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De Sanctis F, Lamolinara A, Boschi F, Musiu C, Caligola S, Trovato R, Fiore A, Frusteri C, Anselmi C, Poffe O, Cestari T, Canè S, Sartoris S, Giugno R, Del Rosario G, Zappacosta B, Del Pizzo F, Fassan M, Dugnani E, Piemonti L, Bottani E, Decimo I, Paiella S, Salvia R, Lawlor RT, Corbo V, Park Y, Tuveson DA, Bassi C, Scarpa A, Iezzi M, Ugel S, Bronte V. Interrupting the nitrosative stress fuels tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in pancreatic cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003549. [PMID: 35022194 PMCID: PMC8756272 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest tumors owing to its robust desmoplasia, low immunogenicity, and recruitment of cancer-conditioned, immunoregulatory myeloid cells. These features strongly limit the success of immunotherapy as a single agent, thereby suggesting the need for the development of a multitargeted approach. The goal is to foster T lymphocyte infiltration within the tumor landscape and neutralize cancer-triggered immune suppression, to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of immune-based treatments, such as anticancer adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Methods We examined the contribution of immunosuppressive myeloid cells expressing arginase 1 and nitric oxide synthase 2 in building up a reactive nitrogen species (RNS)-dependent chemical barrier and shaping the PDAC immune landscape. We examined the impact of pharmacological RNS interference on overcoming the recruitment and immunosuppressive activity of tumor-expanded myeloid cells, which render pancreatic cancers resistant to immunotherapy. Results PDAC progression is marked by a stepwise infiltration of myeloid cells, which enforces a highly immunosuppressive microenvironment through the uncontrolled metabolism of L-arginine by arginase 1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity, resulting in the production of large amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The extensive accumulation of myeloid suppressing cells and nitrated tyrosines (nitrotyrosine, N-Ty) establishes an RNS-dependent chemical barrier that impairs tumor infiltration by T lymphocytes and restricts the efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy. A pharmacological treatment with AT38 ([3-(aminocarbonyl)furoxan-4-yl]methyl salicylate) reprograms the tumor microenvironment from protumoral to antitumoral, which supports T lymphocyte entrance within the tumor core and aids the efficacy of ACT with telomerase-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Conclusions Tumor microenvironment reprogramming by ablating aberrant RNS production bypasses the current limits of immunotherapy in PDAC by overcoming immune resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco De Sanctis
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessia Lamolinara
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Center for Advanced Studies and Technnology (CAST), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Federico Boschi
- Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Musiu
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Simone Caligola
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Trovato
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fiore
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristina Frusteri
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristina Anselmi
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ornella Poffe
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Tiziana Cestari
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefania Canè
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Sartoris
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Rosalba Giugno
- Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesco Del Pizzo
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Center for Advanced Studies and Technnology (CAST), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Matteo Fassan
- Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Oncology-Institute for Hospitalization and Care Scientific, Padova, Italy
| | - Erica Dugnani
- Diabetes Research Institute, San Raffaele Research Centre, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Piemonti
- Diabetes Research Institute, San Raffaele Research Centre, Milano, Italy.,School of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
| | - Emanuela Bottani
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Section of Pharmacology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ilaria Decimo
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, Section of Pharmacology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Salvatore Paiella
- General and Pancreatic Surgery Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Salvia
- General and Pancreatic Surgery Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Corbo
- ARC-NET, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.,Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Youngkyu Park
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA.,Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Lustgarten Foundation, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
| | - David A Tuveson
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA.,Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Lustgarten Foundation, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
| | - Claudio Bassi
- General and Pancreatic Surgery Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- ARC-NET, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.,Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Manuela Iezzi
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Center for Advanced Studies and Technnology (CAST), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Stefano Ugel
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Bronte
- Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Gao A, Liu X, Lin W, Wang J, Wang S, Si F, Huang L, Zhao Y, Sun Y, Peng G. Tumor-derived ILT4 induces T cell senescence and suppresses tumor immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001536. [PMID: 33653799 PMCID: PMC7929805 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current immunotherapies including checkpoint blockade therapy have limited success rates in certain types of cancers. Identification of alternative checkpoint molecules for the development of effective strategies for tumor immunotherapy is urgently needed. Immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4) is an immunosuppressive molecule expressed in both myeloid innate cells and malignant tumor cells. However, the role of tumor-derived ILT4 in regulating cancer biology and tumor immunity remains unclear. METHODS ILT4 expression in tumor cells and patient samples was determined by real-time PCR, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry. T cell senescence induced by tumor was evaluated using multiple markers and assays. Moreover, metabolic enzyme and signaling molecule expression and lipid droplets in tumor cells were determined using real-time PCR, western blot and oil red O staining, respectively. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function strategies were used to identify the causative role of ILT4 in tumor-induced T cell senescence. In addition, breast cancer and melanoma mouse tumor models were performed to demonstrate the role of ILT4 as a checkpoint molecule for tumor immunotherapy. RESULTS We reported that ILT4 is highly expressed in human tumor cells and tissues, which is negatively associated with clinical outcomes. Furthermore, tumor-derived ILT4/PIR-B (ILT4 ortholog in mouse) is directly involved in induction of cell senescence in naïve/effector T cells mediated by tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, ILT4/PIR-B increases fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation in tumor cells via activation of MAPK ERK1/2 signaling, resulting in promotion of tumor growth and progression, and induction of effector T cell senescence. In addition, blocking tumor-derived PIR-B can reprogram tumor metabolism, prevent senescence development in tumor-specific T cells, and enhance antitumor immunity in both breast cancer and melanoma mouse models. CONCLUSIONS These studies identify a novel mechanism responsible for ILT4-mediated immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment, and prove a novel concept of ILT4 as a critical checkpoint molecule for tumor immunotherapy.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Humans
- Immunosenescence
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Male
- Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics
- Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Mice, SCID
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Paracrine Communication
- Receptors, Immunologic/genetics
- Receptors, Immunologic/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Tumor Escape
- Tumor Microenvironment
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiqin Gao
- Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, affiliated to Shandong University Cheeloo College of Medicine and Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Xia Liu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Wenli Lin
- Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, affiliated to Shandong University Cheeloo College of Medicine and Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jingnan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, affiliated to Shandong University Cheeloo College of Medicine and Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shuyun Wang
- Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, affiliated to Shandong University Cheeloo College of Medicine and Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Fusheng Si
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lan Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yangjing Zhao
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yuping Sun
- Department of Oncology, Jinan Central Hospital, affiliated to Shandong University Cheeloo College of Medicine and Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Guangyong Peng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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You D, Hillerman S, Locke G, Chaudhry C, Stromko C, Murtaza A, Fan Y, Koenitzer J, Chen Y, Briceno S, Bhadra R, Duperret E, Gullo-Brown J, Gao C, Zhao D, Feder J, Curtin J, Degnan AP, Kumi G, Wittman M, Johnson BM, Parrish KE, Gokulrangan G, Morrison J, Quigley M, Hunt JT, Salter-Cid L, Lees E, Sanjuan MA, Liu J. Enhanced antitumor immunity by a novel small molecule HPK1 inhibitor. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2020-001402. [PMID: 33408094 PMCID: PMC7789447 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1 or MAP4K1) has been demonstrated as a negative intracellular immune checkpoint in mediating antitumor immunity in studies with HPK1 knockout and kinase dead mice. Pharmacological inhibition of HPK1 is desirable to investigate the role of HPK1 in human immune cells with therapeutic implications. However, a significant challenge remains to identify a small molecule inhibitor of HPK1 with sufficient potency, selectivity, and other drug-like properties suitable for proof-of-concept studies. In this report, we identified a novel, potent, and selective HPK1 small molecule kinase inhibitor, compound K (CompK). A series of studies were conducted to investigate the mechanism of action of CompK, aiming to understand its potential application in cancer immunotherapy. Methods Human primary T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) were investigated with CompK treatment under conditions relevant to tumor microenvironment (TME). Syngeneic tumor models were used to assess the in vivo pharmacology of CompK followed by human tumor interrogation ex vivo. Results CompK treatment demonstrated markedly enhanced human T-cell immune responses under immunosuppressive conditions relevant to the TME and an increased avidity of the T-cell receptor (TCR) to recognize viral and tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) in significant synergy with anti-PD1. Animal model studies, including 1956 sarcoma and MC38 syngeneic models, revealed improved immune responses and superb antitumor efficacy in combination of CompK with anti-PD-1. An elevated immune response induced by CompK was observed with fresh tumor samples from multiple patients with colorectal carcinoma, suggesting a mechanistic translation from mouse model to human disease. Conclusion CompK treatment significantly improved human T-cell functions, with enhanced TCR avidity to recognize TAAs and tumor cytolytic activity by CD8+ T cells. Additional benefits include DC maturation and priming facilitation in tumor draining lymph node. CompK represents a novel pharmacological agent to address cancer treatment resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan You
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Stephen Hillerman
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gregory Locke
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Charu Chaudhry
- Oncology Discovery, Johnson and Johnson Limited, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Caitlyn Stromko
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anwar Murtaza
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yi Fan
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Yali Chen
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Stephanie Briceno
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | | | - Chan Gao
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Dandan Zhao
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - John Feder
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua Curtin
- Oncology Discovery, Johnson and Johnson Limited, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew P Degnan
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Godwin Kumi
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mark Wittman
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin M Johnson
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Karen E Parrish
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - John Morrison
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Michael Quigley
- Oncology Discovery, Gilead Sciences Inc, Foster City, California, USA
| | - John T Hunt
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Emma Lees
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Miguel A Sanjuan
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jinqi Liu
- Oncology Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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4
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Selvanesan BC, Meena K, Beck A, Meheus L, Lara O, Rooman I, Gravekamp C. Nicotinamide combined with gemcitabine is an immunomodulatory therapy that restrains pancreatic cancer in mice. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:e001250. [PMID: 33154149 PMCID: PMC7646363 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatments for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are poorly effective, at least partly due to the tumor's immune-suppressive stromal compartment. New evidence of positive effects on immune responses in the tumor microenvironment (TME), compelled us to test the combination of gemcitabine (GEM), a standard chemotherapeutic for pancreatic cancer, with nicotinamide (NAM), the amide form of niacin (vitamin B3), in mice with pancreatic cancer. METHODS Various mouse tumor models of pancreatic cancer, that is, orthotopic Panc-02 and KPC (KrasG12D, p53R172H, Pdx1-Cre) grafts, were treated alternately with NAM and GEM for 2 weeks, and the effects on efficacy, survival, stromal architecture and tumor-infiltrating immune cells was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry, Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT), T cell depletions in vivo, Nanostring analysis and RNAscope. RESULTS A significant reduction in tumor weight and number of metastases was found, as well as a significant improved survival of the NAM+GEM group compared with all control groups. IHC and flow cytometry showed a significant decrease in tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumors of NAM+GEM-treated mice. This correlated with a significant increase in the number of CD4 and CD8 T cells of NAM+GEM-treated tumors, and CD4 and CD8 T cell responses to tumor-associated antigen survivin, most likely through epitope spreading. In vivo depletions of T cells demonstrated the involvement of CD4 T cells in the eradication of the tumor by NAM+GEM treatment. In addition, remodeling of the tumor stroma was observed with decreased collagen I and lower expression of hyaluronic acid binding protein, reorganization of the immune cells into lymph node like structures and CD31 positive vessels. Expression profiling for a panel of immuno-oncology genes revealed significant changes in genes involved in migration and activation of T cells, attraction of dendritic cells and epitope spreading. CONCLUSION This study highlights the potential of NAM+GEM as immunotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kiran Meena
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Amanda Beck
- Michael F. Price Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Lydie Meheus
- AntiCancer Fund, Boechoutlaan, Strombeek-Bever, Belgium
| | - Olaya Lara
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilse Rooman
- AntiCancer Fund, Boechoutlaan, Strombeek-Bever, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Claudia Gravekamp
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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