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Coschi CH, Juergens RA. Overcoming Resistance Mechanisms to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Leveraging the Anti-Tumor Immune Response. Curr Oncol 2023; 31:1-23. [PMID: 38275827 PMCID: PMC10814017 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31010001] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
As far back as 3000 years ago, the immune system was observed to play a role in mediating tumor regression. Since then, many strategies have been developed to leverage the anti-tumor immune response. However, while many patients respond to ICIs up front some do not, and many of those that do eventually experience tumor progression. Currently, there are several predictive biomarkers of the immune checkpoint inhibitor response; however, no one test appears to be universally predictive and their application varies by disease site. There are many ways in which cancer cells develop primary or acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Efforts to reverse resistance include ways to combat T cell exhaustion, reprogram the tumor microenvironment, increase the availability of tumor neo-antigens, target alternative immune checkpoints, restore a normal/healthy patient gut microbiome, oncolytic viruses and tumor vaccines. The most studied and most promising methods include combining ICIs with therapies targeting alternative immune checkpoints and restoring a normal/healthy patient gut microbiome. This review will discuss T cell-mediated immunity, how this is leveraged by modern immunotherapy to treat cancer and mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance, while highlighting strategies to overcome primary and secondary resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney H. Coschi
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, 699 Concession Street, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada;
| | - Rosalyn A. Juergens
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, 699 Concession Street, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada;
- Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
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2
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Huang X, Ren Q, Yang L, Cui D, Ma C, Zheng Y, Wu J. Immunogenic chemotherapy: great potential for improving response rates. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1308681. [PMID: 38125944 PMCID: PMC10732354 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1308681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of anti-tumor immunity is critical in treating cancers. Recent studies indicate that several chemotherapy agents can stimulate anti-tumor immunity by inducing immunogenic cell death and durably eradicate tumors. This suggests that immunogenic chemotherapy holds great potential for improving response rates. However, chemotherapy in practice has only had limited success in inducing long-term survival or cure of cancers when used either alone or in combination with immunotherapy. We think that this is because the importance of dose, schedule, and tumor model dependence of chemotherapy-activated anti-tumor immunity is under-appreciated. Here, we review immune modulation function of representative chemotherapy agents and propose a model of immunogenic chemotherapy-induced long-lasting responses that rely on synergetic interaction between killing tumor cells and inducing anti-tumor immunity. We comb through several chemotherapy treatment schedules, and identify the needs for chemotherapy dose and schedule optimization and combination therapy with immunotherapy when chemotherapy dosage or immune responsiveness is too low. We further review tumor cell intrinsic factors that affect the optimal chemotherapy dose and schedule. Lastly, we review the biomarkers indicating responsiveness to chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy treatments. A deep understanding of how chemotherapy activates anti-tumor immunity and how to monitor its responsiveness can lead to the development of more effective chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy, thereby improving the efficacy of cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Huang
- Cancer Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qinghuan Ren
- Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Leixiang Yang
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Di Cui
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenyang Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second People’s Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yueliang Zheng
- Cancer Center, Emergency and Critical Care Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junjie Wu
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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3
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Kim J, Kim Y, La J, Park WH, Kim HJ, Park SH, Ku KB, Kang BH, Lim J, Kwon MS, Lee HK. Supplementation with a high-glucose drink stimulates anti-tumor immune responses to glioblastoma via gut microbiota modulation. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113220. [PMID: 37804509 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113220] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A high-sugar diet induces lifestyle-associated metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, which may underlie the pro-tumor effects of a high-sugar diet. We supply GL261 syngeneic glioblastoma (GBM) mice with a short-term high-glucose drink (HGD) and find an increased survival rate with no evidence of metabolic disease. Modulation of the gut microbiota through HGD supplementation is critical for enhancing the anti-tumor immune response. Single-cell RNA sequencing shows that gut microbiota modulation by HGD supplementation increases the T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response in GBM mice. We find that the cytotoxic CD4+ T cell population in GBM is increased due to synergy with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors, but this effect depends upon HGD supplementation. Thus, we determine that HGD supplementation enhances anti-tumor immune responses in GBM mice through gut microbiota modulation and suggest that the role of HGD supplementation in GBM should be re-examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeho Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yumin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongwoo La
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Hyung Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Jin Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Bon Ku
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Department of Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Hoon Kang
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhee Lim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung Seung Kwon
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung Kyu Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Pelka S, Guha C. Enhancing Immunogenicity in Metastatic Melanoma: Adjuvant Therapies to Promote the Anti-Tumor Immune Response. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2245. [PMID: 37626741 PMCID: PMC10452223 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer characterized by low survival rates. Less than 50% of advanced melanoma patients respond to current therapies, and of those patients that do respond, many present with tumor recurrence due to resistance. The immunosuppressive tumor-immune microenvironment (TIME) remains a major obstacle in melanoma therapy. Adjuvant treatment modalities that enhance anti-tumor immune cell function are associated with improved patient response. One potential mechanism to stimulate the anti-tumor immune response is by inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumors. ICD leads to the release of damage-associated molecular patterns within the TIME, subsequently promoting antigen presentation and anti-tumor immunity. This review summarizes relevant concepts and mechanisms underlying ICD and introduces the potential of non-ablative low-intensity focused ultrasound (LOFU) as an immune-priming therapy that can be combined with ICD-inducing focal ablative therapies to promote an anti-melanoma immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Pelka
- Department of Development and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
| | - Chandan Guha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute of Onco-Physics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Wenger V, Zeiser R. Editorial: Current concepts of cellular and biological drugs to modulate regulatory T cell activity in the clinic, volume II. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1221904. [PMID: 37383231 PMCID: PMC10294709 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1221904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Wenger
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Zeiser
- Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signaling Research Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS) Freiburg and CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Zhu X, Fan C, Xiong Z, Chen M, Li Z, Tao T, Liu X. Development and application of oncolytic viruses as the nemesis of tumor cells. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1188526. [PMID: 37440883 PMCID: PMC10335770 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1188526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses and tumors are two pathologies that negatively impact human health, but what occurs when a virus encounters a tumor? A global consensus among cancer patients suggests that surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other methods are the primary means to combat cancer. However, with the innovation and development of biomedical technology, tumor biotherapy (immunotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, gene therapy, oncolytic virus therapy, etc.) has emerged as an alternative treatment for malignant tumors. Oncolytic viruses possess numerous anti-tumor properties, such as directly lysing tumor cells, activating anti-tumor immune responses, and improving the tumor microenvironment. Compared to traditional immunotherapy, oncolytic virus therapy offers advantages including high killing efficiency, precise targeting, and minimal side effects. Although oncolytic virus (OV) therapy was introduced as a novel approach to tumor treatment in the 19th century, its efficacy was suboptimal, limiting its widespread application. However, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first OV therapy drug, T-VEC, in 2015, interest in OV has grown significantly. In recent years, oncolytic virus therapy has shown increasingly promising application prospects and has become a major research focus in the field of cancer treatment. This article reviews the development, classification, and research progress of oncolytic viruses, as well as their mechanisms of action, therapeutic methods, and routes of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology—Manhattan Campus, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chenyang Fan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medicine and Technology, School of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Zhuolong Xiong
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Mingwei Chen
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zesong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Tumor, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital(Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Xiuqing Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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Cheng J, Yan J, Liu Y, Shi J, Wang H, Zhou H, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Zhao L, Meng X, Gong H, Zhang X, Zhu H, Jiang P. Cancer-cell-derived fumarate suppresses the anti-tumor capacity of CD8 + T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Cell Metab 2023:S1550-4131(23)00171-7. [PMID: 37178684 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic alterations in the microenvironment significantly modulate tumor immunosensitivity, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we report that tumors depleted of fumarate hydratase (FH) exhibit inhibition of functional CD8+ T cell activation, expansion, and efficacy, with enhanced malignant proliferative capacity. Mechanistically, FH depletion in tumor cells accumulates fumarate in the tumor interstitial fluid, and increased fumarate can directly succinate ZAP70 at C96 and C102 and abrogate its activity in infiltrating CD8+ T cells, resulting in suppressed CD8+ T cell activation and anti-tumor immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, fumarate depletion by increasing FH expression strongly enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of anti-CD19 CAR T cells. Thus, these findings demonstrate a role for fumarate in controlling TCR signaling and suggest that fumarate accumulation in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a metabolic barrier to CD8+ T cell anti-tumor function. And potentially, fumarate depletion could be an important strategy for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Cheng
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jinxin Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiangzhou Shi
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hanyang Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yinglin Zhou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tongcun Zhang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Lina Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xianbin Meng
- National Center for Protein Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haipeng Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xinxiang Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Haichuan Zhu
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei 430081, China.
| | - Peng Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China.
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Drachneris J, Rasmusson A, Morkunas M, Fabijonavicius M, Cekauskas A, Jankevicius F, Laurinavicius A. CD8+ Cell Density Gradient across the Tumor Epithelium-Stromal Interface of Non-Muscle Invasive Papillary Urothelial Carcinoma Predicts Recurrence-Free Survival after BCG Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15. [PMID: 36831546 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy is the first-line treatment in patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma (NMIPUC), the most common type of bladder cancer. The therapy outcomes are variable and may depend on the immune response within the tumor microenvironment. In our study, we explored the prognostic value of CD8+ cell density gradient indicators across the tumor epithelium-stroma interface of NMIPUC. METHODS Clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively collected from 157 NMIPUC patients treated with BCG immunotherapy after transurethral resection. Whole-slide digital image analysis of CD8 immunohistochemistry slides was used for tissue segmentation, CD8+ cell quantification, and the assessment of CD8+ cell densities within the epithelium-stroma interface. Subsequently, the gradient indicators (center of mass and immunodrop) were computed to represent the density gradient across the interface. RESULTS By univariable analysis of the clinicopathologic factors, including the history of previous NMIPUC, poor tumor differentiation, and pT1 stage, were associated with shorter RFS (p < 0.05). In CD8+ analyses, only the gradient indicators but not the absolute CD8+ densities were predictive for RFS (p < 0.05). The best-performing cross-validated model included previous episodes of NMIPUC (HR = 4.4492, p = 0.0063), poor differentiation (HR = 2.3672, p = 0.0457), and immunodrop (HR = 5.5072, p = 0.0455). CONCLUSIONS We found that gradient indicators of CD8+ cell densities across the tumor epithelium-stroma interface, along with routine clinical and pathology data, improve the prediction of RFS in NMIPUC.
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Kim HS, Kim CG, Kim WK, Kim KA, Yoo J, Min BS, Paik S, Shin SJ, Lee H, Lee K, Kim H, Shin EC, Kim TM, Ahn JB. Fusobacterium nucleatum induces a tumor microenvironment with diminished adaptive immunity against colorectal cancers. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1101291. [PMID: 36960042 PMCID: PMC10028079 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1101291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Fusobacterium nucleatum (FN) plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer by modulating antitumor immune responses. However, the impact of FN on immune regulation in the tumor microenvironment has not been fully elucidated. Methods The abundance of FN was measured in 99 stage III CRC tumor tissues using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gene expression profiles were assessed and annotated using consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, and deconvolution of individual immune cell types in the context of FN abundance. Immune profiling for tumor infiltrating T cells isolated from human tumor tissues was analyzed using flow cytometry. Ex vivo tumor-infiltrating T cells were stimulated in the presence or absence of FN to determine the direct effects of FN on immune cell phenotypes. Results Gene expression profiles, CMS composition, abundance of immune cell subtypes, and survival outcomes differed depending on FN infection. We found that FN infection was associated with poorer disease-free survival and overall survival in stage III CRC patients. FN infection was associated with T cell depletion and enrichment of exhausted CD8+ and FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment. The presence of FN in tumors was correlated with a suppressive tumor microenvironment in a T cell-dependent manner. Conclusion FN enhanced the suppressive immune microenvironment with high depletion of CD8+ T cells and enrichment of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in human colorectal cancer cases. Our findings suggest a potential association for FN in adaptive immunity, with biological and prognostic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Sang Kim
- Yonsei Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Gon Kim
- Yonsei Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Kyu Kim
- Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-A Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinseon Yoo
- Department of Medical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Soh Min
- Department of Surgery, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soonmyung Paik
- Yonsei Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Joon Shin
- Yonsei Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyukmin Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungwon Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoguen Kim
- Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui-Cheol Shin
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Joong Bae Ahn, ; Tae-Min Kim, ; Eui-Cheol Shin,
| | - Tae-Min Kim
- Department of Medical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Joong Bae Ahn, ; Tae-Min Kim, ; Eui-Cheol Shin,
| | - Joong Bae Ahn
- Yonsei Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Joong Bae Ahn, ; Tae-Min Kim, ; Eui-Cheol Shin,
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10
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Huang W, Liu Y, Luz A, Berrong M, Meyer JN, Zou Y, Swann E, Sundaramoorthy P, Kang Y, Jauhari S, Lento W, Chao N, Racioppi L. Calcium/Calmodulin Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase 2 Regulates the Expansion of Tumor-Induced Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:754083. [PMID: 34712241 PMCID: PMC8546266 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.754083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a hetero geneous group of cells, which can suppress the immune response, promote tumor progression and impair the efficacy of immunotherapies. Consequently, the pharmacological targeting of MDSC is emerging as a new immunotherapeutic strategy to stimulate the natural anti-tumor immune response and potentiate the efficacy of immunotherapies. Herein, we leveraged genetically modified models and a small molecule inhibitor to validate Calcium-Calmodulin Kinase Kinase 2 (CaMKK2) as a druggable target to control MDSC accumulation in tumor-bearing mice. The results indicated that deletion of CaMKK2 in the host attenuated the growth of engrafted tumor cells, and this phenomenon was associated with increased antitumor T cell response and decreased accumulation of MDSC. The adoptive transfer of MDSC was sufficient to restore the ability of the tumor to grow in Camkk2-/- mice, confirming the key role of MDSC in the mechanism of tumor rejection. In vitro studies indicated that blocking of CaMKK2 is sufficient to impair the yield of MDSC. Surprisingly, MDSC generated from Camkk2-/- bone marrow cells also showed a higher ability to terminally differentiate toward more immunogenic cell types (e.g inflammatory macrophages and dendritic cells) compared to wild type (WT). Higher intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in Camkk2-/- MDSC, increasing their susceptibility to apoptosis and promoting their terminal differentiation toward more mature myeloid cells. Mechanistic studies indicated that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a known CaMKK2 proximal target controlling the oxidative stress response, fine-tunes ROS accumulation in MDSC. Accordingly, failure to activate the CaMKK2-AMPK axis can account for the elevated ROS levels in Camkk2-/- MDSC. These results highlight CaMKK2 as an important regulator of the MDSC lifecycle, identifying this kinase as a new druggable target to restrain MDSC expansion and enhance the efficacy of anti-tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yaping Liu
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Anthony Luz
- Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Mark Berrong
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yujing Zou
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Excel Swann
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Pasupathi Sundaramoorthy
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yubin Kang
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Shekeab Jauhari
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - William Lento
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nelson Chao
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Luigi Racioppi
- Division of Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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11
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Nam JK, Kim JH, Park MS, Kim EH, Kim J, Lee YJ. Radiation-Induced Fibrotic Tumor Microenvironment Regulates Anti-Tumor Immune Response. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5232. [PMID: 34680381 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Radiation therapy can modulate anti-tumor immune responses. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the anti-tumor immune response and tumor fibrosis after X-ray or neutron radiation therapy. Neutron radiation therapy resulted in lesser fibrosis and greater anti-tumor immunity compared to X-ray irradiation. Radiation therapy-induced fibrotic changes within the tumor environment and tumor regrowth were suppressed by specifically deleting Trp53 in endothelial cells. In particular, the upregulation of PD-L1 expression after X-ray radiation therapy was significantly suppressed via EC-Trp53 deletion. Understanding the effects of different radiation therapy types on the tumor microenvironment provides strategies for enhancing the efficacy of combined radio- and immunotherapy. Abstract High linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, such as neutron radiation, is considered more effective for the treatment of cancer than low LET radiation, such as X-rays. We previously reported that X-ray irradiation induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and profibrotic changes, which contributed to the radioresistance of tumors. However, this effect was attenuated in tumors of endothelial-specific Trp53-knockout mice. Herein, we report that compared to X-ray irradiation, neutron radiation therapy reduced collagen deposition and suppressed EndMT in tumors. In addition to the fewer fibrotic changes, more cluster of differentiation (CD8)-positive cytotoxic T cells were observed in neutron-irradiated regrowing tumors than in X-ray-irradiated tumors. Furthermore, lower programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was noted in the former. Endothelial-specific Trp53 deletion suppressed fibrotic changes within the tumor environment following both X-ray and neutron radiation therapy. In particular, the upregulation in PD-L1 expression after X-ray radiation therapy was significantly dampened. Our findings suggest that compared to low LET radiation therapy, high LET radiation therapy can efficiently suppress profibrotic changes and enhance the anti-tumor immune response, resulting in delayed tumor regrowth.
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12
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Sun L, Kees T, Almeida AS, Liu B, He XY, Ng D, Han X, Spector DL, McNeish IA, Gimotty P, Adams S, Egeblad M. Activating a collaborative innate-adaptive immune response to control metastasis. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:1361-1374.e9. [PMID: 34478639 PMCID: PMC8981964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote metastasis and inhibit T cells, but macrophages can be polarized to kill cancer cells. Macrophage polarization could thus be a strategy for controlling cancer. We show that macrophages from metastatic pleural effusions of breast cancer patients can be polarized to kill cancer cells with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) and interferon (IFN) γ. MPLA + IFNγ injected intratumorally or intraperitoneally reduces primary tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer mouse models, suppresses metastasis, and enhances chemotherapy response in an ovarian cancer model. Both macrophages and T cells are critical for the treatment's anti-metastatic effects. MPLA + IFNγ stimulates type I IFN signaling, reprograms CD206+ TAMs to inducible NO synthase (iNOS)+ macrophages, and activates cytotoxic T cells through macrophage-secreted interleukin-12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). MPLA and IFNγ are used individually in clinical practice and together represent a previously unexplored approach for engaging a systemic anti-tumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Sun
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Tim Kees
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | | | - Bodu Liu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Xue-Yan He
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - David Ng
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Xiao Han
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - David L Spector
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Iain A McNeish
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Phyllis Gimotty
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, USA
| | - Sylvia Adams
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mikala Egeblad
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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13
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Abstract
Despite the advances in immunotherapies, effective against some types of
cancer, progression of several types of carcinoma remains uncurable. Recent
studies indicate that changes in lipid metabolism, aggravated by obesity,
disable anti-tumor immune response. In the July issue of
Immunity, Xu et al. use mouse models to demonstrate that
certain types of oxidized lipids, transported by CD36, suppress the capacity of
CD8+ T lymphocytes to secrete cytotoxic molecules. This study
sheds light on how lipid modifications in the tumor microenvironment make killer
T cells incapable of inhibiting tumor growth.
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14
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Ji H, Ba Y, Ma S, Hou K, Mi S, Gao X, Jin J, Gong Q, Liu T, Wang F, Liu Z, Li S, Du J, Hu S. Construction of Interferon-Gamma-Related Gene Signature to Characterize the Immune-Inflamed Phenotype of Glioblastoma and Predict Prognosis, Efficacy of Immunotherapy and Radiotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:729359. [PMID: 34566988 PMCID: PMC8461254 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.729359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferon-gamma (IFNG) has profound impacts on tumor-immune interaction and is of great clinical significance for multiple cancers. Exploring the role of IFNG in glioblastoma (GBM) may optimize the current treatment paradigm of this disease. Here, multi-dimensional data of 429 GBM samples were collected. Various bioinformatics algorithms were employed to establish a gene signature that characterizes immunological features, genomic alterations, and clinical characteristics associated with the IFNG response. In this way, a novel IFNG-related gene signature (IFNGrGS, including TGFBI, IL4I1, ACP5, and LUM) has been constructed and validated. Samples with increased IFNGrGS scores were characterized by increased neutrophil and macrophage infiltration and exuberant innate immune responses, while the activated adaptive immune response may be frustrated by multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms. Notably, the IFNG pathway as well as its antagonistic pathways including IL4, IL10, TGF-beta, and VEGF converged on the expression of immune checkpoints. Besides, gene mutations involved in the microenvironment were associated with the IFNGrGS-based stratification, where the heterogeneous prognostic significance of EGFR mutation may be related to the different degrees of IFNG response. Moreover, the IFNGrGS score had solid prognostic value and the potential to screen ICB and radiotherapy sensitive populations. Collectively, our study provided insights into the role of IFNG on the GBM immune microenvironment and offered feasible information for optimizing the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yixu Ba
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Shuai Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Kuiyuan Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Shan Mi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiaqi Jin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,The Key Laboratory of Myocardial Ischemia, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Qin Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University (DAQING), Daqing, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,The Key Laboratory of Myocardial Ischemia, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,The Key Laboratory of Myocardial Ischemia, Ministry of Education, Harbin, China
| | - Shupeng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jianyang Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Shaoshan Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Emergency Medicine Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Hamblin MR, Abrahamse H. Factors Affecting Photodynamic Therapy and Anti-Tumor Immune Response. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 21:123-136. [PMID: 32188394 DOI: 10.2174/1871520620666200318101037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a cancer therapy involving the systemic injection of a Photosensitizer (PS) that localizes to some extent in a tumor. After an appropriate time (ranging from minutes to days), the tumor is irradiated with red or near-infrared light either as a surface spot or by interstitial optical fibers. The PS is excited by the light to form a long-lived triplet state that can react with ambient oxygen to produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen and/or hydroxyl radicals, that kill tumor cells, destroy tumor blood vessels, and lead to tumor regression and necrosis. It has long been realized that in some cases, PDT can also stimulate the host immune system, leading to a systemic anti-tumor immune response that can also destroy distant metastases and guard against tumor recurrence. The present paper aims to cover some of the factors that can affect the likelihood and efficiency of this immune response. The structure of the PS, drug-light interval, rate of light delivery, mode of cancer cell death, expression of tumor-associated antigens, and combinations of PDT with various adjuvants all can play a role in stimulating the host immune system. Considering the recent revolution in tumor immunotherapy triggered by the success of checkpoint inhibitors, it appears that the time is ripe for PDT to be investigated in combination with other approaches in clinical scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
| | - Heidi Abrahamse
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
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16
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Chen J, Harding SM, Natesan R, Tian L, Benci JL, Li W, Minn AJ, Asangani IA, Greenberg RA. Cell Cycle Checkpoints Cooperate to Suppress DNA- and RNA-Associated Molecular Pattern Recognition and Anti-Tumor Immune Responses. Cell Rep 2020; 32:108080. [PMID: 32877684 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA-dependent pattern recognition receptor, cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase), mediates communication between the DNA damage and the immune responses. Mitotic chromosome missegregation stimulates cGAS activity; however, it is unclear whether progression through mitosis is required for cancercell-intrinsic activation of anti-tumor immune responses. Moreover, it is unknown whether cell cycle checkpoint disruption can restore responses in cancer cells that are recalcitrant to DNAdamage-induced inflammation. Here, we demonstrate that prolonged cell cycle arrest at the G2-mitosis boundary from either excessive DNA damage or CDK1 inhibition prevents inflammatory-stimulated gene expression and immune-mediated destruction of distal tumors. Remarkably, DNAdamage-induced inflammatory signaling is restored in a RIG-I-dependent manner upon concomitant disruption of p53 and the G2 checkpoint. These findings link aberrant cell progression and p53 loss to an expanded spectrum of damage-associated molecular pattern recognition and have implications for the design of rational approaches to augment anti-tumor immune responses. Chen et al. show that prolonged cell cycle arrest before mitosis prevents inflammatory signaling and anti-tumor immunity. Concomitant disruption of p53 and the G2 checkpoint restores DNAdamage-induced inflammatory signaling in a cGAS- and RIG-I-dependent manner.
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17
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Rezaei R, Baghaei K, Hashemi SM, Zali MR, Ghanbarian H, Amani D. Tumor-Derived Exosomes Enriched by miRNA-124 Promote Anti-tumor Immune Response in CT-26 Tumor-Bearing Mice. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:619939. [PMID: 33987190 PMCID: PMC8110712 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.619939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes have been introduced as a new alternative delivery system for the transmission of small molecules. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) not only contain tumor-associated antigens to stimulate antitumor immune responses but also act as natural carriers of microRNAs. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of miR-124-3p-enriched TEX (TEXomiR) as cell-free vaccine in the induction of antitumor immune responses in a mouse model of colorectal cancer. Briefly, the exosomes were isolated from cultured CT-26 cell line, and modified calcium chloride method was used to deliver miR-124-3p mimic into the exosomes. We used a CT-26-induced BALB/c mouse model of colorectal cancer and analyzed the effect of TEXomiR on survival, tumor size, spleen and tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes, and splenocyte proliferation. Furthermore, intra-tumor regulatory T cells, cytotoxic activity of the splenocytes, and cytokine secretion was also evaluated to describe the anti-tumor immune response. When the tumor size reached 100 mm3, the mice were injected with TEXomiR, TEX, and/or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) subcutaneously three times with 3-day interval, and then tumor size was monitored every 2 days. The in vitro results indicated that TEXs could efficiently deliver functional miR-124-3p mimic. The in vivo evaluation in tumor-bearing mice showed that treatment with TEXomiR can elicit a stronger anti-tumor immune response than unloaded TEX and PBS. Significant tumor growth inhibition and increased median survival time was achieved in tumor-bearing mice treated with TEXomiR. A significant decrease in CD4/CD8 and Treg/CD8 ratio in tumor tissue was demonstrated. Moreover, increased cytotoxicity and proliferation of splenocytes in the TEXomiR group compared to the TEX and PBS groups were identified. Taken together, our data demonstrated that tumor-derived exosomes efficiently deliver miR-124-3p mimic, and TEXomiR promotes anti-tumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramazan Rezaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kaveh Baghaei
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Ghanbarian
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davar Amani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Hauge S, Eek Mariampillai A, Rødland GE, Bay LTE, Landsverk HB, Syljuåsen RG. Expanding roles of cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors in radiation oncology. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 99:941-950. [PMID: 33877959 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1913529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Radiation-induced activation of cell cycle checkpoints have been of long-standing interest. The WEE1, CHK1 and ATR kinases are key factors in cell cycle checkpoint regulation and are essential for the S and G2 checkpoints. Here, we review the rationale for why inhibitors of WEE1, CHK1 and ATR could be beneficial in combination with radiation. CONCLUSIONS Combined treatment with radiation and inhibitors of these kinases results in checkpoint abrogation and subsequent mitotic catastrophe. This might selectively radiosensitize tumor cells, as they often lack the p53-dependent G1 checkpoint and therefore rely more on the G2 checkpoint to repair DNA damage. Further affecting the repair of radiation damage, inhibition of WEE1, CHK1 or ATR also specifically suppresses the homologous recombination repair pathway. Moreover, inhibition of these kinases can induce massive replication stress during S phase of the cell cycle, likely contributing to eliminate radioresistant S phase cells. Intriguingly, recent findings suggest that cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors in combination with radiation can also enhance anti-tumor immune effects. Altogether, the expanding knowledge about the functional roles of WEE1, CHK1 and ATR inhibitors support that they are promising candidates for use in combination with radiation treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sissel Hauge
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adrian Eek Mariampillai
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gro Elise Rødland
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lilli T E Bay
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helga B Landsverk
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Randi G Syljuåsen
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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19
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Richards DM, Merz C, Gieffers C, Krendyukov A. CD95L and Anti-Tumor Immune Response: Current Understanding and New Evidence. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:2477-2482. [PMID: 33758545 PMCID: PMC7981134 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s297499] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of FasL/CD95L to induce apoptosis in various Fas/CD95-expressing cells has been described in the context of hematopoiesis or thymic elimination of self-reactive T cells and resolution of an acute immune response under physiological conditions. At the same time, non-apoptotic CD95 activation is widely described in cancer and shown to stimulate invasiveness of cancer cells, promote cancer progression as well as stemness of cancer cells. This paper puts emphasis on the evolving understanding of expression and the non-apoptotic activities of the CD95/CD95L signaling pathway on the function of tumor cells, tumor microenvironment and immune cells. The emerging evidence to support the role of CD95/CD95L signaling in the anti-tumor immune response will be presented in the context of various malignancies and the modalities of potential therapeutic interventions via selective CD95L inhibition in combination with traditional interventions such as RT, chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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20
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Li S, Feng J, Wu F, Cai J, Zhang X, Wang H, Fetahu IS, Iwanicki I, Ma D, Hu T, Liu H, Wang B, Shi G, Tan L, Shi YG. TET2 promotes anti-tumor immunity by governing G-MDSCs and CD8 + T-cell numbers. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e49425. [PMID: 32929842 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The host immune response is a fundamental mechanism for attenuating cancer progression. Here we report a role for the DNA demethylase and tumor suppressor TET2 in host anti-tumor immunity. Deletion of Tet2 in mice elevates IL-6 levels upon tumor challenge. Elevated IL-6 stimulates immunosuppressive granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs), which in turn reduce CD8+ T cells upon tumor challenge. Consequently, systematic knockout of Tet2 in mice leads to accelerated syngeneic tumor growth, which is constrained by anti-PD-1 blockade. Removal of G-MDSCs by the anti-mouse Ly6g antibodies restores CD8+ T-cell numbers in Tet2-/- mice and reboots their anti-tumor activity. Importantly, anti-IL-6 antibody treatment blocks the expansion of G-MDSCs and inhibits syngeneic tumor growth. Collectively, these findings reveal a TET2-mediated IL-6/G-MDSCs/CD8+ T-cell immune response cascade that safeguards host adaptive anti-tumor immunity, offering a cell non-autonomous mechanism of TET2 for tumor suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiuxing Feng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Feizhen Wu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiabin Cai
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haikun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Irfete S Fetahu
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isabella Iwanicki
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dingailu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoming Shi
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Tan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujiang Geno Shi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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21
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Nazimek K, Bryniarski K. Perspectives in Manipulating EVs for Therapeutic Applications: Focus on Cancer Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134623. [PMID: 32610582 PMCID: PMC7369858 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) receive special attention from oncologists due to their assumed usefulness as prognostic markers, vaccines to induce anti-cancer immune response, and physiological delivery tools. The latter application, which supports the reduction of side effects of treatment, is still fraught with many challenges, including established methods for loading EVs with selected cargo and directing them towards target cells. EVs could be loaded with selected cargo either in vitro using several physicochemical techniques, or in vivo by modification of parental cell, which may have an advantage over in vitro procedures, since some of them significantly influence EVs’ properties. Otherwise, our research findings suggest that EVs could be passively supplemented with micro RNAs (miRNAs) or miRNA antagonists to induce expected biological effect. Furthermore, our observations imply that antigen-specific antibody light chains could coat the surface of EVs to increase the specificity of cell targeting. Finally, the route of EVs’ administration also determines their bioavailability and eventually induced therapeutic effect. Besides, EV membrane lipids may possibly possess immune adjuvant activity. The review summarizes the current knowledge on the possibilities to manipulate EVs to use them as a delivery tool, with the special emphasis on anti-cancer therapy.
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22
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Wrobel LJ, Gayet-Ageron A, Le Gal FA. Effects of Beta-Blockers on Melanoma Microenvironment and Disease Survival in Human. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1094. [PMID: 32353988 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The regulation of melanoma by noradrenergic signaling has gain attention since pre-clinical and clinical studies suggested a benefit of using beta-blockers to control disease progression. We need to confirm that human melanoma recapitulates the mechanisms described from pre-clinical models. Methods: The sources and targets of norepinephrine in the microenvironment of 20 human melanoma samples was investigated using immunostaining. The effect of an exposure to beta-blockers on immune cell type distribution and expression of immune response markers was assessed with immunostaining on 212 human primary melanoma. A statistical analysis explored the effect of an exposure to beta-blockers on progression free survival, melanoma related survival, and overall survival on the 286 eligible patients. Results: Tumor cells and macrophages may be a source of norepinephrine in melanoma microenvironment. Tumors from patients exposed to wide spectrum beta-blockers recapitulate the increased infiltration of T-lymphocytes and the increased production of granzyme B observed in pre-clinical models. An exposure to beta-blockers is associated with a better outcome in our cohort of melanoma patients. Conclusion: This study shows the association between an exposure to wide spectrum beta-blockers and markers of an effective anti-tumor immune response as well as the protective effect of beta-blockers in human melanoma patients.
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Di Carlo E. Decoding the Role of Interleukin-30 in the Crosstalk Between Cancer and Myeloid Cells. Cells 2020; 9:E615. [PMID: 32143355 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, a new actor hit the scene of the tumor microenvironment, the p28 subunit of interleukin (IL)-27, known as IL-30. Its molecular structure allows it to function as an autonomous cytokine and, alternatively, to pair with other subunits to form heterodimeric complexes and enables it to play different, and not fully elucidated, roles in immunity. However, data from the experimental models and clinical samples, suggest IL-30′s engagement in the relationship between cancer and myeloid cells, which fosters the tumor microenvironment and the cancer stem cell niche, boosting the disease progression. Activated myeloid cells are the primary cellular source and one of the targets of IL-30, which can also be produced by cancer cells, especially, in aggressive tumors, as observed in the breast and prostate. This review briefly reports on the immunobiology of IL-30 and related cytokines, by comparing mouse and human counterparts, and then focuses on the mechanisms whereby IL-30 amplifies intratumoral myeloid cell infiltrate and triggers a vicious cycle that worsens immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and constitutes a real threat for a successful immunotherapeutic strategy.
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Bernardini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory Affiliated to Institute Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Brian A Zabel
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research, VA Palo Alto Health Care Systems, Palo Alto, CA, United States
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25
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Grimmig T, Gasser M, Moench R, Zhu LJ, Nawalaniec K, Callies S, Wagner M, Polat B, Mothi SS, Luo Y, Ribas CM, Malafaia O, Hsiao LL, Waaga-Gasser AM. Expression of Tumor-mediated CD137 ligand in human colon cancer indicates dual signaling effects. Oncoimmunology 2019; 8:e1651622. [PMID: 31741755 PMCID: PMC6844327 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1651622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CD137-targeting immune therapy, which activates anti-tumor T effector cell responses, seems to be an attractive concept in clinical oncology. Recent evidence has demonstrated that tumor cells besides T cells and antigen-presenting cells are able to express CD137 and CD137L. Here we aimed to identify CD137/CD137L expression in established colon cancer cell lines and primary tumors (UICC stages I-IV) from patients with documented long-term follow-up. CD137/CD137L expression was highly upregulated in early to late-stage tumors while the inverse was observed in patient-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells. High CD137L expression within primary tumors was mediated by tumor cells and significantly correlated with the occurrence of distant metastases and shortened survival in advanced stages of disease (UICC stage IV). Interestingly, induced tumor cell signaling via CD137L on its surface in vitro resulted in dual effects: (i) reduced tumor cell proliferation suggesting inhibitory signaling in all investigated cancers and (ii) increased epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition signaling events. Taken together CD137/CD137L expression was stage-dependently upregulated with shortened survival in patients with highly CD137L-expressing tumors. Our clinical and experimental data suggest that colon cancer cells predominantly express CD137L and thereby have negative impact on overall survival through a process of reverse signaling. Beside agonistic CD137 antibody therapy to foster T effector cell responses, CD137L-mediated intervention strategies may become instrumental to circumvent relapsed tumor growth through induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and consecutive metastases formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Grimmig
- Department of Surgery I, Molecular Oncology and Immunology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Gasser
- Department of Surgery I, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Romana Moench
- Department of Surgery I, Molecular Oncology and Immunology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lang-Jing Zhu
- Nephrology Department, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, PR. China.,Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karol Nawalaniec
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simone Callies
- Department of Surgery I, Molecular Oncology and Immunology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Wagner
- Department of Surgery I, Molecular Oncology and Immunology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Buelent Polat
- Department of Radiation, Oncology University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Suraj Sarvode Mothi
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yueming Luo
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carmen M Ribas
- Evangelical Medical School, Faculty University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Osvaldo Malafaia
- Evangelical Medical School, Faculty University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Li-Li Hsiao
- Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Maria Waaga-Gasser
- Department of Surgery I, Molecular Oncology and Immunology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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26
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Schluck M, Hammink R, Figdor CG, Verdoes M, Weiden J. Biomaterial-Based Activation and Expansion of Tumor-Specific T Cells. Front Immunol 2019; 10:931. [PMID: 31130945 PMCID: PMC6509561 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional tumor vaccination approaches mostly focus on activating dendritic cells (DCs) by providing them with a source of tumor antigens and/or adjuvants, which in turn activate tumor-reactive T cells. Novel biomaterial-based cancer immunotherapeutic strategies focus on directly activating and stimulating T cells through molecular cues presented on synthetic constructs with the aim of improving T cell survival, more precisely steer T cell activation and direct T cell differentiation. Synthetic artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) decorated with T cell-activating ligands are being developed to induce robust tumor-specific T cell responses, essentially bypassing DCs. In this perspective, we approach these promising new technologies from an immunological angle, first by identifying the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subtypes that are imperative for robust anti-cancer immunity and subsequently discussing the molecular cues needed to induce these cells types. We will elaborate on how biomaterials can be applied to stimulate T cells in vitro and in vivo to improve their survival, activation and function. Scaffold-based methods can also be used as delivery vehicles for adoptive transfer of T cells, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and chimeric antigen receptor expressing (CAR) T cells, while simultaneously stimulating these cells. Finally, we provide suggestions on how these insights could advance the field of biomaterial-based activation and expansion of tumor-specific T cells in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein Schluck
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Division of Immunotherapy, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roel Hammink
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Division of Immunotherapy, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Carl G Figdor
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Division of Immunotherapy, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Institute for Chemical Immunology, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn Verdoes
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Institute for Chemical Immunology, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jorieke Weiden
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Division of Immunotherapy, Oncode Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Institute for Chemical Immunology, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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27
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Abstract
The adoptive transfer of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) through genetic engineering is one of the most promising new therapies for treating cancer patients. A robust CAR T cell-mediated anti-tumor response requires the coordination of nutrient and energy supplies with CAR T cell expansion and function. However, the high metabolic demands of tumor cells compromise the function of CAR T cells by competing for nutrients within the tumor microenvironment (TME). To substantially improve clinical outcomes of CAR T immunotherapy while treating solid tumors, it is essential to metabolically prepare CAR T cells to overcome the metabolic barriers imposed by the TME. In this review, we discuss a potential metabolism toolbox to improve the metabolic fitness of CAR T cells and maximize the efficacy of CAR T therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuequn Xu
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - J N Rashida Gnanaprakasam
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - John Sherman
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ruoning Wang
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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28
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Abstract
The lymphatic system comprises a network of lymphoid tissues and vessels that drains the extracellular compartment of most tissues. During tumor development, lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) substantially expand in response to VEGFR-3 engagement by VEGF-C produced in the tumor microenvironment, a process known as tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis. Lymphatic drainage from the tumor to the draining lymph nodes consequently increases, powering interstitial flow in the tumor stroma. The ability of a tumor to induce and activate lymphatic growth has been positively correlated with metastasis. Much effort has been made to identify genes responsible for tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis. Inhibition of lymphangiogenesis with soluble VEGFR-3 or with specific monoclonal antibodies decreases tumor spread to LNs in rodent models. Importantly, tumor-associated lymphatics do not only operate as tumor cell transporters but also play critical roles in anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, metastatic as well as primary tumor progression can be affected by manipulating tumor-associated lymphatic remodeling or function. Here, we review and discuss our current knowledge on the contribution of LECs immersed in the tumor microenvironment as immunoregulators, as well as a possible functional remodeling of LECs subsets depending on the organ microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Garnier
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anastasia-Olga Gkountidi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Hugues
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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29
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Roelofsen T, Wefers C, Gorris MAJ, Textor JC, Massuger LFAG, de Vries IJM, van Altena AM. Spontaneous Regression of Ovarian Carcinoma After Septic Peritonitis; A Unique Case Report. Front Oncol 2018; 8:562. [PMID: 30555799 PMCID: PMC6281979 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in therapy, ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecological malignancy and prognosis has not substantially improved over the past 3 decades. Immunotherapy is a promising new treatment option. However, the immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment must be overcome for immunotherapy to be successful. Here, we present a unique case of spontaneous regression of ovarian carcinoma after septic peritonitis. A 79-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage IIIc ovarian cancer. The omental cake biopsy was complicated by sepsis. Although the patient recovered, her physical condition did not allow further treatment for her ovarian cancer. After 6 months, spontaneous regression of the tumor was observed during surgery. Analysis of the immune infiltrate in the tissues showed a shift from a pro-tumorigenic to an anti-tumorigenic immune response after sepsis. Strong activation of the immune system during sepsis overruled the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and allowed for a potent anti-tumor immune response. More understanding of immunological responses in cases with cancer and septic peritonitis might be crucial to identify potential new targets for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Roelofsen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Christina Wefers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Mark A. J. Gorris
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Johannes C. Textor
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Leon F. A. G. Massuger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - I. Jolanda M. de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Anne M. van Altena
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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30
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Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, a treatment that selectively augments a patient's anti-tumor immune response, is a breakthrough advancement in personalized medicine. A subset of cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy have displayed robust and long-lasting therapeutic responses. Currently, the spotlight is on the use of blocking antibodies against the T-cell checkpoint molecules, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which have been effectively used to combat many cancers types. Despite the overall enthusiasm, immune checkpoint blockade inhibitors suffer from significant limitations such as high cost, serious toxicity in a substantial proportion of patients, and a response rate as low as 10%-40% in some clinical trials. Consequently, there is an urgent and unmet medical need for companion biomarkers that could both predict the response of individual patients to these therapies, and provide the means for precise monitoring of their therapeutic outcome. In this era of precision medicine, predictive biomarkers are a hot commodity because they can effectively separate responders from non-responders, and spare non-responders from serious therapy-related toxicity. Emerging predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint blockade are: PD-L1 expression, increased amounts of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, increased mutational load and mismatch repair deficiency. Other well-studied biomarkers include inflammatory infiltrate, absolute lymphocyte count and lactate dehydrogenase levels. We review recent progress on predictive cancer biomarkers in immunotherapy, with a special emphasis on serum autoantibodies that have the potential to be personalized for optimal clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Music
- a Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Ioannis Prassas
- b Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , Mount Sinai Hospital , Toronto , Canada
| | - Eleftherios P Diamandis
- a Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.,b Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , Mount Sinai Hospital , Toronto , Canada.,c Department of Clinical Biochemistry , University Health Network , Toronto , Canada.,d Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute , Mount Sinai Hospital , Toronto , Canada
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31
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Salazar N, Carlson JC, Huang K, Zheng Y, Oderup C, Gross J, Jang AD, Burke TM, Lewén S, Scholz A, Huang S, Nease L, Kosek J, Mittelbronn M, Butcher EC, Tu H, Zabel BA. A Chimeric Antibody against ACKR3/CXCR7 in Combination with TMZ Activates Immune Responses and Extends Survival in Mouse GBM Models. Mol Ther 2018; 26:1354-1365. [PMID: 29606504 PMCID: PMC5993942 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the least treatable type of brain tumor, afflicting over 15,000 people per year in the United States. Patients have a median survival of 16 months, and over 95% die within 5 years. The chemokine receptor ACKR3 is selectively expressed on both GBM cells and tumor-associated blood vessels. High tumor expression of ACKR3 correlates with poor prognosis and potential treatment resistance, making it an attractive therapeutic target. We engineered a single chain FV-human FC-immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody, X7Ab, to target ACKR3 in human and mouse GBM cells. We used hydrodynamic gene transfer to overexpress the antibody, with efficacy in vivo. X7Ab kills GBM tumor cells and ACKR3-expressing vascular endothelial cells by engaging the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells and complement and the phagocytic activity of macrophages. Combining X7Ab with TMZ allows the TMZ dosage to be lowered, without compromising therapeutic efficacy. Mice treated with X7Ab and in combination with TMZ showed significant tumor reduction by MRI and longer survival overall. Brain-tumor-infiltrating leukocyte analysis revealed that X7Ab enhances the activation of M1 macrophages to support anti-tumor immune response in vivo. Targeting ACKR3 with immunotherapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in combination with standard of care therapies may prove effective in treating GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Salazar
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Carlson
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Yayue Zheng
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Cecilia Oderup
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Julia Gross
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Andrew D Jang
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Thomas M Burke
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Susanna Lewén
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Alexander Scholz
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Serina Huang
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Leona Nease
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jon Kosek
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Michel Mittelbronn
- Institute of Neurology, Edinger Institute, Frankfurt, Germany; Luxembourg Centre of Neuropathology (LCNP), Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Department of Pathology, Laboratoire National de Santé, Dudelange, Luxembourg; Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
| | - Eugene C Butcher
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Hua Tu
- LakePharma Inc., Belmont, CA, USA
| | - Brian A Zabel
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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Schlotter CM, Tietze L, Vogt U, Heinsen CV, Hahn A. Ki67 and lymphocytes in the pretherapeutic core biopsy of primary invasive breast cancer: positive markers of therapy response prediction and superior survival. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2017; 32:/j/hmbci.ahead-of-print/hmbci-2017-0022/hmbci-2017-0022.xml. [PMID: 28937963 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2017-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Core needle biopsy plays a crucial role as diagnostic tool for BC. Both Ki67 and likely tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the near future are determining the kind of systemic therapy. The role of TILs in BC is still an issue for clinical research, albeit preliminary results of neoadjuvant and adjuvant clinical studies already now highlight the crucial impact of TILs on therapy response and survival. Methods Evaluation of related publications (pubmed) and meeting abstracts (ASCO, SABCS). Results The monoclonal antibody Ki67 recognizing a nuclear antigene in proliferating cells is a positive marker of therapy response and superior survival. Endocrine responsive tumors of low proliferation (Ki67 < 14%/11%) respond to tamoxifen, in contrast postmenopausal tumors with higher proliferation respond better to aromatase-inhibitors. Pathological complete response (pCR)-rates increase in tumors with higher proliferation (Ki67 > 19%) vs. tumors with lower proliferation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). pCR-rates of up to 60% can be seen in TNBC and HR-, HER2+BC, lower pCR-rates, however, in HR+, HER2- BC. Increased stromal TILs are found in 30% of TNBC and in 19% of HR-, HER2+BC. The percentage of TILs is a significant independent parameter for pCR after NAC. Lymphocyte-predominant BC (LPBC) respond with higher pCR-rates than non-LPBC or tumors without any TILs. Increased TILs in TN and HR-, HER2+ subtypes predict benefit from addition of carboplatin to NAC. TILs are also associated with improved DFS and OS among patients with TNBC and HR-, HER2+ BC. Conversly and interestingly increased TILs in patients with HR+, HER2-(luminal) BC are associated with a 10% higher risk of death per 10% increase of TILs. Interactions between immune system and cancer are complex. The cancer-immunity cycle characterizes these interactions. BC subtypes with higher number of mutations such as TNBC and HR-, HER2+BC are considered to provide a raising number of tumor-associated antigens, thereby capable to build up a higher endogenous immune response. TILs may serve as surrogate marker of both an existing endogenous immune response and the probability to respond to cancer immune therapies. As cancer co-opt immune checkpoint-pathways as a major mechanism of immune resistance, in particular, against cytotoxic T-cells, blockades of checkpoint-pathways by antibodies are one of the goals of the current cancer immunotherapy studies. Therapy studies with antigene-based strategies (vaccines) and antibodies against the immune checkpoints PD-1 and CTLA-4 and their inhibitory pathways in order to enhance cytotoxic T-cell activities against cancer cells with or without chemotherapy are underway. Conclusions It can be suggested that the use of multigene expression testing will increase in order to select more clearly primary HR+, HER2- BC patients with intermediate recurrence risk who likely may benefit from chemotherapy. Furthermore Ki67 and the multigene expression test Oncotype DX can act as dynamic markers to avoid cytostatic overtreatment and endocrine undertreatment. A data-derived optimal Ki67 cut point for pCR and DFS as well as OS is currently not feasible. The integration of stromal TILs into the immunohisto-pathological report after their evaluation has been standardized is likely helpful to determine patients who profit by additional carboplatin chemotherapy. Oncologists need an enlarged information about the tumor-microenvironment in future. The preliminary results of current BC immunotherapy studies are encouraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus M Schlotter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum-Mittelbaden, Breast Center, D-76532 Baden-Baden, Balger-Str. 50, Germany, Phone: +4917620123472
| | - Lothar Tietze
- Institute of Pathology, Ortenau Klinikum Lahr-Ettenheim, Lahr, Germany
| | - Ulf Vogt
- European Laboratory Association, Ibbenbueren, Germany
| | - Carlos Villena Heinsen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Luzerner Kantonsspital Sursee, Sursee, Switzerland
| | - Antje Hahn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Breast Center, Klinikum-Mittelbaden, Baden-Baden, Germany
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Abstract
Immunosuppressive functions of glucocorticoids (GC) can be mediated via various mechanisms, including the modulation of dendritic cells (DC). Our study investigates the effects of tolerogenic GC-treated DCs on NK and T cell anti-tumor responses in OT-1/Rag-/- mice, expressing a transgenic TCR in CD8+ T cells. The effects caused by GC-treated DCs were compared to the responses to immunogenic, CpG-activated DCs. The effects of DCs on anti-tumor immune responses were analyzed using the EG7 tumor model, where the tumor cells express the peptide epitope recognized by OT-1 T cells. We observed that immunization with CpG and peptide-treated DCs protected against tumor growth by activation of NK cell response. Also, immunogenic DCs induced the expansion of cytotoxic CD8+OT-1 cells, expressing activation markers CD44 and CD69 and producing IFNγ. In contrast, the peptide and GC-treated DCs in OT-1 mice increased the numbers of immature Mac-1+CD27- NK cells as well as Foxp3+ and IL-10 secreting CD8+OT-1 cells with suppressive properties. We conclude that the generation of tolerogenic DCs is one of many immunosuppressive mechanisms that can be induced by GC. Our study demonstrated that tolerogenic DCs modify anti-tumor immune response by suppressing NK cell activity and stimulating the formation of IL-10-secreting CD8+ Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liying Chen
- a Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockhom , Sweden
| | - Mohammad Sharif Hasni
- b Department of Biosciences and Nutrition , Karolinska Institutet , Novum, Huddinge , Sweden
| | - Mikael Jondal
- a Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockhom , Sweden
| | - Konstantin Yakimchuk
- b Department of Biosciences and Nutrition , Karolinska Institutet , Novum, Huddinge , Sweden
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34
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Butts CA. Anti-tumor immune response in early stage non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): implications for adjuvant therapy. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2015; 2:415-22. [PMID: 25806261 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2218-6751.2013.10.09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The demonstration that systemic chemotherapy improves survival in patients who have had resection of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a significant advance. The absolute benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in this setting is small with an overall survival improvement of 5%. In addition, there are many patients who have contraindications to cisplatin-based adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is intended to target systemic micrometastases that remain after primary resection. The observation that cancers can relapse months or years after initial surgery implies that the residual micrometastases exist in a latent or dormant state. The concept of tumor dormancy offers therapeutic potential through induction or maintenance of the dormant state in disseminated tumor cells or through eradication of these dormant cells. Cancer dormancy is a complex process with multiple potential mechanisms. This review will focus on some of the evidence for immune related tumor dormancy and the potential for immune therapies to improve outcomes in the adjuvant setting in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Butts
- Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Kuehnle MC, Attig S, Britten CM, Schulze-Bergkamen H, Lordick F, von Wichert G, Thuss-Patience P, Stein A, Schuler M, Bassermann F, Sahin U, Türeci Ö. Phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with advanced heavily pre-treated adenocarcinoma of the stomach and gastro-esophageal junction. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2014; 63:1273-84. [PMID: 25164876 PMCID: PMC11029719 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-014-1596-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [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: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapeutic approaches are emerging as promising new treatment options for patients with solid cancers. The host immune system in cancer patients is dysfunctional due to a number of reasons. The level of immunosuppression is variable at the time of diagnosis and depends on the particular cancer entity, stage, and prior anti-cancer therapies. For many cancer entities, the immune alterations of the respective patient population have not been further characterized even though a patient's immunophenotype may be prognostic for the course of the disease or predictive for clinical/biological response to immunotherapy. In this study, we used flow cytometry to determine the phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 30 patients with heavily pre-treated, advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach and gastro-esophageal junction. The frequencies and activation status of relevant immune effector populations were determined in PBMCs and compared to those of healthy individuals. This report provides comprehensive immune phenotyping data of a patient population with a high medical need.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sebastian Attig
- Translational Oncology (TRON), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Cedrik M. Britten
- Translational Oncology (TRON), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Biontech RNA Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Florian Lordick
- University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL), University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Goetz von Wichert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peter Thuss-Patience
- Department of Haematology, Oncology and Tumorimmunology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Stein
- Hubertus Wald Tumour Center, University Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Oncology, Hematology, BMT with Section Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schuler
- Department of Medical Oncology, West German Cancer Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Bassermann
- Department of Medicine III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ugur Sahin
- Translational Oncology (TRON), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Biontech RNA Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Özlem Türeci
- Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
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Abstract
The transcription factors STAT1 and STAT3 appear to play opposite roles in tumorigenesis. While STAT3 promotes cell survival/proliferation, motility and immune tolerance and is considered as an oncogene, STAT1 mostly triggers anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic responses while enhancing anti-tumor immunity. Despite being activated downstream of common cytokine and growth factor receptors, their activation is reciprocally regulated and perturbation in their balanced expression or phosphorylation levels may re-direct cytokine/growth factor signals from proliferative to apoptotic, or from inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. Here we review the functional canonical and non-canonical effects of STAT1 and STAT3 activation in tumorigenesis and their potential cross-regulation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Avalle
- Molecular Biotechnology Center and Department of Genetics, Biology and Biochemistry; University of Turin; Turin, Italy
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Lim JY, Brockstedt DG, Lord EM, Gerber SA. Radiation therapy combined with Listeria monocytogenes-based cancer vaccine synergize to enhance tumor control in the B16 melanoma model. Oncoimmunology 2014; 3:e29028. [PMID: 25083327 PMCID: PMC4106167 DOI: 10.4161/onci.29028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 03/11/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Conceptually, the immune system may profoundly influence the efficacy of radiation therapy. Compelling evidence has recently emerged revealing the capacity of local radiation therapy (RT) to induce antitumor immune responses and sparked interest in combining RT with immunotherapy to promote tumor-specific immunity. A Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)-based cancer vaccine engineered to express tumor-associated antigen has been shown to effectively retard tumor growth by cell-mediated immune mechanisms. We hypothesized that combining RT and Lm vaccine will result in synergistic effects that enhance tumor control. Collectively, our data demonstrate that combination therapy significantly delayed B16 melanoma tumor growth by a mechanism partly dependent on CD8+ T cells. Radiotherapy and Lm vaccine each induce different aspects of antitumor immunity, resulting in an overall increase in intratumoral numbers of activated T cells, antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and levels of effector molecules, such as interferon γ (IFNγ) and granzyme B. Thus, radiation and Lm vaccine combination therapy is a promising new strategy for the treatment of malignant disease, and further understanding of the mechanisms that underlie efficacy is required to optimize the dosage and schedule for administering the two treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Yh Lim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY USA
| | | | - Edith M Lord
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Scott A Gerber
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY USA
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Joshi VB, Geary SM, Carrillo-Conde BR, Narasimhan B, Salem AK. Characterizing the antitumor response in mice treated with antigen-loaded polyanhydride microparticles. Acta Biomater 2013; 9:5583-9. [PMID: 23153760 PMCID: PMC3562412 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2012.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 10/19/2012] [Accepted: 11/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Delivery of vaccine antigens with an appropriate adjuvant can trigger potential immune responses against cancer leading to reduced tumor growth and improved survival. In this study, various formulations of a bioerodible amphiphilic polyanhydride copolymer based on 1,8-bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)-3,6-dioxaoctane (CPTEG) and 1,6-bis(p-carboxyphenoxy) hexane (CPH) with inherent adjuvant properties were evaluated for antigen-loading properties, immunogenicity and antitumor activity. Mice were vaccinated with 50:50 CPTEG:CPH microparticles encapsulating a model tumor antigen, ovalbumin (OVA), in combination with the Toll-like receptor-9 agonist, CpG oligonucleotide 1826 (CpG ODN). Mice treated with OVA-encapsulated CPTEG:CPH particles elicited the highest CD8(+) T cell responses on days 14 and 20 when compared to other treatment groups. This treatment group also displayed the most delayed tumor progression and the most extended survival times. Particles encapsulating OVA and CpG ODN generated the highest anti-OVA IgG(1) antibody responses in mice but these mice did not show significant tumor protection. These results suggest that antigen-loaded CPTEG:CPH microparticles can stimulate antigen-specific cellular responses and could therefore potentially be used to promote antitumor responses in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijaya B. Joshi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
| | - Sean M. Geary
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
| | | | - Balaji Narasimhan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
| | - Aliasger K. Salem
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
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