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Ravindranath MH, Ravindranath NM, Amato-Menker CJ, Hilali FE, Filippone EJ. Conformational Alterations of the Cell Surface of Monomeric and Dimeric β2m-Free HLA-I (Proto-HLA) May Enable Novel Immune Functions in Health and Disease. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:6961-6985. [PMID: 39057057 PMCID: PMC11276036 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46070416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are polymorphic glycoproteins expressed on the cell surface of nucleated cells and consist of two classes, HLA class I and HLA class II. In contrast, in mice, these molecules, known as H-2, are expressed on both nucleated cells and erythrocytes. HLA-I molecules (Face-1) are heterodimers consisting of a polypeptide heavy chain (HC) and a light chain, B2-microglobulin (B2m). The heterodimers bind to antigenic peptides and present them to the T-cell receptors of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The HCs can also independently emerge on the cell surface as B2m-free HC monomers without peptides (Face-2). Early investigators suggested that the occurrence of B2m-free HCs on the cell surface resulted from the dissociation of B2m from Face-1. However, others documented the independent emergence of B2m-free HCs (Face-2) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cell surface. The clustering of such HC molecules on either the cell surface or on exosomes resulted in the dimerization of B2m-free HCs to form homodimers (if the same allele, designated as Face-3) or heterodimers (if different alleles, designated as Face-4). Face-2 occurs at low levels on the cell surface of several normal cells but is upregulated on immune cells upon activation by proinflammatory cytokines and other agents such as anti-CD3 antibodies, phytohemagglutinin, and phorbol myristate acetate. Their density on the cell surface remains high as long as the cells remain activated. After activation-induced upregulation, Face-2 molecules undergo homo- and heterodimerization (Face-3 and Face-4). Observations made on the structural patterns of HCs and their dimerization in sharks, fishes, and tetrapod species suggest that the formation of B2m-free HC monomers and dimers is a recapitalization of a phylogenetically conserved event, befitting the term Proto-HLA for the B2m-free HCs. Spontaneous arthritis occurs in HLA-B27+ mice lacking B2m (HLA-B27+ B2m-/-) but not in HLA-B27+ B2m+/+ mice. Anti-HC-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) delay disease development. Some HLA-I polyreactive mAbs (MEM series) used for immunostaining confirm the existence of B2m-free variants in several cancer cells. The conformational alterations that occur in the B2m-free HCs enable them to interact with several inhibitory and activating receptors of cellular components of the innate (natural killer (NK) cells) and adaptive (T and B cells) immune systems. The NK cells express killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), whereas leukocytes (T and B lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages, and dendritic cells) express leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILRs). The KIRs and LILRs include activating and inhibitory members within their respective groups. This review focuses on the interaction of KIRs and LILRs with B2m-free HC monomers and dimers in patients with spondylarthritis. Several investigations reveal that the conformational alterations occurring in the alpha-1 and alpha-2 domains of B2m-free HCs may facilitate immunomodulation by their interaction with KIR and LILR receptors. This opens new avenues to immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases and even human cancers that express B2m-free HCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mepur H. Ravindranath
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
- Terasaki Foundation Laboratory, Santa Monica, CA 90064, USA
| | - Narendranath M. Ravindranath
- Norris Dental Science Center, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
| | - Carly J. Amato-Menker
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA;
| | - Fatiha El Hilali
- Medico-Surgical, Biomedicine and Infectiology Research Laboratory, The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Laayoune & Agadir, Ibnou Zohr University, Agadir 80000, Morocco;
| | - Edward J. Filippone
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19145, USA;
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Luo Y, Lu C, Huang Y, Liao W, Huang Y. Identification of colon adenocarcinoma necroptosis subtypes and tumor antigens for the development of mRNA vaccines. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32531. [PMID: 38952359 PMCID: PMC11215264 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a serious public health issue due to high incidence and mortality rate. This study aimed to identify possible tumor antigens and necroptosis subtypes of COAD for the development of mRNA vaccines and the selection of appropriate patients for precision therapy. Methods Gene expression profiles and clinical information for COAD were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus, respectively. We comprehensively studied the alterations in necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) using cBioPortal, and screened the hub NRGs associated with the prognosis of patients with COAD using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2. Consensuses clustering analysis was performed to identify necroptosis subtypes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify the co-expression modules of the NRGs. The necroptosis landscape of COAD was assessed using graph learning-based dimensionality reduction. Finally, a drug sensitivity analysis of the two necroptosis subtypes was performed. Findings Two tumor antigens, BLC-2-associated X protein (BAX) and interleukin 1 beta (IL1B) were identified based on their associations with prognosis of patients and antigen presenting cell infiltration. Two necroptosis subtypes (N1 and N2) were distinguished in patients with COAD, and they were characterized by their differential survival status and molecular expression levels of immune checkpoint proteins and immunogenetic cell death modulators. Furthermore, the necroptosis landscape of COAD indicated that individual patients had obvious heterogeneity. Co-expression modules were identified using WGCNA, and the hub NRGs were found to be involved in various immune processes. Drug sensitivity analysis indicated that there were significant differences in drug sensitivity between the N1 and N2 subtypes. Cell experiments suggested that both overexpression of BAX and IL1B promoted necroptosis of COAD cells and enhanced the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells. Interpretation BAX and IL1B are potential antigens for the development of anti-COAD mRNA vaccines, specifically for patients with the N2 subtype. Consequently, this study will guide the development of more effective immunotherapeutic approaches and the identification of appropriate patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen 518110, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Caijie Lu
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen 518110, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yiwen Huang
- Department of Emergency, Nansha Hospital, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weihua Liao
- Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Nansha District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, No. 103, Haibang Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou 511457, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yaoxing Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen 518110, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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Lee SH, Pankaj A, Rickelt S, Ting D, Ferrone C, Patil DT, Yilmaz O, Berger D, Deshpande V, Yilmaz O. β2-microglobulin expression is associated with aggressive histology, activated tumor immune milieu, and outcome in colon carcinoma. Am J Clin Pathol 2024:aqae066. [PMID: 38869306 DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqae066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We sought to assess the expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins and β2-microglobulin (B2M) in tumor cells and the relationship with immune microenvironment and outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS A total of 953 CRC cases were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for HLA class I, HLA class II, and B2M. The expression level of these biomarkers was correlated with clinicopathologic information, BRAF V600E and mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, and the quantitated expression levels of immune cells (CD8 and CD163) and immune regulatory proteins (FoxP3, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 [PD-L1], and LAG3). RESULTS We found that B2M-low tumors were statistically correlated with aggressive histologic features, including higher stage, higher grade, extramural venous invasion, perineural invasion, and distant metastasis. Expression of B2M was positively correlated (R2 = 0.3) and significantly associated with MMR-deficient tumors (P < .001); B2M-low tumors were also associated with an "immune cold"' microenvironment, including a reduced number of immune cells (CD8 and CD163), reduced expression of immune regulatory proteins by immune cells (PD-L1, FoxP3, and LAG3), and reduced tumor cell expression of PD-L1. These B2M-low tumors correlated with lower disease-specific survival (P = .018), a finding that maintained significance only for the proficient MMR cohort (P = .037). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that B2M expression may support predictive models for both outcome and checkpoint inhibitor therapy treatment response for colorectal adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Hyun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, US
| | - Amaya Pankaj
- Departments of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Steffen Rickelt
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, US
| | - David Ting
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, US
- Departments of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, US
| | - Cristina Ferrone
- Departments of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Deepa T Patil
- Departments of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, US
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Omer Yilmaz
- Departments of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Departments of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, US
| | - David Berger
- Division of General Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Vikram Deshpande
- Departments of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, US
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, US
| | - Osman Yilmaz
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, US
- Departments of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, US
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Terzieva A, Alexandrova M, Manchorova D, Slavov S, Djerov L, Dimova T. HLA-G Expression/Secretion and T-Cell Cytotoxicity in Missed Abortion in Comparison to Normal Pregnancy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2643. [PMID: 38473890 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The main role of HLA-G is to protect the semi-allogeneic embryo from immune rejection by proper interaction with its cognate receptors on the maternal immune cells. Spontaneous abortion is the most common adverse pregnancy outcome, with an incidence rate between 10% and 15%, with immunologic dysregulation being thought to play a role in some of the cases. In this study, we aimed to detect the membrane and soluble HLA-G molecule at the maternal-fetal interface (MFI) and in the serum of women experiencing missed abortion (asymptomatic early pregnancy loss) in comparison to the women experiencing normal early pregnancy. In addition, the proportion of T cells and their cytotoxic profile was evaluated. We observed no difference in the spatial expression of HLA-G at the MFI and in its serum levels between the women with missed abortions and those with normal early pregnancy. In addition, comparable numbers of peripheral blood and decidual total T and γδT cells were found. In addition, as novel data we showed that missed abortion is not associated with altered extravilous invasion into uterine blood vessels and increased cytotoxicity of γδT cells. A strong signal for HLA-G on non-migrating extravilous trophoblast in the full-term normal placental bed was detected. In conclusion, HLA-G production at the MFI or in the blood of the women could not be used as a marker for normal pregnancy or missed abortions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Terzieva
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Marina Alexandrova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Diana Manchorova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Sergei Slavov
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Medical University, University Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital "Maichin Dom", 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Lyubomir Djerov
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Medical University, University Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital "Maichin Dom", 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tanya Dimova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Wang S, Wang J, Xia Y, Zhang L, Jiang Y, Liu M, Gao Q, Zhang C. Harnessing the potential of HLA-G in cancer therapy: advances, challenges, and prospects. J Transl Med 2024; 22:130. [PMID: 38310272 PMCID: PMC10838004 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04938-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockades have been prized in circumventing and ablating the impediments posed by immunosuppressive receptors, reaching an exciting juncture to be an innovator in anticancer therapy beyond traditional therapeutics. Thus far, approved immune checkpoint blockades have principally targeted PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 with exciting success in a plethora of tumors and yet are still trapped in dilemmas of limited response rates and adverse effects. Hence, unveiling new immunotherapeutic targets has aroused immense scientific interest in the hope of expanding the clinical application of immune checkpoint blockades to scale new heights. Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G), a non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule, is enriched on various malignant cells and is involved in the hindrance of immune effector cells and the facilitation of immunosuppressive cells. HLA-G stands out as a crucial next-generation immune checkpoint showing great promise for the benefit of cancer patients. Here, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the expression pattern and immunological functions of HLA-G, as well as its interaction with well-characterized immune checkpoints. Since HLA-G can be shed from the cell surface or released by various cells as free soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) or as part of extracellular vesicles (EVs), namely HLA-G-bearing EVs (HLA-GEV), we discuss the potential of sHLA-G and HLA-GEV as predictive biomarkers. This review also addresses the advancement of HLA-G-based therapies in preclinical and clinical settings, with a focus on their clinical application in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yu Xia
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yueqiang Jiang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Man Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qinglei Gao
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of Chinese Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Cuntai Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Patel SP, Alonso-Gordoa T, Banerjee S, Wang D, Naidoo J, Standifer NE, Palmer DC, Cheng LY, Kourtesis P, Ascierto ML, Das M, Diamond JR, Hellmann MD, Carneiro BA. Phase 1/2 study of monalizumab plus durvalumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007340. [PMID: 38309722 PMCID: PMC10840023 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The combination of monalizumab (anti-NKG2A/CD94) and durvalumab (anti-programmed death ligand-1) may promote antitumor immunity by targeting innate and adaptive immunity. This phase 1/2 study of monalizumab and durvalumab evaluated safety, antitumor activity, and pharmacodynamics in patients with advanced solid tumors. MAIN BODY Immunotherapy-naïve patients aged ≥18 years with advanced disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and 1-3 prior lines of systemic therapy in the recurrent/metastatic setting were enrolled. In part 1 (dose escalation), patients received durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) with increasing doses of monalizumab Q2W/Q4W (n=15). Dose expansion in part 1 included patients with cervical cancer (n=15; durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q2W) or metastatic microsatellite stable (MSS)-colorectal cancer (CRC) (n=15; durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q4W). In part 2 (dose expansion), patients with MSS-CRC (n=40), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n=20), MSS-endometrial cancer (n=40), or ovarian cancer (n=40) received durvalumab 1500 mg Q4W and monalizumab 750 mg Q2W. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included antitumor activity per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Exploratory analyses included assessment of T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell activation and proliferation in peripheral blood and the tumor microenvironment (TME). The study enrolled 185 patients (part 1, 45; part 2, 140). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. In part 2, the most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (12.1%), asthenia (9.3%), diarrhea (9.3%), pruritus (7.9%), and pyrexia (7.1%). In the expansion cohorts, response rates were 0% (cervical), 7.7% (MSS-CRC), 10% (NSCLC), 5.4% (ovarian), and 0% (MSS-endometrial). Sustained NK cell activation, CD8+ T-cell proliferation, increased serum levels of CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10) and CXCL11, and increased tumor infiltration of CD8+ and granzyme B+ cells were observed. CONCLUSIONS Although efficacy was modest, monalizumab plus durvalumab was well tolerated and encouraging immune activation was observed in the peripheral blood and TME. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02671435.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip P Patel
- University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Susana Banerjee
- Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Ding Wang
- Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jarushka Naidoo
- Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Johns Hopkins Medicine The Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathan E Standifer
- BioPharmaceuticals Research and Development, AstraZeneca, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Doug C Palmer
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Lin-Yang Cheng
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Maria L Ascierto
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Mayukh Das
- Oncology Research and Development, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Benedito A Carneiro
- Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Lifespan Cancer Institute, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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Wu X, Li T, Jiang R, Yang X, Guo H, Yang R. Targeting MHC-I molecules for cancer: function, mechanism, and therapeutic prospects. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:194. [PMID: 38041084 PMCID: PMC10693139 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01899-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecules of Major histocompatibility class I (MHC-I) load peptides and present them on the cell surface, which provided the immune system with the signal to detect and eliminate the infected or cancerous cells. In the context of cancer, owing to the crucial immune-regulatory roles played by MHC-I molecules, the abnormal modulation of MHC-I expression and function could be hijacked by tumor cells to escape the immune surveillance and attack, thereby promoting tumoral progression and impairing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Here we reviewed and discussed the recent studies and discoveries related to the MHC-I molecules and their multidirectional functions in the development of cancer, mainly focusing on the interactions between MHC-I and the multiple participators in the tumor microenvironment and highlighting the significance of targeting MHC-I for optimizing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy and a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature and functioning mechanism of MHC-I in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Wu
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianhang Li
- Department of Urology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Surgical Research Center, Institute of Urology, Southeast University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Jiang
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongqian Guo
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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8
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Nersesian S, Carter EB, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Boudreau JE. Killer instincts: natural killer cells as multifactorial cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269614. [PMID: 38090565 PMCID: PMC10715270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells integrate heterogeneous signals for activation and inhibition using germline-encoded receptors. These receptors are stochastically co-expressed, and their concurrent engagement and signaling can adjust the sensitivity of individual cells to putative targets. Against cancers, which mutate and evolve under therapeutic and immunologic pressure, the diversity for recognition provided by NK cells may be key to comprehensive cancer control. NK cells are already being trialled as adoptive cell therapy and targets for immunotherapeutic agents. However, strategies to leverage their naturally occurring diversity and agility have not yet been developed. In this review, we discuss the receptors and signaling pathways through which signals for activation or inhibition are generated in NK cells, focusing on their roles in cancer and potential as targets for immunotherapies. Finally, we consider the impacts of receptor co-expression and the potential to engage multiple pathways of NK cell reactivity to maximize the scope and strength of antitumor activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Emily B. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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9
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Zhang Y, He S, Yu L, Shi C, Zhang Y, Tang S. Prognostic significance of HLA-G in patients with colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1024. [PMID: 37875821 PMCID: PMC10594707 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11522-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, its prognostic value remains controversial. Hence, our meta-analysis aims to assess the prognostic value of HLA-G in CRC patients based on published literature and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. METHODS A systematic search was conducted on relevant studies retrieved from four electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were recorded to be applied as effective values. Fixed-effects models or random-effects models were applied on the basis of the value of heterogeneity (I 2). Publication bias was analyzed by Begg's and Egger's tests. In addition, the results were validated by using TCGA datasets. RESULTS Thirteen studies comprising 3896 patients were incorporated into this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that HLA-G expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in both the univariate analysis (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.14-1.83, P = 0.002) and the multivariate analysis (HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.23-1.95, P < 0.001). Nevertheless, the expression of HLA-G is not related to age, sex, tumor type, tumor differentiation, TNM stage, or distant metastasis but lymph node metastasis. Notably, the prognosis of colorectal cancer was not consistent with the analysis result from TCGA data. CONCLUSION HLA-G expression was significantly related to poor OS in CRC according to the results of our meta-analysis. However, we found that the prognostic significance was inconsistent with our results according to the TCGA data in CRC. Hence, more research is still needed to further illustrate the prognostic role of HLA-G in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhang
- Department of clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China.
| | - Siying He
- Department of clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Lisha Yu
- Department of clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Chao Shi
- Department of clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Yanyue Zhang
- Department of clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Shiyue Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
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10
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Holubekova V, Loderer D, Grendar M, Mikolajcik P, Kolkova Z, Turyova E, Kudelova E, Kalman M, Marcinek J, Miklusica J, Laca L, Lasabova Z. Differential gene expression of immunity and inflammation genes in colorectal cancer using targeted RNA sequencing. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1206482. [PMID: 37869102 PMCID: PMC10586664 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1206482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease caused by molecular changes, as driver mutations, gene methylations, etc., and influenced by tumor microenvironment (TME) pervaded with immune cells with both pro- and anti-tumor effects. The studying of interactions between the immune system (IS) and the TME is important for developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies for CRC. In our study, we focused on the analysis of expression profiles of inflammatory and immune-relevant genes to identify aberrant signaling pathways included in carcinogenesis, metastatic potential of tumors, and association of Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) gene mutation. Methods A total of 91 patients were enrolled in the study. Using NGS, differential gene expression analysis of 11 tumor samples and 11 matching non-tumor controls was carried out by applying a targeted RNA panel for inflammation and immunity genes containing 475 target genes. The obtained data were evaluated by the CLC Genomics Workbench and R library. The significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed in Reactome GSA software, and some selected DEGs were used for real-time PCR validation. Results After prioritization, the most significant differences in gene expression were shown by the genes TNFRSF4, IRF7, IL6R, NR3CI, EIF2AK2, MIF, CCL5, TNFSF10, CCL20, CXCL11, RIPK2, and BLNK. Validation analyses on 91 samples showed a correlation between RNA-seq data and qPCR for TNFSF10, RIPK2, and BLNK gene expression. The top differently regulated signaling pathways between the studied groups (cancer vs. control, metastatic vs. primary CRC and KRAS positive and negative CRC) belong to immune system, signal transduction, disease, gene expression, DNA repair, and programmed cell death. Conclusion Analyzed data suggest the changes at more levels of CRC carcinogenesis, including surface receptors of epithelial or immune cells, its signal transduction pathways, programmed cell death modifications, alterations in DNA repair machinery, and cell cycle control leading to uncontrolled proliferation. This study indicates only basic molecular pathways that enabled the formation of metastatic cancer stem cells and may contribute to clarifying the function of the IS in the TME of CRC. A precise identification of signaling pathways responsible for CRC may help in the selection of personalized pharmacological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Holubekova
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Dusan Loderer
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Marian Grendar
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Peter Mikolajcik
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Kolkova
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Eva Turyova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Eva Kudelova
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Michal Kalman
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Marcinek
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Miklusica
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Ludovit Laca
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Zora Lasabova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
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Yang L, Xu F. A novel anoikis-related risk model predicts prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer and responses to different immunotherapy strategies. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:10879-10892. [PMID: 37318595 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04945-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to study the role of anoikis-related genes (ARGs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) using bioinformatics. METHODS GSE39582 and GSE39084, which collectively contain 363 CRC samples, were downloaded from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database as a test set. TCGA-COADREAD, with 376 CRC samples, was downloaded from the UCSC database as a validation set. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen for ARGs that were significantly associated with prognosis. The top 10 ARGs were used to classify the samples into different subtypes based on unsupervised cluster analysis. The immune environments of the different subtypes were analyzed. ARGs that were significantly associated with CRC prognosis were used to construct a risk model. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to screen independent prognostic factors and construct a nomogram. RESULTS Four anoikis-related subtypes (ARSs) with differential prognoses and immune microenvironments were identified. KRAS and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathways were enriched in subtype B, which had the worst prognosis. Three ARGs (DLG1, AKT3, and LPAR1) were used to construct the risk model. Both the test and validation sets showed worse outcomes for patients in the high-risk group than those in the low-risk group. Risk score was found to be an independent prognostic factor for CRC. Moreover, there was a difference in drug sensitivity between the high- and low-risk groups. CONCLUSION The identified ARGs and risk scores were associated with CRC prognosis and could predict the responses of patients with CRC to immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan Province, China.
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12
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Ravindranath MH, Ravindranath NM, Selvan SR, Hilali FE, Amato-Menker CJ, Filippone EJ. Cell Surface B2m-Free Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Monomers and Dimers: Are They Neo-HLA Class and Proto-HLA? Biomolecules 2023; 13:1178. [PMID: 37627243 PMCID: PMC10452486 DOI: 10.3390/biom13081178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell surface HLA-I molecules (Face-1) consist of a polypeptide heavy chain (HC) with two groove domains (G domain) and one constant domain (C-domain) as well as a light chain, B2-microglobulin (B2m). However, HCs can also independently emerge unfolded on the cell surface without peptides as B2m-free HC monomers (Face-2), B2m-free HC homodimers (Face 3), and B2m-free HC heterodimers (Face-4). The transport of these HLA variants from ER to the cell surface was confirmed by antiviral antibiotics that arrest the release of newly synthesized proteins from the ER. Face-2 occurs at low levels on the normal cell surface of the lung, bronchi, epidermis, esophagus, breast, stomach, ilium, colorectum, gall bladder, urinary bladder, seminal vesicles ovarian epithelia, endometrium, thymus, spleen, and lymphocytes. They are upregulated on immune cells upon activation by proinflammatory cytokines, anti-CD3 antibodies, antibiotics (e.g., ionomycin), phytohemagglutinin, retinoic acid, and phorbol myristate acetate. Their density on the cell surface remains high as long as the cells remain in an activated state. After activation-induced upregulation, the Face-2 molecules undergo homo- and hetero-dimerization (Face-3 and Face-4). Alterations in the redox environment promote dimerization. Heterodimerization can occur among and between the alleles of different haplotypes. The glycosylation of these variants differ from that of Face-1, and they may occur with bound exogenous peptides. Spontaneous arthritis occurs in HLA-B27+ mice lacking B2m (HLA-B27+ B2m-/-) but not in HLA-B27+ B2m+/- mice. The mice with HLA-B27 in Face-2 spontaneous configuration develop symptoms such as changes in nails and joints, hair loss, and swelling in paws, leading to ankyloses. Anti-HC-specific mAbs delay disease development. Some HLA-I polyreactive mAbs (MEM series) used for immunostaining confirm the existence of B2m-free variants in several cancer cells. The upregulation of Face-2 in human cancers occurs concomitantly with the downregulation of intact HLAs (Face-1). The HLA monomeric and dimeric variants interact with inhibitory and activating ligands (e.g., KIR), growth factors, cytokines, and neurotransmitters. Similarities in the amino acid sequences of the HLA-I variants and HLA-II β-chain suggest that Face-2 could be the progenitor of both HLA classes. These findings may support the recognition of these variants as a neo-HLA class and proto-HLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mepur H. Ravindranath
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
- Terasaki Foundation Laboratory, Santa Monica, CA 90064, USA
| | - Narendranath M. Ravindranath
- Norris Dental Science Center, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA;
| | - Senthamil R. Selvan
- Division of Immunology and Hematology Devices, OHT 7: Office of In Vitro Diagnostics, Office of Product Evaluation and Quality, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA;
| | - Fatiha El Hilali
- Medico-Surgical, Biomedicine and Infectiology Research Laboratory, The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Laayoune & Agadir, Ibnou Zohr University, Agadir 80000, Morocco;
| | - Carly J. Amato-Menker
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA;
| | - Edward J. Filippone
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19145, USA;
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13
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Mestrallet G, Brown M, Bozkus CC, Bhardwaj N. Immune escape and resistance to immunotherapy in mismatch repair deficient tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1210164. [PMID: 37492581 PMCID: PMC10363668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 30% of colorectal, endometrial and gastric cancers have a deficiency in mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression due to either germline or epigenetic inactivation. Patients with Lynch Syndrome who inherit an inactive MMR allele have an up to 80% risk for developing a mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) cancer. Due to an inability to repair DNA, MMRd tumors present with genomic instability in microsatellite regions (MS). Tumors with high MS instability (MSI-H) are characterized by an increased frequency of insertion/deletions (indels) that can encode novel neoantigens if they occur in coding regions. The high tumor antigen burden for MMRd cancers is accompanied by an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) that contributes to the clinical effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy in this patient population. However, between 40 and 70% of MMRd cancer patients do not respond to treatment with PD-1 blockade, suggesting that tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic resistance mechanisms may affect the success of checkpoint blockade. Immune evasion mechanisms that occur during early tumorigenesis and persist through cancer development may provide a window into resistance pathways that limit the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy. Here, we review the mechanisms of immune escape in MMRd tumors during development and checkpoint blockade treatment, including T cell dysregulation and myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression in the TME. Finally, we discuss the development of new therapeutic approaches to tackle resistance in MMRd tumors, including cancer vaccines, therapies targeting immunosuppressive myeloid programs, and immune checkpoint combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Mestrallet
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Brown
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cansu Cimen Bozkus
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Extramural member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, United States
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14
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Li L, Li J. Dimerization of Transmembrane Proteins in Cancer Immunotherapy. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:393. [PMID: 37103820 PMCID: PMC10143916 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13040393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Transmembrane proteins (TMEMs) are integrated membrane proteins that span the entire lipid bilayer and are permanently anchored to it. TMEMs participate in various cellular processes. Some TMEMs usually exist and perform their physiological functions as dimers rather than monomers. TMEM dimerization is associated with various physiological functions, such as the regulation of enzyme activity, signal transduction, and cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on the dimerization of transmembrane proteins in cancer immunotherapy. This review is divided into three parts. First, the structures and functions of several TMEMs related to tumor immunity are introduced. Second, the characteristics and functions of several typical TMEM dimerization processes are analyzed. Finally, the application of the regulation of TMEM dimerization in cancer immunotherapy is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Jingying Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
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15
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Jiang N, Yu Y, Wu D, Wang S, Fang Y, Miao H, Ma P, Huang H, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Tang Y, Li N. HLA and tumour immunology: immune escape, immunotherapy and immune-related adverse events. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:737-747. [PMID: 36662304 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04493-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE As molecules responsible for presenting antigens to T lymphocytes, leukocytes antigens (HLAs) play a vital role in cancer immunology. This review aims to provide current understanding of HLAs in tumour immunology. METHODS Perspectives on how HLA alterations may contribute to the immune escape of cancer cells and resistance to immunotherapy, and potential methods to overcome HLA defects were summarized. In addition, we discussed the potential association between HLA and immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which has not been reviewed elsewhere. RESULTS Downregulation, loss of heterogeneity and entire loss of HLAs are responsible for the immune escape of tumour cells. The strategies to overcome the HLA defects can be effective therapies of cancer. Compared with classical HLA-I, non-classical HLA-I molecules, such as HLA-E and HLA-G, appear to be more reliable predictors of prognosis, as they tend to play immunosuppressive roles in antitumor response. Relative diversified or high expression of classical HLA-I are potential predictors of favourable response of immunotherapy. Certain HLA types may be associated to enhanced affinity to self-antigen-mimicked tumour-antigens, thus may positively correlated to irAEs triggered by checkpoint inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS Further studies exploring the relationship between HLAs and cancer may not only lead to the development of novel therapies but also bring about better management of irAEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Jiang
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Dawei Wu
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shuhang Wang
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Huilei Miao
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Peiwen Ma
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Huiyao Huang
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | | | - Yu Zhang
- Renke Beijing Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Clinical Trials Center, Clinical Cancer Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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Dutta S, Ganguly A, Chatterjee K, Spada S, Mukherjee S. Targets of Immune Escape Mechanisms in Cancer: Basis for Development and Evolution of Cancer Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020218. [PMID: 36829496 PMCID: PMC9952779 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a novel therapeutic tool for cancer therapy in the last decade. Unfortunately, a small number of patients benefit from approved immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Therefore, multiple studies are being conducted to find new ICIs and combination strategies to improve the current ICIs. In this review, we discuss some approved immune checkpoints, such as PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4, and also highlight newer emerging ICIs. For instance, HLA-E, overexpressed by tumor cells, represents an immune-suppressive feature by binding CD94/NKG2A, on NK and T cells. NKG2A blockade recruits CD8+ T cells and activates NK cells to decrease the tumor burden. NKG2D acts as an NK cell activating receptor that can also be a potential ICI. The adenosine A2A and A2B receptors, CD47-SIRPα, TIM-3, LAG-3, TIGIT, and VISTA are targets that also contribute to cancer immunoresistance and have been considered for clinical trials. Their antitumor immunosuppressive functions can be used to develop blocking antibodies. PARPs, mARTs, and B7-H3 are also other potential targets for immunosuppression. Additionally, miRNA, mRNA, and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated immunotherapeutic approaches are being investigated with great interest. Pre-clinical and clinical studies project these targets as potential immunotherapeutic candidates in different cancer types for their robust antitumor modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Dutta
- The Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology (CITI), Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Anirban Ganguly
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar 814152, India
| | | | - Sheila Spada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Sumit Mukherjee
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (S.M.)
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17
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Zhao X, Ma S, Wang B, Jiang X, Xu S. PGG.MHC: toward understanding the diversity of major histocompatibility complexes in human populations. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D1102-D1108. [PMID: 36321663 PMCID: PMC9825418 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, or the human version of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is known for its extreme polymorphic nature and high heterogeneity. Taking advantage of whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing data, we developed PGG.MHC to provide a platform to explore the diversity of the MHC in Asia as well as in global populations. PGG.MHC currently archives high-resolution HLA alleles of 53 254 samples representing 190 populations spanning 66 countries. PGG.MHC provides: (i) high-quality allele frequencies for eight classical HLA loci (HLA-A, -B, -C, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DRB1, -DPA1 and -DPB1); (ii) visualization of population prevalence of HLA alleles on global, regional, and country-wide levels; (iii) haplotype structure of 134 populations; (iv) two online analysis tools including 'HLA imputation' for inferring HLA alleles from SNP genotyping data and 'HLA association' to perform case/control studies for HLA-related phenotypes and (v) East Asian-specific reference panels for HLA imputation. Equipped with high-quality frequency data and user-friendly computer tools, we expect that the PGG.MHC database can advance the understanding and facilitate applications of MHC genomic diversity in both evolutionary and medical studies. The PGG.MHC database is freely accessible via https://pog.fudan.edu.cn/pggmhc or https://www.pggmhc.org/pggmhc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xuetong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, FudanUniversity, Shanghai 200438, China
| | | | - Shuhua Xu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 21 31246617; Fax: +86 21 31246617;
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18
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Wang X, Xiong H, Ning Z. Implications of NKG2A in immunity and immune-mediated diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:960852. [PMID: 36032104 PMCID: PMC9399941 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.960852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent studies, NKG2A is revealed to be a key immune checkpoint for both natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. It form heterodimer receptors with CD94, and targets the peptide-presenting human leukocyte antigen-E (HLA-E) molecules. Upon crosslinking, NKG2A/CD94 delivers inhibitory signals for NK cells and CD8+ T cells, while blocking NKG2A can effectively unleash functions of these cytotoxic lymphocytes. The interaction between NKG2A and HLA-E contributes to tumor immune escape, and NKG2A-mediated mechanisms are currently being exploited to develop potential antitumor therapeutic strategies. In addition, growing evidence shows that NKG2A also plays important roles in other immune-related diseases including viral infections, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, parasite infections and transplant rejection. Therefore, the current work focuses on describing the effect of NKG2A on immune regulation and exploring its potential role in immune-mediated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wang
- Institute of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Huabao Xiong
- Institute of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- *Correspondence: Zhaochen Ning, ; Huabao Xiong,
| | - Zhaochen Ning
- Institute of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- *Correspondence: Zhaochen Ning, ; Huabao Xiong,
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19
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Meng W, Li Z, Zhang Y, Yang A, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Wu W, Qiu Y, Li L. ZhenQi FuZheng formula inhibits the growth of colorectal tumors by modulating intestinal microflora-mediated immune function. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:4769-4785. [PMID: 35680568 PMCID: PMC9217701 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Zhenqi Fuzheng formula (ZQFZ), of which the main ingredients are Astragalus membranaceus and Ligustrum lucidum, has immune system regulatory functions and potential anti-tumor bioactivity. The inhibition of colorectal tumor growth by ZQFZ was analyzed in inflammatory cells and B6/JGpt-Apcem1Cin(MinC)/Gpt (ApcMin/+) mice. ZQFZ exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway-related proteins in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells. After 56 days of treatment, ZQFZ alleviated the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and increased the body weight and thymic index values of the ApcMin/+ mice. An analysis of the intestinal microflora showed that ZQFZ affected the abundance of certain immune-related bacteria, which may explain its immunomodulatory effects. Moreover, the percentages of T cells and NK cells in peripheral blood were significantly increased and 15 immune-related cytokines were regulated in serum or the colon or both. ZQFZ upregulated the levels of CD4 and CD8 in the spleen and colorectal tumors and decreased the expression levels of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 and programmed death-ligand 1 in colorectal tumors. ZQFZ promoted an anti-tumor immune response and inhibited the occurrence and development of CRC by regulating the immune system. This study provides the experimental basis for the application of ZQFZ as a therapeutic agent for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Zhiping Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China.,School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Yiting Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Anhui Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Yanzhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Zhuhai College of Science and Technology, Zhuhai, P.R. China
| | - Yulin Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Wanyue Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Ye Qiu
- Department of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Lanzhou Li
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China.,Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
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20
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Xue JS, Ding ZN, Meng GX, Yan LJ, Liu H, Li HC, Yao SY, Tian BW, Dong ZR, Chen ZQ, Hong JG, Wang DX, Li T. The Prognostic Value of Natural Killer Cells and Their Receptors/Ligands in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:872353. [PMID: 35464489 PMCID: PMC9021421 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.872353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Natural killer (NK) cells play major roles in eliminating tumor cells. Preliminary studies have shown that NK cells and their receptors/ligands have prognostic value in malignant tumors. However, the relevance of NK cells and their receptors/ligands level to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Methods Several electronic databases were searched from database inception to November 8, 2021. Random effects were introduced to this meta-analysis. The relevance of NK cells and their receptors/ligands level to the prognosis of HCC was evaluated using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results 26 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled results showed that high NK cells levels were associated with better overall survival (HR=0.70, 95%CI 0.57–0.86, P=0.001) and disease-free survival (HR=0.61, 95%CI 0.40-0.93, P=0.022) of HCC patients. In subgroup analysis for overall survival, CD57+ NK cells (HR=0.70, 95%CI 0.55-0.89, P=0.004) had better prognostic value over CD56+ NK cells (HR=0.69, 95%CI 0.38-1.25, P=0.224), and intratumor NK cells had better prognostic value (HR=0.71, 95%CI 0.55-0.90, P=0.005) over peripheral NK cells (HR=0.66, 95%CI 0.41-1.06, P=0.088). In addition, high level of NK cell inhibitory receptors predicted increased recurrence of HCC, while the prognostic role of NK cell activating receptors remained unclear. Conclusion NK cells and their inhibitory receptors have prognostic value for HCC. The prognostic role of NK cell activating receptors is unclear and more high-quality prospective studies are essential to evaluate the prognostic value of NK cells and their receptors/ligands for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Shuai Xue
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zi-Niu Ding
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Guang-Xiao Meng
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lun-Jie Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hai-Chao Li
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Sheng-Yu Yao
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Bao-Wen Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhao-Ru Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jian-Guo Hong
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dong-Xu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
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21
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Lim EB, Oh HS, Kim KC, Kim MH, Kim YJ, Kim BJ, Nho CW, Cho YS. Identification and functional validation of HLA-C as a potential gene involved in colorectal cancer in the Korean population. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:261. [PMID: 35379174 PMCID: PMC8981957 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08509-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Although numerous genetic loci for CRC have been identified, the overall understanding of the genetic factors is yet to be elucidated. We sought to discover new genes involved in CRC applying genetic association analysis and functional study. RESULTS We conducted exome array analysis on 194 CRC and 600 control subjects for discovering new candidate CRC genes. Fisher's exact test detected one exome-wide significant functional locus for CRC on SMCO1 (P < 10-6) and two suggestive functional loci on HLA-C and NUTM1 (10-6 ≤ P < 10-4). To evaluate the biological role of three candidate CRC genes, the differential expression of these genes between CRC and non-cancer colorectal cells was analyzed using qRT-PCR and publicly available gene expression data. Of three genes, HLA-C consistently revealed the significant down-regulation in CRC cells. In addition, we detected a reduction in cell viability in the HLA-C overexpression CRC cell line, implying the functional relevance of HLA-C in CRC. To understand the underlying mechanism exerted by HLA-C in CRC development, we conducted RNA sequencing analyses of HLA-C overexpression CRC cells and non-cancer colorectal cells. Pathway analysis detected that significantly down-regulated genes in HLA-C overexpression CRC cells were highly enriched in cancer-related signaling pathways such as JAK/STAT, ErbB, and Hedgehog signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Exome array CRC case-control analysis followed by functional validation demonstrated that HLA-C likely exerts its influence on CRC development via cancer-related signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Bi Lim
- Department of Biomedical Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Suk Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, GangNeung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Chang Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon-Ho Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, GangNeung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Jin Kim
- Division of Genome Research, Center for Genome Science, National Institute of Health, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Jo Kim
- Division of Genome Research, Center for Genome Science, National Institute of Health, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Chu Won Nho
- Convergence Research Center for Smart Farm Solution, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Shin Cho
- Department of Biomedical Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 24252, Republic of Korea.
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22
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Prediction of Survival Rate and Chemotherapy Effect by an Immune Score Model in Colorectal Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:8219701. [PMID: 35434132 PMCID: PMC9006078 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8219701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment play an important role in the development of tumors. In this study, CIBERSORT was used to estimate the subset of the immune cells using bulk gene expression data (i.e., TCGA, GEO, and cBioPortal databases). 1,087 samples were included in the analysis. The results revealed that among the 22 immune cell subsets that were evaluated, resting and activated NK cells, macrophage M1 and M2, and resting mast cells are associated with significant improvements in patient survival of colorectal cancer. The 15-year survival rates for the training cohort showed 49.1% and 32.5%, respectively, for the low- and high-risk groups. Likewise, the validation and entire cohorts showed 77.3% versus 47.2% and 65.3% versus 46.5%, respectively, for the low- and high-risk groups. Also, the prognostic immune score in predicting the chemotherapy effects showed that the low-risk group had a better survival superiority over the high-risk group, whether patients received chemotherapy or not. The gene set enrichment analysis showed that the low-risk group was highly enriched in pathways or processes related to immune response. The immune checkpoint assessment revealed significantly higher mRNA expressions of CTLA4 in the lower risk group than in the higher risk group. Altogether, this study offers information that could improve the prognosis of colorectal cancer.
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23
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scEFSC: Accurate Single-cell RNA-seq Data Analysis via Ensemble Consensus Clustering Based on Multiple Feature Selections. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2181-2197. [PMID: 35615016 PMCID: PMC9108753 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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24
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Michelakos T, Kontos F, Kurokawa T, Cai L, Sadagopan A, Krijgsman D, Weichert W, Durrant LG, Kuppen PJK, R Ferrone C, Ferrone S. Differential role of HLA-A and HLA-B, C expression levels as prognostic markers in colon and rectal cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-004115. [PMID: 35277460 PMCID: PMC8919449 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-004115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The association of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I expression levels with the clinical course of many malignancies reflects their crucial role in the recognition and elimination of malignant cells by cognate T cells and NK cells. In colorectal cancer, results regarding this association are conflicting. The potential pathogenetic and therapeutic implications of this association prompted us to perform a large patient-level pooled analysis assessing the role of the expression level of HLA class I loci gene products in colon and rectal cancer. Experimental design Included studies provided patient-level data on HLA class I expression levels determined by immunohistochemistry on surgical specimens. Expression levels of the HLA class I loci gene products (HLA-A, HLA-B/C) were correlated with common genetic events and survival. Results Data from 5 studies including 2863 patients were used. In the 1620 colon cancer patients, lower HLA-A, HLA-B/C and total HLA class I expression levels were associated with microsatellite instability (p=0.044, p=0.008 and p=0.022, respectively), higher frequency of BRAF mutations (p<0.001, p=0.021 and p<0.001, respectively) and lower frequency of KRAS mutations (p=0.001, ns and p=0.002, respectively). In the 1243 rectal cancer patients, HLA-A expression was higher in tumors treated with neoadjuvant radiation (p=0.024). High HLA-B/C, but not HLA-A, expression level was an independent predictor of favorable overall survival in colon (p=0.006) and rectal (p<0.001) cancer. Conclusions T-cells and HLA-B/C antigens, rather than NK cells and HLA-A antigens, likely play an important role in controlling colon/rectal cancer growth. Colon/rectal cancer patients may benefit from strategies that upregulate HLA-B/C and trigger or enhance T cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Michelakos
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Filippos Kontos
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tomohiro Kurokawa
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lei Cai
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ananthan Sadagopan
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Danielle Krijgsman
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lindy G Durrant
- Academic Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Nottingham, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
| | - Peter J K Kuppen
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina R Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Ducoin K, Oger R, Bilonda Mutala L, Deleine C, Jouand N, Desfrançois J, Podevin J, Duchalais E, Cruard J, Benlalam H, Labarrière N, Bossard C, Jarry A, Gervois-Segain N. Targeting NKG2A to boost anti-tumor CD8 T-cell responses in human colorectal cancer. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2046931. [PMID: 35295095 PMCID: PMC8920231 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2046931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the inhibitory CD94/NKG2A receptor has joined the group of immune checkpoints (ICs) and its expression has been documented in NK cells and CD8+ T lymphocytes in several cancers and some infectious diseases. In colorectal cancer (CRC), we previously reported that NKG2A+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are predominantly CD8+ αβ T cells and that CD94 overexpression and/or its ligand HLA-E were associated with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to thoroughly characterize the NKG2A+ CD8+ TIL subpopulation and document the impact of NKG2A on anti-tumor responses in CRC. Our findings highlight new features of this subpopulation: (i) enrichment in colorectal tumors compared to paired normal colonic mucosa, (ii) their character as tissue-resident T cells and their majority terminal exhaustion status, (iii) co-expression of other ICs delineating two subgroups differing mainly in the level of NKG2A expression and the presence of PD-1, (iv) high functional avidity despite reduced proliferative capacity and finally (v) inhibition of anti-tumor reactivity that is overcome by blocking NKG2A. From a clinical point of view, these results open a promising alternative for immunotherapies based on NKG2A blockade in CRC, which could be performed alone or in combination with other IC inhibitors, adoptive cell transfer or therapeutic vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Ducoin
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Romain Oger
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CRCINA, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Linda Bilonda Mutala
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CRCINA, F-44000 Nantes, France
- Institut Roche, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Cécile Deleine
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Nicolas Jouand
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, SFR Santé, Inserm UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Juliette Desfrançois
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, SFR Santé, Inserm UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Juliette Podevin
- CHU Nantes, Department of Digestive Surgery and IMAD, Nantes, France
| | - Emilie Duchalais
- CHU Nantes, Department of Digestive Surgery and IMAD, Nantes, France
| | - Jonathan Cruard
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CRCINA, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Houssem Benlalam
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Nathalie Labarrière
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Céline Bossard
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, CRCINA, F-44000 Nantes, France
- CHU Nantes, Department of Digestive Surgery and IMAD, Nantes, France
| | - Anne Jarry
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Nadine Gervois-Segain
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, Immunology and New Concepts in ImmunoTherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302. F-44000 Nantes, France
- LabEx IGO, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
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26
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Cao R, Cui L, Zhang J, Ren X, Cheng B, Xia J. Immune-related lncRNA classification of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:25. [PMID: 35033066 PMCID: PMC8760760 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02450-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in innate and adaptive immune responses. Thus, we aimed to identify ideal subtypes for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) based on immune-related lncRNAs. Methods TCGA HNSCC cohort was divided into two datasets (training and validation dataset), and 960 previously characterized immune-related lncRNAs were extracted for non-negative matrix factorization analysis. We characterized our HNSCC subtypes based on biological behaviors, immune landscape and response to immunotherapy in both training and validation cohort. A lncRNA-signature was generated to predict our HNSCC subtypes, and essential lncRNAs involved in tumor microenvironment (TME) were identified. Results We developed and validated two HNSCC subtypes (C1 and C2) based on the 70 lncRNAs in the training and validation cohort. C2 subtype displayed good prognosis, high immune cell infiltration, immune-related genes expression and sensitivity to PD-1 blockade. C1 subtype was associated with high activity of mTORC1 signaling and glycolysis as well as high fraction of inactive immune cells. Finally, we generated a 31-lncRNA signature that could predict our above subtypes with high accurate. Additionally, TRG-AS1 was identified as the essential lncRNA involving TME formation. Knockdown of TRG-AS1 inhibited the expression of HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11. High expression of TRG-AS1 indicated a favorable prognosis in HNSCC and anti-PD-L1 cohort (IMvigor210). Conclusions Our study establishes a novel HNSCC classification on the basis of 31-lncRNA, helping to identify beneficiaries for anti-PD-1 treatment. In addition, a critical lncRNA TRG-AS1 is identified as a new potential prognosis biomarker as well as therapeutic target. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02450-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyan Cao
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Cui
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianyue Ren
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. .,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Juan Xia
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 56 Lingyuan Xi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. .,Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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27
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Bennedsen ALB, Cai L, Hasselager RP, Özcan AA, Mohamed KB, Eriksen JO, Eiholm S, Bzorek M, Fiehn AMK, Hviid TVF, Gögenur I. An exploration of immunohistochemistry-based prognostic markers in patients undergoing curative resections for colon cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:62. [PMID: 35027037 PMCID: PMC8759288 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09169-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The immune system recognizes and destroys cancer cells. However, cancer cells develop mechanisms to avoid detection by expressing cell surface proteins. Specific tumour cell surface proteins (e.g. HLA-G, PD-L1, CDX2) either alone or in combination with the relative presence of immune cells (CD3 and CD8 positive T-cells) in the tumour tissue may describe the cancer cells’ ability to escape eradication by the immune system. The aim was to investigate the prognostic value of immunohistochemical markers in patients with colon cancer. Methods We conducted a retrospective study including patients diagnosed with pT3 and pT4 colon cancers. Immunohistochemical staining with HLA-G, PD-L1, CDX2, CD3, and CD8 was performed on tissue samples with representation of the invasive margin. PD-L1 expression in tumour cells and immune cells was reported conjointly. The expression of CD3 and CD8 was reported as a merged score based on the expression of both markers in the invasive margin and the tumour centre. Subsequently, a combined marker score was established based on all of the markers. Each marker added one point to the score when unfavourable immunohistochemical features was present, and the score was categorized as low, intermediate or high depending on the number of unfavourable stains. Hazard ratios for recurrence, disease-free survival and mortality were calculated. Results We included 188 patients undergoing colon cancer resections in 2011–2012. The median follow-up was 41.7 months, during which 41 (21.8%) patients had recurrence and 74 (39.4%) died. In multivariable regression analysis positive HLA-G expression (HR = 3.37, 95%CI [1.64–6.93]) was associated with higher recurrence rates, while a preserved CDX2 expression (HR = 0.23, 95%CI [0.06–0.85]) was associated with a lower risk of recurrence. An intermediate or high combined marker score was associated with increased recurrence rates (HR = 20.53, 95%CI [2.68–157.32] and HR = 7.56, 95%CI [1.06–54.16], respectively). Neither high expression of PD-L1 nor high CD3-CD8 score was significantly associated with recurrence rates. Patients with a high CD3-CD8 score had a significantly longer DFS and OS. Conclusions In tumour cells, expression of HLA-G and loss of CDX2 expression were associated with cancer recurrence. In addition, a combination of certain tumour tissue biomarkers was associated with colorectal cancer recurrence. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09169-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Louise Bjørn Bennedsen
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark.
| | - Luyi Cai
- Cardiology department, Hospital Sønderjylland, Kresten Philipsens Vej 15, 6200, Aabenraa, Denmark
| | - Rune Petring Hasselager
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark
| | - Aysun Avci Özcan
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark
| | - Khadra Bashir Mohamed
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark
| | - Jens Ole Eriksen
- Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Susanne Eiholm
- Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Michael Bzorek
- Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anne-Marie Kanstrup Fiehn
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark.,Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3b, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Vauvert F Hviid
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3b, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Centre for Immune Regulation and Reproductive Immunology (CIRRI), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Zealand University Hospital, Sygehusvej 10, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ismail Gögenur
- Center For Surgical Science (CSS), Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600, Køge, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3b, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
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28
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OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 28:435-454. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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HLA-G as a prognostic marker in stage II/III colorectal cancer: not quite there yet. Histochem Cell Biol 2022; 158:535-543. [PMID: 35902421 PMCID: PMC9726768 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-022-02141-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Identifying innovative molecules involved in the tumor immune escape process could help refine the survival stratification of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. HLA-G, a non-classical HLA molecule, physiologically involved in tolerogenic mechanisms, has recently emerged as a relevant prognostic marker in other tumor types, but ambiguous data are reported in the CRC setting. This study aims to evaluate the HLA-G expression and prognostic potential in a series of stage II/III CRCs. HLA-G expression was evaluated in 100 pT3 CRC cases by means of immunohistochemistry using the 4H84 and MEM-G/2 monoclonal antibodies. We observed heterogeneous expression of HLA-G showing different ranges: 4H84 expression ranged from > 1 to 40%-median 7%; MEM-G/2 expression ranged from 20 to 90%-median 50%. HLA-G positivity (any intensity > 1%) varied according to the antibody employed, identifying: 8 4H84 positive, 34 MEM-G/2 positive, 6 double-positive and 52 negative cases. Correlation with clinico-pathologic data showed a significant association with a poor tumor differentiation in stage III right-sided CRC subgroup (p = 0.043), while no other pathologic variable was significantly associated. Survival analysis revealed a reduced disease-free survival rate (HR 4.304613; p = 0.031) in the subgroup of CRC-related death cases, while no correlations were observed considering the whole series and the overall survival. In conclusion, HLA-G is a promising CRC prognostic marker however much work is still required regarding technical aspects and evaluation of expression.
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30
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Immune Regulatory Processes of the Tumor Microenvironment under Malignant Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413311. [PMID: 34948104 PMCID: PMC8706102 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a critical regulator of tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. Since immune cells represent a large fraction of the TME, they play a key role in mediating pro- and anti-tumor immune responses. Immune escape, which suppresses anti-tumor immunity, enables tumor cells to maintain their proliferation and growth. Numerous mechanisms, which have been intensively studied in recent years, are involved in this process and based on these findings, novel immunotherapies have been successfully developed. Here, we review the composition of the TME and the mechanisms by which immune evasive processes are regulated. In detail, we describe membrane-bound and soluble factors, their regulation, and their impact on immune cell activation in the TME. Furthermore, we give an overview of the tumor/antigen presentation and how it is influenced under malignant conditions. Finally, we summarize novel TME-targeting agents, which are already in clinical trials for different tumor entities.
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31
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Li P, Wang N, Zhang Y, Wang C, Du L. HLA-G/sHLA-G and HLA-G-Bearing Extracellular Vesicles in Cancers: Potential Role as Biomarkers. Front Immunol 2021; 12:791535. [PMID: 34868081 PMCID: PMC8636042 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.791535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As a non-classic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule, human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is expressed in fetal-maternal interface and immunoprivileged site only in healthy condition, and in pathological conditions such as cancer, it can be de novo expressed. It is now widely accepted that HLA-G is a key molecule in the process of immune escape of cancer cells, which is ubiquitously expressed in the tumor environment. This raises the possibility that it may play an adverse role in tumor immunity. The expression level of HLA-G has been demonstrated to be highly correlated with clinical parameters in many tumors, and its potential significance in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer has been postulated. However, because HLA-G itself has up to seven different subtypes, and for some subtypes, detected antibodies are few or absent, it is hard to evaluate the actual expression of HLA-G in tumors. In the present work, we described (a) the structure and three main forms of HLA-G, (b) summarized the mechanism of HLA-G in the immune escape of tumor cells, (c) discussed the potential role of HLA-G as a tumor marker, and reviewed (d) the methods for detecting and quantifying HLA-G.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilong Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Shandong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Tumor Marker Detection , Jinan, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Clinical Laboratory, Jinan, China
| | - Nan Wang
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chuanxin Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Shandong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Tumor Marker Detection , Jinan, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Clinical Laboratory, Jinan, China
| | - Lutao Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Shandong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Tumor Marker Detection , Jinan, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Clinical Laboratory, Jinan, China
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32
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Kumar AR, Devan AR, Nair B, Vinod BS, Nath LR. Harnessing the immune system against cancer: current immunotherapy approaches and therapeutic targets. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:8075-8095. [PMID: 34671902 PMCID: PMC8605995 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06752-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a rapidly evolving concept that has been given the tag "fifth pillar" of cancer therapy while radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery and targeted therapy remain the other four pillars. This involves the stimulation of the immune system to control tumor growth and it specifically targets the neoplastic cells rather than the normal cells. Conventional chemotherapy has many limitations which include drug resistance, recurrence of cancer and severe adverse effects. Immunology has made major treatment breakthroughs for several cancers such as colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia etc. Currently, therapeutic strategies harnessing the immune system involve Checkpoint inhibitors, Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T cells), Monoclonal antibodies, Cancer vaccines, Cytokines, Radio-immunotherapy and Oncolytic virus therapy. The molecular characterization of several tumor antigens (TA) indicates that these TA can be utilized as promising candidates in cancer immunotherapy strategies. Here in this review, we highlight and summarize the different categories of emerging cancer immunotherapies along with the immunologically recognized tumor antigens involved in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayana R Kumar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P. O., Kochi, Kerala, 682041, India
| | - Aswathy R Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P. O., Kochi, Kerala, 682041, India
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P. O., Kochi, Kerala, 682041, India
| | - Balachandran S Vinod
- Department of Biochemistry, Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala, 691001, India.
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Ponekkara P. O., Kochi, Kerala, 682041, India.
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33
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Dhouioui S, Laaribi AB, Boujelbene N, Jelassi R, Ben Salah H, Bellali H, Ouzari HI, Mezlini A, Zemni I, Chelbi H, Zidi I. Association of HLA-G 3'UTR polymorphisms and haplotypes with colorectal cancer susceptibility and prognosis. Hum Immunol 2021; 83:39-46. [PMID: 34763955 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G has been considered as an immune modulator in several types of cancers. Its genetic polymorphisms may potentially affect the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The overall purpose of this study was to analyze the implication of HLA-G 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) polymorphisms particularly 14 pb insertion/deletion (Ins/Del; rs371194629) and + 3142C/G (rs1063320) in CRC susceptibility and progression. A comparative analysis between patients (N = 233) and controls (N = 241) demonstrated that Del allele (Odds Ratios (OR) = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.091-1.819, p = 0.008), the homozygous Del/Del genotype (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.205-2.664, p = 0.003) and the codominant C/G genotype (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.106-2.272, p = 0.013) were associated to CRC risk. As expected, the DelG haplotype was associated with CRC susceptibility (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.068-2.012, p = 0.018). Assessment of patients' survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the Del allele and the homozygous Del/Del genotype were associated with reduced event free survival (EFS) (Respectively, p = 0.009 and p = 0.05). Interestingly, the Del allele and the homozygous Del/Del genotype have been revealed as independent prognostic factors for poor EFS in patients with CRC. Additionally, haplotypes analysis revealed that DelG haplotype was linked with significant increase in CRC risk (log-rank; EFS: p = 0.02). Inversely, the InsC haplotype was associated with a significant reduced CRC risk (log-rank; Overall survival (OS): p < 10-6; EFS: p = 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the InsC haplotype was independently associated with significantly longer EFS (p = 0.021, HR = 0.636, 95% CI = 0.433-0.935). These findings support the implication of HLA-G polymorphisms in the CRC susceptibility suggesting HLA-G as a potent prognostic and predictive indicator for CRC. Insight into mechanisms underlying HLA-G polymorphisms could allow for the development of targeted care for CRC patients according to their genetic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrine Dhouioui
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ahmed-Baligh Laaribi
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Boujelbene
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Pathology, Salah Azaïz Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Refka Jelassi
- LR11-IPT-06: Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnology and Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hamza Ben Salah
- LR11-IPT-06: Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnology and Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hedia Bellali
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Medical Faculty of Tunis. Head of Clinical Epidemiology Department, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hadda-Imene Ouzari
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Amel Mezlini
- Department of Medical Oncology, Salah Azaïz Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Inès Zemni
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaïz Institute, Faculty of medicine, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hanene Chelbi
- LR11-IPT-06: Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnology and Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Inès Zidi
- Laboratory Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
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34
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Schaafsma E, Fugle CM, Wang X, Cheng C. Pan-cancer association of HLA gene expression with cancer prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy. Br J Cancer 2021; 125:422-432. [PMID: 33981015 PMCID: PMC8329209 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-021-01400-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The function of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules is to bind peptide fragments derived from genomic mutations or pathogens and display them on the cell surface for recognition by cognate T cells to initiate an immune response. METHODS In this study, we provide a comprehensive investigation of HLA gene expression in a pan-cancer manner involving 33 cancer types. We utilised gene expression data from several databases and immune checkpoint blockade-treated patient cohorts. RESULTS We show that MHC expression varies strongly among cancer types and is associated with several genomic and immunological features. While immune cell infiltration was generally higher in tumours with higher HLA gene expression, CD4+ T cells showed significantly different correlations among cancer types, separating them into two clusters. Furthermore, we show that increased HLA gene expression is associated with prolonged survival in the majority of cancer types. Lastly, HLA gene expression is associated with patient response to immune checkpoint blockade, which is especially prominent for HLA class II expression in tumour biopsies taken during treatment. CONCLUSION We show that HLA gene expression is an important feature of tumour biology that has significant impact on patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Schaafsma
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Chloe M Fugle
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- The Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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35
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A Critical Assessment of the Association between HLA-G Expression by Carcinomas and Clinical Outcome. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158265. [PMID: 34361031 PMCID: PMC8347921 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) conveys immunological tolerance at the maternal-foetal interface. HLA-G expression by tumour cells may also play such a role, resulting in tumour immune evasion, making HLA-G a potential target for immunotherapies. The aim of this review was to determine to what extent it is justified that HLA-G expression is considered as a target for immune checkpoint inhibiting therapy by critically assessing the association between HLA-G expression by carcinomas and clinical outcome of patients. The used HLA-G-detecting mAb, HLA-G quantification methods and statistically significant HLA-G-associated clinicopathological parameters are discussed. Tumour HLA-G expression correlated with poor clinical outcome in breast, esophageal, gastric and hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Tumour HLA-G expression was not associated with clinical outcome in ovarian and oral carcinoma patients. Cervical, colorectal, lung, and pancreatic carcinoma patients presented discrepant and therefore inconclusive results regarding the association between tumour HLA-G expression and clinical outcome. These disparities might partly be the result of differences in the methodological approach to quantify HLA-G expression between studies. Therefore, implementation of universal methodological procedures is strongly advised. Overall, HLA-G expression did not univocally result in poor clinical outcome of carcinoma patients. This implies that tumour HLA-G expression is not necessarily part of an inhibited tumour-immune response and tumour progression. Consequently, it remains elusive whether HLA-G expression by carcinomas functions as an immune checkpoint molecule affecting a tumour-immune response. It may also reflect derailed control of gene expression in tumours, with no real functional consequences.
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36
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Lin A, Yan WH. HLA-G/ILTs Targeted Solid Cancer Immunotherapy: Opportunities and Challenges. Front Immunol 2021; 12:698677. [PMID: 34276691 PMCID: PMC8278316 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.698677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become a promising immunotherapy for cancers. Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G), a neoantigen, its biological functions and clinical relevance have been extensively investigated in malignancies, and early clinical trials with “anti-HLA-G strategy” are being launched for advance solid cancer immunotherapy. The mechanism of HLA-G as a new ICI is that HLA-G can bind immune cell bearing inhibitory receptors, the immunoglobulin-like transcript (ILT)-2 and ILT-4. HLA-G/ILT-2/-4 (HLA-G/ILTs) signaling can drive comprehensive immune suppression, promote tumor growth and disease progression. Though clinical benefits could be expected with application of HLA-G antibodies to blockade the HLA-G/ILTs signaling in solid cancer immunotherapy, major challenges with the diversity of HLA-G isoforms, HLA-G/ILTs binding specificity, intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity of HLA-G, lack of isoform-specific antibodies and validated assay protocols, which could dramatically affect the clinical efficacy. Clinical benefits of HLA-G-targeted solid cancer immunotherapy may be fluctuated or even premature unless major challenges are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aifen Lin
- Biological Resource Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.,Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Linhai, China
| | - Wei-Hua Yan
- Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Linhai, China.,Medical Research Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
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37
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Kaprio T, Sariola H, Linder N, Lundin J, Kere J, Haglund C, Wedenoja S. HLA-G expression correlates with histological grade but not with prognosis in colorectal carcinoma. HLA 2021; 98:213-217. [PMID: 34050622 DOI: 10.1111/tan.14334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Trophoblast-specific expression of HLA-G induces immune tolerance for the developing fetus. Pathological HLA-G expression later in life might contribute to immune escape of various cancers. We studied the still controversial role of HLA-G in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) using the MEM-G/1 antibody and a tissue microarray series of CRC tumors (n = 317). HLA-G expression appeared in 20% of the tumors and showed high intratumoral heterogeneity. HLA-G positivity was associated with better differentiation (p = 0.002) and non-mucinous histology (p = 0.008). However, HLA-G expression alone showed no prognostic value: 5-years disease-specific survival among patients with HLA-G expression was 68.9% (95% CI: 62.7%-75.0%) compared to 74.8% (95% CI: 63.2%-86.3%) among those without expression. These results support a modulatory role of HLA-G in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuomas Kaprio
- Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannu Sariola
- HUSLAB Pediatric Pathology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nina Linder
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundin
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juha Kere
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, and Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Caj Haglund
- Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Translational Cancer Medicine Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Satu Wedenoja
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, and Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.,Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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38
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Anami T, Komohara Y, Miura Y, Yamanaka K, Kurahashi R, Segawa T, Motoshima T, Murakami Y, Yatsuda J, Yamaguchi T, Sugiyama Y, Jinnouchi Y, Kamba T. High T-cell infiltration in tumor tissue and younger age predict the response to pembrolizumab in recurrent urothelial cancer. Med Mol Morphol 2021; 54:316-323. [PMID: 34136945 DOI: 10.1007/s00795-021-00292-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the programmed cell death-1 signaling pathway has been approved for the anti-cancer therapy in several cancers including urothelial cancer. To determine predictive factors of the responsiveness to pembrolizumab in urothelial cancer patients, a retrospective study that used clinical information and paraffin-embedded samples obtained from patients diagnosed with urothelial cancer between 2015 and 2020 were performed. Seventeen patients who underwent total cystectomy or nephroureterectomy of the primary lesion and were treated with pembrolizumab for chemo-resistant disease were enrolled, and immunohistochemical analysis was performed. A key difference in the characteristics between the non-responder group and the responder group was the age of the patients (74 vs. 63 years, p = 0.0194). Although there was no statistically significant difference, the histological subtype with sarcomatoid and micropapillary components was only seen in the non-responder group, and squamous differentiation and lymph node metastasis were only seen in cases with a complete response. In the results of immunohistochemistry, the density of CD8-positive T-cells and Tregs was significantly increased in the responder group than in the non-responder group. In conclusion, younger age and a high number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were predictive factors of a good response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, although further studies with more enrolled patients are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Anami
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Honjo 1-1-1, Chuouku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Komohara
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Honjo 1-1-1, Chuouku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
| | - Yuji Miura
- Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Honjo 1-1-1, Chuouku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Yamanaka
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Ryoma Kurahashi
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takuya Segawa
- Department of Urology, Amakusa Medical Center, Amakusa, Japan
| | - Takanobu Motoshima
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoji Murakami
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Junji Yatsuda
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yutaka Sugiyama
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Tomomi Kamba
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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39
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Peng Y, Xiao J, Li W, Li S, Xie B, He J, Liu C. Prognostic and Clinicopathological Value of Human Leukocyte Antigen G in Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:642902. [PMID: 34055611 PMCID: PMC8149900 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.642902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prognostic value of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) expression in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remains controversial. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to summarize available evidence from case-control or cohort studies that evaluated this association. METHODS The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies written in English published up to April 1, 2021, and with no initial date. Furthermore, the Google Scholar and Google databases were also searched manually for gray literature. The protocol for this meta-analysis was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42020213411). Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for end points using fixed- and random-effects statistical models to account for heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot, Begg's and Egger's tests, and the "trim and fill" method. RESULTS A total of 30 eligible articles with 5737 unique patients, including 12 studies on colorectal cancer (CRC), 6 on gastric cancer (GC), 5 on esophageal cancer (ESCC), 5 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 2 on pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC), were retrieved. Both univariate (HR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.48 ~ 2.72) and multivariate (HR = 2.69, 95% CI: 2.03 ~ 3.55) analyses revealed that HLA-G expression was significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS), regardless of the cancer type or antibody used. Subgroup analysis stratified by antibody showed that the 4H84 (I2 = 45.8%, P = 0.101) antibodies could be trustworthy and reliable for detecting HLA-G expression in GI cancers. In addition, HLA-G expression was found to be correlated with adverse clinicopathological parameters such as clinical stage, nodal status, metastasis, and histological grade but not tumor status. CONCLUSION Elevated HLA-G expression indicates a poor prognosis for GI cancer patients, and screening for this marker could allow for the early diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers to improve survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjia Peng
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenyun Li
- Department of Statistics, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuna Li
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Binbin Xie
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiang He
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaoqun Liu
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Dhatchinamoorthy K, Colbert JD, Rock KL. Cancer Immune Evasion Through Loss of MHC Class I Antigen Presentation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:636568. [PMID: 33767702 PMCID: PMC7986854 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.636568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 394] [Impact Index Per Article: 131.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility class I (MHC I) molecules bind peptides derived from a cell's expressed genes and then transport and display this antigenic information on the cell surface. This allows CD8 T cells to identify pathological cells that are synthesizing abnormal proteins, such as cancers that are expressing mutated proteins. In order for many cancers to arise and progress, they need to evolve mechanisms to avoid elimination by CD8 T cells. MHC I molecules are not essential for cell survival and therefore one mechanism by which cancers can evade immune control is by losing MHC I antigen presentation machinery (APM). Not only will this impair the ability of natural immune responses to control cancers, but also frustrate immunotherapies that work by re-invigorating anti-tumor CD8 T cells, such as checkpoint blockade. Here we review the evidence that loss of MHC I antigen presentation is a frequent occurrence in many cancers. We discuss new insights into some common underlying mechanisms through which some cancers inactivate the MHC I pathway and consider some possible strategies to overcome this limitation in ways that could restore immune control of tumors and improve immunotherapy.
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Na HY, Park Y, Nam SK, Lee KS, Oh HK, Kim DW, Kang SB, Kim WH, Lee HS. Expression of human leukocyte antigen class I and β2-microglobulin in colorectal cancer and its prognostic impact. Cancer Sci 2020; 112:91-100. [PMID: 33159376 PMCID: PMC7780028 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Downregulation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I has been postulated to be a mechanism of adaptive immune escape in various tumors, especially microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we aimed to investigate HLA class I and β2-microglobulin (β2M) expression in MSI-H and microsatellite-stable (MSS) CRCs and determine its prognostic impact. The representative areas from the tumor center (TC) and tumor periphery (TP) from 300 CRCs, including 161 MSI-H and 139 MSS cases, were selected to construct a tissue microarray. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HLA A/B/C, β2M, CD3, and CD8 was performed. Reduced HLA A/B/C expression was detected in 113 (70.2%) MSI-H and 54 (38.8%) MSS cases, while reduced β2M expression was observed in 69 (42.9%) MSI-H and 17 (12.2%) MSS cases. Although reduced β2M expression was associated with higher pathological tumor (pT) stage in MSI-H CRC with borderline significance, no association was found between HLA A/B/C and β2M expression and survival. Interestingly, reduced HLA A/B/C expression in MSS was associated with higher stage, and reduced HLA A/B/C and β2M expression was an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, reduced HLA A/B/C and β2M expression was frequently observed in immunotherapy-naive MSI-H CRC, suggesting the possibility of primary resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor. Interestingly, downregulation of HLA A/B/C and β2M was associated with poor prognosis in MSS cancers. Overall, IHC for HLA A/B/C and β2M might be a feasible predictive or prognostic tool in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Young Na
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Yujun Park
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Soo Kyung Nam
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Kyu Sang Lee
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Heung-Kwon Oh
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Duck-Woo Kim
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Sung-Bum Kang
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si, Korea
| | - Woo Ho Kim
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye Seung Lee
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Attia JVD, Dessens CE, van de Water R, Houvast RD, Kuppen PJK, Krijgsman D. The Molecular and Functional Characteristics of HLA-G and the Interaction with Its Receptors: Where to Intervene for Cancer Immunotherapy? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228678. [PMID: 33213057 PMCID: PMC7698525 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) mediates maternal-fetal immune tolerance. It is also considered an immune checkpoint in cancer since it may mediate immune evasion and thus promote tumor growth. HLA-G is, therefore, a potential target for immunotherapy. However, existing monoclonal antibodies directed against HLA-G lack sufficient specificity and are not suitable for immune checkpoint inhibition in a clinical setting. For this reason, it is essential that alternative approaches are explored to block the interaction between HLA-G and its receptors. In this review, we discuss the structure and peptide presentation of HLA-G, and its interaction with the receptors Ig-like transcript (ILT) 2, ILT4, and Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 2DL4 (KIR2DL4). Based on our findings, we propose three alternative strategies to block the interaction between HLA-G and its receptors in cancer immunotherapy: (1) prevention of HLA-G dimerization, (2) targeting the peptide-binding groove of HLA-G, and (3) targeting the HLA-G receptors. These strategies should be an important focus of future studies that aim to develop immune checkpoint inhibitors to block the interaction between HLA-G and its receptors for the treatment of cancer.
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Borst L, van der Burg SH, van Hall T. The NKG2A-HLA-E Axis as a Novel Checkpoint in the Tumor Microenvironment. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:5549-5556. [PMID: 32409305 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-2095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The success of checkpoint blockade therapy revolutionized cancer treatment. However, we need to increase the fraction of responding patients and overcome acquired resistance to these therapies. Recently, the inhibitory receptor NKG2A received attention as a new kid on the block of immune checkpoints. This receptor is selectively expressed on cytotoxic lymphocytes, including natural killer cells and CD8 T cells, and NKG2A+ T cells are preferentially residing in tissues, like the tumor microenvironment. Its ligand, histocompatibility leucocyte antigen E (HLA-E), is a conserved nonclassical HLA class I molecule that binds a limited peptide repertoire and its expression is commonly detected in human cancer. NKG2A blockade as a standalone therapy appears poorly effective in mouse tumor models, however, in the presence of activated T cells, for example, induced by PD-1/PD-L1 blockade or cancer vaccines, exerts strongly enhanced efficacy. Clinical trials demonstrated safety of the humanized NKG2A-blocking antibody, monalizumab, and first results of phase II trials demonstrate encouraging durable response rates. Further development of this axis is clearly warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Borst
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Sjoerd H van der Burg
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Thorbald van Hall
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Arnaiz-Villena A, Juarez I, Suarez-Trujillo F, López-Nares A, Vaquero C, Palacio-Gruber J, Martin-Villa JM. HLA-G: Function, polymorphisms and pathology. Int J Immunogenet 2020; 48:172-192. [PMID: 33001562 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
HLA-G immune modulatory genes and molecules are presently being studied by a widespread number of research groups. In the present study, we do not aim to be exhaustive since the number of manuscripts published every year is overwhelming. Instead, our aim is pointing out facts about HLA-G function, polymorphism and pathology that have been confirmed by several different researchers, together with exposing aspects that may have been overlooked or not sufficiently remarked in this productive field of study. On the other hand, we question whether performing mainly studies on HLA-G and disease associations is going to give a clear answer in the future, since 40 years of study of classical HLA molecules association with disease has still given no definite answer on this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Arnaiz-Villena
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Juarez
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabio Suarez-Trujillo
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adrián López-Nares
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christian Vaquero
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Palacio-Gruber
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M Martin-Villa
- Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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Kanno H, Miyoshi H, Yoshida N, Sudo T, Nakashima K, Takeuchi M, Nomura Y, Seto M, Hisaka T, Tanaka H, Okuda K, Akagi Y, Ohshima K. Differences in the immunosurveillance pattern associated with DNA mismatch repair status between right-sided and left-sided colorectal cancer. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3032-3044. [PMID: 32449240 PMCID: PMC7419035 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor location and immunity play important roles in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to investigate the differences in the immunosurveillance pattern between right‐ and left‐sided CRC and analyze their association with clinicopathologic features, including mismatch repair (MMR) status. We included surgically resected stage II/III CRC cases and evaluated the immunohistochemical findings of HLA class I, HLA class II, programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), PD‐1, CTLA‐4, CD3, CD4, CD8, TIA‐1, T‐bet, GATA3, RORγT, Foxp3, and CD163. A total of 117 patients were included in the analyses; of these, 30 and 87 had right‐ and left‐sided cancer, respectively. Tumor immunity varied according to the tumor location in the overall cohort. Analysis of the tumors excluding those with DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency also revealed that tumor immunity differed according to the tumor location. In right‐sided colon cancer (CC), high expression of Foxp3 (P = .0055) and TIA‐1 (P = .0396) were associated with significantly better disease‐free survival (DFS). High CD8 (P = .0808) and CD3 (P = .0863) expression tended to have better DFS. Furthermore, in left‐sided CRC, only high PD‐L1 expression in the stroma (P = .0426) was associated with better DFS. In multivariate analysis, high Foxp3 expression in right‐sided CC was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (hazard ratio, 7.6445; 95% confidence interval, 1.2091‐150.35; P = .0284). In conclusion, the immunosurveillance pattern differs between right‐ and left‐sided CRC, even after adjusting for MMR deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Kanno
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Miyoshi
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Naohiro Yoshida
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Tomoya Sudo
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Nakashima
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Mai Takeuchi
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Yoriko Nomura
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Masao Seto
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Toru Hisaka
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Koji Okuda
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Yoshito Akagi
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Koichi Ohshima
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
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Krijgsman D, Roelands J, Hendrickx W, Bedognetti D, Kuppen PJK. HLA-G: A New Immune Checkpoint in Cancer? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124528. [PMID: 32630545 PMCID: PMC7350262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G), known as a central protein in providing immune tolerance to the fetus in pregnant women, is also studied for a possible role in tumor development. Many studies have claimed HLA-G as a new immune checkpoint in cancer. Therefore, HLA-G and its receptors might be targets for immune checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy. In order to substantiate that HLA-G is indeed an immune checkpoint in cancer, two important questions need to be answered: (1) To what extent is HLA-G expressed in the tumor by cancer cells? and (2) What is the function of HLA-G in cancer immune evasion? In this review, we discuss these questions. We agree that HLA-G is a potentially new immune checkpoint in cancer, but additional evidence is required to show the extent of intra-tumor and inter-tumor expression. These studies should focus on tumor expression patterns of the seven different HLA-G isoforms and of the receptors for HLA-G. Furthermore, specific roles for the different HLA-G isoforms should be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniëlle Krijgsman
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.K.); (J.R.)
| | - Jessica Roelands
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.K.); (J.R.)
- Cancer Research Department, Research Branch, Sidra Medicine, Doha P.O. Box 26999, Qatar; (W.H.); (D.B.)
| | - Wouter Hendrickx
- Cancer Research Department, Research Branch, Sidra Medicine, Doha P.O. Box 26999, Qatar; (W.H.); (D.B.)
| | - Davide Bedognetti
- Cancer Research Department, Research Branch, Sidra Medicine, Doha P.O. Box 26999, Qatar; (W.H.); (D.B.)
| | - Peter J. K. Kuppen
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.K.); (J.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-71-5264569
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Ben Yahia H, Boujelbene N, Babay W, Ben Safta I, Dhouioui S, Zemni I, Ali Ayadi M, Charfi L, Ouzari HI, Rebmann V, Rizzo R, Mrad K, Driss M, Zidi I. Expression analysis of immune-regulatory molecules HLA-G, HLA-E and IDO in endometrial cancer. Hum Immunol 2020; 81:305-313. [PMID: 32273131 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
HLA-G has been widely implicated in advanced cancers through different pathways of immunosuppression allowing tumor escape. Contrarily, HLA-E has a controversial role in the tumor escape from the immune system. IDO catabolic enzyme is known to be up-regulated in many tumors types allowing their immune escape. Based on these considerations, we investigated the expression of HLA-G, HLA-E and IDO molecules in endometrial cancer (EC) and their association with prognostic clinicopathologic parameters. Their expression were checked in tumoral and adjacent endometrial tissues. Both HLA-G and IDO immunostaining were significantly increased in EC tissues compared to normal residual endometrial glands (Mann Whitney U-test, p = 0.0001 and p = 0,020 respectively). However, HLA-E was highly expressed in tumoral tissues as well as in normal residual endometrial glands (respectively, 100% and 81.8%). Increased HLA-G expression levels were observed in high histological grade (grade 3), and in the non-endometrioid type 2 EC. Unexpectedly, patients with IDO Low expression had significantly impaired overall survival compared to patients with IDO High (log-rank p = 0.021). Conversely, HLA-E low expression was associated to an improved overall survival EC (log-rank p = 0.004). We concluded that, HLA-G and IDO are highly expressed in EC compared to adjacent normal endometrial tissues, that might be interesting for the EC outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Ben Yahia
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Boujelbene
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Anatomopathology, Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Wafa Babay
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Inès Ben Safta
- Surgical Oncology Department, Salah Azaiz Institute of Cancer, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sabrine Dhouioui
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Inès Zemni
- Surgical Oncology Department, Salah Azaiz Institute of Cancer, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Ali Ayadi
- Surgical Oncology Department, Salah Azaiz Institute of Cancer, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lamia Charfi
- Department of Anatomopathology, Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hadda Imene Ouzari
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Vera Rebmann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Virchowstr. 179, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Roberta Rizzo
- Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Section Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Karima Mrad
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Anatomopathology, Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Maha Driss
- Department of Anatomopathology, Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Inès Zidi
- Laboratory Microorganismes and Active Biomolecules, Sciences Faculty of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
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Scarabel L, Garziera M, Fortuna S, Asaro F, Toffoli G, Geremia S. Soluble HLA-G expression levels and HLA-G/irinotecan association in metastatic colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan-based strategy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8773. [PMID: 32471996 PMCID: PMC7260212 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65424-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We here explore the soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen-G (sHLA-G) expression level as clinical biomarker in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). To this aim the sHLA-G protein was measured in plasma samples of 40 patients with mCRC treated with the FOLFIRI (irinotecan (CPT-11) plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV)) regimen. The results suggest a link between HLA-G levels and irinotecan (CPT-11) pharmacokinetic, leading to hypothesize a molecular interaction between sHLA-G and CPT-11. This interaction was confirmed experimentally by fluorescence spectroscopy. HLA-G is known to exist in a number of polymorphs that affect both the protein expression levels and its peptide-binding cleft. The interaction between HLA-G polymorphs and CPT-11 was explored by means of computational modelling, confirming the hypothesis that CPT-11 could actually target the peptide binding cleft of the most common HLA-G polymorphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Scarabel
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO), IRCCS, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Marica Garziera
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO), IRCCS, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Sara Fortuna
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Fioretta Asaro
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Toffoli
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO), IRCCS, 33081, Aviano, Italy
| | - Silvano Geremia
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy
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Wu D, Ding Y, Wang T, Cui P, Huang L, Min Z, Xu M. Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells in the Prognosis of Colon Cancer. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:4581-4589. [PMID: 32547088 PMCID: PMC7250301 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s250416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Increasing evidence has indicated an association between immune infiltration in colon cancer and clinical outcomes. The aim of this research is to comprehensively investigate the effect of 22 tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) on the prognosis of colon cancer patients. Methods In our research, CIBERSORT algorithm was used to calculate the proportion of 22 TIICs in 369 colon cancer cases and 39 normal cases from the TCGA cohort. Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of 22 TIICs on the prognosis of colon cancer. Immune risk scoring model was constructed based on the statistical correlation between TIICs subpopulation and survival. Meanwhile, multivariate Cox regression analysis was utilized to investigate whether the immune risk score model was an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of colon cancer. Nomogram was constructed to comprehensively predict the survival rate of colon cancer. P< 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The results of the difference analysis showed that except for 12 TIICs, the remaining immune cells exhibited no differential infiltration between normal and colon cancer tissues (p<0. 05). Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed 5 immune cells statistically correlated with colon cancer-related survival risk, including B cells naive, B cells memory, monocytes, macrophages M0, macrophages M1 (P<0.05). In addition, a four-cell based immune risk scoring model was constructed through LASSO Cox regression analysis. KM curve indicated that patients in highrisk were associated with poor outcomes (p<0.001). ROC curve indicated that the immune risk score model was reliable in predicting survival risk (AUC=0.848). Our model showed satisfying AUC and survival correlation in the validation dataset (3-year over survival (OS) AUC=0.941, 5-year OS AUC=0.865, P=0.022). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that the immune risk score model was an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of colon cancer (hazard ratio (HR) =5.017, 95% confidence interval (CI) =2.336–10.777; P<0.001). Ultimately, a nomogram was established to comprehensively predict the survival of colon cancer patients with the results of multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusion Collectively, tumor-infiltrating immune cells played an essential role in the prognosis of colon cancer. Furthermore, immune risk score was an independent predictive factor of colon cancer, indicating a poor survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejun Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Ding
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingfeng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Cui
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Liangliang Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Min
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Pudong, Shanghai 201399, People's Republic of China
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Mechanisms of Resistance to NK Cell Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040893. [PMID: 32272610 PMCID: PMC7226138 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has recently been a major breakthrough in cancer treatment. Natural killer (NK) cells are suitable targets for immunotherapy owing to their potent cytotoxic activity that may target cancer cells in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and antigen-unrestricted manner. Current therapies targeting NK cells include monoclonal antibodies that promote NK cell antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the adoptive transfer of NK cells, the redirection of NK cells using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cells and the use of cytokines and immunostimulatory drugs to boost the anti-tumor activity of NK cells. Despite some encouraging clinical results, patients receiving these therapies frequently develop resistance, and a myriad of mechanisms of resistance affecting both the immune system and cancer cells have been reported. A first contributing factor that modulates the efficacy of the NK cell therapy is the genetic profile of the individual, which regulates all aspects of NK cell biology. Additionally, the resistance of cancer cells to apoptosis and the immunoediting of cancer cells, a process that decreases their immunogenicity and promotes immunosuppression, are major determinants of the resistance to NK cell therapy. Consequently, the efficacy of NK cell anti-tumor therapy is specific to each patient and disease. The elucidation of such immunosubversive mechanisms is crucial to developing new procedures and therapeutic strategies to fully harness the anti-tumor potential of NK cells.
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