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Wang L, Zhang J, Zhang W, Zheng M, Guo H, Pan X, Li W, Yang B, Ding L. The inhibitory effect of adenosine on tumor adaptive immunity and intervention strategies. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1951-1964. [PMID: 38799637 PMCID: PMC11119508 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.12.004] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Adenosine (Ado) is significantly elevated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) compared to normal tissues. It binds to adenosine receptors (AdoRs), suppressing tumor antigen presentation and immune cell activation, thereby inhibiting tumor adaptive immunity. Ado downregulates major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II) and co-stimulatory factors on dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, inhibiting antigen presentation. It suppresses anti-tumor cytokine secretion and T cell activation by disrupting T cell receptor (TCR) binding and signal transduction. Ado also inhibits chemokine secretion and KCa3.1 channel activity, impeding effector T cell trafficking and infiltration into the tumor site. Furthermore, Ado diminishes T cell cytotoxicity against tumor cells by promoting immune-suppressive cytokine secretion, upregulating immune checkpoint proteins, and enhancing immune-suppressive cell activity. Reducing Ado production in the TME can significantly enhance anti-tumor immune responses and improve the efficacy of other immunotherapies. Preclinical and clinical development of inhibitors targeting Ado generation or AdoRs is underway. Therefore, this article will summarize and analyze the inhibitory effects and molecular mechanisms of Ado on tumor adaptive immunity, as well as provide an overview of the latest advancements in targeting Ado pathways in anti-tumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longsheng Wang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingming Zheng
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hongjie Guo
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaohui Pan
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wen Li
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Ling Ding
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China
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Wang R, Liu Z, Wang T, Zhang J, Liu J, Zhou Q. Landscape of adenosine pathway and immune checkpoint dual blockade in NSCLC: progress in basic research and clinical application. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1320244. [PMID: 38348050 PMCID: PMC10859755 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1320244] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer poses a global threat to human health, while common cancer treatments (chemotherapy and targeted therapies) have limited efficacy. Immunotherapy offers hope of sustained remission for many patients with lung cancer, but a significant proportion of patients fail to respond to treatment owing to immune resistance. There is extensive evidence to suggest the immunosuppressive microenvironment as the cause of this treatment failure. Numerous studies have suggested that the adenosine (ADO) pathway plays an important role in the formation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment and may be a key factor in the development of immune resistance in EGFR-mutant cell lung cancer. Inhibition of this pathway may therefore be a potential target to achieve effective reversal of ADO pathway-mediated immune resistance. Recently, an increasing number of clinical trials have begun to address the broad prospects of using the ADO pathway as an immunotherapeutic strategy. However, few researchers have summarized the theoretical basis and clinical rationale of the ADO pathway and immune checkpoint dual blockade in a systematic and detailed manner, particularly in lung cancer. As such, a timely review of the potential value of the ADO pathway in combination with immunotherapy strategies for lung cancer is warranted. This comprehensive review first describes the role of ADO in the formation of a lung tumor-induced immunosuppressive microenvironment, discusses the key mechanisms of ADO inhibitors in reversing lung immunosuppression, and highlights recent evidence from preclinical and clinical studies of ADO inhibitors combined with immune checkpoint blockers to improve the lung cancer immunosuppressive microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rulan Wang
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhenkun Liu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiabi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Jiewei Liu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Han T, Wu J, Liu Y, Zhou J, Miao R, Guo J, Xu Z, Xing Y, Bai Y, Hu D. Integrating bulk-RNA sequencing and single-cell sequencing analyses to characterize adenosine-enriched tumor microenvironment landscape and develop an adenosine-related prognostic signature predicting immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:19. [PMID: 38265702 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01281-z] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The adenosine-signaling axis has been recognized as an important immunomodulatory pathway in tumor immunity. However, the biological role of the adenosine-signaling axis in the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. Here, we quantified adenosine signaling (ado_sig) in LUAD samples using the GSVA method and assessed the prognostic value of adenosine in LUAD. Afterward, we explored the heterogeneity of the tumor-immune microenvironment at different adenosine levels. In addition, we analyzed the potential biological pathways engaged by adenosine. Next, we established single-cell transcriptional profiles of LUAD and analyzed cellular composition and cell-cell communication analysis under different adenosine microenvironments. Moreover, we established adenosine-related prognostic signatures (ARS) based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and evaluated the efficacy of ARS in predicting immunotherapy. The results demonstrated that adenosine signaling adversely impacted the survival of immune-enriched LUAD. The high-adenosine microenvironment exhibited elevated pro-tumor-immune infiltration, including M2 macrophages and displayed notably increased epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transformation. Furthermore, adenosine signaling displayed significant associations with the expression patterns and prognostic value of immunomodulators within the TME. Single-cell sequencing data revealed increased fibroblast occupancy and a prominent activation of the SPP1 signaling pathway in the high adenosine-signaling microenvironment. The ARS exhibited promising effectiveness in prognostication and predicting immunotherapy response in LUAD. In summary, overexpression of adenosine can cause a worsened prognosis in the LUAD with abundant immune infiltration. Moreover, increased adenosine levels are associated with pro-tumor-immune infiltration, active EMT transformation, pro-tumor angiogenesis, and other factors promoting cancer progression, which collectively contribute to the formation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Importantly, the ARS developed in this study demonstrate high efficacy in evaluating the response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Han
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing Wu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yafeng Liu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Miao
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianqiang Guo
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi Xu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingru Xing
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Anhui Zhongke Gengjiu Hospital, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Bai
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dong Hu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Chongren Building, No 168, Taifeng St, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Prevention and Control & Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People's Republic of China.
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Choi Y, Jeong JY, Hong S. Highly Sensitive Real-Time Monitoring of Adenosine Receptor Activities in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Cells Using Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:2101-2109. [PMID: 38166368 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Adenosine metabolism through adenosine receptors plays a critical role in lung cancer biology. Although recent studies showed the potential of targeting adenosine receptors as drug targets for lung cancer treatment, conventional methods for investigating receptor activities often suffer from various drawbacks, including low sensitivity and slow analysis speed. In this study, adenosine receptor activities in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were monitored in real time with high sensitivity through a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT-FET). In this method, we hybridized a CNT-FET with NSCLC cells expressing A2A and A2B adenosine receptors to construct a hybrid platform. This platform could detect adenosine, an endogenous ligand of adenosine receptors, down to 1 fM in real time and sensitively discriminate adenosine among other nucleosides. Furthermore, we could also utilize the platform to detect adenosine in complicated environments, such as human serum. Notably, our hybrid platform allowed us to monitor pharmacological effects between adenosine and other drugs, including dipyridamole and theophylline, even in human serum samples. These results indicate that the NSCLC cell-hybridized CNT-FET can be a practical tool for biomedical applications, such as the evaluation and screening of drug-candidate substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonji Choi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Young Jeong
- Post-Silicon Semiconductor Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghun Hong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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Hamed A, Ghareeb D, Mohamed TM, Hamed M, Nofal MS, Gaber M. Caffeine-folic acid-loaded-chitosan nanoparticles combined with methotrexate as a novel HepG2 immunotherapy targeting adenosine A2A receptor downstream cascade. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:384. [PMID: 37891562 PMCID: PMC10604858 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04212-4] [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: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methotrexate (MTX) is a common chemotherapeutic drug that inhibits DNA synthesis and induces apoptosis. Treatment with MTX increased CD73 expression, which leads to higher levels of extracellular adenosine. Adenosine levels are also high in the tumor microenvironment through Cancer cells metabolism. That promotes the survival of cancer cells and contributes to tumor immune evasion through the Adenosine 2a Receptor. A2A receptor antagonists are an emerging class of agents that treat cancers by enhancing immunotherapy, both as monotherapy and in combination with other therapeutic agents. Caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist. Herein, we demonstrate the ability of a novel well prepared and characterized nano formula CAF-FA-CS-NPs (D4) for A2aR blockade when combination with MTX to improve its antitumor efficacy by enhancing the immune system and eliminating immune suppression. METHODS CAF-FA-CS-NPs (D4) were prepared and characterized for particle size, loading efficiency, and release profile. Molecular docking was used to validate the binding affinity of caffeine and folic acid to A2A receptor. The effects of the nano formula were evaluated on human liver cancer cells (HepG2), breast cancer cells (MCF-7), and MDA-MB-231, as well as normal human cells (WI-38). Different combination ratios of MTX and D4 were studied to identify the optimal combination for further genetic studies. RESULTS Molecular docking results validated that caffeine and folic acid have binding affinity to A2A receptor. The CS-NPs were successfully prepared using ionic gelation method, with caffeine and folic acid being loaded and conjugated to the nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions. The CAF loading capacity in D4 was 77.9 ± 4.37% with an encapsulation efficiency of 98.5 ± 0.37. The particle size was optimized through ratio variations. The resulting nanoparticles were fully characterized. The results showed that (D4) had antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity against different cancer cells. The combination of D4 with MTX (IC50 D4 + 0.5 IC50 MTX) resulted in the downregulation of Bcl-2, FOXP3, CD39, and CD73 gene expression levels and upregulation of Bax and A2AR gene expression levels in HepG2 cells. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that CAF-FA-CS-NPs (D4) in combination with MTX may be a promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy, by inhibiting A2aR signaling and leading to improved immune activation and anti-tumor activity of MTX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Hamed
- Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt.
| | - Doaa Ghareeb
- Bio-Screening and Preclinical Trial Lab, Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Tarek M Mohamed
- Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud Hamed
- Pharmaceutical Services Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, 31111, Egypt
| | - Mohammed S Nofal
- Center of Excellency for Drug Preclinical Studies (CE-DPS), Pharmaceutical and Fermentation Industries Development Centre, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - M Gaber
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
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Bai Y, Zhang X, Zhou J, Guo J, Liu Y, Liang C, Wang W, Xing Y, Wu J, Hu D. A2aR on lung adenocarcinoma cells: A novel target for cancer therapy via recruiting and regulating tumor-associated macrophages. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 382:110543. [PMID: 37263557 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine 2a receptor (A2aR), a typical GPCR with a high affinity for adenosine, is widely expressed on immune cells, inhibiting anti-tumor immune response accordingly. Here, we identify that A2aR is specifically expressed on tumor cells from lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, closely related to their prognosis and positively correlated with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) infiltration. We hypothesize that blocking A2aR on LUAD cells will inhibit the role of TAMs and control tumor growth. Constructing models of TAMs and LUAD mice, we find that A2aR highly expressed on LUAD cells promotes the secretion of chemokines and polarizing factors through activating PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway, thereby promoting the migration and invasion of TAMs. Functionally, blocking A2aR significantly suppresses TAMs infiltration and attenuates tumor burden in LUAD mice. Notably, the M2 polarization of TAMs can also be prevented by inhibiting A2aR in vitro. Together, our studies demonstrate that A2aR on LUAD cells drives TAMs migration and polarization, and blockade of A2aR may support a novel and potent therapeutic option for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Bai
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Jianqiang Guo
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Yafeng Liu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Chao Liang
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Wenyang Wang
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Yingru Xing
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Wu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety of Anhui Higher Education Institute, Huainan, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Prevention and Control & Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China.
| | - Dong Hu
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China; Anhui Occupational Health and Safety Engineering Laboratory, Huainan, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety of Anhui Higher Education Institute, Huainan, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Prevention and Control & Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui, China.
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Oliveros A, Poleschuk M, Cole PD, Boison D, Jang MH. Chemobrain: An accelerated aging process linking adenosine A 2A receptor signaling in cancer survivors. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 170:267-305. [PMID: 37741694 PMCID: PMC10947554 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy has a significant positive impact in cancer treatment outcomes, reducing recurrence and mortality. However, many cancer surviving children and adults suffer from aberrant chemotherapy neurotoxic effects on learning, memory, attention, executive functioning, and processing speed. This chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) is referred to as "chemobrain" or "chemofog". While the underlying mechanisms mediating CICI are still unclear, there is strong evidence that chemotherapy accelerates the biological aging process, manifesting as effects which include telomere shortening, epigenetic dysregulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial defects, impaired neurogenesis, and neuroinflammation, all of which are known to contribute to increased anxiety and neurocognitive decline. Despite the increased prevalence of CICI, there exists a lack of mechanistic understanding by which chemotherapy detrimentally affects cognition in cancer survivors. Moreover, there are no approved therapeutic interventions for this condition. To address this gap in knowledge, this review attempts to identify how adenosine signaling, particularly through the adenosine A2A receptor, can be an essential tool to attenuate accelerated aging phenotypes. Importantly, the adenosine A2A receptor uniquely stands at the crossroads of cancer treatment and improved cognition, given that it is widely known to control tumor induced immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment, while also posited to be an essential regulator of cognition in neurodegenerative disease. Consequently, we propose that the adenosine A2A receptor may provide a multifaceted therapeutic strategy to enhance anticancer activity, while combating chemotherapy induced cognitive deficits, both which are essential to provide novel therapeutic interventions against accelerated aging in cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Oliveros
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Michael Poleschuk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Peter D Cole
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
| | - Mi-Hyeon Jang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
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Merugu SK, Krishnan K VBR, Kumar K R, Ansari SA, Ansari IA, Bollikolla HB. Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation and in Silico Studies of 1,4-Dihydropyridines. Chem Biodivers 2023; 20:e202201158. [PMID: 37400965 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202201158] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
An efficient 1,4-dihydropyridine synthesis under mild conditions has been developed. Numerous substrates were tested, with yields of 1,4-dihydropridines ranging from good to excellent and a wide range of functional group tolerance. A549, HT-29, and HepG2 cancer cells were used to investigate the anticancer efficacy of each of the produced compounds. Additionally, in-silico docking studies were conducted to understand the structure-based features of the anticancer mechanism with the cancer medication target of Adenosine A2A receptor as well as the molecular level interactions of the compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santha Kumari Merugu
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, NNagar, Guntur, 522510, AP-, India
- Department of Chemistry, Government Degree college, Rajhamundry, 533524, AP-, India
| | - V B R Krishnan K
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, NNagar, Guntur, 522510, AP-, India
| | - Ravi Kumar K
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Phytochemistry, Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Atmakur, Mangalagiri, Guntur, 522302, AP-, India
| | - Siddique Akber Ansari
- Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO Box.2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Irfan Aamer Ansari
- Department of Drug Science & Technology, University of Turin, 10124, Turin, Italy
| | - Hari Babu Bollikolla
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, NNagar, Guntur, 522510, AP-, India
- Department of Nanotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, NNagar, Guntur, 522510, AP, India
- Department of Chemistry, Andhra Kesari University, Ongole, Prakasam Dist, 523 001, AP-, India
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9
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Kaur J, Dora S. Purinergic signaling: Diverse effects and therapeutic potential in cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1058371. [PMID: 36741002 PMCID: PMC9889871 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1058371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Regardless of improved biological insights and therapeutic advances, cancer is consuming multiple lives worldwide. Cancer is a complex disease with diverse cellular, metabolic, and physiological parameters as its hallmarks. This instigates a need to uncover the latest therapeutic targets to advance the treatment of cancer patients. Purines are building blocks of nucleic acids but also function as metabolic intermediates and messengers, as part of a signaling pathway known as purinergic signaling. Purinergic signaling comprises primarily adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine (ADO), their analogous membrane receptors, and a set of ectonucleotidases, and has both short- and long-term (trophic) effects. Cells release ATP and ADO to modulate cellular function in an autocrine or paracrine manner by activating membrane-localized purinergic receptors (purinoceptors, P1 and P2). P1 receptors are selective for ADO and have four recognized subtypes-A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. Purines and pyrimidines activate P2 receptors, and the P2X subtype is ligand-gated ion channel receptors. P2X has seven subtypes (P2X1-7) and forms homo- and heterotrimers. The P2Y subtype is a G protein-coupled receptor with eight subtypes (P2Y1/2/4/6/11/12/13/14). ATP, its derivatives, and purinoceptors are widely distributed in all cell types for cellular communication, and any imbalance compromises the homeostasis of the cell. Neurotransmission, neuromodulation, and secretion employ fast purinergic signaling, while trophic purinergic signaling regulates cell metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, survival, migration, invasion, and immune response during tumor progression. Thus, purinergic signaling is a prospective therapeutic target in cancer and therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmeet Kaur
- Department of Biophysics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Sanchit Dora
- Department of Biophysics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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10
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Costa DVS, Shin JH, Goldbeck SM, Bolick DT, Mesquita FS, Loureiro AV, Rodrigues-Jesus MJ, Brito GAC, Warren CA. Adenosine receptors differentially mediate enteric glial cell death induced by Clostridioides difficile Toxins A and B. Front Immunol 2023; 13:956326. [PMID: 36726986 PMCID: PMC9885079 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.956326] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased risk of intestinal dysfunction has been reported in patients after Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Enteric glial cells (EGCs), a component of the enteric nervous system (ENS), contribute to gut homeostasis. Previous studies showed that adenosine receptors, A2A and A2B, modulate inflammation during CDI. However, it is unknown how these receptors can modulate the EGC response to the C. difficile toxins (TcdA and TcdB). We investigated the effects of these toxins on the expression of adenosine receptors in EGCs and the role of these receptors on toxin-induced EGC death. Rat EGCs line were incubated with TcdA or TcdB alone or in combination with adenosine analogues 1h prior to toxins challenge. After incubation, EGCs were collected to evaluate gene expression (adenosine receptors and proinflammatory markers) and cell death. In vivo, WT, A2A, and A2B KO mice were infected with C. difficile, euthanized on day 3 post-infection, and cecum tissue was processed. TcdA and TcdB increased A2A and A3 transcripts, as well as decreased A2B. A2A agonist, but not A2A antagonist, decreased apoptosis induced by TcdA and TcdB in EGCs. A2B blocker, but not A2B agonist, diminished apoptosis in EGCs challenged with both toxins. A3 agonist, but not A3 blocker, reduced apoptosis in EGCs challenged with TcdA and TcdB. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) and CREB, both involved in the main signaling pathway driven by activation of adenosine receptors, decreased EGC apoptosis induced by both toxins. A2A agonist and A2B antagonist decreased S100B upregulation induced by C. difficile toxins in EGCs. In vivo, infected A2B KO mice, but not A2A, exhibited a decrease in cell death, including EGCs and enteric neuron loss, compared to infected WT mice, reduced intestinal damage and decreased IL-6 and S100B levels in cecum. Our findings indicate that upregulation of A2A and A3 and downregulation of A2B in EGCs and downregulation of A2B in intestinal tissues elicit a protective response against C. difficile toxins. Adenosine receptors appear to play a regulatory role in EGCs death and proinflammatory response induced by TcdA and TcdB, and thus may be potential targets of intervention to prevent post-CDI intestinal dysmotility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deiziane V S Costa
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Jae H Shin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Sophia M Goldbeck
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - David T Bolick
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Flavio S Mesquita
- Department of Microbiology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrea V Loureiro
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Mônica J Rodrigues-Jesus
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Gerly A C Brito
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Cirle A Warren
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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11
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Moss DY, McCann C, Kerr EM. Rerouting the drug response: Overcoming metabolic adaptation in KRAS-mutant cancers. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabj3490. [PMID: 36256706 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abj3490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in guanosine triphosphatase KRAS are common in lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. The constitutive activity of mutant KRAS and its downstream signaling pathways induces metabolic rewiring in tumor cells that can promote resistance to existing therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the metabolic pathways that are altered in response to treatment and those that can, in turn, alter treatment efficacy, as well as the role of metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in dictating the therapeutic response in KRAS-driven cancers. We highlight metabolic targets that may provide clinical opportunities to overcome therapeutic resistance and improve survival in patients with these aggressive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Y Moss
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Christopher McCann
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Emma M Kerr
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK
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12
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High Dose of 3, 7-Dimethyl-1-Propargylxanthine Induces Cell Death in YM-1 and KYSE30 Cancer Cell Lines. MEDICAL LABORATORY JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.52547/mlj.16.5.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
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13
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Bova V, Filippone A, Casili G, Lanza M, Campolo M, Capra AP, Repici A, Crupi L, Motta G, Colarossi C, Chisari G, Cuzzocrea S, Esposito E, Paterniti I. Adenosine Targeting as a New Strategy to Decrease Glioblastoma Aggressiveness. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14164032. [PMID: 36011024 PMCID: PMC9406358 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14164032] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Given the rising mortality rate caused by GBM, current therapies do not appear to be effective in counteracting tumor progression. The role of adenosine and its interaction with specific receptor subtypes in various physiological functions has been studied for years. Only recently, adenosine has been defined as a tumor-protective target because of its accumulation in the tumor microenvironment. Current knowledge of the adenosine pathway and its involvement in brain tumors would support research in the development of adenosine receptor antagonists that could represent alternative treatments for glioblastoma, used either alone and/or in combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or both. Abstract Glioblastoma is the most commonly malignant and aggressive brain tumor, with a high mortality rate. The role of the purine nucleotide adenosine and its interaction with its four subtypes receptors coupled to the different G proteins, A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, and its different physiological functions in different systems and organs, depending on the active receptor subtype, has been studied for years. Recently, several works have defined extracellular adenosine as a tumoral protector because of its accumulation in the tumor microenvironment. Its presence is due to both the interaction with the A2A receptor subtype and the increase in CD39 and CD73 gene expression induced by the hypoxic state. This fact has fueled preclinical and clinical research into the development of efficacious molecules acting on the adenosine pathway and blocking its accumulation. Given the success of anti-cancer immunotherapy, the new strategy is to develop selective A2A receptor antagonists that could competitively inhibit binding to its endogenous ligand, making them reliable candidates for the therapeutic management of brain tumors. Here, we focused on the efficacy of adenosine receptor antagonists and their enhancement in anti-cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Bova
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Filippone
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanna Casili
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Lanza
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Michela Campolo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Anna Paola Capra
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Alberto Repici
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Lelio Crupi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Motta
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy
| | - Cristina Colarossi
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy
| | - Giulia Chisari
- Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo, Via Penninazzo 7, 95029 Viagrande, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Emanuela Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-090-676-5208
| | - Irene Paterniti
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, 31-98166 Messina, Italy
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14
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Lv B, Wang Y, Ma D, Cheng W, Liu J, Yong T, Chen H, Wang C. Immunotherapy: Reshape the Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2022; 13:844142. [PMID: 35874717 PMCID: PMC9299092 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.844142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) include tumor cells, immune cells, cytokines, etc. The interactions between these components, which are divided into anti-tumor and pro-tumor, determine the trend of anti-tumor immunity. Although the immune system can eliminate tumor through the cancer-immune cycle, tumors appear to eventually evade from immune surveillance by shaping an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Immunotherapy reshapes the TIME and restores the tumor killing ability of anti-tumor immune cells. Herein, we review the function of immune cells within the TIME and discuss the contribution of current mainstream immunotherapeutic approaches to remolding the TIME. Changes in the immune microenvironment in different forms under the intervention of immunotherapy can shed light on better combination treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingzhe Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Dongjiang Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tao Yong
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Surgical Oncology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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15
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Cancer-Associated Mutations of the Adenosine A2A Receptor Have Diverse Influences on Ligand Binding and Receptor Functions. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27154676. [PMID: 35897852 PMCID: PMC9331671 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27154676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The adenosine A2A receptor (A2AAR) is a class A G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). It is an immune checkpoint in the tumor micro-environment and has become an emerging target for cancer treatment. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of cancer-patient-derived A2AAR mutations on ligand binding and receptor functions. The wild-type A2AAR and 15 mutants identified by Genomic Data Commons (GDC) in human cancers were expressed in HEK293T cells. Firstly, we found that the binding affinity for agonist NECA was decreased in six mutants but increased for the V275A mutant. Mutations A165V and A265V decreased the binding affinity for antagonist ZM241385. Secondly, we found that the potency of NECA (EC50) in an impedance-based cell-morphology assay was mostly correlated with the binding affinity for the different mutants. Moreover, S132L and H278N were found to shift the A2AAR towards the inactive state. Importantly, we found that ZM241385 could not inhibit the activation of V275A and P285L stimulated by NECA. Taken together, the cancer-associated mutations of A2AAR modulated ligand binding and receptor functions. This study provides fundamental insights into the structure–activity relationship of the A2AAR and provides insights for A2AAR-related personalized treatment in cancer.
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16
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CD73/Adenosine Pathway Involvement in the Interaction of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stem Cells and Bone Cells in the Pre-Metastatic Niche. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095126. [PMID: 35563517 PMCID: PMC9104817 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenosinergic signaling is an important regulator of tissue homeostasis and extracellular accumulation of adenosine (Ado) and is associated with different pathologies, such as cancer. In non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a subset of CD133/CXCR4+ cancer stem cell (CSCs) has been demonstrated to initiate bone metastases. Here we investigated how NSCLC CSCs interact with osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) by modulating Ado production and OC activity. We proved that CSC-spheres, generated in vitro from NSCLC cell lines, express CD38, PC-1, and CD73, enzymes of the non-canonical adenosinergic pathway, produce high level of Ado, and down-regulate A1R and A3R inhibitory receptors, while expressing A2AR and A2BR. To address the Ado role and modulation of the in-bone pre-metastatic niche, we performed co-cultures of CSC-spheres with OCs and OBs cells. Firstly, we verified that active OCs do not activate non-canonical the adenosinergic pathway, conversely to OBs. OCs co-cultured with CSC-spheres increase Ado production that is related to the OC resorption activity and contributes to T-cell suppression. Finally, we proved the efficacy of anti-CD73 agents in blocking NSCLC cell migration. Overall, we assessed the importance of adenosinergic signaling in the interaction between CSCs and OCs at the pre-metastatic niche, with therapeutic implications related to Ado production.
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17
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Sweed D, Taha M, Abd Elhamed S, Shams El Dein Mohamed A. The Prognostic Role of CD73/A2AR Expression and Tumor Immune Response in Periampullary Carcinoma Subtypes. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2022; 23:1239-1246. [PMID: 35485681 PMCID: PMC9375596 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2022.23.4.1239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Periampullary adenocarcinoma (PAAC) is a rare, lethal heterogeneous group of malignancy that differs in their molecular phenotypes. Ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73)/adenosine A2A Receptor (A2AR) pathway has shown an emerging role in cancer therapy through modulating the immune response. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the functional role of CD73 and A2AR in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and ampullary carcinoma (AC). MATERIAL AND METHODS An immunohistochemical study for CD73 and A2AR carried on 48 PDAC cases, 21 AC cases and 34 adjacent non-tumor tissues that were taken from the farthest point of normal pancreatic tissue away from the tumor. RESULTS CD73 was overexpressed in the PDAC (p < 0.001), and AC (p = 0.004) groups compared to their non-tumor tissues. However, A2AR was overexpressed in the PDAC group (p = 0.003) but not in the AC group (p = 0.359) compared to non-tumor tissue. In the PDAC group, CD73 overexpression was significantly associated with longer overall survival (p = 0.018). In contrary, A2AR overexpression was significantly associated with high grade (p = 0.001) and late- stage (p = 0.01). Both markers had no prognostic impact on AC. In the meantime, tumor immune response showed a negative prognostic role in PDAC and AC. The prognostic role of tumor immune response in the PDAC group was strongly modulated by CD73 and A2AR expression. CONCLUSIONS PDAC and AC shared CD73 Overexpression while A2AR was overexpressed in PDAC only. In PDAC, CD73 and A2AR showed an opposed prognostic effect but both had no prognostic impact on AC. In addition, tumor immune response showed a controversial impact on the prognosis of PDAC and AC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Sweed
- National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.
| | - Mohammad Taha
- National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.
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18
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Adenosine-Metabolizing Enzymes, Adenosine Kinase and Adenosine Deaminase, in Cancer. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030418. [PMID: 35327609 PMCID: PMC8946555 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunosuppressive effect of adenosine in the microenvironment of a tumor is well established. Presently, researchers are developing approaches in immune therapy that target inhibition of adenosine or its signaling such as CD39 or CD73 inhibiting antibodies or adenosine A2A receptor antagonists. However, numerous enzymatic pathways that control ATP-adenosine balance, as well as understudied intracellular adenosine regulation, can prevent successful immunotherapy. This review contains the latest data on two adenosine-lowering enzymes: adenosine kinase (ADK) and adenosine deaminase (ADA). ADK deletes adenosine by its phosphorylation into 5′-adenosine monophosphate. Recent studies have revealed an association between a long nuclear ADK isoform and an increase in global DNA methylation, which explains epigenetic receptor-independent role of adenosine. ADA regulates the level of adenosine by converting it to inosine. The changes in the activity of ADA are detected in patients with various cancer types. The article focuses on the biological significance of these enzymes and their roles in the development of cancer. Perspectives of future studies on these enzymes in therapy for cancer are discussed.
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Chiappori AA, Creelan B, Tanvetyanon T, Gray JE, Haura EB, Thapa R, Barlow ML, Chen Z, Chen DT, Beg AA, Boyle TA, Castro J, Morgan L, Morris E, Aregay M, Hurtado FK, Manenti L, Antonia S. Phase I study of taminadenant (PBF509/NIR178), an adenosine 2A receptor antagonist, with or without spartalizumab, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:2313-2320. [PMID: 35254415 PMCID: PMC9167697 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-2742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The adenosine 2A receptor (A2AR) mediates the immunosuppressive effects of adenosine in the tumor microenvironment and is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Taminadenant (PBF509/NIR178) is an A2AR antagonist able to reactivate the antitumor immune response. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN In this phase I/Ib, dose-escalation/expansion study, patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC and {greater than or equal to}1 prior therapy received taminadenant (80-640 mg; orally; twice-daily) with or without spartalizumab (anti-programmed cell death-1; 400 mg; intravenously; every four weeks). Primary endpoints: safety, tolerability, and feasibility of the combination. RESULTS During dose escalation, 25 patients each received taminadenant alone or with spartalizumab; 19 (76.0%) and 9 (36.0%) had prior immunotherapy, respectively. Dose-limiting toxicities (all Grade 3) with taminadenant alone were alanine/aspartate aminotransferase increase and nausea (n=1 [4.0%] each; 640 mg) and in the combination group were pneumonitis (n=2 [8.0%]; 160 and 240 mg), fatigue and alanine/aspartate aminotransferase increase (n=1 [4.0%] each; 320 mg); pneumonitis cases responded to steroids rapidly and successfully. Complete and partial responses were observed in one patient each in the single-agent and combination groups; all immunotherapy-naive. In the single-agent and combination groups, seven and 14 patients experienced stable disease; seven and six patients were immunotherapy-pretreated, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Taminadenant, with and without spartalizumab, was well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC. The maximum tolerated dose of taminadenant alone was 480 mg twice-daily, and 240 mg twice-daily plus spartalizumab. Efficacy was neither a primary or secondary endpoint; however, some clinical benefit was noted regardless of prior immunotherapy or programmed cell death ligand-1 status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ben Creelan
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Eric B Haura
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Ram Thapa
- Moffitt Cancer Center, United States
| | - Margaret L Barlow
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Amer A Beg
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Liza Morgan
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, United States
| | - Erick Morris
- Bristol-Myers Squibb (United States), Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Mehreteab Aregay
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, United States
| | - Felipe K Hurtado
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey, United States
| | - Luigi Manenti
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, United States
| | - Scott Antonia
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
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20
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Baghbani E, Noorolyai S, Rahmani S, Shanehbandi D, Shadbad MA, Aghebati-Maleki L, Mokhtarzadeh A, Brunetti O, Fasano R, Silvestris N, Baradaran B. Silencing tumor-intrinsic CD73 enhances the chemosensitivity of NSCLC and potentiates the anti-tumoral effects of cisplatin: An in vitro study. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 145:112370. [PMID: 34862113 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Besides suppressing anti-tumoral immune responses, tumor-intrinsic inhibitory immune checkpoints have been implicated in tumor development. Herein, we aimed to investigate the significance of tumor-intrinsic CD73, as an inhibitory immune checkpoint, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and propose a novel therapeutic approach. MAIN METHODS We investigated the cell viability, chemosensitivity, apoptosis, migration, and the cell cycle of A-549 and NCI-H1299 following treatment with cisplatin and CD73-small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to study the viability of studied groups and chemosensitivity of tumoral cells. Flow cytometry and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining were used to investigate the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Flow cytometry and the wound-healing assay were used to investigate the cell cycle and migration of NSCLC cells, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of c-Myc, caspase 3, ROCK, and MMP-9 were investigated to study the underlying molecular mechanism. KEY FINDINGS CD73-siRNA transfection has significantly decreased the cell viability and enhanced the chemosensitivity of A-549 and NCI-H1299 cells to cisplatin. CD73-siRNA has considerably stimulated apoptosis, arrested the cell cycle, inhibited tumor migration, downregulated the mRNA expression of c-Myc, MMP-9, and ROCK, and upregulated caspase 3 expression in NSCLC cells. Besides, combined cisplatin therapy with CD73-siRNA transfection has potentiated the aforementioned anti-tumoral effects of cisplatin on NSCLC cells. SIGNIFICANCE Besides suppressing anti-tumoral immune responses, tumor-intrinsic CD73 can facilitate NSCLC development, and the combined cisplatin therapy with CD73-siRNA transfection can substantially enhance the chemosensitivity of NSCLC to cisplatin and potentiates cisplatin-induced anti-tumoral effects on NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Baghbani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeed Noorolyai
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Shima Rahmani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Dariush Shanehbandi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Abdoli Shadbad
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Oronzo Brunetti
- Medical Oncology Unit-IRCCS Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Rossella Fasano
- Medical Oncology Unit-IRCCS Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Medical Oncology Unit-IRCCS Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" of Bari, Bari, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology DIMO-University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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21
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Ma L, Diao B, Huang Z, Wang B, Yu J, Meng X. The efficacy and possible mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating non-small cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:1314-1330. [PMID: 34699691 PMCID: PMC8696228 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past few years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have greatly improved the survival for patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without driver mutations. Compared with wild‐type tumors, tumors with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations show more heterogeneity in the expression level of programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), tumor mutational burden (TMB), and other immune microenvironment characteristics. Whether ICIs are suitable for NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations is still worth exploring. In previous studies, no significantly improved benefits were observed with immunotherapy monotherapy in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation. Here, we summarized and analyzed data from the clinical trials of ICIs or combined therapy in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations. We also focused on the mechanisms affecting the efficacy of ICIs in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations, the characteristics of potential responders, and provided insights into areas worth further investigations in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ma
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Bowen Diao
- Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832061, Xinjiang, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoqin Huang
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Bin Wang
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Xiangjiao Meng
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong, P. R. China
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22
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Sánchez-Melgar A, Muñoz-López S, Albasanz JL, Martín M. Antitumoral Action of Resveratrol Through Adenosinergic Signaling in C6 Glioma Cells. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:702817. [PMID: 34539333 PMCID: PMC8440868 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.702817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common and aggressive primary tumors in the central nervous system. The nucleoside adenosine is considered to be one major constituent within the tumor microenvironment. The adenosine level mainly depends on two enzymatic activities: 5′-nucleotidase (5′NT or CD73) that synthesizes adenosine from AMP, and adenosine deaminase (ADA) that converts adenosine into inosine. Adenosine activates specific G-protein coupled receptors named A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 receptors. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol present in grapes, peanuts, and berries, shows several healthy effects, including protection against cardiovascular, endocrine, and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol actions are not well known. Recently, we demonstrated that resveratrol acts as an agonist for adenosine receptors in rat C6 glioma cells. The present work aimed to investigate the involvement of adenosine metabolism and adenosine receptors in the molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumoral action of resveratrol. Results presented herein show that resveratrol was able to decrease cell numbers and viability and to reduce CD73 and ADA activities, leading to the increase of extracellular adenosine levels. Some resveratrol effects were reduced by the blockade of A1 or A3 receptors by DPCPX or MRS1220, respectively. These results suggest that reduced CD73 activity located in the plasma membrane in addition to a fine-tuned modulatory role of adenosine receptors could be involved, at least in part, in the antiproliferative action of resveratrol in C6 glioma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Sánchez-Melgar
- Department of Inorganic, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Technological Sciences, School of Medicine of Ciudad Real, Regional Center of Biomedical Research (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sonia Muñoz-López
- Department of Inorganic, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Technological Sciences, School of Medicine of Ciudad Real, Regional Center of Biomedical Research (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José Luis Albasanz
- Department of Inorganic, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Technological Sciences, School of Medicine of Ciudad Real, Regional Center of Biomedical Research (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Mairena Martín
- Department of Inorganic, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Technological Sciences, School of Medicine of Ciudad Real, Regional Center of Biomedical Research (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
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23
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Pasquini S, Contri C, Borea PA, Vincenzi F, Varani K. Adenosine and Inflammation: Here, There and Everywhere. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7685. [PMID: 34299305 PMCID: PMC8304851 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine is a ubiquitous endogenous modulator with the main function of maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis in pathological and stress conditions. It exerts its effect through the interaction with four G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) subtypes referred as A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 adenosine receptors (ARs), each of which has a unique pharmacological profile and tissue distribution. Adenosine is a potent modulator of inflammation, and for this reason the adenosinergic system represents an excellent pharmacological target for the myriad of diseases in which inflammation represents a cause, a pathogenetic mechanism, a consequence, a manifestation, or a protective factor. The omnipresence of ARs in every cell of the immune system as well as in almost all cells in the body represents both an opportunity and an obstacle to the clinical use of AR ligands. This review offers an overview of the cardinal role of adenosine in the modulation of inflammation, showing how the stimulation or blocking of its receptors or agents capable of regulating its extracellular concentration can represent promising therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory pathologies, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pasquini
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.)
| | - Chiara Contri
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.)
| | | | - Fabrizio Vincenzi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.)
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (S.P.); (C.C.); (K.V.)
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24
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Gunaydin G. CAFs Interacting With TAMs in Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Tumorigenesis and Immune Evasion. Front Oncol 2021; 11:668349. [PMID: 34336660 PMCID: PMC8317617 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.668349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are among the most important and abundant players of the tumor microenvironment. CAFs as well as TAMs are known to play pivotal supportive roles in tumor growth and progression. The number of CAF or TAM cells is mostly correlated with poor prognosis. Both CAFs and TAMs are in a reciprocal communication with the tumor cells in the tumor milieu. In addition to such interactions, CAFs and TAMs are also involved in a dynamic and reciprocal interrelationship with each other. Both CAFs and TAMs are capable of altering each other's functions. Here, the current understanding of the distinct mechanisms about the complex interplay between CAFs and TAMs are summarized. In addition, the consequences of such a mutual relationship especially for tumor progression and tumor immune evasion are highlighted, focusing on the synergistic pleiotropic effects. CAFs and TAMs are crucial components of the tumor microenvironment; thus, they may prove to be potential therapeutic targets. A better understanding of the tri-directional interactions of CAFs, TAMs and cancer cells in terms of tumor progression will pave the way for the identification of novel theranostic cues in order to better target the crucial mechanisms of carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurcan Gunaydin
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
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25
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Le X, Negrao MV, Reuben A, Federico L, Diao L, McGrail D, Nilsson M, Robichaux J, Munoz IG, Patel S, Elamin Y, Fan YH, Lee WC, Parra E, Solis Soto LM, Chen R, Li J, Karpinets T, Khairullah R, Kadara H, Behrens C, Sepesi B, Wang R, Zhu M, Wang L, Vaporciyan A, Roth J, Swisher S, Haymaker C, Zhang J, Wang J, Wong KK, Byers LA, Bernatchez C, Zhang J, Wistuba II, Gibbons DL, Akbay EA, Heymach JV. Characterization of the Immune Landscape of EGFR-Mutant NSCLC Identifies CD73/Adenosine Pathway as a Potential Therapeutic Target. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 16:583-600. [PMID: 33388477 PMCID: PMC11160459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lung adenocarcinomas harboring EGFR mutations do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade therapy and their EGFR wildtype counterpart. The mechanisms underlying this lack of clinical response have been investigated but remain incompletely understood. METHODS We analyzed three cohorts of resected lung adenocarcinomas (Profiling of Resistance Patterns of Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in Evaluation of Cancer of Thorax, Immune Genomic Profiling of NSCLC, and The Cancer Genome Atlas) and compared tumor immune microenvironment of EGFR-mutant tumors to EGFR wildtype tumors, to identify actionable regulators to target and potentially enhance the treatment response. RESULTS EGFR-mutant NSCLC exhibited low programmed death-ligand 1, low tumor mutational burden, decreased number of cytotoxic T cells, and low T cell receptor clonality, consistent with an immune-inert phenotype, though T cell expansion ex vivo was preserved. In an analysis of 75 immune checkpoint genes, the top up-regulated genes in the EGFR-mutant tumors (NT5E and ADORA1) belonged to the CD73/adenosine pathway. Single-cell analysis revealed that the tumor cell population expressed CD73, both in the treatment-naive and resistant tumors. Using coculture systems with EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells, T regulatory cell proportion was decreased with CD73 knockdown. In an immune-competent mouse model of EGFR-mutant lung cancer, the CD73/adenosine pathway was markedly up-regulated and CD73 blockade significantly inhibited tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS Our work revealed that EGFR-mutant NSCLC has an immune-inert phenotype. We identified the CD73/adenosine pathway as a potential therapeutic target for EGFR-mutant NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuning Le
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Marcelo V Negrao
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Alexandre Reuben
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lorenzo Federico
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Division of Basic Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Daniel McGrail
- Department of System Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Monique Nilsson
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jacqulyne Robichaux
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Irene Guijarro Munoz
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sonia Patel
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yasir Elamin
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - You-Hong Fan
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Won-Chul Lee
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Edwin Parra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Luisa Maren Solis Soto
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Runzhe Chen
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Tatiana Karpinets
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Roohussaba Khairullah
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Humam Kadara
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Carmen Behrens
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Boris Sepesi
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ruiping Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mingrui Zhu
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Linghua Wang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ara Vaporciyan
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jack Roth
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Stephen Swisher
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Cara Haymaker
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren A Byers
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Chantale Bernatchez
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Don L Gibbons
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Esra A Akbay
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - John V Heymach
- Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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26
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Kalash L, Winfield I, Safitri D, Bermudez M, Carvalho S, Glen R, Ladds G, Bender A. Structure-based identification of dual ligands at the A 2AR and PDE10A with anti-proliferative effects in lung cancer cell-lines. J Cheminform 2021; 13:17. [PMID: 33658076 PMCID: PMC7927403 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-021-00492-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhanced/prolonged cAMP signalling has been suggested as a suppressor of cancer proliferation. Interestingly, two key modulators that elevate cAMP, the A2A receptor (A2AR) and phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A), are differentially co-expressed in various types of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) cell-lines. Thus, finding dual-target compounds, which are simultaneously agonists at the A2AR whilst also inhibiting PDE10A, could be a novel anti-proliferative approach. Using ligand- and structure-based modelling combined with MD simulations (which identified Val84 displacement as a novel conformational descriptor of A2AR activation), a series of known PDE10A inhibitors were shown to dock to the orthosteric site of the A2AR. Subsequent in-vitro analysis confirmed that these compounds bind to the A2AR and exhibit dual-activity at both the A2AR and PDE10A. Furthermore, many of the compounds exhibited promising anti-proliferative effects upon NSCLC cell-lines, which directly correlated with the expression of both PDE10A and the A2AR. Thus, we propose a structure-based methodology, which has been validated in in-vitro binding and functional assays, and demonstrated a promising therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leen Kalash
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB21EW, Cambridge, UK
- GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Hertfordshire, SG1 2NY, Stevenage, UK
| | - Ian Winfield
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB21EW, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, Cambridge, UK
| | - Dewi Safitri
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, Cambridge, UK
- Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Bandung Institute of Technology, 40132, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Marcel Bermudez
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB21EW, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2 und 4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Carvalho
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert Glen
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB21EW, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Metabolism Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, London, UK
| | - Graham Ladds
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Andreas Bender
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, CB21EW, Cambridge, UK.
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27
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Churov A, Zhulai G. Targeting adenosine and regulatory T cells in cancer immunotherapy. Hum Immunol 2021; 82:270-278. [PMID: 33610376 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Immunosuppressive activity of regulatory T cells (Tregs) is one of the mechanisms promoting carcinogenesis. Intratumoral Tregs have some phenotypic and functional traits that lower the efficiency of antitumor immune response, which makes them a good target for immunotherapy. Several approaches to cancer immunotherapy are being developed along this vector: deletion of tumor-infiltrating Tregs, inhibition of their homing to the tumor microenvironment, and functional downregulation of Tregs. Studies of the past decade have demonstrated the role of Tregs and ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 in the generation of immunosuppressive extracellular adenosine. Pharmacological targeting of CD39 and CD73 can restrain the activity of suppressor cells and promote the efficiency of cancer therapy. Here we review the latest data on issues regarding the role of extracellular adenosine and its receptors in antitumor immune response, adenosine generation mechanisms involving Tregs and the membrane proteins CD39 and CD73. Innovative approaches to antitumor immunotherapy and clinical studies of Treg targeting and application of anti-CD39/CD73 antibodies, adenosine receptor antagonists, and small-molecule inhibitors of ectonucleotidase activity are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Churov
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation.
| | - Galina Zhulai
- Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation
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28
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Boknik P, Eskandar J, Hofmann B, Zimmermann N, Neumann J, Gergs U. Role of Cardiac A 2A Receptors Under Normal and Pathophysiological Conditions. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:627838. [PMID: 33574762 PMCID: PMC7871008 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.627838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review presents an overview of cardiac A2A-adenosine receptors The localization of A2A-AR in the various cell types that encompass the heart and the role they play in force regulation in various mammalian species are depicted. The putative signal transduction systems of A2A-AR in cells in the living heart, as well as the known interactions of A2A-AR with membrane-bound receptors, will be addressed. The possible role that the receptors play in some relevant cardiac pathologies, such as persistent or transient ischemia, hypoxia, sepsis, hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and arrhythmias, will be reviewed. Moreover, the cardiac utility of A2A-AR as therapeutic targets for agonistic and antagonistic drugs will be discussed. Gaps in our knowledge about the cardiac function of A2A-AR and future research needs will be identified and formulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Boknik
- Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
| | - J. Eskandar
- Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
| | - B. Hofmann
- Cardiac Surgery, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - N. Zimmermann
- Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, Bonn, Germany
| | - J. Neumann
- Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - U. Gergs
- Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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29
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Allard B, Allard D, Buisseret L, Stagg J. The adenosine pathway in immuno-oncology. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020; 17:611-629. [PMID: 32514148 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-020-0382-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy based on immune-checkpoint inhibition or adoptive cell therapy has revolutionized cancer care. Nevertheless, a large proportion of patients do not benefit from such treatments. Over the past decade, remarkable progress has been made in the development of 'next-generation' therapeutics in immuno-oncology, with inhibitors of extracellular adenosine (eADO) signalling constituting an expanding class of agents. Induced by tissue hypoxia, inflammation, tissue repair and specific oncogenic pathways, the adenosinergic axis is a broadly immunosuppressive pathway that regulates both innate and adaptive immune responses. Inhibition of eADO-generating enzymes and/or eADO receptors can promote antitumour immunity through multiple mechanisms, including enhancement of T cell and natural killer cell function, suppression of the pro-tumourigenic effects of myeloid cells and other immunoregulatory cells, and promotion of antigen presentation. With several clinical trials currently evaluating inhibitors of the eADO pathway in patients with cancer, we herein review the pathophysiological function of eADO with a focus on effects on antitumour immunity. We also discuss the treatment opportunities, potential limitations and biomarker-based strategies related to adenosine-targeted therapy in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Allard
- Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Allard
- Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laurence Buisseret
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium
| | - John Stagg
- Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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30
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D'Arrigo P, Tufano M, Rea A, Vigorito V, Novizio N, Russo S, Romano MF, Romano S. Manipulation of the Immune System for Cancer Defeat: A Focus on the T Cell Inhibitory Checkpoint Molecules. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:2402-2448. [PMID: 30398102 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181106114421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The immune system actively counteracts the tumorigenesis process; a breakout of the immune system function, or its ability to recognize transformed cells, can favor cancer development. Cancer becomes able to escape from immune system control by using multiple mechanisms, which are only in part known at a cellular and molecular level. Among these mechanisms, in the last decade, the role played by the so-called "inhibitory immune checkpoints" is emerging as pivotal in preventing the tumor attack by the immune system. Physiologically, the inhibitory immune checkpoints work to maintain the self-tolerance and attenuate the tissue injury caused by pathogenic infections. Cancer cell exploits such immune-inhibitory molecules to contrast the immune intervention and induce tumor tolerance. Molecular agents that target these checkpoints represent the new frontier for cancer treatment. Despite the heterogeneity and multiplicity of molecular alterations among the tumors, the immune checkpoint targeted therapy has been shown to be helpful in selected and even histologically different types of cancer, and are currently being adopted against an increasing variety of tumors. The most frequently used is the moAb-based immunotherapy that targets the Programmed Cell Death 1 protein (PD-1), the PD-1 Ligand (PD-L1) or the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4). However, new therapeutic approaches are currently in development, along with the discovery of new immune checkpoints exploited by the cancer cell. This article aims to review the inhibitory checkpoints, which are known up to now, along with the mechanisms of cancer immunoediting. An outline of the immune checkpoint targeting approaches, also including combined immunotherapies and the existing trials, is also provided. Notwithstanding the great efforts devoted by researchers in the field of biomarkers of response, to date, no validated FDA-approved immunological biomarkers exist for cancer patients. We highlight relevant studies on predictive biomarkers and attempt to discuss the challenges in this field, due to the complex and largely unknown dynamic mechanisms that drive the tumor immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo D'Arrigo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Tufano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Rea
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenza Vigorito
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nunzia Novizio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Russo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Fiammetta Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Passarelli A, Aieta M, Sgambato A, Gridelli C. Targeting Immunometabolism Mediated by CD73 Pathway in EGFR-Mutated Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A New Hope for Overcoming Immune Resistance. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1479. [PMID: 32760402 PMCID: PMC7371983 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the relevant antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the results in patients whose cancer harbors activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are disappointing. The biological mechanisms underlying immune escape and both unresponsiveness and resistance to immunotherapy in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients have been partially investigated. To this regard, lung cancer immune escape largely involves high amounts of adenosine within the tumor milieu with broad immunosuppressive effects. Indeed, besides immune checkpoint receptors and their ligands, other mechanisms inducing immunosuppression and including adenosine produced by ecto-nucleotidases CD39 and CD73 contribute to lung tumorigenesis and progression. Here, we review the clinical results of immune checkpoint inhibitors in EGFR-mutant NSCLC, focusing on the dynamic immune composition of EGFR-mutant tumor microenvironment. The adenosine pathway-mediated dysregulation of energy metabolism in tumor microenvironment is suggested as a potential mechanism involved in the immune escape process. Finally, we report the strong rationale for planning strategies of combination therapy with immune checkpoints blockade and adenosine signaling inhibition to overcome immune escape and immunotherapy resistance in EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Passarelli
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Onco-Hematology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), Rionero in Vulture, Italy
| | - Michele Aieta
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Onco-Hematology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), Rionero in Vulture, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sgambato
- Laboratory of Pre-clinical and Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), Rionero in Vulture, Italy
| | - Cesare Gridelli
- Division of Medical Oncology, "S.G. Moscati" Hospital, Avellino, Italy
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Purinergic Signaling in the Hallmarks of Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071612. [PMID: 32635260 PMCID: PMC7407645 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex expression of an altered state of cellular differentiation associated with severe clinical repercussions. The effort to characterize this pathological entity to understand its underlying mechanisms and visualize potential therapeutic strategies has been constant. In this context, some cellular (enhanced duplication, immunological evasion), metabolic (aerobic glycolysis, failure in DNA repair mechanisms) and physiological (circadian disruption) parameters have been considered as cancer hallmarks. The list of these hallmarks has been growing in recent years, since it has been demonstrated that various physiological systems misfunction in well-characterized ways upon the onset and establishment of the carcinogenic process. This is the case with the purinergic system, a signaling pathway formed by nucleotides/nucleosides (mainly adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine (ADO) and uridine triphosphate (UTP)) with their corresponding membrane receptors and defined transduction mechanisms. The dynamic equilibrium between ATP and ADO, which is accomplished by the presence and regulation of a set of ectonucleotidases, defines the pro-carcinogenic or anti-cancerous final outline in tumors and cancer cell lines. So far, the purinergic system has been recognized as a potential therapeutic target in cancerous and tumoral ailments.
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33
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Slovin SF. Immunotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer: has its time arrived? Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 20:481-487. [PMID: 32097050 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2020.1735345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Within the last decade, multiple innovative immune platforms have been developed and tested in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with only one demonstrating a survival benefit. The advent of immunogenomics along with the availability of diverse checkpoint inhibitors provides inroads in treating these patients, in many cases with significant clinical impact but unfortunately not in all patients. How to exploit these novel platforms remains an area of increased interest especially in the setting of new agents that can affect the tumor microenvironment and potentially render a 'cold' tumor to become 'hot.'Areas covered: This review highlights the current changes and challenges in this field and how to best use our current knowledge for better trial designs in patients with mCRPC.Expert opinion: Recent understanding of the inhibitory milieu within the tumor microenvironment has fostered the use of combinatorial strategies that target not only tumor cells but capitalize on controlling inhibitory cell populations and cytokines that induce a hostile setting for immune cells. Immunogenomics and genomic interrogation of prostate cancers have opened a vista as to how patients' tumors that can respond to immune agents that previously were thought have minimal antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan F Slovin
- Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
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Bednarska-Szczepaniak K, Krzyżanowski D, Klink M, Nowak M. Adenosine Analogues as Opposite Modulators of the Cisplatin Resistance of Ovarian Cancer Cells. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2020; 19:473-486. [PMID: 30657045 DOI: 10.2174/1871520619666190118113201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adenosine released by cancer cells in high amounts in the tumour microenvironment is one of the main immunosuppressive agents responsible for the escape of cancer cells from immunological control. Blocking adenosine receptors with adenosine analogues and restoring immune cell activity is one of the methods considered to increase the effectiveness of anticancer therapy. However, their direct effects on cancer cell biology remain unclear. Here, we determined the effect of adenosine analogues on the response of cisplatinsensitive and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin treatment. METHODS The effects of PSB 36, DPCPX, SCH58261, ZM 241385, PSB603 and PSB 36 on cisplatin cytotoxicity were determined against A2780 and A2780cis cell lines. Quantification of the synergism/ antagonism of the compounds cytotoxicity was performed and their effects on the cell cycle, apoptosis/necrosis events and cisplatin incorporation in cancer cells were determined. RESULTS PSB 36, an A1 receptor antagonist, sensitized cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin from low to high micromolar concentrations. In contrast to PSB 36, the A2AR antagonist ZM 241385 had the opposite effect and reduced the influence of cisplatin on cancer cells, increasing their resistance to cisplatin cytotoxicity, decreasing cisplatin uptake, inhibiting cisplatin-induced cell cycle arrest, and partly restoring mitochondrial and plasma membrane potentials that were disturbed by cisplatin. CONCLUSION Adenosine analogues can modulate considerable sensitivity to cisplatin of ovarian cancer cells resistant to cisplatin. The possible direct beneficial or adverse effects of adenosine analogues on cancer cell biology should be considered in the context of supportive chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damian Krzyżanowski
- Institute for Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa Street 102, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Klink
- Institute for Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa Street 102, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Marek Nowak
- Department of Operative Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital-Research Institute, 93-338 Lodz, 281/289 Rzgowska Street, Poland
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Yu M, Guo G, Huang L, Deng L, Chang CS, Achyut BR, Canning M, Xu N, Arbab AS, Bollag RJ, Rodriguez PC, Mellor AL, Shi H, Munn DH, Cui Y. CD73 on cancer-associated fibroblasts enhanced by the A 2B-mediated feedforward circuit enforces an immune checkpoint. Nat Commun 2020; 11:515. [PMID: 31980601 PMCID: PMC6981126 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14060-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
CD73, an ecto-5'-nucleotidase (NT5E), serves as an immune checkpoint by generating adenosine (ADO), which suppresses immune activation through the A2A receptor. Elevated CD73 levels in tumor tissues correlate with poor clinical outcomes. However, the crucial source of CD73 activity within the tumor microenvironment remains unspecified. Here, we demonstrate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute the prominent CD73hi population in human colorectal cancers (CRCs) and two CD73- murine tumor models, including a modified CRC. Clinically, high CAF abundancy in CRC tissues correlates strongly with elevated CD73 activity and poor prognosis. Mechanistically, CAF-CD73 expression is enhanced via an ADO-A2B receptor-mediated feedforward circuit triggered by tumor cell death, which enforces the CD73-checkpoint. Simultaneous inhibition of A2A and A2B pathways with CD73-neutralization synergistically enhances antitumor immunity in CAF-rich tumors. Therefore, the strategic and effective targeting of both the A2B-mediated ADO-CAF-CD73 feedforward circuit and A2A-mediated immune suppression is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology, Inflammation & Tolerance Program, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Gang Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology, Inflammation & Tolerance Program, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Lei Huang
- Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Libin Deng
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 30000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Chang-Sheng Chang
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource and Integrated Genomics, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Bhagelu R Achyut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tumor Signaling & Angiogenesis, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Madison Canning
- School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Ningchun Xu
- Flow cytometry Core, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Ali S Arbab
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tumor Signaling & Angiogenesis, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Roni J Bollag
- Tumor Tissue and Serum Biorepository, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Paulo C Rodriguez
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Andrew L Mellor
- Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Huidong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Biology & Biomarkers, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - David H Munn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology, Inflammation & Tolerance Program, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yan Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology, Inflammation & Tolerance Program, Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
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Enhanced anticancer activity of combined treatment of imatinib and dipyridamole in solid Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2020; 393:1113-1129. [PMID: 31950222 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-019-01803-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The current study was designed to evaluate potential enhancement of the anticancer activity of imatinib mesylate (IM) with dipyridamole (DIP) and to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the combined therapy (IM/DIP) to reduce hepatotoxicity of IM in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC)-bearing mice. SEC was induced in female albino mice as a model for experimentally induced breast cancer. Mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 10): SEC vehicle, IM50 (50 mg/kg), IM100 (100 mg/kg), DIP (35 mg/kg), a combination of IM50/DIP and IM100/DIP. On day 28th, mice were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for hematological studies. Biochemical determination of liver markers was evaluated. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were assessed. In addition, MDR-1 gene expression and immunohistochemical staining of BAX and BCL-2 was done. Also, in vitro experiment for determination of IC50 of different treatments and combination index (CI) were assessed in both MCF-7 and HCT-116 cell lines. IM- and/or DIP-treated groups showed a significant reduction in tumor volume, weight, and serum levels of SGOT, SGPT, and AIP compared to vehicle group. In addition, reduction of VEGF, Ki67, and adenosine contents was also reported by treated groups. Also, IM/DIP combination showed lower IC50 than monotherapy. Combination index is less than 1 for IM/DIP combination in both cell lines. DIP as an adjuvant therapy potentiated the cytotoxic effect of IM, ameliorated its hepatic toxicity, and showed synergistic effect with IM in vitro cell lines. Furthermore, the resistance against IM therapy may be overcome by the use of DIP independent on mdr-1 gene expression.
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Wilkat M, Bast H, Drees R, Dünser J, Mahr A, Azoitei N, Marienfeld R, Frank F, Brhel M, Ushmorov A, Greve J, Goldberg-Bockhorn E, Theodoraki MN, Doescher J, Laban S, Schuler PJ, Hoffmann TK, Brunner C. Adenosine receptor 2B activity promotes autonomous growth, migration as well as vascularization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:202-217. [PMID: 31846065 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Adenosine is a signaling molecule that exerts dual effects on tumor growth: while it inhibits immune cell function and thereby prevents surveillance by the immune system, it influences tumorigenesis directly via activation of adenosine receptors on tumor cells at the same time. However, the adenosine-mediated mechanisms affecting oncogenic processes particularly in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role of adenosine receptor activity on HNSCC-derived cell lines. Targeting the adenosine receptor A2B (ADORA2B) on these cells with the inverse agonist/antagonist PSB-603 leads to inhibition of cell proliferation, transmigration as well as VEGFA secretion in vitro. At the molecular level, these effects were associated with cell cycle arrest as well as the induction of the apoptotic pathway. In addition, shRNA-mediated downmodulation of ADORA2B expression caused decreased proliferation. Moreover, in in vivo xenograft experiments, chemical and genetic abrogation of ADORA2B activity impaired tumor growth associated with decreased tumor vascularization. Together, our findings characterize ADORA2B as a crucial player in the maintenance of HNSCC and, therefore, as a potential therapeutic target for HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Wilkat
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hanna Bast
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Robert Drees
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Dünser
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Amelie Mahr
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ninel Azoitei
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Felicia Frank
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Magnus Brhel
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexey Ushmorov
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jens Greve
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Eva Goldberg-Bockhorn
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marie-Nicole Theodoraki
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Doescher
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Simon Laban
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick J Schuler
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas K Hoffmann
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cornelia Brunner
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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Inhibition of the Adenosinergic Pathway in Cancer Rejuvenates Innate and Adaptive Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20225698. [PMID: 31739402 PMCID: PMC6888217 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The adenosine pathway plays a key role in modulating immune responses in physiological and pathological conditions. Physiologically, anti-inflammatory effects of adenosine balance pro-inflammatory adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), protecting tissues from damage caused by activated immune cells. Pathologically, increased adenosine monophosphatase (AMPase) activity in tumors leads to increased adenosine production, generating a deeply immunosuppressed microenvironment and promoting cancer progression. Adenosine emerges as a promising target for cancer therapy. It mediates protumor activities by inducing tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, chemoresistance, and migration/invasion by tumor cells. It also inhibits the functions of immune cells, promoting the formation of a tumor-permissive immune microenvironment and favoriting tumor escape from the host immune system. Pharmacologic inhibitors, siRNA or antibodies specific for the components of the adenosine pathway, or antagonists of adenosine receptors have shown efficacy in pre-clinical studies in various in vitro and in vivo tumor models and are entering the clinical arena. Inhibition of the adenosine pathway alone or in combination with classic immunotherapies offers a potentially effective therapeutic strategy in cancer.
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Marwein S, Mishra B, De UC, Acharya PC. Recent Progress of Adenosine Receptor Modulators in the Development of Anticancer Chemotherapeutic Agents. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 25:2842-2858. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190716141851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Increased risks of peripheral toxicity and undesired adverse effects associated with chemotherapeutic
agents are the major medical hurdles in cancer treatment that worsen the quality of life of cancer patients. Although
several novel and target-specific anticancer agents have been discovered in the recent past, none of them
have proved to be effective in the management of metastatic tumor. Therefore, there is a continuous effort for the
discovery of safer and effective cancer chemotherapeutic agent. Adenosine receptors have been identified as an
important target to combat cancer because of their inherent role in the antitumor process. The antitumor property
of the adenosine receptor is primarily attributed to their inherited immune response against the tumors. These
findings have opened a new chapter in the anticancer drug discovery through adenosine receptor-mediated immunomodulation.
This review broadly outlines the biological mechanism of adenosine receptors in mediating the
selective cytotoxicity as well as the discovery of various classes of adenosine receptor modulators in the effective
management of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarapynbiang Marwein
- Department of Pharmacy, Tripura University (A Central University), Suryamaninagar-799022, Tripura (W), India
| | - Bijayashree Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Tripura University (A Central University), Suryamaninagar-799022, Tripura (W), India
| | - Utpal C. De
- Department of Chemistry, Tripura University (A Central University), Suryamaninagar-799022, Tripura (W), India
| | - Pratap C. Acharya
- Department of Pharmacy, Tripura University (A Central University), Suryamaninagar-799022, Tripura (W), India
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40
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Gorain B, Choudhury H, Yee GS, Bhattamisra SK. Adenosine Receptors as Novel Targets for the Treatment of Various Cancers. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 25:2828-2841. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190716102037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine is a ubiquitous signaling nucleoside molecule, released from different cells within the body
to act on vasculature and immunoescape. The physiological action on the proliferation of tumour cell has been
reported by the presence of high concentration of adenosine within the tumour microenvironment, which results
in the progression of the tumour, even leading to metastases. The activity of adenosine exclusively depends upon
the interaction with four subtypes of heterodimeric G-protein-coupled adenosine receptors (AR), A1, A2A, A2B,
and A3-ARs on the cell surface. Research evidence supports that the activation of those receptors via specific
agonist or antagonist can modulate the proliferation of tumour cells. The first category of AR, A1 is known to play
an antitumour activity via tumour-associated microglial cells to prevent the development of glioblastomas.
A2AAR are found in melanoma, lung, and breast cancer cells, where tumour proliferation is stimulated due to
inhibition of the immune response via inhibition of natural killer cells cytotoxicity, T cell activity, and tumourspecific
CD4+/CD8+ activity. Alternatively, A2BAR helps in the development of tumour upon activation via
upregulation of angiogenin factor in the microvascular endothelial cells, inhibition of MAPK and ERK 1/2 phosphorylation
activity. Lastly, A3AR is expressed in low levels in normal cells whereas the expression is upregulated
in tumour cells, however, agonists to this receptor inhibit tumour proliferation through modulation of Wnt
and NF-κB signaling pathways. Several researchers are in search for potential agents to modulate the overexpressed
ARs to control cancer. Active components of A2AAR antagonists and A3AR agonists have already entered
in Phase-I clinical research to prove their safety in human. This review focused on novel research targets towards
the prevention of cancer progression through stimulation of the overexpressed ARs with the hope to protect lives
and advance human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bapi Gorain
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hira Choudhury
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gan Sook Yee
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Subrat Kumar Bhattamisra
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Al-Attraqchi OH, Attimarad M, Venugopala KN, Nair A, Al-Attraqchi NH. Adenosine A2A Receptor as a Potential Drug Target - Current Status and Future Perspectives. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 25:2716-2740. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190716113444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Adenosine receptors (ARs) are a class of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are activated by
the endogenous substance adenosine. ARs are classified into 4 subtype receptors, namely, the A1, A2A, A2B and A3
receptors. The wide distribution and expression of the ARs in various body tissues as well as the roles they have
in controlling different functions in the body make them potential drug targets for the treatment of various pathological
conditions, such as cardiac diseases, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, inflammation and glaucoma. Therefore,
in the past decades, there have been extensive investigations of ARs with a high number of agonists and antagonists
identified that can interact with these receptors. This review shall discuss the A2A receptor (A2AAR) subtype
of the ARs. The structure, properties and the recent advances in the therapeutic potential of the receptor are discussed
with an overview of the recent advances in the methods of studying the receptor. Also, molecular modeling
approaches utilized in the design of A2AAR ligands are highlighted with various recent examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar H.A. Al-Attraqchi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University-Jordan, P.O BOX (1), Philadelphia University-19392, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mahesh Attimarad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Katharigatta N. Venugopala
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anroop Nair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
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Merighi S, Battistello E, Giacomelli L, Varani K, Vincenzi F, Borea PA, Gessi S. Targeting A3 and A2A adenosine receptors in the fight against cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2019; 23:669-678. [DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2019.1630380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Merighi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Luca Giacomelli
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vincenzi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Pier Andrea Borea
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefania Gessi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Vigano S, Alatzoglou D, Irving M, Ménétrier-Caux C, Caux C, Romero P, Coukos G. Targeting Adenosine in Cancer Immunotherapy to Enhance T-Cell Function. Front Immunol 2019; 10:925. [PMID: 31244820 PMCID: PMC6562565 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells play a critical role in cancer control, but a range of potent immunosuppressive mechanisms can be upregulated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to abrogate their activity. While various immunotherapies (IMTs) aiming at re-invigorating the T-cell-mediated anti-tumor response, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and the adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of natural or gene-engineered ex vivo expanded tumor-specific T cells, have led to unprecedented clinical responses, only a small proportion of cancer patients benefit from these treatments. Important research efforts are thus underway to identify biomarkers of response, as well as to develop personalized combinatorial approaches that can target other inhibitory mechanisms at play in the TME. In recent years, adenosinergic signaling has emerged as a powerful immuno-metabolic checkpoint in tumors. Like several other barriers in the TME, such as the PD-1/PDL-1 axis, CTLA-4, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1), adenosine plays important physiologic roles, but has been co-opted by tumors to promote their growth and impair immunity. Several agents counteracting the adenosine axis have been developed, and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated important anti-tumor activity, alone and in combination with other IMTs including ICB and ACT. Here we review the regulation of adenosine levels and mechanisms by which it promotes tumor growth and broadly suppresses protective immunity, with extra focus on the attenuation of T cell function. Finally, we present an overview of promising pre-clinical and clinical approaches being explored for blocking the adenosine axis for enhanced control of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena Vigano
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios Alatzoglou
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melita Irving
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christine Ménétrier-Caux
- Department of Immunology Virology and Inflammation, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Léon Bérard Cancer Center, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Caux
- Department of Immunology Virology and Inflammation, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Léon Bérard Cancer Center, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, University of Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Prognostic Impact of Adenosine Receptor 2 (A2aR) and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Expression in Colorectal Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:8014627. [PMID: 31275983 PMCID: PMC6582891 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8014627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a key inhibitor to the immune response by binding to the specific receptor PD-1. Adenosine receptor 2 (A2aR) can play an immunosuppressive role in tumor microenvironment by binding to its ligand adenosine (ADO). However, the expression of these two markers has been rarely studied in colorectal cancer simultaneously. Materials and Methods We, respectively, collected tumor and adjacent nontumor tissue specimens of 204 patients with colorectal cancer. The expressions of PD-L1 and A2aR were detected by immunohistochemistry. The association among their expressions with clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic parameters were analyzed as well. Results The expressions of PD-L1 and A2aR in tumor tissues were both higher than those in matched adjacent nontumor tissues. PD-L1 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and tumor TNM stage. A2aR expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, and TNM stage. Univariate analysis showed that the high expressions of PD-L1 and A2aR were inversely correlated with the overall survival, respectively. Multivariate analysis further confirmed that both of them were independent prognostic markers for patients. Conclusion The results of this study suggested that the high expressions of PD-L1 and A2aR were associated with a poor prognosis of colorectal cancer. Coinhibition of these two proteins may be a new breakthrough in the treatment of this disease.
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Sek K, Mølck C, Stewart GD, Kats L, Darcy PK, Beavis PA. Targeting Adenosine Receptor Signaling in Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123837. [PMID: 30513816 PMCID: PMC6321150 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system plays a major role in the surveillance and control of malignant cells, with the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlating with better patient prognosis in multiple tumor types. The development of ‘checkpoint blockade’ and adoptive cellular therapy has revolutionized the landscape of cancer treatment and highlights the potential of utilizing the patient’s own immune system to eradicate cancer. One mechanism of tumor-mediated immunosuppression that has gained attention as a potential therapeutic target is the purinergic signaling axis, whereby the production of the purine nucleoside adenosine in the tumor microenvironment can potently suppress T and NK cell function. The production of extracellular adenosine is mediated by the cell surface ectoenzymes CD73, CD39, and CD38 and therapeutic agents have been developed to target these as well as the downstream adenosine receptors (A1R, A2AR, A2BR, A3R) to enhance anti-tumor immune responses. This review will discuss the role of adenosine and adenosine receptor signaling in tumor and immune cells with a focus on their cell-specific function and their potential as targets in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Sek
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, 3010 Parkville, Australia.
| | - Christina Mølck
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia.
| | - Gregory D Stewart
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Lev Kats
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, 3010 Parkville, Australia.
| | - Phillip K Darcy
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, 3010 Parkville, Australia.
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia.
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Clayton 3052, Australia.
| | - Paul A Beavis
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, 3010 Parkville, Australia.
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GPCR drug discovery: integrating solution NMR data with crystal and cryo-EM structures. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2018; 18:59-82. [PMID: 30410121 DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2018.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The 826 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the human proteome regulate key physiological processes and thus have long been attractive drug targets. With the crystal structures of more than 50 different human GPCRs determined over the past decade, an initial platform for structure-based rational design has been established for drugs that target GPCRs, which is currently being augmented with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of higher-order GPCR complexes. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in solution is one of the key approaches for expanding this platform with dynamic features, which can be accessed at physiological temperature and with minimal modification of the wild-type GPCR covalent structures. Here, we review strategies for the use of advanced biochemistry and NMR techniques with GPCRs, survey projects in which crystal or cryo-EM structures have been complemented with NMR investigations and discuss the impact of this integrative approach on GPCR biology and drug discovery.
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Khayami R, Toroghian Y, Bahreyni A, Bahrami A, Khazaei M, Ferns GA, Ebrahimi S, Soleimani A, Fiuji H, Avan A, Hassanian SM. Role of adenosine signaling in the pathogenesis of head and neck cancer. J Cell Biochem 2018; 119:7905-7912. [PMID: 30011093 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.27091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The concentrations of adenosine may increase under ischemic conditions in the tumor microenvironment, and then it enters the systemic circulation. Adenosine controls cancer progression and responses to therapy by regulating angiogenesis, cell survival, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and metastases in tumors. Hence, adenosine metabolism, adenosine-generating enzymes, and adenosine signaling are potentially novel therapeutic targets in a wide range of pathological conditions, including cerebral and cardiac ischemic diseases, inflammatory disorders, immunomodulatory disorders, and, of special interest in this review, cancer. This review summarizes the role of adenosine in the pathogenesis of head and neck cancer for a better understanding of how this may be applied to treating this type of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Khayami
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Younes Toroghian
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Bahreyni
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Afsane Bahrami
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjnad, Iran
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Division of Medical Education, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Safieh Ebrahimi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Anvar Soleimani
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamid Fiuji
- Department of Biochemistry, Payame-Noor University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir Avan
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjnad, Iran.,Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Targeting the tumor promoting effects of adenosine in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2018; 126:24-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2018.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Kjaergaard J, Hatfield S, Jones G, Ohta A, Sitkovsky M. A 2A Adenosine Receptor Gene Deletion or Synthetic A 2A Antagonist Liberate Tumor-Reactive CD8 + T Cells from Tumor-Induced Immunosuppression. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:782-791. [PMID: 29802128 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia-driven accumulation of extracellular adenosine was shown to facilitate tumor evasion by engaging the immunosuppressive, intracellular cAMP-elevating A2 adenosine receptors (A2R) on tumor-reactive effector T cells, but there remains a need for careful evaluation of the limiting factors and properties of A2R blockade-enabled antitumor immunity. In studies of A2AR and/or A2BR gene-deficient mice, we found that A2AR deletion-but not A2BR deletion-liberates endogenous CD8+ T cell antitumor immunity against weakly immunogenic MCA205 sarcomas. Studies of adoptively transferred A2AR-/-, A2BR-/-, or A2AR-/-/A2BR-/- tumor-reactive T cells confirmed that immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment was mediated by A2AR on CD8+ T cells. Treatment with A2AR antagonist mimicked A2AR gene deletion in adoptive T cell immunotherapy. This therapeutic benefit of targeting A2AR was independent of the anatomical location of tumor growth. The enhanced antitumor reactivity also led to the eradication of established intracranial tumors, which was associated with mouse survival and the maintenance of long-lasting, tumor-specific immunological memory. The blockade of the A2AR on adoptively transferred T cells by synthetic A2AR antagonist led to higher levels of IFN-γ secretion by tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. These data clarify the mechanism of hypoxia-driven immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment by A2AR on tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells and show that selective A2AR antagonists can be effective in improving the outcomes of T cell-based immunotherapies. Demonstration of the T cell dose dependency of tumor rejection points to a major limitation of current cancer immunotherapies, in which the presence of sufficient numbers of tumor-reactive T cells in a patient is not known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorgen Kjaergaard
- New England Inflammation and Tissue Protection Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115; and
| | - Stephen Hatfield
- New England Inflammation and Tissue Protection Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115; and
| | - Graham Jones
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Akio Ohta
- New England Inflammation and Tissue Protection Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115; and
| | - Michail Sitkovsky
- New England Inflammation and Tissue Protection Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115; and
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Allard D, Chrobak P, Allard B, Messaoudi N, Stagg J. Targeting the CD73-adenosine axis in immuno-oncology. Immunol Lett 2018; 205:31-39. [PMID: 29758241 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 are cell surface enzymes that catabolize the breakdown of extracellular ATP into adenosine. As such, they constitute critical components of the extracellular purinergic pathway and play important roles in maintaining tissue and immune homeostasis. With the coming of age of cancer immunotherapy, ectonucleotidases and adenosine receptors have emerged as novel therapeutic targets to enhance antitumor immune responses. With early-phase clinical trials showing promising results, it is becoming increasingly important to decipher the distinct mechanisms-of-action of adenosine-targeting agents, identify patients that will benefit from these agents and rationally develop novel synergistic combinations. Given the broad expression of ectonucleotidases and adenosine receptors, a better understanding of cell-specific roles will also be key for successful implementation of this new generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics. We here review the latest studies on the roles of CD73 and adenosine in cancer with a focus on cell-specific function. We also discuss ongoing clinical trials and future avenues for adenosine-targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Allard
- Centre de Recherche du Centre, Hospitalier l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) et Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Pavel Chrobak
- Centre de Recherche du Centre, Hospitalier l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) et Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Bertrand Allard
- Centre de Recherche du Centre, Hospitalier l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) et Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nouredin Messaoudi
- Centre de Recherche du Centre, Hospitalier l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) et Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - John Stagg
- Centre de Recherche du Centre, Hospitalier l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) et Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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