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Bashari MH, Fan F, Vallet S, Sattler M, Arn M, Luckner-Minden C, Schulze-Bergkamen H, Zörnig I, Marme F, Schneeweiss A, Cardone MH, Opferman JT, Jäger D, Podar K. Correction: Mcl-1 confers protection of Her2-positive breast cancer cells to hypoxia: therapeutic implications. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:58. [PMID: 38566222 PMCID: PMC10988845 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01811-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hasan Bashari
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Eijkman 38, Bandung, 02215, Indonesia
| | - Fengjuan Fan
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sonia Vallet
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Sattler
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Melissa Arn
- Eutropics, Inc., 767C Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Claudia Luckner-Minden
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Schulze-Bergkamen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik Marme
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneeweiss
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Joseph T Opferman
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Klaus Podar
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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2
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Meyer M, Parpoulas C, Barthélémy T, Becker JP, Charoentong P, Lyu Y, Börsig S, Bulbuc N, Tessmer C, Weinacht L, Ibberson D, Schmidt P, Pipkorn R, Eichmüller SB, Steinberger P, Lindner K, Poschke I, Platten M, Fröhling S, Riemer AB, Hassel JC, Roberti MP, Jäger D, Zörnig I, Momburg F. MediMer: a versatile do-it-yourself peptide-receptive MHC class I multimer platform for tumor neoantigen-specific T cell detection. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1294565. [PMID: 38239352 PMCID: PMC10794645 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1294565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptide-loaded MHC class I (pMHC-I) multimers have revolutionized our capabilities to monitor disease-associated T cell responses with high sensitivity and specificity. To improve the discovery of T cell receptors (TCR) targeting neoantigens of individual tumor patients with recombinant MHC molecules, we developed a peptide-loadable MHC class I platform termed MediMer. MediMers are based on soluble disulfide-stabilized β2-microglobulin/heavy chain ectodomain single-chain dimers (dsSCD) that can be easily produced in large quantities in eukaryotic cells and tailored to individual patients' HLA allotypes with only little hands-on time. Upon transient expression in CHO-S cells together with ER-targeted BirA biotin ligase, biotinylated dsSCD are purified from the cell supernatant and are ready to use. We show that CHO-produced dsSCD are free of endogenous peptide ligands. Empty dsSCD from more than 30 different HLA-A,B,C allotypes, that were produced and validated so far, can be loaded with synthetic peptides matching the known binding criteria of the respective allotypes, and stored at low temperature without loss of binding activity. We demonstrate the usability of peptide-loaded dsSCD multimers for the detection of human antigen-specific T cells with comparable sensitivities as multimers generated with peptide-tethered β2m-HLA heavy chain single-chain trimers (SCT) and wild-type peptide-MHC-I complexes prior formed in small-scale refolding reactions. Using allotype-specific, fluorophore-labeled competitor peptides, we present a novel dsSCD-based peptide binding assay capable of interrogating large libraries of in silico predicted neoepitope peptides by flow cytometry in a high-throughput and rapid format. We discovered rare T cell populations with specificity for tumor neoepitopes and epitopes from shared tumor-associated antigens in peripheral blood of a melanoma patient including a so far unreported HLA-C*08:02-restricted NY-ESO-1-specific CD8+ T cell population. Two representative TCR of this T cell population, which could be of potential value for a broader spectrum of patients, were identified by dsSCD-guided single-cell sequencing and were validated by cognate pMHC-I multimer staining and functional responses to autologous peptide-pulsed antigen presenting cells. By deploying the technically accessible dsSCD MHC-I MediMer platform, we hope to significantly improve success rates for the discovery of personalized neoepitope-specific TCR in the future by being able to also cover rare HLA allotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marten Meyer
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Parpoulas
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Titouan Barthélémy
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas P. Becker
- Division of Immunotherapy and Immunoprevention, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pornpimol Charoentong
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Biosystems (Bioquant), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yanhong Lyu
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Selina Börsig
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nadja Bulbuc
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Tessmer
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Weinacht
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Ibberson
- Deep Sequencing Core Facility, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Schmidt
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- GMP and T Cell Therapy, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter Steinberger
- Division of Immune Receptors and T Cell Activation, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Lindner
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabel Poschke
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Platten
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Immune Monitoring Unit, NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Core Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center, Mannheim, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology, Mainz (HI-TRON Mainz), Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefan Fröhling
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Core Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angelika B. Riemer
- Division of Immunotherapy and Immunoprevention, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jessica C. Hassel
- Section of DermatoOncology, Department of Dermatology and NCT, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Paula Roberti
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Momburg
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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3
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Boga E, Berger L, De Roia A, Zörnig I, Embacher R, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Harbottle R, Schmidt P. Abstract 1769: A combination approach of a cellular library and single cell microfluidics analysis for the rapid selection of CAR-T cells. Cancer Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2023-1769] [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
Within the last decade CAR-T cells have changed the landscape of treatment regimen for leukemia and myeloma, which is reflected by the first FDA approval of this class of living drugs in 2017. As of today, the clinical trial situation aims on CAR-T applicability in solid tumors, which is more arduous due to antigen heterogeneity and limited CAR-T persistence. More personalized and multi-target oriented cellular products may offer a solution to overcome these problems but then CAR identification and selection display the major bottleneck in the drug development process. Usually, matching scFvs are selected from targeting screens of a phage-display library and hits are subsequently cloned in CAR backbones and tested for functionality and possible limiting factors as the occurrence of tonic signaling. This makes the whole process very time consuming and laborious. Within this project, we propose a novel CAR-T selection method that rapidly shortens the discovery procedure. We have developed a full length CAR library in nS/MARt DNA vectors that is electroporated in a Jurkat reporter cell line reflecting entirely its full diversity. By this, we can quickly identify the amount of tonic signaling CARs and exclude them from further selection. For on-target selection we first perform a bulk pre-selection followed by a single cell functionality screening using the Berkeley Lights Lightning™ device. This allows us to export hits as clonal viable cells that undergo long length Nanopore CAR-RNA sequencing. Our findings show the feasibility of our approach and that it can shorten the timeframe needed for the full selection process from weeks to days.
Citation Format: Eren Boga, Luisa Berger, Alice De Roia, Inka Zörnig, Robert Embacher, Stefan B. Eichmüller, Dirk Jäger, Richard Harbottle, Patrick Schmidt. A combination approach of a cellular library and single cell microfluidics analysis for the rapid selection of CAR-T cells [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 1769.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eren Boga
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa Berger
- 2German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Inka Zörnig
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Dirk Jäger
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Patrick Schmidt
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Longuespée R, Theile D, Zörnig I, Hassel JC, Lindner JR, Haefeli WE, Fresnais M. Molecular prediction of clinical response to
anti‐PD
‐1/
anti‐PD‐L1
immune checkpoint inhibitors: new perspectives for precision medicine and mass spectrometry‐based investigations. Int J Cancer 2022; 153:252-264. [PMID: 36408912 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34366] [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] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) acting as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are among the most frequently used immunotherapies in oncology. However, precision medicine approaches to adapt the treatment to the patient are still poorly exploited. Given the risk of severe adverse reactions, predicting patient eligibility for ICI therapy represents a great asset for precision medicine. Today, the extended panel of mass spectrometric approaches, accompanied by newly developed sample preparation methods is a strategy of choice for responder and non-responder stratification on a molecular basis, and early detection of resistance. In this perspective article, we review the biodisposition of mAbs, the interest in molecular stratification of patients treated with these mAbs, and the possible analytical strategies to achieve this goal, with a major emphasis on mass spectrometric approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Longuespée
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Dirk Theile
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology and National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jessica C. Hassel
- Department of Dermatology and National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Joshua Raoul Lindner
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Walter E. Haefeli
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Margaux Fresnais
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410 Heidelberg Germany
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5
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Neukirch L, Schmidt P, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Uhrig-Schmidt S. Abstract 3563: CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor rejection by an Adeno-associated virus-like particle (AAVLP) vaccine. Cancer Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2022-3563] [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
The utilization of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as vaccines has primarily been focused on the induction of antibody responses. Displaying antigens derived from HER2 or HPV on the AAV capsid surface lead to strong humoral immune responses. However, the potential of AAVs as T cell inducing vaccines has been poorly investigated. Model antigens have been inserted into the capsid of AAVs to analyze T cell responses, but these studies rather focused on preventing vector immunity for an improved tolerance of gene therapies. By using this as a starting point, we set out to test AAVs as T cell inducing vaccines with the prospect of targeting cancer neoantigens. In first experiments, the general properties of the vaccination strategy were estimated by displaying the ovalbumin-derived model antigen SIINFEKL on the surface of adeno-associated virus-like particles (AAVLPs). Upon injection of the AAVLP-SIINFEKL vaccine, mice developed strong CD8+ T cell responses against the displayed antigen. Highest immune responses were achieved by subcutaneous hock injection of AAVLPs, adjuvanted by Montanide ISA 51 VG. SIINFEKL-specific T cell responses peaked around three weeks after vaccination, whereas a memory subset remained present for long term. The anti-tumor efficacy of the vaccine was shown by injecting SIINFEKL-expressing B16F10 melanoma cells subcutaneously into mice, in which the tumor was completely rejected after vaccination. Interestingly, the induction of CD8+ T cell responses and the tumor protection depended on the presence of CD4+ T cells. Accordingly, T helper epitopes were identified in the AAVLP capsid sequence. In addition to the initial tests, a set of murine neoantigens, derived from B16F10 cells, were displayed on AAVLPs. In direct comparison to a peptide vaccine, which did not have an effect on tumor growth, the AAVLP vaccine had a significant impact on the tumor growth rate. In conclusion, AAVLPs show promising effects as T cell vaccines. The vaccination strategy can be used to induce cytotoxic T cell responses in general and anti-tumor effects in particular. AAV capsid-specific helper epitopes is one inherent advantage, since the AAVLP vaccine delivers immune stimulation within the viral particle itself. Thus, antigen-displaying AAVLPs could be an alternative to current gold standards in the field of neoantigen vaccines and have a prospect for future clinical applications.
Citation Format: Lasse Neukirch, Patrick Schmidt, Inka Zörnig, Dirk Jäger, Silke Uhrig-Schmidt. CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor rejection by an Adeno-associated virus-like particle (AAVLP) vaccine [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3563.
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6
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Ahmed A, Köhler S, Klotz R, Giese N, Hackert T, Springfeld C, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Tertiary lymphoid structures and their association to immune phenotypes and circulatory IL2 levels in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2027148. [PMID: 35127251 PMCID: PMC8812743 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2027148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is usually unresponsive to immunotherapeutic approaches. However, tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are associated with favorable patient outcomes in PDA. A better understanding of the B cell infiltrate and biological features of TLS formation is needed to further explore their potential and improve patient management. We analyzed tumor tissues (n = 55) and corresponding blood samples (n = 51) from PDA patients by systematical immunohistochemistry and multiplex cytokine measurements. The tissue was compartmentalized in "tumor" and "stroma" and separately examined. Clinical patient information was used to perform survival analyses. We found that the mere number of B cells is not associated with patient survival, but formation of TLS in the peritumoral stroma is a prognostic favorable marker in PDA patients. TLS-positive tissues show a higher density of CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells and a higher IL2 level in the peritumoral stroma than tissues without TLS. Compartmental assessment shows that gradients of IL2 expression differ with regard to TLS formation: TLS presence is associated with higher IL2 levels in the stromal than in the tumoral compartment, while no difference is seen in patients without TLS. Focusing on the stroma-to-serum gradient, only patients without TLS show significantly higher IL2 levels in the serum than in stroma. Finally, low circulatory IL2 levels are associated with local TLS formation. Our findings highlight that TLS are prognostic favorable and associated with antitumoral features in the microenvironment of PDA. Also, we propose easily accessible serum IL2 levels as a potential marker for TLS prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azaz Ahmed
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Immunotherapy (D240), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophia Köhler
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rosa Klotz
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalia Giese
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thilo Hackert
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Springfeld
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit (D120), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Immunotherapy (D240), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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7
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Morigny P, Kaltenecker D, Zuber J, Machado J, Mehr L, Tsokanos FF, Kuzi H, Hermann CD, Voelkl M, Monogarov G, Springfeld C, Laurent V, Engelmann B, Friess H, Zörnig I, Krüger A, Krijgsveld J, Prokopchuk O, Fisker Schmidt S, Rohm M, Herzig S, Berriel Diaz M. Association of circulating PLA2G7 levels with cancer cachexia and assessment of darapladib as a therapy. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2021; 12:1333-1351. [PMID: 34427055 PMCID: PMC8517355 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer cachexia (CCx) is a multifactorial wasting disorder characterized by involuntary loss of body weight that affects many cancer patients and implies a poor prognosis, reducing both tolerance to and efficiency of anticancer therapies. Actual challenges in management of CCx remain in the identification of tumour-derived and host-derived mediators involved in systemic inflammation and tissue wasting and in the discovery of biomarkers that would allow for an earlier and personalized care of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to identify new markers of CCx across different species and tumour entities. METHODS Quantitative secretome analysis was performed to identify specific factors characteristic of cachexia-inducing cancer cell lines. To establish the subsequently identified phospholipase PLA2G7 as a marker of CCx, plasma PLA2G7 activity and/or protein levels were measured in well-established mouse models of CCx and in different cohorts of weight-stable and weight-losing cancer patients with different tumour entities. Genetic PLA2G7 knock-down in tumours and pharmacological treatment using the well-studied PLA2G7 inhibitor darapladib were performed to assess its implication in the pathogenesis of CCx in C26 tumour-bearing mice. RESULTS High expression and secretion of PLA2G7 were hallmarks of cachexia-inducing cancer cell lines. Circulating PLA2G7 activity was increased in different mouse models of CCx with various tumour entities and was associated with the severity of body wasting. Circulating PLA2G7 levels gradually rose during cachexia development. Genetic PLA2G7 knock-down in C26 tumours only partially reduced plasma PLA2G7 levels, suggesting that the host is also an important contributor. Chronic treatment with darapladib was not sufficient to counteract inflammation and tissue wasting despite a strong inhibition of the circulating PLA2G7 activity. Importantly, PLA2G7 levels were also increased in colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients with CCx. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our data show that despite no immediate pathogenic role, at least when targeted as a single entity, PLA2G7 is a consistent marker of CCx in both mice and humans. The early increase in circulating PLA2G7 levels in pre-cachectic mice supports future prospective studies to assess its potential as biomarker for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Morigny
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Doris Kaltenecker
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Julia Zuber
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Juliano Machado
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Mehr
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Foivos-Filippos Tsokanos
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hanna Kuzi
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,School of Medicine, Institutes of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Chris D Hermann
- School of Medicine, Institutes of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Voelkl
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Christoph Springfeld
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Victor Laurent
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bernd Engelmann
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Friess
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Achim Krüger
- School of Medicine, Institutes of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jeroen Krijgsveld
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olga Prokopchuk
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,School of Medicine, Institutes of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Søren Fisker Schmidt
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maria Rohm
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Stephan Herzig
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.,Chair Molecular Metabolic Control, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mauricio Berriel Diaz
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.,Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
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8
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Ahmed A, Köhler S, Klotz R, Giese N, Lasitschka F, Hackert T, Springfeld C, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Peripheral blood and tissue assessment highlights differential tumor-circulatory gradients of IL2 and MIF with prognostic significance in resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1962135. [PMID: 34408923 PMCID: PMC8366538 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1962135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Various reports have pointed out the potential of cytokines as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Nonetheless, the evidence is contradictory and the role of chronic inflammation and relationship between circulatory and corresponding tumoral cytokine levels remain elusive. Utilizing a broad array of cytokines, we identified two opposing parameters: serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL2) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) are diagnostic and prognostic factors. While low IL2 levels are associated with PDA, they also relate to a favorable prognosis of patients. In contrast, high MIF levels are associated with PDA and simultaneously related to an unfavorable outcome. MIF levels are associated with the intratumoral density of M2 macrophages (CD163+). Focusing on the tumor-to-serum gradient, we unveiled a different pattern of compartmental cytokine expression between IL2 and MIF. Our findings indicate that an extra-tumoral source of IL2 exists in PDA patients leading to increased detectability in the circulatory system. In case of MIF, the tumor microenvironment is presumably the main site of production and thereby reflected by serum measurements. Taken together, our study describes IL2 and MIF levels as biomarker candidates for diagnosis and prognosis of PDA, highlighting the need for compartmental cytokine analyses. From the perspective of tumor immunobiology, we identify multiple inflammatory states (proposed as types I-III) and see that systemic chronic dysregulation, independent of tumor microenvironment, can be measured and is a possible tool for stratification. Thus, direct correlation of local cytokine levels to peripheral blood levels needs to be regarded with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azaz Ahmed
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Immunotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophia Köhler
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rosa Klotz
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalia Giese
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Lasitschka
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thilo Hackert
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Springfeld
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Immunotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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9
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Warwas KM, Meyer M, Gonçalves M, Moldenhauer G, Bulbuc N, Knabe S, Luckner-Minden C, Ziegelmeier C, Heussel CP, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Momburg F. Co-Stimulatory Bispecific Antibodies Induce Enhanced T Cell Activation and Tumor Cell Killing in Breast Cancer Models. Front Immunol 2021; 12:719116. [PMID: 34484225 PMCID: PMC8415424 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.719116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although T cell-recruiting CD3-binding bispecific antibodies (BiMAb) have been proven to be clinically effective for hematologic malignancies, the success of BiMAb targeting solid tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in carcinomas so far remains poor. We reasoned that provision of co-stimulatory BiMAb in combination with αTAA-αCD3 BiMAb would boost T cell activation and proliferative capacity, and thereby facilitate the targeting of weakly or heterogeneously expressed tumor antigens. Various αTAA-αCD3 and αTAA-αCD28 BiMAb in a tetravalent IgG1-Fc based format have been analyzed, targeting multiple breast cancer antigens including HER2, EGFR, CEA, and EpCAM. Moreover, bifunctional fusion proteins of αTAA-tumor necrosis factor ligand (TNFL) superfamily members including 4-1BBL, OX40L, CD70 and TL1A have been tested. The functional activity of BiMAb was assessed using co-cultures of tumor cell lines and purified T cells in monolayer and tumor spheroid models. Only in the presence of tumor cells, αTAA-αCD3 BiMAb activated T cells and induced cytotoxicity in vitro, indicating a strict dependence on cross-linking. Combination treatment of αTAA-αCD3 BiMAb and co-stimulatory αTAA-αCD28 or αTAA-TNFL fusion proteins drastically enhanced T cell activation in terms of proliferation, activation marker expression, cytokine secretion and tumor cytotoxicity. Furthermore, BiMAb providing co-stimulation were shown to reduce the minimally required dose to achieve T cell activation by at least tenfold. Immuno-suppressive effects of TGF-β and IL-10 on T cell activation and memory cell formation could be overcome by co-stimulation. BiMAb-mediated co-stimulation was further augmented by immune checkpoint-inhibiting antibodies. Effective co-stimulation could be achieved by targeting a second breast cancer antigen, or by targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expressed on another target cell. In tumor spheroids derived from pleural effusions of breast cancer patients, co-stimulatory BiMAb were essential for the activation tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and cytotoxic anti-tumor responses against breast cancer cells. Taken together we showed that co-stimulation significantly potentiated the tumoricidal activity of T cell-activating BiMAb while preserving the dependence on TAA recognition. This approach could provide for a more localized activation of the immune system with higher efficacy and reduced peripheral toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karsten M. Warwas
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marten Meyer
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Márcia Gonçalves
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Nadja Bulbuc
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Knabe
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Luckner-Minden
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Ziegelmeier
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claus Peter Heussel
- Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology With Nuclear Medicine, Thoraxklinik at Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Lung Research Center (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Momburg
- Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Bozza M, De Roia A, Correia MP, Berger A, Tuch A, Schmidt A, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Schmidt P, Harbottle RP. A nonviral, nonintegrating DNA nanovector platform for the safe, rapid, and persistent manufacture of recombinant T cells. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/16/eabf1333. [PMID: 33853779 PMCID: PMC8046366 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf1333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The compelling need to provide adoptive cell therapy (ACT) to an increasing number of oncology patients within a meaningful therapeutic window makes the development of an efficient, fast, versatile, and safe genetic tool for creating recombinant T cells indispensable. In this study, we used nonintegrating minimally sized DNA vectors with an enhanced capability of generating genetically modified cells, and we demonstrate that they can be efficiently used to engineer human T lymphocytes. This vector platform contains no viral components and is capable of replicating extrachromosomally in the nucleus of dividing cells, providing persistent transgene expression in human T cells without affecting their behavior and molecular integrity. We use this technology to provide a manufacturing protocol to quickly generate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells at clinical scale in a closed system and demonstrate their enhanced anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo in comparison to previously described integrating vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Bozza
- DNA Vector Laboratory, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alice De Roia
- DNA Vector Laboratory, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, MCTN Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Bioscience, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Margareta P Correia
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, Research Center of Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Aileen Berger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumorimmunity, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Medical Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Tuch
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumorimmunity, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Medical Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Inka Zörnig
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Medical Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumorimmunity, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Medical Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Schmidt
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Medical Oncology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, Heidelberg, Germany
- GMP & T cell Therapy Unit, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard P Harbottle
- DNA Vector Laboratory, DKFZ Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, Heidelberg, Germany.
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11
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Tiwari-Heckler S, Rauber C, Longhi MS, Zörnig I, Schnitzler P, Jäger D, Giese T, Merle U. Dysregulated Host Response in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2-Induced Critical Illness. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab019. [PMID: 33778090 PMCID: PMC7928547 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired immune response has been reported to be the cause of the development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related respiratory failure. Further studies are needed to understand the immunopathogenesis and to enable an improved stratification of patients who are at risk for critical illness. METHODS Thirty-two severely ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were recruited in our center at the University Hospital Heidelberg. We performed a comprehensive analysis of immune phenotype, cytokine, and chemokine profiling and leukocyte transcripts in patients with severe COVID-19 and compared critically ill patients who required mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy and noncritically ill patient who received low-flow oxygen therapy. RESULTS Critically ill patients exhibited low levels of CD8 T cells and myeloid dendritic cells. We noted a pronounced CCR6+ TH17 phenotype in CD4 central memory cells and elevated circulating levels of interleukin-17 in the critical group. Gene expression of leukocytes derived from critically ill patients was characterized by an upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and reduction of interferon (IFN)-responsive genes upon stimulation with Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist. When correlating clinical improvement and immune kinetics, we found that CD8 T-cell subsets and myeloid dendritic cells significantly increased after disconnection from the ventilator. CONCLUSION Critical illness was characterized by a TH17-mediated response and dysfunctional IFN-associated response, indicating an impaired capacity to mount antiviral responses during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 severe infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Tiwari-Heckler
- Department of Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Conrad Rauber
- Department of Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Serena Longhi
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Schnitzler
- Department of Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Giese
- Institute of Immunology, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uta Merle
- Department of Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Fresnais M, Yildirim E, Karabulut S, Jäger D, Zörnig I, Benzel J, Pajtler KW, Pfister SM, Burhenne J, Haefeli WE, Longuespée R. Rapid MALDI-MS Assays for Drug Quantification in Biological Matrices: Lessons Learned, New Developments, and Future Perspectives. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26051281. [PMID: 33652935 PMCID: PMC7956427 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has rarely been used in the field of therapeutic drug monitoring, partly because of the complexity of the ionization processes between the compounds to be quantified and the many MALDI matrices available. The development of a viable MALDI-MS method that meets regulatory guidelines for bioanalytical method validation requires prior knowledge of the suitability of (i) the MALDI matrix with the analyte class and properties for ionization, (ii) the crystallization properties of the MALDI matrix with automation features, and (iii) the MS instrumentation used to achieve sensitive and specific measurements in order to determine low pharmacological drug concentrations in biological matrices. In the present hybrid article/white paper, we review the developments required for the establishment of MALDI-MS assays for the quantification of drugs in tissues and plasma, illustrated with concrete results for the different steps. We summarize the necessary parameters that need to be controlled for the successful development of fully validated MALDI-MS methods according to regulatory authorities, as well as currently unsolved problems and promising ways to address them. Finally, we propose an expert opinion on future perspectives and needs in order to establish MALDI-MS as a universal method for therapeutic drug monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Fresnais
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
| | - Esra Yildirim
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
| | - Seda Karabulut
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
| | - Dirk Jäger
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (D.J.); (I.Z.)
| | - Inka Zörnig
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg, Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (D.J.); (I.Z.)
| | - Julia Benzel
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.B.); (K.W.P.); (S.M.P.)
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristian W. Pajtler
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.B.); (K.W.P.); (S.M.P.)
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan M. Pfister
- Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.B.); (K.W.P.); (S.M.P.)
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Burhenne
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
| | - Walter E. Haefeli
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
| | - Rémi Longuespée
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (M.F.); (E.Y.); (S.K.); (J.B.); (W.E.H.)
- Correspondence:
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13
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Valous NA, Moraleda RR, Jäger D, Zörnig I, Halama N. Interrogating the microenvironmental landscape of tumors with computational image analysis approaches. Semin Immunol 2020; 48:101411. [PMID: 33168423 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2020.101411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is an interacting heterogeneous collection of cancer cells, resident as well as infiltrating host cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. With the growing importance of immunotherapies, it has become crucial to be able to characterize the composition and the functional orientation of the microenvironment. The development of novel computational image analysis methodologies may enable the robust quantification and localization of immune and related biomarker-expressing cells within the microenvironment. The aim of the review is to concisely highlight a selection of current and significant contributions pertinent to methodological advances coupled with biomedical or translational applications. A further aim is to concisely present computational advances that, to our knowledge, have currently very limited use for the assessment of the microenvironment but have the potential to enhance image analysis pipelines; on this basis, an example is shown for the detection and segmentation of cells of the microenvironment using a published pipeline and a public dataset. Finally, a general proposal is presented on the conceptual design of automation-optimized computational image analysis workflows in the biomedical and clinical domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nektarios A Valous
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Rodrigo Rojas Moraleda
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Translational Immunotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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14
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Ahmed A, Ferber D, Suarez-Carmona M, Lenoir B, Klotz R, Hackert T, Giese N, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Abstract C02: Establishment of a human PDAC explant culture model for treatment prediction and characterization of the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.panca19-c02] [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
Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth most common cause of death from cancer, with a 5-year survival of less than 8%. To date, the therapeutic approaches are chemotherapy regimens. Despite promising data from various preclinical models, new immunotherapeutic agents like checkpoint inhibitors (CPI), vaccines, oncolytic viruses, or TGFβ inhibitors do not show a benefit in the overall survival of patients. Thus, especially in PDAC and in respect to the immune system, there is an urgent need for sufficient preclinical systems that can mirror a human patient scenario. Therefore, we developed a human-based pipeline of whole explant tissue culture using PDAC to predict responses of the tumor to different types of treatments in a personalized manner.
Material and Methods: Human cancer tissue is taken into culture after surgery for several days. We tested different timings and technical variations (e.g., thickness of explants, medium changing protocols) to find superior conditions for tissue viability. In culture, the explants can be treated with (pre-) clinical-grade drugs and subsequently processed for quality controls via evaluation of the tissue integrity (on H&E slides) and cytokine stability. Also, histologic analyzes (e.g., cancer cells, T cells, B cells, macrophages) as well as multiplex cytokine analyzes are carried out. This combined approach enables us to study the impact of various drugs on the tissue in terms of tumor cell death, changes in the infiltration and activation of lymphocytes and macrophage polarization, etc. Results In vivo features of the tissue and the matrix architecture as well as the cytokine signatures are well maintained in the explants. Our model is reproducible among different explants of the same tissue in terms of infiltrating cells and cytokine expression. In addition, we were able to achieve an overview of the cytokine signature of PDAC in patients and to distinguish between clusters of patients by identifying different immune landscapes, for example, immunologically hot and cold subtypes.
Discussion: Our model is usable as a predictive system for the response of PDAC to different types of treatments and seems to be a reliable and sufficient preclinical extension alternative to mouse models, single-cell experiments, or organoid models. The whole context of the tissue is from human origin and we aim to expand our platform for multiscreening of drug responses for personalized decision-making. Furthermore, we described the tumor microenvironment in detail, unraveling the complex cytokine signature of PDAC, and subsequently identified different clusters of immune landscapes, which may be of prognostic value.
Citation Format: Azaz Ahmed, Dyke Ferber, Meggy Suarez-Carmona, Bénédicte Lenoir, Rosa Klotz, Thilo Hackert, Nathalia Giese, Inka Zörnig, Dirk Jäger, Niels Halama. Establishment of a human PDAC explant culture model for treatment prediction and characterization of the tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr C02.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azaz Ahmed
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases & German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany,
| | - Dyke Ferber
- 2National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany,
| | | | | | - Rosa Klotz
- 3Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery (University Hospital Heidelberg), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thilo Hackert
- 3Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery (University Hospital Heidelberg), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalia Giese
- 3Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery (University Hospital Heidelberg), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- 2National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany,
| | - Dirk Jäger
- 2National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany,
| | - Niels Halama
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases & German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany,
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Das K, Eisel D, Vormehr M, Müller-Decker K, Hommertgen A, Jäger D, Zörnig I, Feuerer M, Kopp-Schneider A, Osen W, Eichmüller SB. A transplantable tumor model allowing investigation of NY-BR-1-specific T cell responses in HLA-DRB1*0401 transgenic mice. BMC Cancer 2019; 19:914. [PMID: 31519152 PMCID: PMC6743128 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-6102-6] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND NY-BR-1 has been described as a breast cancer associated differentiation antigen with intrinsic immunogenicity giving rise to endogenous T and B cell responses. The current study presents the first murine tumor model allowing functional investigation of NY-BR-1-specific immune responses in vivo. METHODS A NY-BR-1 expressing tumor model was established in DR4tg mice based on heterotopic transplantation of stable transfectant clones derived from the murine H2 compatible breast cancer cell line EO771. Composition and phenotype of tumor infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by qPCR and FACS. MHC I binding affinity of candidate CTL epitopes predicted in silico was determined by FACS using the mutant cell line RMA-S. Frequencies of NY-BR-1 specific CTLs among splenocytes of immunized mice were quantified by FACS with an epitope loaded Db-dextramer. Functional CTL activity was determined by IFNγ catch or IFNγ ELISpot assays and statistical analysis was done applying the Mann Whitney test. Tumor protection experiments were performed by immunization of DR4tg mice with replication deficient recombinant adenovirus followed by s.c. challenge with NY-BR-1 expressing breast cancer cells. RESULTS Our results show spontaneous accumulation of CD8+ T cells and F4/80+ myeloid cells preferentially in NY-BR-1 expressing tumors. Upon NY-BR-1-specific immunization experiments combined with in silico prediction and in vitro binding assays, the first NY-BR-1-specific H2-Db-restricted T cell epitope could be identified. Consequently, flow cytometric analysis with fluorochrome conjugated multimers showed enhanced frequencies of CD8+ T cells specific for the newly identified epitope in spleens of immunized mice. Moreover, immunization with Ad.NY-BR-1 resulted in partial protection against outgrowth of NY-BR-1 expressing tumors and promoted intratumoral accumulation of macrophages. CONCLUSION This study introduces the first H2-Db-resctricted CD8+ T cell epitope-specific for the human breast cancer associated tumor antigen NY-BR-1. Our novel, partially humanized tumor model enables investigation of the interplay between HLA-DR4-restricted T cell responses and CTLs within their joint attack of NY-BR-1 expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Das
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Virology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.,Faculty of Biosciences, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Eisel
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mathias Vormehr
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany.,University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Karin Müller-Decker
- Core Facility Tumor Models, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adriane Hommertgen
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Molecular & Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- CCU Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Feuerer
- Institute of Immunology, Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), University Regensburg and University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Wolfram Osen
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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16
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Gangkofner DS, Holzinger D, Schroeder L, Eichmüller SB, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Wichmann G, Dietz A, Broglie MA, Herold-Mende C, Dyckhoff G, Boscolo-Rizzo P, Ezic J, Marienfeld RB, Möller P, Völkel G, Kraus JM, Kestler HA, Brunner C, Schuler PJ, Wigand M, Theodoraki MN, Doescher J, Hoffmann TK, Pawlita M, Butt J, Waterboer T, Laban S. Patterns of antibody responses to nonviral cancer antigens in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients differ by human papillomavirus status. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:3436-3444. [PMID: 31407331 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There have been hints that nonviral cancer antigens are differentially expressed in human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Antibody responses (AR) to cancer antigens may be used to indirectly determine cancer antigen expression in the tumor using a noninvasive and tissue-saving liquid biopsy. Here, we set out to characterize AR to a panel of nonviral cancer antigens in HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC patients. A fluorescent microbead multiplex serology to 29 cancer antigens (16 cancer-testis antigens, 5 cancer-retina antigens and 8 oncogenes) and 29 HPV-antigens was performed in 382 HNSCC patients from five independent cohorts (153 HPV-positive and 209 HPV-negative). AR to any of the cancer antigens were found in 272/382 patients (72%). The ten most frequent AR were CT47, cTAGE5a, c-myc, LAGE-1, MAGE-A1, -A3, -A4, NY-ESO-1, SpanX-a1 and p53. AR to MAGE-A3, MAGE-A9 and p53 were found at significantly different prevalences by HPV status. An analysis of AR mean fluorescent intensity values uncovered remarkably different AR clusters by HPV status. To identify optimal antigen selections covering a maximum of patients with ≤10 AR, multiobjective optimization revealed distinct antigen selections by HPV status. We identified that AR to nonviral antigens differ by HPV status indicating differential antigen expression. Multiplex serology may be used to characterize antigen expression using serum or plasma as a tissue-sparing liquid biopsy. Cancer antigen panels should address the distinct antigen repertoire of HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik S Gangkofner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dana Holzinger
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (F022), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lea Schroeder
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (F022), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- Research Group GMP & T Cell Therapy (D210), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Applied Tumor Immunity (D120), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Applied Tumor Immunity (D120), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gunnar Wichmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Dietz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martina A Broglie
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christel Herold-Mende
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Experimental Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dyckhoff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
- Department of Neurosciences, ENT Clinic and Regional Center for Head and Neck Cancer, University of Padua, Treviso, Italy
| | - Jasmin Ezic
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Peter Möller
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gunnar Völkel
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johann M Kraus
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hans A Kestler
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cornelia Brunner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick J Schuler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marlene Wigand
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marie N Theodoraki
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Doescher
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas K Hoffmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Pawlita
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (F022), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Butt
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (F022), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology (F022), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simon Laban
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Head & Neck Cancer Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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Starrach V, Lenoir B, Ferber D, Suarez-Carmona M, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Omental fat in ovarian cancer induces lymphangiogenesis – The role of an adipose-rich microenvironment in tumor progression and metastatic dissemination. Eur J Cancer 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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18
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Suarez-Carmona M, Valous N, Lenoir B, Hampel M, Kather J, Ferber D, Grauling-Halama S, Schott S, Kess S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Lipid-storing, tumor-associated macrophages orchestrate a tumor-excluded immune landscape in omentum metastases of epithelial ovarian cancer. Eur J Cancer 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Lenoir B, Ferber D, Eichhorn F, Eichhorn M, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Human lung cancer explants model: Set up of a predictive model for treatment. Eur J Cancer 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.01.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Ferber D, Suarez-Carmona M, Lenoir B, Keß S, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Cancer associated mast cells exhibit a tumor promoting phenotype but can be effectively targeted to reinvigorate antitumor immunity in a human based ex-vivo model. Eur J Cancer 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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21
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Kather JN, Krisam J, Charoentong P, Luedde T, Herpel E, Weis CA, Gaiser T, Marx A, Valous NA, Ferber D, Jansen L, Reyes-Aldasoro CC, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Brenner H, Chang-Claude J, Hoffmeister M, Halama N. Predicting survival from colorectal cancer histology slides using deep learning: A retrospective multicenter study. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002730. [PMID: 30677016 PMCID: PMC6345440 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 353] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For virtually every patient with colorectal cancer (CRC), hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained tissue slides are available. These images contain quantitative information, which is not routinely used to objectively extract prognostic biomarkers. In the present study, we investigated whether deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can extract prognosticators directly from these widely available images. METHODS AND FINDINGS We hand-delineated single-tissue regions in 86 CRC tissue slides, yielding more than 100,000 HE image patches, and used these to train a CNN by transfer learning, reaching a nine-class accuracy of >94% in an independent data set of 7,180 images from 25 CRC patients. With this tool, we performed automated tissue decomposition of representative multitissue HE images from 862 HE slides in 500 stage I-IV CRC patients in the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, a large international multicenter collection of CRC tissue. Based on the output neuron activations in the CNN, we calculated a "deep stroma score," which was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model (hazard ratio [HR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.99 [1.27-3.12], p = 0.0028), while in the same cohort, manual quantification of stromal areas and a gene expression signature of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were only prognostic in specific tumor stages. We validated these findings in an independent cohort of 409 stage I-IV CRC patients from the "Darmkrebs: Chancen der Verhütung durch Screening" (DACHS) study who were recruited between 2003 and 2007 in multiple institutions in Germany. Again, the score was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.63 [1.14-2.33], p = 0.008), CRC-specific OS (HR 2.29 [1.5-3.48], p = 0.0004), and relapse-free survival (RFS; HR 1.92 [1.34-2.76], p = 0.0004). A prospective validation is required before this biomarker can be implemented in clinical workflows. CONCLUSIONS In our retrospective study, we show that a CNN can assess the human tumor microenvironment and predict prognosis directly from histopathological images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Hepatobiliary Oncology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johannes Krisam
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pornpimol Charoentong
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tom Luedde
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Hepatobiliary Oncology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Esther Herpel
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cleo-Aron Weis
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Timo Gaiser
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Marx
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nektarios A Valous
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dyke Ferber
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lina Jansen
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jenny Chang-Claude
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Hoffmeister
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Immunotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Kather JN, Suarez-Carmona M, Charoentong P, Weis CA, Hirsch D, Bankhead P, Horning M, Ferber D, Kel I, Herpel E, Schott S, Zörnig I, Utikal J, Marx A, Gaiser T, Brenner H, Chang-Claude J, Hoffmeister M, Jäger D, Halama N. Topography of cancer-associated immune cells in human solid tumors. eLife 2018; 7:36967. [PMID: 30179157 PMCID: PMC6133554 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [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: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphoid and myeloid cells are abundant in the tumor microenvironment, can be quantified by immunohistochemistry and shape the disease course of human solid tumors. Yet, there is no comprehensive understanding of spatial immune infiltration patterns (‘topography’) across cancer entities and across various immune cell types. In this study, we systematically measure the topography of multiple immune cell types in 965 histological tissue slides from N = 177 patients in a pan-cancer cohort. We provide a definition of inflamed (‘hot’), non-inflamed (‘cold’) and immune excluded patterns and investigate how these patterns differ between immune cell types and between cancer types. In an independent cohort of N = 287 colorectal cancer patients, we show that hot, cold and excluded topographies for effector lymphocytes (CD8) and tumor-associated macrophages (CD163) alone are not prognostic, but that a bivariate classification system can stratify patients. Our study adds evidence to consider immune topographies as biomarkers for patients with solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Hepatobiliary Oncology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Meggy Suarez-Carmona
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pornpimol Charoentong
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cleo-Aron Weis
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniela Hirsch
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Bankhead
- Northern Ireland Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Marcel Horning
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dyke Ferber
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivan Kel
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Esther Herpel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Schott
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Marx
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Timo Gaiser
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Herrmann Brenner
- German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jenny Chang-Claude
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Epidemiology Group, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hoffmeister
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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23
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Valous NA, Xiong W, Halama N, Zörnig I, Cantre D, Wang Z, Nicolai B, Verboven P, Rojas Moraleda R. Multilacunarity as a spatial multiscale multi-mass morphometric of change in the meso-architecture of plant parenchyma tissue. Chaos 2018; 28:093110. [PMID: 30278622 DOI: 10.1063/1.5047021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The lacunarity index (monolacunarity) averages the behavior of variable size structures in a binary image. The generalized lacunarity concept (multilacunarity) on the basis of generalized distribution moments is an appealing model that can account for differences in the mass content at different scales. The model was tested previously on natural images [J. Vernon-Carter et al., Physica A 388, 4305 (2009)]. Here, the computational aspects of multilacunarity are validated using synthetic binary images that consist of random maps, spatial stochastic patterns, patterns with circular or polygonal elements, and a plane fractal. Furthermore, monolacunarity and detrended fluctuation analysis were employed to quantify the mesostructural changes in the intercellular air spaces of frozen-thawed parenchymatous tissue of pome fruit [N. A. Valous et al., J. Appl. Phys. 115, 064901 (2014)]. Here, the aim is to further examine the coherence of the multilacunarity model for quantifying the mesostructural changes in the intercellular air spaces of parenchymatous tissue of pome and stone fruit, acquired with X-ray microcomputed tomography, after storage and ripening, respectively. The multilacunarity morphometric is a multiscale multi-mass fingerprint of spatial pattern composition, assisting the exploration of the effects of metabolic and physiological activity on the pore space of plant parenchyma tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Valous
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - W Xiong
- Statistical Physics and Theoretical Biophysics Group, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - N Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - I Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D Cantre
- Division of Mechatronics Biostatistics and Sensors, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Z Wang
- Division of Mechatronics Biostatistics and Sensors, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - B Nicolai
- Division of Mechatronics Biostatistics and Sensors, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - P Verboven
- Division of Mechatronics Biostatistics and Sensors, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - R Rojas Moraleda
- Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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24
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Schmidt P, Bozza M, Berger A, Luckner-Minden C, Tuch A, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Harbottle R. Abstract 3573: Novel DNA vectors encoding a chimeric antigen receptor mediate long term expression without genomic integration. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-3573] [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
Adoptive immunotherapy is one of the most encouraging therapeutic strategies for the treatment of a range of cancers. One particularly promising avenue of research is the functional introduction of Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) into naive Human T-Cells for autologous-immunotherapy. Currently, the genetic engineering of these cells is achieved through the use of proprietary integrating vector systems such as lentiviruses or the sleeping beauty transposon system which present a risk of genotoxicity associated with their random genomic integration.
We have invented a novel DNA Vector platform for the safe and efficient generation of genetically engineered T-Cells for Human Immunotherapy. This DNA vector system contains no viral components and comprises only clinically approved sequences, it does not integrate into the target cell's genome but it can replicate autonomously and extrachromosomally in the nucleus of dividing human primary cells. These DNA Vectors offer several advantages over currently used vector systems; they are not subject to commercial licences, they are cheaper and easier to produce, and they can more quickly genetically modify human cells without the inherent risk of integrative mutagenesis.
In preclinical experiments we have successfully generated genetically engineered human T-Cells expressing the CAR receptor against several epitopes and have demonstrated their viability and capability in targeting and killing human cancer cells which express these epitopes. The long term anti-tumor activity of our DNA-CAR-T cells has been confirmed in vivo using xenotransplanted cell lines in immunodeficient mice.
We believe that this novel DNA Vector system provides a unique and innovative approach to this exciting therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy. We estimate that this novel methodology will provide a simpler method of CAR T-cell manufacturing, resulting in a 10-fold reduction in the cost of the CART-product.
Citation Format: Patrick Schmidt, Matthias Bozza, Aileen Berger, Claudia Luckner-Minden, Alexandra Tuch, Inka Zörnig, Dirk Jäger, Richard Harbottle. Novel DNA vectors encoding a chimeric antigen receptor mediate long term expression without genomic integration [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 3573.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aileen Berger
- 1National Ctr. for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Inka Zörnig
- 1National Ctr. for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- 1National Ctr. for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
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Ferber D, Lenoir B, Suarez-Carmona M, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Omental fat in ovarian cancer induces lymphangiogenesis. Eur J Cancer 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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26
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Ferber D, Suarez-Carmona M, Kather J, Lenoir B, Hampel M, Prüfer U, Eismann S, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Spatial profiling and functional phenotyping of mast cell distribution in human cancer tissues. Eur J Cancer 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2018.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Michels J, Becker N, Suciu S, Kaiser I, Benner A, Kosaloglu-Yalcin Z, Agoussi S, Halama N, Pawlita M, Waterboer T, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Eggermont AMM, Zörnig I. Multiplex bead-based measurement of humoral immune responses against tumor-associated antigens in stage II melanoma patients of the EORTC18961 trial. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1428157. [PMID: 29872552 PMCID: PMC5980408 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1428157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Determine the prognostic and predictive significance of tumor associated antigen (TAA)-specific serum antibodies in melanoma patients of a large adjuvant vaccination phase III trial. Patients and methods: Serum IgG antibodies were measured against a panel of 43 antigens by a bead-based multiplex assay in 970 stage II melanoma patients of the EORTC18961 trial, evaluating adjuvant ganglioside GM2-KLH/QS-21 vaccination versus observation. Primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS). Patients' sera at baseline, after 12 and 48 weeks of study treatment and at the last available time point (at recurrence/remission) were evaluated. Results: Prognostic clinical variables are gender, surgical confirmation of lymph node-negative status, Breslow thickness and ulceration of the primary. Prognostic spontaneous antibody responses were associated with a significant dismal (GM2, Rhod_E2, SSX2) or good prognosis (CyclinB1, SCYE1v1) for RFS, distant metastasis-free (DMFS) or overall survival (OS). Predictive spontaneous antibody responses based on significant interaction with treatment were RhodN p = 0.02, Rab38 p = 0.04 for RFS, RhodE2 p = 0.006, Recoverin p = 0.04 for DMFS and RhodE2 p = 0.003; Recoverin p = 0.04, NA17.A p = 0.04, for OS respectively. The subgroups of patients according to antibody responses for RFS were determined for RhodN sero-negative (n = 849, HR = 1.07, p = 0.6); RhodN sero-positive (n = 121,HR = 0.42, p = 0.01) and Rab38 sero-negative (n = 682, HR = 1.12, p = 0.42), Rab38 sero-positive (n = 288, HR = 0.65, p = 0.04) patients respectively. Conclusion: We identified prognostic serum antibody responses against TAA in stage II melanoma patients. A set of antibody responses correlated with a beneficial outcome for GM2 vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Michels
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Center, Villejuif/Paris-Sud, France.,Université Paris-Sud, Kremlin Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Natalia Becker
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Suciu
- European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Iris Kaiser
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Axel Benner
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zeynep Kosaloglu-Yalcin
- Clincial Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandrine Agoussi
- INSERM U981, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Center, Villejuif/Paris-Sud, France
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Pawlita
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- GMP & T Cell Therapy Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Clincial Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander M M Eggermont
- Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Center, Villejuif/Paris-Sud, France.,Université Paris-Sud, Kremlin Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Chen H, Werner S, Butt J, Zörnig I, Knebel P, Michel A, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Waterboer T, Pawlita M, Brenner H. Prospective evaluation of 64 serum autoantibodies as biomarkers for early detection of colorectal cancer in a true screening setting. Oncotarget 2017; 7:16420-32. [PMID: 26909861 PMCID: PMC4941325 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel blood-based screening tests are strongly desirable for early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to identify and evaluate autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens as biomarkers for early detection of CRC. 380 clinically identified CRC patients and samples of participants with selected findings from a cohort of screening colonoscopy participants in 2005–2013 (N=6826) were included in this analysis. Sixty-four serum autoantibody markers were measured by multiplex bead-based serological assays. A two-step approach with selection of biomarkers in a training set, and validation of findings in a validation set, the latter exclusively including participants from the screening setting, was applied. Anti-MAGEA4 exhibited the highest sensitivity for detecting early stage CRC and advanced adenoma. Multi-marker combinations substantially increased sensitivity at the price of a moderate loss of specificity. Anti-TP53, anti-IMPDH2, anti-MDM2 and anti-MAGEA4 were consistently included in the best-performing 4-, 5-, and 6-marker combinations. This four-marker panel yielded a sensitivity of 26% (95% CI, 13–45%) for early stage CRC at a specificity of 90% (95% CI, 83–94%) in the validation set. Notably, it also detected 20% (95% CI, 13–29%) of advanced adenomas. Taken together, the identified biomarkers could contribute to the development of a useful multi-marker blood-based test for CRC early detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongda Chen
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simone Werner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Butt
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Internal Medicine VI, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Phillip Knebel
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angelika Michel
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- GMP & T cell Therapy Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Internal Medicine VI, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Pawlita
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Butt J, Werner S, Willhauck-Fleckenstein M, Michel A, Waterboer T, Zörnig I, Boleij A, Dramsi S, Brenner H, Pawlita M. Serology ofStreptococcus gallolyticussubspeciesgallolyticusand its association with colorectal cancer and precursors. Int J Cancer 2017; 141:897-904. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Butt
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Simone Werner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | | | - Angelika Michel
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and Heidelberg University Hospital; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Annemarie Boleij
- Department of Pathology; Radboud University Medical Center; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | | | - Hermann Brenner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
| | - Michael Pawlita
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Heidelberg Germany
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Kosaloglu Z, Bitzer J, Halama N, Huang Z, Zapatka M, Schneeweiss A, Jäger D, Zörnig I. In silico SNP analysis of the breast cancer antigen NY-BR-1. BMC Cancer 2016; 16:901. [PMID: 27863482 PMCID: PMC5116164 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2924-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies with increasing incidences every year and a leading cause of death among women. Although early stage breast cancer can be effectively treated, there are limited numbers of treatment options available for patients with advanced and metastatic disease. The novel breast cancer associated antigen NY-BR-1 was identified by SEREX analysis and is expressed in the majority (>70%) of breast tumors as well as metastases, in normal breast tissue, in testis and occasionally in prostate tissue. The biological function and regulation of NY-BR-1 is up to date unknown. Methods We performed an in silico analysis on the genetic variations of the NY-BR-1 gene using data available in public SNP databases and the tools SIFT, Polyphen and Provean to find possible functional SNPs. Additionally, we considered the allele frequency of the found damaging SNPs and also analyzed data from an in-house sequencing project of 55 breast cancer samples for recurring SNPs, recorded in dbSNP. Results Over 2800 SNPs are recorded in the dbSNP and NHLBI ESP databases for the NY-BR-1 gene. Of these, 65 (2.07%) are synonymous SNPs, 191 (6.09%) are non-synoymous SNPs, and 2430 (77.48%) are noncoding intronic SNPs. As a result, 69 non-synoymous SNPs were predicted to be damaging by at least two, and 16 SNPs were predicted as damaging by all three of the used tools. The SNPs rs200639888, rs367841401 and rs377750885 were categorized as highly damaging by all three tools. Eight damaging SNPs are located in the ankyrin repeat domain (ANK), a domain known for its frequent involvement in protein-protein interactions. No distinctive features could be observed in the allele frequency of the analyzed SNPs. Conclusion Considering these results we expect to gain more insights into the variations of the NY-BR-1 gene and their possible impact on giving rise to splice variants and therefore influence the function of NY-BR-1 in healthy tissue as well as in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Kosaloglu
- Clinical Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Bitzer
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zhiqin Huang
- Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc Zapatka
- Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneeweiss
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. .,, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Schmidt P, Minden CL, Ziegelmeier C, Gosch I, Halama N, Momburg F, Eurich R, Schott S, Marmé F, Schneeweiß A, Heußel CP, Jäger D, Zörnig I. Abstract B054: Evaluation of NY-BR-1 as a suitable antigen for CAR based immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.imm2016-b054] [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
Despite the tremendous clinical success of CAR-T-cell therapy in leukemia, translation of this treatment option to solid tumors still remains challenging. Off-target toxicity of CAR-T-cells against low-level antigen expressing healthy tissue is considered to be the most dangerous scenario when treating cancer patients yielding eventually to at least one reported fatal SAE. To avoid such fatalities a straight assessment of target antigen expression including all known isoforms of the respective protein in tumors as well as healthy tissues must be performed before drug application. The breast differentiation antigen NY-BR-1 (ANKRD30A) is known to serve as a perfect antigen for active immunotherapy of female breast cancer due to absence of expression in any female healthy tissue except for mammary gland. Here we report on the critical evaluation of NY-BR-1 as a target antigen for CAR-T-cells using bioinformatics, staining procedures and functional CAR tests. While bioinformatic analyses and stainings using the anti-NY-BR-1 monoclonal antibody “clone2” confirmed previous findings, we observed different results when the respective “clone2 scFv” was used. This construct not only shows a higher binding capacity to NY-BR-1 but also a modest but detectable binding to the isoform NY-BR1.1 (ANKRD30B). Additionally, a CAR-construct based on “clone2 scFv” yielded into a cross-reactivity of T cells against NY-BR1.1. Due to the known expression of NY-BR1.1 in normal brain tissue in combination with the also known ability of CAR-T-cells to cross the blood brain barrier, the use of a “clone2 CAR” for the treatment of advanced breast cancer must be judged as dangerous. Our findings show that a critical evaluation of a candidate target antigen for CAR therapy shall be performed by the use of the respective scFv rather than the classical mAb approach.
Citation Format: Patrick Schmidt, Claudia Luckner Minden, Claudia Ziegelmeier, Isabella Gosch, Niels Halama, Frank Momburg, Rosa Eurich, Sarah Schott, Frederik Marmé, Andreas Schneeweiß, Claus Peter Heußel, Dirk Jäger, Inka Zörnig. Evaluation of NY-BR-1 as a suitable antigen for CAR based immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B054.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Schmidt
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Luckner Minden
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Ziegelmeier
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabella Gosch
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Momburg
- 2Clinical Cooperation Unit “Applied Tumor Immunity”, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rosa Eurich
- 2Clinical Cooperation Unit “Applied Tumor Immunity”, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Schott
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik Marmé
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneeweiß
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claus Peter Heußel
- 4Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology with Nuclear Medicine, Thoraxklinik and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
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Suarez-Carmona M, Heinzelmann A, Valous NA, Hampel M, Berthel A, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Abstract A102: The fat in ovarian cancer: Immune-dependent tumor-promoting effects. Cancer Immunol Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.imm2016-a102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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
Because of the particular anatomy of ovaries, which are in close contact with the adipocyte-rich omentum, ovarian cancer frequently presents itself with established metastasis-like disseminated tumor islets along the omentum.
The tropism of ovarian cancer cells for fat is well described. Indeed, adipocyte-derived free fatty acids have been causatively linked to cancer cell proliferation and invasive properties. Obesity is additionally linked to increased risk of ovarian cancer onset and, in ovarian cancer patients, to worse outcome. However, there is to our knowledge no clear association between omentum-anchored dissemination and the anti-tumor immune response.
Here we describe an unsuspected association between the presence peritoneal fat in ovarian tumors and massive tumor infiltration by T cells. Still, this massive T cell influx seems to fail in its anti-tumor activity since (1) tumor-infiltrating T cells seem to be hijacked away from tumor cells and accumulate around fatty areas and (2) tumor-infiltrating T cells display an exhausted phenotype.
In this presentation, we also describe a new model of tissue culture of explants from primary human tumors that are treated with various drugs in an attempt to circumvent this fat-derived immune exhaustion and restore an efficient anti-tumor immune response.
Citation Format: Meggy Suarez-Carmona, Anita Heinzelmann, Nektarios A. Valous, Mareike Hampel, Anna Berthel, Sarah Schott, Inka Zörnig, Dirk Jäger, Niels Halama. The fat in ovarian cancer: Immune-dependent tumor-promoting effects [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A102.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nektarios A. Valous
- 2Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mareike Hampel
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Berthel
- 2Applied Tumor Immunity Clinical Cooperation Unit, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Schott
- 3Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- 1National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
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Suarez-Carmona M, Heinzelmann A, Hampel M, Schott S, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Halama N. Ovarian carcinoma explant culture: model development and application in drug testing. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2016. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1592681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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Koşaloğlu Z, Zörnig I, Halama N, Kaiser I, Buchhalter I, Grabe N, Eils R, Schlesner M, Califano A, Jäger D. Identification of immunotherapeutic targets by genomic profiling of rectal NET metastases. Oncoimmunology 2016; 5:e1213931. [PMID: 27999735 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1213931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the gastrointestinal tract are a rare and heterogeneous group of neoplasms with unique tumor biology and clinical management issues. While surgery is the only curative treatment option in patients with early stage NETs, the optimal management strategy for patients with advanced metastatic NETs is unknown. Based on the tremendous success of immunotherapeutic approaches, we sought to investigate such approaches in a case of metastatic rectal NET. Here, we apply an integrative approach using various computational and experimental methods to explore several aspects of the tumor-host immune interactions for immunotherapeutic options. Sequencing of six different liver metastases revealed a quite homogenous set of mutations, and further analysis of these mutations for immunogenicity revealed few neo-epitopes with pre-existing T cell reactivity, which can be used in therapeutic vaccines. Staining for immunomodulatory proteins and cytokine profiling showed that the immune setting is surprisingly different, when compared to liver metastases of colorectal cancer for instance. Taken together, our results highlight the broad range and complexity of tumor-host immune interaction and underline the value of an integrative approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Koşaloğlu
- Clinical Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Iris Kaiser
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivo Buchhalter
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Grabe
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roland Eils
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schlesner
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Califano
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University , New York, NY, USA
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Clinical Cooperation Unit "Applied Tumor Immunity", National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Jäger D, Halama N, Zörnig I, Klug P, Krauss J, Haag GM. Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer. Oncol Res Treat 2016; 39:346-50. [PMID: 27259331 DOI: 10.1159/000446713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
It is known that the immune response, reflected by high T cell infiltrates in primary tumors and metastases, influences the clinical course of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, immunotherapy concepts have been adapted from other tumor entities, which typically rely on the activation of T cells in the tumor microenvironment (e.g. blockade of the immune checkpoint molecules PD-1 and CTLA-4). However, most of the strategies using the approved checkpoint inhibitors and/or combination strategies have more or less failed to produce impressive results in early phase trials in CRC. Therefore, a number of novel targets for checkpoint inhibition are currently in early phase clinical testing (TIM-3, Lag-3, OX40, GITR, 4-1BB, CD40, CD70). A simple activation of infiltrating T cells will not, however, lead to a meaningful anti-tumor response without modulating the environmental factors in CRC. Thus, it is absolutely necessary to improve our understanding of the complex regulation of the tumor microenvironment in CRC to design individual combination treatments leading to effective immune control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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36
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Werner S, Chen H, Butt J, Michel A, Knebel P, Holleczek B, Zörnig I, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Pawlita M, Waterboer T, Brenner H. Evaluation of the diagnostic value of 64 simultaneously measured autoantibodies for early detection of gastric cancer. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25467. [PMID: 27140836 PMCID: PMC4853774 DOI: 10.1038/srep25467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [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: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) have been suggested as biomarkers for early detection of gastric cancer. However, studies that systematically assess the diagnostic performance of a large number of autoantibodies are rare. Here, we used bead-based multiplex serology to simultaneously measure autoantibody responses against 64 candidate TAAs in serum samples from 329 gastric cancer patients, 321 healthy controls and 124 participants with other diseases of the upper digestive tract. At 98% specificity, sensitivities for the 64 tested autoantibodies ranged from 0–12% in the training set and a combination of autoantibodies against five TAAs (MAGEA4 + CTAG1 + TP53 + ERBB2_C + SDCCAG8) was able to detect 32% of the gastric cancer patients at a specificity of 87% in the validation set. Sensitivities for early and late stage gastric cancers were similar, while chronic atrophic gastritis, a precursor lesion of gastric cancer, was not detectable. However, the 5-marker combination also detected 26% of the esophageal cancer patients. In conclusion, the tested autoantibodies and combinations alone did not reach sufficient sensitivity for gastric cancer screening. Nevertheless, some autoantibodies, such as anti-MAGEA4, anti-CTAG1 or anti-TP53 and their combinations could possibly contribute to the development of cancer early detection tests (not necessarily restricted to gastric cancer) when being combined with other markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Werner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hongda Chen
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Butt
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angelika Michel
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Phillip Knebel
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- GMP &T cell Therapy Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Pawlita
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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37
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Bashari MH, Fan F, Vallet S, Sattler M, Arn M, Luckner-Minden C, Schulze-Bergkamen H, Zörnig I, Marme F, Schneeweiss A, Cardone MH, Opferman JT, Jäger D, Podar K. Mcl-1 confers protection of Her2-positive breast cancer cells to hypoxia: therapeutic implications. Breast Cancer Res 2016; 18:26. [PMID: 26921175 PMCID: PMC4769490 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-016-0686-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular mechanisms leading to the adaptation of breast cancer (BC) cells to hypoxia are largely unknown. The anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) is frequently amplified in BC; and elevated Mcl-1 levels have been correlated with poor prognosis. Here we investigated the pathophysiologic role of Mcl-1 in Her2-positive BC cells under hypoxic conditions. METHODS RNA interference and a novel small molecule inhibitor, EU-5346, were used to examine the role of Mcl-1 in Her2-positive BC cell lines and primary BC cells (sensitive or intrinsically resistant to Her2 inhibitors) under hypoxic conditions (using a hypoxic incubation chamber). Mechanisms-of-action were investigated by RT-PCR, mitochondrial isolation, as well as immunoprecipitation/blotting analysis, and microscopy. The specificity against Mcl-1 of the novel small molecule inhibitor EU5346 was verified in Mcl-1(Δ/null) versus Mcl-1(wt/wt) Murine Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFs). Proliferation, survival, and spheroid formation were assessed in response to Mcl-1 and Her2 inhibition. RESULTS We demonstrate for a strong correlation between high Mcl-1 protein levels and hypoxia, predominantly in Her2-positive BC cells. Surprisingly, genetic depletion of Mcl-1 decreased Her2 and Hif-1α levels followed by inhibition of BC cell survival. In contrast, Mcl-1 protein levels were not downregulated after genetic depletion of Her2 indicating a regulatory role of Mcl-1 upstream of Her2. Indeed, Mcl-1 and Her2 co-localize within the mitochondrial fraction and form a Mcl-1/Her2- protein complex. Similar to genetically targeting Mcl-1 the novel small molecule Mcl-1 inhibitor EU-5346 induced cell death and decreased spheroid formation in Her2-positive BC cells. Of interest, EU-5346 induced ubiquitination of Mcl-1- bound Her2 demonstrating a previously unknown role for Mcl-1 to stabilize Her2 protein levels. Importantly, targeting Mcl-1 was also active in Her2-positive BC cells resistant to Her2 inhibitors, including a brain-primed Her2-positive cell line. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate a critical role of Mcl-1 in Her2-positive BC cell survival under hypoxic conditions and provide the preclinical framework for the therapeutic use of novel Mcl-1- targeting agents to improve patient outcome in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hasan Bashari
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Eijkman 38, Bandung, 02215, Indonesia
| | - Fengjuan Fan
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Sonia Vallet
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Martin Sattler
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Melissa Arn
- Eutropics, Inc., 767C Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Claudia Luckner-Minden
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Schulze-Bergkamen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frederik Marme
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneeweiss
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
| | | | - Joseph T Opferman
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Klaus Podar
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld #460, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
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Pfirschke C, Gebhardt C, Zörnig I, Pritsch M, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Enk A, Beckhove P. T cell responses in early-stage melanoma patients occur frequently and are not associated with humoral response. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2015; 64:1369-81. [PMID: 26160687 PMCID: PMC11028448 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-015-1739-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous tumor-specific T cells are detectable in patients with different tumor types including malignant melanoma (MM). They can control tumor growth, have impact on patient survival and correlate with improved clinical response to immune checkpoint therapy. Thus, they may represent a potent biomarker for respective treatment decisions. So far, major target antigens of endogenous MM-reactive T cells have not been determined systematically. Instead, autoantibodies are discussed as surrogate parameter for MM-specific T cells. Throughout a period of more than 60 days after tumor resection, we therefore determined in 38 non-metastasized primary MM patients and in healthy individuals by IFNγ ELISpot and bead-based fluorescent multiplex assay major target antigens of spontaneous T cell and humoral responses using a broad panel of MM antigens and assessed the presence and suppressive impact of MM-reactive regulatory T cells (Tregs). We show that MM-reactive T cells are frequent in MM patients, transiently increase after tumor removal and are mostly directed against Melan-A/MART-1, Tyrosinase, NA17-A and p53. MM-specific Tregs were only detected in few patients and inhibited MM-reactive T cells particularly early after tumor resection. Tumor-specific autoantibodies occurred in most patients, but did not correlate with T cell responses. Thus, endogenous antibodies may not be reliable surrogate parameters of MM-reactive T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Pfirschke
- Division of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christoffer Gebhardt
- Skin Cancer Unit, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, NCT, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Pritsch
- Division of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan B Eichmüller
- Division of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, NCT, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Enk
- Department of Dermatology, Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Beckhove
- Division of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
- University Clinic of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Gardyan A, Osen W, Agawal M, Zörnig I, Ruggiero E, Schmidt M, Schneeweiss A, Jäger D, Eichmüller SB. Abstract 3154: Identification of CD4+ T cell epitopes specific for the breast cancer associated antigen NY-BR-1. Cancer Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2015-3154] [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
Questions: Whether CD4+ T cell epitopes specific for the breast cancer associated antigen NY-BR-1 can be identified using HLA-transgenic (HLAtg) mice.
Introduction: Adoptive transfer of TCR-transduced autologous tumor antigen-specific T cells provides an innovative strategy for cancer immunotherapy. The differentiation antigen NY-BR-1 is over-expressed in approx. 60% of all invasive mammary carcinomas, thus representing a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. We thus screened NY-BR-1 for the presence of CD4+ T cell epitopes.
Methods: Splenocytes from DNA immunized HLA-DRB1*0301 and HLA-DRB1*0401 tg mice were screened ex vivo by IFNγ ELISpot assay against a NY-BR-1-derived peptide library. In silico predicted candidate epitopes present among recognized library peptides were used to establish CD4+ T cell lines as a read tool to prove HLA-DR-restriction and natural processing of these epitopes by human cells. NY-BR-1-specific CD4+ T cell reactivity among PBMC of breast cancer patients was tested after long term in vitro restimulation with synthetic 15mers by intracellular cytokine staining.
Results: Three HLA-DRB1*0301-restricted and four HLA-DRB1*0401-restricted NY-BR-1-specific CD4+ T cell epitopes were identified in HLAtg mice. HLA-DR-restriction was confirmed upon specific recognition of peptide-loaded T2/DR3 and T2/DR4 target cells by epitope-specific CD4+ T cell lines established from HLAtg mice. These T cell lines specifically recognized human dendritic cells loaded with cell lysates from Ad5-NY-BR-1 infected melanoma cells, showing natural processing of the epitopes. Moreover, upon deep sequencing of TCRs from these murine CD4+ T cell lines two NY-BR-1-specific TCRs were identified which could be considered for the generation of autologous TCR-transduced T cells lines. Finally, CD4+ T cells reactive against the NY-BR-1 specific epitopes were also detected among PBMCs of HLA-DR matched breast cancer patients.
Conclusion: NY-BR-1-specific, HLA-DRB1*0301 and HLA-DRB1*0401 restricted CD4+ T cell epitopes could be identified using HLAtg mice and CD4+ T cells reactive against these epitopes are present among PBMCs of breast cancer patients. Finally, murine HLA-restricted CD4+ T cell lines might serve as source of NY-BR-1-specific TCRs for adoptive immunotherapy approaches.
Citation Format: Adriane Gardyan, Wolfram Osen, Maria Agawal, Inka Zörnig, Eliana Ruggiero, Manfred Schmidt, Andreas Schneeweiss, Dirk Jäger, Stefan B. Eichmüller. Identification of CD4+ T cell epitopes specific for the breast cancer associated antigen NY-BR-1. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3154. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3154
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wolfram Osen
- 1German Cancer Research Ctr., Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Agawal
- 1German Cancer Research Ctr., Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- 2National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Dirk Jäger
- 2National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
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Das K, Gardyan A, Vormehr M, Mueller-Decker K, Zörnig I, Jäger D, Osen W, Eichmüller SB. Abstract 5012: Establishment of a transplantable, NY-BR-1 expressing breast cancer model in HLA-transgenic mice. Cancer Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2015-5012] [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
Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths in women worldwide and current standard therapies show limited efficacy. However, immunotherapeutic approaches like adoptive T cell transfer might represent an attractive option for the treatment of breast carcinoma. The differentiation antigen NY-BR-1 appears as a suitable target for T cell immunotherapy against breast cancer as it is overexpressed in 60% of breast carcinomas compared to healthy breast.
Objectives: The aim of this project is to establish a NY-BR-1-expressing, transplantable tumor model in HLA transgenic mice that would allow to investigate the functional role of NY-BR-1-specific HLA-restricted CD4+ T cells in vivo with respect to their capacity to sustain cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)-mediated tumor attack. Furthermore, the capability of NY-BR-1-specific CD4+ T cells to interact with tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) thereby potentially promoting differentiation of TAMs into immunostimulatory type-1 macrophages (M1) will be investigated.
Materials and methods: Stable transfectant clones of the C57BL/6 derived lymphoma cell line EL4 and of the mammary adenocarcinoma cell line EO771 expressing NY-BR-1 were established. Furthermore, an H2Db-restricted, NY-BR-1-specific CTL epitope could be identified which upon peptide immunization of C57BL/6 mice resulted in the generation of NY-BR-1 specific, H2Db-restricted CTL lines, similarly to immunization with a rec. NY-BR-1 encoding adenovirus as observed in parallel experiments.
Results and conclusions: Transplanted EL4 and EO771 derived transfectant clones stably expressing NY-BR-1 gave rise to subcutaneous tumors in H2-compatible, HLA-DR4 transgenic mice. In addition, a NY-BR-1-specific CTL line recognizing EL-4/NY-BR-1 expressing transfectants in vitro was successfully generated upon peptide immunization as described above. Studies to investigate the cooperative effect between the aforementioned CTL line and HLA-DR3- and HLA-DR4-restricted NY-BR-1-specifc CD4+ T cell lines, upon joint adoptive transfer into tumor bearing HLA-transgenic mice are currently ongoing. The results presented here demonstrate the first NY-BR-1 expressing mouse tumor model, allowing the investigation of NY-BR-1-specific immune responses in vivo.
Citation Format: Krishna Das, Adriane Gardyan, Mathias Vormehr, Karin Mueller-Decker, Inka Zörnig, Dirk Jäger, Wolfram Osen, Stefan B. Eichmüller. Establishment of a transplantable, NY-BR-1 expressing breast cancer model in HLA-transgenic mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5012. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5012
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Das
- 1German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Mathias Vormehr
- 2Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Inka Zörnig
- 3National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- 3National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfram Osen
- 1German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schwamb B, Pick R, Fernández SBM, Völp K, Heering J, Dötsch V, Bösser S, Jung J, Beinoraviciute-Kellner R, Wesely J, Zörnig I, Hammerschmidt M, Nowak M, Penzel R, Zatloukal K, Joos S, Rieker RJ, Agaimy A, Söder S, Reid-Lombardo KM, Kendrick ML, Bardsley MR, Hayashi Y, Asuzu DT, Syed SA, Ordog T, Zörnig M. FAM96A is a novel pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor in gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Int J Cancer 2015; 137:1318-29. [PMID: 25716227 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability to escape apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer-initiating cells and a key factor of resistance to oncolytic therapy. Here, we identify FAM96A as a ubiquitous, evolutionarily conserved apoptosome-activating protein and investigate its potential pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor function in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Interaction between FAM96A and apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 (APAF1) was identified in yeast two-hybrid screen and further studied by deletion mutants, glutathione-S-transferase pull-down, co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. Effects of FAM96A overexpression and knock-down on apoptosis sensitivity were examined in cancer cells and zebrafish embryos. Expression of FAM96A in GISTs and histogenetically related cells including interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), "fibroblast-like cells" (FLCs) and ICC stem cells (ICC-SCs) was investigated by Northern blotting, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblotting. Tumorigenicity of GIST cells and transformed murine ICC-SCs stably transduced to re-express FAM96A was studied by xeno- and allografting into immunocompromised mice. FAM96A was found to bind APAF1 and to enhance the induction of mitochondrial apoptosis. FAM96A protein or mRNA was dramatically reduced or lost in 106 of 108 GIST samples representing three independent patient cohorts. Whereas ICCs, ICC-SCs and FLCs, the presumed normal counterparts of GIST, were found to robustly express FAM96A protein and mRNA, FAM96A expression was much reduced in tumorigenic ICC-SCs. Re-expression of FAM96A in GIST cells and transformed ICC-SCs increased apoptosis sensitivity and diminished tumorigenicity. Our data suggest FAM96A is a novel pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor that is lost during GIST tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Schwamb
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Pick
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sara Beatriz Mateus Fernández
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kirsten Völp
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and Cluster of Excellence Macromolecular Complexes (CEF), Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Volker Dötsch
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and Cluster of Excellence Macromolecular Complexes (CEF), Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Bösser
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Jung
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rasa Beinoraviciute-Kellner
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Josephine Wesely
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 305, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Nowak
- Max-Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Stuebeweg 51, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roland Penzel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kurt Zatloukal
- Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 25, Graz, a-8036, Austria
| | - Stefan Joos
- Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum DKFZ (B060), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Joachim Rieker
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 8-10, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Abbas Agaimy
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 8-10, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stephan Söder
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 8-10, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael R Bardsley
- Center for Individualized Medicine and Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
| | - Yujiro Hayashi
- Center for Individualized Medicine and Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
| | - David T Asuzu
- Center for Individualized Medicine and Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
| | - Sabriya A Syed
- Center for Individualized Medicine and Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
| | - Tamas Ordog
- Center for Individualized Medicine and Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
| | - Martin Zörnig
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, Frankfurt, Germany
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Gardyan A, Osen W, Zörnig I, Podola L, Agarwal M, Aulmann S, Ruggiero E, Schmidt M, Halama N, Leuchs B, von Kalle C, Beckhove P, Schneeweiss A, Jäger D, Eichmüller SB. Identification of NY-BR-1-specific CD4(+) T cell epitopes using HLA-transgenic mice. Int J Cancer 2014; 136:2588-97. [PMID: 25387692 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer represents the second most common cancer type worldwide and has remained the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. The differentiation antigen NY-BR-1 appears overexpressed in invasive mammary carcinomas compared to healthy breast tissue, thus representing a promising target antigen for T cell based tumor immunotherapy approaches. Since efficient immune attack of tumors depends on the activity of tumor antigen-specific CD4(+) effector T cells, NY-BR-1 was screened for the presence of HLA-restricted CD4(+) T cell epitopes that could be included in immunological treatment approaches. Upon NY-BR-1-specific DNA immunization of HLA-transgenic mice and functional ex vivo analysis, a panel of NY-BR-1-derived library peptides was determined that specifically stimulated IFNγ secretion among splenocytes of immunized mice. Following in silico analyses, four candidate epitopes were determined which were successfully used for peptide immunization to establish NY-BR-1-specific, HLA-DRB1*0301- or HLA-DRB1*0401-restricted CD4(+) T cell lines from splenocytes of peptide immunized HLA-transgenic mice. Notably, all four CD4(+) T cell lines recognized human HLA-DR-matched dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with lysates of NY-BR-1 expressing human tumor cells, demonstrating natural processing of these epitopes also within the human system. Finally, CD4(+) T cells specific for all four CD4(+) T cell epitopes were detectable among PBMC of breast cancer patients, showing that CD4(+) T cell responses against the new epitopes are not deleted nor inactivated by self-tolerance mechanisms. Our results present the first NY-BR-1-specific HLA-DRB1*0301- and HLA-DRB1*0401-restricted T cell epitopes that could be exploited for therapeutic intervention against breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriane Gardyan
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Germany
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Zörnig I, Halama N, Lorenzo Bermejo J, Ziegelmeier C, Dickes E, Migdoll A, Kaiser I, Waterboer T, Pawlita M, Grabe N, Ugurel S, Schadendorf D, Falk C, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D. Prognostic significance of spontaneous antibody responses against tumor-associated antigens in malignant melanoma patients. Int J Cancer 2014; 136:138-51. [PMID: 24839182 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Distribution, patterns and prognostic impact of spontaneous antibody responses against different tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) in malignant melanoma patients are unknown so far and were investigated in this study for the first time in a large cohort at different stages of the disease, identifying new prognostic biomarkers for malignant melanoma. Serum samples from 365 melanoma patients (97 Stage I melanoma patients, 87 Stage II, 92 Stage III and 89 Stage IV) and 100 age and gender matched healthy control donors were analyzed. Samples were drawn at the time of diagnosis (Stages I-III) or at time of diagnosis of distant metastasis (Stage IV). Applying a novel multiplex assay, humoral immune responses against 29 TAAs were determined and the association between response and patient survival was investigated. Antibody responses were mainly found in melanoma patients and all tested antigens elicited immune responses in all disease stages. Antibody responses against single antigens were either associated with poor prognosis and/or shorter progression-free survival (PFS) or had no influence. While in Stages I-III significant associations were observed between an antibody response and overall survival or PFS, among Stage IV patients, no significant association was found. Multivariate analyses identified specific humoral immune responses as prognostic factors independently of age, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Antibody responses against specific TAA in Stage I-III melanoma patients correlate with poor prognosis and/or shorter PFS. These results may help to design clinical studies in order to evaluate the potential of these responses as prognostic serological biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Internal Medicine VI, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Migdoll A, Zörnig M, Halama N, Kaiser I, Eichmüller S, Dickes E, Heller A, Giese N, Zörnig I, Jäger D. 1092 Assessing the Potential of Novel Antigens as Targets for Immunotherapeutic Approaches in Pancreatic Carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(12)71697-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Heller A, Zörnig I, Müller T, Giorgadze K, Frei C, Giese T, Bergmann F, Schmidt J, Werner J, Buchler MW, Jaeger D, Giese NA. Immunogenicity of SEREX-identified antigens and disease outcome in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2010; 59:1389-400. [PMID: 20514540 PMCID: PMC11029919 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-010-0870-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2010] [Accepted: 05/15/2010] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite spontaneous or vaccination-induced immune responses, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most deadly immunotherapy-resistant malignancies. We sought to comprehend the spectrum of pancreatic tumor-associated antigens (pTAAs) and to assess the clinical relevance of their immunogenicity. An autologous SEREX-based screening of a cDNA library constructed from a pancreatic T3N0M0/GIII specimen belonging to a long-term survivor (36 months) revealed 18 immunogenic pTAA. RT-PCR analysis displayed broad distribution of the identified antigens among normal human tissues. PNLIPRP2 and MIA demonstrated the most distinct pancreatic cancer-specific patterns. ELISA-based screening of sera for corresponding autoantibodies revealed that although significantly increased, the immunogenicity of these molecules was not a common feature in pancreatic cancer. QRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry characterized PNLIPRP2 as a robust acinar cell-specific marker whose decreased expression mirrored the disappearance of parenchyma in the diseased organ, but was not related to the presence of PNLIPRP2 autoantibodies. Analyses of MIA-known to be preferentially expressed in malignant cells-surprisingly revealed an inverse correlation between intratumoral gene expression and the emergence of autoantibodies. MIA(high) patients were autoantibody-negative and had shorter median survival when compared with autoantibody-positive MIA(low) patients (12 vs. 34 months). The observed pTAA spectrum comprised molecules associated with acinar, stromal and malignant structures, thus presenting novel targets for tumor cell-specific therapies as well as for approaches based on the bystander effects. Applying the concept of cancer immunoediting to interpret relationships between gene expression, antitumor immune responses, and clinical outcome might better discriminate between past and ongoing immune responses, consequently enabling prognostic stratification of patients and individual adjustment of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Heller
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - I. Zörnig
- Medical Oncology, National Centre of Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 350, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T. Müller
- Medical Oncology, National Centre of Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 350, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K. Giorgadze
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C. Frei
- Medical Oncology, National Centre of Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 350, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T. Giese
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 305, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - F. Bergmann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 220, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J. Schmidt
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J. Werner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M. W. Buchler
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D. Jaeger
- Medical Oncology, National Centre of Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 350, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - N. A. Giese
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 116, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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