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Pessino G, Scotti C, Maggi M, Immuno-Hub Consortium. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Old and Emerging Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:901. [PMID: 38473265 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), globally ranks sixth in incidence and third in cancer-related deaths. HCC risk factors include non-viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, environmental exposures, and genetic factors. No specific genetic alterations are unequivocally linked to HCC tumorigenesis. Current standard therapies include surgical options, systemic chemotherapy, and kinase inhibitors, like sorafenib and regorafenib. Immunotherapy, targeting immune checkpoints, represents a promising avenue. FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitors, such as atezolizumab and pembrolizumab, show efficacy, and combination therapies enhance clinical responses. Despite this, the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenge, as the complex tumor ecosystem and the immunosuppressive microenvironment associated with it hamper the efficacy of the available therapeutic approaches. This review explores current and advanced approaches to treat HCC, considering both known and new potential targets, especially derived from proteomic analysis, which is today considered as the most promising approach. Exploring novel strategies, this review discusses antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), and engineered antibodies. It then reports a systematic analysis of the main ligand/receptor pairs and molecular pathways reported to be overexpressed in tumor cells, highlighting their potential and limitations. Finally, it discusses TGFβ, one of the most promising targets of the HCC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Pessino
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudia Scotti
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maristella Maggi
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Immuno-Hub Consortium
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Guardamagna I, Iaria O, Lonati L, Mentana A, Previtali A, Uggè V, Ivaldi GB, Liotta M, Tabarelli de Fatis P, Scotti C, Pessino G, Maggi M, Baiocco G. Asparagine and Glutamine Deprivation Alters Ionizing Radiation Response, Migration and Adhesion of a p53 null Colorectal Cancer Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032983. [PMID: 36769302 PMCID: PMC9917910 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prominent form of colon cancer for both incidence (38.7 per 100,000 people) and mortality (13.9 per 100,000 people). CRC's poor response to standard therapies is linked to its high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Dysregulation or depletion of the tumor suppressor p53 is involved in CRC transformation and its capability to escape therapy, with p53null cancer subtypes known, in fact, to have a poor prognosis. In such a context, new therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing CRC proliferation must be investigated. In clinical practice, CRC chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy with the aim of blocking the expansion of the tumor mass or removing residual cancer cells, though contemporary targeting of amino acid metabolism has not yet been explored. In the present study, we used the p53null Caco-2 model cell line to evaluate the effect of a possible combination of radiation and L-Asparaginase (L-ASNase), a protein drug that blocks cancer proliferation by impairing asparagine and glutamine extracellular supply. When L-ASNase was administered immediately after IR, we observed a reduced proliferative capability, a delay in DNA-damage response and a reduced capability to adhere and migrate. Our data suggest that a correctly timed combination of X-rays and L-ASNase treatment could represent an advantage in CRC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Guardamagna
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ombretta Iaria
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Leonardo Lonati
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alice Mentana
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Previtali
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Virginia Uggè
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Marco Liotta
- Unit of Medical Physics, ICS Maugeri, IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Scotti
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Greta Pessino
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maristella Maggi
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Giorgio Baiocco
- Laboratory of Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology, Department of Physics, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Mele D, Pessino G, Trisolini G, Luchena A, Benazzo M, Morbini P, Mantovani S, Oliviero B, Mondelli MU, Varchetta S. Impaired intratumoral natural killer cell function in head and neck carcinoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:997806. [PMID: 36341402 PMCID: PMC9630640 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.997806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are emerging as unique players in the immune response against cancer; however, only limited data are available on tumor infiltrating NK cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), one of the most common cancer. Occurrence of HNSCC is closely related to the immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy is increasingly being applied to this setting. However, the limited success of this type of treatment in this tumor calls for further investigation in the field. Surgical HNSSC specimens of 32 consecutive patients were mechanically and enzymatically dissociated. Tumor cells were separated from infiltrating cells by short centrifugation and infiltrating NK cells were phenotypically and functionally characterized by multiple antibody staining and flow cytometry. Tumor infiltrating NK cells in HNSCC showed a peculiar phenotype predominantly characterized by increased NKG2A and reduced Siglec-7, NKG2D, NKp30 and CD16 expression. This phenotype was associated with a decreased ability to perform antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, NK, CD4 and CD8 shared an increment of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor-related (GITR) costimulatory receptor which could be exploited for immunotherapy with agonistic anti-GITR antibodies combined with checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalila Mele
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Greta Pessino
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Trisolini
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alberto Luchena
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Benazzo
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Patrizia Morbini
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Mantovani
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Barbara Oliviero
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mario U. Mondelli
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- *Correspondence: Stefania Varchetta, ; Mario U. Mondelli,
| | - Stefania Varchetta
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- *Correspondence: Stefania Varchetta, ; Mario U. Mondelli,
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Oliviero B, Varchetta S, Mele D, Pessino G, Maiello R, Falleni M, Tosi D, Donadon M, Soldani C, Franceschini B, Torzilli G, Piccolo G, Barabino M, Opocher E, Maestri M, Bernuzzi S, Wucherpfennig KW, Mondelli MU, Mantovani S. MICA/B-targeted antibody promotes NK cell-driven tumor immunity in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2035919. [PMID: 35223192 PMCID: PMC8865231 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2035919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex-class I chain related proteins A and B (MICA/B) is upregulated because of cellular stress and MICA/B shedding by cancer cells causes escape from NKG2D recognition favoring the emergence of cancers. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a relatively rare, though increasingly prevalent, primary liver cancer characterized by a late clinical presentation and a dismal prognosis. We explored the NKG2D-MICA/B axis in NK cells from 41 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). The MICA/B-specific 7C6 mAb was used for ex vivo antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC) experiments using circulating, non tumor liver- and tumor-infiltrating NK cells against the HuCCT-1 cell line and patient-derived primary iCCA cells as targets. MICA/B were more expressed in iCCA than in non-tumoral tissue, MICA transcription being higher in moderately-differentiated compared with poorly-differentiated cancer. Serum MICA was elevated in iCCA patients in line with higher expression of ADAM10 and ADAM17 that are responsible for proteolytic release of MICA/B from tumor. Addition of 7C6 significantly boosted peripheral, liver- and tumor-infiltrating-NK cell degranulation and IFNγ production toward MICA/B-expressing established cell lines and autologous iCCA patient target cells. Our data show that anti-MICA/B drives NK cell anti-tumor activity, and provide preclinical evidence in support of 7C6 as a potential immunotherapeutic tool for iCCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Oliviero
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Varchetta
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Dalila Mele
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Greta Pessino
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberta Maiello
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Monica Falleni
- Department of Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, State University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Delfina Tosi
- Department of Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, State University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Donadon
- Department of Hepatobiliary and General Surgery, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas University, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Cristiana Soldani
- Department of Hepatobiliary and General Surgery, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas University, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Barbara Franceschini
- Department of Hepatobiliary and General Surgery, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas University, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Guido Torzilli
- Department of Hepatobiliary and General Surgery, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Humanitas University, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Gaetano Piccolo
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, and State University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Barabino
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, and State University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Opocher
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, and State University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcello Maestri
- Division of General Surgery 1, Department of Surgery, Fondazione Irccs Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Bernuzzi
- Immunohematology and Transfusion Service, Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Kai W. Wucherpfennig
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mario U. Mondelli
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy,Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy,CONTACT Mario U. Mondelli UOC Immunologia Clinica – Malattie Infettive, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Golgi 19, Pavia27100, Italy
| | - Stefania Mantovani
- Division of Clinical Immunology - Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
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de Jonge H, Iamele L, Maggi M, Pessino G, Scotti C. Anti-Cancer Auto-Antibodies: Roles, Applications and Open Issues. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:813. [PMID: 33672007 PMCID: PMC7919283 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Auto-antibodies are classically associated with autoimmune diseases, where they are an integral part of diagnostic panels. However, recent evidence is accumulating on the presence of auto-antibodies against single or selected panels of auto-antigens in many types of cancer. Auto-antibodies might initially represent an epiphenomenon derived from the inflammatory environment induced by the tumor. However, their effect on tumor evolution can be crucial, as is discussed in this paper. It has been demonstrated that some of these auto-antibodies can be used for early detection and cancer staging, as well as for monitoring of cancer regression during treatment and follow up. Interestingly, certain auto-antibodies were found to promote cancer progression and metastasis, while others contribute to the body's defense against it. Moreover, auto-antibodies are of a polyclonal nature, which means that often several antibodies are involved in the response to a single tumor antigen. Dissection of these antibody specificities is now possible, allowing their identification at the genetic, structural, and epitope levels. In this review, we report the evidence available on the presence of auto-antibodies in the main cancer types and discuss some of the open issues that still need to be addressed by the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Claudia Scotti
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (H.d.J.); (L.I.); (M.M.); (G.P.)
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