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Tani T, Mathsyaraja H, Campisi M, Li ZH, Haratani K, Fahey CG, Ota K, Mahadevan NR, Shi Y, Saito S, Mizuno K, Thai TC, Sasaki N, Homme M, Yusuf CFB, Kashishian A, Panchal J, Wang M, Wolf BJ, Barbie TU, Paweletz CP, Gokhale PC, Liu D, Uppaluri R, Kitajima S, Cain J, Barbie DA. TREX1 Inactivation Unleashes Cancer Cell STING-Interferon Signaling and Promotes Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:752-765. [PMID: 38227896 PMCID: PMC11062818 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
A substantial fraction of cancers evade immune detection by silencing Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING)-Interferon (IFN) signaling. Therapeutic reactivation of this program via STING agonists, epigenetic, or DNA-damaging therapies can restore antitumor immunity in multiple preclinical models. Here we show that adaptive induction of three prime exonuclease 1 (TREX1) restrains STING-dependent nucleic acid sensing in cancer cells via its catalytic function in degrading cytosolic DNA. Cancer cell TREX1 expression is coordinately induced with STING by autocrine IFN and downstream STAT1, preventing signal amplification. TREX1 inactivation in cancer cells thus unleashes STING-IFN signaling, recruiting T and natural killer (NK) cells, sensitizing to NK cell-derived IFNγ, and cooperating with programmed cell death protein 1 blockade in multiple mouse tumor models to enhance immunogenicity. Targeting TREX1 may represent a complementary strategy to induce cytosolic DNA and amplify cancer cell STING-IFN signaling as a means to sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and/or cell therapies. SIGNIFICANCE STING-IFN signaling in cancer cells promotes tumor cell immunogenicity. Inactivation of the DNA exonuclease TREX1, which is adaptively upregulated to limit pathway activation in cancer cells, recruits immune effector cells and primes NK cell-mediated killing. Targeting TREX1 has substantial therapeutic potential to amplify cancer cell immunogenicity and overcome ICB resistance. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 695.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuo Tani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Contributed equally
| | | | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ze-Hua Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Koji Haratani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caroline G. Fahey
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keiichi Ota
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Navin R. Mahadevan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yingxiao Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shin Saito
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kei Mizuno
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tran C. Thai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nobunari Sasaki
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mizuki Homme
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Choudhury Fabliha B. Yusuf
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Min Wang
- Gilead Sciences, Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | - Thanh U. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cloud P. Paweletz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prafulla C Gokhale
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ravindra Uppaluri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shunsuke Kitajima
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - David A. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Wehrli M, Guinn S, Birocchi F, Kuo A, Sun Y, Larson RC, Almazan AJ, Scarfò I, Bouffard AA, Bailey SR, Anekal PV, Llopis PM, Nieman LT, Song Y, Xu KH, Berger TR, Kann MC, Leick MB, Silva H, Salas-Benito D, Kienka T, Grauwet K, Armstrong TD, Zhang R, Zhu Q, Fu J, Schmidts A, Korell F, Jan M, Choi BD, Liss AS, Boland GM, Ting DT, Burkhart RA, Jenkins RW, Zheng L, Jaffee EM, Zimmerman JW, Maus MV. Mesothelin CAR T Cells Secreting Anti-FAP/Anti-CD3 Molecules Efficiently Target Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and its Stroma. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1859-1877. [PMID: 38393682 PMCID: PMC11062832 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Targeting solid tumors with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells remains challenging due to heterogenous target antigen expression, antigen escape, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a thick stroma generated by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), which may contribute to the limited efficacy of mesothelin-directed CAR T cells in early-phase clinical trials. To provide a more favorable TME for CAR T cells to target pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we generated T cells with an antimesothelin CAR and a secreted T-cell-engaging molecule (TEAM) that targets CAF through fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and engages T cells through CD3 (termed mesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using a suite of in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo patient-derived models containing cancer cells and CAF, we examined the ability of mesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells to target PDAC cells and CAF within the TME. We developed and used patient-derived ex vivo models, including patient-derived organoids with patient-matched CAF and patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids. RESULTS We demonstrated specific and significant binding of the TEAM to its respective antigens (CD3 and FAP) when released from mesothelin-targeting CAR T cells, leading to T-cell activation and cytotoxicity of the target cell. MesoFAP CAR-TEAM cells were superior in eliminating PDAC and CAF compared with T cells engineered to target either antigen alone in our ex vivo patient-derived models and in mouse models of PDAC with primary or metastatic liver tumors. CONCLUSIONS CAR-TEAM cells enable modification of tumor stroma, leading to increased elimination of PDAC tumors. This approach represents a promising treatment option for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Wehrli
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Guinn
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Filippo Birocchi
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam Kuo
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Larson
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonio J. Almazan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irene Scarfò
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda A. Bouffard
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefanie R. Bailey
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Linda T. Nieman
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuhui Song
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine H. Xu
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Trisha R. Berger
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael C. Kann
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark B. Leick
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Harrison Silva
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diego Salas-Benito
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tamina Kienka
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Korneel Grauwet
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Todd D. Armstrong
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qingfeng Zhu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Juan Fu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Schmidts
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Felix Korell
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Max Jan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bryan D. Choi
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew S. Liss
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve M. Boland
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - David T. Ting
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard A. Burkhart
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Russell W. Jenkins
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Jaffee
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacquelyn W. Zimmerman
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cancer Convergence Institute and Bloomberg Kimmel Institute at Johns Hopkins; University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marcela V. Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Liu J, Liu C, Ma Y, Pan X, Chu R, Yao S, Chen J, Liu C, Chen Z, Sheng C, Zhang K, Xue Y, Schiöth HB, Kong B, Zhang Q, Song K. STING inhibitors sensitize platinum chemotherapy in ovarian cancer by inhibiting the CGAS-STING pathway in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216700. [PMID: 38373690 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer hampers cure rates, with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) playing a pivotal role. Despite their known impact on cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance, the specific mechanism by which CAFs regulate the tumor inflammatory environment remains unclear. This study reveals that cisplatin facilitates DNA transfer from ovarian cancer cells to CAFs, activating the CGAS-STING-IFNB1 pathway in CAFs and promoting IFNB1 release. Consequently, this reinforces cancer cell resistance to platinum drugs. High STING expression in the tumor stroma was associated with a poor prognosis, while inhibiting STING expression enhanced ovarian cancer sensitivity. Understanding the relevance of the CGAS-STING pathway in CAFs for platinum resistance suggests targeting STING as a promising combination therapy for ovarian cancer, providing potential avenues for improved treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chenmian Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yana Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiyu Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ran Chu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China
| | - Shu Yao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Junyu Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zhongshao Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chenchen Sheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ying Xue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Helgi B Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Beihua Kong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Kun Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China.
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4
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Hu A, Sun L, Lin H, Liao Y, Yang H, Mao Y. Harnessing innate immune pathways for therapeutic advancement in cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:68. [PMID: 38523155 PMCID: PMC10961329 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01765-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The innate immune pathway is receiving increasing attention in cancer therapy. This pathway is ubiquitous across various cell types, not only in innate immune cells but also in adaptive immune cells, tumor cells, and stromal cells. Agonists targeting the innate immune pathway have shown profound changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and improved tumor prognosis in preclinical studies. However, to date, the clinical success of drugs targeting the innate immune pathway remains limited. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that activation of the innate immune pathway can paradoxically promote tumor progression. The uncertainty surrounding the therapeutic effectiveness of targeted drugs for the innate immune pathway is a critical issue that needs immediate investigation. In this review, we observe that the role of the innate immune pathway demonstrates heterogeneity, linked to the tumor development stage, pathway status, and specific cell types. We propose that within the TME, the innate immune pathway exhibits multidimensional diversity. This diversity is fundamentally rooted in cellular heterogeneity and is manifested as a variety of signaling networks. The pro-tumor effect of innate immune pathway activation essentially reflects the suppression of classical pathways and the activation of potential pro-tumor alternative pathways. Refining our understanding of the tumor's innate immune pathway network and employing appropriate targeting strategies can enhance our ability to harness the anti-tumor potential of the innate immune pathway and ultimately bridge the gap from preclinical to clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankang Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Hao Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yuheng Liao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), and Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine (Ministry of Education), and Molecular and Cell Biology Lab, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
| | - Ying Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
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5
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Yang S, Sheffer M, Kaplan IE, Wang Z, Tarannum M, Dinh K, Abdulhamid Y, Shapiro R, Porter R, Soiffer R, Ritz J, Koreth J, Wei Y, Chen P, Zhang K, Márquez-Pellegrin V, Bonanno S, Joshi N, Guan M, Yang M, Li D, Bellini C, Chen J, Wu CJ, Barbie D, Li J, Romee R. Nonpathogenic E. coli engineered to surface display cytokines as a new platform for immunotherapy. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4031911. [PMID: 38562821 PMCID: PMC10984091 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4031911/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Given the safety, tumor tropism, and ease of genetic manipulation in non-pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), we designed a novel approach to deliver biologics to overcome poor trafficking and exhaustion of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, via the surface display of key immune-activating cytokines on the outer membrane of E. coli K-12 DH5α. Bacteria expressing murine decoy-resistant IL18 mutein (DR18) induced robust CD8+ T and NK cell-dependent immune responses leading to dramatic tumor control, extending survival, and curing a significant proportion of immune-competent mice with colorectal carcinoma and melanoma. The engineered bacteria demonstrated tumor tropism, while the abscopal and recall responses suggested epitope spreading and induction of immunologic memory. E. coli K-12 DH5α engineered to display human DR18 potently activated mesothelin-targeting CAR NK cells and safely enhanced their trafficking into the tumors, leading to improved control and survival in xenograft mice bearing mesothelioma tumor cells, otherwise resistant to NK cells. Gene expression analysis of the bacteria-primed CAR NK cells showed enhanced TNFα signaling via NFkB and upregulation of multiple activation markers. Our novel live bacteria-based immunotherapeutic platform safely and effectively induces potent anti-tumor responses in otherwise hard-to-treat solid tumors, motivating further evaluation of this approach in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Michal Sheffer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Isabel E Kaplan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Zongqi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Mubin Tarannum
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Khanhlinh Dinh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Yasmin Abdulhamid
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Roman Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca Porter
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Robert Soiffer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Jerome Ritz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - John Koreth
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Yun Wei
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Peiru Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Shanna Bonanno
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Neel Joshi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Ming Guan
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Mengdi Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Deng Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Chiara Bellini
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Jianzhu Chen
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Catherine J. Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - David Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Jiahe Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Rizwan Romee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
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6
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Liu J, Lu Y, Liu Y, Zhang W, Xian S, Wang S, Zheng Z, Lin R, Jin M, Zhang M, Qian W, Tang J, Lu B, Yang Y, Liu Z, Qu M, Ma H, Wu X, Chang Z, Zhang J, Zhang Y. A gene signature linked to fibroblast differentiation for prognostic prediction of mesothelioma. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:33. [PMID: 38462627 PMCID: PMC10926647 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01180-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malignant mesothelioma is a type of infrequent tumor that is substantially related to asbestos exposure and has a terrible prognosis. We tried to produce a fibroblast differentiation-related gene set for creating a novel classification and prognostic prediction model of MESO. METHOD Three databases, including NCBI-GEO, TCGA, and MET-500, separately provide single-cell RNA sequencing data, bulk RNA sequencing profiles of MESO, and RNA sequencing information on bone metastatic tumors. Dimensionality reduction and clustering analysis were leveraged to acquire fibroblast subtypes in the MESO microenvironment. The fibroblast differentiation-related genes (FDGs), which were associated with survival and subsequently utilized to generate the MESO categorization and prognostic prediction model, were selected in combination with pseudotime analysis and survival information from the TCGA database. Then, regulatory network was constructed for each MESO subtype, and candidate inhibitors were predicted. Clinical specimens were collected for further validation. RESULT A total of six fibroblast subtypes, three differentiation states, and 39 FDGs were identified. Based on the expression level of FDGs, three MESO subtypes were distinguished in the fibroblast differentiation-based classification (FDBC). In the multivariate prognostic prediction model, the risk score that was dependent on the expression level of several important FDGs, was verified to be an independently effective prognostic factor and worked well in internal cohorts. Finally, we predicted 24 potential drugs for the treatment of MESO. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining and statistical analysis provided further validation. CONCLUSION Fibroblast differentiation-related genes (FDGs), especially those in low-differentiation states, might participate in the proliferation and invasion of MESO. Hopefully, the raised clinical subtyping of MESO would provide references for clinical practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, 507 Zheng Min Road, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yuwei Lu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yifan Liu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Department of Urology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Burn Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit of Key Techniques for Treatment of Burns and Combined Burns and Trauma Injury, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyuan Xian
- Department of Burn Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit of Key Techniques for Treatment of Burns and Combined Burns and Trauma Injury, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Siqiao Wang
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Zixuan Zheng
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ruoyi Lin
- Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Minghao Jin
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Mengyi Zhang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Weijin Qian
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jieling Tang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Bingnan Lu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yiting Yang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zichang Liu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Mingyu Qu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Haonan Ma
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xinru Wu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhengyan Chang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, 301 Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 2699 Gaoke West Road, Shanghai, 201204, China.
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Saulters EL, Kennedy PT, Carter RJ, Alsufyani A, Jones TM, Woolley JF, Dahal LN. Differential Regulation of the STING Pathway in Human Papillomavirus-Positive and -Negative Head and Neck Cancers. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:118-133. [PMID: 38147007 PMCID: PMC10793589 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas, which arise from the cells that line the mucosal surfaces of the head and neck, represent the most common type of head and neck cancers (HNSCC). Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been strongly associated with the development of oropharyngeal cancers, which are cancers that occur in the back of the throat, including the tonsils and base of the tongue. HNSCCs with and without HPV infection have distinct pathology, with HPV-positive patients having higher levels of immune infiltration, activation in the tumor microenvironment and better response to radiation and chemotherapy. It is, however, unclear whether HPV infection in HNSCCs has the potential to activate innate-immune sensing pathways and if these cancers possess intrinsic immunogenicity associated with HPV infection. Here we investigate the innate immune stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway and immune responses to STING activation in HNSCCs and uncover fundamental differences in the regulation of this pathway in cell lines versus primary human clinical specimens. We show that while STING is differentially expressed in HPV-positive and -negative HNSCC cell lines, they exhibit a gross functional defect in signaling through this pathway. However, STING activation in immune cell populations generated immune signatures predicted to elicit useful tumoricidal mechanisms. In contrast, IHC analysis of human tissue microarrays revealed enhanced STING expression in HPV-related tumors and high intratumoral expression of STING correlated with increased survival. SIGNIFICANCE STING is an important innate immune sensor of cytosolic DNA, inducing essential antiviral and antitumoral responses. This research shows that STING expression is enhanced in HPV-positive HNSCC patient tissue, with high intratumoral STING expression correlating with increased survival. In addition, STING activation in immune cell populations augmented antitumoral effects against HNSCCs, suggesting patients may benefit from the use of STING agonists in combination with traditional therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Saulters
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Paul T. Kennedy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel J. Carter
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Abdullah Alsufyani
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Terence M. Jones
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John F. Woolley
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Lekh N. Dahal
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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8
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Zhang J, Yu S, Peng Q, Wang P, Fang L. Emerging mechanisms and implications of cGAS-STING signaling in cancer immunotherapy strategies. Cancer Biol Med 2024; 21:j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0440. [PMID: 38172538 PMCID: PMC10875285 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The intricate interplay between the human immune system and cancer development underscores the central role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Within this landscape, the innate immune system, a critical sentinel protecting against tumor incursion, is a key player. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has been found to be a linchpin of innate immunity: activation of this signaling pathway orchestrates the production of type I interferon (IFN-α/β), thus fostering the maturation, differentiation, and mobilization of immune effectors in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, STING activation facilitates the release and presentation of tumor antigens, and therefore is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. Current strategies to activate the STING pathway, including use of pharmacological agonists, have made substantial advancements, particularly when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. These approaches have shown promise in preclinical and clinical settings, by enhancing patient survival rates. This review describes the evolving understanding of the cGAS-STING pathway's involvement in tumor biology and therapy. Moreover, this review explores classical and non-classical STING agonists, providing insights into their mechanisms of action and potential for optimizing immunotherapy strategies. Despite challenges and complexities, the cGAS-STING pathway, a promising avenue for enhancing cancer treatment efficacy, has the potential to revolutionize patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Zhang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Sihui Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiao Peng
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Lan Fang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
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9
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Bertuccio FR, Agustoni F, Galli G, Bortolotto C, Saddi J, Baietto G, Baio N, Montini S, Putignano P, D’Ambrosio G, Corsico AG, Pedrazzoli P, Stella GM. Pleural Mesothelioma: Treatable Traits of a Heterogeneous Disease. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5731. [PMID: 38136277 PMCID: PMC10741585 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive disease with diffuse nature, low median survival, and prolonged latency presenting difficulty in prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment. Here, we review all these aspects to underline the progress being made in its investigation and to emphasize how much work remains to be carried out to improve prognosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Rocco Bertuccio
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Agustoni
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Galli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Chandra Bortolotto
- Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic, and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Radiology Institute, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Jessica Saddi
- Department of Oncology, Clinical-Surgical, Unit of Radiation Therapy, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Guido Baietto
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Nicola Baio
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Simone Montini
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Paola Putignano
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gioacchino D’Ambrosio
- Pathology Unit, Department of Diagnostical Services and Imaging, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Angelo G. Corsico
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Paolo Pedrazzoli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Maria Stella
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia Medical School, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (F.R.B.); (F.A.); (G.G.); (N.B.); (S.M.); (P.P.); (A.G.C.); (P.P.)
- Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Unit of Respiratory Diseases, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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10
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Nersesian S, Carter EB, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Boudreau JE. Killer instincts: natural killer cells as multifactorial cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269614. [PMID: 38090565 PMCID: PMC10715270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells integrate heterogeneous signals for activation and inhibition using germline-encoded receptors. These receptors are stochastically co-expressed, and their concurrent engagement and signaling can adjust the sensitivity of individual cells to putative targets. Against cancers, which mutate and evolve under therapeutic and immunologic pressure, the diversity for recognition provided by NK cells may be key to comprehensive cancer control. NK cells are already being trialled as adoptive cell therapy and targets for immunotherapeutic agents. However, strategies to leverage their naturally occurring diversity and agility have not yet been developed. In this review, we discuss the receptors and signaling pathways through which signals for activation or inhibition are generated in NK cells, focusing on their roles in cancer and potential as targets for immunotherapies. Finally, we consider the impacts of receptor co-expression and the potential to engage multiple pathways of NK cell reactivity to maximize the scope and strength of antitumor activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Emily B. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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11
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Portillo AL, Monteiro JK, Rojas EA, Ritchie TM, Gillgrass A, Ashkar AA. Charting a killer course to the solid tumor: strategies to recruit and activate NK cells in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1286750. [PMID: 38022679 PMCID: PMC10663242 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1286750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to expand and activate natural Killer (NK) cells ex vivo has dramatically changed the landscape in the development of novel adoptive cell therapies for treating cancer over the last decade. NK cells have become a key player for cancer immunotherapy due to their innate ability to kill malignant cells while not harming healthy cells, allowing their potential use as an "off-the-shelf" product. Furthermore, recent advancements in NK cell genetic engineering methods have enabled the efficient generation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing NK cells that can exert both CAR-dependent and antigen-independent killing. Clinically, CAR-NK cells have shown promising efficacy and safety for treating CD19-expressing hematologic malignancies. While the number of pre-clinical studies using CAR-NK cells continues to expand, it is evident that solid tumors pose a unique challenge to NK cell-based adoptive cell therapies. Major barriers for efficacy include low NK cell trafficking and infiltration into solid tumor sites, low persistence, and immunosuppression by the harsh solid tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review we discuss the barriers posed by the solid tumor that prevent immune cell trafficking and NK cell effector functions. We then discuss promising strategies to enhance NK cell infiltration into solid tumor sites and activation within the TME. This includes NK cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms such as NK cell engineering to resist TME-mediated inhibition and use of tumor-targeted agents such as oncolytic viruses expressing chemoattracting and activating payloads. We then discuss opportunities and challenges for using combination therapies to extend NK cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Portillo
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan K. Monteiro
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Eduardo A. Rojas
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Tyrah M. Ritchie
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Gillgrass
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Ali A. Ashkar
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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12
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Tabasum S, Thapa D, Giobbie-Hurder A, Weirather JL, Campisi M, Schol PJ, Li X, Li J, Yoon CH, Manos MP, Barbie DA, Hodi FS. EDIL3 as an Angiogenic Target of Immune Exclusion Following Checkpoint Blockade. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1493-1507. [PMID: 37728484 PMCID: PMC10618652 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has become the standard of care for several solid tumors. Multiple combinatorial approaches have been studied to improve therapeutic efficacy. The combination of antiangiogenic agents and ICB has demonstrated efficacy in several cancers. To improve the mechanistic understanding of synergies with these treatment modalities, we performed screens of sera from long-term responding patients treated with ipilimumab and bevacizumab. We discovered a high-titer antibody response against EGF-like repeats and discoidin I-like domains protein 3 (EDIL3) that correlated with favorable clinical outcomes. EDIL3 is an extracellular protein, previously identified as a marker of poor prognosis in various malignancies. Our Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion analysis predicted that EDIL3 was associated with immune exclusion signatures for cytotoxic immune cell infiltration and nonresponse to ICB. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) were predicted as the source of EDIL3 in immune exclusion-related cells. Furthermore, The Cancer Genome Atlas Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (TCGA-SKCM) and CheckMate 064 data analyses correlated high levels of EDIL3 with increased pan-fibroblast TGFβ response, enrichment of angiogenic signatures, and induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Our in vitro studies validated EDIL3 overexpression and TGFβ regulation in patient-derived CAFs. In pretreatment serum samples from patients, circulating levels of EDIL3 were associated with circulating levels of VEGF, and like VEGF, EDIL3 increased the angiogenic abilities of patient-derived tumor endothelial cells (TEC). Mechanistically, three-dimensional microfluidic cultures and two-dimensional transmigration assays with TEC endorsed EDIL3-mediated disruption of the lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1)-ICAM-1 interaction as a possible means of T-cell exclusion. We propose EDIL3 as a potential target for improving the transendothelial migration of immune cells and efficacy of ICB therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Tabasum
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dinesh Thapa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anita Giobbie-Hurder
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jason L. Weirather
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Pieter J. Schol
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charles H. Yoon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael P. Manos
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David A. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - F. Stephen Hodi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Zhao K, Huang J, Zhao Y, Wang S, Xu J, Yin K. Targeting STING in cancer: Challenges and emerging opportunities. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188983. [PMID: 37717857 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway is a key pathway through which the host regulates immune responses by recognizing cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA of abnormal origin, and it plays an important role in tumor growth as well as metastasis, with relevant molecular details constantly being explored and updated. The significant immunomodulatory effects make STING an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy, and STING agonists have been receiving great attention for their development and clinical translation. Despite exciting results in preclinical work, the application of STING agonists to cancer therapy remains challenging due to their poor pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties, as well as toxic side effects they produce. Here, we summarize the dichotomous role of cGAS-STING in cancer and discuss the limitations of cancer immunotherapy based on STING activation as well as feasible strategies to overcome them to achieve tumor regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China; Department of Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Jiaojiao Huang
- Department of Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shengjun Wang
- Department of Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Affiliated People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Juan Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, China.
| | - Kai Yin
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
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14
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Ma S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Harnessing Natural Killer Cells for Lung Cancer Therapy. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3327-3339. [PMID: 37531223 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although natural killer (NK) cells are garnering interest as a potential anticancer therapy because they selectively recognize and eliminate cancer cells, their use in treating solid tumors, including lung cancer, has been limited due to impediments to their efficacy, such as their limited ability to reach tumor tissues, the reduced antitumor activity of tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and the suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the cross-talk between the lung cancer TME and NK cells. We highlight the various mechanisms used by the TME to modulate NK-cell phenotypes and limit infiltration, explore the role of the TME in limiting the antitumor activity of NK cells, and discuss the current challenges and obstacles that hinder the success of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Potential opportunities and promising strategies to address these challenges have been implemented or are being developed to optimize NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Through critical evaluation of existing literature and emerging trends, this review provides a comprehensive outlook on the future of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for treating lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoubao Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
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15
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Li J, Xiao Z, Wang D, Jia L, Nie S, Zeng X, Hu W. The screening, identification, design and clinical application of tumor-specific neoantigens for TCR-T cells. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:141. [PMID: 37649123 PMCID: PMC10466891 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01844-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in neoantigen research have accelerated the development of tumor immunotherapies, including adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), cancer vaccines and antibody-based therapies, particularly for solid tumors. With the development of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics technology, the rapid identification and prediction of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) has become possible. Compared with tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), highly immunogenic TSAs provide new targets for personalized tumor immunotherapy and can be used as prospective indicators for predicting tumor patient survival, prognosis, and immune checkpoint blockade response. Here, the identification and characterization of neoantigens and the clinical application of neoantigen-based TCR-T immunotherapy strategies are summarized, and the current status, inherent challenges, and clinical translational potential of these strategies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangping Li
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhiwen Xiao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, People's Republic of China
| | - Donghui Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Jia
- International Health Medicine Innovation Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China
| | - Shihong Nie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cancer Center, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingda Zeng
- Department of Parasitology of Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, People's Republic of China
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16
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Wang D, Wei H. Natural killer cells in tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Biol Med 2023; 20:j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0215. [PMID: 37646229 PMCID: PMC10476468 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dongyao Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medicine and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medicine and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Blood and Cell Therapy Institute, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Blood Research and Applications, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Haiming Wei
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medicine and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medicine and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
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17
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Gerton TJ, Green A, Campisi M, Chen M, Gjeci I, Mahadevan N, Lee CAA, Mishra R, Vo HV, Haratani K, Li ZH, Hasselblatt KT, Testino B, Connor T, Lian CG, Elias KM, Lizotte P, Ivanova EV, Barbie DA, Dinulescu DM. Development of a Patient-Derived 3D Immuno-Oncology Platform to Potentiate Immunotherapy Responses in Ascites-Derived Circulating Tumor Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4128. [PMID: 37627156 PMCID: PMC10452550 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is responsible for the majority of gynecology cancer-related deaths. Patients in remission often relapse with more aggressive forms of disease within 2 years post-treatment. Alternative immuno-oncology (IO) strategies, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting the PD-(L)1 signaling axis, have proven inefficient so far. Our aim is to utilize epigenetic modulators to maximize the benefit of personalized IO combinations in ex vivo 3D patient-derived platforms and in vivo syngeneic models. Using patient-derived tumor ascites, we optimized an ex vivo 3D screening platform (PDOTS), which employs autologous immune cells and circulating ascites-derived tumor cells, to rapidly test personalized IO combinations. Most importantly, patient responses to platinum chemotherapy and poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors in 3D platforms recapitulate clinical responses. Furthermore, similar to clinical trial results, responses to ICB in PDOTS tend to be low and positively correlated with the frequency of CD3+ immune cells and EPCAM+/PD-L1+ tumor cells. Thus, the greatest response observed with anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy alone is seen in patient-derived HGSOC ascites, which present with high levels of systemic CD3+ and PD-L1+ expression in immune and tumor cells, respectively. In addition, priming with epigenetic adjuvants greatly potentiates ICB in ex vivo 3D testing platforms and in vivo tumor models. We further find that epigenetic priming induces increased tumor secretion of several key cytokines known to augment T and NK cell activation and cytotoxicity, including IL-6, IP-10 (CXCL10), KC (CXCL1), and RANTES (CCL5). Moreover, epigenetic priming alone and in combination with ICB immunotherapy in patient-derived PDOTS induces rapid upregulation of CD69, a reliable early activation of immune markers in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Consequently, this functional precision medicine approach could rapidly identify personalized therapeutic combinations able to potentiate ICB, which is a great advantage, especially given the current clinical difficulty of testing a high number of potential combinations in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Gerton
- Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Allen Green
- Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Minyue Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Iliana Gjeci
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Navin Mahadevan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Catherine A. A. Lee
- Division of Dermatopathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ranjan Mishra
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ha V. Vo
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Koji Haratani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ze-Hua Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kathleen T. Hasselblatt
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bryanna Testino
- Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Trevor Connor
- Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christine G. Lian
- Division of Dermatopathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kevin M. Elias
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Patrick Lizotte
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Elena V. Ivanova
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - David A. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Daniela M. Dinulescu
- Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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18
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Alshebremi M, Tomchuck SL, Myers JT, Kingsley DT, Eid S, Abiff M, Bonner M, Saab ST, Choi SH, Huang AYC. Functional tumor cell-intrinsic STING, not host STING, drives local and systemic antitumor immunity and therapy efficacy following cryoablation. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006608. [PMID: 37553183 PMCID: PMC10414127 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite its potential utility in delivering direct tumor killing and in situ whole-cell tumor vaccination, tumor cryoablation produces highly variable and unpredictable clinical response, limiting its clinical utility. The mechanism(s) driving cryoablation-induced local antitumor immunity and the associated abscopal effect is not well understood. METHODS The aim of this study was to identify and explore a mechanism of action by which cryoablation enhances the therapeutic efficacy in metastatic tumor models. We used the subcutaneous mouse model of the rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cell lines RMS 76-9STINGwt or RMS 76-9STING-/-, along with other murine tumor models, in C57BL/6 or STING-/- (TMEM173-/- ) mice to evaluate local tumor changes, lung metastasis, abscopal effect on distant tumors, and immune cell dynamics in the tumor microenvironment (TME). RESULTS The results show that cryoablation efficacy is dependent on both adaptive immunity and the STING signaling pathway. Contrary to current literature dictating an essential role of host-derived STING activation as a driver of antitumor immunity in vivo, we show that local tumor control, lung metastasis, and the abscopal effect on distant tumor are all critically dependent on a functioning tumor cell-intrinsic STING signaling pathway, which induces inflammatory chemokine and cytokine responses in the cryoablated TME. This reliance extends beyond cryoablation to include intratumoral STING agonist therapy. Additionally, surveys of gene expression databases and tissue microarrays of clinical tumor samples revealed a wide spectrum of expressions among STING-related signaling components. CONCLUSIONS Tumor cell-intrinsic STING pathway is a critical component underlying the effectiveness of cryoablation and suggests that expression of STING-related signaling components may serve as a potential therapy response biomarker. Our data also highlight an urgent need to further characterize tumor cell-intrinsic STING pathways and the associated downstream inflammatory response evoked by cryoablation and other STING-dependent therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Alshebremi
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suzanne L Tomchuck
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jay T Myers
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniel T Kingsley
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Saada Eid
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Muta Abiff
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Melissa Bonner
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Shahrazad T Saab
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sung Hee Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Alex Yee-Chen Huang
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Center for Pediatric Immunotherapy, Angie Fowler AYA Cancer Institute, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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19
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Liu Y, Fei Y, Wang X, Yang B, Li M, Luo Z. Biomaterial-enabled therapeutic modulation of cGAS-STING signaling for enhancing antitumor immunity. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1938-1959. [PMID: 37002605 PMCID: PMC10362396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
cGAS-STING signaling is a central component in the therapeutic action of most existing cancer therapies. The accumulated knowledge of tumor immunoregulatory network in recent years has spurred the development of cGAS-STING agonists for tumor treatment as an effective immunotherapeutic strategy. However, the clinical translation of these agonists is thus far unsatisfactory because of the low immunostimulatory efficacy and unrestricted side effects under clinically relevant conditions. Interestingly, the rational integration of biomaterial technology offers a promising approach to overcome these limitations for more effective and safer cGAS-STING-mediated tumor therapy. Herein, we first outline the cGAS-STING signaling axis and generally discuss its association with tumors. We then symmetrically summarize the recent progress in those biomaterial-based cGAS-STING agonism strategies to generate robust antitumor immunity, categorized by the chemical nature of those cGAS-STING stimulants and carrier substrates. Finally, a perspective is provided to discuss the existing challenges and potential opportunities in cGAS-STING modulation for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Liu
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yang Fei
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Xuan Wang
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Bingbing Yang
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Menghuan Li
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China.
| | - Zhong Luo
- School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China.
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20
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Carannante V, Wiklund M, Önfelt B. In vitro models to study natural killer cell dynamics in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1135148. [PMID: 37457703 PMCID: PMC10338882 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer therapy. The rapid development of new immunotherapeutic strategies to treat solid tumors is posing new challenges for preclinical research, demanding novel in vitro methods to test treatments. Such methods should meet specific requirements, such as enabling the evaluation of immune cell responses like cytotoxicity or cytokine release, and infiltration into the tumor microenvironment using cancer models representative of the original disease. They should allow high-throughput and high-content analysis, to evaluate the efficacy of treatments and understand immune-evasion processes to facilitate development of new therapeutic targets. Ideally, they should be suitable for personalized immunotherapy testing, providing information for patient stratification. Consequently, the application of in vitro 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture models, such as tumor spheroids and organoids, is rapidly expanding in the immunotherapeutic field, coupled with the development of novel imaging-based techniques and -omic analysis. In this paper, we review the recent advances in the development of in vitro 3D platforms applied to natural killer (NK) cell-based cancer immunotherapy studies, highlighting the benefits and limitations of the current methods, and discuss new concepts and future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Carannante
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Wiklund
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn Önfelt
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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21
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Zhao J, Fong A, Seow SV, Toh HC. Organoids as an Enabler of Precision Immuno-Oncology. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081165. [PMID: 37190074 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the dawn of the past century, landmark discoveries in cell-mediated immunity have led to a greater understanding of the innate and adaptive immune systems and revolutionised the treatment of countless diseases, including cancer. Today, precision immuno-oncology (I/O) involves not only targeting immune checkpoints that inhibit T-cell immunity but also harnessing immune cell therapies. The limited efficacy in some cancers results mainly from a complex tumour microenvironment (TME) that, in addition to adaptive immune cells, comprises innate myeloid and lymphoid cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and the tumour vasculature that contribute towards immune evasion. As the complexity of TME has called for more sophisticated human-based tumour models, organoids have allowed the dynamic study of spatiotemporal interactions between tumour cells and individual TME cell types. Here, we discuss how organoids can study the TME across cancers and how these features may improve precision I/O. We outline the approaches to preserve or recapitulate the TME in tumour organoids and discuss their potential, advantages, and limitations. We will discuss future directions of organoid research in understanding cancer immunology in-depth and identifying novel I/O targets and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhe Zhao
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore 168583, Singapore
- Doctor of Medicine Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antoinette Fong
- Doctor of Medicine Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - See Voon Seow
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore 168583, Singapore
| | - Han Chong Toh
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore 168583, Singapore
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22
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Sun Y, Revach OY, Anderson S, Kessler EA, Wolfe CH, Jenney A, Mills CE, Robitschek EJ, Davis TGR, Kim S, Fu A, Ma X, Gwee J, Tiwari P, Du PP, Sindurakar P, Tian J, Mehta A, Schneider AM, Yizhak K, Sade-Feldman M, LaSalle T, Sharova T, Xie H, Liu S, Michaud WA, Saad-Beretta R, Yates KB, Iracheta-Vellve A, Spetz JKE, Qin X, Sarosiek KA, Zhang G, Kim JW, Su MY, Cicerchia AM, Rasmussen MQ, Klempner SJ, Juric D, Pai SI, Miller DM, Giobbie-Hurder A, Chen JH, Pelka K, Frederick DT, Stinson S, Ivanova E, Aref AR, Paweletz CP, Barbie DA, Sen DR, Fisher DE, Corcoran RB, Hacohen N, Sorger PK, Flaherty KT, Boland GM, Manguso RT, Jenkins RW. Targeting TBK1 to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Nature 2023; 615:158-167. [PMID: 36634707 PMCID: PMC10171827 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05704-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of PD-1 blockade in melanoma and other cancers, effective treatment strategies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy are lacking1,2. Here we identify the innate immune kinase TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)3 as a candidate immune-evasion gene in a pooled genetic screen4. Using a suite of genetic and pharmacological tools across multiple experimental model systems, we confirm a role for TBK1 as an immune-evasion gene. Targeting TBK1 enhances responses to PD-1 blockade by decreasing the cytotoxicity threshold to effector cytokines (TNF and IFNγ). TBK1 inhibition in combination with PD-1 blockade also demonstrated efficacy using patient-derived tumour models, with concordant findings in matched patient-derived organotypic tumour spheroids and matched patient-derived organoids. Tumour cells lacking TBK1 are primed to undergo RIPK- and caspase-dependent cell death in response to TNF and IFNγ in a JAK-STAT-dependent manner. Taken together, our results demonstrate that targeting TBK1 is an effective strategy to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sun
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Or-Yam Revach
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seth Anderson
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Clara H Wolfe
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anne Jenney
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin E Mills
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sarah Kim
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amina Fu
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiang Ma
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jia Gwee
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Payal Tiwari
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peter P Du
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Princy Sindurakar
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jun Tian
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arnav Mehta
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexis M Schneider
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Keren Yizhak
- Department of Cell Biology and Cancer Science, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Technology, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Moshe Sade-Feldman
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas LaSalle
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tatyana Sharova
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongyan Xie
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuming Liu
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William A Michaud
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rodrigo Saad-Beretta
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen B Yates
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Johan K E Spetz
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xingping Qin
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristopher A Sarosiek
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gao Zhang
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jong Wook Kim
- Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center for Novel Therapeutics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mack Y Su
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Angelina M Cicerchia
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martin Q Rasmussen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel J Klempner
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dejan Juric
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara I Pai
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David M Miller
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anita Giobbie-Hurder
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan H Chen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karin Pelka
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dennie T Frederick
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Elena Ivanova
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amir R Aref
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Xsphera Biosciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cloud P Paweletz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debattama R Sen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David E Fisher
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryan B Corcoran
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nir Hacohen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peter K Sorger
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith T Flaherty
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve M Boland
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert T Manguso
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Russell W Jenkins
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Shapiro GI, Barry SM. Combining PARP Inhibition and Immunotherapy in BRCA-Associated Cancers. Cancer Treat Res 2023; 186:207-221. [PMID: 37978138 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-30065-3_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have significantly improved treatment outcomes of homologous recombination (HR) repair-deficient cancers. While the activity of these agents is largely linked to multiple mechanisms underlying the synthetic lethality of PARP inhibition and HR deficiency, emerging data suggest that their efficacy is also tied to their effects on the immune microenvironment and dependent upon cytotoxic T-cell activation. Effects observed in preclinical models are currently being validated in on-treatment biopsy samples procured from patients enrolled in clinical trials. Although this work has stimulated the development of combinations of PARP inhibitors with immunomodulatory agents, results to date have not demonstrated the superiority of combined PARP inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade compared with PARP inhibition alone. These results have stimulated a more comprehensive assessment of the immunosuppressive components of the tumor microenvironment that must be addressed so that the efficacy of PARP inhibitor agents can be maximized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology and Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
| | - Suzanne M Barry
- Department of Medical Oncology and Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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24
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Tong L, Jiménez-Cortegana C, Tay AH, Wickström S, Galluzzi L, Lundqvist A. NK cells and solid tumors: therapeutic potential and persisting obstacles. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:206. [PMID: 36319998 PMCID: PMC9623927 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01672-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, which are innate lymphocytes endowed with potent cytotoxic activity, have recently attracted attention as potential anticancer therapeutics. While NK cells mediate encouraging responses in patients with leukemia, the therapeutic effects of NK cell infusion in patients with solid tumors are limited. Preclinical and clinical data suggest that the efficacy of NK cell infusion against solid malignancies is hampered by several factors including inadequate tumor infiltration and persistence/activation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). A number of metabolic features of the TME including hypoxia as well as elevated levels of adenosine, reactive oxygen species, and prostaglandins negatively affect NK cell activity. Moreover, cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and regulatory T cells actively suppress NK cell-dependent anticancer immunity. Here, we review the metabolic and cellular barriers that inhibit NK cells in solid neoplasms as we discuss potential strategies to circumvent such obstacles towards superior therapeutic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Tong
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carlos Jiménez-Cortegana
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA ,grid.9224.d0000 0001 2168 1229Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Apple H.M. Tay
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Department of Biological Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Stina Wickström
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA ,grid.5386.8000000041936877XSandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY USA ,grid.5386.8000000041936877XCaryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Andreas Lundqvist
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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25
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Kitajima S, Tani T, Springer BF, Campisi M, Osaki T, Haratani K, Chen M, Knelson EH, Mahadevan NR, Ritter J, Yoshida R, Köhler J, Ogino A, Nozawa RS, Sundararaman SK, Thai TC, Homme M, Piel B, Kivlehan S, Obua BN, Purcell C, Yajima M, Barbie TU, Lizotte PH, Jänne PA, Paweletz CP, Gokhale PC, Barbie DA. MPS1 inhibition primes immunogenicity of KRAS-LKB1 mutant lung cancer. Cancer Cell 2022; 40:1128-1144.e8. [PMID: 36150391 PMCID: PMC9561026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2022.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
KRAS-LKB1 (KL) mutant lung cancers silence STING owing to intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in T cell exclusion and resistance to programmed cell death (ligand) 1 (PD-[L]1) blockade. Here we discover that KL cells also minimize intracellular accumulation of 2'3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (2'3'-cGAMP) to further avoid downstream STING and STAT1 activation. An unbiased screen to co-opt this vulnerability reveals that transient MPS1 inhibition (MPS1i) potently re-engages this pathway in KL cells via micronuclei generation. This effect is markedly amplified by epigenetic de-repression of STING and only requires pulse MPS1i treatment, creating a therapeutic window compared with non-dividing cells. A single course of decitabine treatment followed by pulse MPS1i therapy restores T cell infiltration in vivo, enhances anti-PD-1 efficacy, and results in a durable response without evidence of significant toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Kitajima
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Tetsuo Tani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Benjamin F Springer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Experimental Therapeutics Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Tatsuya Osaki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Haratani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Minyue Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erik H Knelson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Navin R Mahadevan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Ritter
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryohei Yoshida
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Jens Köhler
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Atsuko Ogino
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Ryu-Suke Nozawa
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shriram K Sundararaman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tran C Thai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Mizuki Homme
- Department of Cell Biology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Brandon Piel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Sophie Kivlehan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bonje N Obua
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Connor Purcell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Mamiko Yajima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Thanh U Barbie
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick H Lizotte
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pasi A Jänne
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA
| | - Cloud P Paweletz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prafulla C Gokhale
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA; Experimental Therapeutics Core, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA LC4115, USA.
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26
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Campisi M, Shelton SE, Chen M, Kamm RD, Barbie DA, Knelson EH. Engineered Microphysiological Systems for Testing Effectiveness of Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3561. [PMID: 35892819 PMCID: PMC9330888 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell therapies, including adoptive immune cell therapies and genetically engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T or NK cells, have shown promise in treating hematologic malignancies. Yet, immune cell infiltration and expansion has proven challenging in solid tumors due to immune cell exclusion and exhaustion and the presence of vascular barriers. Testing next-generation immune therapies remains challenging in animals, motivating sophisticated ex vivo models of human tumor biology and prognostic assays to predict treatment response in real-time while comprehensively recapitulating the human tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). This review examines current strategies for testing cell-based cancer immunotherapies using ex vivo microphysiological systems and microfluidic technologies. Insights into the multicellular interactions of the TIME will identify novel therapeutic strategies to help patients whose tumors are refractory or resistant to current immunotherapies. Altogether, these microphysiological systems (MPS) have the capability to predict therapeutic vulnerabilities and biological barriers while studying immune cell infiltration and killing in a more physiologically relevant context, thereby providing important insights into fundamental biologic mechanisms to expand our understanding of and treatments for currently incurable malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (M.C.); (S.E.S.); (M.C.); (D.A.B.)
| | - Sarah E. Shelton
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (M.C.); (S.E.S.); (M.C.); (D.A.B.)
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;
| | - Minyue Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (M.C.); (S.E.S.); (M.C.); (D.A.B.)
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Roger D. Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - David A. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (M.C.); (S.E.S.); (M.C.); (D.A.B.)
| | - Erik H. Knelson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (M.C.); (S.E.S.); (M.C.); (D.A.B.)
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