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1468957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Compelling evidence supports the existence of a profound immune dysregulation in patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Increased Arginase-1 expression has been described in MPN patients and in solid cancers. This increase contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in MPN patients because of L-arginine depletion by Arginase-1-expressing regulatory cells and cancer cells, which subsequently limits the activation of circulating effector cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that Arginase-1-derived peptides are recognized by T cells among peripheral mononuclear blood cells from MPN patients. We characterized the Arginase-1-specific T cells as being CD4+ and found that the magnitude of response to the Arginase-1 peptides depends on disease stage. Activation of Arginase-1-specific T cells by vaccination could be an attractive novel immunotherapeutic approach to targeting malignant and suppressive cells in MPN patients in combination with other immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Aaboe Jørgensen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Morten Orebo Holmström
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Deparmtent of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Evelina Martinenaite
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | | | - Mads Hald Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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24
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Holmström MO, Hasselbalch HC. Cancer immune therapy for myeloid malignancies: present and future. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:97-109. [PMID: 29987478 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0693-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The myelodysplastic syndromes, the chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, and the acute myeloid leukemia are malignancies of the myeloid hematopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow. The diseases are characterized by a dysregulation of the immune system as both the cytokine milieu, immune phenotype, immune regulation, and expression of genes related to immune cell functions are deregulated. Several treatment strategies try to circumvent this deregulation, and several clinical and preclinical trials have shown promising results, albeit not in the same scale as chimeric antigen receptor T cells have had in the treatment of refractory lymphoid malignancies. The use of immune checkpoint blocking antibodies especially in combination with hypomethylating agents has had some success-a success that will likely be enhanced by therapeutic cancer vaccination with tumor-specific antigens. In the chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, the recent identification of immune responses against the Januskinase-2 and calreticulin exon 9 driver mutations could also be used in the vaccination setting to enhance the anti-tumor immune response. This immune response could probably be enhanced by the concurrent use of immune checkpoint inhibitors or by vaccination with epitopes from immune regulatory proteins such as arginase-1 and programmed death ligand-1. Herein, we provide an overview of current cancer immune therapeutic treatment strategies as well as potential future cancer immune therapeutic treatment options for the myeloid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Orebo Holmström
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark. .,Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
| | - Hans Carl Hasselbalch
- Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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25
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Andersen MH. The T-win® technology: immune-modulating vaccines. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:87-95. [PMID: 29968045 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0695-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The T-win® technology is an innovative investigational approach designed to activate the body's endogenous anti-regulatory T cells (anti-Tregs) to target regulatory as well as malignant cells. Anti-Tregs are naturally occurring T cells that can directly react against regulatory immune cells because they recognize proteins that these targets express, including indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), tryptophan 2,6-dioxygenase, arginase, and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). The T-win® technology is characterized by therapeutic vaccination with long peptide epitopes derived from these antigens and therefore offers a novel way to target genetically stable cells with regular human leukocyte antigen expression in the tumor microenvironment. The T-win® technology thus also represents a novel way to attract pro-inflammatory cells to the tumor microenvironment where they can directly affect immune inhibitory pathways, potentially altering tolerance to tumor antigens. The modification of an immune regulatory environment into a pro-inflammatory milieu potentiates effective anti-tumor T cell responses. Many regulatory immune cells may be reverted into effector cells given the right stimulus. Because T-win® technology is based on the immune-modulatory function of the vaccines, the vaccines activate both CD4 and CD8 anti-Tregs. Of importance, in clinical trials, vaccinations against IDO or PD-L1 to potentiate anti-Tregs have so far proved to be safe, with minimal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Hald Andersen
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT), Department of Hematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark. .,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,IO Biotech ApS, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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26
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Andersen MH. The Balance Players of the Adaptive Immune System. Cancer Res 2018; 78:1379-1382. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-3607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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