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Luly K, Green JJ, Sunshine JC, Tzeng SY. Biomaterial-Mediated Genetic Reprogramming of Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma Leads to Targeted Cancer Cell Killing In Vitro and In Vivo. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:6438-6450. [PMID: 37797944 PMCID: PMC10646862 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00885] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy is a promising anticancer strategy; however, tumor cells may employ resistance mechanisms, including downregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules to avoid immune recognition. Here, we investigate reprogramming nanoparticles (NPs) that deliver immunostimulatory genes to enhance immunotherapy and address defective antigen presentation in skin cancer in vitro and in vivo. We use a modular poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE)-based NP to deliver DNA encoding 4-1BBL, IL-12, and IFNγ to reprogram human Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) cells in vitro and mouse melanoma tumors in vivo to drive adaptive antitumor immune responses. Optimized NP formulations delivering 4-1BBL/IL-12 or 4-1BBL/IL-12/IFNγ DNA successfully transfect MCC and melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo, respectively, resulting in IFNγ-driven upregulation of MHC class I and II molecules on cancer cells. These NPs reprogram the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and elicit strong T-cell-driven immune responses, leading to cancer cell killing and T-cell proliferation in vitro and slowing tumor growth and improving survival rates in vivo. Based on expected changes to the tumor immune microenvironment, particularly the importance of IFNγ to the immune response and driving both T-cell function and exhaustion, next-generation NPs codelivering IFNγ were designed. These offered mixed benefits, exchanging improved polyfunctionality for increased T-cell exhaustion and demonstrating higher systemic toxicity in vivo. Further profiling of the immune response with these NPs provides insight into T-cell exhaustion and polyfunctionality induced by different formulations, providing a greater understanding of this immunotherapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn
M Luly
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Translational
Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Jordan J Green
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Translational
Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
- Institute
for Nanobiotechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Bloomberg∼Kimmel
Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
- Sidney
Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
- Departments
of Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
- Departments
of Materials Science & Engineering and Chemical & Biomolecular
Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Joel C Sunshine
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Departments
of Dermatology and Pathology, Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Stephany Y Tzeng
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
- Translational
Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
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Perspectives in melanoma: meeting report from the Melanoma Bridge (November 29th-1 December 1st, 2018, Naples, Italy). J Transl Med 2019; 17:234. [PMID: 31331337 PMCID: PMC6647284 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-1979-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Diagnosis of melanocytic lesions, correct prognostication of patients, selection of appropriate adjuvant and systemic therapies, and prediction of response to a given therapy remain very real challenges in melanoma. Recent studies have shown that immune checkpoint blockade that represents a forefront in cancer therapy, provide responses but they are not universal. Improved understanding of the tumor microenvironment, tumor immunity and response to therapy has prompted extensive translational and clinical research in melanoma. Development of novel biomarker platforms may help to improve diagnostics and predictive accuracy for selection of patients for specific treatment. There is a growing evidence that genomic and immune features of pre-treatment tumor biopsies may correlate with response in patients with melanoma and other cancers they have yet to be fully characterized and implemented clinically. For example, advancements in sequencing and the understanding of the tumor microenvironment in melanoma have led to the use of genome sequencing and gene expression for development of multi-marker assays that show association with inflammatory state of the tumor and potential to predict response to immunotherapy. As such, melanoma serves as a model system for understanding cancer immunity and patient response to immunotherapy, either alone or in combination with other treatment modalities. Overall, the aim for the translational and clinical studies is to achieve incremental improvements through the development and identification of optimal treatment regimens, which increasingly involve doublet as well as triplet combinations, as well as through development of biomarkers to improve immune response. These and other topics in the management of melanoma were the focus of discussions at the fourth Melanoma Bridge meeting (November 29th–December 1st, 2018, Naples, Italy), which is summarised in this report.
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