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Wen H, Ni X, Qian S, Abdul S, Lv H, Chen Y. Construction of a gene signature associated with anoikis to evaluate the prognosis and immune infiltration in patients with colorectal cancer. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:1904-1923. [PMID: 38737694 PMCID: PMC11082817 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-1221] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a high metastasis rate, leading to poor prognosis and increased mortality. Anoikis, a physiological process, serves as a crucial barrier against metastasis. The objective of this research is to construct a prognostic model for CRC based on genes associated with anoikis. Methods The study involved differential analysis and univariate Cox analysis of anoikis-related genes (ARGs), resulting in the selection of 47 genes closely associated with prognosis. Subsequently, unsupervised k-means clustering analysis was conducted on all patients to identify distinct clusters. Survival analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) analysis were performed on the different clusters to investigate associations within the clusters. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were utilized to assess metabolic pathway enrichment between the identified clusters. Furthermore, single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) was applied to explore variations in immune infiltration. Multivariable Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyses were conducted to construct a risk model based on ten signatures, which enabled the grouping of all samples according to their risk scores. The prognostic value of the model was validated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC) calculations, and survival curves. Additionally, the expression of candidate genes was validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results Forty-seven survival-related ARGs were screened out. Somatic mutation analysis showed that these genes revealed a high mutation rate. Based on their expression, two clusters were identified. Cluster B patients exhibited a shortened overall survival and higher immune infiltration. A risk scoring model including ten genes was subsequently developed, which exhibited excellent prognostic predictive ability for CRC, as evidenced by the survival curve, ROC curve, and AUC curve. In addition, a nomogram was developed for predicting 3- and 5-year survival probabilities. The qRT-PCR results indicated the dissimilarities among the ten signatures in the tumor tissues and adjacent tissues of patients with CRC were fundamentally consistent with the analytical findings. Conclusions This study comprehensively evaluated the prognostic significance of ARGs in CRC. It identified two distinct anoikis-related clusters and examined their respective immune microenvironments. Furthermore, an ARGs signature was developed to effectively predict the prognosis of CRC, thereby establishing a solid foundation for investigating the clinical prognostic role of anoikis in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xixian Ni
- School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sicheng Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sammad Abdul
- International Education College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hang Lv
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yitao Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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Lairikyengbam D, Wetterauer B, Schmiech M, Jahraus B, Kirchgessner H, Wetterauer P, Berschneider K, Beier V, Niesler B, Balta E, Samstag Y. Comparative analysis of whole plant, flower and root extracts of Chamomilla recutita L. and characteristic pure compounds reveals differential anti-inflammatory effects on human T cells. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1388962. [PMID: 38720895 PMCID: PMC11077421 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1388962] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of chronic wounds and inflammatory skin diseases. Due to a hyperactive and prolonged inflammation triggered by proinflammatory immune cells, transitioning to the repair and healing phase is halted. T cells may exacerbate the proinflammatory milieu by secreting proinflammatory cytokines. Chamomilla recutita L. (chamomile) has been suggested for use in several inflammatory diseases, implying a capability to modulate T cells. Here, we have characterized and compared the effects of differently prepared chamomile extracts and characteristic pure compounds on the T cell redox milieu as well as on the migration, activation, proliferation, and cytokine production of primary human T cells. Methods Phytochemical analysis of the extracts was carried out by LC-MS/MS. Primary human T cells from peripheral blood (PBTs) were pretreated with aqueous or hydroethanolic chamomile extracts or pure compounds. Subsequently, the effects on intracellular ROS levels, SDF-1α induced T cell migration, T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production after TCR/CD3 and CD28 costimulation were determined. Gene expression profiling was performed using nCounter analysis, followed by ingenuity pathway analysis, and validation at protein levels. Results The tested chamomile extracts and pure compounds differentially affected intracellular ROS levels, migration, and activation of T cells. Three out of five differently prepared extracts and two out of three pure compounds diminished T cell proliferation. In line with these findings, LC-MS/MS analysis revealed high heterogeneity of phytochemicals among the different extracts. nCounter based gene expression profiling identified several genes related to T cell functions associated with activation and differentiation to be downregulated. Most prominently, apigenin significantly reduced granzyme B induction and cytotoxic T cell activity. Conclusion Our results demonstrate an anti-inflammatory effect of chamomile- derived products on primary human T cells. These findings provide molecular explanations for the observed anti-inflammatory action of chamomile and imply a broader use of chamomile extracts in T cell driven chronic inflammatory diseases such as chronic wounds and inflammatory skin diseases. Importantly, the mode of extract preparation needs to be considered as the resulting different phytochemicals can result in differential effects on T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Lairikyengbam
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Wetterauer
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schmiech
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacology of Natural Products, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Beate Jahraus
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Kirchgessner
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pille Wetterauer
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karina Berschneider
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Verena Beier
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Niesler
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- nCounter Core Facility, Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emre Balta
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yvonne Samstag
- Section Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Cattaneo G, Ventin M, Arya S, Kontos F, Michelakos T, Sekigami Y, Cai L, Villani V, Sabbatino F, Chen F, Sadagopan A, Deshpande V, Moore PA, Ting DT, Bardeesy N, Wang X, Ferrone S, Ferrone CR. Interplay between B7-H3 and HLA class I in the clinical course of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216713. [PMID: 38364961 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216713] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I defects are associated with cancer progression. However, their prognostic significance is controversial and may be modulated by immune checkpoints. Here, we investigated whether the checkpoint B7-H3 modulates the relationship between HLA class I and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognosis. PDAC tumors were analyzed for the expression of B7-H3, HLA class I, HLA class II molecules, and for the presence of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. We observed defective HLA class I and HLA class II expressions in 75% and 59% of PDAC samples, respectively. HLA class I and B7-H3 expression were positively related at mRNA and protein level, potentially because of shared regulation by RELA, a sub-unit of NF-kB. High B7-H3 expression and low CD8+ T cell density were indicators of poor survival, while HLA class I was not. Defective HLA class I expression was associated with unfavorable survival only in patients with low B7-H3 expression. Favorable survival was observed only when HLA class I expression was high and B7-H3 expression low. Our results provide the rationale for targeting B7-H3 in patients with PDAC tumors displaying high HLA class I levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cattaneo
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. https://twitter.com/GCattaneoPhD
| | - Marco Ventin
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shahrzad Arya
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Filippos Kontos
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Theodoros Michelakos
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yurie Sekigami
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lei Cai
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Vincenzo Villani
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Francesco Sabbatino
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Ananthan Sadagopan
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - David T Ting
- MassGeneral Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nabeel Bardeesy
- MassGeneral Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Cristina R Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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Martincuks A, Zhang C, Austria T, Li YJ, Huang R, Lugo Santiago N, Kohut A, Zhao Q, Borrero RM, Shen B, Cristea M, Wang EW, Song M, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Yu H. Targeting PARG induces tumor cell growth inhibition and antitumor immune response by reducing phosphorylated STAT3 in ovarian cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007716. [PMID: 38580335 PMCID: PMC11002370 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007716] [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] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy, with limited treatment options after failure of standard therapies. Despite the potential of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in treating DNA damage response (DDR)-deficient ovarian cancer, the development of resistance and immunosuppression limit their efficacy, necessitating alternative therapeutic strategies. Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) represent a novel class of inhibitors that are currently being assessed in preclinical and clinical studies for cancer treatment. METHODS By using a PARG small-molecule inhibitor, COH34, and a cell-penetrating antibody targeting the PARG's catalytic domain, we investigated the effects of PARG inhibition on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in OVCAR8, PEO1, and Brca1-null ID8 ovarian cancer cell lines, as well as in immune cells. We examined PARG inhibition-induced effects on STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear localization, target gene expression, and antitumor immune responses in vitro, in patient-derived tumor organoids, and in an immunocompetent Brca1-null ID8 ovarian mouse tumor model that mirrors DDR-deficient human high-grade serous ovarian cancer. We also tested the effects of overexpressing a constitutively activated STAT3 mutant on COH34-induced tumor cell growth inhibition. RESULTS Our findings show that PARG inhibition downregulates STAT3 activity through dephosphorylation in ovarian cancer cells. Importantly, overexpression of a constitutively activated STAT3 mutant in tumor cells attenuates PARG inhibitor-induced growth inhibition. Additionally, PARG inhibition reduces STAT3 phosphorylation in immune cells, leading to the activation of antitumor immune responses, shown in immune cells cocultured with ovarian cancer patient tumor-derived organoids and in immune-competent mice-bearing mouse ovarian tumors. CONCLUSIONS We have identified a novel antitumor mechanism underlying PARG inhibition beyond its primary antitumor effects through blocking DDR in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, targeting PARG activates antitumor immune responses, thereby potentially increasing response rates to immunotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antons Martincuks
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Chunyan Zhang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Theresa Austria
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Yi-Jia Li
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Nicole Lugo Santiago
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Adrian Kohut
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Qianqian Zhao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
- City of Hope Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Rosemarie Martinez Borrero
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
- City of Hope Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Binghui Shen
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Mihaela Cristea
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Edward W Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Mihae Song
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | | | - Hua Yu
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, USA
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Anderson TS, McCormick AL, Smith SL, Lowe DB. Modeling antibody drug conjugate potential using a granzyme B antibody fusion protein. BMC Biol 2024; 22:66. [PMID: 38486229 PMCID: PMC10941411 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) constitute a promising class of targeted anti-tumor therapeutics that harness the selectivity of monoclonal antibodies with the potency of cytotoxic drugs. ADC development is best suited to initially screening antibody candidates for desired properties that potentiate target cell cytotoxicity. However, validating and producing an optimally designed ADC requires expertise and resources not readily available to certain laboratories. RESULTS In this study, we propose a novel approach to help streamline the identification of potential ADC candidates by utilizing a granzyme B (GrB)-based antibody fusion protein (AFP) for preliminary screening. GrB is a non-immunogenic serine protease expressed by immune effector cells such as CD8 + T cells that induces apoptotic activity and can be leveraged for targeted cell killing. CONCLUSIONS Our innovative model allows critical antibody parameters (including target cell binding, internalization, and cytotoxic potential) to be more reliably evaluated in vitro through the creation of an ADC surrogate. Successful incorporation of this AFP could also significantly expand and enhance ADC development pre-clinically, ultimately leading to the accelerated translation of ADC therapies for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor S Anderson
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Office 1306, Abilene, TX, 79601, USA
| | - Amanda L McCormick
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Office 1306, Abilene, TX, 79601, USA
| | - Savanna L Smith
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Office 1306, Abilene, TX, 79601, USA
| | - Devin B Lowe
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Office 1306, Abilene, TX, 79601, USA.
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Veshkini A, Dengler F, Bachmann L, Liermann W, Helm C, Ulrich R, Delling C, Kühn C, Hammon HM. Cryptosporidium parvum infection alters the intestinal mucosa transcriptome in neonatal calves: implications for immune function. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1351427. [PMID: 38318169 PMCID: PMC10839036 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1351427] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the leading causes of infectious diarrhea in newborn calves is the apicomplexan protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum). However, little is known about its immunopathogenesis. Using next generation sequencing, this study investigated the immune transcriptional response to C. parvum infection in neonatal calves. Neonatal male Holstein-Friesian calves were either orally infected (N = 5) or not (CTRL group, N = 5) with C. parvum oocysts (gp60 subtype IIaA15G2R1) at day 1 of life and slaughtered on day 7 after infection. Total RNA was extracted from the jejunal mucosa for short read. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between infected and CTRL groups were assessed using DESeq2 at a false discovery rate < 0.05. Infection did not affect plasma immunohematological parameters, including neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, leucocyte, thrombocyte, and erythrocyte counts as well as hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration on day 7 post infection. The immune-related DEGs were selected according to the UniProt immune system process database and were used for gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis using Cytoscape (v3.9.1). Based on GO analysis, DEGs annotated to mucosal immunity, recognizing and presenting antigens, chemotaxis of neutrophils, eosinophils, natural killer cells, B and T cells mediated by signaling pathways including toll like receptors, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, T cell receptor, and NF-KB were upregulated, while markers of macrophages chemotaxis and cytosolic pattern recognition were downregulated. This study provides a holistic snapshot of immune-related pathways induced by C. parvum in calves, including novel and detailed feedback and feedforward regulatory mechanisms establishing the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune response in neonate calves, which could be utilized further to develop new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Veshkini
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Franziska Dengler
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa Bachmann
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Applied Science Neubrandenburg, Neubrandenburg, Germany
| | - Wendy Liermann
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Christiane Helm
- Institutue for Veterinary Pathology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Reiner Ulrich
- Institutue for Veterinary Pathology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cora Delling
- Institute of Veterinary Parasitology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christa Kühn
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Genome Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Agricultural and Environmental Faculty, University Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Harald M. Hammon
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”, Dummerstorf, Germany
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Maghsoodi N, Zareinejad M, Golestan A, Mahmoudi Maymand E, Ramezani A. Anti-CD19/CD8 bispecific T cell engager for the potential treatment of B cell malignancies. Cell Immunol 2023; 393-394:104787. [PMID: 37976975 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2023.104787] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The administration of blinatumomab was accompanied by several adverse effects, including activation of regulatory T-cells and cytokine storm. The objective of this study was to produce and evaluate a novel αCD8/CD19 BiTE (αCD8/CD19) with the potency to directly target CD8+T-cells. In-silico studies were utilized for determining proper folding, receptor binding, and structural stability of αCD8/CD19 protein. Western blotting and indirect surface staining were used to evaluate the size accuracy and binding potency of the purified protein. Functionality was assessed for granzyme B production, cytotoxicity, and proliferation. TheαCD8/CD19recombinant protein was produced in the CHO-K1 cell line with a final concentration of 1.94 mg/l. The αCD8/CD19 bound to CD8+and CD19+cell lines and induced significant granzyme B production, cytotoxic activity and proliferation potential in the presence of IL-2 and tumor target cells. The maximum CD8+T-cell biological activity was observed on the 10th day with 10:1 effector-to-target ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiseh Maghsoodi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammadrasul Zareinejad
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Golestan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Elham Mahmoudi Maymand
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amin Ramezani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
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Heinz JL, Swagemakers SMA, von Hofsten J, Helleberg M, Thomsen MM, De Keukeleere K, de Boer JH, Ilginis T, Verjans GMGM, van Hagen PM, van der Spek PJ, Mogensen TH. Whole exome sequencing of patients with varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus induced acute retinal necrosis reveals rare disease-associated genetic variants. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1253040. [PMID: 38025266 PMCID: PMC10630912 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1253040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are neurotropic human alphaherpesviruses endemic worldwide. Upon primary infection, both viruses establish lifelong latency in neurons and reactivate intermittently to cause a variety of mild to severe diseases. Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) is a rare, sight-threatening eye disease induced by ocular VZV or HSV infection. The virus and host factors involved in ARN pathogenesis remain incompletely described. We hypothesize an underlying genetic defect in at least part of ARN cases. Methods We collected blood from 17 patients with HSV-or VZV-induced ARN, isolated DNA and performed Whole Exome Sequencing by Illumina followed by analysis in Varseq with criteria of CADD score > 15 and frequency in GnomAD < 0.1% combined with biological filters. Gene modifications relative to healthy control genomes were filtered according to high quality and read-depth, low frequency, high deleteriousness predictions and biological relevance. Results We identified a total of 50 potentially disease-causing genetic variants, including missense, frameshift and splice site variants and on in-frame deletion in 16 of the 17 patients. The vast majority of these genes are involved in innate immunity, followed by adaptive immunity, autophagy, and apoptosis; in several instances variants within a given gene or pathway was identified in several patients. Discussion We propose that the identified variants may contribute to insufficient viral control and increased necrosis ocular disease presentation in the patients and serve as a knowledge base and starting point for the development of improved diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna L. Heinz
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sigrid M. A. Swagemakers
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joanna von Hofsten
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Ophthalmology, Halland Hospital Halmstad, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Marie Helleberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michelle M. Thomsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kerstin De Keukeleere
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Joke H. de Boer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Tomas Ilginis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Georges M. G. M. Verjans
- HerpeslabNL, Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Peter M. van Hagen
- Department of Internal Medicine and Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Peter J. van der Spek
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Trine H. Mogensen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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Tibbs E, Kandy RRK, Jiao D, Wu L, Cao X. Murine regulatory T cells utilize granzyme B to promote tumor metastasis. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:2927-2937. [PMID: 36826509 PMCID: PMC10690887 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03410-w] [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: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) possess a wide range of mechanisms for immune suppression. Among them, Granzyme B (GzmB) and perforin expressed by Tregs were shown to inhibit tumor clearance in previous reports, which contradicted the canonical roles of these cytotoxic molecules expressed by cytotoxic T cells and NK cells in antitumor immune responses. Given the ability of the tumor to manipulate the microenvironment, Treg-derived GzmB function may represent an important approach to aid in tumor growth as well as facilitating tumor metastasis. In this study, we utilized Treg-specific GzmB knockout (Foxp3creGzmBfl/fl) mice to test whether Treg-derived GzmB can aid in tumor progression and metastasis. Using an IL-2 complex to activate GzmB expression in the non-immunogenic B16-F10 tumor model, we provide evidence to show that GzmB produced by Tregs is important for spontaneous metastasis to the lungs. In addition, we depleted CD8 + T cells to selectively measure the impact of Treg-derived GzmB in an experimental lung metastasis model by intravenous injection of B16-F10 tumor cells; our results demonstrate that Treg-derived GzmB plays an important role in increasing the metastatic burden to the lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellis Tibbs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Rakhee Rathnam Kalari Kandy
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
| | - Delong Jiao
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
| | - Long Wu
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
| | - Xuefang Cao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA.
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10
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Khokhlova TD, Wang YN, Son H, Totten S, Whang S, Ha Hwang J. Chronic effects of pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound aided delivery of gemcitabine in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer. ULTRASONICS 2023; 132:106993. [PMID: 37099937 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2023.106993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU) is a non-invasive method that allows to permeabilize pancreatic tumors through inertial cavitation and thereby increase the concentration of systemically administered drug. In this study the tolerability of weekly pHIFU-aided administrations of gemcitabine (gem) and their influence on tumor progression and immune microenvironment were investigated in genetically engineered KrasLSL.G12D/þ; p53R172H/þ; PdxCretg/þ (KPC) mouse model of spontaneously occurring pancreatic tumors. KPC mice were enrolled in the study when the tumor size reached 4-6 mm and treated once a week with either ultrasound-guided pHIFU (1.5 MHz transducer, 1 ms pulses, 1% duty cycle, peak negative pressure 16.5 MPa) followed by administration of gem (n = 9), gem only (n = 5) or no treatment (n = 8). Tumor progression was followed by ultrasound imaging until the study endpoint (tumor size reaching 1 cm), whereupon the excised tumors were analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene expression profiling (Nanostring PanCancer Immune Profiling panel). The pHIFU + gem treatments were well tolerated; the pHIFU-treated region of the tumor turned hypoechoic immediately following treatment in all mice, and this effect persisted throughout the observation period (2-5 weeks) and corresponded to areas of cell death, according to histology and IHC. Enhanced labeling by Granzyme-B was observed within and adjacent to the pHIFU treated area, but not in the non-treated tumor tissue; no difference in CD8 + staining was observed between the treatment groups. Gene expression analysis showed that the pHIFU + gem combination treatment lead to significant downregulation of 162 genes related to immunosuppression, tumorigenesis, and chemoresistance vs gem only treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yak-Nam Wang
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Helena Son
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Stephanie Totten
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Stella Whang
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Joo Ha Hwang
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
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11
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Carminati L, Carlessi E, Longhi E, Taraboletti G. Controlled extracellular proteolysis of thrombospondins. Matrix Biol 2023; 119:82-100. [PMID: 37003348 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2023.03.011] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Limited proteolysis of thrombospondins is a powerful mechanism to ensure dynamic tuning of their activities in the extracellular space. Thrombospondins are multifunctional matricellular proteins composed of multiple domains, each with a specific pattern of interactions with cell receptors, matrix components and soluble factors (growth factors, cytokines and proteases), thus with different effects on cell behavior and responses to changes in the microenvironment. Therefore, the proteolytic degradation of thrombospondins has multiple functional consequences, reflecting the local release of active fragments and isolated domains, exposure or disruption of active sequences, altered protein location, and changes in the composition and function of TSP-based pericellular interaction networks. In this review current data from the literature and databases is employed to provide an overview of cleavage of mammalian thrombospondins by different proteases. The roles of the fragments generated in specific pathological settings, with particular focus on cancer and the tumor microenvironment, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carminati
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 24126 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Elena Carlessi
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 24126 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Elisa Longhi
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 24126 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giulia Taraboletti
- Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment, Department of Oncology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 24126 Bergamo, Italy.
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12
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Richardson KC, Jung K, Pardo J, Turner CT, Granville DJ. Noncytotoxic Roles of Granzymes in Health and Disease. Physiology (Bethesda) 2022; 37:323-348. [PMID: 35820180 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00011.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Granzymes are serine proteases previously believed to play exclusive and somewhat redundant roles in lymphocyte-mediated target cell death. However, recent studies have challenged this paradigm. Distinct substrate profiles and functions have since emerged for each granzyme while their dysregulated proteolytic activities have been linked to diverse pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katlyn C Richardson
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), British Columbia Professional Firefighters' Wound Healing Laboratory, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karen Jung
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), British Columbia Professional Firefighters' Wound Healing Laboratory, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julian Pardo
- Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragon (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Radiology, Pediatrics and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Christopher T Turner
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David J Granville
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), British Columbia Professional Firefighters' Wound Healing Laboratory, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Dobó J, Kocsis A, Dani R, Gál P. Proprotein Convertases and the Complement System. Front Immunol 2022; 13:958121. [PMID: 35874789 PMCID: PMC9296861 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.958121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins destined for secretion - after removal of the signal sequence - often undergo further proteolytic processing by proprotein convertases (PCs). Prohormones are typically processed in the regulated secretory pathway, while most plasma proteins travel though the constitutive pathway. The complement system is a major proteolytic cascade in the blood, serving as a first line of defense against microbes and also contributing to the immune homeostasis. Several complement components, namely C3, C4, C5 and factor I (FI), are multi-chain proteins that are apparently processed by PCs intracellularly. Cleavage occurs at consecutive basic residues and probably also involves the action of carboxypeptidases. The most likely candidate for the intracellular processing of complement proteins is furin, however, because of the overlapping specificities of basic amino acid residue-specific proprotein convertases, other PCs might be involved. To our surprise, we have recently discovered that processing of another complement protein, mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-3 (MASP-3) occurs in the blood by PCSK6 (PACE4). A similar mechanism had been described for the membrane protease corin, which is also activated extracellularly by PCSK6. In this review we intend to point out that the proper functioning of the complement system intimately depends on the action of proprotein convertases. In addition to the non-enzymatic components (C3, C4, C5), two constitutively active complement proteases are directly activated by PCs either intracellularly (FI), or extracellularly (MASP-3), moreover indirectly, through the constitutive activation of pro-factor D by MASP-3, the activity of the alternative pathway also depends on a PC present in the blood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Péter Gál
- *Correspondence: József Dobó, ; Péter Gál,
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14
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Pączek S, Łukaszewicz-Zając M, Mroczko B. Granzymes-Their Role in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095277. [PMID: 35563668 PMCID: PMC9104098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common malignancies worldwide. CRC is considered a heterogeneous disease due to various clinical symptoms, biological behaviours, and a variety of mutations. A number of studies demonstrate that as many as 50% of CRC patients have distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. However, despite the fact that social and medical awareness of CRC has increased in recent years and screening programmes have expanded, there is still an urgent need to find new diagnostic tools for early detection of CRC. The effectiveness of the currently used classical tumour markers in CRC diagnostics is very limited. Therefore, new proteins that play an important role in the formation and progression of CRC are being sought. A number of recent studies show the potential significance of granzymes (GZMs) in carcinogenesis. These proteins are released by cytotoxic lymphocytes, which protect the body against viral infection as well specific signalling pathways that ultimately lead to cell death. Some studies suggest a link between GZMs, particularly the expression of Granzyme A, and inflammation. This paper summarises the role of GZMs in CRC pathogenesis through their involvement in the inflammatory process. Therefore, it seems that GZMs could become the focus of research into new CRC biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pączek
- Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University in Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland; (M.Ł.-Z.); (B.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-85-831-8587
| | - Marta Łukaszewicz-Zając
- Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University in Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland; (M.Ł.-Z.); (B.M.)
| | - Barbara Mroczko
- Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University in Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland; (M.Ł.-Z.); (B.M.)
- Department of Neurodegeneration Diagnostics, Medical University in Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
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