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Ricciuti B, Lamberti G, Puchala SR, Mahadevan NR, Lin JR, Alessi JV, Chowdhury A, Li YY, Wang X, Spurr L, Pecci F, Di Federico A, Venkatraman D, Barrichello AP, Gandhi M, Vaz VR, Pangilinan AJ, Haradon D, Lee E, Gupta H, Pfaff KL, Welsh EL, Nishino M, Cherniack AD, Johnson BE, Weirather JL, Dryg ID, Rodig SJ, Sholl LM, Sorger P, Santagata S, Umeton R, Awad MM. Genomic and Immunophenotypic Landscape of Acquired Resistance to PD-(L)1 Blockade in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. J Clin Oncol 2024; 42:1311-1321. [PMID: 38207230 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have extended survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), acquired resistance (AR) to ICI frequently develops after an initial benefit. However, the mechanisms of AR to ICI in NSCLC are largely unknown. METHODS Comprehensive tumor genomic profiling, machine learning-based assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, multiplexed immunofluorescence, and/or HLA-I immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed on matched pre- and post-ICI tumor biopsies from patients with NSCLC treated with ICI at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who developed AR to ICI. Two additional cohorts of patients with intervening chemotherapy or targeted therapies between biopsies were included as controls. RESULTS We performed comprehensive genomic profiling and immunophenotypic characterization on samples from 82 patients with NSCLC and matched pre- and post-ICI biopsies and compared findings with a control cohort of patients with non-ICI intervening therapies between biopsies (chemotherapy, N = 32; targeted therapies, N = 89; both, N = 17). Putative resistance mutations were identified in 27.8% of immunotherapy-treated cases and included acquired loss-of-function mutations in STK11, B2M, APC, MTOR, KEAP1, and JAK1/2; these acquired alterations were not observed in the control groups. Immunophenotyping of matched pre- and post-ICI samples demonstrated significant decreases in intratumoral lymphocytes, CD3e+ and CD8a+ T cells, and PD-L1-PD1 engagement, as well as increased distance between tumor cells and CD8+PD-1+ T cells. There was a significant decrease in HLA class I expression in the immunotherapy cohort at the time of AR compared with the chemotherapy (P = .005) and the targeted therapy (P = .01) cohorts. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the genomic and immunophenotypic heterogeneity of ICI resistance in NSCLC, which will need to be considered when developing novel therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biagio Ricciuti
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Giuseppe Lamberti
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Sreekar R Puchala
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | | | - Jia-Ren Lin
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Joao V Alessi
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Alexander Chowdhury
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Yvonne Y Li
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Xinan Wang
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Liam Spurr
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Federica Pecci
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | | | - Deepti Venkatraman
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | | | - Malini Gandhi
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Victor R Vaz
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Andy J Pangilinan
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Danielle Haradon
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Elinton Lee
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Hersh Gupta
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Kathleen L Pfaff
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Emma L Welsh
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Mizuki Nishino
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Andrew D Cherniack
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Bruce E Johnson
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Jason L Weirather
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Ian D Dryg
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Scott J Rodig
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Lynette M Sholl
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Peter Sorger
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sandro Santagata
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Renato Umeton
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Mark M Awad
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
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Giglio RM, Hou N, Wyatt A, Hong J, Shi L, Vaikunthan M, Fuchs H, Nima JP, Malinowski SW, Ligon KL, McFaline-Figueroa JR, Yosef N, Azizi E, McFaline-Figueroa JL. A heterogeneous pharmaco-transcriptomic landscape induced by targeting a single oncogenic kinase. bioRxiv 2024:2024.04.08.587960. [PMID: 38645018 PMCID: PMC11030430 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.08.587960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Over-activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a hallmark of glioblastoma. However, EGFR-targeted therapies have led to minimal clinical response. While delivery of EGFR inhibitors (EGFRis) to the brain constitutes a major challenge, how additional drug-specific features alter efficacy remains poorly understood. We apply highly multiplex single-cell chemical genomics to define the molecular response of glioblastoma to EGFRis. Using a deep generative framework, we identify shared and drug-specific transcriptional programs that group EGFRis into distinct molecular classes. We identify programs that differ by the chemical properties of EGFRis, including induction of adaptive transcription and modulation of immunogenic gene expression. Finally, we demonstrate that pro-immunogenic expression changes associated with a subset of tyrphostin family EGFRis increase the ability of T-cells to target glioblastoma cells. One Sentence Summary Deep chemical genomic profiling reveals heterogeneity in response to the targeting of EGFR via myriad chemical means.
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Timofeev O, Giron P, Lawo S, Pichler M, Noeparast M. ERK pathway agonism for cancer therapy: evidence, insights, and a target discovery framework. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:70. [PMID: 38485987 PMCID: PMC10940698 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00554-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
At least 40% of human cancers are associated with aberrant ERK pathway activity (ERKp). Inhibitors targeting various effectors within the ERKp have been developed and explored for over two decades. Conversely, a substantial body of evidence suggests that both normal human cells and, notably to a greater extent, cancer cells exhibit susceptibility to hyperactivation of ERKp. However, this vulnerability of cancer cells remains relatively unexplored. In this review, we reexamine the evidence on the selective lethality of highly elevated ERKp activity in human cancer cells of varying backgrounds. We synthesize the insights proposed for harnessing this vulnerability of ERK-associated cancers for therapeutical approaches and contextualize these insights within established pharmacological cancer-targeting models. Moreover, we compile the intriguing preclinical findings of ERK pathway agonism in diverse cancer models. Lastly, we present a conceptual framework for target discovery regarding ERKp agonism, emphasizing the utilization of mutual exclusivity among oncogenes to develop novel targeted therapies for precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Timofeev
- Institute of Molecular Oncology, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Philipps University, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Giron
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Clinical Sciences, Research group Genetics, Reproduction and Development, Centre for Medical Genetics, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steffen Lawo
- CRISPR Screening Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Pichler
- Translational Oncology, II. Med Clinics Hematology and Oncology, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Noeparast
- Translational Oncology, II. Med Clinics Hematology and Oncology, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
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Peng X, Huang X, Lulu TB, Jia W, Zhang S, Cohen L, Huang S, Fan J, Chen X, Liu S, Wang Y, Wang K, Isoyama S, Dan S, Wang F, Zhang Z, Elkabets M, Kong D. A novel pan-PI3K inhibitor KTC1101 synergizes with anti-PD-1 therapy by targeting tumor suppression and immune activation. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:54. [PMID: 38486218 PMCID: PMC10938783 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01978-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are critical regulators of diverse cellular functions and have emerged as promising targets in cancer therapy. Despite significant progress, existing PI3K inhibitors encounter various challenges such as suboptimal bioavailability, potential off-target effects, restricted therapeutic indices, and cancer-acquired resistance. Hence, novel inhibitors that overcome some of these challenges are needed. Here, we describe the characterization of KTC1101, a novel pan-PI3K inhibitor that simultaneously targets tumor cell proliferation and the tumor microenvironment. Our studies demonstrate that KTC1101 significantly increases the anti-PD-1 efficacy in multiple pre-clinical mouse models. METHODS KTC1101 was synthesized and characterized employing chemical synthesis, molecular modeling, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and mass spectrometry. Its target specificity was confirmed through the kinase assay, JFCR39 COMPARE analysis, and RNA-Seq analysis. Metabolic stability was verified via liver microsome and plasma assays, pharmacokinetics determined by LC-MS/MS, and safety profile established through acute toxicity assays to determine the LD50. The antiproliferative effects of KTC1101 were evaluated in a panel of cancer cell lines and further validated in diverse BALB/c nude mouse xenograft, NSG mouse xenograft and syngeneic mouse models. The KTC1101 treatment effect on the immune response was assessed through comprehensive RNA-Seq, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry, with molecular pathways investigated via Western blot, ELISA, and qRT-PCR. RESULTS KTC1101 demonstrated strong inhibition of cancer cell growth in vitro and significantly impeded tumor progression in vivo. It effectively modulated the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), characterized by increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells and innate immune cells. An intermittent dosing regimen of KTC1101 enhanced these effects. Notably, KTC1101 synergized with anti-PD-1 therapy, significantly boosting antitumor immunity and extending survival in preclinical models. CONCLUSION KTC1101's dual mechanism of action-directly inhibiting tumor cell growth and dynamically enhancing the immune response- represents a significant advancement in cancer treatment strategies. These findings support incorporating KTC1101 into future oncologic regimens to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Peng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Talal Ben Lulu
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Wenqing Jia
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Shaolu Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Limor Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Shengfan Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Jindian Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tianjin Eye Institute, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, 300020, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Yongzhe Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Kailin Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Sho Isoyama
- Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan
| | - Shingo Dan
- Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
| | - Dexin Kong
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
- Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
- International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
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Xu M, Zhao X, Wen T, Qu X. Unveiling the role of KRAS in tumor immune microenvironment. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116058. [PMID: 38171240 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Kirsten rats sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), the first discovered human oncogene, has long been recognized as "undruggable". KRAS mutations frequently occur in multiple human cancers including non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), colorectal cancer(CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC), functioning as a "molecule switch" determining the activation of various oncogenic signaling pathways. Except for its intrinsic pro-tumorigenic role, KRAS alteration also exhibits an unique immune signature characterized by elevated PD-L1 level and high tumor mutational burden(TMB). KRAS mutation shape an immune suppressive microenvironment by impeding effective T cells infiltration and recruiting suppressive immune cells including myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs), regulatory T cells(Tregs), cancer associated fibroblasts(CAFs). In immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI) era, NSCLC patients with mutated KRAS tend to be more responsive to ICI than patients with intact KRAS. The hallmark for KRAS mutation is the existence of multiple kinds of co-mutations. Different types of co-alterations have distinct tumor microenvironment(TME) signatures and responses to ICI. TP53 co-mutation possess a "hot" TME and achieve higher response to immunotherapy while other loss of function mutation correlated with a "colder" TME and a poor outcome to ICI-based therapy. The groundbreaking discovery of KRAS G12C inhibitors significantly improved outcomes for this KRAS subtype even though efficacy was limited to NSCLC patients. KRAS G12C inhibitors also restore the suppressive TME, creating an opportunity for combinations with ICI. However, an inevitable challenge to KRAS inhibitors is drug resistance. Promising combination strategies such as combination with SHP2 is an approach deserve further exploration because of their immune modulatory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xing Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Ti Wen
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Key Laboratory of Anticancer Drugs and Biotherapy of Liaoning Provinces, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Clinical Cancer Research Center of Shenyang, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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Ureña E, Xu B, Regan JC, Atilano ML, Minkley LJ, Filer D, Lu YX, Bolukbasi E, Khericha M, Alic N, Partridge L. Trametinib ameliorates aging-associated gut pathology in Drosophila females by reducing Pol III activity in intestinal stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311313121. [PMID: 38241436 PMCID: PMC10823232 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311313121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological therapies are promising interventions to slow down aging and reduce multimorbidity in the elderly. Studies in animal models are the first step toward translation of candidate molecules into human therapies, as they aim to elucidate the molecular pathways, cellular mechanisms, and tissue pathologies involved in the anti-aging effects. Trametinib, an allosteric inhibitor of MEK within the Ras/MAPK (Ras/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase) pathway and currently used as an anti-cancer treatment, emerged as a geroprotector candidate because it extended lifespan in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we confirm that trametinib consistently and robustly extends female lifespan, and reduces intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation, tumor formation, tissue dysplasia, and barrier disruption in guts in aged flies. In contrast, pro-longevity effects of trametinib are weak and inconsistent in males, and it does not influence gut homeostasis. Inhibition of the Ras/MAPK pathway specifically in ISCs is sufficient to partially recapitulate the effects of trametinib. Moreover, in ISCs, trametinib decreases the activity of the RNA polymerase III (Pol III), a conserved enzyme synthesizing transfer RNAs and other short, non-coding RNAs, and whose inhibition also extends lifespan and reduces gut pathology. Finally, we show that the pro-longevity effect of trametinib in ISCs is partially mediated by Maf1, a repressor of Pol III, suggesting a life-limiting Ras/MAPK-Maf1-Pol III axis in these cells. The mechanism of action described in this work paves the way for further studies on the anti-aging effects of trametinib in mammals and shows its potential for clinical application in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enric Ureña
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Bowen Xu
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer C. Regan
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Magda L. Atilano
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy J. Minkley
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Danny Filer
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Yu-Xuan Lu
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, CologneD-50931, Germany
| | - Ekin Bolukbasi
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Mobina Khericha
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Nazif Alic
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Partridge
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, LondonWC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, CologneD-50931, Germany
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Jagadeeshan S, Novoplansky OZ, Cohen O, Kurth I, Hess J, Rosenberg AJ, Grandis JR, Elkabets M. New insights into RAS in head and neck cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188963. [PMID: 37619805 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
RAS genes are known to be dysregulated in cancer for several decades, and substantial effort has been dedicated to develop agents that reduce RAS expression or block RAS activation. The recent introduction of RAS inhibitors for cancer patients highlights the importance of comprehending RAS alterations in head and neck cancer (HNC). In this regard, we examine the published findings on RAS alterations and pathway activations in HNC, and summarize their role in HNC initiation, progression, and metastasis. Specifically, we focus on the intrinsic role of mutated-RAS on tumor cell signaling and its extrinsic role in determining tumor-microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity, including promoting angiogenesis and enhancing immune escape. Lastly, we summarize the intrinsic and extrinsic role of RAS alterations on therapy resistance to outline the potential of targeting RAS using a single agent or in combination with other therapeutic agents for HNC patients with RAS-activated tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Ofra Z Novoplansky
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Oded Cohen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Soroka Medical Center, Beersheva, Israel.
| | - Ina Kurth
- Division of Radiooncology-Radiobiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Jochen Hess
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ari J Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
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8
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To KKW, Cho WC. Drug Repurposing to Circumvent Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Resistance in Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2166. [PMID: 37631380 PMCID: PMC10459070 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have achieved unprecedented clinical success in cancer treatment. However, drug resistance to ICI therapy is a major hurdle that prevents cancer patients from responding to the treatment or having durable disease control. Drug repurposing refers to the application of clinically approved drugs, with characterized pharmacological properties and known adverse effect profiles, to new indications. It has also emerged as a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance. In this review, we summarized the latest research about drug repurposing to overcome ICI resistance. Repurposed drugs work by either exerting immunostimulatory activities or abolishing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Compared to the de novo drug design strategy, they provide novel and affordable treatment options to enhance cancer immunotherapy that can be readily evaluated in the clinic. Biomarkers are exploited to identify the right patient population to benefit from the repurposed drugs and drug combinations. Phenotypic screening of chemical libraries has been conducted to search for T-cell-modifying drugs. Genomics and integrated bioinformatics analysis, artificial intelligence, machine and deep learning approaches are employed to identify novel modulators of the immunosuppressive TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth K. W. To
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - William C. Cho
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Sigaud R, Albert TK, Hess C, Hielscher T, Winkler N, Kocher D, Walter C, Münter D, Selt F, Usta D, Ecker J, Brentrup A, Hasselblatt M, Thomas C, Varghese J, Capper D, Thomale UW, Hernáiz Driever P, Simon M, Horn S, Herz NA, Koch A, Sahm F, Hamelmann S, Faria-Andrade A, Jabado N, Schuhmann MU, Schouten-van Meeteren AYN, Hoving E, Brummer T, van Tilburg CM, Pfister SM, Witt O, Jones DTW, Kerl K, Milde T. MAPK inhibitor sensitivity scores predict sensitivity driven by the immune infiltration in pediatric low-grade gliomas. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4533. [PMID: 37500667 PMCID: PMC10374577 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40235-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) show heterogeneous responses to MAPK inhibitors (MAPKi) in clinical trials. Thus, more complex stratification biomarkers are needed to identify patients likely to benefit from MAPKi therapy. Here, we identify MAPK-related genes enriched in MAPKi-sensitive cell lines using the GDSC dataset and apply them to calculate class-specific MAPKi sensitivity scores (MSSs) via single-sample gene set enrichment analysis. The MSSs discriminate MAPKi-sensitive and non-sensitive cells in the GDSC dataset and significantly correlate with response to MAPKi in an independent PDX dataset. The MSSs discern gliomas with varying MAPK alterations and are higher in pLGG compared to other pediatric CNS tumors. Heterogenous MSSs within pLGGs with the same MAPK alteration identify proportions of potentially sensitive patients. The MEKi MSS predicts treatment response in a small set of pLGG patients treated with trametinib. High MSSs correlate with a higher immune cell infiltration, with high expression in the microglia compartment in single-cell RNA sequencing data, while low MSSs correlate with low immune infiltration and increased neuronal score. The MSSs represent predictive tools for the stratification of pLGG patients and should be prospectively validated in clinical trials. Our data supports a role for microglia in the response to MAPKi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Sigaud
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Thomas K Albert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Caroline Hess
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Hielscher
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nadine Winkler
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniela Kocher
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carolin Walter
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Münter
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Florian Selt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diren Usta
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Ecker
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angela Brentrup
- Neurosurgery Dept., University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Hasselblatt
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Thomas
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Julian Varghese
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - David Capper
- Berlin Institute of Health, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2, 10178, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neuropathology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrich W Thomale
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pablo Hernáiz Driever
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, German HIT-LOGGIC-Registry for pLGG in children and adolescents, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michèle Simon
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, German HIT-LOGGIC-Registry for pLGG in children and adolescents, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Svea Horn
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, German HIT-LOGGIC-Registry for pLGG in children and adolescents, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Annika Herz
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, German HIT-LOGGIC-Registry for pLGG in children and adolescents, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arend Koch
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neuropathology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Sahm
- Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Hamelmann
- Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Nada Jabado
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, and The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Martin U Schuhmann
- Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Eelco Hoving
- Princess Màxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tilman Brummer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, Centre for Biological Signaling Studies BIOSS, University of Freiburg and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Freiburg, Germany, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelis M van Tilburg
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olaf Witt
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David T W Jones
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Glioma Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kornelius Kerl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Till Milde
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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10
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Marani A, Gioacchini H, Paolinelli M, Offidani A, Campanati A. Potential drug-drug interactions with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors used to treat melanoma. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2023; 19:555-567. [PMID: 37659065 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2023.2255519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The management of patients with BRAF-mutated advanced melanoma who are undergoing targeted therapy with MEK inhibitors can be complicated by the co-administration of multiple medications, which can give rise to drug-drug interactions of clinical significance. COVERED AREAS Our review presents a comprehensive analysis of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of the three approved for advanced melanoma MEK inhibitor drugs - binimetinib, cobimetinib, and trametinib. MEDLINE (PubMed) was utilized for the literature search, comprising clinical studies, observational studies, and preclinical research. The review discusses the impact of these interactions on efficacy and safety of the treatments and differentiates between interactions supported by pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic mechanisms, those encountered in clinical practice, and those observed in preclinical studies. EXPERT OPINION Physicians should be aware about potential benefits, but also increased toxicity caused by drug interactions between MEK inhibitors and other drugs in the management of patients with metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Marani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - H Gioacchini
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - M Paolinelli
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Offidani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Campanati
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
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11
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Chaib M, Tanveer UA, Makowski L. Myeloid cells in the era of cancer immunotherapy: Top 3 unanswered questions. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 244:108370. [PMID: 36871784 PMCID: PMC10798582 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Myeloid cells are increasingly being recognized as central players orchestrating or suppressing antitumor immune responses. With the advent of high-resolution analytical methods such as single-cell technologies, we now appreciate the heterogeneity and complexity of the myeloid compartment in the context of cancer. Because of their highly plastic nature, targeting myeloid cells has shown promising results either as a monotherapy or in combination with immunotherapy in preclinical models and cancer patients. However, the complexity of myeloid cell cellular crosstalk and molecular networks contributes to our poor understanding of the different myeloid cell subsets in tumorigenesis, which makes targeting myeloid cells challenging. Here, we summarize varied myeloid cell subsets and their contribution to tumor progression with a main focus on mononuclear phagocytes. The top three unanswered questions challenging the field of myeloid cells and cancer in the era of cancer immunotherapy are addressed. Through these questions, we discuss how myeloid cell origin and identity influence their function and disease outcomes. Different therapeutic strategies used to target myeloid cells in cancer are also addressed. Finally, the durability of myeloid cell targeting is interrogated by examining the complexity of resultant compensatory cellular and molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Chaib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Ubaid A Tanveer
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, USA; Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Liza Makowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA; Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, USA; Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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12
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Zhao Y, Du J, Shen X. Targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells in tumor immunotherapy: Current, future and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1157537. [PMID: 37006306 PMCID: PMC10063857 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1157537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are one of the major negative regulators in tumor microenvironment (TME) due to their potent immunosuppressive capacity. MDSCs are the products of myeloid progenitor abnormal differentiation in bone marrow, which inhibits the immune response mediated by T cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells; promotes the generation of regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages; drives the immune escape; and finally leads to tumor progression and metastasis. In this review, we highlight key features of MDSCs biology in TME that are being explored as potential targets for tumor immunotherapy. We discuss the therapies and approaches that aim to reprogram TME from immunosuppressive to immunostimulatory circumstance, which prevents MDSC immunosuppression activity; promotes MDSC differentiation; and impacts MDSC recruitment and abundance in tumor site. We also summarize current advances in the identification of rational combinatorial strategies to improve clinical efficacy and outcomes of cancer patients, via deeply understanding and pursuing the mechanisms and characterization of MDSCs generation and suppression in TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Du
- Department of General Surgery, The 7th Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Junfeng Du, ; Xiaofei Shen,
| | - Xiaofei Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Junfeng Du, ; Xiaofei Shen,
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13
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Granda-Díaz R, Manterola L, Hermida-Prado F, Rodríguez R, Santos L, García-de-la-Fuente V, Fernández MT, Corte-Torres MD, Rodrigo JP, Álvarez-Teijeiro S, Lawrie CH, Garcia-Pedrero JM. Targeting oncogenic functions of miR-301a in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by PI3K/PTEN and MEK/ERK pathways. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114512. [PMID: 36931033 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), the sixth most frequent cancer worldwide, remains challenging. miRNA dysregulation is closely linked to tumorigenesis and tumor progression, thus emerging as suitable targets for cancer treatment. Transcriptomic analysis of TCGA HNSCC dataset revealed that miR-301a expression levels significantly increased in primary tumors, as compared to patient-matched normal tissue. This prompted us to investigate its pathobiological role and potential as new therapeutic target using different preclinical HNSCC models. miR-301a overexpression in HNSCC-derived cell lines led to enhanced proliferation and invasion, whereas miR-301 inhibition reduced these effects. In vivo validation was performed using an orthotopic mouse model. Results concordantly showed that the mitotic counts, the percentage of infiltration depth and Ki67 proliferative index were significantly augmented in the subgroup of mice harboring miR-301a-overexpressing tumors. Further mechanistic characterization revealed PI3K/PTEN/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways as central signaling nodes responsible for mediating the oncogenic activity of miR-301a observed in HNSCC cells. Notably, pharmacological disruption of PI3K and ERK signals with BYL-719 and PD98059, respectively, was effective to completely revert/abolish miR-301a-promoted tumor cell growth and invasion. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that miR-301a dysregulation plays an oncogenic role in HNSCC, thus emerging as a candidate therapeutic target for this disease. Importantly, available PI3K and ERK inhibitors emerge as promising anti-tumor agents to effectively target miR-301a-mediated signal circuit hampering growth-promoting and pro-invasive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Granda-Díaz
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorea Manterola
- Molecular Oncology group, Biodonostia Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Francisco Hermida-Prado
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - René Rodríguez
- CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Sarcomas and Experimental Therapies, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Laura Santos
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Vanessa García-de-la-Fuente
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - María Teresa Fernández
- Histopathology Unit, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - M Daniela Corte-Torres
- Biobank of Principado de Asturias, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juan P Rodrigo
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Saúl Álvarez-Teijeiro
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Charles H Lawrie
- Molecular Oncology group, Biodonostia Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Sino-Swiss Institute of Advanced Technology (SSIAT), Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Juana M Garcia-Pedrero
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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14
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Otano I, Ucero AC, Zugazagoitia J, Paz-Ares L. At the crossroads of immunotherapy for oncogene-addicted subsets of NSCLC. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:143-59. [PMID: 36639452 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00718-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has become a paradigm of precision medicine, with the discovery of numerous disease subtypes defined by specific oncogenic driver mutations leading to the development of a range of molecularly targeted therapies. Over the past decade, rapid progress has also been made in the development of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), especially antagonistic antibodies targeting the PD-L1-PD-1 axis, for the treatment of NSCLC. Although many of the major oncogenic drivers of NSCLC are associated with intrinsic resistance to ICIs, patients with certain oncogene-driven subtypes of the disease that are highly responsive to specific targeted therapies might also derive benefit from immunotherapy. However, the development of effective immunotherapy approaches for oncogene-addicted NSCLC has been challenged by a lack of predictive biomarkers for patient selection and limited knowledge of how ICIs and oncogene-directed targeted therapies should be combined. Therefore, whether ICIs alone or with chemotherapy or even in combination with molecularly targeted agents would offer comparable benefit in the context of selected oncogenic driver alterations to that observed in the general unselected NSCLC population remains an open question. In this Review, we discuss the effects of oncogenic driver mutations on the efficacy of ICIs and the immune tumour microenvironment as well as the potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited to overcome the challenges of immunotherapy for oncogene-addicted NSCLC.
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15
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Hargadon KM. Genetic dysregulation of immunologic and oncogenic signaling pathways associated with tumor-intrinsic immune resistance: a molecular basis for combination targeted therapy-immunotherapy for cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:40. [PMID: 36629955 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04689-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Since the turn of the century, advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Although these approaches have far outperformed traditional therapies in various clinical settings, both remain plagued by mechanisms of innate and acquired resistance that limit therapeutic efficacy in many patients. With a focus on tumor-intrinsic resistance to immunotherapy, this review highlights our current understanding of the immunologic and oncogenic pathways whose genetic dysregulation in cancer cells enables immune escape. Emphasis is placed on genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic aberrations that influence the activity of these pathways in the context of immune resistance. Specifically, the role of pathways that govern interferon signaling, antigen processing and presentation, and immunologic cell death as determinants of tumor immune susceptibility are discussed. Likewise, mechanisms of tumor immune resistance mediated by dysregulated RAS-MAPK, WNT, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, and cell cycle pathways are described. Finally, this review highlights the ways in which recent insight into genetic dysregulation of these immunologic and oncogenic signaling pathways is informing the design of combination targeted therapy-immunotherapy regimens that aim to restore immune susceptibility of cancer cells by overcoming resistance mechanisms that often limit the success of monotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian M Hargadon
- Hargadon Laboratory, Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA, 23943, USA.
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Ono S, Suzuki S, Kondo Y, Okubo I, Goto M, Ogawa T, Kato H, Ito H, Takahara T, Satou A, Tsuzuki T, Yoshikawa K, Nagao T, Ueda R. Trametinib improves Treg selectivity of anti-CCR4 antibody by regulating CCR4 expression in CTLs in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21678. [PMID: 36522365 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22773-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) play a major role in suppressing anti-tumor immune responses. Mogamulizumab, an anti-CC chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4) monoclonal antibody, depletes effector Tregs (eTregs). However, the clinical efficacy of mogamulizumab was limited in phase Ia/Ib studies for solid tumors (NCT01929486); the finding suggests that mogamulizumab may also deplete beneficial CCR4+CD8+ T-cells in patients. Therefore, we focused on CTLs and aimed to identify a way to protect CCR4+ CTLs. Here, we evaluated the association of CCR4 expression in cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) with antigen and cytokine stimulations and kinase inhibition using cytomegalovirus antigen instead of tumor antigen. CCR4 expression in CTLs was induced by antigen stimulation (mean 3.14-29.0%), enhanced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) (mean 29.0-51.2%), and downregulated by trametinib with (mean 51.2-11.4%) or without TGF-β1 treatment (mean 29.0-6.98%). Phosphorylation of ERK in CD8+ T-cells was suppressed by trametinib. Regarding the effect on immunological function of CTL, trametinib reduced cytokine production but not affected cytotoxicity. Importantly, trametinib alleviated CTL reduction by anti-CCR4 antibody without affecting eTreg depletion because CCR4 expression in eTregs was not downregulated. In conclusion, combination therapy with trametinib may improve the clinical efficacy of mogamulizumab.
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Sinha D, Moseley P, Lu X, Wright Q, Gabrielli B, Frazer IH, Cruz JLG. Repurposing of Commercially Existing Molecular Target Therapies to Boost the Clinical Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14. [PMID: 36551637 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is now standard of care for several metastatic epithelial cancers and prolongs life expectancy for a significant fraction of patients. A hostile tumor microenvironment (TME) induced by intrinsic oncogenic signaling induces an immunosuppressive niche that protects the tumor cells, limiting the durability and efficacy of ICB therapies. Addition of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKi) as potential modulators of an unfavorable local immune environment has resulted in moderate life expectancy improvement. Though the combination strategy of ICB and RTKi has shown significantly better results compared to individual treatment, the benefits and adverse events are additive whereas synergy of benefit would be preferable. There is therefore a need to investigate the potential of inhibitors other than RTKs to reduce malignant cell survival while enhancing anti-tumor immunity. In the last five years, preclinical studies have focused on using small molecule inhibitors targeting cell cycle and DNA damage regulators such as CDK4/6, CHK1 and poly ADP ribosyl polymerase (PARP) to selectively kill tumor cells and enhance cytotoxic immune responses. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the available drugs that attenuate immunosuppression and overcome hostile TME that could be used to boost FDA-approved ICB efficacy in the near future.
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