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Chu YD, Lai MW, Yeh CT. Unlocking the Potential of Arginine Deprivation Therapy: Recent Breakthroughs and Promising Future for Cancer Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10668. [PMID: 37445845 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310668] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that supports protein synthesis to maintain cellular functions. Recent studies suggest that arginine also promotes wound healing, cell division, ammonia metabolism, immune system regulation, and hormone biosynthesis-all of which are critical for tumor growth. These discoveries, coupled with the understanding of cancer cell metabolic reprogramming, have led to renewed interest in arginine deprivation as a new anticancer therapy. Several arginine deprivation strategies have been developed and entered clinical trials. The main principle behind these therapies is that arginine auxotrophic tumors rely on external arginine sources for growth because they carry reduced key arginine-synthesizing enzymes such as argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1) in the intracellular arginine cycle. To obtain anticancer effects, modified arginine-degrading enzymes, such as PEGylated recombinant human arginase 1 (rhArg1-PEG) and arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG 20), have been developed and shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials. They have been tried as a monotherapy or in combination with other existing therapies. This review discusses recent advances in arginine deprivation therapy, including the molecular basis of extracellular arginine degradation leading to tumor cell death, and how this approach could be a valuable addition to the current anticancer arsenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-De Chu
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Wei Lai
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
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Abstract
Leiomyosarcoma is an aggressive mesenchymal malignancy and represents one of the most common subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas. It is characterized by significant disease heterogeneity with variable sites of origin and diverse genomic profiles. As a result, the treatment of advanced leiomyosarcoma is challenging. First-line therapy for metastatic and/or unresectable leiomyosarcoma includes anthracycline or gemcitabine based regimens, which provide a median progression-free survival time of about 5 months and overall survival time between 14-16 months. Effective later-line therapies are limited. Molecular profiling has enhanced our knowledge of the pathophysiology driving leiomyosarcoma, providing potential targets for treatment. In this review, we explore recent advances in our understanding of leiomyosarcoma tumor biology and implications for novel therapeutics. We describe the development of clinical trials based on such findings and discuss available published results. To date, the most promising approaches for advanced leiomyosarcoma include targeting DNA damage repair pathways and aberrant metabolism associated with oncogenesis, as well as novel chemotherapy combinations. This review highlights the recent progress made in the treatment of advanced leiomyosarcoma. Ongoing progress is contingent upon further development of clinical trials based on molecular findings, with careful consideration for clinical trial design, strong academic collaborations, and prospective correlative analyses.
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Field GC, Pavlyk I, Szlosarek PW. Bench-to-Bedside Studies of Arginine Deprivation in Cancer. Molecules 2023; 28. [PMID: 36903394 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid which becomes wholly essential in many cancers commonly due to the functional loss of Argininosuccinate Synthetase 1 (ASS1). As arginine is vital for a plethora of cellular processes, its deprivation provides a rationale strategy for combatting arginine-dependent cancers. Here we have focused on pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20, pegargiminase)-mediated arginine deprivation therapy from preclinical through to clinical investigation, from monotherapy to combinations with other anticancer therapeutics. The translation of ADI-PEG20 from the first in vitro studies to the first positive phase 3 trial of arginine depletion in cancer is highlighted. Finally, this review discusses how the identification of biomarkers that may denote enhanced sensitivity to ADI-PEG20 beyond ASS1 may be realized in future clinical practice, thus personalising arginine deprivation therapy for patients with cancer.
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Gutierrez WR, Scherer A, Rytlewski JD, Laverty EA, Sheehan AP, McGivney GR, Brockman QR, Knepper-Adrian V, Roughton GA, Quelle DE, Gordon DJ, Monga V, Dodd RD. Augmenting chemotherapy with low-dose decitabine through an immune-independent mechanism. JCI Insight 2022; 7:159419. [PMID: 36227698 PMCID: PMC9746804 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.159419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine has classically been used to reactivate silenced genes and as a pretreatment for anticancer therapies. In a variation of this idea, this study explores the concept of adding low-dose decitabine (DAC) following administration of chemotherapy to bolster therapeutic efficacy. We find that addition of DAC following treatment with the chemotherapy agent gemcitabine improves survival and slows tumor growth in a mouse model of high-grade sarcoma. Unlike prior studies in epithelial tumor models, DAC did not induce a robust antitumor T cell response in sarcoma. Furthermore, DAC synergizes with gemcitabine independently of the immune system. Mechanistic analyses demonstrate that the combination therapy induces biphasic cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Therapeutic efficacy was sequence dependent, with gemcitabine priming cells for treatment with DAC through inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase. This study identifies an apparently unique application of DAC to augment the cytotoxic effects of conventional chemotherapy in an immune-independent manner. The concepts explored in this study represent a promising paradigm for cancer treatment by augmenting chemotherapy through addition of DAC to increase tolerability and improve patient response. These findings have widespread implications for the treatment of sarcomas and other aggressive malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade R Gutierrez
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program.,Medical Scientist Training Program.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine
| | - Amanda Scherer
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine
| | | | | | - Alexa P Sheehan
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program
| | - Gavin R McGivney
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
| | - Qierra R Brockman
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program
| | | | | | - Dawn E Quelle
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program.,Medical Scientist Training Program.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program.,Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology.,Department of Pathology, and
| | - David J Gordon
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Varun Monga
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine
| | - Rebecca D Dodd
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program.,Medical Scientist Training Program.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.,Department of Internal Medicine.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program
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Kraehenbuehl L, Holland A, Armstrong E, O’Shea S, Mangarin L, Chekalil S, Johnston A, Bomalaski JS, Erinjeri JP, Barker CA, Francis JH, Wolchok JD, Merghoub T, Shoushtari AN. Pilot Trial of Arginine Deprivation Plus Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Patients with Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112638. [PMID: 35681616 PMCID: PMC9179243 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Uveal melanoma is a rare subtype of malignant melanoma. It is known to rapidly metastasize, with the liver being the most frequently affected organ. Due to differences from melanoma arising in the skin, such as a lower number of mutations, it responds poorly to immune checkpoint blockade, a treatment approach reinvigorating the patient’s immune system to eliminate the cancer. We here investigated the safety and tolerability of a new combination treatment consisting of two established immunotherapy medications (ipilimumab and nivolumab) with the addition of an experimental arginine depleting medication, pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG 20), which is thought to make uveal melanoma more amenable to immunotherapy. This novel treatment approach was found to be safe and well-tolerated but did not improve the clinical outcome beyond the expected limited efficacy of approved immunotherapy alone. Abstract Metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) remains challenging to treat, with objective response rates to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) being much lower than in primary cutaneous melanoma (CM). Besides a lower mutational burden, the overall immune-excluded tumor microenvironment of UM might contribute to the poor response rate. We therefore aimed at targeting deficiency in argininosuccinate synthase 1, which is a key metabolic feature of UM. This study aims at investigating the safety and tolerability of a triple combination consisting of ipilimumab and nivolumab immunotherapy and the metabolic therapy, ADI-PEG 20. Nine patients were enrolled in this pilot study. The combination therapy was safe and tolerable with an absence of immune-related adverse events (irAE) of special interest, but with four of nine patients experiencing a CTCAE grade 3 AE. No objective responses were observed. All except one patient developed anti-drug antibodies (ADA) within a month of the treatment initiation and therefore did not maintain arginine depletion. Further, an IFNg-dependent inflammatory signature was observed in metastatic lesions in patients pre-treated with ICB compared with patients with no pretreatment. Multiplex immunohistochemistry demonstrated variable presence of tumor infiltrating CD8 lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression at the baseline in metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Kraehenbuehl
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
| | - Aliya Holland
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
| | - Emma Armstrong
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (E.A.); (S.O.)
| | - Sirinya O’Shea
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (E.A.); (S.O.)
| | - Levi Mangarin
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
| | - Sara Chekalil
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
| | - Amanda Johnston
- Polaris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (A.J.); (J.S.B.)
| | - John S. Bomalaski
- Polaris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (A.J.); (J.S.B.)
| | - Joseph P. Erinjeri
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Christopher A. Barker
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Jasmine H. Francis
- Ophthalmic Oncology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Jedd D. Wolchok
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
- Weill Cornell Medical College; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (L.K.); (A.H.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (J.D.W.); (T.M.)
- Weill Cornell Medical College; New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alexander N. Shoushtari
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA; (E.A.); (S.O.)
- Weill Cornell Medical College; New York, NY 10065, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-646-888-4161
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