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Cornillon P, Bouleftour W, Reynaud T, Pigne G, Maillet D, Hamizi S, Beguinot M. Immunogenicity of radiotherapy on bone metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma: What is the future for the combination with radiotherapy/immunotherapy? Tumori 2024:3008916241249366. [PMID: 38745528 DOI: 10.1177/03008916241249366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Bone metastatic prostate cancers (PCa) are resistant to usual immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors. The main hypothesis related to this immunoresistance is the lack of antigens to stimulate anti-tumor immunity. External radiation is a potential inducer antigens presentation and thus to immunotherapy proprieties. The aim of this review is to describe the tumor microenvironment specificities, especially in bone metastasis and the immune modifications after radiation therapy on a metastatic castration-resistant PCa population. PCa microenvironment is immunosuppressive because of many tumor factors. The complex interplay between PCa cells and bone microenvironment leads to a 'vicious circle' promoting bone metastasis. Furthermore, the immune and bone systems, are connected through an osteoclastogenic cytokine: the Receptor Activator Nuclear Factor Kappa B ligand. Adapted doses of ionizing radiation play a dual role on the tumor. Indeed, radiotherapy leads to immunogenicity by inducing damage associated with molecular patterns. However, it also induces an immunosuppressive effect by increasing the number of immunosuppressive cells. Interestingly, the abscopal effect could be used to optimize immunotherapy potential, especially on bone metastasis. Radiotherapy and immunotherapy combination is a promising strategy, however further studies are necessary to determine the more efficient types of radiation and to control the abscopal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Cornillon
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Wafa Bouleftour
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Thomas Reynaud
- Department of Radiotherapy, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Gregoire Pigne
- Department of Radiotherapy, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Denis Maillet
- Department of Medical Oncology, IMMUCARE, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Institut de Cancérologie des Hospices de Lyon, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Salima Hamizi
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Marie Beguinot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medipole Lyon Villeurbanne Mutualist Clinic, Lyon, France
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He C, Gu X, Dong C, Xu Z, Liu L, Jiang B, Lu Y, Jiang X, Lu Z. The association between ferroptosis-related patterns and tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 134:112258. [PMID: 38744178 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death (RCD), exhibits distinct characteristics such as iron-dependence and lipid peroxidation accumulation (ROS), setting it apart from other types of cell death like apoptosis and necrosis. Its role in cancer biology is increasingly recognized, particularly its potential interaction with tumor microenvironment (TME) and CD8 T cells in cancer immunotherapy. However, the impact of ferroptosis on TME cell infiltration remains unclear. In this study, we conducted unsupervised clustering analysis on patient data from public databases, identifying three ferroptosis patterns with distinct TME cell infiltration characteristics: immune-inflamed, immune-excluded, and immune-desert phenotypes. We developed a ferroptosis score based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among these patterns, which correlated with various biological features including chemotherapy-resistance and immune cells infiltration. Despite patients with high ferroptosis scores exhibiting worse prognosis, they showed increased likelihood of benefiting from immunotherapy. Our findings highlight the importance of ferroptosis-related patterns in understanding TME cell infiltration and suggest novel strategies for drug combinations and immune-related therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengshan He
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuemei Gu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Eighth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyuan Dong
- Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Luyao Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingying Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiudi Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhicheng Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Khosravi GR, Mostafavi S, Bastan S, Ebrahimi N, Gharibvand RS, Eskandari N. Immunologic tumor microenvironment modulators for turning cold tumors hot. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2024; 44:521-553. [PMID: 38551889 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumors can be classified into distinct immunophenotypes based on the presence and arrangement of cytotoxic immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Hot tumors, characterized by heightened immune activity and responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), stand in stark contrast to cold tumors, which lack immune infiltration and remain resistant to therapy. To overcome immune evasion mechanisms employed by tumor cells, novel immunologic modulators have emerged, particularly ICIs targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1). These agents disrupt inhibitory signals and reactivate the immune system, transforming cold tumors into hot ones and promoting effective antitumor responses. However, challenges persist, including primary resistance to immunotherapy, autoimmune side effects, and tumor response heterogeneity. Addressing these challenges requires innovative strategies, deeper mechanistic insights, and a combination of immune interventions to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies. In the landscape of cancer medicine, where immune cold tumors represent a formidable hurdle, understanding the TME and harnessing its potential to reprogram the immune response is paramount. This review sheds light on current advancements and future directions in the quest for more effective and safer cancer treatment strategies, offering hope for patients with immune-resistant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholam-Reza Khosravi
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Samaneh Mostafavi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sanaz Bastan
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Narges Ebrahimi
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Roya Safari Gharibvand
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Nahid Eskandari
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Huang W, Zhang Y, Cao M, Wu Y, Jiao F, Chu Z, Zhou X, Li L, Xu D, Pan X, Guan Y, Huang G, Liu J, Xie F, Wei W. ImmunoPET imaging of Trop2 in patients with solid tumours. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:1143-1161. [PMID: 38565806 PMCID: PMC11099157 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00059-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting and selecting patients who can benefit from targeted or immunotherapy is crucial for precision therapy. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) has been extensively investigated as a pan-cancer biomarker expressed in various tumours and plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis through multiple signalling pathways. Our laboratory successfully developed two 68Ga-labelled nanobody tracers that can rapidly and specifically target Trop2. Of the two tracers, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4, demonstrated excellent pharmacokinetics in preclinical mouse models and a beagle dog. Moreover, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4 immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) allowed noninvasive visualisation of Trop2 heterogeneous and differential expression in preclinical solid tumour models and ten patients with solid tumours. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4 immunoPET could facilitate clinical decision-making through patient stratification and response monitoring during Trop2-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Min Cao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200217, China
| | - Yanfei Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Feng Jiao
- Department of Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhaohui Chu
- Department of Oncology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xinyuan Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Lianghua Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Dongsheng Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Xinbing Pan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Fang Xie
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Gaebler D, Hachey SJ, Hughes CCW. Microphysiological systems as models for immunologically 'cold' tumors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1389012. [PMID: 38711620 PMCID: PMC11070549 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1389012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a diverse milieu of cells including cancerous and non-cancerous cells such as fibroblasts, pericytes, endothelial cells and immune cells. The intricate cellular interactions within the TME hold a central role in shaping the dynamics of cancer progression, influencing pivotal aspects such as tumor initiation, growth, invasion, response to therapeutic interventions, and the emergence of drug resistance. In immunologically 'cold' tumors, the TME is marked by a scarcity of infiltrating immune cells, limited antigen presentation in the absence of potent immune-stimulating signals, and an abundance of immunosuppressive factors. While strategies targeting the TME as a therapeutic avenue in 'cold' tumors have emerged, there is a pressing need for novel approaches that faithfully replicate the complex cellular and non-cellular interactions in order to develop targeted therapies that can effectively stimulate immune responses and improve therapeutic outcomes in patients. Microfluidic devices offer distinct advantages over traditional in vitro 3D co-culture models and in vivo animal models, as they better recapitulate key characteristics of the TME and allow for precise, controlled insights into the dynamic interplay between various immune, stromal and cancerous cell types at any timepoint. This review aims to underscore the pivotal role of microfluidic systems in advancing our understanding of the TME and presents current microfluidic model systems that aim to dissect tumor-stromal, tumor-immune and immune-stromal cellular interactions in various 'cold' tumors. Understanding the intricacies of the TME in 'cold' tumors is crucial for devising effective targeted therapies to reinvigorate immune responses and overcome the challenges of current immunotherapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Gaebler
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Stephanie J. Hachey
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Christopher C. W. Hughes
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Roller A, Davydov II, Schwalie PC, Serrano-Serrano ML, Heller A, Staedler N, Ferreira CS, Dietmann G, Klaman I, Valdeolivas A, Korski K, Cannarile MA. Tumor-agnostic transcriptome-based classifier identifies spatial infiltration patterns of CD8+T cells in the tumor microenvironment and predicts clinical outcome in early-phase and late-phase clinical trials. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008185. [PMID: 38649280 PMCID: PMC11043740 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune status of a patient's tumor microenvironment (TME) may guide therapeutic interventions with cancer immunotherapy and help identify potential resistance mechanisms. Currently, patients' immune status is mostly classified based on CD8+tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. An unmet need exists for comparable and reliable precision immunophenotyping tools that would facilitate clinical treatment-relevant decision-making and the understanding of how to overcome resistance mechanisms. METHODS We systematically analyzed the CD8 immunophenotype of 2023 patients from 14 phase I-III clinical trials using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and additionally profiled gene expression by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). CD8 immunophenotypes were classified by pathologists into CD8-desert, CD8-excluded or CD8-inflamed tumors using CD8 IHC staining in epithelial and stromal areas of the tumor. Using regularized logistic regression, we developed an RNA-seq-based classifier as a surrogate to the IHC-based spatial classification of CD8+tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the TME. RESULTS The CD8 immunophenotype and associated gene expression patterns varied across indications as well as across primary and metastatic lesions. Melanoma and kidney cancers were among the strongest inflamed indications, while CD8-desert phenotypes were most abundant in liver metastases across all tumor types. A good correspondence between the transcriptome and the IHC-based evaluation enabled us to develop a 92-gene classifier that accurately predicted the IHC-based CD8 immunophenotype in primary and metastatic samples (area under the curve inflamed=0.846; excluded=0.712; desert=0.855). The newly developed classifier was prognostic in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and predictive in lung cancer: patients with predicted CD8-inflamed tumors showed prolonged overall survival (OS) versus patients with CD8-desert tumors (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80 to 0.97) across TCGA, and longer OS on immune checkpoint inhibitor administration (phase III OAK study) in non-small-cell lung cancer (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.58 to 0.97). CONCLUSIONS We provide a new precision immunophenotyping tool based on gene expression that reflects the spatial infiltration patterns of CD8+ lymphocytes in tumors. The classifier enables multiplex analyses and is easy to apply for retrospective, reverse translation approaches as well as for prospective patient enrichment to optimize the response to cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Roller
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Iakov I Davydov
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Petra C Schwalie
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martha L Serrano-Serrano
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Astrid Heller
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicolas Staedler
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cláudia S Ferreira
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Munich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Dietmann
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Munich, Germany
| | - Irina Klaman
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Munich, Germany
| | - Alberto Valdeolivas
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Konstanty Korski
- Roche Product Development, PHC Data, Analytics and Imaging, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael A Cannarile
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Munich, Germany
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Studentova H, Hola K, Melichar B, Spisarova M. Neopterin as a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker in metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38596831 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2024.2341734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immunotherapy represents a significant and essential component of renal carcinoma therapy (RCC), but the selection of an optimal regimen for an individual patient remains unclear. Despite significant improvements in therapeutic options for RCC, predictive biomarkers for immunotherapeutic agents remain elusive. Neopterin is a biomarker of cell-mediated immune response, with concentrations increased in different disorders, including cancer. High neopterin levels herald, in general, a poor prognosis. AREAS COVERED This review briefly overviews the contemporary clinical data on biomarkers in metastatic RCC therapy, focusing on neopterin. EXPERT OPINION Elevated neopterin levels have been observed in tumors of different primary locations. Research indicates that neopterin may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing the inflammatory status associated with certain cancers. However, it is necessary to interpret neopterin levels in the context of a comprehensive clinical evaluation, as elevated neopterin alone is not specific to cancer and can be influenced by other factors, including comorbid conditions. Neopterin has also been identified as a prognostic biomarker. An increasing neopterin level in serum and urine is associated with advanced cancer, but the role as a potential predictor of response to immunotherapy has yet to be established. A reliable biomarker for optimal therapy selection in metastatic RCC is still putative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Studentova
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Hola
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Bohuslav Melichar
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Spisarova
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Cannarile MA, Karanikas V, Reis B, Mancao C, Lagkadinou E, Rüttinger D, Rieder N, Ribeiro FR, Kao H, Dziadek S, Gomes B. Facts and Hopes on Biomarkers for Successful Early Clinical Immunotherapy Trials: Innovative Patient Enrichment Strategies. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1448-1456. [PMID: 38100047 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Despite the clinical validation and unequivocal benefit to patients, the development of cancer immunotherapies is facing some key challenges and the attrition rate in early phases of development remains high. Identifying the appropriate patient population that would benefit most from the drug is on the critical path for successful clinical development. We believe that a systematic implementation of patient enrichment strategies early in the drug development process and trial design, is the basis for an innovative, more efficient, and leaner clinical development to achieve earlier a clear proof of concept or proof of failure. In this position article, we will describe and propose key considerations for the implementation of patient enrichment strategies as an opportunity to provide decision-enabling data earlier in the drug development process. We introduce an innovative multidimensional tool for immuno-oncology drug development that focuses on facilitating the identification and prioritization of enrichment-relevant biomarkers, based on the drug mechanism of action. To illustrate its utility, we discuss patient enrichment examples and use a case in the field of cancer immunotherapy, together with technical and regulatory considerations. Overall, we propose to implement fit for purpose enrichment strategies for all investigational drugs as early as possible in the development process. We believe that this will increase the success rate of immuno-oncology clinical trials, and eventually bring new and better medicines to patients faster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Cannarile
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vaios Karanikas
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernhard Reis
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Mancao
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eleni Lagkadinou
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Rüttinger
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Natascha Rieder
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Franclim R Ribeiro
- Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Henry Kao
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Dziadek
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Gomes
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Oncology, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Luo Z, Liu X, Chen Y, Shen L, Qin H, Zha Q, Hu F, Wang Y. Gene features of tumor-specific T cells relevant to immunotherapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy in lung cancer. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28374. [PMID: 38590880 PMCID: PMC10999884 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
1 Background In lung cancer, the use of small-molecule inhibitors, chemotherapy and immunotherapy has led to unprecedented survival benefits in selected patients. Considering most patients will experience a relapse within a short period of time due to single drug resistance, combination therapy is also particularly important to improve patient prognosis. Therefore, more robust biomarkers to predict responses to immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy and rationally drug combination therapies may be helpful in clinical treatment choices. 2 Methods We defined tumor-specific T cells (TSTs) and their features (TSTGs) by single-cell RNA sequencing. We applied LASSO regression to filter out the most survival-relevant TSTGs to form the Tumor-specific T cell score (TSTS). Immunological characteristics, enriched pathways, and mutation were evaluated in high- and low TSTS groups. 3 Results We identified six clusters of T cells as TSTs in lung cancer, and four most robust genes from 9 feature genes expressed only on tumor-specific T cells were screened to construct a tumor-specific T cells score (TSTS). TSTS was positively correlated with immune infiltration and angiogenesis and negatively correlated with malignant cell proliferation. Moreover, potential vascular-immune crosstalk in lung cancer provides the theoretical basis for combined anti-angiogenic and immunotherapy. Noticeable, patients in high TSTS had better response to ICB and targeted therapy and patients in the low TSTS group often benefit from chemotherapy. 4 Conclusion The proposed TSTS is a promising indicator to predict immunotherapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy responses in lung cancer patients for helping clinical treatment choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Luo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200120, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xuefei Liu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518038, China
| | - Ying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Lize Shen
- LC-Bio Technology Co.ltd, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Hui Qin
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Qiongfang Zha
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Feng Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200120, China
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10
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Turpin R, Liu R, Munne PM, Peura A, Rannikko JH, Philips G, Boeckx B, Salmelin N, Hurskainen E, Suleymanova I, Aung J, Vuorinen EM, Lehtinen L, Mutka M, Kovanen PE, Niinikoski L, Meretoja TJ, Mattson J, Mustjoki S, Saavalainen P, Goga A, Lambrechts D, Pouwels J, Hollmén M, Klefström J. Respiratory complex I regulates dendritic cell maturation in explant model of human tumor immune microenvironment. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008053. [PMID: 38604809 PMCID: PMC11015234 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combining cytotoxic chemotherapy or novel anticancer drugs with T-cell modulators holds great promise in treating advanced cancers. However, the response varies depending on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Therefore, there is a clear need for pharmacologically tractable models of the TIME to dissect its influence on mono- and combination treatment response at the individual level. METHODS Here we establish a patient-derived explant culture (PDEC) model of breast cancer, which retains the immune contexture of the primary tumor, recapitulating cytokine profiles and CD8+T cell cytotoxic activity. RESULTS We explored the immunomodulatory action of a synthetic lethal BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax+metformin drug combination ex vivo, discovering metformin cannot overcome the lymphocyte-depleting action of venetoclax. Instead, metformin promotes dendritic cell maturation through inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, increasing their capacity to co-stimulate CD4+T cells and thus facilitating antitumor immunity. CONCLUSIONS Our results establish PDECs as a feasible model to identify immunomodulatory functions of anticancer drugs in the context of patient-specific TIME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Turpin
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ruixian Liu
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pauliina M Munne
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aino Peura
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Bram Boeckx
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natasha Salmelin
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina Hurskainen
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilida Suleymanova
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - July Aung
- University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Minna Mutka
- Department of Pathology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Panu E Kovanen
- Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Niinikoski
- Breast Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomo J Meretoja
- Breast Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Mattson
- Department of oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Satu Mustjoki
- TRIMM, Translational Immunology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Andrei Goga
- Department of Cell & Tissue Biology, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Jeroen Pouwels
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Juha Klefström
- Translational Cancer Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Cancer Institute, Helsinki, Finland
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11
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Liu Y, Zhao J, Huang B, Liang Y, Jiang G, Zhou X, Chen Y, He T, Zheng M, Huang Z. Identification and validation of an immunotherapeutic signature for colon cancer based on the regulatory patterns of ferroptosis and their association with the tumor microenvironment. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2024; 1871:119698. [PMID: 38387508 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2024.119698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The integrated landscape of ferroptosis regulatory patterns and their association with colon microenvironment have been demonstrated in recent studies. However, the ferroptosis-related immunotherapeutic signature for colon cancer (CC) remains unclear. We comprehensively evaluated 1623 CC samples, identified patterns of ferroptosis modification based on ferroptosis-associated genes, and systematically correlated these patterns with tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration characteristics. In addition, the ferroptosis-regulated gene score (FRG-score) was constructed to quantify the pattern of ferroptosis alterations in individual tumors. Three distinct patterns of ferroptosis modification were identified, including antioxidant defense, iron toxicity, and lipid peroxidation. The characteristics of TME cell infiltration under these three patterns were highly consistent with the three immune phenotypes of tumors, including immune-inflamed, immune-excluded and immune-desert phenotypes. We also demonstrated that evaluation of ferroptosis regulatory patterns within individual tumors can predict tumor inflammatory status, tumor subtype, TME stromal activity, genetic variation, and clinical outcome. Immunotherapy cohorts confirmed that patients with low FRG-scores showed remarkable therapeutic and clinical benefits. Furthermore, the hub gene apolipoprotein L6 (APOL6), a drug-sensitive target associated with cancer cell ferroptosis, was identified through our proposed novel key gene screening process and validated in CC cell lines and scRNA-seq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523710, Guangdong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Junzhang Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Baoxiang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523710, Guangdong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Youcheng Liang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Guanming Jiang
- Dongguan Institute of Clinical Oncology Research in Dongguan People's Hospital, Dongguan 523018, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Xinglin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523710, Guangdong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Yilin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523710, Guangdong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Tao He
- School of Basic Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523018, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Mingbin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China; National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, Guangdong, PR China.
| | - Zunnan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Computer-Aided Drug Design of Dongguan City, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523710, Guangdong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Mining and Precision Drug Design of Guangdong Medical University, Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs of Guangdong Province, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, Guangdong, PR China.
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12
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Chowaniec H, Ślubowska A, Mroczek M, Borowczyk M, Braszka M, Dworacki G, Dobosz P, Wichtowski M. New hopes for the breast cancer treatment: perspectives on the oncolytic virus therapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1375433. [PMID: 38576614 PMCID: PMC10991781 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1375433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virus (OV) therapy has emerged as a promising frontier in cancer treatment, especially for solid tumours. While immunotherapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cells have demonstrated impressive results, their limitations in inducing complete tumour regression have spurred researchers to explore new approaches targeting tumours resistant to current immunotherapies. OVs, both natural and genetically engineered, selectively replicate within cancer cells, inducing their lysis while sparing normal tissues. Recent advancements in clinical research and genetic engineering have enabled the development of targeted viruses that modify the tumour microenvironment, triggering anti-tumour immune responses and exhibiting synergistic effects with other cancer therapies. Several OVs have been studied for breast cancer treatment, including adenovirus, protoparvovirus, vaccinia virus, reovirus, and herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1). These viruses have been modified or engineered to enhance their tumour-selective replication, reduce toxicity, and improve oncolytic properties.Newer generations of OVs, such as Oncoviron and Delta-24-RGD adenovirus, exhibit heightened replication selectivity and enhanced anticancer effects, particularly in breast cancer models. Clinical trials have explored the efficacy and safety of various OVs in treating different cancers, including melanoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, head and neck cancer, and gynecologic malignancies. Notably, Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) and Oncorine have. been approved for advanced melanoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, respectively. However, adverse effects have been reported in some cases, including flu-like symptoms and rare instances of severe complications such as fistula formation. Although no OV has been approved specifically for breast cancer treatment, ongoing preclinical clinical trials focus on four groups of viruses. While mild adverse effects like low-grade fever and nausea have been observed, the effectiveness of OV monotherapy in breast cancer remains insufficient. Combination strategies integrating OVs with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy, show promise in improving therapeutic outcomes. Oncolytic virus therapy holds substantial potential in breast cancer treatment, demonstrating safety in trials. Multi-approach strategies combining OVs with conventional therapies exhibit more promising therapeutic effects than monotherapy, signalling a hopeful future for OV-based breast cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Chowaniec
- Department of Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Antonina Ślubowska
- Department of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Mroczek
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Univeristy of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martyna Borowczyk
- Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Braszka
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grzegorz Dworacki
- Department of Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Chair of Patomorphology and Clinical Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paula Dobosz
- University Centre of Cancer Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Wichtowski
- Surgical Oncology Clinic, Institute of Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Qin X, Lam A, Zhang X, Sengupta S, Iorgulescu JB, Ni H, Das S, Rager M, Zhou Z, Zuo T, Meara GK, Floru AE, Kemet C, Veerapaneni D, Kashy D, Lin L, Lloyd K, Kwok L, Smith KS, Nagaraju RT, Meijers R, Ceol C, Liu CT, Alexandrescu S, Wu CJ, Keskin DB, George RE, Feng H. CKLF instigates a "cold" microenvironment to promote MYCN-mediated tumor aggressiveness. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadh9547. [PMID: 38489372 PMCID: PMC10942121 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Solid tumors, especially those with aberrant MYCN activation, often harbor an immunosuppressive microenvironment to fuel malignant growth and trigger treatment resistance. Despite this knowledge, there are no effective strategies to tackle this problem. We found that chemokine-like factor (CKLF) is highly expressed by various solid tumor cells and transcriptionally up-regulated by MYCN. Using the MYCN-driven high-risk neuroblastoma as a model system, we demonstrated that as early as the premalignant stage, tumor cells secrete CKLF to attract CCR4-expressing CD4+ cells, inducing immunosuppression and tumor aggression. Genetic depletion of CD4+ T regulatory cells abolishes the immunorestrictive and protumorigenic effects of CKLF. Our work supports that disrupting CKLF-mediated cross-talk between tumor and CD4+ suppressor cells represents a promising immunotherapeutic approach to battling MYCN-driven tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Qin
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Lam
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xu Zhang
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Satyaki Sengupta
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J. Bryan Iorgulescu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Department of Hematopathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hongru Ni
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjukta Das
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubanesw, India
| | - Madison Rager
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhenwei Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tao Zuo
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Grace K. Meara
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander E. Floru
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chinyere Kemet
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Divya Veerapaneni
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Kashy
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liang Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Lauren Kwok
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaylee S. Smith
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raghavendar T. Nagaraju
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Colorectal and Peritoneal Oncology Centre, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Rob Meijers
- Institute for Protein Innovation, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Craig Ceol
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ching-Ti Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanda Alexandrescu
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine J. Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Derin B. Keskin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Translational Immunogenomics Laboratory, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Computer Science, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rani E. George
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hui Feng
- Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Ma XT, Liu X, Ou K, Yang L. Construction of an immune-related gene signature for overall survival prediction and immune infiltration in gastric cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:919-932. [PMID: 38577455 PMCID: PMC10989356 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i3.919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment options for patients with gastric cancer (GC) continue to improve, but the overall prognosis is poor. The use of PD-1 inhibitors has also brought benefits to patients with advanced GC and has gradually become the new standard treatment option at present, and there is an urgent need to identify valuable biomarkers to classify patients with different characteristics into subgroups. AIM To determined the effects of differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) on the development, prognosis, tumor microenvironment (TME), and treatment response among GC patients with the expectation of providing new biomarkers for personalized treatment of GC populations. METHODS Gene expression data and clinical pathologic information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and immune-related genes (IRGs) were searched from ImmPort. DEIRGs were extracted from the intersection of the differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) and IRGs lists. The enrichment pathways of key genes were obtained by analyzing the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGGs) and Gene Ontology (GO) databases. To identify genes associated with prognosis, a tumor risk score model based on DEIRGs was constructed using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator and multivariate Cox regression. The tumor risk score was divided into high- and low-risk groups. The entire cohort was randomly divided into a 2:1 training cohort and a test cohort for internal validation to assess the feasibility of the risk model. The infiltration of immune cells was obtained using 'CIBERSORT,' and the infiltration of immune subgroups in high- and low-risk groups was analyzed. The GC immune score data were obtained and the difference in immune scores between the two groups was analyzed. RESULTS We collected 412 GC and 36 adjacent tissue samples, and identified 3627 DEGs and 1311 IRGs. A total of 482 DEIRGs were obtained. GO analysis showed that DEIRGs were mainly distributed in immunoglobulin complexes, receptor ligand activity, and signaling receptor activators. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the top three DEIRGs enrichment types were cytokine-cytokine receptors, neuroactive ligand receptor interactions, and viral protein interactions. We ultimately obtained an immune-related signature based on 10 genes, including 9 risk genes (LCN1, LEAP2, TMSB15A mRNA, DEFB126, PI15, IGHD3-16, IGLV3-22, CGB5, and GLP2R) and 1 protective gene (LGR6). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and risk curves confirmed that the risk model had good predictive ability. Multivariate COX analysis showed that age, stage, and risk score were independent prognostic factors for patients with GC. Meanwhile, patients in the low-risk group had higher tumor mutation burden and immunophenotype, which can be used to predict the immune checkpoint inhibitor response. Both cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen4+ and programmed death 1+ patients with lower risk scores were more sensitive to immunotherapy. CONCLUSION In this study a new prognostic model consisting of 10 DEIRGs was constructed based on the TME. By providing risk factor analysis and prognostic information, our risk model can provide new directions for immunotherapy in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ting Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Xiu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Kai Ou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
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Shi Y, Bashian EE, Hou Y, Wu P. Chemical immunology: Recent advances in tool development and applications. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:S2451-9456(24)00080-1. [PMID: 38508196 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Immunology was one of the first biological fields to embrace chemical approaches. The development of new chemical approaches and techniques has provided immunologists with an impressive arsenal of tools to address challenges once considered insurmountable. This review focuses on advances at the interface of chemistry and immunobiology over the past two decades that have not only opened new avenues in basic immunological research, but also revolutionized drug development for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. These include chemical approaches to understand and manipulate antigen presentation and the T cell priming process, to facilitate immune cell trafficking and regulate immune cell functions, and therapeutic applications of chemical approaches to disease control and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Shi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Eleanor E Bashian
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yingqin Hou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Moore J, Gkantalis J, Guix I, Chou W, Yuen K, Lazar AA, Spitzer M, Combes AJ, Barcellos-Hoff MH. Lack of TGFβ signaling competency predicts conversion of immune poor cancer to immune rich and response to checkpoint blockade. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.06.583752. [PMID: 38496519 PMCID: PMC10942434 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Background Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is well-recognized as an immunosuppressive player in the tumor microenvironment but also has a significant impact on cancer cell phenotypes. Loss of TGFβ signaling impairs DNA repair competency, which is described by a transcriptomic score, βAlt. Cancers with high βAlt have more genomic damage and are more responsive to genotoxic therapy. The growing appreciation that cancer DNA repair deficits are important determinants of immune response prompted us to investigate βAlt's association with response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). We predicted that high βAlt tumors would be infiltrated with lymphocytes because of DNA damage burden and hence responsive to ICB. Methods We analyzed public transcriptomic data from clinical trials and preclinical models using transcriptomic signatures of TGFβ targets, DNA repair genes, tumor educated immune cells and interferon. A high βAlt, immune poor mammary tumor derived transplant model resistant to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies was studied using multispectral flow cytometry to interrogate the immune system. Results Metastatic bladder patients in IMvigor 210 who responded to ICB had significantly increased βAlt scores and experienced significantly longer overall survival compared to those with low βAlt scores (hazard ratio 0.62, P=0.011). Unexpectedly, 75% of high βAlt cancers were immune poor as defined by low expression of tumor educated immune cell and interferon signatures. The association of high βAlt with immune poor cancer was also evident in TCGA and preclinical cancer models. We used a high βAlt, immune poor cancer to test therapeutic strategies to overcome its inherent anti-PD-L1 resistance. Combination treatment with radiation and TGFβ inhibition were necessary for lymphocytic infiltration and activated NK cells were required for ICB response. Bioinformatic analysis identified high βAlt, immune poor B16 and CT26 preclinical models and paired biopsies of cancer patients that also demonstrated NK cell activation upon response to ICB. Conclusions Our studies confirm βAlt as a biomarker that predicts response to ICB in immune poor cancers., which has implications for the development of therapeutic strategies to increase the number of cancer patients who will benefit from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Moore
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- A member of the imCORE Network
| | - Jim Gkantalis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ines Guix
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William Chou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kobe Yuen
- Oncology Biomarker Development, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ann A Lazar
- Division of Oral Epidemiology and Division of Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mathew Spitzer
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
- A member of the imCORE Network
| | - Alexis J Combes
- Department of Pathology, CoLabs, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- A member of the imCORE Network
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Repáraz D, Casares N, Fuentes A, Navarro F. Establishment of a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model by hydrodynamic injection and characterization of the immune tumor microenvironment. Methods Cell Biol 2024; 185:79-97. [PMID: 38556453 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant neoplasms. Current treatments for HCC, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have limited efficacy, highlighting the urgent need for better therapies. Immunotherapies, including anti-programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) and anti-Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), and more recently, the combination of anti-PD-L1 and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibodies, have shown efficacy against HCC, resulting in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. However, these immunotherapies only show efficiency in a small proportion of patients, meaning there is a great need to improve and optimize treatments against HCC. Accurate animal models that mimic human HCC are necessary to help better understand the nature of these tumors, which in turn will allow the development and testing of new treatments. Existing pre-clinical HCC models can be divided into non-genetic and genetic models. Non-genetic models involve implanting human or murine HCC cell lines or inducing tumors using chemical compounds or dietary modifications. These models have limitations, including slow tumor development and a lack of resemblance to human HCC. Genetic models, on the other hand, manipulate gene expression to induce HCC in mice and provide a better understanding of the effects of specific genes on tumor development. One method commonly used to generate HCC is hydrodynamic tail vein injection (HTVI), which consists of the delivery of oncogenes directly to the liver, resulting in expression and subsequent hepatocyte transformation. Usually, Sleeping Beauty transposase-containing plasmids are used to achieve stable and long-term gene expression. Once the HCC tumor is generated, and a proper tumor microenvironment (TME) is established, it is important to study the immune compartment of the TME, which plays a crucial role in HCC development and response to treatment. Techniques like flow cytometry can be used to analyze the immune cell populations in HCC tumors and assess their impact on tumor development and survival in mice. In this article, we thoroughly describe an example of the methodology to successfully generate HCC murine models via HTVI, and we propose a way to characterize the immune TME by flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Repáraz
- Radio-Oncology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Noelia Casares
- Programa de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Andrea Fuentes
- Programa de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Flor Navarro
- Programa de Inmunología e Inmunoterapia, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain.
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Anami T, Ibe Y, Li L, Komohara Y, Hirao H, Harada M, Yano H, Fujiwara Y, Motoshima T, Yatsuda J, Hibi T, Kamba T. Overexpression of SerpinB9 in non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Med Mol Morphol 2024; 57:68-75. [PMID: 37991604 DOI: 10.1007/s00795-023-00374-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Serpinb9 is an inhibitor of granzyme B and is potentially involved in the immune escape of tumor cells. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis using open databases suggested that SerpinB9 is overexpressed in testicular embryonal carcinoma. Immunohistological analysis was performed on 28 cases of testicular germ cell tumors to investigate the relationship between SerpinB9 expression in testicular germ cell tumors and the tumor immune environment. SerpinB9 was significantly upregulated in the non-seminoma group and inversely correlated with the number of tumor-infiltrating CD8-positive cells. In addition, yolk sac tumors were characterized by the loss of human leukocyte antigen-class I expression. These findings suggest that SerpinB9 contributes to the immune escape of testicular germ cell tumors. Targeting therapy for SerpinB9 might therefore be useful in immunotherapy for testicular germ cell tumors resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Anami
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | - Yuki Ibe
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Lianbo Li
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Komohara
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Hiroki Hirao
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Mamoru Harada
- Department of Immunology, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Shimane, Japan
| | - Hiromu Yano
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yukio Fujiwara
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takanobu Motoshima
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Junji Yatsuda
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Taizo Hibi
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Tomomi Kamba
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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Kane G, Lusi C, Brassil M, Atukorale P. Engineering approaches for innate immune-mediated tumor microenvironment remodeling. Immunooncol Technol 2024; 21:100406. [PMID: 38213392 PMCID: PMC10777078 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2023.100406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy offers transformative promise particularly for the treatment of lethal cancers, since a correctly trained immune system can comprehensively orchestrate tumor clearance with no need for continued therapeutic intervention. Historically, the majority of immunotherapies have been T cell-focused and have included immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, and T-cell vaccines. Unfortunately T-cell-focused therapies have failed to achieve optimal efficacy in most solid tumors largely because of a highly immunosuppressed 'cold' or immune-excluded tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, a rapidly growing treatment paradigm has emerged that focuses on activation of tumor-resident innate antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, which can drive a proinflammatory immune response to remodel the TME from 'cold' or immune-excluded to 'hot'. Early strategies for TME remodeling centered on free cytokines and agonists, but these approaches have faced significant hurdles in both delivery and efficacy. Systemic toxicity from off-target inflammation is a paramount concern in these therapies. To address this critical gap, engineering approaches have provided the opportunity to add 'built-in' capabilities to cytokines, agonists, and other therapeutic agents to mediate improved delivery and efficacy. Such capabilities have included protective encapsulation to shield them from degradation, targeting to direct them with high specificity to tumors, and co-delivery strategies to harness synergistic proinflammatory pathways. Here, we review innate immune-mediated TME remodeling engineering approaches that focus on cytokines, innate immune agonists, immunogenic viruses, and cell-based methods, highlighting emerging preclinical approaches and strategies that are either being tested in clinical trials or already Food and Drug Administration approved.
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Affiliation(s)
- G.I. Kane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Cancer Center, Worcester
| | - C.F. Lusi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Cancer Center, Worcester
| | - M.L. Brassil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Cancer Center, Worcester
| | - P.U. Atukorale
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Cancer Center, Worcester
- Division of Innate Immunity, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, USA
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20
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Jeon Y, Lee G, Jeong H, Gong G, Kim J, Kim K, Jeong JH, Lee HJ. Proteomic analysis of breast cancer based on immune subtypes. Clin Proteomics 2024; 21:17. [PMID: 38424522 PMCID: PMC10905797 DOI: 10.1186/s12014-024-09463-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy is applied to breast cancer to resolve the limitations of survival gain in existing treatment modalities. With immunotherapy, a tumor can be classified into immune-inflamed, excluded and desert based on the distribution of immune cells. We assessed the clinicopathological features, each subtype's prognostic value and differentially expressed proteins between immune subtypes. METHODS Immune subtyping and proteomic analysis were performed on 56 breast cancer cases with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The immune subtyping was based on the level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and Klintrup criteria. If the level of TILs was ≥ 10%, it was classified as immune-inflamed type without consideration of the Klintrup criteria. In cases of 1-9% TIL, Klintrup criteria 1-3 were classified as the immune-excluded subtype and Klintrup criteria not available (NA) was classified as NA. Cases of 1% TILs and Klintrup 0 were classified as the immune-desert subtype. Mass spectrometry was used to identify differentially expressed proteins in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy tissues. RESULTS Of the 56 cases, 31 (55%) were immune-inflamed, 21 (38%) were immune-excluded, 2 (4%) were immune-desert and 2 (4%) were NA. Welch's t-test revealed two differentially expressed proteins between immune-inflamed and immune-excluded/desert subtypes. Coronin-1A was upregulated in immune-inflamed tumors (adjusted p = 0.008) and α-1-antitrypsin was upregulated in immune-excluded/desert tumors (adjusted p = 0.008). Titin was upregulated in pathologic complete response (pCR) than non-pCR among immune-inflamed tumors (adjusted p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS Coronin-1A and α-1-antitrypsin were upregulated in immune-inflamed and immune-excluded/desert subtypes, respectively. Titin's elevated expression in pCR within the immune-inflamed subtype may indicate a favorable prognosis. Further studies involving large representative cohorts are necessary to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonjin Jeon
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - GunHee Lee
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hwangkyo Jeong
- Prometabio Research Institute, Prometabio co., ltd, Hanam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyungyub Gong
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - JiSun Kim
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyunggon Kim
- Department of Digital Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Ho Jeong
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Hee Jin Lee
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology (AMIST), Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- NeogenTC Corp, Seoul, Korea.
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21
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Xu X, Ma M, Ye K, Zhang D, Chen X, Wu J, Mo X, Xiao Z, Shi C, Luo L. Magnetic resonance imaging-based approaches for detecting the efficacy of combining therapy following VEGFR-2 and PD-1 blockade in a colon cancer model. J Transl Med 2024; 22:198. [PMID: 38395884 PMCID: PMC10893708 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04975-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiogenesis inhibitors have been identified to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in recent studies. However, the delayed therapeutic effect of immunotherapy poses challenges in treatment planning. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential of non-invasive imaging techniques, specifically intravoxel-incoherent-motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI), in detecting the anti-tumor response to the combination therapy involving immune checkpoint blockade therapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy in a tumor-bearing animal model. METHODS The C57BL/6 mice were implanted with murine MC-38 cells to establish colon cancer xenograft model, and randomly divided into the control group, anti-PD-1 therapy group, and combination therapy group (VEGFR-2 inhibitor combined with anti-PD-1 antibody treatment). All mice were imaged before and, on the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th day after administration, and pathological examinations were conducted at the same time points. RESULTS The combination therapy group effectively suppressed tumor growth, exhibiting a significantly higher tumor inhibition rate of 69.96% compared to the anti-PD-1 group (56.71%). The f value and D* value of IVIM-DWI exhibit advantages in reflecting tumor angiogenesis. The D* value showed the highest correlation with CD31 (r = 0.702, P = 0.001), and the f value demonstrated the closest correlation with vessel maturity (r = 0.693, P = 0.001). While the BOLD-MRI parameter, R2* value, shows the highest correlation with Hif-1α(r = 0.778, P < 0.001), indicating the capability of BOLD-MRI to evaluate tumor hypoxia. In addition, the D value of IVIM-DWI is closely related to tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and infiltration of lymphocytes. The D value was highly correlated with Ki-67 (r = - 0.792, P < 0.001), TUNEL (r = 0.910, P < 0.001) and CD8a (r = 0.918, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The combination of VEGFR-2 inhibitors with PD-1 immunotherapy shows a synergistic anti-tumor effect on the mouse colon cancer model. IVIM-DWI and BOLD-MRI are expected to be used as non-invasive approaches to provide imaging-based evidence for tumor response detection and efficacy evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Xu
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Mengjie Ma
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Kunlin Ye
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xinhui Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jiayang Wu
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xukai Mo
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zeyu Xiao
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Changzheng Shi
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Liangping Luo
- Medical Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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Demeule M, Currie JC, Charfi C, Zgheib A, Cousineau I, Lullier V, Béliveau R, Marsolais C, Annabi B. Sudocetaxel Zendusortide (TH1902) triggers the cGAS/STING pathway and potentiates anti-PD-L1 immune-mediated tumor cell killing. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1355945. [PMID: 38482021 PMCID: PMC10936008 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1355945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The anticancer efficacy of Sudocetaxel Zendusortide (TH1902), a peptide-drug conjugate internalized through a sortilin-mediated process, was assessed in a triple-negative breast cancer-derived MDA-MB-231 immunocompromised xenograft tumor model where complete tumor regression was observed for more than 40 days after the last treatment. Surprisingly, immunohistochemistry analysis revealed high staining of STING, a master regulator in the cancer-immunity cycle. A weekly administration of TH1902 as a single agent in a murine B16-F10 melanoma syngeneic tumor model demonstrated superior tumor growth inhibition than did docetaxel. A net increase in CD45 leukocyte infiltration within TH1902-treated tumors, especially for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor-associated macrophages was observed. Increased staining of perforin, granzyme B, and caspase-3 was suggestive of elevated cytotoxic T and natural killer cell activities. Combined TH1902/anti-PD-L1 treatment led to increases in tumor growth inhibition and median animal survival. TH1902 inhibited cell proliferation and triggered apoptosis and senescence in B16-F10 cells in vitro, while inducing several downstream effectors of the cGAS/STING pathway and the expression of MHC-I and PD-L1. This is the first evidence that TH1902 exerts its antitumor activity, in part, through modulation of the immune tumor microenvironment and that the combination of TH1902 with checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-L1) could lead to improved clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alain Zgheib
- Laboratoire d’Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Cousineau
- Laboratoire d’Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Véronique Lullier
- Laboratoire d’Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard Béliveau
- Laboratoire d’Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Borhane Annabi
- Laboratoire d’Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Mei S, Peng S, Vong EG, Zhan J. A dual-functional oncolytic adenovirus ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv armed with PD-L1 inhibitor potentiates its antitumor activity. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 128:111579. [PMID: 38278066 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical data indicate that a substantial portion of cancer patients, though eligible for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, cannot fully benefit from ICI monotherapy due to the poor immunogenicity of tumors and lack of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes within the 'cold' tumor microenvironment (TME). In addition to poor antibody penetrance into the TME, systemic delivery of ICIs is associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) among recipients, some of which are life-threatening. Oncolytic virotherapy is a potentially viable approach to improving the efficacy of ICI therapy because of their ability to selectively replicate and lyse tumor cells, release tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), induce inflammatory response and promote lymphocyte infiltration in tumors. METHODS A recombinant oncolytic adenoviruses (OAd), denoted ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv, which carried the expression cassette for anti-PD-L1 scFv was constructed by molecular cloning. Western blot and ELISA assay were performed to detect aPD-L1 scFv expression. Flow cytometry were used to analyse PD-L1 expression and count tumor cells. Co-culture assay of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with tumor cells in vitro and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing model in vivo were evaluated the antitumor effects of recombinant oncolytic adenoviruses ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv. RESULTS We found that cells infected with recombinant oncolytic adenovirus ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv can effectively express aPD-L1 scFv, which function similarly to its full-length anti-PD-L1 antibody. PBMCs have inherently very limited killing effect on tumor cells even with administration of anti-PD-L1 antibody as observed from our in vitro co-cultures. Treatment consisting of ZD55 alone or ZD55 combined with anti-PD-L1 antibody yielded mediocre antitumor efficacy in subsequent in vitro and in vivo investigations, but were all substantially surpassed by the synergistic antitumor effects observed with ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv treatment. We show that the concomitant direct oncolysis by the recombinant OAd and localized autocrine/paracrine interception of PD-1:PD-L1 checkpoint interaction mediated by ZD55-aPD-L1 scFv-infected cells is exceedingly superior to co-administration of ZD55 and anti-PD-L1 antibody in the human TNBC mice model. CONCLUSIONS Our results provided evidence for the development of novel strategies, in this case an anti-PD-L1 scFv-armed OAd, to bolster immune responses to 'cold' tumors and to improve therapeutic responsiveness to ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengsheng Mei
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Peng
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Eu Gene Vong
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinbiao Zhan
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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Li F, Yan J, Leng J, Yu T, Zhou H, Liu C, Huang W, Sun Q, Zhao W. Expression patterns of E2Fs identify tumor microenvironment features in human gastric cancer. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16911. [PMID: 38371373 PMCID: PMC10870925 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective E2F transcription factors are associated with tumor development, but their underlying mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. This study explored whether E2Fs determine the prognosis or immune and therapy responses of GC patients. Methods E2F regulation patterns from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were systematically investigated and E2F patterns were correlated with the characteristics of cellular infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME). A principal component analysis was used to construct an E2F scoring model based on prognosis-related differential genes to quantify the E2F regulation of a single tumor. This scoring model was then tested in patient cohorts to predict effects of immunotherapy. Results Based on the expression profiles of E2F transcription factors in GC, two different regulatory patterns of E2F were identified. TME and survival differences emerged between the two clusters. Lower survival rates in the Cluster2 group were attributed to limited immune function due to stromal activation. The E2F scoring model was then constructed based on the E2F-related prognostic genes. Evidence supported the E2F score as an independent and effective prognostic factor and predictor of immunotherapy response. A gene-set analysis correlated E2F score with the characteristics of immune cell infiltration within the TME. The immunotherapy cohort database showed that patients with a higher E2F score demonstrated better survival and immune responses. Conclusions This study found that differences in GC prognosis might be related to the E2F patterns in the TME. The E2F scoring system developed in this study has practical value as a predictor of survival and treatment response in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanni Li
- Department of Talent Highland, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jun Yan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jing Leng
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Tianyu Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huayou Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Hanzhong Central Hospital, Hanzhong, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wenbo Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
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Mowday AM, van de Laak JM, Fu Z, Henare KL, Dubois L, Lambin P, Theys J, Patterson AV. Tumor-targeting bacteria as immune stimulants - the future of cancer immunotherapy? Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38346140 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2311653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies have been widely hailed as a breakthrough for cancer treatment in the last decade, epitomized by the unprecedented results observed with checkpoint blockade. Even so, only a minority of patients currently achieve durable remissions. In general, responsive patients appear to have either a high number of tumor neoantigens, a preexisting immune cell infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment, or an 'immune-active' transcriptional profile, determined in part by the presence of a type I interferon gene signature. These observations suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy can be enhanced through strategies that release tumor neoantigens and/or produce a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment. In principle, exogenous tumor-targeting bacteria offer a unique solution for improving responsiveness to immunotherapy. This review discusses how tumor-selective bacterial infection can modulate the immunological microenvironment of the tumor and the potential for combination with cancer immunotherapy strategies to further increase therapeutic efficacy. In addition, we provide a perspective on the clinical translation of replicating bacterial therapies, with a focus on the challenges that must be resolved to ensure a successful outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Mowday
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jella M van de Laak
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Zhe Fu
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kimiora L Henare
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ludwig Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Lambin
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Theys
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Adam V Patterson
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Mlynska A, Gibavičienė J, Kutanovaitė O, Senkus L, Mažeikaitė J, Kerševičiūtė I, Maskoliūnaitė V, Rupeikaitė N, Sabaliauskaitė R, Gaiževska J, Suveizdė K, Kraśko JA, Dobrovolskienė N, Paberalė E, Žymantaitė E, Pašukonienė V. Defining Melanoma Immune Biomarkers-Desert, Excluded, and Inflamed Subtypes-Using a Gene Expression Classifier Reflecting Intratumoral Immune Response and Stromal Patterns. Biomolecules 2024; 14:171. [PMID: 38397409 PMCID: PMC10886750 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The spatial distribution of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) defines several histologically and clinically distinct immune subtypes-desert (no TILs), excluded (TILs in stroma), and inflamed (TILs in tumor parenchyma). To date, robust classification of immune subtypes still requires deeper experimental evidence across various cancer types. Here, we aimed to investigate, define, and validate the immune subtypes in melanoma by coupling transcriptional and histological assessments of the lymphocyte distribution in tumor parenchyma and stroma. We used the transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas melanoma dataset to screen for the desert, excluded, and inflamed immune subtypes. We defined subtype-specific genes and used them to construct a subtype assignment algorithm. We validated the two-step algorithm in the qPCR data of real-world melanoma tumors with histologically defined immune subtypes. The accuracy of a classifier encompassing expression data of seven genes (immune response-related: CD2, CD53, IRF1, and CD8B; and stroma-related: COL5A2, TNFAIP6, and INHBA) in a validation cohort reached 79%. Our findings suggest that melanoma tumors can be classified into transcriptionally and histologically distinct desert, excluded, and inflamed subtypes. Gene expression-based algorithms can assist physicians and pathologists as biomarkers in the rapid assessment of a tumor immune microenvironment while serving as a tool for clinical decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Mlynska
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
- Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jolita Gibavičienė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Otilija Kutanovaitė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Linas Senkus
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Julija Mažeikaitė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Ieva Kerševičiūtė
- Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania (N.R.)
| | - Vygantė Maskoliūnaitė
- Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania (N.R.)
- National Center of Pathology, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Neda Rupeikaitė
- Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania (N.R.)
| | - Rasa Sabaliauskaitė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Justina Gaiževska
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Karolina Suveizdė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Jan Aleksander Kraśko
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
- Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Neringa Dobrovolskienė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Emilija Paberalė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
- Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania (N.R.)
| | - Eglė Žymantaitė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
| | - Vita Pašukonienė
- National Cancer Institute, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania; (J.G.); (O.K.); (R.S.); (N.D.); (E.P.); (V.P.)
- Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
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Liu JS, Cai YX, He YZ, Xu J, Tian SF, Li ZQ. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of tumor immune microenvironment between primary tumor and brain metastases in NSCLC. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:123. [PMID: 38267913 PMCID: PMC10809508 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-11875-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain metastasis is a common outcome in non-small cell lung cancer, and despite aggressive treatment, its clinical outcome is still frustrating. In recent years, immunotherapy has been developing rapidly, however, its therapeutic outcomes for primary lung cancer and brain metastases are not the same, suggesting that there may be differences in the immune microenvironment of primary lung cancer and brain metastases, however, we currently know little about these differences. METHODS Seventeen paired samples of NSCLC and their brain metastases and 45 other unpaired brain metastases samples were collected for the current study. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on all samples for the following markers: immune checkpoints CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, B7-H3, B7-H4, IDO1, and EphA2; tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD20; tumor-associated microglia/macrophages (TAMs) CD68 and CD163; and tumor proliferation index Ki-67. The differences in expression of these markers were compared in 17 paired samples, and the effect of the expression level of these markers on the prognosis of patients was analyzed in lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases samples. Subsequently, multiplex immunofluorescence staining was performed in a typical lung-brain paired sample based on the aforementioned results. The multiplex immunofluorescence staining results revealed the difference in tumor immune microenvironment between primary NSCLC and brain metastases. RESULTS In 17 paired lesions, the infiltration of CTLA-4+ (P = 0.461), PD-1+ (P = 0.106), CD3+ (P = 0.045), CD4+ (P = 0.037), CD8+ (P = 0.008), and CD20+ (P = 0.029) TILs in brain metastases were significantly decreased compared with primary tumors. No statistically significant difference was observed in the CD68 (P = 0.954) and CD163 (P = 0.654) TAM infiltration between primary NSCLC and paired brain metastases. In all the brain metastases lesions, the expression of PD-L1 is related to the time interval of brain metastases in NSCLC. In addition, the Cox proportional hazards regression models showed high expression of B7-H4 (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.276, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.335-8.041, P = 0.010) and CD68 TAM infiltration (HR = 3.775, 95% CI 1.419-10.044, P = 0.008) were independent prognosis factors for lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases patients. CONCLUSIONS Both temporal and spatial heterogeneity is present between the primary tumor and brain metastases of NCSLC. Brain metastases lesions exhibit a more immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment. B7-H4 and CD68+ TAMs may have potential therapeutic value for lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Sheng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Cai
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong-Ze He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China
| | - Su-Fang Tian
- Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China.
| | - Zhi-Qiang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 430062, Wuhan, China.
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Liu X, Cheng Y, Mu Y, Zhang Z, Tian D, Liu Y, Hu X, Wen T. Diverse drug delivery systems for the enhancement of cancer immunotherapy: an overview. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1328145. [PMID: 38298192 PMCID: PMC10828056 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1328145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the clear benefits demonstrated by immunotherapy, there is still an inevitable off-target effect resulting in serious adverse immune reactions. In recent years, the research and development of Drug Delivery System (DDS) has received increased prominence. In decades of development, DDS has demonstrated the ability to deliver drugs in a precisely targeted manner to mitigate side effects and has the advantages of flexible control of drug release, improved pharmacokinetics, and drug distribution. Therefore, we consider that combining cancer immunotherapy with DDS can enhance the anti-tumor ability. In this paper, we provide an overview of the latest drug delivery strategies in cancer immunotherapy and briefly introduce the characteristics of DDS based on nano-carriers (liposomes, polymer nano-micelles, mesoporous silica, extracellular vesicles, etc.) and coupling technology (ADCs, PDCs and targeted protein degradation). Our aim is to show readers a variety of drug delivery platforms under different immune mechanisms, and analyze their advantages and limitations, to provide more superior and accurate targeting strategies for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Infectious Disease of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Department of Respiratory and Infectious Disease of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yao Mu
- Department of Respiratory and Infectious Disease of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | | | - Dan Tian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Clinical Cancer Treatment and Research Center of Shenyang, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xuejun Hu
- Department of Respiratory and Infectious Disease of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Ti Wen
- Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Liaoning Province Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Clinical Cancer Treatment and Research Center of Shenyang, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Chiu HW, Lee HL, Lee HH, Lu HW, Lin KYH, Lin YF, Lin CH. AIM2 promotes irradiation resistance, migration ability and PD-L1 expression through STAT1/NF-κB activation in oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 2024; 22:13. [PMID: 38166970 PMCID: PMC10762966 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04825-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radioresistance and lymph node metastasis are common phenotypes of refractory oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). As a result, understanding the mechanism for radioresistance and metastatic progression is urgently needed for the precise management of refractory OSCC. Recently, immunotherapies, e.g. immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), were employed to treat refractory OSCC; however, the lack of predictive biomarkers still limited their therapeutic effectiveness. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)/Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases and RT-PCR analysis were used to determine absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) expression in OSCC samples. Colony-forming assay and trans-well cultivation was established for estimating AIM2 function in modulating the irradiation resistance and migration ability of OSCC cells, respectively. RT-PCR, Western blot and flow-cytometric analyses were performed to examine AIM2 effects on the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Luciferase-based reporter assay and site-directed mutagenesis were employed to determine the transcriptional regulatory activity of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) and NF-κB towards the AIM2-triggered PD-L1 expression. RESULTS Here, we found that AIM2 is extensively upregulated in primary tumors compared to the normal adjacent tissues and acts as a poor prognostic marker in OSCC. AIM2 knockdown mitigated, but overexpression promoted, radioresistance, migration and PD-L1 expression via modulating the activity of STAT1/NF-κB in OSCC cell variants. AIM2 upregulation significantly predicted a favorable response in patients receiving ICI treatments. CONCLUSIONS Our data unveil AIM2 as a critical factor for promoting radioresistance, metastasis and PD-L1 expression and as a potential biomarker for predicting ICI effectiveness on the refractory OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Wen Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center of Urology and Kidney, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Lun Lee
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsun-Hua Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Vertigo and Balance Impairment Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Wei Lu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Kent Yu-Hsien Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, North Shore Private Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Gynecology, Ryde Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yuan-Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11696, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Pang Y, Ji J, He J, Liu T, Ouyang L, Zhang W, Zhang XL, Zhang ZG, Zhang K, Sun W. Harnessing 3D in vitro systems to model immune responses to solid tumours: a step towards improving and creating personalized immunotherapies. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:18-32. [PMID: 37402992 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00896-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
In vitro 3D models are advanced biological tools that have been established to overcome the shortcomings of oversimplified 2D cultures and mouse models. Various in vitro 3D immuno-oncology models have been developed to mimic and recapitulate the cancer-immunity cycle, evaluate immunotherapy regimens, and explore options for optimizing current immunotherapies, including for individual patient tumours. Here, we review recent developments in this field. We focus, first, on the limitations of existing immunotherapies for solid tumours, secondly, on how in vitro 3D immuno-oncology models are established using various technologies - including scaffolds, organoids, microfluidics and 3D bioprinting - and thirdly, on the applications of these 3D models for comprehending the cancer-immunity cycle as well as for assessing and improving immunotherapies for solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Zhou
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Pang
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China.
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingyuan Ji
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyu He
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Tiankun Liu
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Liliang Ouyang
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Immunology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaitai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Aetiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, China.
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Park JH, Kwag E, Jeong MK, Park SJ, Lee S, Yoo HS. Genome-wide Analysis Identified SEMA4D, Novel Candidate Gene for Temperature Sensitivity in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Integr Cancer Ther 2024; 23:15347354241233544. [PMID: 38469817 PMCID: PMC10935759 DOI: 10.1177/15347354241233544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the era of precision medicine, individual temperature sensitivity has been highlighted. This trait has traditionally been used for cold-heat pattern identification to understand the inherent physical characteristics, which are influenced by genetic factors, of an individual. However, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on this trait are limited. METHODS Using genotype data from 90 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and epidermal growth factor receptor mutations, we performed a GWAS to assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and temperature sensitivity, such as cold and heat scores. The score of each participant was evaluated using self-administered questionnaires on common symptoms and a 15-item symptom-based cold-heat pattern identification questionnaire. RESULTS The GWAS was adjusted for confounding factors, including age and sex, and significant associations were identified for cold and heat scores: SNP rs145814326, located on the intron of SORCS2 at chromosome 4p16.1, had a P-value of 1.86 × 10-7; and SNP rs79297667, located upstream from SEMA4D at chromosome 9q22.2, had a P-value of 8.97 × 10-8. We also found that the genetic variant regulates the expression level of SEMA4D in the main tissues, including the lungs and white blood cells, in NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS SEMA4D was found to be significantly associated with temperature sensitivity in patients with NSCLC, suggesting an increased expression of SEMA4D in patients with higher heat scores. The potential role of temperature sensitivity as a prognostic or predictive marker of immune response in NSCLC should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyang Park
- Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunbin Kwag
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - Mi-Kyung Jeong
- Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Jung Park
- Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghun Lee
- Department of Bioconvergence & Engineering, Graduate School, Dankook University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwa-Seung Yoo
- Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Chen JQ, Salas LA, Wiencke JK, Koestler DC, Molinaro AM, Andrew AS, Seigne JD, Karagas MR, Kelsey KT, Christensen BC. Matched analysis of detailed peripheral blood and tumor immune microenvironment profiles in bladder cancer. Epigenomics 2024; 16:41-56. [PMID: 38221889 PMCID: PMC10804212 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Bladder cancer and therapy responses hinge on immune profiles in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and blood, yet studies linking tumor-infiltrating immune cells to peripheral immune profiles are limited. Methods: DNA methylation cytometry quantified TME and matched peripheral blood immune cell proportions. With tumor immune profile data as the input, subjects were grouped by immune infiltration status and consensus clustering. Results: Immune hot and cold groups had different immune compositions in the TME but not in circulating blood. Two clusters of patients identified with consensus clustering had different immune compositions not only in the TME but also in blood. Conclusion: Detailed immune profiling via methylation cytometry reveals the significance of understanding tumor and systemic immune relationships in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Lucas A Salas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - John K Wiencke
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Devin C Koestler
- Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Annette M Molinaro
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Angeline S Andrew
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - John D Seigne
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Karl T Kelsey
- Departments of Epidemiology & Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Brock C Christensen
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
- Departments of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
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Mishra R. Oral tumor heterogeneity, its implications for patient monitoring and designing anti-cancer strategies. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 253:154953. [PMID: 38039738 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Oral cancer tumors occur in the mouth and are mainly derived from oral mucosa linings. It is one of the most common and fatal malignant diseases worldwide. The intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) of oral cancerous tumor is vast, so it is challenging to study and interpret. Due to environmental selection pressures, ITH arises through diverse genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic alterations. The ITH also talks about peri-tumoral vascular/ lymphatic growth, perineural permeation, tumor necrosis, invasion, and clonal expansion/ the coexistence of multiple subclones in a single tumor. The heterogeneity offers tumors the adaptability to survive, induce growth/ metastasis, and, most importantly, escape antitumor therapy. Unfortunately, the ITH is prioritized less in determining disease pathology than the traditional TNM classifications or tumor grade. Understanding ITH is challenging, but with the advancement of technology, this ITH can be decoded. Tumor genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and other modern analyses can provide vast information. This information in clinics can assist in understanding a tumor's severity and be used for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic decision-making. Lastly, the oral tumor ITH can lead to individualized, targeted therapy strategies fighting against OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajakishore Mishra
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Cheri-Manatu, Kamre, Ranchi 835 222, Jharkhand, India.
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Wang H, Mills J, Sun B, Cui H. Therapeutic Supramolecular Polymers: Designs and Applications. Prog Polym Sci 2024; 148:101769. [PMID: 38188703 PMCID: PMC10769153 DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2023.101769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The self-assembly of low-molecular-weight building motifs into supramolecular polymers has unlocked a new realm of materials with distinct properties and tremendous potential for advancing medical practices. Leveraging the reversible and dynamic nature of non-covalent interactions, these supramolecular polymers exhibit inherent responsiveness to their microenvironment, physiological cues, and biomolecular signals, making them uniquely suited for diverse biomedical applications. In this review, we intend to explore the principles of design, synthesis methodologies, and strategic developments that underlie the creation of supramolecular polymers as carriers for therapeutics, contributing to the treatment and prevention of a spectrum of human diseases. We delve into the principles underlying monomer design, emphasizing the pivotal role of non-covalent interactions, directionality, and reversibility. Moreover, we explore the intricate balance between thermodynamics and kinetics in supramolecular polymerization, illuminating strategies for achieving controlled sizes and distributions. Categorically, we examine their exciting biomedical applications: individual polymers as discrete carriers for therapeutics, delving into their interactions with cells, and in vivo dynamics; and supramolecular polymeric hydrogels as injectable depots, with a focus on their roles in cancer immunotherapy, sustained drug release, and regenerative medicine. As the field continues to burgeon, harnessing the unique attributes of therapeutic supramolecular polymers holds the promise of transformative impacts across the biomedical landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBiotechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jason Mills
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBiotechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Boran Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBiotechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Honggang Cui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBiotechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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Py C, De Vito C, Tsantoulis P, Kaya G, Labidi-Galy SI, Dietrich PY. Characteristics of long-survivor metastatic melanoma after polychemotherapy and interferon: a retrospective study. Swiss Med Wkly 2023; 153:3504. [PMID: 38579317 DOI: 10.57187/s.3504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors dramatically improved the prognosis of metastatic melanoma. Consequently, chemotherapy is now rarely used. Here, we describe the characteristics of long-surviving patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immunochemotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrieved retrospective clinical and pathological data for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma between January 1993 and December 2015 who received the CVD-INF (cisplatin, vinblastine, dacarbazine, and interferon α-2b) regimen at the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève. We estimated their progression-free survival and overall survival. This ad hoc study's primary aim was to describe the clinical and biological characteristics of long-term survivors, defined as patients surviving more than two years after immunochemotherapy initiation. The spatial distribution pattern of CD8+ T cells (inflamed, excluded, or desert) was immunohistochemically determined. RESULTS Ninety patients received CVD-INF. Their median age at metastatic melanoma diagnosis was 55 years (20-75). Their median progression-free survival was 2.8 months, and median overall survival was 7.2 months. Eleven (12%) patients were long-term survivors. In multivariate analysis, central nervous system metastases (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-4.95; p = 0.001), multiple metastases (HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.01-3.29; p = 0.047), and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (HR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.12-3.30; p = 0.016) were independently associated with shorter survival. Most long-survivors (6/8; 75%) had a tumour-inflamed pattern compared to 25% of non-long survivors (5/20; Fisher's test p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS A subset of patients with metastatic melanoma and a tumour-inflamed phenotype treated with CVD-INF survived over two years. Factors associated with prolonged survival are consistent with those previously reported in metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Py
- Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Medical Oncology, Hopital Privé Pay de Savoie, Annemasse, France
| | - Claudio De Vito
- Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Diagnostics, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Petros Tsantoulis
- Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Center of Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Leman, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gürkan Kaya
- Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Diagnostics, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Dermatology and Venerology, Department of Medicine, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sana Intidhar Labidi-Galy
- Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Center of Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Leman, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Yves Dietrich
- Department of Oncology, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Center of Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Leman, Geneva, Switzerland
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Hélène C, Conrad O, Pflumio C, Borel C, Voegelin M, Bernard A, Schultz P, Onea MA, Jung A, Martin S, Burgy M. Dynamic profiling of immune microenvironment during anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: the IPRICE study. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1209. [PMID: 38066522 PMCID: PMC10704641 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11672-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) represent a significant breakthrough in treating head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with long-lasting responses and prolonged survival observed in first- and second-line therapy. However, this is observed in < 20% of patients and high primary/secondary resistance may occur. The primary objective of the identification of predictive factors for the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (IPRICE) study is to identify predictive factors of response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. METHODS The IPRICE study is a single-center, prospective, non-randomized, open-label, and interventional clinical trial. Liquid and tumor biopsies will be performed in 54 patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) HNSCC undergoing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy alone to compare the evolution of gene expression and immunological profile between responders and non-responders. We will use a multidisciplinary approach including spatial transcriptomics, single seq-RNA analysis, clinical data, and medical images. Genes, pathways, and transcription factors potentially involved in the immune response will also be analyzed, including genes involved in the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) pathway, immunogenic cell death and mitophagy, hypoxia, circulating miRNA-mediated immunomodulation, cytokines, and immune repertoire within the tumor microenvironment (TME). With a follow-up period of 3-years, these data will help generate effective biomarkers to define optimal therapeutic strategy and new immunomodulatory agents based on a better understanding of primary/secondary resistance mechanisms. Tumor biopsy will be performed initially before the start of immunotherapy at the first tumor assessment and is only proposed at tumor progression. Clinical data will be collected using a dedicated Case Report Form (CRF). DISCUSSION Identifying predictive factors of the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and optimizing long-term immune response require a thorough understanding of the intrinsic and acquired resistance to immunotherapy. To achieve this, dynamic profiling of TME during anti-PD-1 immunotherapy based on analysis of tumor biopsy samples is critical. This will be accomplished through the anatomical localization of HNSCC, which will allow for the analysis of multiple biopsies during treatment and the emergence of breakthrough technologies including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrial.gov. Registered April 14, 2022, https://www. CLINICALTRIALS gov/study/NCT05328024 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Carinato Hélène
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ombline Conrad
- Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathology, University of Strasbourg, UMR7021 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Carole Pflumio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian Borel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Manon Voegelin
- Department of Clinical Research, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandre Bernard
- Department of Clinical Research, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Schultz
- Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathology, University of Strasbourg, UMR7021 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Otolaryngology and Cervico-Facial Surgery, Strasbourg University Hospital France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mihaela-Alina Onea
- Department of Pathology, Strasbourg University Hospital France, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alain Jung
- Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathology, University of Strasbourg, UMR7021 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, Strasbourg, 67200, France
| | - Sophie Martin
- Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathology, University of Strasbourg, UMR7021 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mickaël Burgy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe France, Strasbourg, France.
- Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathology, University of Strasbourg, UMR7021 CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
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Shi X, Peng X, Chen Y, Shi Z, Yue C, Zuo L, Zhang L, Gao S. Overexpression of MTHFD2 represents an inflamed tumor microenvironment and precisely predicts the molecular subtype and immunotherapy response of bladder cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1326509. [PMID: 38130721 PMCID: PMC10733511 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1326509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2), whose aberrant expression is common in cancers, has recently been identified as a potential regulator of immune response. However, its immune-related role in bladder cancer (BLCA) and its association with immunotherapy efficacy remain unclear. Methods RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was applied to analyze the immunological roles and prognostic value of MTHFD2 in pan-cancers. The association of MTHFD2 with several immunological features of tumor microenvironment (TME), including cancer-immunity cycle, immune cells infiltration, immune checkpoints expression, and T cell inflamed score was analyzed in TCGA-BLCA cohort. The predictors of cancer treatments effectiveness, including the expression and mutation of certain genes, molecular subtypes, and several signatures were evaluated as well. These results were validated by another independent cohort (GSE48075). Finally, the predictive value of MTHFD2 for TME and immunotherapy efficacy were validated using immunohistochemistry assay and RNA sequencing data from IMvigor210 cohort, respectively. Results MTHFD2 was found to be positively associated with several immunological features of an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) in various cancers and could predict BLCA patients' prognosis. In BLCA, high expression of MTHFD2 was observed to be positively related with the cancer-immunity cycle, the infiltration of several immune cells, and the expression of immunoregulators and T-cell inflamed scores, indicating a positive correlation with the inflamed TME. Moreover, patients with high MTHFD2 expression were more likely to be basal-like subtypes and respond to BLCA treatments, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and target therapy. The clinical data of the IMvigor210 cohort confirmed the higher response rates and better survival benefits of immunotherapy in high-MTHFD2-expression patients. Conclusion Collectively, high MTHFD2 predicts an inflamed TME, a basal-like subtype, and a better response to various therapeutic strategies, especially the ICB therapy, in bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokai Shi
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiangrong Peng
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yin Chen
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zebin Shi
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chuang Yue
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Zuo
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shenglin Gao
- Department of Urology, ChangZhou No.2 People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Urology, ChangZhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, ChangZhou, Jiangsu, China
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Hu X, Zhao M, Yue J. Editorial: The role of radiotherapy in reshaping tumor immune microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1340844. [PMID: 38116003 PMCID: PMC10728813 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1340844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jinbo Yue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Hajareh Haghighi F, Binaymotlagh R, Fratoddi I, Chronopoulou L, Palocci C. Peptide-Hydrogel Nanocomposites for Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery. Gels 2023; 9:953. [PMID: 38131939 PMCID: PMC10742474 DOI: 10.3390/gels9120953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, but conventional anticancer drugs have side effects, mainly due to their non-specific distribution in the body in both cancerous and healthy cells. To address this relevant issue and improve the efficiency of anticancer drugs, increasing attention is being devoted to hydrogel drug-delivery systems for different kinds of cancer treatment due to their high biocompatibility and stability, low side effects, and ease of modifications. To improve the therapeutic efficiency and provide multi-functionality, different types of nanoparticles (NPs) can be incorporated within the hydrogels to form smart hydrogel nanocomposites, benefiting the advantages of both counterparts and suitable for advanced anticancer applications. Despite many papers on non-peptide hydrogel nanocomposites, there is limited knowledge about peptide-based nanocomposites, specifically in anti-cancer drug delivery. The aim of this short but comprehensive review is, therefore, to focus attention on the synergies resulting from the combination of NPs with peptide-based hydrogels. This review, which includes a survey of recent advances in this kind of material, does not aim to be an exhaustive review of hydrogel technology, but it instead highlights recent noteworthy publications and discusses novel perspectives to provide valuable insights into the promising synergic combination of peptide hydrogels and NPs for the design of novel anticancer drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farid Hajareh Haghighi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.H.H.); (R.B.); (I.F.)
| | - Roya Binaymotlagh
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.H.H.); (R.B.); (I.F.)
| | - Ilaria Fratoddi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.H.H.); (R.B.); (I.F.)
| | - Laura Chronopoulou
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.H.H.); (R.B.); (I.F.)
- Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Cleofe Palocci
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.H.H.); (R.B.); (I.F.)
- Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Lu L, Gao Y, Huang D, Liu H, Yin D, Li M, Zheng J, Wang S, Wu W, Zhao L, Bi D, Zhang Y, Song F, Xie R, Wang J, Qin H, Wei Q. Targeting integrin α5 in fibroblasts potentiates colorectal cancer response to PD-L1 blockade by affecting extracellular-matrix deposition. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007447. [PMID: 38040421 PMCID: PMC10693881 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One reason patients with cancer cannot benefit from immunotherapy is the lack of immune cell infiltration in tumor tissues. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are emerging as central players in immune regulation that shapes tumor microenvironment (TME). Earlier we reported that integrin α5 was enriched in CAFs in colorectal cancer (CRC), however, its role in TME and cancer immunotherapy remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the role for integrin α5 in fibroblasts in modulating antitumor immunity and therapeutic efficacy combined with checkpoint blockade in CRC. METHODS We analyzed the CRC single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) database to define the expression of ITGA5 in CRC tumor stroma. Experimentally, we carried out in vivo mouse tumor xenograft models to confirm the targeting efficacy of combined α5β1 inhibition and anti-Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade and in vitro cell-co-culture assay to investigate the role of α5 in fibroblasts in affecting T-cell activity. Clinically, we analyzed the association between α5 expression and infiltrating T cells and evaluated their correlation with patient survival and immunotherapy prognosis in CRC. RESULTS We revealed that ITGA5 was enriched in FAP-CAFs. Both ITGA5 knockout fibroblasts and therapeutic targeting of α5 improved response to anti-PD-L1 treatment in mouse subcutaneous tumor models. Mechanistically, these treatments led to increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, we found that α5 in fibroblasts correlated with extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes and affected ECM deposition in CRC tumor stroma. Both in vivo analysis and in vitro culture and cell killing experiment showed that ECM proteins and α5 expression in fibroblasts influence T-cell infiltration and activity. Clinically, we confirmed that high α5 expression was associated with fewer CD3+ T and CD8+ T cells, and tissues with low α5 and high CD3+ T levels correlated with better patient survival and immunotherapy response in a CRC cohort with 29 patients. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified a role for integrin α5 in fibroblasts in modulating antitumor immunity by affecting ECM deposition and showed therapeutic efficacy for combined α5β1 inhibition and PD-L1 blockade in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Lu
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaohui Gao
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Dengfeng Huang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hu Liu
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Dingzi Yin
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Man Li
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayi Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Shufei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Weijun Wu
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Dexi Bi
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Youhua Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Feifei Song
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruting Xie
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Huanlong Qin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Wei
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
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Köhn P, Lalos A, Posabella A, Wilhelm A, Tampakis A, Caner E, Güth U, Stadlmann S, Spagnoli GC, Piscuoglio S, Richarz S, Delko T, Droeser RA, Singer G. High density of CXCL12-positive immune cell infiltration predicts chemosensitivity and recurrence-free survival in ovarian carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:17943-17955. [PMID: 37966614 PMCID: PMC10725329 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05466-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian carcinoma is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy because of its late diagnosis, extremely high recurrence rate, and limited curative treatment options. In clinical practice, high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) predominates due to its frequency, high aggressiveness, and rapid development of drug resistance. Recent evidence suggests that CXCL12 is an important immunological factor in ovarian cancer progression. Therefore, we investigated the predictive and prognostic significance of the expression of this chemokine in tumor and immune cells in patients with HGSC. METHODS We studied a cohort of 47 primary high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas and their associated recurrences. A tissue microarray was constructed to evaluate the CXCL12 immunostained tumor tissue. CXCL12 expression was evaluated and statistically analyzed to correlate clinicopathologic data, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival. RESULTS A high proportion of CXCL12 + positive immune cells in primary ovarian serous carcinoma correlated significantly with chemosensitivity (p = 0.005), overall survival (p = 0.021), and longer recurrence-free survival (p = 0.038). In recurrent disease, high expression of CXCL12 was also correlated with better overall survival (p = 0.040). Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that high CXCL12 + tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) (HR 0.99, p = 0.042, HR 0.99, p = 0.023, respectively) and combined CXCL12 + /CD66b + infiltration (HR 0.15, p = 0.001, HR 0.13, p = 0.001, respectively) are independent favorable predictive markers for recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSION A high density of CXCL12 + TICs predicts a good response to chemotherapy, leading to a better overall survival and a longer recurrence-free interval. Moreover, with concomitant high CXCL12/CD66b TIC density, it is an independent favorable predictor of recurrence-free survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Köhn
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Alexandros Lalos
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alberto Posabella
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Wilhelm
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Athanasios Tampakis
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ercan Caner
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Güth
- Brustzentrum Zürich, Seefeldstrasse 214, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sylvia Stadlmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baden AG, Im Ergel 1, 5404, Baden, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Sabine Richarz
- Department of Vascular Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tarik Delko
- Chirurgie Zentrum Zentralschweiz/Surgical Center Central-Switzerland, Ärztehaus, St. Anna-Strasse 32, Lützelmatt 1, 6006, Luzern, Switzerland
| | - Raoul A Droeser
- University Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (Clarunis), University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Gad Singer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baden AG, Im Ergel 1, 5404, Baden, Switzerland
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Ma H, Zhang J, Shi Y, Wang Z, Nie W, Cai J, Huang Y, Liu B, Wang X, Lian C. PBK correlates with prognosis, immune escape and drug response in LUAD. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20452. [PMID: 37993518 PMCID: PMC10665404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47781-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
PBK (PDZ-binding kinase) is a protein-coding gene that encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase associated with the dual-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKK) family. Overexpression of this gene is closely linked to tumor development. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of PBK in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression, prognosis, and immune evasion. We conducted a pan-cancer analysis of PBK to examine its expression and prognostic value. In the LUAD cohort, we analyzed PBK expression, prognosis, mutational features, and immune infiltration in groups with different PBK expression levels. We constructed a PBK-associated genomic model, integrated it into a nomogram, and compared high and low-risk subgroups. In our pan-cancer analysis, PBK was significantly upregulated, particularly in LUAD patients, and displayed poor prognosis. The high PBK expression group had many deletion mutations but still showed gene upregulation. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that PBK-triggered immune escape in the high expression group might relate to antigen presentation, dendritic cell, and CD8+ T cell infiltration. We constructed a 5-gene prognostic model and a nomogram to quantify individual survival probabilities. The PBK-associated gene prognostic model reliably predicted patient prognosis and drug response. Our findings offer new insights into PBK-induced immune escape and targeted therapy during LUAD development, providing valuable suggestions for clinical treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Ma
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Research Center of Clinical Laboratory Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Wenhu Nie
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Jingjing Cai
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Yinglong Huang
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Fuyang People's Hospital, Fuyang, 236000, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Clinical and Preclinical Research in Respiratory Disease, Molecular Diagnosis Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China.
| | - Chaoqun Lian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Laboratory Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China.
- Research Center of Clinical Laboratory Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China.
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Yan M, Cao H, Tao K, Xiao B, Chu Y, Ma D, Huang X, Han Y, Ji T. HDACs alters negatively to the tumor immune microenvironment in gynecologic cancers. Gene 2023; 885:147704. [PMID: 37572797 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the tumor immune microenvironment of gynecologic tumors remains unexplored. We integrated data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human Protein Atlas to examine HDAC expression in breast, cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Elevated HDAC expression correlated with poor prognosis and highly malignant cancer subtypes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed positive associations between HDAC expression and tumor proliferation signature, while negative associations were found with tumor inflammation signature. Increased HDAC expression was linked to reduced infiltration of natural killer (NK), NKT, and CD8+ T cells, along with negative associations with the expression of PSMB10, NKG7, CCL5, CD27, HLA-DQA1, and HLA-DQB1. In a murine 4T1 breast cancer model, treatment with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA; HDAC inhibitor) and PD-1 antibody significantly inhibited tumor growth and infiltration of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed upregulated expressions of Psmb10, Nkg7, Ccl5, Cd8a, Cxcr6, and Cxcl9 genes, while Ctnnb1 and Myc genes were inhibited, indicating tumor suppression and immune microenvironment activation. Our study revealed that HDACs play tumor-promoting and immunosuppressive roles in gynecologic cancers, suggesting HDAC inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Yan
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Heng Cao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kangjia Tao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing Xiao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yifan Chu
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Huang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yingyan Han
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Teng Ji
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Wang CW, Lee YC, Lin YJ, Firdi NP, Muzakky H, Liu TC, Lai PJ, Wang CH, Wang YC, Yu MH, Wu CH, Chao TK. Deep Learning Can Predict Bevacizumab Therapeutic Effect and Microsatellite Instability Directly from Histology in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100247. [PMID: 37741509 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a significant cause of mortality among gynecologic cancers, with the majority of cases being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Before targeted therapies were available, EOC treatment relied largely on debulking surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. Vascular endothelial growth factors have been identified as inducing tumor angiogenesis. According to several clinical trials, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy with bevacizumab was effective in all phases of EOC treatment. However, there are currently no biomarkers accessible for regular therapeutic use despite the importance of patient selection. Microsatellite instability (MSI), caused by a deficiency of the DNA mismatch repair system, is a molecular abnormality observed in EOC associated with Lynch syndrome. Recent evidence suggests that angiogenesis and MSI are interconnected. Developing predictive biomarkers, which enable the selection of patients who might benefit from bevacizumab-targeted therapy or immunotherapy, is critical for realizing personalized precision medicine. In this study, we developed 2 improved deep learning methods that eliminate the need for laborious detailed image-wise annotations by pathologists and compared them with 3 state-of-the-art methods to not only predict the efficacy of bevacizumab in patients with EOC using mismatch repair protein immunostained tissue microarrays but also predict MSI status directly from histopathologic images. In prediction of therapeutic outcomes, the 2 proposed methods achieved excellent performance by obtaining the highest mean sensitivity and specificity score using MSH2 or MSH6 markers and outperformed 3 state-of-the-art deep learning methods. Moreover, both statistical analysis results, using Cox proportional hazards model analysis and Kaplan-Meier progression-free survival analysis, confirm that the 2 proposed methods successfully differentiate patients with positive therapeutic effects and lower cancer recurrence rates from patients experiencing disease progression after treatment (P < .01). In prediction of MSI status directly from histopathology images, our proposed method also achieved a decent performance in terms of mean sensitivity and specificity score even for imbalanced data sets for both internal validation using tissue microarrays from the local hospital and external validation using whole section slides from The Cancer Genome Atlas archive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Wei Wang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ching Lee
- Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jia Lin
- Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nabila Puspita Firdi
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hikam Muzakky
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Chien Liu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Jen Lai
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hung Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mu-Hsien Yu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hua Wu
- Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Kuang Chao
- Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Cao LL, Lu H, Soutto M, Bhat N, Chen Z, Peng D, Gomaa A, Wang JB, Xie JW, Li P, Zheng CH, Nomura S, Datta J, Merchant N, Chen ZB, Villarino A, Zaika A, Huang CM, El-Rifai W. Multivalent tyrosine kinase inhibition promotes T cell recruitment to immune-desert gastric cancers by restricting epithelial-mesenchymal transition via tumour-intrinsic IFN-γ signalling. Gut 2023; 72:2038-2050. [PMID: 37402563 PMCID: PMC10592091 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-329134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gastric cancer (GC) ranks fifth in incidence and fourth for mortality worldwide. The response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in GC is heterogeneous due to tumour-intrinsic and acquired immunotherapy resistance. We developed an immunophenotype-based subtyping of human GC based on immune cells infiltration to develop a novel treatment option. DESIGN A algorithm was developed to reclassify GC into immune inflamed, excluded and desert subtypes. Bioinformatics, human and mouse GC cell lines, syngeneic murine gastric tumour model, and CTLA4 blockade were used to investigate the immunotherapeutic effects by restricting receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signalling in immune desert (ICB-resistant) type GC. RESULTS Our algorithm restratified subtypes of human GC in public databases and showed that immune desert-type and excluded-type tumours are ICB-resistant compared with immune-inflamed GC. Moreover, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signalling was highly enriched in immune desert-type GC, and syngeneic murine tumours exhibiting mesenchymal-like, compared with epithelial-like, properties are T cell-excluded and resistant to CTLA4 blockade. Our analysis further identified a panel of RTKs as potential druggable targets in the immune desert-type GC. Dovitinib, an inhibitor of multiple RTKs, strikingly repressed EMT programming in mesenchymal-like immune desert syngeneic GC models. Dovitinib activated the tumour-intrinsic SNAI1/2-IFN-γ signalling axis and impeded the EMT programme, converting immune desert-type tumours to immune inflamed-type tumours, sensitising these mesenchymal-like 'cold' tumours to CTLA4 blockade. CONCLUSION Our findings identified potential druggable targets relevant to patient groups, especially for refractory immune desert-type/ 'cold' GC. Dovitinib, an RTK inhibitor, sensitised desert-type immune-cold GC to CTLA4 blockade by restricting EMT and recruiting T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Long Cao
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Heng Lu
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Mohammed Soutto
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Nadeem Bhat
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Dunfa Peng
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ahmed Gomaa
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jia Bin Wang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian Wei Xie
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chao Hui Zheng
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sachiyo Nomura
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jashodeep Datta
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Nipun Merchant
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zhi Bin Chen
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Alejandro Villarino
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Alexander Zaika
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Miami Healthcare System, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Chang Ming Huang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wael El-Rifai
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Miami Healthcare System, Miami, Florida, USA
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Li Z, Gu H, Xu X, Tian Y, Huang X, Du Y. Unveiling the novel immune and molecular signatures of ovarian cancer: insights and innovations from single-cell sequencing. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1288027. [PMID: 38022625 PMCID: PMC10654630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1288027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous and lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. Over the past decade, single-cell sequencing has emerged as an advanced biological technology capable of decoding the landscape of ovarian cancer at the single-cell resolution. It operates at the level of genes, transcriptomes, proteins, epigenomes, and metabolisms, providing detailed information that is distinct from bulk sequencing methods, which only offer average data for specific lesions. Single-cell sequencing technology provides detailed insights into the immune and molecular mechanisms underlying tumor occurrence, development, drug resistance, and immune escape. These insights can guide the development of innovative diagnostic markers, therapeutic strategies, and prognostic indicators. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the diverse applications of single-cell sequencing in ovarian cancer. It encompasses the identification and characterization of novel cell subpopulations, the elucidation of tumor heterogeneity, the investigation of the tumor microenvironment, the analysis of mechanisms underlying metastasis, and the integration of innovative approaches such as organoid models and multi-omics analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongkang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Haihan Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaotong Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yanpeng Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xianghua Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yanfang Du
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
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Cignarella A, Vegeto E, Bolego C, Trabace L, Conti L, Ortona E. Sex-oriented perspectives in immunopharmacology. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106956. [PMID: 37820857 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Several immunopharmacological agents are effective in the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated conditions, with a favorable impact on life expectancy and clinical outcomes for a large number of patients. Nevertheless, response variation and undesirable effects of these drugs represent major issues, and overall efficacy remains unpredictable. Males and females show a distinct difference in immune system responses, with females generally mounting stronger responses to a variety of stimuli. Therefore, exploring sex differences in the efficacy and safety of immunopharmacological agents would strengthen the practice of precision medicine. As a pharmacological target highlight, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is the first functionally characterized ligand of the coinhibitory programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1). The PD-L1/PD-1 crosstalk plays an important role in the immune response and is relevant in cancer, infectious and autoimmune disease. Sex differences in the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors are well documented, with male patients responding better than female patients. Similarly, higher efficacy of and adherence to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in chronic inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease have been reported in male patients. The pharmacological basis of sex-specific responses to immune system modulating drugs is actively investigated in other settings such as stroke and type 1 diabetes. Advances in therapeutics targeting the endothelium could soon be wielded against autoimmunity and metabolic disorders. Based on the established sexual dimorphism in immune-related pathophysiology and disease presentation, sex-specific immunopharmacological protocols should be integrated into clinical guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisabetta Vegeto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Bolego
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Lucia Conti
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Ortona
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Wu S, Zhu D, Feng H, Li Y, Zhou J, Li Y, Hou T. Comprehensive analysis of HOXC8 associated with tumor microenvironment characteristics in colorectal cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21346. [PMID: 37885723 PMCID: PMC10598528 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence have highlighted the essential roles of HOX genes in embryonic development and carcinogenesis. As a member of the HOX gene family, the abnormal expression of HOXC8 gene is associated with the progression and metastasis of various tumors. However, potential roles of HOXC8 in colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis and tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling remain unclear. Methods We conducted an integrated analysis of clinical and molecular characteristics, relevant oncogenic and immune regulation roles and drug sensitivity features of HOXC8 in CRC. Results HOXC8 expression was markedly high expressed in CRC samples compared to normal samples, and the upregulated expression of HOXC8 was associated with poor prognosis. High HOXC8 expression was significantly associated with invasion-related pathways especially epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vitro experiments showed significantly up-regulated HOXC8 expression in some CRC cell lines and its promoting effect on EMT and cell proliferation. TME categorization through transcriptomic analysis of CRC patients with high HOXC8 expression identified two different TME subtypes known as immune-enriched with fibrotic subtype and immune-depleted subtype. Patients with immune-enriched, fibrotic subtype exhibited significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS), upregulated PD-L1 and CTLA4 expression and higher TMB than those with the immune-depleted subtype. Conclusions HOXC8 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis and specific TME subtypes in CRC. This study provided valuable resource for further exploring the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets of HOX genes in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sifan Wu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Dandan Zhu
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Huolun Feng
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yafang Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University (Tongan Branch), The Third Hospital of Xiamen, Xiamen, Fujian, 316000, China
| | - Jianlong Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yong Li
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ganzhou Municipal Hospital, Ganzhou, China
| | - Tieying Hou
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Hospital Office, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital/Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518052, China
- Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518073, China
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Xie G, Shan L, Yang C, Liu Y, Pang X, Teng S, Wu TC, Gu X. Recombinant immunotoxin induces tumor intrinsic STING signaling against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18476. [PMID: 37898690 PMCID: PMC10613212 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45797-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate immune stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway is known to activate type I interferons (IFN-I) and participate in generating antitumor immunity. We previously produced hDT806, a recombinant diphtheria immunotoxin, and demonstrated its efficacy against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, it's unknown whether the tumor-intrinsic STING plays a role in the anti-HNSCC effects of hDT806. In this study, we investigated the innate immune modulation of hDT806 on HNSCC. hDT806 significantly upregulated the level of STING and the ratio of p-TBK1/TBK1 in the HNSCC cells. Moreover, intratumoral hDT806 treatment increased the expression of STING-IFN-I signaling proteins including IFNA1, IFNB, CXCL10 and MX1, a marker of IFN-I receptor activity, in the HNSCC xenografts. Overexpression of STING mimicked the hDT806-induced upregulation of the STING-IFN-I signaling and induced apoptosis in the HNSCC cells. In the mouse xenograft models of HNSCC with STING overexpression, we observed a significant suppression of tumor growth and reduced tumor weight with increased apoptosis compared to their control xenograft counterparts without STING overexpression. Collectively, our data revealed that hDT806 may act as a stimulator of tumor-intrinsic STING-IFN-I signaling to inhibit tumor growth in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqin Xie
- Department of Oral Pathology, Howard University, 600 W Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
- Cancer Center, Howard University, 2041 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
| | - Liang Shan
- Cancer Center, Howard University, 2041 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Cuicui Yang
- Department of Oral Pathology, Howard University, 600 W Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
- Cancer Center, Howard University, 2041 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Yuanyi Liu
- Angimmune LLC, Rockville, MD, 20855, USA
| | - Xiaowu Pang
- Department of Oral Pathology, Howard University, 600 W Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Shaolei Teng
- Department of Biology, Howard University, 415 College St. NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA
| | - Tzyy-Choou Wu
- Pathology, Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Xinbin Gu
- Department of Oral Pathology, Howard University, 600 W Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
- Cancer Center, Howard University, 2041 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA.
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Yao S, Han Y, Yang M, Jin K, Lan H. It's high-time to re-evaluate the value of induced-chemotherapy for reinforcing immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1241208. [PMID: 37920463 PMCID: PMC10619163 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1241208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has made significant advances in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), revolutionizing the therapeutic landscape and highlighting the indispensable role of the tumor immune microenvironment. However, some CRCs have shown poor response to immunotherapy, prompting investigation into the underlying reasons. It has been discovered that certain chemotherapeutic agents possess immune-stimulatory properties, including the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD), the generation and processing of non-mutated neoantigens (NM-neoAgs), and the B cell follicle-driven T cell response. Based on these findings, the concept of inducing chemotherapy has been introduced, and the combination of inducing chemotherapy and immunotherapy has become a standard treatment option for certain cancers. Clinical trials have confirmed the feasibility and safety of this approach in CRC, offering a promising method for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy. Nevertheless, there are still many challenges and difficulties ahead, and further research is required to optimize its use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiya Yao
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuejun Han
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengxiang Yang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ketao Jin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huanrong Lan
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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