1
|
Brassard J, Hughes MR, Dean P, Hernaez DC, Thornton S, Banville AC, Smazynski J, Warren M, Zhang K, Milne K, Gilks CB, Mes-Masson AM, Huntsman DG, Nelson BH, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. A tumor-restricted glycoform of podocalyxin is a highly selective marker of immunologically cold high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1286754. [PMID: 38188285 PMCID: PMC10771318 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1286754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Targeted-immunotherapies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells or bispecific T-cell engagers (eg, BiTE®) all aim to improve cancer treatment by directly targeting cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. Success of these therapies requires tumor antigens that are abundantly expressed and, ideally, tumor specific. The CD34-related stem cell sialomucin, podocalyxin (PODXL), is a promising target as it is overexpressed on a variety of tumor types and its expression is consistently linked to poor prognosis. However, PODXL is also expressed in healthy tissues including kidney podocytes and endothelia. To circumvent this potential pitfall, we developed an antibody, named PODO447, that selectively targets a tumor-associated glycoform of PODXL. This tumor glycoepitope is expressed by 65% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) tumors. Methods In this study we characterize these PODO447-expressing tumors as a distinct subset of HGSOC using four different patient cohorts that include pre-chemotherapy, post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and relapsing tumors as well as tumors from various peritoneal locations. Results We find that the PODO447 epitope expression is similar across tumor locations and negligibly impacted by chemotherapy. Invariably, tumors with high levels of the PODO447 epitope lack infiltrating CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells/plasma cells, an immune phenotype consistently associated with poor outcome. Discussion We conclude that the PODO447 glycoepitope is an excellent biomarker of immune "cold" tumors and a candidate for the development of targeted-therapies for these hard-to-treat cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julyanne Brassard
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael R. Hughes
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Pamela Dean
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shelby Thornton
- Molecular and Advanced Pathology Core (MAPcore), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Mary Warren
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Kevin Zhang
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Katy Milne
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - C. Blake Gilks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Mes-Masson
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David G. Huntsman
- Molecular and Advanced Pathology Core (MAPcore), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Calvin D. Roskelley
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kelly M. McNagny
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dean PMA, Hernaez DC, Brassard J, Hughes MR, Bell EM, McNagny KM, Roskelley CD. Abstract 1134: Therapeutic potential of an antibody-drug conjugate directed against a tumor-specific epitope on podocalyxin. Cancer Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2023-1134] [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: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Podocalyxin (Podxl) is a cell surface sialomucin that is frequently upregulated in tumors with high metastatic potential and its expression is associated with poor outcome in several human cancers. As such, Podxl is emerging as an important prognostic and theragnostic marker. While Podxl is expressed on normal vascular endothelia and kidney podocytes, we sought to produce a novel anti-Podxl antibody that selectively recognizes a tumor-restricted glycoepitope on the extracellular mucin domain of Podxl. The antibody we have produced, PODO447, is specific to the tumor glycoform of Podxl, demonstrated by a lack of binding to normal tissues that are known to express Podxl. In contrast, we show binding of the antibody to tumor cell lines, patient-derived cell lines, and primary tumor tissues. We have previously shown that the majority of tumors in an ovarian carcinoma array (219 cases), including 65% of the high-grade serous histotype, are positive for PODO447. Here, we further show the presence of PODO447 in tumors of the breast, urothelium, pancreas, endometrium, colon, prostate, lung (both small cell and non-small cell), and glioblastoma. To assess the therapeutic potential of our antibody as an antibody drug conjugate (ADC), we coupled PODO447 to the microtubule disruptor monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) with an enzyme cleavable linker carbamoyl p-aminobenzyl carbamate (PABC), resulting in the ADC PODO447-Vedotin. We demonstrate promising in vitro activity of the ADC to various human tumor cell lines as well as in vivo efficacy to xenografted ovarian and pancreatic tumor lines. Our data reveals PODO447-Vedotin as a tumor-specific and highly efficacious therapeutic agent for the targeting of human tumors and as such, PODO447 exhibits potential for further development as a targeted clinical immunotherapy.
Citation Format: Pamela M. Austin Dean, Diana Canals Hernaez, Julyanne Brassard, Michael R. Hughes, Erin M. Bell, Kelly M. McNagny, Calvin D. Roskelley. Therapeutic potential of an antibody-drug conjugate directed against a tumor-specific epitope on podocalyxin [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1134.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julyanne Brassard
- 1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael R. Hughes
- 1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Erin M. Bell
- 1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kelly M. McNagny
- 1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Canals Hernaez D, Hughes MR, Li Y, Mainero Rocca I, Dean P, Brassard J, Bell EM, Samudio I, Mes-Masson AM, Narimatsu Y, Clausen H, Blixt O, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. Targeting a Tumor-Specific Epitope on Podocalyxin Increases Survival in Human Tumor Preclinical Models. Front Oncol 2022; 12:856424. [PMID: 35600398 PMCID: PMC9115113 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.856424] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Podocalyxin (Podxl) is a CD34-related cell surface sialomucin that is normally highly expressed by adult vascular endothelia and kidney podocytes where it plays a key role in blocking adhesion. Importantly, it is also frequently upregulated on a wide array of human tumors and its expression often correlates with poor prognosis. We previously showed that, in xenograft studies, Podxl plays a key role in metastatic disease by making tumor initiating cells more mobile and invasive. Recently, we developed a novel antibody, PODO447, which shows exquisite specificity for a tumor-restricted glycoform of Podxl but does not react with Podxl expressed by normal adult tissue. Here we utilized an array of glycosylation defective cell lines to further define the PODO447 reactive epitope and reveal it as an O-linked core 1 glycan presented in the context of the Podxl peptide backbone. Further, we show that when coupled to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) toxic payload, PODO447 functions as a highly specific and effective antibody drug conjugate (ADC) in killing ovarian, pancreatic, glioblastoma and leukemia cell lines in vitro. Finally, we demonstrate PODO447-ADCs are highly effective in targeting human pancreatic and ovarian tumors in xenografted NSG and Nude mouse models. These data reveal PODO447-ADCs as exquisitely tumor-specific and highly efficacious immunotherapeutic reagents for the targeting of human tumors. Thus, PODO447 exhibits the appropriate characteristics for further development as a targeted clinical immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael R Hughes
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yicong Li
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ilaria Mainero Rocca
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pamela Dean
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Julyanne Brassard
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erin M Bell
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ismael Samudio
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Yoshiki Narimatsu
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Clausen
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ola Blixt
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Calvin D Roskelley
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Brassard J, Hernaez DC, Hughes MR, Milne K, Dean P, Warren M, Zhang K, Banville AC, Smazynski J, Bond D, Nelson BH, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. A tumor-restricted glycoepitope of podocalyxin correlates with immune evasion in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The Journal of Immunology 2022. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.177.10] [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: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is an aggressive tumor with a 5-year disease-free survival of roughly 15%, partly because it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Podocalyxin (Podxl) is a highly glycosylated sialomucin normally expressed by vascular endothelia and kidney podocytes. Strikingly, Podxl expression is frequently upregulated by a variety of tumors (including HGSOC) and is consistently associated with poor prognosis. We capitalized on the fact that glycosylation pathways are frequently dysregulated in cancer to develop an antibody, PODO447, that recognizes a tumor-restricted glycoform of Podxl not expressed on normal tissue. While the exact epitope remains to be identified, our results suggest that PODO447 binds an epitope comprising a peptide domain of Podxl in combination with the core 1 O-GalNAc glycan (T-antigen). When coupled to a cytotoxin, a PODO447-antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) effectively kills human tumor cells in vitro and in xenografted mice. While the vast majority of ovarian tumors highly express the Podxl core protein, only a subset of these express the PODO447 epitope. Strikingly, tumors that express a high level of PODO447 epitope tend to be those that lack infiltrating CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells: a phenotype that has previously been linked to immune evasion and poorest disease-free survival. Furthermore, we find that PODO447 is a more consistent marker of these immunologically “cold” tumors than a number of other markers, including CA125, mesothelin and folate receptor α. These results highlight the PODO447-epitope as a highly selective diagnostic marker of poor outcome tumors and the PODO447-ADC as a novel strategy for therapeutic intervention.
This research was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant Number: PJT-166180), the School of Biomedical Engineering (The University of British Columbia) postdoctoral fellowship and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) research trainee award.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julyanne Brassard
- 1School of Biomedical Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Michael R Hughes
- 1School of Biomedical Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katy Milne
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Pamela Dean
- 3Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Univ. of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mary Warren
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Kevin Zhang
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Allyson C Banville
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Julian Smazynski
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - David Bond
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Brad H Nelson
- 2Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada
| | - Calvin D Roskelley
- 3Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Univ. of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- 1School of Biomedical Engineering, Univ. of British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cait A, Messing M, Cait J, Canals Hernaez D, McNagny KM. Antibiotic Treatment in an Animal Model of Inflammatory Lung Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2223:281-293. [PMID: 33226601 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1001-5_19] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Allergic disease is on the rise and yet the underlying cause and risk factors are not fully understood. While lifesaving in many circumstances, the use of antibiotics and the subsequent disruption of the microbiome are positively correlated with the development of allergies. Here, we describe the use of the antibiotic vancomycin in combination with the papain-induced mouse model of allergic disease that allows for the assessment of microbiome perturbations and the impact on allergy development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alissa Cait
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Melina Messing
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, The Biomedical Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica Cait
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, The Biomedical Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, The Biomedical Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada. .,Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Canals Hernaez D, Hughes MR, Dean P, Bergqvist P, Samudio I, Blixt O, Wiedemeyer K, Li Y, Bond C, Cruz E, Köbel M, Gilks B, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. PODO447: a novel antibody to a tumor-restricted epitope on the cancer antigen podocalyxin. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-001128. [PMID: 33243933 PMCID: PMC7692987 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The success of new targeted cancer therapies has been dependent on the identification of tumor-specific antigens. Podocalyxin (Podxl) is upregulated on tumors with high metastatic index and its presence is associated with poor outcome, thus emerging as an important prognostic and theragnostic marker in several human cancers. Moreover, in human tumor xenograft models, Podxl expression promotes tumor growth and metastasis. Although a promising target for immunotherapy, the expression of Podxl on normal vascular endothelia and kidney podocytes could hamper efforts to therapeutically target this molecule. Since pathways regulating post-translational modifications are frequently perturbed in cancer cells, we sought to produce novel anti-Podxl antibodies (Abs) that selectively recognize tumor-restricted glycoepitopes on the extracellular mucin domain of Podxl. Methods Splenic B cells were isolated from rabbits immunized with a Podxl-expressing human tumor cell line. Abs from these B cells were screened for potent reactivity to Podxl+ neoplastic cell lines but not Podxl+ primary endothelial cells. Transcripts encoding heavy and light chain variable regions from promising B cells were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins. Tumor specificity was assessed using primary normal tissue and an ovarian cancer tissue microarray (TMA). Mapping of the tumor-restricted epitope was performed using enzyme-treated human tumor cell lines and a glycan array. Results One mAb (PODO447) showed strong reactivity with a variety of Podxl+ tumor cell lines but not with normal primary human tissue including Podxl+ kidney podocytes and most vascular endothelia. Screening of an ovarian carcinoma TMA (219 cases) revealed PODO447 reactivity with the majority of tumors, including 65% of the high-grade serous histotype. Subsequent biochemical analyses determined that PODO447 reacts with a highly unusual terminal N-acetylgalactosamine beta-1 (GalNAcβ1) motif predominantly found on the Podxl protein core. Finally, Ab–drug conjugates showed specific efficacy in killing tumor cells in vitro. Conclusions We have generated a novel and exquisitely tumor-restricted mAb, PODO447, that recognizes a glycoepitope on Podxl expressed at high levels by a variety of tumors including the majority of life-threatening high-grade serous ovarian tumors. Thus, tumor-restricted PODO447 exhibits the appropriate specificity for further development as a targeted immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael R Hughes
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pamela Dean
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Peter Bergqvist
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ismael Samudio
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ola Blixt
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), University of Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | - Katharina Wiedemeyer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yicong Li
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Bond
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eric Cruz
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Martin Köbel
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Blake Gilks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Calvin D Roskelley
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre and School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hughes MR, Canals Hernaez D, Cait J, Refaeli I, Lo BC, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. A sticky wicket: Defining molecular functions for CD34 in hematopoietic cells. Exp Hematol 2020; 86:1-14. [PMID: 32422232 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The CD34 cell surface antigen is widely expressed in tissues on cells with progenitor-like properties and on mature vascular endothelia. In adult human bone marrow, CD34 marks hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) starting from the bulk of hematopoietic stem cells with long-term repopulating potential (LT-HSCs) throughout expansion and differentiation of oligopotent and unipotent progenitors. CD34 protein surface expression is typically lost as cells mature into terminal effectors. Because of this expression pattern of HSPCs, CD34 has had a central role in the evaluation or selection of donor graft tissue in HSC transplant (HSCT). Given its clinical importance, it is surprising that the biological functions of CD34 are still poorly understood. This enigma is due, in part, to CD34's context-specific role as both a pro-adhesive and anti-adhesive molecule and its potential functional redundancy with other sialomucins. Moreover, there are also critical differences in the regulation of CD34 expression on HSPCs in humans and experimental mice. In this review, we highlight some of the more well-defined functions of CD34 in HSPCs with a focus on proposed functions most relevant to HSCT biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Hughes
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica Cait
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ido Refaeli
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bernard C Lo
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Calvin D Roskelley
- Life Sciences Institute, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lo BC, Canals Hernaez D, Scott RW, Hughes MR, Shin SB, Underhill TM, Takei F, McNagny KM. The Transcription Factor RORα Preserves ILC3 Lineage Identity and Function during Chronic Intestinal Infection. J Immunol 2019; 203:3209-3215. [PMID: 31676672 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are critical for host defense and tissue repair but can also contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases. The transcription factor RORα is required for ILC2 development but is also highly expressed by other ILC subsets where its function remains poorly defined. We previously reported that Rorasg/sg bone marrow chimeric mice (C57BL/6J) were protected from Salmonella-induced intestinal fibrosis due to defective ILC3 responses. In this study, single-cell RNA analysis of ILCs isolated from inflamed tissues indicates that RORα perturbation led to a reduction in ILC3 lineages. Furthermore, residual Rorasg/sg ILC3s have decreased expression of key signature genes, including Rorc and activating cytokine receptors. Collectively, our data suggest that RORα plays a key role in preserving functional ILC3s by modulating their ability to integrate environmental cues to efficiently produce cytokines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard C Lo
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - R Wilder Scott
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - Michael R Hughes
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - Samuel B Shin
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - T Michael Underhill
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - Fumio Takei
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lo BC, Shin SB, Canals Hernaez D, Refaeli I, Yu HB, Goebeler V, Cait A, Mohn WW, Vallance BA, McNagny KM. IL-22 Preserves Gut Epithelial Integrity and Promotes Disease Remission during Chronic Salmonella Infection. J Immunol 2019; 202:956-965. [PMID: 30617224 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1801308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The cytokine IL-22 is rapidly induced at barrier surfaces where it regulates host-protective antimicrobial immunity and tissue repair but can also enhance disease severity in some chronic inflammatory settings. Using the chronic Salmonella gastroenteritis model, Ab-mediated neutralization of IL-22 impaired intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and, consequently, exaggerated expression of proinflammatory cytokines. As disease normally resolved, neutralization of IL-22 caused luminal narrowing of the cecum-a feature reminiscent of fibrotic strictures seen in Crohn disease patients. Corresponding to the exaggerated immunopathology caused by IL-22 suppression, Salmonella burdens in the gut were reduced. This enhanced inflammation and pathogen clearance was associated with alterations in gut microbiome composition, including the overgrowth of Bacteroides acidifaciens Our findings thus indicate that IL-22 plays a protective role by limiting infection-induced gut immunopathology but can also lead to persistent pathogen colonization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard C Lo
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Samuel B Shin
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ido Refaeli
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Hong B Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V4, Canada
| | - Verena Goebeler
- Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada; and
| | - Alissa Cait
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - William W Mohn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Bruce A Vallance
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V4, Canada
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Messing M, Lo BC, Hughes MR, Hernaez DC, McNagny KM. The transcription factor ROR alpha preserves group 3 innate lymphoid cell lineage identity and function. The Journal of Immunology 2018. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.200.supp.49.25] [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: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are critical for host defense and tissue repair. The transcription factor RORα is essential for ILC2 development but it is also highly expressed by ILC3s where its function remains poorly defined. Previously, we found that Rorasg/sg bone marrow transplant (BMT) mice were protected from intestinal fibrosis in a Salmonella--induced model of Crohn’s disease and that this is due to defective cytokine production by ILC3s. In the current study, whole transcriptome sequencing analysis reveals a striking downregulation of ILC3 signature genes in RORα-deficient ILC3s isolated from Salmonella infected mice. In particular, the expression of genes involved in sensing an inflammatory milieu is attenuated. Moreover, we find that Rorasg/sg ILC3s fail to express IL-17A following ex vivo stimulation with IL-23 and IL-1β. Consistent with these observations, we also find that Rorasg/sg BMT mice are more susceptible to Citrobacter rodentium infection due to attenuated expression of IL-22 and impaired induction of antimicrobial peptides. Collectively, our data suggests that RORα plays a key role in preserving functional ILC3s by modulating their ability to sense environmental cues that stimulate the efficient production of cytokines. These observations also suggest that targeting ILC3 cells could be of therapeutic benefit in fibrosis associated with Crohn’s disease.
Collapse
|
11
|
Snyder KA, Hughes MR, Hedberg B, Brandon J, Hernaez DC, Bergqvist P, Cruz F, Po K, Graves ML, Turvey ME, Nielsen JS, Wilkins JA, McColl SR, Babcook JS, Roskelley CD, McNagny KM. Podocalyxin enhances breast tumor growth and metastasis and is a target for monoclonal antibody therapy. Breast Cancer Res 2015; 17:46. [PMID: 25887862 PMCID: PMC4423095 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-015-0562-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Podocalyxin (gene name PODXL) is a CD34-related sialomucin implicated in the regulation of cell adhesion, migration and polarity. Upregulated expression of podocalyxin is linked to poor patient survival in epithelial cancers. However, it is not known if podocalyxin has a functional role in tumor progression. Methods We silenced podocalyxin expression in the aggressive basal-like human (MDA-MB-231) and mouse (4T1) breast cancer cell lines and also overexpressed podocalyxin in the more benign human breast cancer cell line, MCF7. We evaluated how podocalyxin affects tumorsphere formation in vitro and compared the ability of podocalyxin-deficient and podocalyxin-replete cell lines to form tumors and metastasize using xenogenic or syngeneic transplant models in mice. Finally, in an effort to develop therapeutic treatments for systemic cancers, we generated a series of antihuman podocalyxin antibodies and screened these for their ability to inhibit tumor progression in xenografted mice. Results Although deletion of podocalyxin does not alter gross cell morphology and growth under standard (adherent) culture conditions, expression of PODXL is required for efficient formation of tumorspheres in vitro. Correspondingly, silencing podocalyxin resulted in attenuated primary tumor growth and invasiveness in mice and severely impaired the formation of distant metastases. Likewise, in competitive tumor engraftment assays where we injected a 50:50 mixture of control and shPODXL (short-hairpin RNA targeting PODXL)-expressing cells, we found that podocalyxin-deficient cells exhibited a striking decrease in the ability to form clonal tumors in the lung, liver and bone marrow. Finally, to validate podocalyxin as a viable target for immunotherapy, we screened a series of novel antihuman podocalyxin antibodies for their ability to inhibit tumor progression in vivo. One of these antibodies, PODOC1, potently blocked tumor growth and metastasis. Conclusions We show that podocalyxin plays a key role in the formation of primary tumors and distant tumor metastasis. In addition, we validate podocalyxin as potential target for monoclonal antibody therapy to inhibit primary tumor growth and systemic dissemination. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13058-015-0562-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Snyder
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Michael R Hughes
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Bradley Hedberg
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Jill Brandon
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Diana Canals Hernaez
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Peter Bergqvist
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Frederic Cruz
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Kelvin Po
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Marcia L Graves
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Michelle E Turvey
- Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Molecular & Biological Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
| | - Julie S Nielsen
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - John A Wilkins
- Department of Internal Medicine, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Shaun R McColl
- Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Molecular & Biological Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
| | - John S Babcook
- Centre for Drug Research and Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Calvin D Roskelley
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Kelly M McNagny
- The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2222 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|