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Qu J, Wu B, Chen L, Wen Z, Fang L, Zheng J, Shen Q, Heng J, Zhou J, Zhou J. CXCR6-positive circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells can identify patients with non-small cell lung cancer responding to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:134. [PMID: 38698468 PMCID: PMC11067263 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03046-3] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells have been reported to regulate tumor immunity. However, the immune characteristics of MAIT cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their correlation with the treatment efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remain unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), flow cytometry, and multiplex immunofluorescence assays to determine the proportion and characteristics of CD8+MAIT cells in patients with metastatic NSCLC who did and did not respond to anti-PD-1 therapy. Survival analyses were employed to determine the effects of MAIT proportion and C-X-C chemokine receptor 6 (CXCR6) expression on the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC. RESULTS The proportion of activated and proliferating CD8+MAIT cells were significantly higher in responders-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and lung tissues before anti-PD-1 therapy, with enhanced expression of cytotoxicity-related genes including CCL4, KLRG1, PRF1, NCR3, NKG7, GZMB, and KLRK1. The responders' peripheral and tumor-infiltrating CD8+MAIT cells showed an upregulated CXCR6 expression. Similarly, CXCR6+CD8+MAIT cells from responders showed higher expression of cytotoxicity-related genes, such as CST7, GNLY, KLRG1, NKG7, and PRF1. Patients with ≥15.1% CD8+MAIT cells to CD8+T cells ratio and ≥35.9% CXCR6+CD8+MAIT cells to CD8+MAIT cells ratio in peripheral blood showed better progression-free survival (PFS) after immunotherapy. The role of CD8+MAIT cells in lung cancer immunotherapy was potentially mediated by classical/non-classical monocytes through the CXCL16-CXCR6 axis. CONCLUSION CD8+MAIT cells are a potential predictive biomarker for patients with NSCLC responding to anti-PD-1 therapy. The correlation between CD8+MAIT cells and immunotherapy sensitivity may be ascribed to high CXCR6 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Qu
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Binggen Wu
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P.R. China
| | - Zuoshi Wen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Liangjie Fang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Qian Shen
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Jianfu Heng
- Department of Clinical Pharmaceutical Research Institution, Hunan Cancer Hospital/the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, P. R. China.
| | - Jianya Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China.
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China.
| | - Jianying Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
- The Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, P. R. China
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Moinuddin A, Poznanski SM, Portillo AL, Monteiro JK, Ashkar AA. Metabolic adaptations determine whether natural killer cells fail or thrive within the tumor microenvironment. Immunol Rev 2024; 323:19-39. [PMID: 38459782 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13316] [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] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells are a top contender in the development of adoptive cell therapies for cancer due to their diverse antitumor functions and ability to restrict their activation against nonmalignant cells. Despite their success in hematologic malignancies, NK cell-based therapies have been limited in the context of solid tumors. Tumor cells undergo various metabolic adaptations to sustain the immense energy demands that are needed to support their rapid and uncontrolled proliferation. As a result, the tumor microenvironment (TME) is depleted of nutrients needed to fuel immune cell activity and contains several immunosuppressive metabolites that hinder NK cell antitumor functions. Further, we now know that NK cell metabolic status is a main determining factor of their effector functions. Hence, the ability of NK cells to withstand and adapt to these metabolically hostile conditions is imperative for effective and sustained antitumor activity in the TME. With this in mind, we review the consequences of metabolic hostility in the TME on NK cell metabolism and function. We also discuss tumor-like metabolic programs in NK cell induced by STAT3-mediated expansion that adapt NK cells to thrive in the TME. Finally, we examine how other approaches can be applied to enhance NK cell metabolism in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan Moinuddin
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sophie M Poznanski
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ana L Portillo
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Monteiro
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali A Ashkar
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Wang Y, Wang Z, Guo X, Cao Y, Xing H, Wang Y, Xing B, Wang Y, Yao Y, Ma W. Artificial neural network identified a 20-gene panel in predicting immunotherapy response and survival benefits after anti-PD1/PD-L1 treatment in glioblastoma patients. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7218. [PMID: 38733169 PMCID: PMC11087814 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7218] [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: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a promising immunotherapy approach, but glioblastoma clinical trials have not yielded satisfactory results. OBJECTIVE To screen glioblastoma patients who may benefit from immunotherapy. METHODS Eighty-one patients receiving anti-PD1/PD-L1 treatment from a large-scale clinical trial and 364 patients without immunotherapy from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were included. Patients in the ICI-treated cohort were divided into responders and nonresponders according to overall survival (OS), and the most critical responder-relevant features were screened using random forest (RF). We constructed an artificial neural network (ANN) model and verified its predictive value with immunotherapy response and OS. RESULTS We defined two groups of ICI-treated glioblastoma patients with large differences in survival benefits as nonresponders (OS ≤6 months, n = 18) and responders (OS ≥17 months, n = 8). No differentially mutated genes were observed between responders and nonresponders. We performed RF analysis to select the most critical responder-relevant features and developed an ANN with 20 input variables, five hidden neurons and one output neuron. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and the DeLong test demonstrated that the ANN had the best performance in predicting responders, with an AUC of 0.97. Survival analysis indicated that ANN-predicted responders had significantly better OS rates than nonresponders. CONCLUSION The 20-gene panel developed by the ANN could be a promising biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response and prognostic benefits in ICI-treated GBM patients and may guide oncologists to accurately select potential responders for the preferential use of ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaning Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zihao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Xiaopeng Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yaning Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Hao Xing
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yuekun Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Bing Xing
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yong Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Wenbin Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Malignant Brain Tumors, National Glioma MDT Alliance, Peking Union Medical College HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking UnionMedical CollegeBeijingChina
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Cao C, Xu Q, Zhu Z, Xu M, Wei Y, Lin S, Cheng S, Zhi W, Hong P, Huang X, Lin D, Cao G, Meng Y, Wu P, Peng T, Wei J, Ding W, Huang X, Sung W, Chen G, Ma D, Li G, Wu P. Three-dimensional chromatin analysis reveals Sp1 as a mediator to program and reprogram HPV-host epigenetic architecture in cervical cancer. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216809. [PMID: 38471646 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216809] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is predominantly associated with HPV-related cancers, however, the precise mechanisms underlying the HPV-host epigenetic architectures in HPV carcinogenesis remain elusive. Here, we employed high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) to comprehensively map HPV16/18-host chromatin interactions. Our study identified the transcription factor Sp1 as a pivotal mediator in programming HPV-host interactions. By targeting Sp1, the active histone modifications (H3K27ac, H3K4me1, and H3K4me3) and the HPV-host chromatin interactions are reprogrammed, which leads to the downregulation of oncogenes located near the integration sites in both HPV (E6/E7) and the host genome (KLF5/MYC). Additionally, Sp1 inhibition led to the upregulation of immune checkpoint genes by reprogramming histone modifications in host cells. Notably, humanized patient-derived xenograft (PDX-HuHSC-NSG) models demonstrated that Sp1 inhibition promoted anti-PD-1 immunotherapy via remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment in cervical cancer. Moreover, single-cell transcriptomic analysis validated the enrichment of transcription factor Sp1 in epithelial cells of cervical cancer. In summary, our findings elucidate Sp1 as a key mediator involved in the programming and reprogramming of HPV-host epigenetic architecture. Inhibiting Sp1 with plicamycin may represent a promising therapeutic option for HPV-related carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canhui Cao
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhixian Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Miaochun Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ye Wei
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shitong Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sheng Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenhua Zhi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Hong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xingyu Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Da Lin
- Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Gang Cao
- Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yifan Meng
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Juncheng Wei
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wencheng Ding
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Huang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - WingKin Sung
- Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; School of Computing, National University of Singapore, 13 Computing Drive, 117417, Singapore
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Guoliang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China; Agricultural Bioinformatics Key Laboratory of Hubei Province, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Agricultural Big Data, 3D Genomics Research Center, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Kwaśnik P, Zaleska J, Link-Lenczowska D, Zawada M, Wysogląd H, Ochrem B, Bober G, Wasilewska E, Hus I, Szarejko M, Prejzner W, Grzybowska-Izydorczyk O, Klonowska-Szymczyk A, Mędraś E, Kiełbus M, Sacha T, Giannopoulos K. High Level of CD8 +PD-1 + Cells in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Who Experienced Loss of MMR after Imatinib Discontinuation. Cells 2024; 13:723. [PMID: 38667336 PMCID: PMC11048908 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080723] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatment-free remission (TFR) is achieved in approximately half of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The mechanisms responsible for TFR maintenance remain elusive. This study aimed to identify immune markers responsible for the control of residual CML cells early in the TFR (at 3 months), which may be the key to achieving long-term TFR and relapse-free survival (RFS) after discontinuation of imatinib. Our study included 63 CML patients after imatinib discontinuation, in whom comprehensive analysis of changes in the immune system was performed by flow cytometry, and changes in the BCR::ABL1 transcript levels were assessed by RQ-PCR and ddPCR. We demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of CD8+PD-1+ cells in patients losing TFR. The level of CD8+PD-1+ cells is inversely related to the duration of treatment and incidence of deep molecular response (DMR) before discontinuation. Analysis of the ROC curve showed that the percentage of CD8+PD-1+ cells may be a significant factor in early molecular recurrence. Interestingly, at 3 months of TFR, patients with the e13a2 transcript had a significantly higher proportion of the PD-1-expressing immune cells compared to patients with the e14a2. Our results suggest the important involvement of CD8+PD-1+ cells in the success of TFR and may help in identifying a group of patients who could successfully discontinue imatinib.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Imatinib Mesylate/therapeutic use
- Imatinib Mesylate/pharmacology
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/genetics
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/pathology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- Female
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Adult
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/metabolism
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/antagonists & inhibitors
- Aged
- Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/genetics
- Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/metabolism
- Young Adult
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Kwaśnik
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (P.K.)
| | - Joanna Zaleska
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (P.K.)
| | - Dorota Link-Lenczowska
- Department of Hematology Diagnostics, Jagiellonian University Hospital in Kraków, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zawada
- Department of Hematology Diagnostics, Jagiellonian University Hospital in Kraków, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
| | - Hubert Wysogląd
- Department of Hematology, Jagiellonian University Hospital in Kraków, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
| | - Bogdan Ochrem
- Department of Hematology, Jagiellonian University Hospital in Kraków, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grażyna Bober
- Department of Hematooncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Ewa Wasilewska
- Department of Hematology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland
| | - Iwona Hus
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Clinical Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Szarejko
- Department of Hematology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Witold Prejzner
- Department of Hematology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | | | - Ewa Mędraś
- Department of Hematology, Neoplastic Blood Disorders and Bone Marrow Transplantation in Wrocław, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Kiełbus
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (P.K.)
| | - Tomasz Sacha
- Chair of Hematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Giannopoulos
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (P.K.)
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Deng R, Tian R, Li X, Xu Y, Li Y, Wang X, Li H, Wang L, Xu B, Yang D, Tang S, Xue B, Zuo C, Zhu H. ISG12a promotes immunotherapy of HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma through blocking TRIM21/AKT/β-catenin/PD-L1 axis. iScience 2024; 27:109533. [PMID: 38591006 PMCID: PMC11000115 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109533] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection generally elicits weak type-I interferon (IFN) immune response in hepatocytes, covering the regulatory effect of IFN-stimulated genes. In this study, low level of IFN-stimulated gene 12a (ISG12a) predicted malignant transformation and poor prognosis of HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas high level of ISG12a indicated active NK cell phenotypes. ISG12a interacts with TRIM21 to inhibit the phosphorylation activation of protein kinase B (PKB, also known as AKT) and β-catenin, suppressing PD-L1 expression to block PD-1/PD-L1 signaling, thereby enhancing the anticancer effect of NK cells. The suppression of PD-1-deficient NK-92 cells on HBV-associated tumors was independent of ISG12a expression, whereas the anticancer effect of PD-1-expressed NK-92 cells on HBV-associated tumors was enhanced by ISG12a and treatments of atezolizumab and nivolumab. Thus, tumor intrinsic ISG12a promotes the anticancer effect of NK cells by regulating PD-1/PD-L1 signaling, presenting the significant role of innate immunity in defending against HBV-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rilin Deng
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Department of Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan, China
- Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Renyun Tian
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Department of Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Xinran Li
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Yongqi Li
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130031, Jilin, China
| | - Xintao Wang
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Huiyi Li
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Department of Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Luoling Wang
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Biaoming Xu
- Department of Gastroduodenal and Pancreatic Surgery, Translational Medicine Joint Research Center of Liver Cancer, Laboratory of Digestive Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Clinical Research Center For Tumor of Pancreaticobiliary Duodenal Junction In Hunan Province, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Di Yang
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Songqing Tang
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Binbin Xue
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Department of Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan, China
| | - Chaohui Zuo
- Department of Gastroduodenal and Pancreatic Surgery, Translational Medicine Joint Research Center of Liver Cancer, Laboratory of Digestive Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Clinical Research Center For Tumor of Pancreaticobiliary Duodenal Junction In Hunan Province, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Haizhen Zhu
- Institute of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, College of Biology, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Department of Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital, The University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan, China
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7
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Yi Y, Qin G, Yang H, Jia H, Zeng Q, Zheng D, Ye S, Zhang Z, Liu TM, Luo KQ, Deng CX, Xu RH. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Increase the Natural Killer Resistance of Circulating Tumor Cells via Intercellular Signaling of cGAS-STING-IFNβ-HLA. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024:e2400888. [PMID: 38638003 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400888] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed from primary tumors must overcome the cytotoxicity of immune cells, particularly natural killer (NK) cells, to cause metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) protects tumor cells from the cytotoxicity of immune cells, which is partially executed by cancer-associated mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, the mechanisms by which MSCs influence the NK resistance of CTCs remain poorly understood. This study demonstrates that MSCs enhance the NK resistance of cancer cells in a gap junction-dependent manner, thereby promoting the survival and metastatic seeding of CTCs in immunocompromised mice. Tumor cells crosstalk with MSCs through an intercellular cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling loop, leading to increased production of interferon-β (IFNβ) by MSCs. IFNβ reversely enhances the type I IFN (IFN-I) signaling in tumor cells and hence the expression of human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) on the cell surface, protecting the tumor cells from NK cytotoxicity. Disruption of this loop reverses NK sensitivity in tumor cells and decreases tumor metastasis. Moreover, there are positive correlations between IFN-I signaling, HLA-I expression, and NK tolerance in human tumor samples. Thus, the NK-resistant signaling loop between tumor cells and MSCs may serve as a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yi
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Guihui Qin
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Hongmei Yang
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Hao Jia
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Qibing Zeng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Dejin Zheng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Sen Ye
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Tzu-Ming Liu
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Kathy Qian Luo
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Chu-Xia Deng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
| | - Ren-He Xu
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Cancer Center, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, 999078, China
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8
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Yu L, Huang K, Liao Y, Wang L, Sethi G, Ma Z. Targeting novel regulated cell death: Ferroptosis, pyroptosis and necroptosis in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy. Cell Prolif 2024:e13644. [PMID: 38594879 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy represent key tumour treatment strategies. Notably, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD1) and anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), have shown clinical efficacy in clinical tumour immunotherapy. However, the limited effectiveness of ICIs is evident due to many cancers exhibiting poor responses to this treatment. An emerging avenue involves triggering non-apoptotic regulated cell death (RCD), a significant mechanism driving cancer cell death in diverse cancer treatments. Recent research demonstrates that combining RCD inducers with ICIs significantly enhances their antitumor efficacy across various cancer types. The use of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy activates CD8+ T cells, prompting the initiation of novel RCD forms, such as ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. However, the functions and mechanisms of non-apoptotic RCD in anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapy remain insufficiently explored. This review summarises the emerging roles of ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. It emphasises the synergy between nanomaterials and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to induce non-apoptotic RCD in different cancer types. Furthermore, targeting cell death signalling pathways in combination with anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapies holds promise as a prospective immunotherapy strategy for tumour treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yu
- Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
- Department of Urology, Jingzhou Central Hospital, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Ke Huang
- Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Yixiang Liao
- Department of Urology, Jingzhou Central Hospital, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Lingzhi Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhaowu Ma
- Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
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9
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Núñez SY, Trotta A, Regge MV, Amarilla MS, Secchiari F, Sierra JM, Santilli MC, Gantov M, Rovegno A, Richards N, Ameri C, Ríos Pita H, Rico L, Mieggi M, Vitagliano G, Blas L, Friedrich AD, Domaica CI, Fuertes MB, Zwirner NW. Tumor-associated macrophages impair NK cell IFN-γ production and contribute to tumor progression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Eur J Immunol 2024:e2350878. [PMID: 38581345 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350878] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are abundant in several tumor types and usually correlate with poor prognosis. Previously, we demonstrated that anti-inflammatory macrophages (M2) inhibit NK cell effector functions. Here, we explored the impact of TAM on NK cells in the context of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that an exhausted NK cell signature strongly correlated with an M2 signature. Analysis of TAM from human ccRCC samples confirmed that they exhibited an M2-skewed phenotype and inhibited IFN-γ production by NK cells. Moreover, human M0 macrophages cultured with conditioned media from ccRCC cell lines generated macrophages with an M2-skewed phenotype (TAM-like), which alike TAM, displayed suppressive activity on NK cells. Moreover, TAM depletion in the mouse Renca ccRCC model resulted in delayed tumor growth and reduced volume, accompanied by an increased frequency of IFN-γ-producing tumor-infiltrating NK cells that displayed heightened expression of T-bet and NKG2D and reduced expression of the exhaustion-associated co-inhibitory molecules PD-1 and TIM-3. Therefore, in ccRCC, the tumor microenvironment polarizes TAM toward an immunosuppressive profile that promotes tumor-infiltrating NK cell dysfunction, contributing to tumor progression. In addition, immunotherapy strategies targeting TAM may result in NK cell reinvigoration, thereby counteracting tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Yanel Núñez
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aldana Trotta
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Regge
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Sofía Amarilla
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Secchiari
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jessica Mariel Sierra
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Cecilia Santilli
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Gantov
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Rovegno
- Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno" (CEMIC), Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Richards
- Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno" (CEMIC), Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Ameri
- Hospital Alemán, Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Luis Rico
- Hospital Alemán, Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauro Mieggi
- Hospital Alemán, Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Leandro Blas
- Hospital Alemán, Servicio de Urología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrián David Friedrich
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Fundación IBYME, Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Persky J, Cruz SM, Darrow MA, Judge SJ, Li Y, Bold RJ, Karnezis AN, Matsukuma KE, Qi L, Canter RJ. Characterization of natural killer and cytotoxic T-cell immune infiltrates in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Surg Oncol 2024; 129:885-892. [PMID: 38196111 PMCID: PMC10980567 DOI: 10.1002/jso.27581] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with poor response to systemic therapies, including immunotherapy. Given the immunotherapeutic potential of natural killer (NK) cells, we evaluated intratumoral NK cell infiltrates along with cytotoxic T cells in PDAC to determine their association with patient outcomes. METHODS We analyzed tumors from 93 PDAC patients treated from 2012 to 2020. Predictor variables included tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), T-cell markers (CD3, CD8, CD45RO), NK marker (NKp46), and NK inhibitory marker (major histocompatibility complex class I [MHC-I]) by immunohistochemistry. Primary outcome variables were recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Mean TILs, CD3, and NKp46 scores were 1.3 ± 0.63, 20.6 ± 17.5, and 3.1 ± 3.9, respectively. Higher expression of CD3 and CD8 was associated with higher OS, whereas NK cell infiltration was not associated with either RFS or OS. There was a tight positive correlation between MHC-I expression and all T-cell markers, but not with NKp46. CONCLUSIONS Overall NK cell infiltrates were low in PDAC and did not predict clinical outcomes, whereas T-cell infiltrates did. Further characterization of the immune infiltrate in PDAC, including inhibitory signals and suppressive cell types, may yield better biomarkers of prognosis and immune targeting in this refractory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Persky
- Division of Surgical Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Sylvia M. Cruz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Morgan, A. Darrow
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Sean J. Judge
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Yueju Li
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, UC Davis
| | - Richard J. Bold
- Division of Surgical Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Anthony N. Karnezis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Karen E. Matsukuma
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Lihong Qi
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, UC Davis
| | - Robert J. Canter
- Division of Surgical Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA
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11
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Li S, Dai W, Kam NW, Zhang J, Lee VHF, Ren X, Kwong DLW. The Role of Natural Killer Cells in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment of EBV-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1312. [PMID: 38610990 PMCID: PMC11011204 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071312] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is closely associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which contributes to tumor development and influences the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in NPC. Natural killer (NK) cells, as part of the innate immune system, play a crucial role in responding to viral infections and malignant cell transformations. Notably, NK cells possess a unique ability to target tumor cells independent of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) expression. This means that MHC I-deficient tumor cells, which can escape from effective T cell attack, are susceptible to NK-cell-mediated killing. The activation of NK cells is determined by the signals generated through inhibitory and activating receptors expressed on their surface. Understanding the role of NK cells in the complex TIME of EBV+ NPC is of utmost importance. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of NK cells in NPC, focusing on their subpopulations, interactions, and cytotoxicity within the TIME. Moreover, we discuss the potential translational therapeutic applications of NK cells in NPC. This review aims to enhance our knowledge of the role of NK cells in NPC and provide valuable insights for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzhan Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; (S.L.); (J.Z.)
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Centre of Cancer Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (W.D.); (N.-W.K.); (V.H.F.L.)
| | - Ngar-Woon Kam
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Centre of Cancer Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (W.D.); (N.-W.K.); (V.H.F.L.)
- Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited, Hong Kong Science Park, New Territories, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jiali Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; (S.L.); (J.Z.)
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Victor H. F. Lee
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Centre of Cancer Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (W.D.); (N.-W.K.); (V.H.F.L.)
- Clinical Oncology Center, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China
| | - Xiubao Ren
- Department of Biotherapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China; (S.L.); (J.Z.)
- Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Dora Lai-Wan Kwong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Centre of Cancer Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China; (W.D.); (N.-W.K.); (V.H.F.L.)
- Clinical Oncology Center, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China
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12
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Ahmadnia A, Mohammadi S, Yamchi A, Kalani MR, Farazmandfar T, Khosravi A, Memarian A. Augmenting the Antitumor Efficacy of Natural Killer Cells via SynNotch Receptor Engineering for Targeted IL-12 Secretion. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:2931-2945. [PMID: 38666913 PMCID: PMC11048765 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46040183] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial components of innate immunity, known for their potent tumor surveillance abilities. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have shown promise in cancer targeting, but optimizing CAR designs for NK cell functionality remains challenging. CAR-NK cells have gained attention for their potential to reduce side effects and enable scalable production in cancer immunotherapy. This study aimed to enhance NK cell anti-tumor activity by incorporating PD1-synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors. A chimeric receptor was designed using UniProt database sequences, and 3D structure models were generated for optimization. Lentiviral transduction was used to introduce PD1-Syn receptors into NK cells. The expression of PD1-Syn receptors on NK cell surfaces was assessed. Engineered NK cells were co-cultured with PDL1+ breast cancer cells to evaluate their cytotoxic activity and ability to produce interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-gamma (IFNγ) upon interaction with the target cells. This study successfully expressed the PD1-Syn receptors on NK cells. CAR-NK cells secreted IL-12 and exhibited target-dependent IFNγ production when engaging PDL1+ cells. Their cytotoxic activity was significantly enhanced in a target-dependent manner. This study demonstrates the potential of synNotch receptor-engineered NK cells in enhancing anti-tumor responses, especially in breast cancer cases with high PDL1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ahmadnia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Saeed Mohammadi
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ahad Yamchi
- Department of Biotechnology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan P.O. Box 386, Iran
| | - Mohamad Reza Kalani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Touraj Farazmandfar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ayyoub Khosravi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Stem Cell Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
| | - Ali Memarian
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
- Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan P.O. Box 665, Iran
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13
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Le Chapelain O, Jadoui S, Gros A, Barbaria S, Benmeziane K, Ollivier V, Dupont S, Solo Nomenjanahary M, Mavouna S, Rogozarski J, Mawhin MA, Caligiuri G, Delbosc S, Porteu F, Nieswandt B, Mangin PH, Boulaftali Y, Ho-Tin-Noé B. The localization, origin, and impact of platelets in the tumor microenvironment are tumor type-dependent. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:84. [PMID: 38493157 PMCID: PMC10944607 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03001-2] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND How platelets interact with and influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains poorly characterized. METHODS We compared the presence and participation of platelets in the TME of two tumors characterized by highly different TME, PyMT AT-3 mammary tumors and B16F1 melanoma. RESULTS We show that whereas firmly adherent platelets continuously line tumor vessels of both AT-3 and B16F1 tumors, abundant extravascular stromal clusters of platelets from thrombopoietin-independent origin were present only in AT-3 mammary tumors. We further show that platelets influence the angiogenic and inflammatory profiles of AT-3 and B16F1 tumors, though with very different outcomes according to tumor type. Whereas thrombocytopenia increased bleeding in both tumor types, it further caused severe endothelial degeneration associated with massive vascular leakage, tumor swelling, and increased infiltration of cytotoxic cells, only in AT-3 tumors. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that while platelets are integral components of solid tumors, their localization and origin in the TME, as well as their impact on its shaping, are tumor type-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ophélie Le Chapelain
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Soumaya Jadoui
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | - Angèle Gros
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | - Samir Barbaria
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | | | - Véronique Ollivier
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | - Sébastien Dupont
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Mialitiana Solo Nomenjanahary
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Sabrina Mavouna
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Jasmina Rogozarski
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Marie-Anne Mawhin
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | | | - Sandrine Delbosc
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | | | - Bernhard Nieswandt
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine I, University Hospital Würzburg and Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pierre H Mangin
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Etablissement Français du Sang Grand-Est, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S1255, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, F-67065, France
| | - Yacine Boulaftali
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1148, LVTS, Paris, F-75018, France
| | - Benoit Ho-Tin-Noé
- Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMR-S 1144 -Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris, 75006, France.
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14
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Wang X, Liu X, Dai H, Jia J. Association of lymphocyte subsets with the efficacy and prognosis of PD‑1 inhibitor therapy in advanced gastric cancer: results from a monocentric retrospective study. BMC Gastroenterol 2024; 24:113. [PMID: 38491354 PMCID: PMC10943815 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-024-03168-0] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This retrospective study aimed to investigate the changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets before and after immunotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer and their relationship n with the therapeutic efficacy and clinical prognosis. METHODS Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, including CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, CD4+/CD8 + ratio, NK cells, Treg cells, and B cells, were collected from 195 patients with advanced gastric cancer who were admitted to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University with immunotherapy from January 2020 to October 2021, at the time of diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer, before immunotherapy and after 3 cycles of immunotherapy. T-tests were used to examine the factors influencing the patients' peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and the changes after immunotherapy. To examine the relationship between lymphocyte subsets and treatment outcomes, ROC curves were plotted using a logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier curve was drawn, and the Log Rank test was carried out to compare the differences in PFS between the different groups. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting PFS after calibration of other variables. RESULTS The proportion of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with advanced gastric cancer was affected by age and PD-L1 level. Compared to the baseline, the treatment effective group had higher proportions of CD4 + T cells, a higher CD4+/CD8 + ratio, NK cells and Treg cells, and lower proportions of CD8 + T cells and B cells in the peripheral blood after three cycles of immunotherapy. In the treatment-naive group, there were no significant differences in the lymphocyte subsets. With cut-off values of 30.60% and 18.00%, baseline CD4 + T cell and NK cell ratios were independent predictors of immunotherapy efficacy and PFS. Treg cell ratio, gender, PD-L1 levels, and MMR status all predicted PFS independently. CONCLUSION The proportion of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets was modified in patients who responded to PD-1 inhibitors. Different lymphocyte subpopulation levels can be used as biomarkers to predict immunotherapy efficacy and clinical prognosis in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Wang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, No.56, Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, People's Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No.85, Jiefang South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoling Liu
- Department of Special Medical, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030013, China
| | - Huwei Dai
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
| | - Junmei Jia
- Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No.85, Jiefang South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Li J, Hu H, Lian K, Zhang D, Hu P, He Z, Zhang Z, Wang Y. CAR-NK cells in combination therapy against cancer: A potential paradigm. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27196. [PMID: 38486782 PMCID: PMC10937699 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27196] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Various preclinical and a limited number of clinical studies of CAR-NK cells have shown promising results: efficient elimination of target cells without side effects similar to CAR-T therapy. However, the homing and infiltration abilities of CAR-NK cells are poor due to the inhibitory tumor microenvironment. From the perspective of clinical treatment strategies, combined with the biological and tumor microenvironment characteristics of NK cells, CAR-NK combination therapy strategies with anti-PD-1/PD-L1, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, kinase inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, STING agonist, oncolytic virus, photothermal therapy, can greatly promote the proliferation, migration and cytotoxicity of the NK cells. In this review, we will summarize the targets selection, structure constructions and combinational therapies of CAR-NK cells for tumors to provide feasible combination strategies for overcoming the inhibitory tumor microenvironment and improving the efficacy of CAR-NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junping Li
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Hong Hu
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Kai Lian
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Dongdong Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Pengchao Hu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Zhibing He
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
| | - Zhenfeng Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Translational Medicine Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Nano-Biomedical Technology for Diagnosis and Therapy & Guangdong Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immunoregulation Tumour Microenvironment, Central Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, 441000, China
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16
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Ouyang P, Wang L, Wu J, Tian Y, Chen C, Li D, Yao Z, Chen R, Xiang G, Gong J, Bao Z. Overcoming cold tumors: a combination strategy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1344272. [PMID: 38545114 PMCID: PMC10965539 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1344272] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) therapy has advanced significantly in treating malignant tumors, though most 'cold' tumors show no response. This resistance mainly arises from the varied immune evasion mechanisms. Hence, understanding the transformation from 'cold' to 'hot' tumors is essential in developing effective cancer treatments. Furthermore, tumor immune profiling is critical, requiring a range of diagnostic techniques and biomarkers for evaluation. The success of immunotherapy relies on T cells' ability to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. In 'cold' tumors, the absence of T cell infiltration leads to the ineffectiveness of ICI therapy. Addressing these challenges, especially the impairment in T cell activation and homing, is crucial to enhance ICI therapy's efficacy. Concurrently, strategies to convert 'cold' tumors into 'hot' ones, including boosting T cell infiltration and adoptive therapies such as T cell-recruiting bispecific antibodies and Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells, are under extensive exploration. Thus, identifying key factors that impact tumor T cell infiltration is vital for creating effective treatments targeting 'cold' tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ouyang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianlong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yao Tian
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Caiyun Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dengsheng Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zengxi Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruichang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guoan Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Gong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhen Bao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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17
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Stenger TD, Miller JS. Therapeutic approaches to enhance natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1356666. [PMID: 38545115 PMCID: PMC10966407 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1356666] [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: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhancing the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy, due to their pivotal role in immune surveillance and tumor clearance. This literature review provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic approaches designed to augment NK cell cytotoxicity. We analyze a wide range of strategies, including cytokine-based treatment, monoclonal antibodies, and NK cell engagers, and discuss criteria that must be considered when selecting an NK cell product to combine with these strategies. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges and limitations associated with each therapeutic strategy, as well as the potential for combination therapies to maximize NK cell cytotoxicity while minimizing adverse effects. By exploring the wealth of research on this topic, this literature review aims to provide a comprehensive resource for researchers and clinicians seeking to develop and implement novel therapeutic strategies that harness the full potential of NK cells in the fight against cancer. Enhancing NK cell cytotoxicity holds great promise in the evolving landscape of immunotherapy, and this review serves as a roadmap for understanding the current state of the field and the future directions in NK cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terran D. Stenger
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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18
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Wang M, Krueger JB, Gilkey AK, Stelljes EM, Kluesner MG, Pomeroy EJ, Skeate JG, Slipek NJ, Lahr WS, Vázquez PNC, Zhao Y, Eaton EJ, Laoharawee K, Webber BR, Moriarity BS. Precision Enhancement of CAR-NK Cells through Non-Viral Engineering and Highly Multiplexed Base Editing. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.05.582637. [PMID: 38496503 PMCID: PMC10942345 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.05.582637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells' unique ability to kill transformed cells expressing stress ligands or lacking major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) has prompted their development for immunotherapy. However, NK cells have demonstrated only moderate responses against cancer in clinical trials and likely require advanced genome engineering to reach their full potential as a cancer therapeutic. Multiplex genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 base editors (BE) has been used to enhance T cell function and has already entered clinical trials but has not been reported in human NK cells. Here, we report the first application of BE in primary NK cells to achieve both loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutations. We observed highly efficient single and multiplex base editing, resulting in significantly enhanced NK cell function. Next, we combined multiplex BE with non-viral TcBuster transposon-based integration to generate IL-15 armored CD19 CAR-NK cells with significantly improved functionality in a highly suppressive model of Burkitt's lymphoma both in vitro and in vivo. The use of concomitant non-viral transposon engineering with multiplex base editing thus represents a highly versatile and efficient platform to generate CAR-NK products for cell-based immunotherapy and affords the flexibility to tailor multiple gene edits to maximize the effectiveness of the therapy for the cancer type being treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjing Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Joshua B Krueger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Alexandria K Gilkey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Erin M Stelljes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mitchell G Kluesner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emily J Pomeroy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Joseph G Skeate
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicholas J Slipek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Walker S Lahr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Patricia N Claudio Vázquez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Yueting Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ella J Eaton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kanut Laoharawee
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Beau R Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Branden S Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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19
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Maia A, Tarannum M, Lérias JR, Piccinelli S, Borrego LM, Maeurer M, Romee R, Castillo-Martin M. Building a Better Defense: Expanding and Improving Natural Killer Cells for Adoptive Cell Therapy. Cells 2024; 13:451. [PMID: 38474415 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050451] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have gained attention as a promising adoptive cell therapy platform for their potential to improve cancer treatments. NK cells offer distinct advantages over T-cells, including major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-independent tumor recognition and low risk of toxicity, even in an allogeneic setting. Despite this tremendous potential, challenges persist, such as limited in vivo persistence, reduced tumor infiltration, and low absolute NK cell numbers. This review outlines several strategies aiming to overcome these challenges. The developed strategies include optimizing NK cell expansion methods and improving NK cell antitumor responses by cytokine stimulation and genetic manipulations. Using K562 cells expressing membrane IL-15 or IL-21 with or without additional activating ligands like 4-1BBL allows "massive" NK cell expansion and makes multiple cell dosing and "off-the-shelf" efforts feasible. Further improvements in NK cell function can be reached by inducing memory-like NK cells, developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cells, or isolating NK-cell-based tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Memory-like NK cells demonstrate higher in vivo persistence and cytotoxicity, with early clinical trials demonstrating safety and promising efficacy. Recent trials using CAR-NK cells have also demonstrated a lack of any major toxicity, including cytokine release syndrome, and, yet, promising clinical activity. Recent data support that the presence of TIL-NK cells is associated with improved overall patient survival in different types of solid tumors such as head and neck, colorectal, breast, and gastric carcinomas, among the most significant. In conclusion, this review presents insights into the diverse strategies available for NK cell expansion, including the roles played by various cytokines, feeder cells, and culture material in influencing the activation phenotype, telomere length, and cytotoxic potential of expanded NK cells. Notably, genetically modified K562 cells have demonstrated significant efficacy in promoting NK cell expansion. Furthermore, culturing NK cells with IL-2 and IL-15 has been shown to improve expansion rates, while the presence of IL-12 and IL-21 has been linked to enhanced cytotoxic function. Overall, this review provides an overview of NK cell expansion methodologies, highlighting the current landscape of clinical trials and the key advancements to enhance NK-cell-based adoptive cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Maia
- Molecular and Experimental Pathology Laboratory, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
- NK Cell Gene Manipulation and Therapy Laboratory, Division of Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mubin Tarannum
- NK Cell Gene Manipulation and Therapy Laboratory, Division of Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joana R Lérias
- ImmunoTherapy/ImmunoSurgery, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Piccinelli
- NK Cell Gene Manipulation and Therapy Laboratory, Division of Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Luis Miguel Borrego
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM), NOVA University of Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal
- Immunoallergy Department, Hospital da Luz, 1600-209 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Markus Maeurer
- ImmunoTherapy/ImmunoSurgery, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
- I Medical Clinic, University of Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Rizwan Romee
- NK Cell Gene Manipulation and Therapy Laboratory, Division of Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mireia Castillo-Martin
- Molecular and Experimental Pathology Laboratory, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
- Pathology Service, Champalimaud Clinical Center, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
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20
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Davies D, Kamdar S, Woolf R, Zlatareva I, Iannitto ML, Morton C, Haque Y, Martin H, Biswas D, Ndagire S, Munonyara M, Gillett C, O'Neill O, Nussbaumer O, Hayday A, Wu Y. PD-1 defines a distinct, functional, tissue-adapted state in Vδ1 + T cells with implications for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Cancer 2024; 5:420-432. [PMID: 38172341 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00690-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Checkpoint inhibition (CPI), particularly that targeting the inhibitory coreceptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), has transformed oncology. Although CPI can derepress cancer (neo)antigen-specific αβ T cells that ordinarily show PD-1-dependent exhaustion, it can also be efficacious against cancers evading αβ T cell recognition. In such settings, γδ T cells have been implicated, but the functional relevance of PD-1 expression by these cells is unclear. Here we demonstrate that intratumoral TRDV1 transcripts (encoding the TCRδ chain of Vδ1+ γδ T cells) predict anti-PD-1 CPI response in patients with melanoma, particularly those harboring below average neoantigens. Moreover, using a protocol yielding substantial numbers of tissue-derived Vδ1+ cells, we show that PD-1+Vδ1+ cells display a transcriptomic program similar to, but distinct from, the canonical exhaustion program of colocated PD-1+CD8+ αβ T cells. In particular, PD-1+Vδ1+ cells retained effector responses to TCR signaling that were inhibitable by PD-1 engagement and derepressed by CPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Davies
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shraddha Kamdar
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Richard Woolf
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Iva Zlatareva
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Cienne Morton
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Yasmin Haque
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Hannah Martin
- Immunosurveillance Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Dhruva Biswas
- Academic Foundation Programme, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Susan Ndagire
- King's Health Partners Cancer Biobank, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Cheryl Gillett
- King's Health Partners Cancer Biobank, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Olga O'Neill
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Oliver Nussbaumer
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Adrian Hayday
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK.
- Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London, UK.
- Immunosurveillance Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Yin Wu
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, UK.
- Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
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21
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Lupo KB, Yao X, Borde S, Wang J, Torregrosa-Allen S, Elzey BD, Utturkar S, Lanman NA, McIntosh M, Matosevic S. synNotch-programmed iPSC-derived NK cells usurp TIGIT and CD73 activities for glioblastoma therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1909. [PMID: 38429294 PMCID: PMC10907695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46343-3] [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: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe heterogeneity within glioblastoma has spurred the notion that disrupting the interplay between multiple elements on immunosuppression is at the core of meaningful anti-tumor responses. T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) and its glioblastoma-associated antigen, CD155, form a highly immunosuppressive axis in glioblastoma and other solid tumors, yet targeting of TIGIT, a functionally heterogeneous receptor on tumor-infiltrating immune cells, has largely been ineffective as monotherapy, suggesting that disruption of its inhibitory network might be necessary for measurable responses. It is within this context that we show that the usurpation of the TIGIT - CD155 axis via engineered synNotch-mediated activation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer (NK) cells promotes transcription factor-mediated activation of a downstream signaling cascade that results in the controlled, localized blockade of CD73 to disrupt purinergic activity otherwise resulting in the production and accumulation of immunosuppressive extracellular adenosine. Such "decoy" receptor engages CD155 binding to TIGIT, but tilts inhibitory TIGIT/CD155 interactions toward activation via downstream synNotch signaling. Usurping activities of TIGIT and CD73 promotes the function of adoptively transferred NK cells into intracranial patient-derived models of glioblastoma and enhances their natural cytolytic functions against this tumor to result in complete tumor eradication. In addition, targeting both receptors, in turn, reprograms the glioblastoma microenvironment via the recruitment of T cells and the downregulation of M2 macrophages. This study demonstrates that TIGIT/CD155 and CD73 are targetable receptor partners in glioblastoma. Our data show that synNotch-engineered pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells are not only effective mediators of anti-glioblastoma responses within the setting of CD73 and TIGIT/CD155 co-targeting, but represent a powerful allogeneic treatment option for this tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle B Lupo
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Xue Yao
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Shambhavi Borde
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jiao Wang
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | - Bennett D Elzey
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Sagar Utturkar
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Nadia A Lanman
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - MacKenzie McIntosh
- Histology Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Sandro Matosevic
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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22
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Leng G, Gong H, Liu G, Kong Y, Guo L, Zhang Y. Alpha-fetoprotein upregulates hepatocellular carcinoma cell-intrinsic PD-1 expression through the LATS2/YAP/TEAD1 pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130592. [PMID: 38395204 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130592] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell-intrinsic programmed death 1 (PD-1) promotes tumor progression. However, the mechanisms that regulate its expression are unclear. This study investigated the impact of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) on HCC cell-intrinsic PD-1 expression. METHODS The expression of PD-1 and AFP at the gene and protein levels was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting (WB). Proteins interacting with AFP were examined by co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual luciferase reporter assays were used to identify transcription-enhanced association domain 1 (TEAD1) binding to the promoter of PD-1. RESULTS The expression of HCC cell-intrinsic PD-1 was positively correlated with AFP. Mechanistically, AFP inhibited the phosphorylation of large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2) and yes-associated protein (YAP). As a result, YAP is transferred to the nucleus and forms a transcriptional complex with TEAD1, promoting PD-1 transcription by binding to its promoter. CONCLUSION AFP is an upstream regulator of the HCC cell-intrinsic PD-1 and increases PD-1 expression via the LATS2/YAP/TEAD1 axis. GENERAL Our findings provide insight into the mechanisms of HCC development and offer new ideas for further in-depth studies of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangxian Leng
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
| | - Hongxia Gong
- Provincial-Level Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and Study on Prevention and Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, China
| | - Guiyuan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China; People's Hospital affiliated with Chongqing Three Gorges Medical Higher Specialized School, Chongqing 404100, China
| | - Yin Kong
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China; Department of Hepatology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
| | - Liuqing Guo
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
| | - Youcheng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China.
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23
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Wang Q, Wang J, Yu D, Zhang Q, Hu H, Xu M, Zhang H, Tian S, Zheng G, Lu D, Hu J, Guo M, Cai M, Geng X, Zhang Y, Xia J, Zhang X, Li A, Liu S, Zhang W. Benzosceptrin C induces lysosomal degradation of PD-L1 and promotes antitumor immunity by targeting DHHC3. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101357. [PMID: 38237597 PMCID: PMC10897506 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101357] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blockade has become a mainstay of cancer immunotherapy. Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis with small molecules is an attractive approach to enhance antitumor immunity. Here, we identified a natural marine product, benzosceptrin C (BC), that enhances the cytotoxicity of T cells to cancer cells by reducing the abundance of PD-L1. Furthermore, BC exerts its antitumor effect in mice bearing MC38 tumors by activating tumor-infiltrating T cell immunity. Mechanistic studies suggest that BC can prevent palmitoylation of PD-L1 by inhibiting DHHC3 enzymatic activity. Subsequently, PD-L1 is transferred from the membrane to the cytoplasm and cannot return to the membrane via recycling endosomes, triggering lysosome-mediated degradation of PD-L1. Moreover, the combination of BC and anti-CTLA4 effectively enhances antitumor T cell immunity. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized antitumor mechanism of BC and represent an alternative immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- Department of Phytochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dianping Yu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongmei Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengting Xu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Saisai Tian
- Department of Phytochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangyong Zheng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong Lu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajia Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengmeng Guo
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Minchen Cai
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangxin Geng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Xia
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Sanhong Liu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Weidong Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Phytochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; The Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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24
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Burke KP, Chaudhri A, Freeman GJ, Sharpe AH. The B7:CD28 family and friends: Unraveling coinhibitory interactions. Immunity 2024; 57:223-244. [PMID: 38354702 PMCID: PMC10889489 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.013] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Immune responses must be tightly regulated to ensure both optimal protective immunity and tolerance. Costimulatory pathways within the B7:CD28 family provide essential signals for optimal T cell activation and clonal expansion. They provide crucial inhibitory signals that maintain immune homeostasis, control resolution of inflammation, regulate host defense, and promote tolerance to prevent autoimmunity. Tumors and chronic pathogens can exploit these pathways to evade eradication by the immune system. Advances in understanding B7:CD28 pathways have ushered in a new era of immunotherapy with effective drugs to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and transplant rejection. Here, we discuss current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the coinhibitory functions of CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1:B7-1 and PD-L2:RGMb interactions and less studied B7 family members, including HHLA2, VISTA, BTNL2, and BTN3A1, as well as their overlapping and unique roles in regulating immune responses, and the therapeutic potential of these insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly P Burke
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Apoorvi Chaudhri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gordon J Freeman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Arlene H Sharpe
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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25
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Patel SP, Alonso-Gordoa T, Banerjee S, Wang D, Naidoo J, Standifer NE, Palmer DC, Cheng LY, Kourtesis P, Ascierto ML, Das M, Diamond JR, Hellmann MD, Carneiro BA. Phase 1/2 study of monalizumab plus durvalumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007340. [PMID: 38309722 PMCID: PMC10840023 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007340] [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] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The combination of monalizumab (anti-NKG2A/CD94) and durvalumab (anti-programmed death ligand-1) may promote antitumor immunity by targeting innate and adaptive immunity. This phase 1/2 study of monalizumab and durvalumab evaluated safety, antitumor activity, and pharmacodynamics in patients with advanced solid tumors. MAIN BODY Immunotherapy-naïve patients aged ≥18 years with advanced disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and 1-3 prior lines of systemic therapy in the recurrent/metastatic setting were enrolled. In part 1 (dose escalation), patients received durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) with increasing doses of monalizumab Q2W/Q4W (n=15). Dose expansion in part 1 included patients with cervical cancer (n=15; durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q2W) or metastatic microsatellite stable (MSS)-colorectal cancer (CRC) (n=15; durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q4W). In part 2 (dose expansion), patients with MSS-CRC (n=40), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n=20), MSS-endometrial cancer (n=40), or ovarian cancer (n=40) received durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q2W. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included antitumor activity per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Exploratory analyses included assessment of T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell activation and proliferation in peripheral blood and the tumor microenvironment (TME). The study enrolled 185 patients (part 1, 45; part 2, 140). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. In part 2, the most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (12.1%), asthenia (9.3%), diarrhea (9.3%), pruritus (7.9%), and pyrexia (7.1%). In the expansion cohorts, response rates were 0% (cervical), 7.7% (MSS-CRC), 10% (NSCLC), 5.4% (ovarian), and 0% (MSS-endometrial). Sustained NK cell activation, CD8+ T-cell proliferation, increased serum levels of CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10) and CXCL11, and increased tumor infiltration of CD8+ and granzyme B+ cells were observed. CONCLUSIONS Although efficacy was modest, monalizumab plus durvalumab was well tolerated and encouraging immune activation was observed in the peripheral blood and TME. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02671435.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip P Patel
- University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Susana Banerjee
- Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Ding Wang
- Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jarushka Naidoo
- Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Johns Hopkins Medicine The Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathan E Standifer
- BioPharmaceuticals Research and Development, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Doug C Palmer
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Lin-Yang Cheng
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Maria L Ascierto
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Mayukh Das
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Benedito A Carneiro
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Lifespan Cancer Institute, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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26
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Lasser SA, Ozbay Kurt FG, Arkhypov I, Utikal J, Umansky V. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer and cancer therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:147-164. [PMID: 38191922 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00846-y] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Anticancer agents continue to dominate the list of newly approved drugs, approximately half of which are immunotherapies. This trend illustrates the considerable promise of cancer treatments that modulate the immune system. However, the immune system is complex and dynamic, and can have both tumour-suppressive and tumour-promoting effects. Understanding the full range of immune modulation in cancer is crucial to identifying more effective treatment strategies. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of myeloid cells that develop in association with chronic inflammation, which is a hallmark of cancer. Indeed, MDSCs accumulate in the tumour microenvironment, where they strongly inhibit anticancer functions of T cells and natural killer cells and exert a variety of other tumour-promoting effects. Emerging evidence indicates that MDSCs also contribute to resistance to cancer treatments, particularly immunotherapies. Conversely, treatment approaches designed to eliminate cancer cells can have important additional effects on MDSC function, which can be either positive or negative. In this Review, we discuss the interplay between MDSCs and various other cell types found in tumours as well as the mechanisms by which MDSCs promote tumour progression. We also discuss the relevance and implications of MDSCs for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Lasser
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)), Heidelberg, Germany
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Feyza G Ozbay Kurt
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)), Heidelberg, Germany
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ihor Arkhypov
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)), Heidelberg, Germany
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)), Heidelberg, Germany
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Viktor Umansky
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)), Heidelberg, Germany.
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
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27
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Ghasemi A, Martinez-Usatorre A, Li L, Hicham M, Guichard A, Marcone R, Fournier N, Torchia B, Martinez Bedoya D, Davanture S, Fernández-Vaquero M, Fan C, Janzen J, Mohammadzadeh Y, Genolet R, Mansouri N, Wenes M, Migliorini D, Heikenwalder M, De Palma M. Cytokine-armed dendritic cell progenitors for antigen-agnostic cancer immunotherapy. Nat Cancer 2024; 5:240-261. [PMID: 37996514 PMCID: PMC10899110 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00668-y] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting myeloid cells that regulate T cell activation, trafficking and function. Monocyte-derived DCs pulsed with tumor antigens have been tested extensively for therapeutic vaccination in cancer, with mixed clinical results. Here, we present a cell-therapy platform based on mouse or human DC progenitors (DCPs) engineered to produce two immunostimulatory cytokines, IL-12 and FLT3L. Cytokine-armed DCPs differentiated into conventional type-I DCs (cDC1) and suppressed tumor growth, including melanoma and autochthonous liver models, without the need for antigen loading or myeloablative host conditioning. Tumor response involved synergy between IL-12 and FLT3L and was associated with natural killer and T cell infiltration and activation, M1-like macrophage programming and ischemic tumor necrosis. Antitumor immunity was dependent on endogenous cDC1 expansion and interferon-γ signaling but did not require CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity. Cytokine-armed DCPs synergized effectively with anti-GD2 chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in eradicating intracranial gliomas in mice, illustrating their potential in combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ghasemi
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Amaia Martinez-Usatorre
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luqing Li
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mehdi Hicham
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alan Guichard
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Marcone
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Translational Data Science (TDS) Facility, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Fournier
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Translational Data Science (TDS) Facility, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Torchia
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Darel Martinez Bedoya
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Suzel Davanture
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mirian Fernández-Vaquero
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chaofan Fan
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jakob Janzen
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yahya Mohammadzadeh
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Genolet
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne (UNIL) and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nahal Mansouri
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Wenes
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Migliorini
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Translational Research in Onco-Hematology, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospital (HUG), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- The M3 Research Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180), Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michele De Palma
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Lekan AA, Weiner LM. The Role of Chemokines in Orchestrating the Immune Response to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:559. [PMID: 38339310 PMCID: PMC10854906 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030559] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are small molecules that function as chemotactic factors which regulate the migration, infiltration, and accumulation of immune cells. Here, we comprehensively assess the structural and functional role of chemokines, examine the effects of chemokines that are present in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor microenvironment (TME), specifically those produced by cancer cells and stromal components, and evaluate their impact on immune cell trafficking, both in promoting and suppressing anti-tumor responses. We further explore the impact of chemokines on patient outcomes in PDAC and their role in the context of immunotherapy treatments, and review clinical trials that have targeted chemokine receptors and ligands in the treatment of PDAC. Lastly, we highlight potential strategies that can be utilized to harness chemokines in order to increase cytotoxic immune cell infiltration and the anti-tumor effects of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louis M. Weiner
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
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29
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Wang K, Wang L, Wang Y, Xiao L, Wei J, Hu Y, Wang D, Huang H. Reprogramming natural killer cells for cancer therapy. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00027-3. [PMID: 38273655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.027] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The last decade has seen rapid development in the field of cellular immunotherapy, particularly in regard to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells. However, challenges, such as severe treatment-related toxicities and inconsistent quality of autologous products, have hindered the broader use of CAR-T cell therapy, highlighting the need to explore alternative immune cells for cancer targeting. In this regard, natural killer (NK) cells have been extensively studied in cellular immunotherapy and were found to exert cytotoxic effects without being restricted by human leukocyte antigen and have a lower risk of causing graft-versus-host disease; making them favorable for the development of readily available "off-the-shelf" products. Clinical trials utilizing unedited NK cells or reprogrammed NK cells have shown early signs of their effectiveness against tumors. However, limitations, including limited in vivo persistence and expansion potential, remained. To enhance the antitumor function of NK cells, advanced gene-editing technologies and combination approaches have been explored. In this review, we summarize current clinical trials of antitumor NK cell therapy, provide an overview of innovative strategies for reprogramming NK cells, which include improvements in persistence, cytotoxicity, trafficking and the ability to counteract the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and also discuss some potential combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Linqin Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yiyun Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lu Xiao
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jieping Wei
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yongxian Hu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Dongrui Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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30
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Martins C, Rasbach E, Heppt MV, Singh P, Kulcsar Z, Holzgruber J, Chakraborty A, Mucciarone K, Kleffel S, Brandenburg A, Hoetzenecker W, Rahbari NN, DeCaprio JA, Thakuria M, Murphy GF, Ramsey MR, Posch C, Barthel SR, Schatton T. Tumor cell-intrinsic PD-1 promotes Merkel cell carcinoma growth by activating downstream mTOR-mitochondrial ROS signaling. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadi2012. [PMID: 38241371 PMCID: PMC10798567 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi2012] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer. Inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint have improved MCC patient outcomes by boosting antitumor T cell immunity. Here, we identify PD-1 as a growth-promoting receptor intrinsic to MCC cells. In human MCC lines and clinical tumors, RT-PCR-based sequencing, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated PD-1 gene and protein expression by MCC cells. MCC-PD-1 ligation enhanced, and its inhibition or silencing suppressed, in vitro proliferation and in vivo tumor xenograft growth. Consistently, MCC-PD-1 binding to PD-L1 or PD-L2 induced, while antibody-mediated PD-1 blockade inhibited, protumorigenic mTOR signaling, mitochondrial (mt) respiration, and ROS generation. Last, pharmacologic inhibition of mTOR or mtROS reversed MCC-PD-1:PD-L1-dependent proliferation and synergized with PD-1 checkpoint blockade in suppressing tumorigenesis. Our results identify an MCC-PD-1-mTOR-mtROS axis as a tumor growth-accelerating mechanism, the blockade of which might contribute to clinical response in patients with MCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Martins
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erik Rasbach
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Markus V. Heppt
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Praveen Singh
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zsofi Kulcsar
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia Holzgruber
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Johannes Kepler University, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Asmi Chakraborty
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kyla Mucciarone
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sonja Kleffel
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Brandenburg
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfram Hoetzenecker
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Johannes Kepler University, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Nuh N. Rahbari
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - James A. DeCaprio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Virology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma Center of Excellence, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Manisha Thakuria
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma Center of Excellence, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - George F. Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Matthew R. Ramsey
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christian Posch
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Vienna Healthcare Group, 1130 Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud University Vienna, 1020 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Steven R. Barthel
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tobias Schatton
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program of Glyco-Immunology and Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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31
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Franzén AS, Boulifa A, Radecke C, Stintzing S, Raftery MJ, Pecher G. Next-Generation CEA-CAR-NK-92 Cells against Solid Tumors: Overcoming Tumor Microenvironment Challenges in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:388. [PMID: 38254876 PMCID: PMC10814835 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020388] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) presents a formidable medical challenge, demanding innovative therapeutic strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cell therapy has emerged as a promising alternative to CAR T-cell therapy for cancer. A suitable tumor antigen target on CRC is carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), given its widespread expression and role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. CEA is known to be prolifically shed from tumor cells in a soluble form, thus hindering CAR recognition of tumors and migration through the TME. We have developed a next-generation CAR construct exclusively targeting cell-associated CEA, incorporating a PD1-checkpoint inhibitor and a CCR4 chemokine receptor to enhance homing and infiltration of the CAR-NK-92 cell line through the TME, and which does not induce fratricidal killing of CAR-NK-92-cells. To evaluate this therapeutic approach, we harnessed intricate 3D multicellular tumor spheroid models (MCTS), which emulate key elements of the TME. Our results demonstrate the effective cytotoxicity of CEA-CAR-NK-92 cells against CRC in colorectal cell lines and MCTS models. Importantly, minimal off-target activity against non-cancerous cell lines underscores the precision of this therapy. Furthermore, the integration of the CCR4 migration receptor augments homing by recognizing target ligands, CCL17 and CCL22. Notably, our CAR design results in no significant trogocytosis-induced fratricide. In summary, the proposed CEA-targeting CAR-NK cell therapy could offer a promising solution for CRC treatment, combining precision and efficacy in a tailored approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Sebastian Franzén
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Abdelhadi Boulifa
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Clarissa Radecke
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Stintzing
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin J. Raftery
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriele Pecher
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Competence Center of Immuno-Oncology and Translational Cell Therapy (KITZ), Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, CCM, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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32
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Wang Y, Li Y, Yang Y, Swift M, Zhang Z, Wu S, Sun Y, Yang K. In situ vaccination caused by diverse irradiation-driven cell death programs. Theranostics 2024; 14:1147-1167. [PMID: 38323315 PMCID: PMC10845208 DOI: 10.7150/thno.86004] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Interest surrounding the effect of irradiation on immune activation has exponentially grown within the last decade. This includes work regarding mechanisms of the abscopal effect and the success achieved by combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. It is hypothesized that irradiation triggers the immune system to eliminate tumors by inducing tumor cells immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells. Activation of the ICD pathways can be exploited as an in situ vaccine. In this review, we provide fundamental knowledge of various forms of ICD caused by irradiation, describe the relationship between various cell death pathways and the immune activation effect driven by irradiation, and focus on the therapeutic value of exploiting these cell death programs in the context of irradiation. Furthermore, we summarize the immunomodulatory effect of different cell death programs on combinative radiotherapy and immunotherapy. In brief, differences in cell death programs significantly impact the irradiation-induced immune activation effect. Evaluating the transition between them will provide clues to develop new strategies for radiotherapy and its combination with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Wang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Yan Li
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Yuxin Yang
- University of Southern California, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
| | - Michelle Swift
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1772, USA
| | - Shuhui Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yajie Sun
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
| | - Kunyu Yang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Precision Radiation Oncology, Wuhan 430048, China
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Chen X, Xu Z, Li T, Thakur A, Wen Y, Zhang K, Liu Y, Liang Q, Liu W, Qin JJ, Yan Y. Nanomaterial-encapsulated STING agonists for immune modulation in cancer therapy. Biomark Res 2024; 12:2. [PMID: 38185685 PMCID: PMC10773049 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00551-z] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cGAS-STING signaling pathway has emerged as a critical mediator of innate immune responses, playing a crucial role in improving antitumor immunity through immune effector responses. Targeting the cGAS-STING pathway holds promise for overcoming immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TME) and promoting effective tumor elimination. However, systemic administration of current STING agonists faces challenges related to low bioavailability and potential adverse effects, thus limiting their clinical applicability. Recently, nanotechnology-based strategies have been developed to modulate TMEs for robust immunotherapeutic responses. The encapsulation and delivery of STING agonists within nanoparticles (STING-NPs) present an attractive avenue for antitumor immunotherapy. This review explores a range of nanoparticles designed to encapsulate STING agonists, highlighting their benefits, including favorable biocompatibility, improved tumor penetration, and efficient intracellular delivery of STING agonists. The review also summarizes the immunomodulatory impacts of STING-NPs on the TME, including enhanced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, dendritic cell activation, cytotoxic T cell priming, macrophage re-education, and vasculature normalization. Furthermore, the review offers insights into co-delivered nanoplatforms involving STING agonists alongside antitumor agents such as chemotherapeutic compounds, immune checkpoint inhibitors, antigen peptides, and other immune adjuvants. These platforms demonstrate remarkable versatility in inducing immunogenic responses within the TME, ultimately amplifying the potential for antitumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tongfei Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, 442000, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Abhimanyu Thakur
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yu Wen
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Furong Laboratory, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kui Zhang
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yuanhong Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qiuju Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wangrui Liu
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200127, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yuanliang Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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34
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Zhang H, Yang L, Wang T, Li Z. NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy. Bioact Mater 2024; 31:63-86. [PMID: 37601277 PMCID: PMC10432724 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.08.001] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells display a unique inherent ability to identify and eliminate virus-infected cells and tumor cells. They are particularly powerful for elimination of hematological cancers, and have attracted considerable interests for therapy of solid tumors. However, the treatment of solid tumors with NK cells are less effective, which can be attributed to the very complicated immunosuppressive microenvironment that may lead to the inactivation, insufficient expansion, short life, and the poor tumor infiltration of NK cells. Fortunately, the development of advanced nanotechnology has provided potential solutions to these issues, and could improve the immunotherapy efficacy of NK cells. In this review, we summarize the activation and inhibition mechanisms of NK cells in solid tumors, and the recent advances in NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy boosted by diverse nanomaterials. We also propose the challenges and opportunities for the clinical application of NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Li Yang
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, China
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35
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Hou C, Wang Z, Lu X. Impact of immunosenescence and inflammaging on the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cancer Pathog Ther 2024; 2:24-30. [PMID: 38328711 PMCID: PMC10846300 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpt.2023.08.001] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are employed in immunotherapeutic applications for patients with weakened immune systems and can improve the ability of T cells to kill cancer cells. Although ICIs can potentially treat different types of cancers in various groups of patients, their effectiveness may differ among older individuals. The reason ICIs are less effective in older adults is not yet clearly understood, but age-related changes in the immune system, such as immunosenescence and inflammation, may play a role. Therefore, this review focuses on recent advances in understanding the effects of immunosenescence and inflammation on the efficacy of ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuandong Hou
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China
- Department of Hematology, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Zining Wang
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China
- Department of Hematology, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xuechun Lu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
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36
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Pan W, Tao T, Qiu Y, Zhu X, Zhou X. Natural killer cells at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy with immune potency, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 193:104231. [PMID: 38070841 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104231] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are vital components of the human immune system, acting as innate lymphocytes and playing a crucial role in immune surveillance. Their unique ability to independently eliminate target cells without antigen contact or antibodies has sparked interest in immunological research. This review examines recent NK cell developments and applications, encompassing immune functions, interactions with target cells, genetic engineering techniques, pharmaceutical interventions, and implications in cancers. Insights into NK cell regulation emerge, with a focus on promising genetic engineering like CAR-engineered NK cells, enhancing specificity against tumors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors also enhance NK cells' potential in cancer therapy. Nanotechnology's emergence as a tool for targeted drug delivery to improve NK cell therapies is explored. In conclusion, NK cells are pivotal in immunity, holding exciting potential in cancer immunotherapy. Ongoing research promises novel therapeutic strategies, advancing immunotherapy and medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Pan
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China; School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Yishu Qiu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Xiao Zhu
- Computational Systems Biology Lab (CSBL), The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.
| | - Xiaorong Zhou
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
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Seon BK, Okazaki M, Duzen J, Matsuno F, Goey AKL, Maguire O. Identification of unique molecular heterogeneity of human CD79, the signaling component of the human B cell antigen receptor (BCR), and synergistic potentiation of the CD79-targeted therapy of B cell tumors by co-targeting of CD79a and CD79b. Leuk Res 2024; 136:107436. [PMID: 38232613 PMCID: PMC10906460 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2024.107436] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
We identified unique molecular heterogeneity of CD79 of human B cell antigen receptor (BCR) that may open a new approach to the ongoing CD79b-targeted therapy of B cell tumors. The primary purpose of the present study is to gain new information valuable for the enhanced CD79-targeted therapy. The molecular heterogeneity of CD79 was identified by sequential immunoprecipitation of BCR by use of anti-CD79b monoclonal antibody (mAb) SN8 and anti-CD79a mAb SN8b. SN8 is the antibody component of polatuzumab vedotin, an anti-CD79b antibody drug conjugate, that has been widely used for therapy of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The sequential immunoprecipitation shows that anti-CD79b mAb will be able to react only with a subgroup of CD79 molecules while anti-CD79a mAb will react with another subgroup of CD79 molecules; CD79 is a disulfide-linked heterodimer of CD79a and CD79b. Therapeutic study of SCID mice bearing human B-cell tumor shows synergistic potentiation by co-targeting CD79b and CD79a. Furthermore, simultaneous targeting of PD-1 strongly potentiates CD79a/CD79b-targeted therapy of B cell tumors. Flow cytometry analyses of CD79a/CD79b on malignant B cells of patients may provide a method for selection of the candidate patients for the CD79a/CD79b dual targeting therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben K Seon
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
| | - Morihiro Okazaki
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jill Duzen
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fumihiko Matsuno
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Andrew K L Goey
- Bioanalytics, Metabolomics and Pharmacokinetics (BMPK) Shared Resource, and Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rpswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Orla Maguire
- Flow and Image Cytometry Shared Resource, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Kang X, Huang Y, Wang H, Jadhav S, Yue Z, Tiwari AK, Babu RJ. Tumor-Associated Macrophage Targeting of Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 16:61. [PMID: 38258072 PMCID: PMC10819517 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010061] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is pivotal in tumor growth and metastasis, aligning with the "Seed and Soil" theory. Within the TME, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a central role, profoundly influencing tumor progression. Strategies targeting TAMs have surfaced as potential therapeutic avenues, encompassing interventions to block TAM recruitment, eliminate TAMs, reprogram M2 TAMs, or bolster their phagocytic capabilities via specific pathways. Nanomaterials including inorganic materials, organic materials for small molecules and large molecules stand at the forefront, presenting significant opportunities for precise targeting and modulation of TAMs to enhance therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of the progress in designing nanoparticles for interacting with and influencing the TAMs as a significant strategy in cancer therapy. This comprehensive review presents the role of TAMs in the TME and various targeting strategies as a promising frontier in the ever-evolving field of cancer therapy. The current trends and challenges associated with TAM-based therapy in cancer are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejia Kang
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Yongzhuo Huang
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 528400, China;
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Huiyuan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Sanika Jadhav
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Zongliang Yue
- Department of Health Outcome and Research Policy, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
| | - Amit K. Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas of Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - R. Jayachandra Babu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
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Zhang B, Song Y, Luo S, Yin X, Li E, Wang H, He Y, Liu Z, Fan Q, Liang X, Shu Y, Liu Y, Xu N, Zhang S, Zhuang Z, Zhang J, Kou X, Wang F, Zhu X, Zeng S, Wang K, Zhong H, Li S, Bai Y, Yu J, Dou Y, Ma T, Liu Q, Huang J. Pucotenlimab in patients with advanced mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high solid tumors: A multicenter phase 2 study. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101301. [PMID: 38016482 PMCID: PMC10772321 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101301] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
We report a multicenter, phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy of pucotenlimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors, and potential biomarkers for response. Overall, 100 patients with previously treated, advanced solid tumors centrally confirmed as dMMR or MSI-H received pucotenlimab at 200 mg every 3 weeks. The most common cancer type is colorectal cancer (n = 71). With a median follow-up of 22.5 months, the objective response rate is 49.0% (95% confidence interval 38.86%-59.20%) as assessed by the independent review committee, while the median progression-free survival and overall survival have not been reached. Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were observed in 18 patients. For the biomarker analysis, responders are enriched in patients with mutations in the KMT2D gene. Pucotenlimab is an effective treatment option for previously treated advanced dMMR/MSI-H solid tumors, and the predictive value of KMT2D mutation warrants further research. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03704246.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yan Song
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Suxia Luo
- Department of Oncology, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Xianli Yin
- Department of Gastroenterology and Urology, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Enxiao Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Oncology, Tianjin People's Hospital, Tianjin 300122, China
| | - Yifu He
- Department of Oncology, Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Qingxia Fan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450099, China
| | - Xinjun Liang
- Department of Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Yongqian Shu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110002, China
| | - Nong Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan 250117, China
| | - Zhixiang Zhuang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Jingdong Zhang
- Medical Oncology Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, Shenyang 110801, China
| | - Xiaoge Kou
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Fen Wang
- Department of Oncology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 516473, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shan Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Haijun Zhong
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Shengmian Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, China
| | - Yuxian Bai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Junyan Yu
- Department of Oncology, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi 046000, China
| | - Yiwei Dou
- Taizhou Hanzhong Biomedical Co., Ltd, Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Taiyang Ma
- Taizhou Hanzhong Biomedical Co., Ltd, Taizhou 225300, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
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Lee S, Kim TD. Breakthroughs in Cancer Immunotherapy: An Overview of T Cell, NK Cell, Mφ, and DC-Based Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17634. [PMID: 38139461 PMCID: PMC10744055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417634] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts to treat cancer using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy have made astonishing progress and clinical trials against hematopoietic malignancies have demonstrated their use. However, there are still disadvantages which need to be addressed: high costs, and side effects such as Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) and Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS). Therefore, recent efforts have been made to harness the properties of certain immune cells to treat cancer-not just T cells, but also natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages (Mφ), dendritic cells (DC), etc. In this paper, we will introduce immune cell-based cellular therapies that use various immune cells and describe their characteristics and their clinical situation. The development of immune cell-based cancer therapy fully utilizing the unique advantages of each and every immune cell is expected to enhance the survival of tumor patients owing to their high efficiency and fewer side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunyoung Lee
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Don Kim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
- KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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Dagher OK, Posey AD. Forks in the road for CAR T and CAR NK cell cancer therapies. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1994-2007. [PMID: 38012406 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01659-y] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has resulted in unprecedented long-term clearance of relapse/refractory hematological malignancies in both pediatric and adult patients. However, severe toxicities, such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, associated with CAR T cells affect therapeutic utility; and treatment efficacies for solid tumors are still not impressive. As a result, engineering strategies that modify other immune cell types, especially natural killer (NK) cells have arisen. Owing to both CAR-dependent and CAR-independent (innate immune-mediated) antitumor killing capacity, major histocompatibility complex-independent cytotoxicity, reduced risk of alloreactivity and lack of major CAR T cell toxicities, CAR NK cells constitute one of the promising next-generation CAR immune cells that are also amenable as 'off-the-shelf' therapeutics. In this Review, we compare CAR T and CAR NK cell therapies, with particular focus on immunological synapses, engineering strategies and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oula K Dagher
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Avery D Posey
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Abou Khouzam R, Janji B, Thiery J, Zaarour RF, Chamseddine AN, Mayr H, Savagner P, Kieda C, Gad S, Buart S, Lehn JM, Limani P, Chouaib S. Hypoxia as a potential inducer of immune tolerance, tumor plasticity and a driver of tumor mutational burden: Impact on cancer immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:104-123. [PMID: 38029865 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.11.008] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
In cancer patients, immune cells are often functionally compromised due to the immunosuppressive features of the tumor microenvironment (TME) which contribute to the failures in cancer therapies. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that developing tumors adapt to the immunological environment and create a local microenvironment that impairs immune function by inducing immune tolerance and invasion. In this context, microenvironmental hypoxia, which is an established hallmark of solid tumors, significantly contributes to tumor aggressiveness and therapy resistance through the induction of tumor plasticity/heterogeneity and, more importantly, through the differentiation and expansion of immune-suppressive stromal cells. We and others have provided evidence indicating that hypoxia also drives genomic instability in cancer cells and interferes with DNA damage response and repair suggesting that hypoxia could be a potential driver of tumor mutational burden. Here, we reviewed the current knowledge on how hypoxic stress in the TME impacts tumor angiogenesis, heterogeneity, plasticity, and immune resistance, with a special interest in tumor immunogenicity and hypoxia targeting. An integrated understanding of the complexity of the effect of hypoxia on the immune and microenvironmental components could lead to the identification of better adapted and more effective combinational strategies in cancer immunotherapy. Clearly, the discovery and validation of therapeutic targets derived from the hypoxic tumor microenvironment is of major importance and the identification of critical hypoxia-associated pathways could generate targets that are undeniably attractive for combined cancer immunotherapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Bassam Janji
- Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, 6A, rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210 Luxembourg city, Luxembourg.
| | - Jerome Thiery
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Rania Faouzi Zaarour
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Ali N Chamseddine
- Gastroenterology Department, Cochin University Hospital, Université de Paris, APHP, Paris, France; Ambroise Paré - Hartmann Private Hospital Group, Oncology Unit, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
| | - Hemma Mayr
- Swiss Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) and Transplantation Center, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Surgery & Transplantation, University and University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Pierre Savagner
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Claudine Kieda
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland; Centre for Molecular Biophysics, UPR 4301 CNRS, 45071 Orleans, France; Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-004 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Sophie Gad
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), Paris Sciences Lettres University (PSL), 75014 Paris, France; UMR CNRS 9019, Genome Integrity and Cancers, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, 94800 Villejuif, France.
| | - Stéphanie Buart
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Jean-Marie Lehn
- Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS), Université de Strasbourg, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Perparim Limani
- Swiss Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) and Transplantation Center, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Surgery & Transplantation, University and University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman 4184, United Arab Emirates; INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France.
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Liao K, Yang Q, Xu Y, He Y, Wang J, Li Z, Wu C, Hu J, Wang X. Identification of signature of tumor-infiltrating CD8 T lymphocytes in prognosis and immunotherapy of colon cancer by machine learning. Clin Immunol 2023; 257:109811. [PMID: 37858752 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109811] [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: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To explore the specific marker of CD8+ T cell subsets which are closely related to the prognosis and immunotherapy of patients with colon cancer. METHODS 18 kinds of immune cell expression profile data sets were obtained from GEO database. Compared with other immune cell types, the specific markers of CD8 (+) T cells (TI-CD8) in colorectal cancer were screened. Regression analyses were used to further screen prognostic related genes and construct a prognostic evaluation model. The patients were stratified and analyzed according to the risk scores, KRAS mutation status, stage, lymphatic infiltration and other indicators. The landscape of infiltration level, mutation and copy number variation of immune subsets in high and low TI-CD8Sig score groups were compared and analyzed. The difference of drug response between high and low TI-CD8Sig score groups was analyzed. Differential expression of the model genes was verified by the HPA database. RESULTS Six prognostic-related CD8T cell-specific gene targets were further screened, and the prognostic evaluation model was constructed. The AUC value of the model is >0.75. FAT3 and UNC13C showed a high mutation state in the low-risk group, while USH2A, MUC5B et al. specifically showed a high mutation state in the high-risk group. Compared with the low-risk group, the high-risk group had lower effective rate of drug response. The expression of PD-1 gene was positively correlated with the level of TI-CD8Sig score. CONCLUSION The risk assessment model based on CD8T cell-specific marker genes can effectively predict the prognosis and the drug response of patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Liao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Qijun Yang
- Queen Mary College of Nanchang University, Xuefu Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330001, China
| | - Yuhan Xu
- Queen Mary College of Nanchang University, Xuefu Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330001, China
| | - Yingcheng He
- Queen Mary College of Nanchang University, Xuefu Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330001, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- School of Public Health of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330001, China
| | - Zimeng Li
- School of Public Health of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330001, China
| | - Chengfeng Wu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Jialing Hu
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Xiaozhong Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China.
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Han D, Han Y, Guo W, Wei W, Yang S, Xiang J, Che J, Zhu L, Hang J, van den Ende T, van Laarhoven HWM, Li B, Ye Y, Li H. High-dimensional single-cell proteomics analysis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma reveals dynamic alterations of the tumor immune microenvironment after neoadjuvant therapy. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007847. [PMID: 38016720 PMCID: PMC10685958 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007847] [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] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic alterations of the tumor immune microenvironment in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after different neoadjuvant therapies were understudied. METHODS We used mass cytometry with a 42-antibody panel for 6 adjacent normal esophageal mucosa and 26 tumor samples (treatment-naïve, n=12; postneoadjuvant, n=14) from patients with ESCC. Single-cell RNA sequencing of previous studies and bulk RNA sequencing from The Cancer Genome Atlas were analyzed, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence analyses were performed. RESULTS Poor tumor regression was observed in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group. Radiotherapy-based regimens enhanced CD8+ T cells but diminished regulatory T cells and promoted the ratio of effector memory to central memory T cells. Immune checkpoint blockade augmented NK cell activation and cytotoxicity by increasing the frequency of CD16+ NK cells. We discovered a novel CCR4+CCR6+ macrophage subset that correlated with the enrichment of corresponding chemokines (CCL3/CCL5/CCL17/CCL20/CCL22). We established a CCR4/CCR6 chemokine-based model that stratified ESCC patients with differential overall survival and responsiveness to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy, which was validated in two independent cohorts of esophageal cancer with neoadjuvant treatment. CONCLUSIONS This work reveals that neoadjuvant therapy significantly regulates the cellular composition of the tumor immune microenvironment in ESCC and proposes a potential model of CCR4/CCR6 system to predict the benefits from neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingpei Han
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yichao Han
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Esophageal Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Su Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Xiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaming Che
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianggang Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junbiao Hang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tom van den Ende
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke W M van Laarhoven
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bin Li
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Ruijin Hospital, Department of Thoracic Surgery of Ruijin Hospital, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Clinical Translational Research Center, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Integrated TCM & Western Medicine, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Youqiong Ye
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hecheng Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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45
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Nersesian S, Carter EB, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Boudreau JE. Killer instincts: natural killer cells as multifactorial cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269614. [PMID: 38090565 PMCID: PMC10715270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269614] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells integrate heterogeneous signals for activation and inhibition using germline-encoded receptors. These receptors are stochastically co-expressed, and their concurrent engagement and signaling can adjust the sensitivity of individual cells to putative targets. Against cancers, which mutate and evolve under therapeutic and immunologic pressure, the diversity for recognition provided by NK cells may be key to comprehensive cancer control. NK cells are already being trialled as adoptive cell therapy and targets for immunotherapeutic agents. However, strategies to leverage their naturally occurring diversity and agility have not yet been developed. In this review, we discuss the receptors and signaling pathways through which signals for activation or inhibition are generated in NK cells, focusing on their roles in cancer and potential as targets for immunotherapies. Finally, we consider the impacts of receptor co-expression and the potential to engage multiple pathways of NK cell reactivity to maximize the scope and strength of antitumor activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Emily B. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Jia H, Yang H, Xiong H, Luo KQ. NK cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1303605. [PMID: 38022646 PMCID: PMC10653587 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1303605] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells kill mutant cells through death receptors and cytotoxic granules, playing an essential role in controlling cancer progression. However, in the tumor microenvironment (TME), NK cells frequently exhibit an exhausted status, which impairs their immunosurveillance function and contributes to tumor immune evasion. Emerging studies are ongoing to reveal the properties and mechanisms of NK cell exhaustion in the TME. In this review, we will briefly introduce the maturation, localization, homeostasis, and cytotoxicity of NK cells. We will then summarize the current understanding of the main mechanisms underlying NK cell exhaustion in the TME in four aspects: dysregulation of inhibitory and activating signaling, tumor cell-derived factors, immunosuppressive cells, and metabolism and exhaustion. We will also discuss the therapeutic approaches currently being developed to reverse NK cell exhaustion and enhance NK cell cytotoxicity in the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Jia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Hongmei Yang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Huaxing Xiong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Kathy Qian Luo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
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Palacios G, Diaz-Solano R, Valladares B, Dorta-Guerra R, Carmelo E. Evolving immunometabolic response to the early Leishmania infantum infection in the spleen of BALB/c mice described by gene expression profiling. Acta Trop 2023; 247:107005. [PMID: 37619900 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107005] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional analysis is a useful approximation towards the identification of global changes in host-pathogen interaction, in order to elucidate tissue-specific immune responses that drive the immunopathology of the disease. For this purpose, expression of 223 genes involved in innate and adaptive immune response, lipid metabolism, prostaglandin synthesis, C-type lectin receptors and MAPK signaling pathway, among other processes, were analyzed during the early infection in spleens of BALB/c mice infected by Leishmania infantum. Our results highlight the activation of immune responses in spleen tissue as early as 1 day p.i., but a mixed pro-inflammatory and regulatory response at day 10 p.i., failing to induce an effective response towards control of Leishmania infection in the spleen. This ineffective response is coupled to downregulation of metabolic markers relevant for pathways related to icosanoid biosynthesis, adipocytokine signaling or HIF-1 signaling, among others. Interestingly, the over-representation of processes related to immune response, revealed Il21 as a potential early biomarker of L. infantum infection in the spleen. These results provide insights into the relationships between immune and metabolic responses at transcriptional level during the first days of infection in the L. infantum-BALB/c experimental model, revealing the deregulation of many important pathways and processes crucial for parasitic control in infected tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Génesis Palacios
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain
| | - Raquel Diaz-Solano
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain
| | - Basilio Valladares
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain
| | - Roberto Dorta-Guerra
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain; Departamento de Matemáticas, Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain
| | - Emma Carmelo
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias (IUETSPC), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain; Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, (Tenerife), La Laguna 38200, Spain.
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Ma S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Harnessing Natural Killer Cells for Lung Cancer Therapy. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3327-3339. [PMID: 37531223 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1097] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although natural killer (NK) cells are garnering interest as a potential anticancer therapy because they selectively recognize and eliminate cancer cells, their use in treating solid tumors, including lung cancer, has been limited due to impediments to their efficacy, such as their limited ability to reach tumor tissues, the reduced antitumor activity of tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and the suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the cross-talk between the lung cancer TME and NK cells. We highlight the various mechanisms used by the TME to modulate NK-cell phenotypes and limit infiltration, explore the role of the TME in limiting the antitumor activity of NK cells, and discuss the current challenges and obstacles that hinder the success of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Potential opportunities and promising strategies to address these challenges have been implemented or are being developed to optimize NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Through critical evaluation of existing literature and emerging trends, this review provides a comprehensive outlook on the future of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for treating lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoubao Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
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van der Leun AM, Traets JJ, Vos JL, Elbers JB, Patiwael S, Qiao X, Machuca-Ostos M, Thommen DS, Haanen JB, Schumacher TN, Zuur CL. Dual Immune Checkpoint Blockade Induces Analogous Alterations in the Dysfunctional CD8+ T-cell and Activated Treg Compartment. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:2212-2227. [PMID: 37548431 PMCID: PMC10551666 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-0851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
To dissect the effect of neoadjuvant PD-1 and CTLA4 blockade on intratumoral T cells in treatment-naive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, we analyzed primary tumor immune infiltrates from responding and nonresponding patients. At baseline, a higher ratio between active (4-1BB/OX40+) and inactive regulatory CD4+ T cells was associated with immunotherapy response. Furthermore, upon therapy, this active regulatory T-cell (Treg) population showed a profound decrease in responding patients. In an analogous process, intratumoral dysfunctional CD8+ T cells displayed decreased expression of activity and dysfunction-related genes in responding patients, whereas in clinical nonresponders, natural killer cells showed an increased cytotoxic profile early upon treatment. These data reveal immunologic changes in response to dual PD-1/CTLA4 blockade, including a parallel remodeling of presumed tumor-reactive Treg and CD8+ T-cell compartments in responding patients, and indicate that the presence of activated Tregs at baseline may be associated with response. SIGNIFICANCE In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, neoadjuvant PD-1/CTLA4 blockade has shown substantial response rates (20%-35%). As recognition of tumor antigens by T cells appears to be a critical driver of therapy response, a better understanding of alterations in T-cell state that are associated with response and resistance is of importance. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2109.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. van der Leun
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joleen J.H. Traets
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joris L. Vos
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joris B.W. Elbers
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Patiwael
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mercedes Machuca-Ostos
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniela S. Thommen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - John B.A.G. Haanen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ton N.M. Schumacher
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte L. Zuur
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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50
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Donini C, Galvagno F, Rotolo R, Massa A, Merlini A, Scagliotti GV, Novello S, Bironzo P, Leuci V, Sangiolo D. PD-1 receptor outside the main paradigm: tumour-intrinsic role and clinical implications for checkpoint blockade. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1409-1416. [PMID: 37474722 PMCID: PMC10628145 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02363-2] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Blocking the inhibitory receptor PD-1 on antitumour T lymphocytes is the main rationale underlying the clinical successes of cancer immunotherapies with checkpoint inhibitor (CI) antibodies (Abs). Besides this main paradigm, there is recent evidence of unconventional and "ectopic" signalling pathways of PD-1, found to be expressed not only by lymphocytes but also by peculiar subsets of cancer cells. Several groups reported on the tumour-intrinsic role of PD-1 in multiple settings, including melanoma, hepatocellular, thyroid, lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Its functional activity appears intriguing but is not yet conclusively clarified. The initial studies are, in fact, supporting either a pro-tumourigenic role involved in chemoresistance and disease relapse or, oppositely, tumour-suppressive functions. The implications connected to the therapeutic administration of PD-1 blocking Abs are, of course, potentially relevant, respectively inferring an anti-tumour activity contrasting PD-1+ tumourigenic cells or a pro-tumoural effect by tackling PD-1 tumour suppressive signalling. The progressive exploration and consideration of this new paradigm of tumour-intrinsic PD-1 signalling may improve the interpretation of the observed clinical effects by anti-PD-1 Abs, likely resulting from multiple cumulative activities, and might provide important bases for dedicated clinical studies that take into account such composite roles of PD-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Donini
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - F Galvagno
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - R Rotolo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - A Massa
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - A Merlini
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - G V Scagliotti
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - S Novello
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - P Bironzo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - V Leuci
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - D Sangiolo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
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