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Cheng Y, Song Z, Chen J, Tang Z, Wang B. Molecular basis, potential biomarkers, and future prospects of OSCC and PD-1/PD-L1 related immunotherapy methods. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25895. [PMID: 38380036 PMCID: PMC10877294 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) affects a large number of individuals worldwide. Despite advancements in surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, satisfactory outcomes have not been achieved. In recent years, the success of drugs targeting programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has led to breakthroughs in cancer treatment, but systematic summaries on their effectiveness against OSCC are lacking. This article reviews the latest research on the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and the potential of combination therapy based on this pathway in OSCC. Further, it explores the mechanisms involved in the interaction of this pathway with exosomes and protein-protein interactions, and concludes with potential future OSCC therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Cheng
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Zhengzheng Song
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Juan Chen
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Zhangui Tang
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Baisheng Wang
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, 410008, Hunan, China
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Bloomer CH, Gavrila E, Burcher KM, Kalada JM, Chang MJ, Gebeyehu RR, Asare E, Khoury LM, Kinney R, Frizzell B, Sullivan CA, Bunch PM, Porosnicu M. Exceptional response to cetuximab monotherapy after failure of immunotherapy with a checkpoint inhibitor in a patient with metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer: case report and review of the literature. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2023; 15:17588359231193722. [PMID: 37667781 PMCID: PMC10475238 DOI: 10.1177/17588359231193722] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy comprises the first-line palliative treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancers (R/M HNSCC). The established survival advantage among responders is overshadowed by the high percentage of patients failing the standard PD-1 inhibitor-based treatments. Salvage therapies are direly needed. However, no current standards are available. We present the case of a 65-year-old patient with heavily pretreated laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma who had an exceptional response to cetuximab monotherapy following the failure of immunotherapy with the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab. We reviewed the literature for other cases of exceptional response to cetuximab, clinical studies investigating the combined or sequential administration of cetuximab and PD-1 inhibitors, and the mechanistic rationale for consideration of cetuximab as a potential salvage treatment after immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors. In addition to the specific epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitory effect, cetuximab, as an immunoglobulin G1 isotype, binds NK cells and elicits antibody-dependent cellular toxicity, triggering a domino of immunostimulatory, and immunoinhibitory effects that actually might decrease the cetuximab anticancer efficacy. However, in a tumor microenvironment exposed to previous treatment with a PD-1 inhibitor, the effects of the PD-1 inhibitor followed by cetuximab on innate and adaptative immune response appear to synergize. Specifically, persistent immune checkpoint inhibitors' consequences may negate downstream immunosuppressive effects of cetuximab caused through PD-1/PD-L1 upregulation, making it a more potent treatment option. Besides the potential synergistic effect on antitumor immune response with previous immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy, cetuximab is the only targeted agent approved for treating R/M HNSCC, making it a most advantageous candidate for further treatment validation studies as salvage treatment post-immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chance H. Bloomer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Elena Gavrila
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kimberly M. Burcher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - John M. Kalada
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Mark J. Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Rediet R. Gebeyehu
- Section on Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Elsabeth Asare
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Methodist Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lara M. Khoury
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca Kinney
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Bart Frizzell
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Christopher A. Sullivan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Paul M. Bunch
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Mercedes Porosnicu
- Section on Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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Kałafut J, Czerwonka A, Anameriç A, Przybyszewska-Podstawka A, Misiorek JO, Rivero-Müller A, Nees M. Shooting at Moving and Hidden Targets-Tumour Cell Plasticity and the Notch Signalling Pathway in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:6219. [PMID: 34944837 PMCID: PMC8699303 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is often aggressive, with poor response to current therapies in approximately 40-50% of the patients. Current therapies are restricted to operation and irradiation, often combined with a small number of standard-of-care chemotherapeutic drugs, preferentially for advanced tumour patients. Only very recently, newer targeted therapies have entered the clinics, including Cetuximab, which targets the EGF receptor (EGFR), and several immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the immune receptor PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1. HNSCC tumour tissues are characterized by a high degree of intra-tumour heterogeneity (ITH), and non-genetic alterations that may affect both non-transformed cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and transformed carcinoma cells. This very high degree of heterogeneity likely contributes to acquired drug resistance, tumour dormancy, relapse, and distant or lymph node metastasis. ITH, in turn, is likely promoted by pronounced tumour cell plasticity, which manifests in highly dynamic and reversible phenomena such as of partial or hybrid forms of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and enhanced tumour stemness. Stemness and tumour cell plasticity are strongly promoted by Notch signalling, which remains poorly understood especially in HNSCC. Here, we aim to elucidate how Notch signal may act both as a tumour suppressor and proto-oncogenic, probably during different stages of tumour cell initiation and progression. Notch signalling also interacts with numerous other signalling pathways, that may also have a decisive impact on tumour cell plasticity, acquired radio/chemoresistance, and metastatic progression of HNSCC. We outline the current stage of research related to Notch signalling, and how this pathway may be intricately interconnected with other, druggable targets and signalling mechanisms in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kałafut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
| | - Arkadiusz Czerwonka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
| | - Alinda Anameriç
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
| | - Alicja Przybyszewska-Podstawka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
| | - Julia O. Misiorek
- Department of Molecular Neurooncology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Adolfo Rivero-Müller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
| | - Matthias Nees
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (J.K.); (A.C.); (A.A.); (A.P.-P.); (A.R.-M.)
- Western Finland Cancer Centre (FICAN West), Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, 20101 Turku, Finland
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