1
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Gao F, Lu Y, Zhao Y, Zhang H. scRNA-seq reveals chemotherapy-induced tumor microenvironment changes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Transl Cancer Res 2025; 14:2395-2409. [PMID: 40386264 PMCID: PMC12079211 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-2025-103] [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: 01/12/2025] [Accepted: 03/12/2025] [Indexed: 05/20/2025]
Abstract
Background Challenges have arisen in finding an effective treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Poor outcomes have fueled ongoing efforts to exploit the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the treatment of PDAC; however, to date, treatment strategies have largely failed. Thus, a comprehensive and deep understanding of the PDAC TME is necessary. The purpose of the present study was to investigate chemotherapy-induced tumor microenvironment changes and to optimize the response to immunotherapy in PDAC. Methods We analyzed publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) PDAC (with or without standard chemotherapy) data and performed systematic analyses to elucidate novel mechanisms and to determinate the marker expression alteration induced by the chemotherapy. Results Lysozyme (LYZ), which is usually used as a myeloid marker, was significantly increased in the tumor cells, including myeloid cells responding to chemotherapy. Additionally, chemotherapy altered the mechanism of antigen presentation and modulated the TME, which may lead to tumor drug resistance and recurrence. Chemotherapy also affected the receptor of polio virus receptor (PVR) signaling, which shifted from TIGIT in T cells to CD226 in myeloid cells. Thus, PVR (rather than TIGIT) should be the target for treatment. Conclusions We described the characteristics of widely expressed markers in different cell types in PDAC. Chemotherapy disrupted the TME balance, altered tumor antigen presentation, and changed PVR signaling. Combining the appropriate chemical and immune therapies could improve the immune therapy response in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Gao
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxiong Lu
- MyGene Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Multiplex PCR & Tumor Diagnostics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Zhao
- MyGene Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Multiplex PCR & Tumor Diagnostics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Precision Medicine Center, Jilin City Central Hospital, Jilin, China
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2
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Liu R, Jiang X, Dong R, Zhang Y, Gai C, Wei P. Revealing the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of immune checkpoint proteins across diverse protein families. Front Immunol 2025; 16:1499663. [PMID: 40356928 PMCID: PMC12066663 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1499663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2025] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
Host immune responses to antigens are tightly regulated through the activation and inhibition of synergistic signaling networks that maintain homeostasis. Stimulatory checkpoint molecules initiate attacks on infected or tumor cells, while inhibitory molecules halt the immune response to prevent overreaction and self-injury. Multiple immune checkpoint proteins are grouped into families based on common structural domains or origins, yet the variability within and between these families remains largely unexplored. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the co-suppressive functions of CTLA-4, PD-1, and other prominent immune checkpoint pathways. Additionally, we examine the IgSF, PVR, TIM, SIRP, and TNF families, including key members such as TIGIT, LAG-3, VISTA, TIM-3, SIRPα, and OX40. We also highlight the unique dual role of VISTA and SIRPα in modulating immune responses under specific conditions, and explore potential immunotherapeutic pathways tailored to the distinct characteristics of different immune checkpoint proteins. These insights into the unique advantages of checkpoint proteins provide new directions for drug discovery, emphasizing that emerging immune checkpoint molecules could serve as targets for novel therapies in cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and transplant rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Cong Gai
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wei
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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3
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Ma P, Zhang R, Sun W. Integrating bioinformatics with experimental validation unveils immunological and prognostic significance of PVRIG in pan-cancer. Sci Rep 2025; 15:12095. [PMID: 40204776 PMCID: PMC11982253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-89308-2] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2025] [Indexed: 04/11/2025] Open
Abstract
The poliovirus receptor-related immunoglobulin domain-containing protein (PVRIG) is a recently identified immune checkpoint receptor predominantly expressed on natural killer and CD8 + T cells. This study investigated the role of PVRIG in the tumor immune microenvironment and its prognostic significance across various cancers. Using bioinformatics analyses, the study revealed that PVRIG expression is associated with immune cell infiltration, immune modulator gene expression, clinical outcomes, CD8 + T cell functionality, and responses to immunotherapies and targeted treatments. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that PVRIG plays a critical role in regulating CD8 + T cell functionality. These findings suggest that PVRIG could serve as a biomarker for prognosis and immune infiltration, as well as a promising target for novel cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruichen Zhang
- Department of Electronic Information Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Weili Sun
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), 110 Pine Ave W, Montreal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada.
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4
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Melo Garcia L, Gangadharan A, Banerjee P, Li Y, Zeng AGX, Rafei H, Lin P, Kumar B, Acharya S, Daher M, Muniz-Feliciano L, Deyter GM, Dominguez G, Park JM, Reyes Silva F, Nunez Cortes AK, Basar R, Uprety N, Shanley M, Kaplan M, Liu E, Shpall EJ, Rezvani K. Overcoming CD226-related immune evasion in acute myeloid leukemia with CD38 CAR-engineered NK cells. Cell Rep 2025; 44:115122. [PMID: 39754720 PMCID: PMC11838179 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115122] [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: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 10/26/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/06/2025] Open
Abstract
CD226 plays a vital role in natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, interacting with its ligands CD112 and CD155 to initiate immune synapse formation, primarily through leukocyte function-associated-1 (LFA-1). Our study examined the role of CD226 in NK cell surveillance of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). NK cells in patients with AML had lower expression of CD226. CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of CD226 led to reduced LFA-1 recruitment, poor synapse formation, and decreased NK cell anti-leukemic activity. Engineering NK cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor targeting the AML antigen CD38 (CAR38) could overcome the need for CD226 to establish strong immune synapses. LFA-1 blockade reduced CAR38 NK cell activity, and this depended on the CD38 expression levels of AML cells. This suggests parallel but potentially cooperative roles for LFA-1 and CAR38 in synapse formation. Our findings suggest that CAR38 NK cells could be an effective therapeutic strategy to overcome CD226-mediated immune evasion in AML.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- T Lineage-Specific Activation Antigen 1
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/metabolism
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1/metabolism
- Immune Evasion
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Immunological Synapses/immunology
- Female
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Melo Garcia
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Hematology-Oncology Service, CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Achintyan Gangadharan
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33616, USA
| | - Pinaki Banerjee
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andy G X Zeng
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Healthy Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Hind Rafei
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Paul Lin
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bijender Kumar
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sunil Acharya
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - May Daher
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Luis Muniz-Feliciano
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gary M Deyter
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gabriel Dominguez
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeong Min Park
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Francia Reyes Silva
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ana Karen Nunez Cortes
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rafet Basar
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nadima Uprety
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mayra Shanley
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mecit Kaplan
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Enli Liu
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Shpall
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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5
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Zhang X, Zhang L, Li B, Wang Q, Chen P, Shi R, Zhou X, Niu X, Zhai W, Wu Y, Shen W, Zhou X, Zhao W. Identification of Epinastine as CD96/PVR inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy. BMC Biol 2025; 23:27. [PMID: 39871281 PMCID: PMC11773930 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-025-02132-y] [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: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 01/30/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poliovirus receptor (PVR) and its receptor system, including TIGIT, CD226, and CD96, play a pivotal role in orchestrating tumor immune evasion. Upon engagement with PVR on tumor cells, CD96 exerts inhibitory effects on the function of T cells and NK cells, thereby fostering tumor immune evasion. Therefore, screening of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting the CD96/PVR pathway will provide promising candidates for tumor immunotherapy. RESULTS In this investigation, we employed MOE software to conduct virtual screening of small molecules from the FDA-approved drug library. Our results demonstrated that Epinastine exhibited high affinity for CD96, thereby effectively disrupting the interaction between CD96 and PVR. In vitro co-culture experiments further revealed that Epinastine effectively restored the ability of Jurkat cells to secrete IL-2. In the MC38 tumor-bearing model, Epinastine significantly enhanced the infiltration of T cells and NK cells into the tumor site and augmented their secretion of IFN-γ, leading to effective suppression of tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated that the development of small molecule inhibitor Epinastine targeting CD96/PVR pathway, which proposed a promising strategy and drug candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangrui Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Lihan Zhang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Beibei Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Qingchao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Peixin Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Ranran Shi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Luohe Medical College, Luohe, 462000, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Xiaoshuang Niu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yahong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wenhui Shen
- Department of Head Neck and Thyroid, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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6
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Wang X, Wang H, Lu Z, Liu X, Chai W, Wang W, Feng J, Yang S, Yang W, Cheng H, Chen C, Zhang S, Sun N, Liu Q, Li Q, Song W, Jin F, Zeng Q, Wang S, Su Y, Wang H, Ni X, Gui J. Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor-Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity. Cancer Res 2025; 85:277-298. [PMID: 39514370 PMCID: PMC11733534 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-24-1509] [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: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 10/30/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
The dynamic interplay between tumor cells and γδT cells within the tumor microenvironment significantly influences disease progression and immunotherapy outcome. In this study, we delved into the modulation of γδT-cell activation by tumor cell ligands CD112 and CD155, which interact with the activating receptor DNAM-1 on γδT cells. Spatial and single-cell RNA sequencing, as well as spatial metabolomic analysis, from neuroblastoma revealed that the expression levels and localization of CD112 and CD155 varied across and within tumors, correlating with differentiation status, metabolic pathways, and ultimately disease prognosis and patient survival. Both in vivo tumor xenograft experiments and in vitro coculture experiments demonstrated that a high CD112/CD155 expression ratio in tumors enhanced γδT cell-mediated cytotoxicity, whereas a low ratio fostered tumor resistance. Mechanistically, CD112 sustained DNAM-1-mediated γδT-cell activation, whereas CD155 downregulated DNAM-1 expression via E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif-containing 21-mediated ubiquitin proteasomal degradation. By interacting with tumor cells differentially expressing CD112 and CD155, intratumoral γδT cells exhibited varying degrees of activation and DNAM-1 expression, representing three major functional subsets. This study underscores the complexity of tumor-immune cross-talk, offering insights into how tumor heterogeneity shapes the immune landscape. Significance: Tumor cells in different intratumoral neighborhoods display divergent patterns of ligands that regulate γδT-cell activation, highlighting multilevel regulation of antitumor immunity resulting from the heterogeneity of intercellular interactions in the tumor microenvironment.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- T Lineage-Specific Activation Antigen 1
- Animals
- Mice
- Single-Cell Analysis/methods
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/metabolism
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/genetics
- Ligands
- Lymphocyte Activation/immunology
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytes/immunology
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Cell Line, Tumor
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Wang
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengjing Lu
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Liu
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjia Chai
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shen Yang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyan Cheng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Chenghao Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shihan Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Hematology Oncology Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Nian Sun
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaoyin Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Qiliang Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqi Song
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Jin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zeng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shengcai Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Su
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Hematology Oncology Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Huanmin Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Ni
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jingang Gui
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
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7
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Franzese O. Tumor Microenvironment Drives the Cross-Talk Between Co-Stimulatory and Inhibitory Molecules in Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes: Implications for Optimizing Immunotherapy Outcomes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:12848. [PMID: 39684559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms252312848] [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: 11/02/2024] [Revised: 11/23/2024] [Accepted: 11/25/2024] [Indexed: 12/18/2024] Open
Abstract
This review explores some of the complex mechanisms underlying antitumor T-cell response, with a specific focus on the balance and cross-talk between selected co-stimulatory and inhibitory pathways. The tumor microenvironment (TME) fosters both T-cell activation and exhaustion, a dual role influenced by the local presence of inhibitory immune checkpoints (ICs), which are exploited by cancer cells to evade immune surveillance. Recent advancements in IC blockade (ICB) therapies have transformed cancer treatment. However, only a fraction of patients respond favorably, highlighting the need for predictive biomarkers and combination therapies to overcome ICB resistance. A crucial aspect is represented by the complexity of the TME, which encompasses diverse cell types that either enhance or suppress immune responses. This review underscores the importance of identifying the most critical cross-talk between inhibitory and co-stimulatory molecules for developing approaches tailored to patient-specific molecular and immune profiles to maximize the therapeutic efficacy of IC inhibitors and enhance clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ornella Franzese
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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8
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Cui H, Elkord E. Turning Cancer Immunotherapy to the Emerging Immune Checkpoint TIGIT: Will This Break Through the Limitations of the Legacy Approach? Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:1306. [PMID: 39771968 PMCID: PMC11679306 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12121306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2024] [Revised: 11/20/2024] [Accepted: 11/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/04/2025] Open
Abstract
The discovery of immune checkpoints (ICs) has pushed cancer treatment into the next era. As an emerging immune checkpoint, the TIGIT/CD155 axis inhibits the cytotoxicity of T and NK cells through multiple pathways. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting TIGIT are hopefully expected to address the issue of unresponsiveness to anti-PD-(L)1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by combination therapy. This paper presents insights on the expression, structure and mechanism of action of TIGIT, as well as the principles and methods of designing mAbs targeting TIGIT and their clinical data. The advantages and disadvantages of targeting TIGIT using mAbs, bispecific and tri-specific antibodies (bsAbs and tsAbs), peptides, and compounds, in addition to potential combination therapies of anti-TIGIT with anti-PD-1 or cancer vaccines, are addressed. Finally, perspectives on current immunotherapies targeting TIGIT are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haozhe Cui
- Department of Biosciences and Bioinformatics, School of Science, Suzhou Municipal Key Lab in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Immunology, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China;
| | - Eyad Elkord
- Department of Biosciences and Bioinformatics, School of Science, Suzhou Municipal Key Lab in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Immunology, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China;
- College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi 59911, United Arab Emirates
- Biomedical Research Center, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK
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9
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Jo Y, Sim HI, Yun B, Park Y, Jin HS. Revisiting T-cell adhesion molecules as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy: CD226 and CD2. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:2113-2126. [PMID: 39349829 PMCID: PMC11541569 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01317-9] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy aims to initiate or amplify immune responses that eliminate cancer cells and create immune memory to prevent relapse. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which target coinhibitory receptors on immune effector cells, such as CTLA-4 and PD-(L)1, have made significant strides in cancer treatment. However, they still face challenges in achieving widespread and durable responses. The effectiveness of anticancer immunity, which is determined by the interplay of coinhibitory and costimulatory signals in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, highlights the potential of costimulatory receptors as key targets for immunotherapy. This review explores our current understanding of the functions of CD2 and CD226, placing a special emphasis on their potential as novel agonist targets for cancer immunotherapy. CD2 and CD226, which are present mainly on T and NK cells, serve important functions in cell adhesion and recognition. These molecules are now recognized for their costimulatory benefits, particularly in the context of overcoming T-cell exhaustion and boosting antitumor responses. The importance of CD226, especially in anti-TIGIT therapy, along with the CD2‒CD58 axis in overcoming resistance to ICI or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies provides valuable insights into advancing beyond the current barriers of cancer immunotherapy, underscoring their promise as targets for novel agonist therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunju Jo
- Chemical and Biological Integrative Research Center, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye-In Sim
- Chemical and Biological Integrative Research Center, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bohwan Yun
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon Park
- Chemical and Biological Integrative Research Center, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Hyung-Seung Jin
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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10
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Zhang Y, Xie Y, Zhang X, Duan C, Ma J, Wang Y, Wu Y, Shan N, Cheng K, Zhuang R, Bian K. CD226 implicated in Akt-dependent apoptosis of CD4 + T cell contributes to asthmatic pathogenesis. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:705. [PMID: 39349422 PMCID: PMC11442704 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-07080-z] [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: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024]
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease in which CD4+ T cell dysregulation occurs. Here, we investigated the molecular role and clinical significance of CD226, a costimulatory molecule of T lymphocytes, in the development of allergic asthma. Our results revealed that the expression of CD226 was significantly increased in CD4+ effector T cells, especially in T helper (Th) 2 cells and Th17 cells in patients with asthma. Moreover, CD4+ T cell-specific Cd226-knockout mice were generated and together with littermates were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to establish a model of allergic asthma. We found that CD226 deficiency in CD4+ T cells mitigated lung inflammation, IgE production, and eosinophil infiltration and reduced airway remodeling in experimental allergic asthma. However, the impact of CD226 on asthma was independent of Treg cell modulation. Through RNA-seq data analysis, the apoptosis pathway was screened. Mechanistically, CD226 deletion promoted CD4+ T cell late apoptosis via the activation of Caspase-3 in an Akt-dependent manner. Furthermore, blocking CD226 signaling with a recombinant fusion protein attenuated asthma features in mice and achieved a good therapeutic effect. Overall, this study revealed a unique role of CD226 in CD4+ T cell regulation in asthma pathogenesis. Therefore, targeting CD226 may provide new insights into the clinical treatment of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xuexin Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chujun Duan
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingchang Ma
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuling Wang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yilin Wu
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Niqi Shan
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kun Cheng
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ran Zhuang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Ka Bian
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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11
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Alekseenko I, Zhukova L, Kondratyeva L, Buzdin A, Chernov I, Sverdlov E. Tumor Cell Communications as Promising Supramolecular Targets for Cancer Chemotherapy: A Possible Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10454. [PMID: 39408784 PMCID: PMC11476449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910454] [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: 09/05/2024] [Revised: 09/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Fifty-two years have passed since President Nixon launched the "War on Cancer". Despite unparalleled efforts and funds allocated worldwide, the outlined goals were not achieved because cancer treatment approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal and targeted therapies have not fully met the expectations. Based on the recent literature, a new direction in cancer therapy can be proposed which targets connections between cancer cells and their microenvironment by chemical means. Cancer-stromal synapses such as immunological synapses between cancer and immune cells provide an attractive target for this approach. Such synapses form ligand-receptor clusters on the interface of the interacting cells. They share a common property of involving intercellular clusters of spatially proximate and cooperatively acting proteins. Synapses provide the space for the focused intercellular signaling molecules exchange. Thus, the disassembly of cancer-stromal synapses may potentially cause the collapse of various tumors. Additionally, the clustered arrangement of synapse components offers opportunities to enhance treatment safety and precision by using targeted crosslinking chemical agents which may inactivate cancer synapses even in reduced concentrations. Furthermore, attaching a cleavable cell-permeable toxic agent(s) to a crosslinker may further enhance the anti-cancer effect of such therapeutics. The highlighted approach promises to be universal, relatively simple and cost-efficient. We also hope that, unlike chemotherapeutic and immune drugs that interact with a single target, by using supramolecular large clusters that include many different components as a target, the emergence of a resistance characteristic of chemo- and immunotherapy is extremely unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Alekseenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.); (A.B.); (I.C.)
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Lyudmila Zhukova
- Department of Oncology, SBIH “Moscow Clinical Scientific and Practical Center Named After A.S. Loginov” DHM, 111123 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Liya Kondratyeva
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.); (A.B.); (I.C.)
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Buzdin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.); (A.B.); (I.C.)
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
- Oncobox LLC, 121205 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Chernov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.); (A.B.); (I.C.)
| | - Eugene Sverdlov
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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12
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Ding S, Zhao P, Song S, Yang Y, Peng C, Chang X, Liu C. A novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tool to evaluate plasma soluble CD226 in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Anal Biochem 2024; 692:115573. [PMID: 38768695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115573] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
CD226 is an important receptor constitutively expressed on most immune cells, performing vital functions in immune responses. However, the levels of soluble CD226 (sCD226) and its roles in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) remain unclear. In this study, we developed two novel mouse anti-human CD226 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and established a novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system, which proved to be highly effective in detecting human sCD226. We then analyzed the expression of sCD226 in the plasma of pSS patients. Our results showed that the levels of sCD226 were significantly lower in patients with pSS compared to healthy controls. The significant decline was also observed in active group and the patients with high levels of IgG or positive anti-SSB. Additionally, reduced sCD226 was found to be negatively correlated with the disease activity of pSS and several clinical manifestations, including arthralgia, fatigue, decayed tooth and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Furthermore, receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis showed that sCD226 displayed outstanding capacity in discriminating pSS and predicting the disease activity. Altogether, plasma sCD226 emerges as a promising candidate for diagnostic markers in the context of pSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Ding
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Saizhe Song
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Yanhong Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Xin Chang
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China.
| | - Cuiping Liu
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China.
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13
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Qiao W, Duan C, Ma J, Hu W, Xie Y, Yang L, Wang T, Wu S, Li X, Wang Y, Cheng K, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhuang R. Costimulatory Molecule CD226 Regulates Atopic Dermatitis in a Mouse Model. J Invest Dermatol 2024; 144:1743-1753.e4. [PMID: 38325579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2024.01.022] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of CD226 in a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced mouse model of atopic dermatitis. The results showed that the lack of CD226 (global and CD4+ T-cell specific) significantly increased ear thickness, reddening, swelling, and scaling of the skin as well as inflammatory cell and mast cell infiltration. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the mRNA expressions of atopic dermatitis-related inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were markedly increased in the draining lymph nodes and lesioned ear skin tissues of global and CD4+ T-cell-specific CD226-deficient mice compared with that in control mice. In vitro assessment revealed that CD226 directly modulates TGFβ-mediated regulatory T (Treg) cell differentiation and proliferation. Notably, Treg cell-specific deletion of CD226 (Cd226fl/flFoxp3cre mice) resulted in more severe dermatitis and epidermal thickening than those observed in littermate mice upon DNCB treatment. Subsequent analysis showed that the infiltration of Treg cells in ear lesions and the number of Tregs in the spleen were significantly reduced in Cd226fl/flFoxp3cre mice after DNCB treatment. In addition, the lack of CD226 induced apoptosis of Treg cells through the activation of caspase 3. Therefore, these results suggest that CD226 has potential efficacy in atopic dermatitis, correlating with Treg cell inhibition.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology
- Dermatitis, Atopic/pathology
- Dermatitis, Atopic/genetics
- Mice
- Disease Models, Animal
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/metabolism
- Mice, Knockout
- Dinitrochlorobenzene
- Apoptosis
- Cell Differentiation
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Skin/pathology
- Skin/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qiao
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China; Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chujun Duan
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China; Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingchang Ma
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Otolaryngological Department of Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuwen Wu
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuling Wang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kun Cheng
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Ran Zhuang
- Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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14
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Sakano Y, Sakano K, Hurrell BP, Helou DG, Shafiei-Jahani P, Kazemi MH, Li X, Shen S, Hilser JR, Hartiala JA, Allayee H, Barbers R, Akbari O. Blocking CD226 regulates type 2 innate lymphoid cell effector function and alleviates airway hyperreactivity. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2024; 153:1406-1422.e6. [PMID: 38244725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.01.003] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) play a pivotal role in type 2 asthma. CD226 is a costimulatory molecule involved in various inflammatory diseases. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate CD226 expression and function within human and mouse ILC2s, and to assess the impact of targeting CD226 on ILC2-mediated airway hyperreactivity (AHR). METHODS We administered IL-33 intranasally to wild-type mice, followed by treatment with anti-CD226 antibody or isotype control. Pulmonary ILC2s were sorted for ex vivo analyses through RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. Next, we evaluated the effects of CD226 on AHR and lung inflammation in wild-type and Rag2-/- mice. Additionally, we compared peripheral ILC2s from healthy donors and asthmatic patients to ascertain the role of CD226 in human ILC2s. RESULTS Our findings demonstrated an inducible expression of CD226 in activated ILC2s, enhancing their cytokine secretion and effector functions. Mechanistically, CD226 alters intracellular metabolism and enhances PI3K/AKT and MAPK signal pathways. Blocking CD226 ameliorates ILC2-dependent AHR in IL-33 and Alternaria alternata-induced models. Interestingly, CD226 is expressed and inducible in human ILC2s, and its blocking reduces cytokine production. Finally, we showed that peripheral ILC2s in asthmatic patients exhibited elevated CD226 expression compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION Our findings underscore the potential of CD226 as a novel therapeutic target in ILC2s, presenting a promising avenue for ameliorating AHR and allergic asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Sakano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Kei Sakano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Benjamin P Hurrell
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Doumet Georges Helou
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Pedram Shafiei-Jahani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Mohammad H Kazemi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Stephen Shen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - James R Hilser
- Departments of Population & Public Health Sciences and Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Jaana A Hartiala
- Departments of Population & Public Health Sciences and Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Hooman Allayee
- Departments of Population & Public Health Sciences and Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Richard Barbers
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Omid Akbari
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.
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15
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Mensurado S, Condeço C, Sánchez-Martínez D, Shirley S, Coelho RML, Tirado N, Vinyoles M, Blanco-Domínguez R, Barros L, Galvão B, Custódio N, Gomes da Silva M, Menéndez P, Silva-Santos B. CD155/PVR determines acute myeloid leukemia targeting by Delta One T cells. Blood 2024; 143:1488-1495. [PMID: 38437507 PMCID: PMC11033583 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023022992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a major therapeutic challenge. We have recently developed a Vδ1+ γδ T cell-based product for adoptive immunotherapy, named Delta One T (DOT) cells, and demonstrated their cytolytic capacity to eliminate AML cell lines and primary blasts in vitro and in vivo. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the broad DOT-cell recognition of AML cells remain poorly understood. Here, we dissected the role of natural killer (NK) cell receptor ligands in AML cell recognition by DOT cells. Screening of multiple AML cell lines highlighted a strong upregulation of the DNAM-1 ligands, CD155/pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), CD112/nectin-2, as well as the NKp30 ligand, B7-H6, in contrast with NKG2D ligands. CRISPR-mediated ablation revealed key nonredundant and synergistic contributions of PVR and B7-H6 but not nectin-2 to DOT-cell targeting of AML cells. We further demonstrate that PVR and B7-H6 are critical for the formation of robust immunological synapses between AML and DOT cells. Importantly, PVR but not B7-H6 expression in primary AML samples predicted their elimination by DOT cells. These data provide new mechanistic insight into tumor targeting by DOT cells and suggest that assessing PVR expression levels may be highly relevant to DOT cell-based clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Mensurado
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carolina Condeço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diego Sánchez-Martínez
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RD21/0017/0029), Madrid, Spain
- Aragon Health Research Institute, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragon I+D Foundation, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Sara Shirley
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui M. L. Coelho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Néstor Tirado
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RD21/0017/0029), Madrid, Spain
| | - Meritxell Vinyoles
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RD21/0017/0029), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Blanco-Domínguez
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Leandro Barros
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Galvão
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Noélia Custódio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Pablo Menéndez
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RD21/0017/0029), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bruno Silva-Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Chen Z, Wang X, Teng Z, Liu M, Liu F, Huang J, Liu Z. Modifiable lifestyle factors influencing psychiatric disorders mediated by plasma proteins: A systemic Mendelian randomization study. J Affect Disord 2024; 350:582-589. [PMID: 38246286 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychiatric disorders are emerging as a serious public health hazard, influencing an increasing number of individuals worldwide. However, the effect of modifiable lifestyle factors on psychiatric disorders remains unclear. METHODS Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics were obtained mainly from Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and UK Biobank, with sample sizes varying between 10,000 and 1,200,000. The two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method was applied to investigate the causal associations between 45 lifestyle factors and 13 psychiatric disorders, and screen potential mediator proteins from 2992 candidate plasma proteins. We implemented a four-step framework with step-by-step screening incorporating two-step, univariable, and multivariable MR. RESULTS We found causal effects of strenuous sports or other exercise on Tourette's syndrome (OR [95%CI]: 0.0047 [5.24E-04-0.042]); lifelong smoking index on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (10.53 [6.96-15.93]), anxiety disorders (3.44 [1.95-6.05]), bipolar disorder (BD) (2.25 [1.64-3.09]), BD II (2.89 [1.81-4.62]), and major depressive disorder (MDD) (2.47 [1.90-3.20]); and educational years on anorexia nervosa (AN) (1.47 [1.22-1.76]), and MDD (0.74 [0.66-0.83]). Five proteins were found to have causal associations with psychiatric disorders, namely ADH1B, GHDC, STOM, CD226, and TP63. STOM, a membrane protein deficient in the erythrocytes of hereditary stomatocytosis patients, may mediate the effect of educational attainment on AN. LIMITATIONS The mechanisms underlying the effects of lifestyle factors on psychiatric disorders require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS These findings could help assess the risk of psychiatric disorders based on lifestyle factors and also support lifestyle interventions as a prevention strategy for mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuohui Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ziwei Teng
- National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Mengdong Liu
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Fangkun Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Huang
- National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Zhixiong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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17
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Rakké YS, Buschow SI, IJzermans JNM, Sprengers D. Engaging stimulatory immune checkpoint interactions in the tumour immune microenvironment of primary liver cancers - how to push the gas after having released the brake. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1357333. [PMID: 38440738 PMCID: PMC10910082 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1357333] [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: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are the first and second most common primary liver cancer (PLC). For decades, systemic therapies consisting of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or chemotherapy have formed the cornerstone of treating advanced-stage HCC and CCA, respectively. More recently, immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has shown anti-tumour reactivity in some patients. The combination regimen of anti-PD-L1 and anti-VEGF antibodies has been approved as new first-line treatment of advanced-stage HCC. Furthermore, gemcibatine plus cisplatin (GEMCIS) with an anti-PD-L1 antibody is awaiting global approval for the treatment of advanced-stage CCA. As effective anti-tumour reactivity using ICI is achieved in a minor subset of both HCC and CCA patients only, alternative immune strategies to sensitise the tumour microenvironment of PLC are waited for. Here we discuss immune checkpoint stimulation (ICS) as additional tool to enhance anti-tumour reactivity. Up-to-date information on the clinical application of ICS in onco-immunology is provided. This review provides a rationale of the application of next-generation ICS either alone or in combination regimen to potentially enhance anti-tumour reactivity in PLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick S. Rakké
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sonja I. Buschow
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-Cancer Institute-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan N. M. IJzermans
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC-Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Dave Sprengers
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-Cancer Institute-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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18
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Ma P, Sun W. Integrated single-cell and bulk sequencing analyses with experimental validation identify the prognostic and immunological implications of CD226 in pan-cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:14597-14617. [PMID: 37580402 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05268-y] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE CD226 (DNAM-1) is an activating receptor mainly expressed in CD8 + and NK cells. CD226 deficiency and blockade have been shown to impair tumor suppression, while enhanced CD226 expression positively correlated with the increased efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies. However, the detailed function and role of CD226 in pan-cancer are largely unknown and require further in-depth investigation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the biological functions of CD226, its role in tumor immunity, and its potential to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in pan-cancer. METHODS By taking advantage of single-cell and bulk sequencing analyses, we analyzed the expression profile of CD226, its correlation with patient prognosis, immune infiltration level, immune-related genes, tumor heterogeneity, and stemness in pan-cancer. We also investigated the biological functions of CD226 using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and evaluated its predictive value in response to immunotherapy and small-molecule targeted drugs. In addition, we validated the expression of CD226 in tumor-infiltrating CD8 + and NK cells and studied its association with their functions using a murine B16F10 melanoma model. RESULTS CD226 exhibited differential expression across most tumor types, and its elevated expression was associated with improved clinical outcomes in multiple cancer types. CD226 is closely correlated with numerous tumor-infiltrating immune cells, tumor stemness, and heterogeneity in most cancers. Furthermore, based on single-cell sequencing analysis, CD226 expression was found to be higher on effector CD4 + T cells than naïve CD4 + T cells, and its expression level was decreased in exhausted CD8 + T cells relative to effector CD8 + T cells in multiple cancer types. Additionally, flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that CD226 was highly correlated with the function of tumor-infiltrating NK and CD8 + T cells in murine B16F10 melanoma. Moreover, GSEA analysis revealed that CD226 was closely associated with T cell activation, natural killer cell mediated immunity, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and T cell receptor signaling pathway. Finally, CD226 showed promising predictive potential for responsiveness to both ICB therapies and various small-molecule targeted drugs. CONCLUSION CD226 has shown great potential as an innovative biomarker for predicting patient prognosis, immune infiltration levels, and the function of tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells, as well as immunotherapy response. Additionally, our findings suggest that the optimal modification of CD226 expression and function, combined with current ICBs, could be a promising strategy for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Weili Sun
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), 110 Pine Ave W, Montreal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada.
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Lin X, Dong Y, Gu Y, Wei F, Peng J, Su Y, Wang Y, Yang C, Neira SV, Kapoor A, Tang D. Taxifolin Inhibits the Growth of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer via Downregulating Genes Displaying Novel and Robust Associations with Immune Evasion Factors. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4818. [PMID: 37835514 PMCID: PMC10571863 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194818] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Using an LL2 cell-based syngeneic mouse LC model, taxifolin suppressed allografts along with the appearance of 578 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were associated with enhancement of processes related to the extracellular matrix and lymphocyte chemotaxis as well as the reduction in pathways relevant to cell proliferation. From these DEGs, we formulated 12-gene (TxflSig) and 7-gene (TxflSig1) panels; both predicted response to ICB (immune checkpoint blockade) therapy more effectively in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than numerous well-established ICB biomarkers, including PD-L1. In both panels, the mouse counterparts of ITGAL, ITGAX, and TMEM119 genes were downregulated by taxifolin. They were strongly associated with immune suppression in LC, evidenced by their robust correlations with the major immunosuppressive cell types (MDSC, Treg, and macrophage) and multiple immune checkpoints in NSCLC and across multiple human cancer types. ITGAL, ITGAX, and IIT (ITGAL-ITGAX-TMEM119) effectively predicted NSCLC's response to ICB therapy; IIT stratified the mortality risk of NSCLC. The stromal expressions of ITGAL and ITGAX, together with tumor expression of TMEM119 in NSCLC, were demonstrated. Collectively, we report multiple novel ICB biomarkers-TxflSig, TxflSig1, IIT, ITGAL, and ITGAX-and taxifolin-derived attenuation of immunosuppressive activities in NSCLC, suggesting the inclusion of taxifolin in ICB therapies for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozeng Lin
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Ying Dong
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Yan Gu
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Fengxiang Wei
- The Genetics Laboratory, Longgang District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City, Longgang District, Shenzhen 518174, China;
| | - Jingyi Peng
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Yingying Su
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Yanjun Wang
- Jilin Jianwei Songkou Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Changchun 510664, China;
| | - Chengzhi Yang
- Benda International Inc., Ottawa, ON K1X 0C1, Canada;
| | - Sandra Vega Neira
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Anil Kapoor
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Damu Tang
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; (X.L.); (Y.D.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (Y.S.); (S.V.N.); (A.K.)
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe’s Hamilton, St Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
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20
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Paolini R, Molfetta R. Dysregulation of DNAM-1-Mediated NK Cell Anti-Cancer Responses in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4616. [PMID: 37760586 PMCID: PMC10527063 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184616] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
NK cells play a pivotal role in anti-cancer immune responses, thanks to the expression of a wide array of inhibitory and activating receptors that regulate their cytotoxicity against transformed cells while preserving healthy cells from lysis. However, NK cells exhibit severe dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment, mainly due to the reduction of activating receptors and the induction or increased expression of inhibitory checkpoint receptors. An activating receptor that plays a central role in tumor recognition is the DNAM-1 receptor. It recognizes PVR and Nectin2 adhesion molecules, which are frequently overexpressed on the surface of cancerous cells. These ligands are also able to trigger inhibitory signals via immune checkpoint receptors that are upregulated in the tumor microenvironment and can counteract DNAM-1 activation. Among them, TIGIT has recently gained significant attention, since its targeting results in improved anti-tumor immune responses. This review aims to summarize how the recognition of PVR and Nectin2 by paired co-stimulatory/inhibitory receptors regulates NK cell-mediated clearance of transformed cells. Therapeutic approaches with the potential to reverse DNAM-1 dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment will be also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa Molfetta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
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21
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Roque K, Ruiz R, Mas L, Pozza DH, Vancini M, Silva Júnior JA, de Mello RA. Update in Immunotherapy for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Optimizing Treatment Sequencing and Identifying the Best Choices. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4547. [PMID: 37760516 PMCID: PMC10526179 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The introduction of immunotherapy has brought about a paradigm shift in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It has not only significantly improved the prognosis of patients but has also become a cornerstone of treatment, particularly in those without oncogenic driver mutations. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) play a crucial role in the treatment of lung cancer and can be classified into two main groups: Anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (Anti-CTLA-4) and anti-T-cell receptor programmed cell death-1 or its ligand (Anti-PD-1 and Anti-PD-L1). Certainly, the landscape of approved first line immunotherapeutic approaches has expanded to encompass monotherapy, immunotherapy-exclusive protocols, and combinations with chemotherapy. The complexity of decision-making in this realm arises due to the absence of direct prospective comparisons. However, a thorough analysis of the long-term efficacy and safety data derived from pivotal clinical trials can offer valuable insights into optimizing treatment for different patient subsets. Moreover, ongoing research is investigating emerging biomarkers and innovative therapeutic strategies that could potentially refine the current treatment approach even further. In this comprehensive review, our aim is to highlight the latest advances in immunotherapy for advanced NSCLC, including the mechanisms of action, efficacy, safety profiles, and clinical significance of ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Roque
- Discipline of Medical Oncology, Post-Graduation Programme in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University (UNINOVE), São Paulo 04101-000, Brazil (J.A.S.J.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Angamos Este Av., 2520, Lima 15023, Peru; (R.R.); (L.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
| | - Rossana Ruiz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Angamos Este Av., 2520, Lima 15023, Peru; (R.R.); (L.M.)
- Escuela Profesional de Medicina Humana-Filial Ica, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Ica 15067, Peru
| | - Luis Mas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Angamos Este Av., 2520, Lima 15023, Peru; (R.R.); (L.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncosalud-AUNA, Av. Guardia Civil 571-San Borja, Lima 15036, Peru
| | - Daniel Humberto Pozza
- Experimental Biology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine of Porto, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Institute for Research and Innovation in Health and IBMC, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marina Vancini
- Discipline of Medical Oncology, Post-Graduation Programme in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University (UNINOVE), São Paulo 04101-000, Brazil (J.A.S.J.)
| | - José Antônio Silva Júnior
- Discipline of Medical Oncology, Post-Graduation Programme in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University (UNINOVE), São Paulo 04101-000, Brazil (J.A.S.J.)
| | - Ramon Andrade de Mello
- Discipline of Medical Oncology, Post-Graduation Programme in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nine of July University (UNINOVE), São Paulo 04101-000, Brazil (J.A.S.J.)
- Oxford Cancer Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
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22
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Trumet L, Weber M, Hahn A, Kunater L, Geppert C, Glajzer J, Struckmeier AK, Möst T, Lutz R, Kesting M, Ries J. The Immune Checkpoint Receptor CD96: A Local and Systemic Immune Modulator in Oral Cancer? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072126. [PMID: 37046787 PMCID: PMC10093349 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: As immunotherapy of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), using PD1 inhibitors, is only efficient in a small proportion of patients, additional immune checkpoints need to be identified as potential therapeutic targets. There is evidence that a blockade of CD96 might positively affect the anti-tumor immune response. The aim of this study was to analyze the gene and protein expression of CD96 in the tissue and peripheral blood of OSCC patients compared to healthy controls, while also checking for potential associations with a differential expression to the histomorphological parameters. In addition, possible correlations with the expression of PD1 and PD-L1 as well as the macrophage markers CD68 and CD163 should be tested to obtain further insights into the potential effectiveness of combined checkpoint blockage. Material and Methods: For real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), a total of 183 blood and tissue samples, divided into a patient and a control group, were included. Additionally, 141 tissue samples were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relative expression differences between the groups were calculated using statistical tests including the Mann–Whitney U test and AUC method. The Chi-square test was used to determine whether CD96 overexpression in individual samples is associated with malignancy. Correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation test. Results: There was a significant CD96 mRNA and protein overexpression in the OSCC group compared to the controls (p = 0.001). In contrast, CD96 mRNA expression in the peripheral blood of the OSCC patients was significantly lower compared to the control group (p = 0.007). In the Chi-square test, the OSCC tissue samples showed a highly significant upregulation of CD96 mRNA expression (p < 0.001) and protein expression (p = 0.005) compared to the healthy mucosa. CD96 mRNA and protein expression correlated significantly (p = 0.005). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation of CD96 expression with PD1 (p ≤ 0.001), PD-L1 (p ≤ 0.001), and CD163 (p = 0.006) at the mRNA level. Conclusions: CD96 expression in the tumor tissue and peripheral blood of OSCC patients is differentially regulated and appears to be a relevant immune checkpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Trumet
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Manuel Weber
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alina Hahn
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lina Kunater
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carol Geppert
- Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jacek Glajzer
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ann-Kristin Struckmeier
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tobias Möst
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rainer Lutz
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marco Kesting
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jutta Ries
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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23
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Saha S, Sparkes A, Matus EI, Lee P, Gariépy J. The IgV domain of the poliovirus receptor alone is immunosuppressive and binds to its receptors with comparable affinity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4609. [PMID: 36944702 PMCID: PMC10030575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30999-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
PVR (poliovirus receptor) functions as a ligand that signals through TIGIT and CD96 to induce suppression of T-cell and NK-cell responses. Alternatively, PVR binds to CD226, resulting in a co-stimulatory signal. To date, TIGIT antibody antagonists have been developed to restore immune functions and allow PVR to signal though CD226 in the context of cancer immunotherapy. Due to PVR receptor heterogeneity, agonizing either of these pathways with a recombinant form of the PVR extracellular domain represents a therapeutic strategy for either immunosuppression or activation. Here, we developed a minimal murine PVR-Fc fusion construct, consisting of only the IgV domain of PVR (vdPVR-Fc), and assessed its ability to dampen inflammatory responses in a murine model of psoriasis. vdPVR-Fc and PVR-Fc containing the full-length extracellular domain bound to TIGIT, CD96 and CD226 with similar low nanomolar affinities as defined by surface plasmon resonance. vdPVR-Fc was also able to suppress the in-vitro proliferation of murine CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in mixed splenocyte cultures. Importantly, vdPVR-Fc delayed the onset, and reduced inflammatory responses (scaling and thickness) in a murine model of psoriasis. Collectively, our results suggest that the minimal IgV domain of PVR is sufficient to dampen immune responses in-vitro and attenuate symptoms of psoriasis in-vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrayasee Saha
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Amanda Sparkes
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Esther I Matus
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Peter Lee
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jean Gariépy
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room M7-434, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.
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24
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Pawłowska A, Skiba W, Suszczyk D, Kuryło W, Jakubowicz-Gil J, Paduch R, Wertel I. The Dual Blockade of the TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway as a New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5757. [PMID: 36497240 PMCID: PMC9740841 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis for ovarian cancer (OC) patients is poor and the five-year survival rate is only 47%. Immune checkpoints (ICPs) appear to be the potential targets in up-and-coming OC treatment. However, the response of OC patients to immunotherapy based on programmed cell death pathway (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors totals only 6-15%. The promising approach is a combined therapy, including other ICPs such as the T-cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain/CD155/DNAX accessory molecule-1 (TIGIT/CD155/DNAM-1) axis. Preclinical studies in a murine model of colorectal cancer showed that the dual blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 and TIGIT led to remission in the whole studied group vs. the regression of the tumors with the blockade of a single pathway. The approach stimulates the effector activity of T cells and NK cells, and redirects the immune system activity against the tumor. The understanding of the synergistic action of the TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade is, however, poor. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about the mode of action of the dual TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade and its potential benefits for OC patients. Considering the positive impact of this combined therapy in malignancies, including lung and colorectal cancer, it appears to be a promising approach in OC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pawłowska
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Skiba
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Dorota Suszczyk
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Weronika Kuryło
- Students’ Scientific Association, Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Jakubowicz-Gil
- Department of Functional Anatomy and Cytobiology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Roman Paduch
- Department of Virology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wertel
- Independent Laboratory of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
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25
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Xie Y, Zhang W, Sun J, Sun L, Meng F, Yu H. A novel cuproptosis-related immune checkpoint gene signature identification and experimental validation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18514. [PMID: 36323801 PMCID: PMC9630496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22962-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper-induced death, also termed cuproptosis, is a novel form of programmed cell death and is promising as a new strategy for cancer therapeutics. Elevated copper levels in tumor cells are positively associated with high PD-L1 expression. Nonetheless, the prognostic significance of cuproptosis-related immune checkpoint genes (CRICGs) in hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be further clarified. This study aimed to construct the prognostic CRICG signature to predict the immunotherapy response and outcomes of HCC patients. The co-expressed CRICGs were first screened through Pearson correlation analysis. Based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-COX regression analyses, we identified a prognostic 5-CRICGs model, which closely correlates with poor outcomes, cancer development, and immune response to hepatocellular carcinoma. External validation was conducted using the GSE14520 dataset. Lastly, qRT-PCR was performed to determine the expression of the CRICGs in HCC. In summary, we developed and validated a novel prognostic CRICG model based on 5 CRICGs. This prognostic signature could effectively forecast the outcomes and immune response of HCC patients, which may serve as biomarkers for anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusai Xie
- Laboratory of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016 Liaoning China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016 Liaoning China
| | - Jia Sun
- Laboratory of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016 Liaoning China
| | - Lingyan Sun
- Laboratory of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016 Liaoning China
| | - Fanjie Meng
- Laboratory of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016 Liaoning China
| | - Huiying Yu
- Laboratory of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China.
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