1
|
Chen M, Xiao L, Jia H, Wang S, Jiang X, Lei X, Zhai Q, Lang J. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy and FAPα-based cancer vaccine suppresses metastatic tumor growth in 4T1 mouse breast cancer. Radiother Oncol 2023; 189:109946. [PMID: 37806560 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109946] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study tested the hypothesis that a novel combination of stereotactic ablation radiotherapy (SABR) and a cancer vaccine against fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAPα) can suppress established tumor growth and impede potential metastasis. METHODS The poorly immunogenic metastatic mouse mammary carcinoma 4T1 was used as a model. Mice were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: (1) untreated control, (2) FAPα-based cancer vaccine, (3) SABR, (4) SABR + pCDH (lentiviral control vector), (5) SABR + FAPα-based cancer vaccine (SABR/FAPα-Vax). FAPα-based cancer vaccine were administered subcutaneously every week for a total of three treatments. SABR was delivered to the primary tumor by 3 × 8 Gy after the first vaccination. RESULTS Consistent with the poorly immunogenic nature of 4T1, tumor-bearing mice receiving FAPα-based cancer vaccine or SABR monotherapy showed a modest reduction in tumor volume and increased animal lifespan. In contrast, SABR/FAPα-Vax was well-tolerated, significantly reduced tumor burden, and increased survival compared to monotherapy. The increased survival correlated with inhibition of extracellular matrix (ECM) production, tumor vascularization and lymphangiogenesis. SABR/FAPα-Vax also resulted in an abscopal effect capable of eliminating lung metastases. SABR/FAPα-Vax recruited and activated CD8 + T cells to attack tumor cells and FAPα + stromal cells, and initiated suppressor cell reprogramming, including facilitating macrophage polarization toward an anti-tumor (M1) state, as well as depleting myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs). CONCLUSION These findings provide a novel therapeutic combination of radiation and FAPα-based cancer vaccine with promising results against poorly immunogenic metastatic cancer. This study may pave the way to overcome the therapeutic resistance caused by FAPα + CAFs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meihua Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Ling Xiao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Hongyuan Jia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Shubin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Xiao Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; Institute of Isotope, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, China.
| | - Xudan Lei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Qiming Zhai
- Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jinyi Lang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen L, Qiu X, Wang X, He J. FAP positive fibroblasts induce immune checkpoint blockade resistance in colorectal cancer via promoting immunosuppression. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 487:8-14. [PMID: 28302482 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockades that significantly prolonged survival of melanoma patients have been less effective on colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Growing evidence suggested that fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAP) on cancer associate fibroblasts (CAFs) has critical roles in regulating antitumor immune response by inducing tumor-promoting inflammation. In this study, we explored the roles of FAP in regulating the tumor immunity and immune checkpoint blockades resistance in CRC experimental systems. We found that CAFs with high FAP expression could induce immune checkpoint blockade resistance in CRC mouse model. Mechanistically, CAFs with high FAP expression promoted immunosuppression in the CRC tumor immune microenvironment by up-regulating CCL2 secretion, recruiting myeloid cells, and decreasing T-cell activity. In human CRC samples, FAP expression was proportional to myeloid cells number, but inversely related to T-cell number. High FAP expression also predicted poor survival of CRC patients. Taken together, our study suggested that high FAP expression in CAFs is one reason leading to immune checkpoint blockades resistance in CRC patients and FAP is an optional target for reversing immune checkpoint blockades resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Linyi Central Hospital, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiangting Qiu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Linyi Central Hospital, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xinhua Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Linyi Central Hospital, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jian He
- Department of Clinical Neurosurgery, Linyi Central Hospital, Shandong Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lv B, Xie F, Zhao P, Ma X, Jiang WG, Yu J, Zhang X, Jia J. Promotion of Cellular Growth and Motility Is Independent of Enzymatic Activity of Fibroblast Activation Protein-α. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2016; 13:201-208. [PMID: 27107062] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAPα) is a type-II integral membrane serine protease and is expressed in most stromal fibroblasts. Recent studies showed that FAPα is also expressed in certain cancer cells but its role is still uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed the non-enzymatic activity of FAPα in breast cancer cells by introducing an enzymatic mutant FAPα (FAPS624A), in which the serine catalytic triad was destroyed. FAPα overexpression and knockdown cells were generated as controls. RESULTS Cellular growth and motility were markedly increased in MCF-7 cells overexpressing FAPα and enzymatic-mutant FAPS624A. This is consistent with observations in FAPα-silenced BT549 cells. Western blotting showed activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2/9 in both wild-type FAPα-overexpressing and enzymatic-mutant FAPS624A-overexpressing cells. CONCLUSION Promotion of cellular growth and motility is independent of the enzymatic activity of FAPα in breast cancer cells. The PI3K/AKT and MMP2/9 signaling pathways might be involved in such regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baobei Lv
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Fei Xie
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Pengxiang Zhao
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xuemei Ma
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Wen G Jiang
- Cardiff University-Peking University Joint Cancer Institute, Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K
| | - Jing Yu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), The VIP-II Division of Medical Department, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), The VIP-II Division of Medical Department, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jun Jia
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), The VIP-II Division of Medical Department, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|