1
|
Takahama S, Yoshio S, Masuta Y, Murakami H, Sakamori R, Kaneko S, Honda T, Murakawa M, Sugiyama M, Kurosaki M, Asahina Y, Takehara T, Appay V, Kanto T, Yamamoto T. Hepatitis B surface antigen reduction is associated with hepatitis B core-specific CD8 + T cell quality. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1257113. [PMID: 37920475 PMCID: PMC10619684 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1257113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite treatment, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) persists in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), suggesting the likely presence of the virus in the body. CD8+ T cell responses are essential for managing viral replication, but their effect on HBsAg levels remains unclear. We studied the traits of activated CD8+ T cells and HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in the blood of CHB patients undergoing nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy. For the transcriptome profiling of activated CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), CD69+ CD8+ T cells were sorted from six donors, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed. To detect HBV-specific CD8+ T cells, we stimulated PBMCs from 26 donors with overlapping peptides covering the HBs, HBcore, and HBpol regions of genotype A/B/C viruses, cultured for 10 days, and analyzed via multicolor flow cytometry. scRNA-seq data revealed that CD8+ T cell clusters harboring the transcripts involved in the cytolytic functions were frequently observed in donors with high HBsAg levels. Polyfunctional analysis of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells utilized by IFN-γ/TNFα/CD107A/CD137 revealed that HBcore-specific cells exhibited greater polyfunctionality, suggesting that the quality of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells varies among antigens. Moreover, a subset of HBcore-specific CD8+ T cells with lower cytolytic potential was inversely correlated with HBsAg level. Our results revealed a stimulant-dependent qualitative difference in HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in patients with CHB undergoing NUC therapy. Hence, the induction of HBcore-specific CD8+ T cells with lower cytolytic potential could be a new target for reducing HBsAg levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shokichi Takahama
- Laboratory of Precision Immunology, Center for Intractable Diseases and ImmunoGenomics, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sachiyo Yoshio
- Department of Liver Diseases, Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuji Masuta
- Laboratory of Precision Immunology, Center for Intractable Diseases and ImmunoGenomics, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hirotomo Murakami
- Laboratory of Precision Immunology, Center for Intractable Diseases and ImmunoGenomics, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Sakamori
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shun Kaneko
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Honda
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Miyako Murakawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaya Sugiyama
- Department of Viral Pathogenesis and Controls, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kurosaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Asahina
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Liver Disease Control, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Takehara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Victor Appay
- Laboratory of Precision Immunology, Center for Intractable Diseases and ImmunoGenomics, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), ImmunoConcEpT, UMR 5164, Bordeaux, France
| | - Tatsuya Kanto
- Department of Liver Diseases, Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Precision Immunology, Center for Intractable Diseases and ImmunoGenomics, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Immunology and Biology, Next-generation Precision Medicine Research Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
- The Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Virology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fang Y, Bian C, Li Z, Jin L, Chen C, Miao Y, Huang H, Zeng Z. ScRNA-seq revealed disruption in CD8 + NKG2A + natural killer T cells in patients after liver transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy. Immun Inflamm Dis 2023; 11:e990. [PMID: 37773707 PMCID: PMC10524014 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.990] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver transplantation (LT) offers a good survival chance for both the patient in short or long term, but still faces many challenges in the treatment of LT, such as the side effects associated with long-term immunosuppression, which is one of the side effects that occurs in most patients. However, the dynamics of the cellular immune system composition over time during immune tolerance to LT after immunosuppressive therapy are not known. METHODS Using single-cell transcriptome sequencing, we analyzed five peripheral blood samples (one normal individual and four patients who underwent LT and received immunosuppressive therapy for 2 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 7 years, respectively) for immune cell composition and gene expression. RESULTS A total of 17,462 peripheral blood mononuclear cells were acquired from a normal individual without LT and patients who underwent LT and received immunosuppressive therapy for 2 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 7 years, respectively. A total of 24 cell clusters were obtained and categorized into four different cell types based on gene expression characteristics as follows: eight clusters of T cells, two clusters of B cells, two clusters of neutrophils, two clusters of monocytes, natural killer cells, and natural killer T (NKT) cells (n = 4), and six other cell clusters. Cell subset analysis, pseudotime analysis, and intercellular communication analysis revealed that the CD8+ NKT cells specifically expressed NKG2A (KLRC1, CD159A), which may be an important cell group for CD8+ NKG2A+ NKT cells in LT, thereby highlighting the heterogeneity and functional diversity in patients who undergo LT. CONCLUSIONS We comprehensively analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from a normal individual and patients who underwent LT and elucidated the mechanism underlying the development of immune tolerance in LT. CD8+ NKT cells specifically expressing KLRC1 play a crucial role in LT, and dynamic monitoring of these cells may provide novel avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of LT-related immune rejection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Fang
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - CongWen Bian
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - ZhiTao Li
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - Li Jin
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - ChuHong Chen
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - YingLei Miao
- Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesYunnanPR China
| | - HanFei Huang
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| | - Zhong Zeng
- Organ Transplantation Centerthe First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical UniversityKunmingYunnanPR China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li X, Li X, Wang H, Zhao X. Exploring hub pyroptosis-related genes, molecular subtypes, and potential drugs in ankylosing spondylitis by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and molecular docking. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2023; 24:532. [PMID: 37386410 DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06664-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease, and the diagnosis and treatment of AS have been limited because its pathogenesis is still unclear. Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory type of cell death that plays an important role in the immune system. However, the relationship between pyroptosis genes and AS has never been elucidated. METHODS GSE73754, GSE25101, and GSE221786 datasets were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes (DE-PRGs) were identified by R software. Machine learning and PPI networks were used to screen key genes to construct a diagnostic model of AS. AS patients were clustered into different pyroptosis subtypes according to DE-PRGs using consensus cluster analysis and validated using principal component analysis (PCA). WGCNA was used for screening hub gene modules between two subtypes. Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were used for enrichment analysis to elucidate underlying mechanisms. The ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms were used to reveal immune signatures. The connectivity map (CMAP) database was used to predict potential drugs for the treatment of AS. Molecular docking was used to calculate the binding affinity between potential drugs and the hub gene. RESULTS Sixteen DE-PRGs were detected in AS compared to healthy controls, and some of these genes showed a significant correlation with immune cells such as neutrophils, CD8 + T cells, and resting NK cells. Enrichment analysis showed that DE-PRGs were mainly related to pyroptosis, IL-1β, and TNF signaling pathways. The key genes (TNF, NLRC4, and GZMB) screened by machine learning and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were used to establish the diagnostic model of AS. ROC analysis showed that the diagnostic model had good diagnostic properties in GSE73754 (AUC: 0.881), GSE25101 (AUC: 0.797), and GSE221786 (AUC: 0.713). Using 16 DE-PRGs, AS patients were divided into C1 and C2 subtypes, and these two subtypes showed significant differences in immune infiltration. A key gene module was identified from the two subtypes using WGCNA, and enrichment analysis suggested that the module was mainly related to immune function. Three potential drugs, including ascorbic acid, RO 90-7501, and celastrol, were selected based on CMAP analysis. Cytoscape showed GZMB as the highest-scoring hub gene. Finally, molecular docking results showed that GZMB and ascorbic acid formed three hydrogen bonds, including ARG-41, LYS-40, and HIS-57 (affinity: -5.3 kcal/mol). GZMB and RO-90-7501 formed one hydrogen bond, including CYS-136 (affinity: -8.8 kcal/mol). GZMB and celastrol formed three hydrogen bonds, including TYR-94, HIS-57, and LYS-40 (affinity: -9.4 kcal/mol). CONCLUSIONS Our research systematically analyzed the relationship between pyroptosis and AS. Pyroptosis may play an essential role in the immune microenvironment of AS. Our findings will contribute to a further understanding of the pathogenesis of AS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Henan University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiangying Li
- Henan University People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongqiang Wang
- Department of Surgery of Spine and Spinal Cord, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Intelligentized Orthopedics Innovation and Transformation, Henan Key Laboratory for Intelligent Precision Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Department of Surgery of Spine and Spinal Cord, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Intelligentized Orthopedics Innovation and Transformation, Henan Key Laboratory for Intelligent Precision Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Guo D, Jin C, Gao Y, Lin H, Zhang L, Zhou Y, Yao J, Duan Y, Ren Y, Hui X, Ge Y, Yang R, Jiang W. GPR116 receptor regulates the antitumor function of NK cells via Gαq/HIF1α/NF-κB signaling pathway as a potential immune checkpoint. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:51. [PMID: 36895027 PMCID: PMC9999509 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01005-7] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND NK cell is one of innate immune cells and can protect the body from cancer-initiating cells. It has been reported that GPR116 receptor is involved in inflammation and tumors. However, the effect of GPR116 receptor on the NK cells remains largely unclear. RESULTS We discovered that GPR116-/- mice could efficiently eliminate pancreatic cancer through enhancing the proportion and function of NK cells in tumor. Moreover, the expression of GPR116 receptor was decreased upon the activation of the NK cells. Besides, GPR116-/- NK cells showed higher cytotoxicity and antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo by producing more GzmB and IFNγ than wild-type (WT) NK cells. Mechanistically, GPR116 receptor regulated the function of NK cells via Gαq/HIF1α/NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, downregulation of GPR116 receptor promoted the antitumor activity of NKG2D-CAR-NK92 cells against pancreatic cancer both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicated that GPR116 receptor had a negatively effect on NK cell function and downregulation of GPR116 receptor in NKG2D-CAR-NK92 cells could enhance the antitumor activity, which provides a new idea to enhance the antitumor efficiency of CAR NK cell therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Chenxu Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yaoxin Gao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haizhen Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Yao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yixin Duan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yaojun Ren
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xinhui Hui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yujia Ge
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Renzheng Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Wenzheng Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Rood, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liang S, Xing M, Chen X, Peng J, Song Z, Zou W. Predicting the prognosis in patients with sepsis by a pyroptosis-related gene signature. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1110602. [PMID: 36618365 PMCID: PMC9811195 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1110602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sepsis remains a life-threatening disease with a high mortality rate that causes millions of deaths worldwide every year. Many studies have suggested that pyroptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of sepsis. However, the potential prognostic and diagnostic value of pyroptosis-related genes in sepsis remains unknown. Methods The GSE65682 and GSE95233 datasets were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and pyroptosis-related genes were obtained from previous literature and Molecular Signature Database. Univariate cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) cox regression analysis were used to select prognostic differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes and constructed a prognostic risk score. Functional analysis and immune infiltration analysis were used to investigate the biological characteristics and immune cell enrichment in sepsis patients who were classified as low- or high-risk based on their risk score. Then the correlation between pyroptosis-related genes and immune cells was analyzed and the diagnostic value of the selected genes was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results A total of 16 pyroptosis-related differentially expressed genes were identified between sepsis patients and healthy individuals. A six-gene-based (GZMB, CHMP7, NLRP1, MYD88, ELANE, and AIM2) prognostic risk score was developed. Based on the risk score, sepsis patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups, and patients in the low-risk group had a better prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis found that NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, and other immune-related pathways were enriched. Immune infiltration analysis showed that some innate and adaptive immune cells were significantly different between low- and high-risk groups, and correlation analysis revealed that all six genes were significantly correlated with neutrophils. Four out of six genes (GZMB, CHMP7, NLRP1, and AIM2) also have potential diagnostic value in sepsis diagnosis. Conclusion We developed and validated a novel prognostic predictive risk score for sepsis based on six pyroptosis-related genes. Four out of the six genes also have potential diagnostic value in sepsis diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Liang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Manyu Xing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingyi Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zongbin Song
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wangyuan Zou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China,*Correspondence: Wangyuan Zou,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yip HF, Chowdhury D, Wang K, Liu Y, Gao Y, Lan L, Zheng C, Guan D, Lam KF, Zhu H, Tai X, Lu A. ReDisX, a machine learning approach, rationalizes rheumatoid arthritis and coronary artery disease patients uniquely upon identifying subpopulation differentiation markers from their genomic data. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:931860. [PMID: 36072953 PMCID: PMC9441882 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.931860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases originate at the molecular-genetic layer, manifest through altered biochemical homeostasis, and develop symptoms later. Hence, symptomatic diagnosis is inadequate to explain the underlying molecular-genetic abnormality and individual genomic disparities. The current trends include molecular-genetic information relying on algorithms to recognize the disease subtypes through gene expressions. Despite their disposition toward disease-specific heterogeneity and cross-disease homogeneity, a gap still exists in describing the extent of homogeneity within the heterogeneous subpopulation of different diseases. They are limited to obtaining the holistic sense of the whole genome-based diagnosis resulting in inaccurate diagnosis and subsequent management. Addressing those ambiguities, our proposed framework, ReDisX, introduces a unique classification system for the patients based on their genomic signatures. In this study, it is a scalable machine learning algorithm deployed to re-categorize the patients with rheumatoid arthritis and coronary artery disease. It reveals heterogeneous subpopulations within a disease and homogenous subpopulations across different diseases. Besides, it identifies granzyme B (GZMB) as a subpopulation-differentiation marker that plausibly serves as a prominent indicator for GZMB-targeted drug repurposing. The ReDisX framework offers a novel strategy to redefine disease diagnosis through characterizing personalized genomic signatures. It may rejuvenate the landscape of precision and personalized diagnosis and a clue to drug repurposing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiu F. Yip
- Computational Medicine Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Debajyoti Chowdhury
- Computational Medicine Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kexin Wang
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Neurosurgery Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao Gao
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital, First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Liang Lan
- Department of Communication Studies, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chaochao Zheng
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Daogang Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Daogang Guan,
| | - Kei F. Lam
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hailong Zhu
- Computational Medicine Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hailong Zhu,
| | - Xuecheng Tai
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Xuecheng Tai,
| | - Aiping Lu
- Computational Medicine Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Aiping Lu,
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang X, Liang H, Tang Q, Chen H, Guo F. Pyroptosis-Related Gene to Construct Prognostic Signature and Explore Immune Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer. Front Genet 2022; 13:801665. [PMID: 35846123 PMCID: PMC9283834 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.801665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is known to be the most common malignant tumor in the urinary system and has a poor prognosis; thus, new targets for drug treatment are urgently needed. Pyroptosis is defined as programmed cell death in the inflammatory form mediated by the gasdermin protein. It has therapeutic potential due to the synergistic effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, can reverse chemotherapy resistance, is able to regulate the body environment to alter tumor metabolism, and may enhance the response rate of the immune checkpoint inhibitor. Accordingly, this study attempted to explore the role of pyroptosis in bladder cancer. A prognostic model based on five pyroptosis-related genes was constructed by conducting univariate Cox survival and LASSO regression analyses using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median risk score, with all five PRGs having downregulated expression in the high-risk group. The high-risk group was shown to have a worse prognosis than the low-risk group, and survival differences between the two groups were then validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Moreover, the ROC curves demonstrated the model’s moderate predictive ability. The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that risk scores were found to serve as an independent prognosis factor for OS in bladder cancer patients. In addition, the high-risk group was observed to be associated with advanced N and TNM stages. A nomogram combining risk scores and clinical features was then established, with the ROC curve indicating that the AUC of TCGA training cohort in 3 and 5 years was 0.789 and 0.775, respectively. The calibration curve exhibited a high consistency between the actual survival rate and the predicted rate. Furthermore, the GO and KEGG analyses found that antigen processing and presentation of exogenous antigen, exogenous peptide antigen, and peptide antigen were enriched in the low-risk group. A higher abundance of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and additional active immune pathways were also noted in the low-risk group. In addition, immunotherapy biomarkers, including TMB, PD1, PD-L1, CTLA4, and LAG3, were shown to have higher levels in the low-risk group. Therefore, patients in the low-risk group may be potential responders to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Collapse
|
8
|
Ganini C, Montanaro M, Scimeca M, Palmieri G, Anemona L, Concetti L, Melino G, Bove P, Amelio I, Candi E, Mauriello A. No Time to Die: How Kidney Cancer Evades Cell Death. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116198. [PMID: 35682876 PMCID: PMC9181490 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The understanding of the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma led to the development of targeted therapies, which dramatically changed the overall survival rate. Nonetheless, despite innovative lines of therapy accessible to patients, the prognosis remains severe in most cases. Kidney cancer rarely shows mutations in the genes coding for proteins involved in programmed cell death, including p53. In this paper, we show that the molecular machinery responsible for different forms of cell death, such as apoptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, which are somehow impaired in kidney cancer to allow cancer cell growth and development, was reactivated by targeted pharmacological intervention. The aim of the present review was to summarize the modality of programmed cell death in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma, showing in vitro and in vivo evidence of their potential role in controlling kidney cancer growth, and highlighting their possible therapeutic value.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Ganini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Istituto Dermopatico Immacolata (IDI-IRCCS), 00100 Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Montanaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Manuel Scimeca
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Giampiero Palmieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Lucia Anemona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Livia Concetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Pierluigi Bove
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Ivano Amelio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
| | - Eleonora Candi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Istituto Dermopatico Immacolata (IDI-IRCCS), 00100 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mauriello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (M.M.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (L.A.); (L.C.); (G.M.); (P.B.); (I.A.); (E.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0620-903-934
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tibbs E, Cao X. Emerging Canonical and Non-Canonical Roles of Granzyme B in Health and Disease. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1436. [PMID: 35326588 PMCID: PMC8946077 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Granzyme (Gzm) family has classically been recognized as a cytotoxic tool utilized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells to illicit cell death to infected and cancerous cells. Their importance is established based on evidence showing that deficiencies in these cell death executors result in defective immune responses. Recent findings have shown the importance of Granzyme B (GzmB) in regulatory immune cells, which may contribute to tumor growth and immune evasion during cancer development. Other studies have shown that members of the Gzm family are important for biological processes such as extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis and organized vascular degradation. With this growing body of evidence, it is becoming more important to understand the broader function of Gzm's rather than a specific executor of cell death, and we should be aware of the many alternative roles that Gzm's play in physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, we review the classical as well as novel non-canonical functions of GzmB and discuss approaches to utilize these new findings to address current gaps in our understanding of the immune system and tissue development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellis Tibbs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Xuefang Cao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhang Y, Chen X, Fu Q, Wang F, Zhou X, Xiang J, He N, Hu Z, Jin X. Comprehensive analysis of pyroptosis regulators and tumor immune microenvironment in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:667. [PMID: 34906145 PMCID: PMC8670029 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02384-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence has indicated that pyroptosis could regulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) to affect the tumor development. As a highly immunogenic tumor, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) can benefit from immunotherapy, but related research on pyroptosis in the TIME of ccRCC is still deficient. Methods Available data derived from TCGA and GEO databases were analyzed to identify the different expression profiles of pyroptosis in ccRCC and normal tissues, and the correlation of pyroptosis regulators with TIME was evaluated in ccRCC. Results According to consensus clustering analysis, two differential expression levels of subtypes were identified to affect patient prognosis, and were related to histological tumor stage and grade. Immune cells were calculated by the CIBERSORT algorithm. Higher infiltrated levels of B cells naive, T cells CD4 memory resting, NK cells resting, monocytes, macrophages were observed in Cluster 1, while higher infiltrated levels of CD8+ T cells, T follicular helper cells, and Tregs were observed in Cluster 2. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that Cluster 2 was enriched in multiple immune-related pathways, including the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Moreover, overexpression of eight immune checkpoints was related to ccRCC development, especially in Cluster 2. As four potentially key pyroptosis regulators, AIM2, CASP5, NOD2, and GZMB were confirmed to be upregulated in ccRCC by RT-qPCR analysis and further verified by the HPA database. Further pan-cancer analysis suggested that these four pyroptosis regulators were differentially expressed and related to the TIME in multiple cancers. Conclusion The present study provided a comprehensive view of pyroptosis regulators in the TIME of ccRCC, which may provide potential value for immunotherapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02384-y.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianwu Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghe Fu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Feifan Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuejian Zhou
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiayong Xiang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning He
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenghui Hu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaodong Jin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Liao Z, Tu L, Li X, Liang XJ, Huo S. Virus-inspired nanosystems for drug delivery. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:18912-18924. [PMID: 34757354 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05872j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With over millions of years of evolution, viruses can infect cells efficiently by utilizing their unique structures. Similarly, the drug delivery process is designed to imitate the viral infection stages for maximizing the therapeutic effect. From drug administration to therapeutic effect, nanocarriers must evade the host's immune system, break through multiple barriers, enter the cell, and release their payload by endosomal escape or nuclear targeting. Inspired by the virus infection process, a number of virus-like nanosystems have been designed and constructed for drug delivery. This review aims to present a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of the drug delivery process inspired by the viral infection stages. The most recent construction of virus-inspired nanosystems (VINs) for drug delivery is sorted, emphasizing their novelty and design principles, as well as highlighting the mechanism of these nanosystems for overcoming each biological barrier during drug delivery. A perspective on the VINs for therapeutic applications is provided in the end.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhihuan Liao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Li Tu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Xuejian Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuaidong Huo
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Guo X, Kazanova A, Thurmond S, Saragovi HU, Rudd CE. Effective chimeric antigen receptor T cells against SARS-CoV-2. iScience 2021; 24:103295. [PMID: 34693218 PMCID: PMC8520176 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Current therapies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) involve vaccines against the spike protein S1 of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we outline an alternative approach involving chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in T cells (CAR-Ts). CAR-T recognition of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) peptide induced ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation, the increased expression of activation antigen, CD69 and effectors, interferon-γ, granzyme B, perforin, and Fas-ligand on overlapping subsets of CAR-Ts. CAR-Ts further showed potent in vitro killing of target cells loaded with RBD, S1 peptide, or expressing the S1 protein. The efficacy of killing varied with different sized hinge regions, whereas time-lapse microscopy showed CAR-T cluster formation around RBD-expressing targets. Cytolysis of targets was mediated primarily by the GZMB/perforin pathway. Lastly, we showed in vivo killing of S1-expressing cells by our SARS-CoV-2 CAR-Ts in mice. The successful generation of SARS-CoV-2 CAR-Ts represents a living vaccine approach for the treatment of COVID-19. Cytolytic CAR-Ts can be successfully developed against SARS-CoV-2 CAR-Ts binding to RBD peptide induced effectors IFN-γ, GZMB, Perforin and FasL CAR-Ts with different hinge regions showed differences in target killing SARS-CoV-2 CAR-Ts show successful in vivo killing of S1-expressing cells in mice
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Guo
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Division of Immunology-Oncology, Centre de Researche-Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CR-HMR), Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Alexandra Kazanova
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Division of Immunology-Oncology, Centre de Researche-Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CR-HMR), Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Stephanie Thurmond
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Division of Immunology-Oncology, Centre de Researche-Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CR-HMR), Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - H. Uri Saragovi
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Translational Center for Research in Cancer, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christopher E. Rudd
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Division of Immunology-Oncology, Centre de Researche-Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CR-HMR), Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
- Division of Oncology and Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
de Jong LC, Crnko S, ten Broeke T, Bovenschen N. Noncytotoxic functions of killer cell granzymes in viral infections. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009818. [PMID: 34529743 PMCID: PMC8445437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic lymphocytes produce granules armed with a set of 5 serine proteases (granzymes (Gzms)), which, together with the pore-forming protein (perforin), serve as a major defense against viral infections in humans. This granule-exocytosis pathway subsumes a well-established mechanism in which target cell death is induced upon perforin-mediated entry of Gzms and subsequent activation of various (apoptosis) pathways. In the past decade, however, a growing body of evidence demonstrated that Gzms also inhibit viral replication and potential reactivation in cell death–independent manners. For example, Gzms can induce proteolysis of viral or host cell proteins necessary for the viral entry, release, or intracellular trafficking, as well as augment pro-inflammatory antiviral cytokine response. In this review, we summarize current evidence for the noncytotoxic mechanisms and roles by which killer cells can use Gzms to combat viral infections, and we discuss the potential thereof for the development of novel therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne C. de Jong
- Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra Crnko
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Toine ten Broeke
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Niels Bovenschen
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Shilova O, Shramova E, Proshkina G, Deyev S. Natural and Designed Toxins for Precise Therapy: Modern Approaches in Experimental Oncology. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094975. [PMID: 34067057 PMCID: PMC8124712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells frequently overexpress specific surface receptors providing tumor growth and survival which can be used for precise therapy. Targeting cancer cell receptors with protein toxins is an attractive approach widely used in contemporary experimental oncology and preclinical studies. Methods of targeted delivery of toxins to cancer cells, different drug carriers based on nanosized materials (liposomes, nanoparticles, polymers), the most promising designed light-activated toxins, as well as mechanisms of the cytotoxic action of the main natural toxins used in modern experimental oncology, are discussed in this review. The prospects of the combined therapy of tumors based on multimodal nanostructures are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Shilova
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (E.S.); (G.P.)
- Correspondence: (O.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Elena Shramova
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (E.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Galina Proshkina
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (E.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Sergey Deyev
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (E.S.); (G.P.)
- Center of Biomedical Engineering, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Research Centrum for Oncotheranostics, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
- Correspondence: (O.S.); (S.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bouwman AC, van Daalen KR, Crnko S, Ten Broeke T, Bovenschen N. Intracellular and Extracellular Roles of Granzyme K. Front Immunol 2021; 12:677707. [PMID: 34017346 PMCID: PMC8129556 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.677707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Granzymes are a family of serine proteases stored in granules inside cytotoxic cells of the immune system. Granzyme K (GrK) has been only limitedly characterized and knowledge on its molecular functions is emerging. Traditionally GrK is described as a granule-secreted, pro-apoptotic serine protease. However, accumulating evidence is redefining the functions of GrK by the discovery of novel intracellular (e.g. cytotoxicity, inhibition of viral replication) and extracellular roles (e.g. endothelial activation and modulation of a pro-inflammatory immune cytokine response). Moreover, elevated GrK levels are associated with disease, including viral and bacterial infections, airway inflammation and thermal injury. This review aims to summarize and discuss the current knowledge of i) intracellular and extracellular GrK activity, ii) cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic GrK functioning, iii) the role of GrK in disease, and iv) GrK as a potential therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annemieke C Bouwman
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Kim R van Daalen
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Crnko
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Toine Ten Broeke
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Niels Bovenschen
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Targeting galectins in T cell-based immunotherapy within tumor microenvironment. Life Sci 2021; 277:119426. [PMID: 33785342 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few years, tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative tumor treatment and owned incomparable advantages over other tumor therapy. With unique complexity and uncertainty, immunotherapy still need helper to apply in the clinic. Galectins, modulated in tumor microenvironment, can regulate the disorders of innate and adaptive immune system resisting tumor growth. Considering the role of galectins in tumor immunosuppression, combination therapy of targeted anti-galectins and immunotherapy may be a promising tumor treatment. This brief review summarizes the expression and immune functions of different galectins in tumor microenvironment and discusses the potential value of anti-galectins in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in tumor immunotherapy.
Collapse
|
17
|
Cohen L, Livney YD, Assaraf YG. Targeted nanomedicine modalities for prostate cancer treatment. Drug Resist Updat 2021; 56:100762. [PMID: 33857756 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2021.100762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cause of death amongst men in the USA. Therapy of PC has been transformed in the past decade by introducing novel therapeutics, advanced functional imaging and diagnostic approaches, next generation sequencing, as well as improved application of existing therapies in localized PC. Treatment of PC at the different stages of the disease may include surgery, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, although ADT has proven efficacious in PC treatment, its effectiveness may be temporary, as these tumors frequently develop molecular mechanisms of therapy resistance, which allow them to survive and proliferate even under conditions of testosterone deprivation, inhibition of androgen receptor signaling, or cytotoxic drug treatment. Importantly, ADT was found to induce key alterations which frequently result in the formation of metastatic tumors displaying a therapy refractory phenotype. Hence, to overcome these serious therapeutic impediments, novel PC cell-targeted therapeutic strategies are being developed. These include diverse platforms enabling specific enhanced antitumor drug uptake and increased intracellular accumulation. Studies have shown that these novel treatment modalities lead to enhanced antitumor activity and diminished systemic toxicity due to the use of selective targeting and decreased drug doses. The underlying mechanism of targeting and internalization is based upon the interaction between a selective ligand, conjugated to a drug-loaded nanoparticle or directly to an anti-cancer drug, and a specific plasma membrane biomarker, uniquely overexpressed on the surface of PC cells. Another targeted therapeutic approach is the delivery of unique anti-oncogenic signaling pathway-based therapeutic drugs, which are selectively cytotoxic to PC cells. The current paper reviews PC targeted modalities reported in the past 6 years, and discusses both the advantages and limitations of the various targeted treatment strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lital Cohen
- The Laboratory of Biopolymers for Food and Health, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Yoav D Livney
- The Laboratory of Biopolymers for Food and Health, Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yasinska IM, Meyer NH, Schlichtner S, Hussain R, Siligardi G, Casely-Hayford M, Fiedler W, Wellbrock J, Desmet C, Calzolai L, Varani L, Berger SM, Raap U, Gibbs BF, Fasler-Kan E, Sumbayev VV. Ligand-Receptor Interactions of Galectin-9 and VISTA Suppress Human T Lymphocyte Cytotoxic Activity. Front Immunol 2020; 11:580557. [PMID: 33329552 PMCID: PMC7715031 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.580557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood/bone marrow cancer, is a severe and often fatal malignancy. AML cells are capable of impairing the anti-cancer activities of cytotoxic lymphoid cells. This includes the inactivation of natural killer (NK) cells and killing of T lymphocytes. Here we report for the first time that V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), a protein expressed by T cells, recognizes galectin-9 secreted by AML cells as a ligand. Importantly, we found that soluble VISTA released by AML cells enhances the effect of galectin-9, most likely by forming multiprotein complexes on the surface of T cells and possibly creating a molecular barrier. These events cause changes in the plasma membrane potential of T cells leading to activation of granzyme B inside cytotoxic T cells, resulting in apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inna M Yasinska
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - N Helge Meyer
- Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Schlichtner
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Maxwell Casely-Hayford
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Walter Fiedler
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Wellbrock
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cloe Desmet
- European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Steffen M Berger
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Raap
- Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard F Gibbs
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom.,Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Elizaveta Fasler-Kan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vadim V Sumbayev
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Qiao J, Zhou M, Li Z, Ren J, Gao G, Zhen J, Cao G, Ding L. Elevated serum granzyme B levels are associated with disease activity and joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Int Med Res 2020; 48:300060520962954. [PMID: 33143503 PMCID: PMC7780569 DOI: 10.1177/0300060520962954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Little is known about the roles of granzyme B in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to evaluate the serum level of granzyme B in patients with RA and determine relationships with clinical features and joint destruction of RA. METHODS We enrolled 100 patients with RA, 50 patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and 50 healthy controls (HC). Granzyme B serum concentrations were measured by ELISA; we then analyzed associations between granzyme B levels, clinical features, and joint destruction by calculating Sharp scores and disease activity as measured by Disease Activity Score-28 based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) in patients with RA. RESULTS Compared with HC and patients with OA, serum granzyme B levels in patients with RA were remarkably elevated. Serum granzyme B levels did not differ between patients with OA and HC. Granzyme B levels correlated with ESR, rheumatoid factor, swollen joint counts, joint erosion scores, total Sharp scores, and DAS28-ESR. Moreover, patients with RA with high disease activity had higher granzyme B levels. CONCLUSIONS Serum granzyme B levels were elevated significantly in patients with RA and correlated positively with disease activity and joint destruction. Serum granzyme B may have potential applications in laboratory evaluation of patients with RA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Qiao
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Fourth Medical College of Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanghan Gao
- Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jumei Zhen
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanglei Cao
- Department of Orthopedics, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lixiang Ding
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Biteghe FAN, Mungra N, Chalomie NET, Ndong JDLC, Engohang-Ndong J, Vignaux G, Padayachee E, Naran K, Barth S. Advances in epidermal growth factor receptor specific immunotherapy: lessons to be learned from armed antibodies. Oncotarget 2020; 11:3531-3557. [PMID: 33014289 PMCID: PMC7517958 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been recognized as an important therapeutic target in oncology. It is commonly overexpressed in a variety of solid tumors and is critically involved in cell survival, proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. This multi-dimensional role of EGFR in the progression and aggressiveness of cancer, has evolved from conventional to more targeted therapeutic approaches. With the advent of hybridoma technology and phage display techniques, the first anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (Cetuximab and Panitumumab) were developed. Due to major limitations including host immune reactions and poor tumor penetration, these antibodies were modified and used as guiding mechanisms for the specific delivery of readily available chemotherapeutic agents or plants/bacterial toxins, giving rise to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and immunotoxins (ITs), respectively. Continued refinement of ITs led to deimmunization strategies based on depletion of B and T-cell epitopes or substitution of non-human toxins leading to a growing repertoire of human enzymes capable of inducing cell death. Similarly, the modification of classical ADCs has resulted in the first, fully recombinant versions. In this review, we discuss significant advancements in EGFR-targeting immunoconjugates, including ITs and recombinant photoactivable ADCs, which serve as a blueprint for further developments in the evolving domain of cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fleury Augustin Nsole Biteghe
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Neelakshi Mungra
- Medical Biotechnology & Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | | | - Jean De La Croix Ndong
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jean Engohang-Ndong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University at Tuscarawas, New Philadelphia, OH, USA
| | | | - Eden Padayachee
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Krupa Naran
- Medical Biotechnology & Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Stefan Barth
- Medical Biotechnology & Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Research Chair in Cancer Biotechnology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Thaker YR, Raab M, Strebhardt K, Rudd CE. GTPase-activating protein Rasal1 associates with ZAP-70 of the TCR and negatively regulates T-cell tumor immunity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4804. [PMID: 31641113 PMCID: PMC6805919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12544-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy involving checkpoint blockades of inhibitory co-receptors is effective in combating cancer. Despite this, the full range of mediators that inhibit T-cell activation and influence anti-tumor immunity is unclear. Here, we identify the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Rasal1 as a novel TCR-ZAP-70 binding protein that negatively regulates T-cell activation and tumor immunity. Rasal1 inhibits via two pathways, the binding and inhibition of the kinase domain of ZAP-70, and GAP inhibition of the p21ras-ERK pathway. It is expressed in activated CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells, and inhibits CD4 + T-cell responses to antigenic peptides presented by dendritic cells as well as CD4 + T-cell responses to peptide antigens in vivo. Furthermore, siRNA reduction of Rasal1 expression in T-cells shrinks B16 melanoma and EL-4 lymphoma tumors, concurrent with an increase in CD8 + tumor-infiltrating T-cells expressing granzyme B and interferon γ-1. Our findings identify ZAP-70-associated Rasal1 as a new negative regulator of T-cell activation and tumor immunity. Activation of T cells in the tumor microenvironment can be inhibited through a variety of mechanisms. Here, the authors show that Rasal1, a GTPase-activating protein, binds and inhibits signaling downstream of the T Cell Receptor complex and that consistently, its reduced expression enhances anti-tumor T-cell responses in two syngeneic cancer mouse models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youg Raj Thaker
- Cell Signalling Section, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.,School of Biological Science, Protein Structure and Disease Mechanisms, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Monika Raab
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, J.W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Klaus Strebhardt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, J.W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christopher E Rudd
- Cell Signalling Section, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK. .,Département de Immunologie-Oncologie, Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, QC, H1T 2M4, Canada. .,Département de Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Application of therapeutic protein-based fusion toxins. Mol Cell Toxicol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13273-019-0040-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
23
|
Synergistic effect of granzyme B-azurin fusion protein on breast cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2019; 46:3129-3140. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-04767-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
|
24
|
Bao CX, Chen HX, Mou XJ, Zhu XK, Zhao Q, Wang XG. RETRACTED: GZMB gene silencing confers protection against synovial tissue hyperplasia and articular cartilage tissue injury in rheumatoid arthritis through the MAPK signaling pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 103:346-354. [PMID: 29669300 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. An Expression of Concern for this article was previously published while an investigation was conducted (see related editorial: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113812). This retraction notice supersedes the Expression of Concern published earlier. Concern was raised about the reliability of the Western blot data in Figure 7C, which appear to contain a similar phenotype to those found in other publications, as detailed here: https://pubpeer.com/publications/7DD2DDC979F8CE2B00555332B01F81; and here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r0MyIYpagBc58BRF9c3luWNlCX8VUvUuPyYYXzxWvgY/edit#gid=262337249. The journal requested the corresponding author comment on these concerns and provide the associated raw data. The authors did not respond to this request and therefore the Editor-in-Chief decided to retract the article.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Xia Bao
- Clinical Laboratory, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Hai-Xia Chen
- Clinical Laboratory, Yeda Hospital, Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Xue-Jie Mou
- Clinical Laboratory, Yantai Taocun Central Hospital, Yantai 265301, PR China
| | - Xiang-Kui Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Yantai Oral Hospital, Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Clinical Laboratory, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Xin-Guang Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Yeda Hospital, Yantai 264000, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Human Granzyme B Based Targeted Cytolytic Fusion Proteins. Biomedicines 2018; 6:biomedicines6020072. [PMID: 29925790 PMCID: PMC6027395 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6020072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy aims to selectively target and kill tumor cells whilst limiting the damage to healthy tissues. Controlled delivery of plant, bacterial and human toxins or enzymes has been shown to promote the induction of apoptosis in cancerous cells. The 4th generation of targeted effectors are being designed to be as humanized as possible—a solution to the problem of immunogenicity encountered with existing generations. Granzymes are serine proteases which naturally function in humans as integral cytolytic effectors during the programmed cell death of cancerous and pathogen-infected cells. Secreted predominantly by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, granzymes function mechanistically by caspase-dependent or caspase-independent pathways. These natural characteristics make granzymes one of the most promising human enzymes for use in the development of fusion protein-based targeted therapeutic strategies for various cancers. In this review, we explore research involving the use of granzymes as cytolytic effectors fused to antibody fragments as selective binding domains.
Collapse
|
26
|
Wilkinson DJ, Arques MDC, Huesa C, Rowan AD. Serine proteinases in the turnover of the cartilage extracellular matrix in the joint: implications for therapeutics. Br J Pharmacol 2018; 176:38-51. [PMID: 29473950 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilage destruction is a key characteristic of arthritic disease, a process now widely established to be mediated by metzincins such as MMPs. Despite showing promise in preclinical trials during the 1990s, MMP inhibitors for the blockade of extracellular matrix turnover in the treatment of cancer and arthritis failed clinically, primarily due to poor selectivity for target MMPs. In recent years, roles for serine proteinases in the proteolytic cascades leading to cartilage destruction have become increasingly apparent, renewing interest in the potential for new therapeutic strategies that utilize pharmacological inhibitors against this class of proteinases. Herein, we describe key serine proteinases with likely importance in arthritic disease and highlight recent advances in this field. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Translating the Matrix. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.1/issuetoc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J Wilkinson
- Skeletal Research Group, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Maria Del Carmen Arques
- Skeletal Research Group, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Carmen Huesa
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK
| | - Andrew D Rowan
- Skeletal Research Group, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Hwang YH, Jeon EA, Lee DY. Cell surface-camouflaged graphene oxide immunosensor for identifying immune reactions. J IND ENG CHEM 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
28
|
Targeting of Tumor Neovasculature with GrB/VEGF 121, a Novel Cytotoxic Fusion Protein. Biomedicines 2017; 5:biomedicines5030042. [PMID: 28714916 PMCID: PMC5618300 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5030042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a critical process in numerous diseases, and intervention in neovascularization has therapeutic value in several disease settings, including ocular diseases, arthritis, and in tumor progression and metastatic spread. Various vascular targeting agents have been developed, including those that inhibit growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, blocking antibodies that interfere with receptor signal transduction, and strategies that trap growth factor ligands. Limited anti-tumor efficacy studies have suggested that the targeted delivery of the human pro-apoptotic molecule Granzyme B to tumor cells has significant potential for cancer treatment. Here, we review biological vascular targeting agents, and describe a unique vascular targeting agent composed of Granzyme B and the VEGF receptor ligand VEGF121. The fusion protein GrB/VEGF121 demonstrates cytotoxicity at nanomolar or sub-nanomolar levels, excellent pharmacokinetic and efficacy profiles, and has significant therapeutic potential targeting tumor vasculature.
Collapse
|
29
|
Density of tumor-infiltrating granzyme B-positive cells predicts favorable prognosis in dogs with transitional cell carcinoma. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2017; 190:53-56. [PMID: 28778323 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Although tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play a key role in anti-tumor immunity, their involvement in canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is not well-documented. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between TIL number and prognosis in dogs with urinary bladder TCC. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD3 and granzyme B was performed using canine TCC (n=32) and normal bladder (n=10) tissues. The numbers of CD3+ and granzyme B+ cells located in peritumoral stroma of canine TCC were significantly higher than those in normal controls. In TCC cases, the number of CD3+ TILs was not significantly related to prognosis, whereas the abundant granzyme B+ TILs were associated with favorable outcome. Since granzyme B+ TILs were not associated with the tumor stage, the presence of granzyme B+ TILs may be an independent prognostic factor. These results suggest that granzyme B+ TILs play a role in anti-tumor immunity and inhibit tumor progression in canine TCC.
Collapse
|
30
|
Arias M, Martínez-Lostao L, Santiago L, Ferrandez A, Granville DJ, Pardo J. The Untold Story of Granzymes in Oncoimmunology: Novel Opportunities with Old Acquaintances. Trends Cancer 2017; 3:407-422. [PMID: 28718416 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
For more than 20 years perforin and granzymes (GZMs) have been recognized as key cell death executors of cytotoxic T (Tc) and natural killer (NK) cells during cancer immunosurveillance. In immune surveillance, perforin and GZMB, the most potent cytotoxic molecules, act mainly as antitumoral and anti-infectious factors. However, when expressed by immune regulatory cells they may contribute to immune evasion of specific cancer types. By contrast, the other major granzyme, GZMA, seems not to play a major role in Tc/NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, but acts as a proinflammatory cytokine that might contribute to cancer development. Members of the GZM family also regulate other biological processes unrelated to cell death, such as angiogenesis, vascular integrity, extracellular matrix remodeling, and barrier function, all of which contribute to cancer initiation and progression. Thus, a new paradigm is emerging in the field of oncoimmunology. Can GZMs act as protumoral factors under some circumstances? We review the diverse roles of GZMs in cancer progression, and new therapeutic opportunities emerging from targeting these protumoral roles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maykel Arias
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Luis Martínez-Lostao
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, and Department of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Servicio de Inmunología Hospital Clínico Universitario Lorenzo Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain; Nanoscience Institute of Aragon (INA), University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Llipsy Santiago
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Angel Ferrandez
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lorenzo Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - David J Granville
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Julián Pardo
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, and Department of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; Nanoscience Institute of Aragon (INA), University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; Aragon I+D Foundation (ARAID), Zaragoza, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Bochicchio A, Jordaan S, Losasso V, Chetty S, Perera RC, Ippoliti E, Barth S, Carloni P. Designing the Sniper: Improving Targeted Human Cytolytic Fusion Proteins for Anti-Cancer Therapy via Molecular Simulation. Biomedicines 2017; 5:E9. [PMID: 28536352 PMCID: PMC5423494 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) are humanized immunotoxins for selective treatment of different diseases including cancer. They are composed of a ligand specifically binding to target cells genetically linked to a human apoptosis-inducing enzyme. hCFPs target cancer cells via an antibody or derivative (scFv) specifically binding to e.g., tumor associated antigens (TAAs). After internalization and translocation of the enzyme from endocytosed endosomes, the human enzymes introduced into the cytosol are efficiently inducing apoptosis. Under in vivo conditions such enzymes are subject to tight regulation by native inhibitors in order to prevent inappropriate induction of cell death in healthy cells. Tumor cells are known to upregulate these inhibitors as a survival mechanism resulting in escape of malignant cells from elimination by immune effector cells. Cytosolic inhibitors of Granzyme B and Angiogenin (Serpin P9 and RNH1, respectively), reduce the efficacy of hCFPs with these enzymes as effector domains, requiring detrimentally high doses in order to saturate inhibitor binding and rescue cytolytic activity. Variants of Granzyme B and Angiogenin might feature reduced affinity for their respective inhibitors, while retaining or even enhancing their catalytic activity. A powerful tool to design hCFPs mutants with improved potency is given by in silico methods. These include molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and enhanced sampling methods (ESM). MD and ESM allow predicting the enzyme-protein inhibitor binding stability and the associated conformational changes, provided that structural information is available. Such "high-resolution" detailed description enables the elucidation of interaction domains and the identification of sites where particular point mutations may modify those interactions. This review discusses recent advances in the use of MD and ESM for hCFP development from the viewpoints of scientists involved in both fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bochicchio
- German Research School for Simulation Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen 52062, Germany.
| | - Sandra Jordaan
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Valeria Losasso
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD, UK.
| | - Shivan Chetty
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Rodrigo Casasnovas Perera
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| | - Emiliano Ippoliti
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| | - Stefan Barth
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen 52062, Germany.
- JARA-HPC, Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Lv XZ, Zheng MY, Lin ZQ, Zhao M, Wang H, Zeng WS. Granzyme B-truncated VEGF fusion protein represses angiogenesis and tumor growth of OSCC. Oral Dis 2016; 22:688-96. [PMID: 27291760 DOI: 10.1111/odi.12522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the antitumor effects of fusion protein hGrB-TV of human granzyme B (hGrB) and truncated vascular endothelial growth factor (tVEGF) on human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in vitro and in vivo. METHODS The fusion protein hGrB-TV was expressed and purified from E. coli bacteria by affinity chromatography. The cytotoxcity of hGrB-TV on VEGFR-2 (Flk-1)(+) OSCC cells was analyzed in vitro. The antitumor therapeutic study was conducted on OSCC xenografts in vivo. RESULTS The purified hGrB-TV fusion protein was selectively internalized into VEGFR-2 (Flk-1)(+) OSCC cells and endothelial cells. It can cleave inactive caspase 3 into its active p20 form. The hGrB-TV showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity on VEGFR-2(+) SCC-9 cells. The morphological changes and cytolysis were appeared within dozen minutes. However, no cytotoxicity was observed on VEGFR-2(-) cells. The hGrB alone or tVEGF alone did not have any toxicity on SCC-9 cells. In addition, hGrB-TV treatment completely destroyed the vasculature of the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in vivo and consequently led to chick embryo development arrest. Most importantly, the fusion protein hGrB-TV inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth of human OSCC xenografts in nude mice without any apparent toxicity. CONCLUSIONS The fusion protein hGrB-TV specifically inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth of OSCC; hGrB-TV is a powerful and safe therapeutic molecule for tumor therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- X-Z Lv
- Department Oral & Head and Neck Surgery, Nan Fang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - M-Y Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Z-Q Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - M Zhao
- Department Oral & Head and Neck Surgery, Nan Fang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - H Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - W-S Zeng
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Li X, Yang W, Zou Y, Meng F, Deng C, Zhong Z. Efficacious delivery of protein drugs to prostate cancer cells by PSMA-targeted pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes. J Control Release 2015; 220:704-14. [PMID: 26348387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.08.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 08/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Protein drugs as one of the most potent biotherapeutics have a tremendous potential in cancer therapy. Their application is, nevertheless, restricted by absence of efficacious, biocompatible, and cancer-targeting nanosystems. In this paper, we report that 2-[3-[5-amino-1-carboxypentyl]-ureido]-pentanedioic acid (Acupa)-decorated pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes (Acupa-CPs) efficiently deliver therapeutic proteins into prostate cancer cells. Acupa-CPs had a unimodal distribution with average sizes ranging from 157-175 nm depending on amounts of Acupa. They displayed highly efficient loading of both model proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome C (CC), affording high protein loading contents of 9.1-24.5 wt.%. The in vitro release results showed that protein release was markedly accelerated at mildly acidic pH due to the hydrolysis of acetal bonds in the vesicular membrane. CLSM and MTT studies demonstrated that CC-loaded Acupa10-CPs mediated efficient delivery of protein drugs into PSMA positive LNCaP cells leading to pronounced antitumor effect, in contrast to their non-targeting counterparts and free CC. Remarkably, granzyme B (GrB)-loaded Acupa10-CPs caused effective apoptosis of LNCaP cells with a low half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.6 nM. Flow cytometry and CLSM studies using MitoCapture™ revealed obvious depletion of mitochondria membrane potential in LNCaP cells treated with GrB-loaded Acupa10-CPs. The preliminary in vivo experiments showed that Acupa-CPs had a long circulation time with an elimination phase half-life of 3.3h in nude mice. PSMA-targeted, pH-responsive, and chimaeric polymersomes have appeared as efficient protein nanocarriers for targeted prostate cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Weijing Yang
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Yan Zou
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Fenghua Meng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.
| | - Chao Deng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhong
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Lu L, Zou Y, Yang W, Meng F, Deng C, Cheng R, Zhong Z. Anisamide-Decorated pH-Sensitive Degradable Chimaeric Polymersomes Mediate Potent and Targeted Protein Delivery to Lung Cancer Cells. Biomacromolecules 2015; 16:1726-35. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Lu
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Zou
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weijing Yang
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fenghua Meng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chao Deng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ru Cheng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhong
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory,
and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and
Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zhou H, Mohamedali KA, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Cao Y, Migliorini M, Cheung LH, LoBello J, Lei X, Qi Y, Hittelman WN, Winkles JA, Tran NL, Rosenblum MG. Development of human serine protease-based therapeutics targeting Fn14 and identification of Fn14 as a new target overexpressed in TNBC. Mol Cancer Ther 2014; 13:2688-705. [PMID: 25239934 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-14-0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The cytokine TWEAK and its receptor, Fn14, have emerged as potentially valuable targets for cancer therapy. Granzyme B (GrB)-containing Fn14-targeted constructs were generated containing either the Fn14 ligand TWEAK (GrB-TWEAK) or an anti-Fn14 humanized single-chain antibody (GrB-Fc-IT4) as the targeting moieties. Both constructs showed high affinity and selective cytotoxicity against a panel of Fn14-expressing human tumor cells including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lines. Cellular expression of the GrB inhibitor PI-9 in target cells had no impact on the cytotoxic effect of either construct. Cellular expression of MDR1 showed no cross-resistance to the fusion constructs. GrB-TWEAK and GrB-Fc-IT4 activated intracellular caspase cascades and cytochrome c-related proapoptotic pathways consistent with the known intracellular functions of GrB in target cells. Treatment of mice bearing established HT-29 xenografts with GrB-TWEAK showed significant tumor growth inhibition compared with vehicle alone (P < 0.05). Both GrB-TWEAK and GrB-Fc-IT4 displayed significant tumor growth inhibition when administered to mice bearing orthotopic MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) tumor xenografts. The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis revealed that Fn14 mRNA expression was significantly higher in TNBC and in HER2-positive disease (P < 0.0001) compared with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, and in basal-like 2 tumors (P = 0.01) compared with other TNBC molecular subtypes. IHC analysis of a 101 patient TNBC tumor microarray showed that 55 of 101 (54%) of tumors stained positive for Fn14, suggesting that this may be an excellent potential target for precision therapeutic approaches. Targeting Fn14 using fully human, GrB-containing fusion constructs may form the basis for a new class of novel, potent, and highly effective constructs for targeted therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhou
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Khalid A Mohamedali
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Department of Systems Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mary Migliorini
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lawrence H Cheung
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Janine LoBello
- Integrated Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Xiudong Lei
- Department of Biostatistics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yuan Qi
- Department of Bioinformatics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Walter N Hittelman
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey A Winkles
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nhan L Tran
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Michael G Rosenblum
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
The combination of the prodrugs perforin-CEBPD and perforin-granzyme B efficiently enhances the activation of caspase signaling and kills prostate cancer. Cell Death Dis 2014; 5:e1220. [PMID: 24810056 PMCID: PMC4047860 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Revised: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The survival of prostate cancer (PrCa) patients is associated with the transition to hormone-independent tumor growth and metastasis. Clinically, the dysregulation of androgen action has been associated with the formation of PrCa and the outcome of androgen deprivation therapy in PrCa. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein delta (CEBPD) is a transcription factor that has been reported to act as an oncogene or tumor suppressor, depending on the extra- and intracellular environments following tumorigenesis. We found that androgen can activate CEBPD transcription by direct binding of the androgen receptor (AR) to the CEBPD promoter region. Increases of suppressor of zeste 12 (SUZ12) and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) attenuated the androgen-induced transcription of CEBPD. Importantly, the increases in E2F1, SUZ12 and EZH2 as well as the inactivation of CEBPD were associated with the clinicopathological variables and survival of PrCa patients. We revealed that caspase 8 (CASP8), an apoptotic initiator, is responsive to CEBPD induction. Reporter and in vivo DNA-binding assays revealed that CEBPD directly binds to and activates CASP8 reporter activity. A prodrug system was developed for therapeutic application in AR-independent or androgen-insensitive PrCa to avoid the epigenetic effects on the suppression of CEBPD expression. Our results showed that the combination of a perforin (PF)-CEBPD prodrug (which increases the level of procaspase-8) and a PF-granzyme B prodrug (which activates CASP8 and caspase 3 (CASP3)) showed an additive effect in triggering the apoptotic pathway and enhancing apoptosis in PrCa cells.
Collapse
|
37
|
Schiffer S, Rosinke R, Jost E, Hehmann-Titt G, Huhn M, Melmer G, Barth S, Thepen T. Targetedex vivoreduction of CD64-positive monocytes in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and acute myelomonocytic leukemia using human granzyme B-based cytolytic fusion proteins. Int J Cancer 2014; 135:1497-508. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Schiffer
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen; Aachen Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development; Fraunhofer IME; Aachen Germany
| | - Reinhard Rosinke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development; Fraunhofer IME; Aachen Germany
| | - Edgar Jost
- Department of Hematology and Oncology (Internal Medicine IV); University Hospital RWTH Aachen; Germany
| | | | - Michael Huhn
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen; Aachen Germany
| | | | - Stefan Barth
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital RWTH Aachen; Aachen Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development; Fraunhofer IME; Aachen Germany
| | - Theo Thepen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development; Fraunhofer IME; Aachen Germany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Cheng E, Armstrong CL, Galisteo R, Winkles JA. TWEAK/Fn14 Axis-Targeted Therapeutics: Moving Basic Science Discoveries to the Clinic. Front Immunol 2013; 4:473. [PMID: 24391646 PMCID: PMC3870272 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2013.00473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The TNF superfamily member TWEAK (TNFSF12) is a multifunctional cytokine implicated in physiological tissue regeneration and wound repair. TWEAK is initially synthesized as a membrane-anchored protein, but furin cleavage within the stalk region can generate a secreted TWEAK isoform. Both TWEAK isoforms bind to a small cell surface receptor named Fn14 (TNFRSF12A) and this interaction stimulates various cellular responses, including proliferation and migration. Fn14, like other members of the TNF receptor superfamily, is not a ligand-activated protein kinase. Instead, TWEAK:Fn14 engagement promotes Fn14 association with members of the TNFR associated factor family of adapter proteins, which triggers activation of various signaling pathways, including the classical and alternative NF-κB pathways. Numerous studies have revealed that Fn14 gene expression is significantly elevated in injured tissues and in most solid tumor types. Also, sustained Fn14 signaling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Accordingly, several groups are developing TWEAK- or Fn14-targeted agents for possible therapeutic use in patients. These agents include monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, and immunotoxins. In this article, we provide an overview of some of the TWEAK/Fn14 axis-targeted agents currently in pre-clinical animal studies or in human clinical trials and discuss two other potential approaches to target this intriguing signaling node.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Cheng
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cheryl L. Armstrong
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebeca Galisteo
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Winkles
- Department of Surgery, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Schiffer S, Letzian S, Jost E, Mladenov R, Hristodorov D, Huhn M, Fischer R, Barth S, Thepen T. Granzyme M as a novel effector molecule for human cytolytic fusion proteins: CD64-specific cytotoxicity of Gm-H22(scFv) against leukemic cells. Cancer Lett 2013; 341:178-85. [PMID: 23973499 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Immunotoxins are promising targeted therapeutic agents comprising an antibody-based ligand that specifically binds to diseased cells, and a pro-apoptotic protein. Toxic components from bacteria or plants can trigger a neutralizing immune response, so that human effector molecules are more suitable. In this context, the protease granzyme B has been successfully tested in cytotoxicity assays against different cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Our aim here was to introduce granzyme M as an alternative and novel component of human cytolytic fusion proteins. We fused it to the humanized single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) H22 which specifically binds to CD64, an FcγRI receptor overexpressed on activated myeloid cells and leukemic cells. We show that the humanized cytolytic fusion protein Gm-H22(scFv) specifically targets the acute myeloid leukemia cell line HL60 in vitro and is cytotoxic with an IC50 between 1.2 and 6.4 nM. These findings were confirmed ex vivo using leukemic primary cells from patients, which were killed by granzyme M despite the presence of the granzyme B inhibitor serpin B9. In conclusion, granzyme M is a promising new cell-death inducing component for hCFPs because it specifically and efficiently kills target cells when fused to a targeting component.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Schiffer
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapy, RWTH Aachen, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, Aachen, Germany; Department of Pharmaceutical Product Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Wang X, Sun H, Meng F, Cheng R, Deng C, Zhong Z. Galactose-Decorated Reduction-Sensitive Degradable Chimaeric Polymersomes as a Multifunctional Nanocarrier To Efficiently Chaperone Apoptotic Proteins into Hepatoma Cells. Biomacromolecules 2013; 14:2873-82. [DOI: 10.1021/bm4007248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wang
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| | - Huanli Sun
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| | - Fenghua Meng
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| | - Ru Cheng
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| | - Chao Deng
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhong
- Biomedical
Polymers Laboratory, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional
Polymer Design and Application, Department of Polymer Science and
Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123,
P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Oberoi P, Jabulowsky RA, Bähr-Mahmud H, Wels WS. EGFR-targeted granzyme B expressed in NK cells enhances natural cytotoxicity and mediates specific killing of tumor cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61267. [PMID: 23573299 PMCID: PMC3616035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are highly specialized effectors of the innate immune system that hold promise for adoptive cancer immunotherapy. Their cell killing activity is primarily mediated by the pro-apoptotic serine protease granzyme B (GrB), which enters targets cells with the help of the pore-forming protein perforin. We investigated expression of a chimeric GrB fusion protein in NK cells as a means to augment their antitumoral activity. For selective targeting to tumor cells, we fused the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) peptide ligand transforming growth factor α (TGFα) to human pre-pro-GrB. Established human NKL natural killer cells transduced with a lentiviral vector expressed this GrB-TGFα (GrB-T) molecule in amounts comparable to endogenous wildtype GrB. Activation of the genetically modified NK cells by cognate target cells resulted in the release of GrB-T together with endogenous granzymes and perforin, which augmented the effector cells' natural cytotoxicity against NK-sensitive tumor cells. Likewise, GrB-T was released into the extracellular space upon induction of degranulation with PMA and ionomycin. Secreted GrB-T fusion protein displayed specific binding to EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells, enzymatic activity, and selective target cell killing in the presence of an endosomolytic activity. Our data demonstrate that ectopic expression of a targeted GrB fusion protein in NK cells is feasible and can enhance antitumoral activity of the effector cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Oberoi
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Robert A. Jabulowsky
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hayat Bähr-Mahmud
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Winfried S. Wels
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Efficacy of an adapted granzyme B-based anti-CD30 cytolytic fusion protein against PI-9-positive classical Hodgkin lymphoma cells in a murine model. Blood Cancer J 2013; 3:e106. [PMID: 23524591 PMCID: PMC3615217 DOI: 10.1038/bcj.2013.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors develop when infiltrating immune cells contribute growth stimuli, and cancer cells are selected to survive within such a cytotoxic microenvironment. One possible immune-escape mechanism is the upregulation of PI-9 (Serpin B9) within cancer cells. This serine proteinase inhibitor selectively inactivates apoptosis-inducing granzyme B (GrB) from cytotoxic granules of innate immune cells. We demonstrate that most classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL)-derived cell lines express PI-9, which protects them against the GrB attack and thereby renders them resistant against GrB-based immunotherapeutics. To circumvent this disadvantage, we developed PI-9-insensitive human GrB mutants as fusion proteins to target the Hodgkin-selective receptor CD30. In contrast to the wild-type GrB, a R201K point-mutated GrB construct most efficiently killed PI-9-positive and -negative cHL cells. This was tested in vitro and also in vivo whereby a novel optical imaging-based tumor model with HL cell line L428 was applied. Therefore, this variant, as part of the next generation immunotherapeutics, also named cytolytic fusion proteins showing reduced immunogenicity, is a promising molecule for (targeted) therapy of patients with relapsing malignancies, such as cHL, and possibly other PI-9-positive malignancies, such as breast or lung carcinoma.
Collapse
|
43
|
Cao Y, Mohamedali KA, Marks JW, Cheung LH, Hittelman WN, Rosenblum MG. Construction and characterization of novel, completely human serine protease therapeutics targeting Her2/neu. Mol Cancer Ther 2013; 12:979-91. [PMID: 23493312 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-13-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxins containing bacterial or plant toxins have shown promise in cancer-targeted therapy, but their long-term clinical use may be hampered by vascular leak syndrome and immunogenicity of the toxin. We incorporated human granzyme B (GrB) as an effector and generated completely human chimeric fusion proteins containing the humanized anti-Her2/neu single-chain antibody 4D5 (designated GrB/4D5). Introduction of a pH-sensitive fusogenic peptide (designated GrB/4D5/26) resulted in comparatively greater specific cytotoxicity although both constructs showed similar affinity to Her2/neu-positive tumor cells. Compared with GrB/4D5, GrB/4D5/26 showed enhanced and long-lasting cellular uptake and improved delivery of GrB to the cytosol of target cells. Treatment with nanomolar concentrations of GrB/4D5/26 resulted in specific cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and efficient downregulation of PI3K/Akt and Ras/ERK pathways. The endogenous presence of the GrB proteinase inhibitor 9 did not impact the response of cells to the fusion construct. Surprisingly, tumor cells resistant to lapatinib or Herceptin, and cells expressing MDR-1 resistant to chemotherapeutic agents showed no cross-resistance to the GrB-based fusion proteins. Administration (intravenous, tail vein) of GrB/4D5/26 to mice bearing BT474 M1 breast tumors resulted in significant tumor suppression. In addition, tumor tissue excised from GrB/4D5/26-treated mice showed excellent delivery of GrB to tumors and a dramatic induction of apoptosis compared with saline treatment. This study clearly showed that the completely human, functionalized GrB construct can effectively target Her2/neu-expressing cells and displays impressive in vitro and in vivo activity. This construct should be evaluated further for clinical use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cao
- Immunopharmacology and Targeted Therapy Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
|
45
|
Improving the Therapeutic Potential of Human Granzyme B for Targeted Cancer Therapy. Antibodies (Basel) 2013. [DOI: 10.3390/antib2010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
|
46
|
Losasso V, Schiffer S, Barth S, Carloni P. Design of human granzyme B variants resistant to serpin B9. Proteins 2012; 80:2514-22. [PMID: 22733450 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Human granzyme B (hGB) is a serine protease involved in immune-mediated apoptosis. Its cytotoxicity makes it potentially applicable in cancer therapy. However, the effectiveness of hGB can be hampered by the cytosolic expression of a natural protein inhibitor, human Serpin B9 (hSB9). Here, we used computational approaches to identify hGB mutations that can affect its binding to hSB9 without significantly decreasing its catalytic efficiency. Alanine-scanning calculations allowed us to identify residues of hGB important for the interaction with hSB9. Some variants were selected, and molecular dynamic simulations on the mutated hGB in complex with hSB9 in aqueous solution were carried out to investigate the effect of these variants on the stability of the complex. The R28K, R201A, and R201K mutants significantly destabilized the interaction of the protein with hSB9. Consistently, all of these variants also retained their activity in the presence of the Serpin B9 inhibitor in subsequent in vitro assays of wild-type and mutated hGB. In particular, the activity of R201K hGB with and without Serpin B9 is very similar to that of the wild-type protein. Hence, R201K hGB emerges as a promising species for antitumoral therapy applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Losasso
- Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences, Jülich D-52425, Germany
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Jabulowsky RA, Oberoi P, Bähr-Mahmud H, Dälken B, Wels WS. Surface charge-modification prevents sequestration and enhances tumor-cell specificity of a recombinant granzyme B-TGFα fusion protein. Bioconjug Chem 2012; 23:1567-76. [PMID: 22759275 DOI: 10.1021/bc3000657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The serine protease granzyme B (GrB) plays an important role in the immune defense mediated by cytotoxic lymphocytes. Recombinant derivatives of this pro-apoptotic protein fused to tumor-targeting ligands hold promise for cancer therapy, but their applicability may be limited by promiscuous binding to nontarget tissues via electrostatic interactions. Here, we investigated cell binding and specific cytotoxicity of chimeric molecules consisting of wild-type or surface-charge-modified human GrB and the natural EGFR ligand TGFα for tumor targeting. We mutated two cationic heparin-binding motifs responsible for electrostatic interactions of GrB with cell surface structures, and genetically fused the resulting GrBcs derivative to TGFα for expression in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Purified GrBcs-TGFα (GrBcs-T) and a corresponding fusion protein employing wild-type GrB (GrB-T) displayed similar enzymatic activity and targeted cytotoxicity against EGFR-overexpressing breast carcinoma cells in the presence of an endosomolytic reagent. However, unspecific binding of the modified GrBcs-T variant to EGFR-negative cells was dramatically reduced, preventing the sequestration by nontarget cells in mixed cell cultures and increasing tumor-cell specificity. Likewise, modification of the GrB domain alleviated unspecific extracellular effects such as cell detachment indicative of extracellular matrix degradation. Our data demonstrate improved selectivity and functionality of surface-charge-modified GrBcs, suggesting this strategy as a general approach for the development of optimized GrB fusion proteins for therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Jabulowsky
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Xiao H, Luo Y, Lai X, Fu S, Shi J, Tan Y, He J, Xie W, Zheng W, Wang LM, Zhang L, Liu L, Ye X, Yu X, Cai Z, Lin M, Huang H. Genetic variations in T-cell activation and effector pathways modulate alloimmune responses after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with hematologic malignancies. Haematologica 2012; 97:1804-12. [PMID: 22733023 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2012.066159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, several important polymorphisms have been identified in T-cell activation and effector pathway genes and have been reported to be associated with inter-patient variability in alloimmune responses. The present study was designed to assess the impact of these genetic variations on the outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. DESIGN AND METHODS We first investigated ten single nucleotide polymorphisms in six genes, CD28, inducible co-stimulator, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, granzyme B, Fas and Fas ligand, in 138 pairs of patients and their unrelated donors and a second cohort of 102 pairs of patients and their HLA-identical sibling donors. RESULTS We observed that patients receiving stem cells from a donor with the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 gene CT60 variant allele (AA genotype) had a reduced incidence of grades II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease; however, they experienced early cytomegalovirus infection and relapsed more frequently, which suggested an interaction between the donor cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 gene CT60 AA genotype and reduced T-cell alloreactivity. Furthermore, an unrelated donor with the granzyme B +55 variant genotype (AA) was an independent risk factor for development of grades II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (P=0.024, RR=1.811). Among patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, those with the Fas -670 TT genotype were at higher risk of relapse (P=0.003, RR=3.823). The presence of these susceptible alleles in the donor and/or patient resulted in worse overall survival (54.9% versus 69.5%, P=0.029). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that genotype analysis of T-cell activation and effector pathway genes can be used for risk assessment for patients with hematologic malignancies before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haowen Xiao
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
Therapeutic agents capable of targeting tumor cells present as established tumors and micrometastases have already demonstrated their potential in clinical trials. Immunotoxins targeting hematological malignancies and solid tumors have additionally demonstrated excellent clinical activity. This review focuses on our design and characterization studies of constructs composed of recombinant gelonin toxin fused to either growth factors or single-chain antibodies targeting solid tumor cells, tumor vasculature or hematological malignancies. These agents demonstrate cytotoxicity at nanomolar or sub-nanomolar levels. All of these constructs display impressive selectivity and specificity for antigen-bearing target cells in vitro and in vivo and are excellent clinical trial candidates.
Collapse
|
50
|
Verhoeven KD, Altstadt OC, Savinov SN. Intracellular Detection and Evolution of Site-Specific Proteases Using a Genetic Selection System. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2012; 166:1340-54. [DOI: 10.1007/s12010-011-9522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|