Systemic administration of a TLR7 agonist attenuates regulatory T cells by dendritic cell modification and overcomes resistance to PD-L1 blockade therapy

Micellar formulation provides potent and tolerable TLR7 agonist treatment for anti-cancer immunotherapy

Immunostimulants can be highly effective anti-cancer therapeutics; however, their systemic use is often limited by adverse reactions (AEs). Formulating immunostimulants into nanoparticle systems can potentially alleviate these, but nanoparticle design is key. In previous studies, we encountered anti-nanoparticle reactions with systemically administered PEGylated liposomes containing Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. In this work, we hypothesized that using a micellar drug delivery platform, rather than a liposomal platform, could retain the benefits of nanoparticle delivery systems while avoiding PEG recognition and generation of anti-PEG antibodies. Indeed, micellar formulation of the TLR7 agonist 1V270 induced far lower anti-PEG antibody levels and was well tolerated while retaining a similar circulation profile across multiple dosing. Furthermore, 1V270-micelles showed strong efficacy as monotherapy in murine syngeneic cancer models and showed combinatorial efficacy with anti-PD1 treatment. Following intravenous administration, tumors developed an inflammatory reaction and macroscopic hemorrhage 6 h post treatment followed by significant cell death 24 h post treatment, which was not observed in spleens and livers. Tumors displayed strong innate signaling within 24 h, which was accompanied by persistent massive infiltration of neutrophils and antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells, reduction in cancer cells and broad upregulation of immune-related genes. 1V270-micelles were well tolerated by non-human primates at doses equivalent to those displaying therapeutic activity in murine cancer models. Overall, the study provides novel insights into the mode of action of TLR7 agonists and demonstrates good and sustained tolerability of 1V270-micelles across animal models and excellent efficacy in murine cancer models by bridging innate and adaptive immunity.

Mild hyperthermia upregulates PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment and enhances antitumor efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in murine squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a low five-year survival rate because of its high rate of recurrence and metastasis. After surgical resection or radiation, the main treatments for HNSCC, patients sometimes experience functional or aesthetic disorders. Therefore, there is a great demand for the development of non-surgical treatment strategies to improve clinical outcomes and patients' quality of life. One such non-surgical treatment is mild hyperthermia (mHT). Many studies have investigated combination treatments with mHT and immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical settings. However, there have been no detailed reports on the effects of mHT on immune checkpoint molecules. Here, we investigated the effects of mHT on the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly on programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), in SCCVII cells and a squamous cell carcinoma mouse model. First, we found that PD-L1 mRNA levels and surface PD-L1 expression significantly increased after mHT. Second, a single tumor model was used to determine the effect of HT on the TME. mHT enhanced the accumulation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, elevated PD-L1 expression in the TME, and decreased the PD-1 positive rate of CD4+ T cells. Finally, using a bilateral tumor model, we found that anti-PD-L1 monotherapy and combination therapy resulted in longer survival than the isotype control or mHT monotherapy. Moreover, the combination therapy resulted in a significantly higher survival rate than anti-PD-L1 monotherapy. In conclusion, our findings elucidate changes in PD-L1 expression in the TME and strengthen the rationale for mHT and PD-L1 blockade combination therapy.

Topical Calcipotriol Plus Imiquimod Immunotherapy for Nonkeratinocyte Skin Cancers

Nonkeratinocyte cutaneous malignancies, including breast cancer cutaneous metastasis and melanoma in situ, are often poor surgical candidates. Imiquimod (IMQ), a toll-like receptor 7 agonist that activates innate immunity in the skin, is used to treat these cutaneous malignancies. However, IMQ's modest effect on the activation of adaptive immunity limits its efficacy as a monotherapy. In this study, we demonstrate that topical TSLP cytokine inducers-calcipotriol and retinoic acid-synergize with IMQ to activate CD4+ T-cell immunity against nonkeratinocyte cutaneous malignancies. Topical calcipotriol plus IMQ treatment reduced breast tumor growth compared with calcipotriol or IMQ alone (P < 0.0001). Calcipotriol plus IMQ-mediated tumor suppression was associated with significant infiltration of CD4+ effector T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Notably, topical calcipotriol plus IMQ immunotherapy enabled immune checkpoint blockade therapy to effectively control immunologically cold breast tumors, which was associated with induction of CD4+ T-cell immunity. Topical treatment with calcipotriol plus IMQ and retinoic acid plus IMQ also blocked subcutaneous melanoma growth. These findings highlight the synergistic effect of topical TSLP induction in combination with innate immune cell activation as an effective immunotherapy for malignancies affecting the skin.

Application of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their agonists in cancer vaccines and immunotherapy

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed in various immune cell types and perform multiple purposes and duties involved in the induction of innate and adaptive immunity. Their capability to propagate immunity makes them attractive targets for the expansion of numerous immunotherapeutic approaches targeting cancer. These immunotherapeutic strategies include using TLR ligands/agonists as monotherapy or combined therapeutic strategies. Several TLR agonists have demonstrated significant efficacy in advanced clinical trials. In recent years, multiple reports established the applicability of TLR agonists as adjuvants to chemotherapeutic drugs, radiation, and immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines. Cancer vaccines are a relatively novel approach in the field of cancer immunotherapy and are currently under extensive evaluation for treating different cancers. In the present review, we tried to deliver an inclusive discussion of the significant TLR agonists and discussed their application and challenges to their incorporation into cancer immunotherapy approaches, particularly highlighting the usage of TLR agonists as functional adjuvants to cancer vaccines. Finally, we present the translational potential of rWTC-MBTA vaccination [irradiated whole tumor cells (rWTC) pulsed with phagocytic agonists Mannan-BAM, TLR ligands, and anti-CD40 agonisticAntibody], an autologous cancer vaccine leveraging membrane-bound Mannan-BAM, and the immune-inducing prowess of TLR agonists as a probable immunotherapy in multiple cancer types.

Applications and clinical trial landscape using Toll-like receptor agonists to reduce the toll of cancer

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity, may be viable treatment targets. TLRs are the first line of defense against microbes and activate signaling cascades that induce immune and inflammatory responses. Patients with "hot" versus "cold" tumors may respond more favorably to immune checkpoint inhibition, and through their downstream effects, TLR agonists have the potential to convert "cold tumors" into "hot tumors" making TLRs in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, potential targets for cancer therapies. Imiquimod is a topical TLR7 agonist, approved by the FDA for antiviral and skin cancer treatments. Other TLR adjuvants are used in several vaccines including Nu Thrax, Heplisav, T-VEC, and Cervarix. Many TLR agonists are currently in development as both monotherapy and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we describe the TLR agonists that are being evaluated clinically as new therapies for solid tumors.

Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines—Antigen Discovery and Adjuvant Delivery Platforms

For decades, vaccines have played a significant role in protecting public and personal health against infectious diseases and proved their great potential in battling cancers as well. This review focused on the current progress of therapeutic subunit vaccines for cancer immunotherapy. Antigens and adjuvants are key components of vaccine formulations. We summarized several classes of tumor antigens and bioinformatic approaches of identification of tumor neoantigens. Pattern recognition receptor (PRR)-targeting adjuvants and their targeted delivery platforms have been extensively discussed. In addition, we emphasized the interplay between multiple adjuvants and their combined delivery for cancer immunotherapy.

Combination of Radiofrequency Ablation With Resiquimod to Treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma Via Inflammation of Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Suppression of Angiogenesis

Background

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) destroys tumors through hyperthermic injury, which induces the release of immunogenic intracellular substrates and damages associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to evoke a systemic immune response, but its therapeutic effect is limited. This study aimed to combine RFA with an immunomodulator, resiquimod (R848), to enhance the RFA-induced antitumor immunity.

Methods

We performed RFA on subcutaneous tumors in immunocompetent mice and intraperitoneally injected R848 to observe the efficacy of the combination therapy. Our research investigated changes in the composition of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in primary and distant tumors by flow cytometry. Natural killer (NK) cell depletion experiment was applied to confirm the role of NK cell in the combination therapy. The expression levels of cytokines and chemokines were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Immunohistochemical test was conducted to reveal tumor angiogenesis, tumor proliferation, and apoptosis after the different treatments.

Results and Conclusion

Compared with RFA or R848 monotherapy, the combination therapy significantly slowed the tumor growth, prolonged the survival time, and shrank the tumor-draining lymph nodes of tumor-bearing mice. The flow cytometry results showed that tumor-infiltrating immune cells, total T cells, the ratio of CD8⁺ T and NK cells to CD45⁺ cells, and functional NK cells were obviously increased after the combined treatment. Distal tumor growth was also suppressed, and the profile of tumor-infiltrating immune cells was remodeled, too. In addition, the additive effect of the combination therapy disappeared after NK cell depletion. Furthermore, immunohistochemical results verified that R848 inhibited tumor angiogenesis in murine liver cancer, and the combination therapy promoted tumor cell apoptosis. In conclusion, our data suggest that RFA combined with R848 stimulated a stronger antitumor immune response and effectively inhibited liver cancer progression in a NK cell-dependent manner. Meanwhile, we confirmed that R848 inhibited tumor angiogenesis and promoted apoptosis in murine liver cancer. Overall, this is a promising therapeutic strategy to improve the efficacy of RFA in the treatment of liver cancer and provides a novel option for combined thermal ablation and immunotherapy.

Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy: Modulation of tumor microenvironment by Toll-like receptor ligands

Immunotherapy is considered a promising approach for cancer treatment. An important strategy for cancer immunotherapy is the use of cancer vaccines, which have been widely used for cancer treatment. Despite the great potential of cancer vaccines for cancer treatment, their therapeutic effects in clinical settings have been limited. The main reason behind the lack of significant therapeutic outcomes for cancer vaccines is believed to be the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME counteracts the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy and provides a favorable environment for tumor growth and progression. Therefore, overcoming the immunosuppressive TME can potentially augment the therapeutic effects of cancer immunotherapy in general and therapeutic cancer vaccines in particular. Among the strategies developed for overcoming immunosuppression in TME, the use of toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists has been suggested as a promising approach to reverse immunosuppression. In this paper, we will review the application of the four most widely studied TLR agonists including agonists of TLR3, 4, 7, and 9 in cancer immunotherapy.

The importance of immune checkpoints in immune monitoring: A future paradigm shift in the treatment of cancer

The growth and development of cancer are directly correlated to the suppression of the immune system. A major breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy depends on various mechanisms to detect immunosuppressive factors that inhibit anti-tumor immune responses. Immune checkpoints are expressed on many immune cells such as T-cells, regulatory B cells (Bregs), dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer cells (NKs), regulatory T (Tregs), M2-type macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Immune inhibitory molecules, including CTLA-4, TIM-3, TIGIT, PD-1, and LAG-3, normally inhibit immune responses via negatively regulating immune cell signaling pathways to prevent immune injury. However, the up-regulation of inhibitory immune checkpoints during tumor progression on immune cells suppresses anti-tumor immune responses and promotes immune escape in cancer. It has recently been indicated that cancer cells can up-regulate various pathways of the immune checkpoints. Therefore, targeting immune inhibitory molecules through antibodies or miRNAs is a promising therapeutic strategy and shows favorable results. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are introduced as a new immunotherapy strategy that enhance immune cell-induced antitumor responses in many patients. In this review, we highlighted the function of each immune checkpoint on different immune cells and therapeutic strategies aimed at using monoclonal antibodies and miRNAs against inhibitory receptors. We also discussed current challenges and future strategies for maximizing these FDA-approved immunosuppressants' effectiveness and clinical success in cancer treatment.

Evolution of Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist therapeutics and their delivery approaches: From antiviral formulations to vaccine adjuvants

Imidazoquinoline derivatives (IMDs) and related compounds function as synthetic agonists of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR7/8) and one is FDA approved for topical antiviral and skin cancer treatments. Nevertheless, these innate immune system-activating drugs have potentially much broader therapeutic utility; they have been pursued as antitumor immunomodulatory agents and more recently as candidate vaccine adjuvants for cancer and infectious disease. The broad expression profiles of TLR7/8, poor pharmacokinetic properties of IMDs, and toxicities associated with systemic administration, however, are formidable barriers to successful clinical translation. Herein, we review IMD formulations that have advanced to the clinic and discuss issues related to biodistribution and toxicity that have hampered the further development of these compounds. Recent strategies aimed at enhancing safety and efficacy, particularly through the use of bioconjugates and nanoparticle formulations that alter pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and cellular targeting, are described. Finally, key aspects of the biology of TLR7 signaling, such as TLR7 tolerance, that may need to be considered in the development of new IMD therapeutics are discussed.

In vitro evidence suggesting that the toll-like receptor 7 and 8 agonist resiquimod (R-848) unlikely affects drug levels of co-administered compounds

Resiquimod (R-848) is an immune response modifier activating toll-like receptor 7 and 8. Its potential to cause pharmacokinetic interactions with concurrently administered drugs is unknown. To study the time course of the effect of resiquimod in LS180 cells as a model for intestinal tissue, luciferase-based reporter gene assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate whether resiquimod affects the activities of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ĸB), pregnane x receptor (PXR) or the transcription of selected central genes for drug disposition (cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3A4 (CYP3A4), CYP1A1, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1), ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCC2, ABCB1). Its impact on the activities of organic anion transporting polypeptides 1 or 3 (OATP1B1/3), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or CYP3A4 was evaluated using fluorescence- or luminescence-based activity assays. Resiquimod irrelevantly increased NF-ĸB activity after 2 h (1 µM: 1.07-fold, P = 0.0188; 10 µM: 1.09-fold, P = 0.0142), and diminished it after 24 h (1 µM: 0.64-fold, P < 0.0001; 10 µM: 0.68-fold, P < 0.0001) and 30 h (10 µM: 0.68-fold, P = 0.0003). Concurrently, PXR activity after 24 h was marginally increased by 10 µM (1.05-fold, P = 0.0019). Resiquimod did not alter mRNA expression levels, activities of uptake or efflux transporters, or CYP3A4 activity. Given the marginal effects on NF-ĸB, PXR, expression levels of selected PXR target genes, and activities of important drug transporters and CYP3A4 in vitro, resiquimod is not expected to cause major pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions in vivo.

Intratumoral immunotherapy using platelet-cloaked nanoparticles enhances antitumor immunity in solid tumors

Intratumoral immunotherapy is an emerging modality for the treatment of solid tumors. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have shown promise for eliciting immune responses, but systemic administration often results in the development of adverse side effects. Herein, we investigate whether localized delivery of the TLR agonist, resiquimod (R848), via platelet membrane-coated nanoparticles (PNP-R848) elicits antitumor responses. The membrane coating provides a means of enhancing interactions with the tumor microenvironment, thereby maximizing the activity of R848. Intratumoral administration of PNP-R848 strongly enhances local immune activation and leads to complete tumor regression in a colorectal tumor model, while providing protection against repeated tumor re-challenges. Moreover, treatment of an aggressive breast cancer model with intratumoral PNP-R848 delays tumor growth and inhibits lung metastasis. Our findings highlight the promise of locally delivering immunostimulatory payloads using biomimetic nanocarriers, which possess advantages such as enhanced biocompatibility and natural targeting affinities.

Recent Advancements in the Mechanisms Underlying Resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade Immunotherapy

Simple Summary

Immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1/PD-L1 has a promising therapeutic efficacy in different tumors, but a significant percentage of patients cannot benefit from this therapy due to primary and acquired resistance during treatment. This review summarizes the recent findings of PD-L1 role in resistance to therapies through the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and other correlating signaling pathways. A special focus will be given to the key mechanisms underlying resistance to the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we also discuss the promising combination of therapeutic strategies for patients resistant to the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in order to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Abstract

Release of immunoreactive negative regulatory factors such as immune checkpoint limits antitumor responses. PD-L1 as a significant immunosuppressive factor has been involved in resistance to therapies such as chemotherapy and target therapy in various cancers. Via interacting with PD-1, PD-L1 can regulate other factors or lead to immune evasion of cancer cells. Besides, immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1/PD-L1 has promising therapeutic efficacy in the different tumors, but a significant percentage of patients cannot benefit from this therapy due to primary and acquired resistance during treatment. In this review, we described the utility of PD-L1 expression levels for predicting poor prognosis in some tumors and present evidence for a role of PD-L1 in resistance to therapies through PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and other correlating signaling pathways. Afterwards, we elaborate the key mechanisms underlying resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, promising combination of therapeutic strategies for patients resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy or other therapies associated with PD-L1 expression was also summarized.

Folate Receptor Beta Designates Immunosuppressive Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells That Can Be Reprogrammed with Folate-Targeted Drugs

Although immunotherapies of tumors have demonstrated promise for altering the progression of malignancies, immunotherapies have been limited by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that prevents infiltrating immune cells from performing their anticancer functions. Prominent among immunosuppressive cells are myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) that inhibit T cells via release of immunosuppressive cytokines and engagement of checkpoint receptors. Here, we explore the properties of MDSCs and TAMs from freshly isolated mouse and human tumors and find that an immunosuppressive subset of these cells can be distinguished from the nonimmunosuppressive population by its upregulation of folate receptor beta (FRβ) within the TME and its restriction to the TME. This FRβ+ subpopulation could be selectively targeted with folate-linked drugs. Delivery of a folate-targeted TLR7 agonist to these cells (i) reduced their immunosuppressive function, (ii) increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration, (iii) enhanced M1/M2 macrophage ratios, (iv) inhibited tumor growth, (v) blocked tumor metastasis, and (vi) improved overall survival without demonstrable toxicity. These data reveal a broadly applicable strategy across tumor types for reprogramming MDSCs and TAMs into antitumorigenic immune cells using a drug that would otherwise be too toxic to administer systemically. The data also establish FRβ as the first marker that distinguishes immunosuppressive from nonimmunosuppressive subsets of MDSCs and TAMs. Because all solid tumors accumulate MDSCs and TAMs, a general strategy to both identify and reprogram these cells should be broadly applied in the characterization and treatment of multiple tumors. SIGNIFICANCE: FRβ serves as both a means to identify and target MDSCs and TAMs within the tumor, allowing for delivery of immunomodulatory compounds to tumor myeloid cells in a variety of cancers.

Small molecular drugs reshape tumor microenvironment to synergize with immunotherapy

Recently, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), especially anti-programmed death 1 (anti-PD-1) and anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy, has become an increasingly appealing therapeutic strategy for cancer patients. However, only a small portion of patients responds to anti-PD treatment. Therefore, treatment strategies are urgently needed to reverse the ICB-resistant tumor microenvironment (TME). It has become clear that the TME has diminished innate sensing that is critical to activate adaptive immunity. In addition, tumor cells upregulate various immunosuppressive factors to diminish the immune response and resist immunotherapy. In this review, we briefly update the current small molecular drugs that could synergize with immunotherapy, especially anti-PD therapy. We will discuss the modes of action by those drugs including inducing innate sensing and limiting immunosuppressive factors in the TME.

Discovery of new TLR7 agonists by a combination of statistical learning-based QSAR, virtual screening, and molecular dynamics

Search for new antiviral medications has surged in the past two years due to the COVID-19 crisis. Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is among one of the most important TLR proteins of innate immunity that is responsible for broad antiviral response and immune system control. TLR7 agonists, as both vaccine adjuvants and immune response modulators, are among the top drug candidates for not only our contemporary viral pandemic but also other diseases. The agonists of TLR7 have been utilized as vaccine adjuvants and antiviral agents. In this study, we hybridized a statistical learning-based QSAR model with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to extract new antiviral drugs by drug repurposing of the DrugBank database. First, we manually curated a dataset consisting of TLR7 agonists. The molecular descriptors of these compounds were extracted, and feature engineering was done to restrict the number of features to 45. We applied a statistically inspired modification of the partial least squares (SIMPLS) method to build our QSAR model. In the next stage, the DrugBank database was virtually screened structurally using molecular docking, and the top compounds for the guanosine binding site of TLR were identified. The result of molecular docking was again screened by the ligand-based approach of QSAR to eliminate compounds that do not display strong EC₅₀ values by the previously trained model. We then subjected the final results to molecular dynamics simulation and compared our compounds with imiquimod (an FDA-approved TLR7 agonist) and compound 1 (the most active compound against TLR7 in vitro, EC₅₀ = 0.2 nM). Our results evidently demonstrate that cephalosporins and nucleotide analogues (especially acyclic nucleotide analogues such as adefovir and cidofovir) are computationally potent agonists of TLR7. We finally reviewed some publications about cephalosporins that, just like pieces of a puzzle, completed our conclusion.

A TLR7 agonist activates bovine Th1 response and exerts antiviral activity against bovine leukemia virus

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection is a bovine chronic infection caused by BLV, a member of the genus Deltaretrovirus. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory effects of GS-9620, a toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonist, in cattle (Bos taurus) and its therapeutic potential for treating BLV infection. GS-9620 induced cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as CD80 expression in CD11c⁺ cells and increased CD69 and interferon (IFN)-γ expressions in T cells. Removing CD11c⁺ cells from PBMCs decreased CD69 expression in T cells in the presence of GS-9620. These results suggest that TLR7 agonism promotes T-cell activation via CD11c⁺ cells. Analyses using PBMCs from BLV-infected cattle revealed that TLR7 expression in CD11c⁺ cells was upregulated during late-stage BLV infection. Furthermore, GS-9620 increased IFN-γ and TNF-α production and inhibited syncytium formation in vitro, suggesting that GS-9620 may be used to treat BLV infection.

Targeting nuclear acid-mediated immunity in cancer immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies

Cancer immunotherapy especially immune checkpoint inhibition has achieved unprecedented successes in cancer treatment. However, there are many patients who failed to benefit from these therapies, highlighting the need for new combinations to increase the clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we summarized the latest discoveries on the combination of nucleic acid-sensing immunity and immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy. Given the critical role of nuclear acid-mediated immunity in maintaining the activation of T cell function, it seems that harnessing the nuclear acid-mediated immunity opens up new strategies to enhance the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors for tumor control.

Comparing the immunogenicity of glycosidase-directed resiquimod prodrugs mediated by cancer cell metabolism

We have recently developed an enzyme-directed immunostimulant (EDI) prodrug motif, which is metabolized to active immunostimulant by cancer cells and, following drug efflux, activates nearby immune cells, resulting in immunogenicity. In this study, we synthesized several EDI prodrugs featuring an imidazoquinoline immunostimulant resiquimod (a Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist) covalently modified with glycosidase enzyme-directing groups selected from substrates of β-glucuronidase, α-mannosidase, or β-galactosidase. We compared the glycosidase-dependent immunogenicity elicited by each EDI in RAW-Blue macrophages following conversion to active immunostimulant by complementary glycosidase. At a cellular level, we examined EDI metabolism across three cancer cell lines (B16 melanoma, TC2 prostate, and 4T1 breast cancer). Comparing the relative immunogenicity elicited by each EDI/cancer cell combination, we found that B16 cells produced the highest EDI prodrug immunogenicity, achieving >95% of that elicited by unmodified resiquimod, followed by TC2 and 4T1 cells (40% and 30%, respectively). Immunogenicity elicited was comparable for a given cell type and independent of the glycosidase substrate in the EDIs or differences in functional glycosidase activity between cell lines. Measuring drug efflux of the immunostimulant payload and efflux protein expression revealed that EDI/cancer cell-mediated immunogenicity was governed by efflux potential of the cancer cells. We determined that, following EDI conversion, immunostimulant efflux occurred through both P-glycoprotein-dependent and P-glycoprotein-independent transport mechanisms. Overall, this study highlights the broad ability of EDIs to couple immunogenicity to the metabolism of many cancers that exhibit drug efflux and suggests that designing future generations of EDIs with immunostimulant payloads that are optimized for drug efflux could be particularly beneficial.

Trial watch: TLR3 agonists in cancer therapy

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) is a pattern recognition receptor that senses exogenous (viral) as well as endogenous (mammalian) double-stranded RNA in endosomes. On activation, TLR3 initiates a signal transduction pathway that culminates with the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including type I interferon (IFN). The latter is essential not only for innate immune responses to infection but also for the initiation of antigen-specific immunity against viruses and malignant cells. These aspects of TLR3 biology have supported the development of various agonists for use as stand-alone agents or combined with other therapeutic modalities in cancer patients. Here, we review recent preclinical and clinical advances in the development of TLR3 agonists for oncological disorders.

Abbreviations

cDC, conventional dendritic cell; CMT, cytokine modulating treatment; CRC, colorectal carcinoma; CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; DC, dendritic cell; dsRNA, double-stranded RNA; FLT3LG, fms-related receptor tyrosine kinase 3 ligand; HNSCC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; ISV, in situ vaccine; MUC1, mucin 1, cell surface associated; PD-1, programmed cell death 1; PD-L1, programmed death-ligand 1; polyA:U, polyadenylic:polyuridylic acid; polyI:C, polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid; TLR, Toll-like receptor.

Immunostimulatory TLR7 agonist-nanoparticles together with checkpoint blockade for effective cancer immunotherapy

Mono- or dual-checkpoint inhibitors for immunotherapy have changed the paradigm of cancer care; however, only a minority of patients responds to such treatment. Combining small molecule immuno-stimulators can improve treatment efficacy, but they are restricted by poor pharmacokinetics. In this study, TLR7 agonists conjugated onto silica nanoparticles showed extended drug localization after intratumoral injection. The nanoparticle-based TLR7 agonist increased immune stimulation by activating the TLR7 signaling pathway. When treating CT26 colon cancer, nanoparticle conjugated TLR7 agonists increased T cell infiltration into the tumors by > 4× and upregulated expression of the interferon γ gene compared to its unconjugated counterpart by ~2×. Toxicity assays established that the conjugated TLR7 agonist is a safe agent at the effective dose. When combined with checkpoint inhibitors that target programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), a 10-100× increase in immune cell migration was observed; furthermore, 100 mm3 tumors were treated and a 60% remission rate was observed including remission at contralateral non-injected tumors. The data show that nanoparticle based TLR7 agonists are safe and can potentiate the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors in immunotherapy resistant tumor models and promote a long-term specific memory immune function.

Orthotopic tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) model exhibiting a different tumor-infiltrating T-cell status with margin-restricted CD8+ T cells and regulatory T cell-dominance, compared to skin SCC

The immunological, and especially T cell, status of the tumor microenvironment affects tumor development and the efficacy of cancer treatment. To devise suitable combination therapies based on the results of murine tumor models, a more realistic orthotopic model is required. In this study, we generated a murine model of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), in which the tumor-immune cell interactions were recapitulated, and examined tumor- and T-cell status compared to a skin-transplanted SCC model by multiplex immunofluorescence staining for epidermal growth factor receptor, CD31, CD8, CD4, and Foxp3. Administration of SCCVII cells did not induce undesirable tissue damage or inflammation. In tongue SCC, abundant T-cell infiltration was observed at the tumor margin, but not in the core. Tongue SCC predominantly showed CD8⁺ T or Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cell (Treg)-infiltration. In contrast, skin-transplanted SCC showed abundant infiltration of T cells in the whole tumor area, which was dominated by Tregs. An orthotopic tongue SCC model showed differences in tumor and T-cell status compared to the skin-transplanted SCC model. Our tongue SCC model may enhance understanding of tumor-host interactions and enable evaluation of therapeutic efficacy.

Poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoparticles as Delivery Platforms for TLR7/8 Agonist-Based Cancer Vaccine

Targeted drug delivery can significantly influence the efficacy of a drug. In the past decades, diverse drug-delivery technologies, including nano- and microparticles, co-crystals, and microneedles have been developed to maximize therapeutic efficacy and minimize undesired side effects of therapeutics. Nanoparticles-submicron-sized drug carriers-have been actively investigated for the delivery of antibiotics, nucleic acids, peptide/proteins, and chemotherapeutics. Recently, nanoparticles have gained attention as a vaccine delivery platform for tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and/or vaccine adjuvants. Agonists of imidazoquinoline-based Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 are potent cytokine inducers that are used as cancer vaccine adjuvants to elicit robust T-cell response by activating dendritic cells (DCs). Despite their in vitro potency, the translation of TLR7 agonists as cancer vaccine adjuvants in the clinic has been limited by their poor retention at the injection site. Therefore, a formulation that could improve the availability of TLR7/8 agonists to DCs via conventional vaccine administration routes (subcutaneous, intramuscular) can broaden the application of TLR7/8 agonists for cancer immunotherapy. Polymeric nanoparticles fabricated with poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) can be an efficient TLR7/8 agonist delivery platform. PLGA is a biocompatible polymer, and nanoparticles prepared from this polymer are stable in saline and are small enough to be administered by subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. Furthermore, nanoparticulate TLR7/8 delivery can enhance DC uptake and facilitate lymphatic drainage, both of which can enhance the adjuvanticity of TLR7/8 agonists compared with soluble forms. In this review, we discuss the use of PLGA nanoparticles with TLR7/8 agonists for improving cancer immunotherapy.

Differences of tumor-recruiting myeloid cells in murine squamous cell carcinoma influence the efficacy of immunotherapy combined with a TLR7 agonist and PD-L1 blockade

OBJECTIVES

The immune status of the tumor microenvironment has a marked impact on clinical outcomes. Here we examined the immune environments of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILes) in two murine models of squamous cell carcinoma and compared the effects of immunotherapeutic agents, including a TLR7 agonist and an immune checkpoint inhibitor, and a chemotherapeutic agent, gemcitabine, in these models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TILes from NR-S1- and SCCVII-grafted mice were analyzed by flow cytometry. NR-S1-inoculated mice received resiquimod (a synthetic TLR7 agonist), an anti-PD-L1 antibody, or both, and tumor growth and TILs were examined. Gemcitabine was administered to deplete CD11b⁺ cells.

RESULTS

More than 50% of TILes from NR-S1- and SCCVII-inoculated mice were CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ cells. A major fraction of NR-S1 CD11b⁺ cells was Ly6G^highLy6C^low-negaF4/80^- tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) and the majority of SCCVII CD11b⁺ cells were Ly6G^lowLy6C^-F4/80⁺ tumor-associated macrophages. NR-S1 TANs did not express MHC class II and CD86, but did express reactive oxygen species and PD-L1. Resiquimod, alone and in combination with an anti-PD-L1 antibody, did not regress NR-S1 tumors, but the combination increased the CD8/regulatory T cell-ratio, and IFN-γ and PD-1 expression in CD8⁺ TILes. Pre-administration of low-dose gemcitabine prior to the combination treatment suppressed the progression of NR-S1 tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

NR-S1 tumors with abundant recruitment of TANs were resistant to treatments with a TLR7 agonist, alone and in combination with PD-1 blockade, and required an additional gemcitabine treatment. The phenotype and status of tumor-infiltrating CD11b⁺ myeloid cells may influence the efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents.

Combination of Sunitinib and PD-L1 Blockade Enhances Anticancer Efficacy of TLR7/8 Agonist-Based Nanovaccine

Cancer vaccines composed of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have shown promising antitumor efficacy in preclinical studies by generating antigen-specific CD8 T cells, but translation of cancer vaccines to the clinic has been limited due to variables responses and development of resistance. The tumor microenvironment deploys various immune escape mechanisms that neutralize CD8 T cell-mediated tumor rejection. Therefore, we hypothesized that modulation of the tumor microenvironment can augment CD8 T cell activation and enhance therapeutic efficacy of cancer vaccines. To accomplish this, we aimed to eliminate immune suppressive cells and block their inhibitory signaling. Combination of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sunitinib with a nanoparticle-based cancer vaccine (nanovaccine) resulted in the reduction of immune-suppressive myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Blockade of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) using anti-PD-L1 antibody was used to reduce CD8 T cell exhaustion. Combination of nanovaccine+sunitinib+PD-L1 antibody treatment reduced PD-L1^high M2 macrophages and MDSCs and upregulated activation of CD8 T cells in the tumor. Nanovaccine+sunitinib+PD-L1 antibody treatment also stimulated antigen-specific CD8 T cell response, which led to improved therapeutic efficacy in MB49 and B16F10 murine tumor models. These results suggest that modulation of tumor microenvironment using sunitinib and PD-L1 blockade can significantly enhance the antitumor efficacy of cancer nanovaccine.