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Adorno Febles VR, Hao Y, Ahsan A, Wu J, Qian Y, Zhong H, Loeb S, Makarov DV, Lepor H, Wysock J, Taneja SS, Huang WC, Becker DJ, Balar AV, Melamed J, Deng FM, Ren Q, Kufe D, Wong KK, Adeegbe DO, Deng J, Wise DR. Single-cell analysis of localized prostate cancer patients links high Gleason score with an immunosuppressive profile. Prostate 2023; 83:840-849. [PMID: 36988342 DOI: 10.1002/pros.24524] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evading immune surveillance is a hallmark for the development of multiple cancer types. Whether immune evasion contributes to the pathogenesis of high-grade prostate cancer (HGPCa) remains an area of active inquiry. METHODS Through single-cell RNA sequencing and multicolor flow cytometry of freshly isolated prostatectomy specimens and matched peripheral blood, we aimed to characterize the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) of localized prostate cancer (PCa), including HGPCa and low-grade prostate cancer (LGPCa). RESULTS HGPCa are highly infiltrated by exhausted CD8+ T cells, myeloid cells, and regulatory T cells (TRegs). These HGPCa-infiltrating CD8+ T cells expressed high levels of exhaustion markers including TIM3, TOX, TCF7, PD-1, CTLA4, TIGIT, and CXCL13. By contrast, a high ratio of activated CD8+ effector T cells relative to TRegs and myeloid cells infiltrate the TME of LGPCa. HGPCa CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) expressed more androgen receptor and prostate-specific membran antigen yet less prostate-specific antigen than the LGPCa CD8+ TILs. The PCa TME was infiltrated by macrophages but these did not clearly cluster by M1 and M2 markers. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals a suppressive TME with high levels of CD8+ T cell exhaustion in localized PCa, a finding enriched in HGPCa relative to LGPCa. These studies suggest a possible link between the clinical-pathologic risk of PCa and the associated TME. Our results have implications for our understanding of the immunologic mechanisms of PCa pathogenesis and the implementation of immunotherapy for localized PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor R Adorno Febles
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Manhattan Campus, VA NY Harbor Health Care System, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yuan Hao
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Aarif Ahsan
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jiansheng Wu
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yingzhi Qian
- Department of Population Health, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hua Zhong
- Department of Population Health, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stacy Loeb
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Urology, Manhattan Campus, VA NY Harbor Health Care System, New York, New York, USA
| | - Danil V Makarov
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Urology, Manhattan Campus, VA NY Harbor Health Care System, New York, New York, USA
| | - Herbert Lepor
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - James Wysock
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Samir S Taneja
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - William C Huang
- Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Manhattan Campus, VA NY Harbor Health Care System, New York, New York, USA
| | - Arjun V Balar
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Melamed
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fang-Ming Deng
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Qinghu Ren
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jiehui Deng
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - David R Wise
- Department of Medicine, Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
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Abstract
The literature surrounding KLRG1 has primarily focused on NK and CD8+ T cells. However, there is evidence that the most suppressive Tregs express KLRG1. Until now, the role of KLRG1 on Tregs has been mostly overlooked and remains to be elucidated. Here we review the current literature on KLRG1 with an emphasis on the KLRG1+ Treg subset role during cancer development and autoimmunity. KLRG1 has been recently proposed as a new checkpoint inhibitor target, but these studies focused on the effects of KLRG1 blockade on effector cells. We propose that when designing anti-tumor therapies targeting KLRG1, the effects on both effector cells and Tregs will have to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Borys
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Arup K Bag
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Laurent Brossay
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
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Adeegbe DO, Bag A, Schultz A, Bhimani S, Dominguez W, Cen L. Coupling the immunomodulatory properties of the HDAC6 inhibitor ACY241 with Oxaliplatin promotes robust anti-tumor response in Non-small cell lung cancer. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.118.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Although immunotherapy provides durable therapeutic response in a subset of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, there is still a need for broadly applicable therapeutic strategies. HDAC inhibitors are a promising class of drugs whose immunomodulatory properties are now being appreciated. In the present study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory properties of the HDAC6 inhibitor, Citarinostat (ACY241) on lung tumor immune compartment and its therapeutic potential in combination with Oxaliplatin. Lung adenocarcinoma-bearing mice were treated with ACY241 or vehicle after which immune profiling and RNA-sequencing were conducted in tumor-associated T cells and macrophages. Ex vivo T cell functional studies, tumor growth assessment and survival of tumor-bearing mice treated with ACY241 and/or Oxaliplatin were also conducted. ACY241 treatment promoted increased presence of T and NK cells as well as activation, proliferation, and effector profile of T cells in the lung tumors of treated mice. Furthermore, tumor-associated macrophages exhibited increased expression of MHC and co-stimulatory molecules while expression of inhibitory ligands were reduced. RNA-sequencing of tumor-associated T cells and macrophages revealed significant genomic changes that is consistent with ACY241-mediated enhancement of immune priming. Finally, ACY241 treatment led to significantly enhanced tumor-associated T cell effector functionality in lung cancer-bearing mice and in patient-derived tumors when combined with the chemotherapy drug Oxaliplatin. Collectively, our studies support ACY241 as a promising HDAC6 inhibitor which coupled with Oxaliplatin promotes robust therapeutic outcomes in a pre-clinical model of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arup Bag
- 2H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr. and Res. Inst
| | | | | | | | - Ling Cen
- 2H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr. and Res. Inst
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4
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Rollison DE, Messina JL, Cherpelis BS, Fenske NA, Schell MJ, Adeegbe DO, Zhao Y, Amorrortu RP, Akuffo AA, Hesterberg RS, Epling-Burnette PK. Circulating Immunosuppressive Regulatory T Cells Predict Risk of Incident Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:735585. [PMID: 34796183 PMCID: PMC8593034 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.735585] [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: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation exposure (UVR) is a risk factor for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cuSCC) and has been shown to be positively associated with circulating immunosuppressive regulatory T cells ("Tregs"). However, the risk of cuSCC in association with circulating Tregs has not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating Treg levels are associated with cuSCC development, particularly in the context of high UVR. Blood and spectrophotometer-based UVR measurements were obtained on 327 immunocompetent individuals undergoing routine skin cancer screenings at baseline and followed for up to 4 years for incident cuSCC development within a prospective cohort study. Proportions of phenotypically distinct Tregs, especially CCR4hi and CLA+ cells which are associated with activation and homing, respectively, were measured by flow cytometry. Tregs in cuSCC tumors were assessed using immunohistochemistry and graded for solar elastosis, a measure of cumulative UVR damage. Of several Treg phenotypes examined, higher levels of circulating CCR4hi Tregs at baseline were significantly associated with increased risk of subsequent cuSCC; those with higher levels of both CCR4hi and UVR were four times more likely to develop cuSCC compared to those with lower levels of both (Hazard Ratio = 4.11, 95% CI = 1.22-13.90). Within cuSCC tumors, CCR4hi Tregs were positively associated with solar elastosis. Results show that a higher proportion of CCR4hi peripheral Tregs predicts incident cuSCC up to 4 years, especially among highly UV-exposed individuals. Research of the underpinning biology of Tregs in UVR-associated skin damage may possibly reveal novel opportunities for screening, prevention, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana E Rollison
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Jane L Messina
- Departments of Pathology and Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Basil S Cherpelis
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Neil A Fenske
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Michael J Schell
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Immunology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Yayi Zhao
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | - Afua A Akuffo
- Department of Immunology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
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5
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Bag AK, Schultz AR, Goala P, Karreth FA, Adeegbe DO. Investigating the role of KLRG1 in regulatory T-cells and implications for anti-tumor immunity in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. The Journal of Immunology 2021. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.206.supp.57.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Although it is well established that CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) dampen anti-tumor T cell responses in cancer, their molecular signature and clonal heterogeneity in NSCLC remains poorly understood. In this study, comparative phenotypic assessment of tumor and lymphoid tissue resident Tregs in KRAS/p53 mutant NSCLC mouse model revealed the presence of a distinct tumor infiltrating Treg population which express KLRG1. Compared to their counterparts, tumor associated KLRG1+ Treg showed higher expression of inhibitory receptors and activation markers, suggesting that KLRG1+ Tregs represent an activated subpopulation which may contribute to immunosuppression. Ex-vivo Treg suppression assay revealed that tumor associated KLGR1+ Tregs exhibited higher suppressive activity compared to KLRG1-Tregs. Although T cell development was normal in in-house generated KLRG1 KO mice including thymic and peripheral Treg numbers, KLRG1 KO Tregs showed less suppressive capacity compared to wild type, implying KLRG1 in Tregs functional program. Furthermore, α-KLRG1 antibody treatment in lung tumor bearing KP mice showed prolonged survival, accompanied by reduced proportion of KLRG1+ Tregs in the tumor. Finally, immunogenomic characterization of KLRG1 KO/wt and tumor infiltrating KLRG1+/− Tregs revealed distinct gene expression patterns and associated immune pathways. Collectively, our findings indicate that KLRG1 is not critical for Treg development and maintenance but may play a non-redundant role in Tregs differentiation and function in inflammatory settings. Therefore, targeting KLRG1 to curtail the inhibitory function of the highly suppressive KLRG1+ Treg subset could facilitate antitumor responses in NSCLC.
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Phadke MS, Chen Z, Li J, Mohamed E, Davies MA, Smalley I, Duckett DR, Palve V, Czerniecki BJ, Forsyth PA, Noyes D, Adeegbe DO, Eroglu Z, Nguyen KT, Tsai KY, Rix U, Burd CE, Chen YA, Rodriguez PC, Smalley KSM. Targeted Therapy Given after Anti-PD-1 Leads to Prolonged Responses in Mouse Melanoma Models through Sustained Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:554-567. [PMID: 33653716 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy (IT) and targeted therapy (TT) are both effective against melanoma, but their combination is frequently toxic. Here, we investigated whether the sequence of IT (anti-PD-1)→ TT (ceritinib-trametinib or dabrafenib-trametinib) was associated with improved antitumor responses in mouse models of BRAF- and NRAS-mutant melanoma. Mice with NRAS-mutant (SW1) or BRAF-mutant (SM1) mouse melanomas were treated with either IT, TT, or the sequence of IT→TT. Tumor volumes were measured, and samples from the NRAS-mutant melanomas were collected for immune-cell analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and reverse phase protein analysis (RPPA). scRNA-seq demonstrated that the IT→TT sequence modulated the immune environment, leading to increased infiltration of T cells, monocytes, dendritic cells and natural killer cells, and decreased numbers of tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and regulatory T cells. Durable responses to the IT→TT sequence were dependent on T-cell activity, with depletion of CD8+, but not CD4+, T cells abrogating the therapeutic response. An analysis of transcriptional heterogeneity in the melanoma compartment showed the sequence of IT→TT enriched for a population of melanoma cells with increased expression of MHC class I and melanoma antigens. RPPA analysis demonstrated that the sustained immune response induced by IT→TT suppressed tumor-intrinsic signaling pathways required for therapeutic escape. These studies establish that upfront IT improves the responses to TT in BRAF- and NRAS-mutant melanoma models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali S Phadke
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Zhihua Chen
- The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jiannong Li
- The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Eslam Mohamed
- The Department of Immunology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Michael A Davies
- The Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Inna Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Derek R Duckett
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Vinayak Palve
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Brian J Czerniecki
- The Department of Immunology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Peter A Forsyth
- The Department of Neurooncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - David Noyes
- The Department of Malignant Hematology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- The Department of Immunology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Zeynep Eroglu
- The Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Kimberly T Nguyen
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Kenneth Y Tsai
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
- The Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Uwe Rix
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Christin E Burd
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Yian A Chen
- The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Paulo C Rodriguez
- The Department of Immunology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Keiran S M Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.
- The Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
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7
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Mo Q, Li R, Adeegbe DO, Peng G, Chan KS. Integrative multi-omics analysis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer identifies prognostic biomarkers for frontline chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Commun Biol 2020; 3:784. [PMID: 33335285 PMCID: PMC7746703 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01491-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Only a subgroup of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) are responders toward cisplatin-based chemotherapy and PD-L1 blockade immunotherapy. There is a clinical need to identify MIBC molecular subtypes and biomarkers for patient stratification toward the therapies. Here, we performed an integrative clustering analysis of 388 MIBC samples with multi-omics data and identified basal and luminal/differentiated integrative subtypes and derived a 42 gene panel for classification of MIBC. Using nine additional gene expression data (n = 844), we demonstrated the prognostic value of the 42 basal-luminal genes. The basal subtype was associated with worse overall survival in patients receiving no neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), but better overall survival in patients receiving NAC in two clinical trials. Each of the subtypes could be further divided into chr9 p21.3 normal or loss subgroup. The patients with low expression of MTAP/CDKN2A/2B (indicative of chr9 p21.3 loss) had a significantly lower response rate to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy and worse survival than the patients with high expression of MTAP/CDKN2A/2B. This integrative analysis reveals intrinsic MIBC subtypes and biomarkers with prognostic value for the frontline therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianxing Mo
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Roger Li
- Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Guang Peng
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Keith Syson Chan
- Department of Pathology and Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
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8
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Hundeyin M, Kurz E, Mishra A, Rossi JAK, Liudahl SM, Leis KR, Mehrotra H, Kim M, Torres LE, Ogunsakin A, Link J, Sears RC, Sivagnanam S, Goecks J, Islam KMS, Dolgalev I, Savadkar S, Wang W, Aykut B, Leinwand J, Diskin B, Adam S, Israr M, Gelas M, Lish J, Chin K, Farooq MS, Wadowski B, Wu J, Shah S, Adeegbe DO, Pushalkar S, Vasudevaraja V, Saxena D, Wong KK, Coussens LM, Miller G. Innate αβ T Cells Mediate Antitumor Immunity by Orchestrating Immunogenic Macrophage Programming. Cancer Discov 2019; 9:1288-1305. [PMID: 31266770 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Unconventional T-lymphocyte populations are emerging as important regulators of tumor immunity. Despite this, the role of TCRαβ+CD4-CD8-NK1.1- innate αβ T cells (iαβT) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has not been explored. We found that iαβTs represent ∼10% of T lymphocytes infiltrating PDA in mice and humans. Intratumoral iαβTs express a distinct T-cell receptor repertoire and profoundly immunogenic phenotype compared with their peripheral counterparts and conventional lymphocytes. iαβTs comprised ∼75% of the total intratumoral IL17+ cells. Moreover, iαβT-cell adoptive transfer is protective in both murine models of PDA and human organotypic systems. We show that iαβT cells induce a CCR5-dependent immunogenic macrophage reprogramming, thereby enabling marked CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell expansion/activation and tumor protection. Collectively, iαβTs govern fundamental intratumoral cross-talk between innate and adaptive immune populations and are attractive therapeutic targets. SIGNIFICANCE: We found that iαβTs are a profoundly activated T-cell subset in PDA that slow tumor growth in murine and human models of disease. iαβTs induce a CCR5-dependent immunogenic tumor-associated macrophage program, T-cell activation and expansion, and should be considered as novel targets for immunotherapy.See related commentary by Banerjee et al., p. 1164.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1143.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mautin Hundeyin
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Emma Kurz
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Ankita Mishra
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Juan Andres Kochen Rossi
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Shannon M Liudahl
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Kenna R Leis
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Harshita Mehrotra
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Mirhee Kim
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Luisana E Torres
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Adesola Ogunsakin
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jason Link
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Rosalie C Sears
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Shamilene Sivagnanam
- Computational Biology Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Jeremy Goecks
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Computational Biology Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - K M Sadeq Islam
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Igor Dolgalev
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Shivraj Savadkar
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Wei Wang
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Berk Aykut
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Joshua Leinwand
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Brian Diskin
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Salma Adam
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Muhammad Israr
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Maeliss Gelas
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Justin Lish
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Kathryn Chin
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Mohammad Saad Farooq
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Benjamin Wadowski
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jingjing Wu
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Suhagi Shah
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Smruti Pushalkar
- Department of Basic Science and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York
| | | | - Deepak Saxena
- Department of Basic Science and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Lisa M Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - George Miller
- S.A. Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York. .,Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
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9
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Adeegbe DO, Noyes D, Semidey-Hurtado J, Gamal W. Identification and characterization of a unique KLRG1-expressing subset of CD4+FOXP3+ Tregs in Non-small cell lung cancer. The Journal of Immunology 2019. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.202.supp.194.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
It is well established that CD4+FOXP3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) contribute to dampening anti-tumor responses. Despite our improved understanding of their role in cancer, there remains a knowledge gap with respect to the clonal composition and heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating Tregs in solid cancers. We addressed this outstanding issue by conducting comprehensive phenotypic profiling of Tregs present in lung adenocarcinomas of a genetically engineered mouse model of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as well as those in resected tumors of NSCLC patients. Multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis revealed that unlike the peripheral tissues, the tumor harbors a distinct sub-population of Tregs that express the co-inhibitory receptor, KLRG1. Compared to their negative counterparts, the KLRG1+ Treg subset exhibited heightened expression of a number of Treg signature proteins as well as higher levels of activation and memory molecular markers suggesting that they are a highly activated and differentiated Treg pool that is recruited to, or induced in the tumor microenvironment. Consistent with this phenotype, these KLRG1+ Tregs were superior in their capacity to suppress T cell proliferation relative to the KLRG1-cells. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the tumor microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer harbors a unique Treg sub-population that is characterized by dominant expression of KLRG1, and which represents a clonal pool with the most potent inhibition of T cell responses. These studies highlight the installment of distinct Treg subsets in NSCLC that have implications for regulation of anti-tumor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Noyes
- 1Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
| | | | - Wael Gamal
- 1Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
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10
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Li S, Liu S, Deng J, Akbay EA, Hai J, Ambrogio C, Zhang L, Zhou F, Jenkins RW, Adeegbe DO, Gao P, Wang X, Paweletz CP, Herter-Sprie GS, Chen T, Gutiérrez-Quiceno L, Zhang Y, Merlino AA, Quinn MM, Zeng Y, Yu X, Liu Y, Fan L, Aguirre AJ, Barbie DA, Yi X, Wong KK. Assessing Therapeutic Efficacy of MEK Inhibition in a KRAS G12C-Driven Mouse Model of Lung Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:4854-4864. [PMID: 29945997 PMCID: PMC6482448 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-3438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Despite the challenge to directly target mutant KRAS due to its high GTP affinity, some agents are under development against downstream signaling pathways, such as MEK inhibitors. However, it remains controversial whether MEK inhibitors can boost current chemotherapy in KRAS-mutant lung tumors in clinic. Considering the genomic heterogeneity among patients with lung cancer, it is valuable to test potential therapeutics in KRAS mutation-driven mouse models.Experimental Design: We first compared the pERK1/2 level in lung cancer samples with different KRAS substitutions and generated a new genetically engineered mouse model whose tumor was driven by KRAS G12C, the most common KRAS mutation in lung cancer. Next, we evaluated the efficacy of selumetinib or its combination with chemotherapy, in KRASG12C tumors compared with KRASG12D tumors. Moreover, we generated KRASG12C/p53R270H model to explore the role of a dominant negative p53 mutation detected in patients in responsiveness to MEK inhibition.Results: We determined higher pERK1/2 in KRASG12C lung tumors compared with KRASG12D Using mouse models, we further identified that KRASG12C tumors are significantly more sensitive to selumetinib compared with KrasG12D tumors. MEK inhibition significantly increased chemotherapeutic efficacy and progression-free survival of KRASG12C mice. Interestingly, p53 co-mutation rendered KRASG12C lung tumors less sensitive to combination treatment with selumetinib and chemotherapy.Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that unique KRAS mutations and concurrent mutations in tumor-suppressor genes are important factors for lung tumor responses to MEK inhibitor. Our preclinical study supports further clinical evaluation of combined MEK inhibition and chemotherapy for lung cancer patients harboring KRAS G12C and wild-type p53 status. Clin Cancer Res; 24(19); 4854-64. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shengwu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jiehui Deng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Esra A Akbay
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas; Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Josephine Hai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chiara Ambrogio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyu Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Russell W Jenkins
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peng Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaoen Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Cloud P Paweletz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Grit S Herter-Sprie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ting Chen
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Yanxi Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashley A Merlino
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Max M Quinn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yu Zeng
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoting Yu
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Liu
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lichao Fan
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Andrew J Aguirre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xianghua Yi
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
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11
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Adeegbe DO, Liu S, Hattersley MM, Bowden M, Zhou CW, Li S, Vlahos R, Grondine M, Dolgalev I, Ivanova EV, Quinn MM, Gao P, Hammerman PS, Bradner JE, Diehl JA, Rustgi AK, Bass AJ, Tsirigos A, Freeman GJ, Chen H, Wong KK. BET Bromodomain Inhibition Cooperates with PD-1 Blockade to Facilitate Antitumor Response in Kras-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2018; 6:1234-1245. [PMID: 30087114 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-18-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
KRAS mutation is present in approximately 30% of human lung adenocarcinomas. Although recent advances in targeted therapy have shown great promise, effective targeting of KRAS remains elusive, and concurrent alterations in tumor suppressors render KRAS-mutant tumors even more resistant to existing therapies. Contributing to the refractoriness of KRAS-mutant tumors are immunosuppressive mechanisms, such as increased presence of suppressive regulatory T cells (Treg) in tumors and elevated expression of the inhibitory receptor PD-1 on tumor-infiltrating T cells. Treatment with BET bromodomain inhibitors is beneficial for hematologic malignancies, and they have Treg-disruptive effects in a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) model. Targeting PD-1-inhibitory signals through PD-1 antibody blockade also has substantial therapeutic impact in lung cancer, although these outcomes are limited to a minority of patients. We hypothesized that the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 would synergize with PD-1 blockade to promote a robust antitumor response in lung cancer. In the present study, using Kras+/LSL-G12D ; Trp53L/L (KP) mouse models of NSCLC, we identified cooperative effects between JQ1 and PD-1 antibody. The numbers of tumor-infiltrating Tregs were reduced and activation of tumor-infiltrating T cells, which had a T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokine profile, was enhanced, underlying their improved effector function. Furthermore, lung tumor-bearing mice treated with this combination showed robust and long-lasting antitumor responses compared with either agent alone, culminating in substantial improvement in the overall survival of treated mice. Thus, combining BET bromodomain inhibition with immune checkpoint blockade offers a promising therapeutic approach for solid malignancies such as lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(10); 1234-45. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
| | - Shengwu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Maureen M Hattersley
- Oncology Innovative Medicines Unit, AstraZeneca R&D Boston, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Michaela Bowden
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chensheng W Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Raven Vlahos
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael Grondine
- Oncology Innovative Medicines Unit, AstraZeneca R&D Boston, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Igor Dolgalev
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories and Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Elena V Ivanova
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Max M Quinn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peng Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peter S Hammerman
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - James E Bradner
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - J Alan Diehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Anil K Rustgi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Adam J Bass
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Aristotelis Tsirigos
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories and Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Gordon J Freeman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Huawei Chen
- Oncology Innovative Medicines Unit, AstraZeneca R&D Boston, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
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12
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Adeegbe DO, Liu S, Bowden M, Hammerman PS, Bradner JE, Rustgi AK, Bass AJ, Freeman GJ, Chen H, Wong KK. Abstract 4713: BET bromodomain inhibition synergizes with PD-1 blockade to facilitate anti-tumor response in Kras-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-4713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
KRAS mutation is present in about 30% of human lung adenocarcinomas. While recent advances in targeted therapy have shown great promise, KRAS remains undruggable and concurrent alterations in tumor suppressors render KRAS mutant tumors even more resistant to existing therapies. Contributing to the refractoriness of KRAS mutant tumors harboring these co-mutations are immunosuppressive mechanisms such as increased presence of suppressive Tregs in tumors and elevated expression of the inhibitory receptor PD-1 on tumor-infiltrating T cells. BET bromodomain inhibitors demonstrate clinical benefit in hematologic malignancies, and prior reports demonstrate their Treg-disruptive effects in a NSCLC model. Targeting PD-1 inhibitory signals through anti-PD-1 antibody blockade has also shown substantial therapeutic impact in lung cancer although these outcomes are still limited to a minor pool of patients. We therefore hypothesized that the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 would synergize with PD-1 blockade to promote robust anti-tumor response in lung cancer. In the present study, using Kras+/LSL-G12D; Trp53L/L (KP) mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer, we identified cooperative effects among JQ1 and anti-PD-1 that included reduced numbers of tumor-infiltrated Tregs and enhanced activation of tumor-infiltrating T cells, which exhibited a Th1 cytokine profile that favored their demonstrated improved effector function. Furthermore, lung-tumor-bearing mice under this combinatorial treatment regimen showed robust and long-lasting anti-tumor responses compared to either agent alone, culminating in substantial improvement in the survival of treated mice. Thus, combining BET bromodomain inhibition with immune checkpoint blockade offers a promising therapeutic approach for solid malignancies such as lung adenocarcinoma.
Citation Format: Dennis O. Adeegbe, Shengwu Liu, Michaela Bowden, Peter S. Hammerman, James E. Bradner, Anil K. Rustgi, Adam J. Bass, Gordon J. Freeman, Huawei Chen, kwok-Kin Wong. BET bromodomain inhibition synergizes with PD-1 blockade to facilitate anti-tumor response in Kras-mutant non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4713.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Anil K. Rustgi
- 4University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
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13
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Liu Y, Li Y, Liu S, Adeegbe DO, Christensen CL, Quinn MM, Dries R, Han S, Buczkowski K, Wang X, Chen T, Gao P, Zhang H, Li F, Hammerman PS, Bradner JE, Quayle SN, Wong KK. NK Cells Mediate Synergistic Antitumor Effects of Combined Inhibition of HDAC6 and BET in a SCLC Preclinical Model. Cancer Res 2018; 78:3709-3717. [PMID: 29760044 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has the highest malignancy among all lung cancers, exhibiting aggressive growth and early metastasis to distant sites. For 30 years, treatment options for SCLC have been limited to chemotherapy, warranting the need for more effective treatments. Frequent inactivation of TP53 and RB1 as well as histone dysmodifications in SCLC suggest that transcriptional and epigenetic regulations play a major role in SCLC disease evolution. Here we performed a synthetic lethal screen using the BET inhibitor JQ1 and an shRNA library targeting 550 epigenetic genes in treatment-refractory SCLC xenograft models and identified HDAC6 as a synthetic lethal target in combination with JQ1. Combined treatment of human and mouse SCLC cell line-derived xenograft tumors with the HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat (ACY-1215) and JQ1 demonstrated significant inhibition of tumor growth; this effect was abolished upon depletion of NK cells, suggesting that these innate immune lymphoid cells play a role in SCLC tumor treatment response. Collectively, these findings suggest a potential new treatment for recurrent SCLC.Significance: These findings identify a novel therapeutic strategy for SCLC using a combination of HDAC6 and BET inhibitors. Cancer Res; 78(13); 3709-17. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yuyang Li
- Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Shengwu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dennis O Adeegbe
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Max M Quinn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ruben Dries
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shiwei Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kevin Buczkowski
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaoen Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ting Chen
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Peng Gao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hua Zhang
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Fei Li
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Peter S Hammerman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James E Bradner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
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14
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Adeegbe DO, Liu Y, Lizotte P, Kamihara Y, Awad M, Barbie D, Ritz J, Jones S, Quayle S, Hammerman P, Wong KK. Abstract 3682: Synergistic immunostimulatory effects and therapeutic benefit of combined histone deacetylase and bromodomain inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2017-3682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Effective therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain challenging despite an increasingly comprehensive understanding of somatically altered oncogenic pathways. It is now clear that therapeutic agents with potential to impact the tumor immune microenvironment potentiate immune-orchestrated therapeutic benefit. This study evaluated the immunoregulatory properties of two classes of drugs that modulate the epigenome, histone deacetylase (HDAC) and bromodomain inhibitors with a focus on key cell subsets that are engaged in an immune response. By evaluating human peripheral blood and NSCLC tumors, we show that the selective HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat promotes phenotypic changes associated with enhanced T-cell priming and function of antigen presenting cells. The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 attenuated CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory cell suppressive function and synergized with ricolinostat to facilitate immune-mediated tumor growth arrest, leading to prolonged survival of mice with lung adenocarcinomas. Collectively, our findings highlight immunomodulatory effects of two epigenetic modifiers that together promote T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity and demonstrate their therapeutic potential for NSCLC treatment.
Citation Format: Dennis O. Adeegbe, Yan Liu, Patrick Lizotte, Yusuke Kamihara, Mark Awad, David Barbie, Jerome Ritz, Simon Jones, Steven Quayle, Peter Hammerman, Kwok-Kin Wong. Synergistic immunostimulatory effects and therapeutic benefit of combined histone deacetylase and bromodomain inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3682. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3682
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Liu
- 1Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Mark Awad
- 3Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
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15
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Adeegbe DO, Liu Y, Lizotte PH, Kamihara Y, Aref AR, Almonte C, Dries R, Li Y, Liu S, Wang X, Warner-Hatten T, Castrillon J, Yuan GC, Poudel-Neupane N, Zhang H, Guerriero JL, Han S, Awad MM, Barbie DA, Ritz J, Jones SS, Hammerman PS, Bradner J, Quayle SN, Wong KK. Synergistic Immunostimulatory Effects and Therapeutic Benefit of Combined Histone Deacetylase and Bromodomain Inhibition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Discov 2017; 7:852-867. [PMID: 28408401 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-16-1020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Effective therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain challenging despite an increasingly comprehensive understanding of somatically altered oncogenic pathways. It is now clear that therapeutic agents with potential to impact the tumor immune microenvironment potentiate immune-orchestrated therapeutic benefit. Herein, we evaluated the immunoregulatory properties of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and bromodomain inhibitors, two classes of drugs that modulate the epigenome, with a focus on key cell subsets that are engaged in an immune response. By evaluating human peripheral blood and NSCLC tumors, we show that the selective HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat promotes phenotypic changes that support enhanced T-cell activation and improved function of antigen-presenting cells. The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 attenuated CD4+FOXP3+ T regulatory cell suppressive function and synergized with ricolinostat to facilitate immune-mediated tumor growth arrest, leading to prolonged survival of mice with lung adenocarcinomas. Collectively, our findings highlight the immunomodulatory effects of two epigenetic modifiers that, together, promote T cell-mediated antitumor immunity and demonstrate their therapeutic potential for treatment of NSCLC.Significance: Selective inhibition of HDACs and bromodomain proteins modulates tumor-associated immune cells in a manner that favors improved T-cell function and reduced inhibitory cellular mechanisms. These effects facilitated robust antitumor responses in tumor-bearing mice, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of combining these epigenetic modulators for the treatment of NSCLC. Cancer Discov; 7(8); 852-67. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 783.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Patrick H Lizotte
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yusuke Kamihara
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amir R Aref
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christina Almonte
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ruben Dries
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yuyang Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shengwu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaoen Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Jessica Castrillon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Haikuo Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer L Guerriero
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shiwei Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark M Awad
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jerome Ritz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Simon S Jones
- Acetylon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peter S Hammerman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James Bradner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
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Adeegbe DO, Freeman GJ, Wong KK. BET bromodomain inhibition synergizes with immune checkpoint blockade to facilitate anti-tumor response in a murine model of non-small cell lung cancer harboring activating KRAS mutation. The Journal of Immunology 2016. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.196.supp.74.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
KRAS mutations accounts for about 30% of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and represent one of key oncogenic drivers of lung cancer. While recent advances in targeted therapy have shown promise, effective therapy for lung cancer still remains a challenge. Given the demonstrated efficacy of BET bromodomain inhibitors in treatment of hematologic malignancies and the emerging clinical benefit of immunotherapeutic agents such as anti-PD1 antibody, we sought to determine whether a combinatorial approach involving these agents could synergize to promote anti-tumor response in genetically engineered mouse model of NSCLC harboring activating kras mutation. Upon administration of the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, and/or α-PD-1 antibody, we evaluated by FACS, the dynamics of tumor-associated immune cells. Notably, treatment with JQ1 alone or in combination with α-PD1 resulted in increased CD8:Treg ratio in the tumors, likely due to the reduced proportions of Treg cells. Interestingly, while JQ1 treatment alone led to remarkable down-regulation of PD-1, α-PD1 treatment resulted in augmented T cell activation evidenced by increased expression of CD69 on tumor-CD8+ T cells. When tested ex-vivo, T cells isolated from tumors of double agent therapy showed the most enhanced ability to secrete IFN-γ relative to either agent alone. Lastly, in survival studies, the combination of both drugs was superior in reducing tumor burden and prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice demonstrating a synergistic effect between the two agents. Collectively, our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of combining BET bromodomain inhibition with immune checkpoint blockade for treatment of solid malignancies such as lung adenocarcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Medical Oncology Division, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hiroyoshi Nishikawa
- Division of Cancer Immunology, Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Chiba 277-8577, Japan
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Abstract
CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells control many facets of immune responses ranging from autoimmune diseases, to inflammatory conditions, and cancer in an attempt to maintain immune homeostasis. Natural Treg (nTreg) cells develop in the thymus and constitute a critical arm of active mechanisms of peripheral tolerance particularly to self antigens. A growing body of knowledge now supports the existence of induced Treg (iTreg) cells which may derive from a population of conventional CD4+ T cells. The fork-head transcription factor (Foxp3) typically is expressed by natural CD4+ Treg cells, and thus serves as a marker to definitively identify these cells. On the contrary, there is less consensus on what constitutes iTreg cells as their precise definition has been somewhat elusive. This is in part due to their distinct phenotypes which are shaped by exposure to certain inflammatory or "assault" signals stemming from the underlying immune disorder. The "policing" activity of Treg cells tends to be uni-directional in several pathological conditions. On one end of the spectrum, Treg cell suppressive activity is beneficial by curtailing T cell response against self-antigens and allergens thus preventing autoimmune diseases and allergies. On the other end however, their inhibitory roles in limiting immune response against pseudo-self antigens as in tumors often culminates into negative outcomes. In this review, we focus on this latter aspect of Treg cell immunobiology by highlighting the involvement of nTreg cells in various animal models and human tumors. We further discuss iTreg cells, relationship with their natural counterpart, and potential co-operation between the two in modulating immune response against tumors. Lastly, we discuss studies focusing on these cells as targets for improving anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Experimental Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University , Suita , Japan
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Abstract
CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells control many facets of immune responses ranging from autoimmune diseases, to inflammatory conditions, and cancer in an attempt to maintain immune homeostasis. Natural Treg (nTreg) cells develop in the thymus and constitute a critical arm of active mechanisms of peripheral tolerance particularly to self antigens. A growing body of knowledge now supports the existence of induced Treg (iTreg) cells which may derive from a population of conventional CD4+ T cells. The fork-head transcription factor (Foxp3) typically is expressed by natural CD4+ Treg cells, and thus serves as a marker to definitively identify these cells. On the contrary, there is less consensus on what constitutes iTreg cells as their precise definition has been somewhat elusive. This is in part due to their distinct phenotypes which are shaped by exposure to certain inflammatory or “assault” signals stemming from the underlying immune disorder. The “policing” activity of Treg cells tends to be uni-directional in several pathological conditions. On one end of the spectrum, Treg cell suppressive activity is beneficial by curtailing T cell response against self-antigens and allergens thus preventing autoimmune diseases and allergies. On the other end however, their inhibitory roles in limiting immune response against pseudo-self antigens as in tumors often culminates into negative outcomes. In this review, we focus on this latter aspect of Treg cell immunobiology by highlighting the involvement of nTreg cells in various animal models and human tumors. We further discuss iTreg cells, relationship with their natural counterpart, and potential co-operation between the two in modulating immune response against tumors. Lastly, we discuss studies focusing on these cells as targets for improving anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Experimental Immunology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University , Suita , Japan
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Adeegbe DO, Levy RB, Malek TR. Adoptive therapy with allogeneic CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+ Treg cells induces transplantation tolerance (102.10). The Journal of Immunology 2007. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.supp.102.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Alloantigen primed Treg cells offer the potential for non-toxic suppression of transplant rejection reactions. If they are not rejected by the recipient, MHC-mismatched Treg cells might also establish transplant tolerance to the MHC molecules that the Treg cells were selected on during their development. In this regard, we have shown that the adoptive transfer of allogeneic Treg cells into neonatal IL-2Rβ−/−mice, which lack Treg cells and develop rapid lethal autoimmunity, lead to long-term engraftment by the donor Treg cells, effective prevention of this autoimmunity, and simultaneous long-term tolerance to the skin grafts expressing alloantigens shared by the Treg cells. This tolerance depended upon active suppression by Treg cells, not deletion or anergy. Mice tolerant to allogeneic C57BL/6 skin grafts were also tolerant to MHC class II-deficient C567BL/6 skin grafts, but rejected bm3 and bm12 skin grafts. These latter findings demonstrate that Treg cells are not required to directly recognize alloantigens within the skin grafts and that a single neo-antigen was sufficient to break tolerance. Collectively, these data demonstrate induction of dominant donor-specific transplantation tolerance by allogeneic Treg cells provided that the MHC antigens of both the Treg cells and transplant are matched.
(Supported by the NIH)
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis O Adeegbe
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th avenue, Miami, Florida, 33136
| | - Robert B Levy
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th avenue, Miami, Florida, 33136
| | - Thomas R Malek
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th avenue, Miami, Florida, 33136
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