51
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Oberholtzer N, Quinn KM, Chakraborty P, Mehrotra S. New Developments in T Cell Immunometabolism and Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cells 2022; 11:708. [PMID: 35203357 PMCID: PMC8870179 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite rapid advances in the field of immunotherapy, the elimination of established tumors has not been achieved. Many promising new treatments such as adoptive cell therapy (ACT) fall short, primarily due to the loss of T cell effector function or the failure of long-term T cell persistence. With the availability of new tools and advancements in technology, our understanding of metabolic processes has increased enormously in the last decade. Redundancy in metabolic pathways and overlapping targets that could address the plasticity and heterogenous phenotypes of various T cell subsets have illuminated the need for understanding immunometabolism in the context of multiple disease states, including cancer immunology. Herein, we discuss the developing field of T cell immunometabolism and its crucial relevance to improving immunotherapeutic approaches. This in-depth review details the metabolic pathways and preferences of the antitumor immune system and the state of various metabolism-targeting therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Oberholtzer
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (K.M.Q.); (P.C.)
| | | | | | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (K.M.Q.); (P.C.)
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da Silva LHR, Catharino LCC, da Silva VJ, Evangelista GCM, Barbuto JAM. The War Is on: The Immune System against Glioblastoma—How Can NK Cells Drive This Battle? Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020400. [PMID: 35203609 PMCID: PMC8962431 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play an important role in immunosurveillance, acting alongside other immune cells in the response against various types of malignant tumors and the prevention of metastasis. Since their discovery in the 1970s, they have been thoroughly studied for their capacity to kill neoplastic cells without the need for previous sensitization, executing rapid and robust cytotoxic activity, but also helper functions. In agreement with this, NK cells are being exploited in many ways to treat cancer. The broad arsenal of NK-based therapies includes adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded and activated cells, genetically engineered cells to contain chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-NKs), in vivo stimulation of NK cells (by cytokine therapy, checkpoint blockade therapies, etc.), and tumor-specific antibody-guided NK cells, among others. In this article, we review pivotal aspects of NK cells’ biology and their contribution to immune responses against tumors, as well as providing a wide perspective on the many antineoplastic strategies using NK cells. Finally, we also discuss those approaches that have the potential to control glioblastoma—a disease that, currently, causes inevitable death, usually in a short time after diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Henrique Rodrigues da Silva
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508000, Brazil; (L.H.R.d.S.); (L.C.C.C.); (V.J.d.S.); (G.C.M.E.)
| | - Luana Correia Croda Catharino
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508000, Brazil; (L.H.R.d.S.); (L.C.C.C.); (V.J.d.S.); (G.C.M.E.)
| | - Viviane Jennifer da Silva
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508000, Brazil; (L.H.R.d.S.); (L.C.C.C.); (V.J.d.S.); (G.C.M.E.)
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation in Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy in Onco-Immuno-Hematology (LIM-31), Departamento de Hematologia, Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 0124690, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Coeli Menezes Evangelista
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508000, Brazil; (L.H.R.d.S.); (L.C.C.C.); (V.J.d.S.); (G.C.M.E.)
| | - José Alexandre Marzagão Barbuto
- Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508000, Brazil; (L.H.R.d.S.); (L.C.C.C.); (V.J.d.S.); (G.C.M.E.)
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation in Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy in Onco-Immuno-Hematology (LIM-31), Departamento de Hematologia, Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 0124690, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-11-3091-7375
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53
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Schmidt D, Ebrahimabadi S, Gomes KRDS, de Moura Aguiar G, Cariati Tirapelle M, Nacasaki Silvestre R, de Azevedo JTC, Tadeu Covas D, Picanço-Castro V. Engineering CAR-NK cells: how to tune innate killer cells for cancer immunotherapy. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2022; 2:ltac003. [PMID: 35919494 PMCID: PMC9327111 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy is an innovative approach that permits numerous possibilities in the field of cancer treatment. CAR-T cells have been successfully used in patients with hematologic relapsed/refractory. However, the need for autologous sources for T cells is still a major drawback. CAR-NK cells have emerged as a promising resource using allogeneic cells that could be established as an off-the-shelf treatment. NK cells can be obtained from various sources, such as peripheral blood (PB), bone marrow, umbilical cord blood (CB), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), as well as cell lines. Genetic engineering of NK cells to express different CAR constructs for hematological cancers and solid tumors has shown promising preclinical results and they are currently being explored in multiple clinical trials. Several strategies have been employed to improve CAR-NK-cell expansion and cytotoxicity efficiency. In this article, we review the latest achievements and progress made in the field of CAR-NK-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayane Schmidt
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sima Ebrahimabadi
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kauan Ribeiro de Sena Gomes
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Graziela de Moura Aguiar
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Mariane Cariati Tirapelle
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Nacasaki Silvestre
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Júlia Teixeira Cottas de Azevedo
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dimas Tadeu Covas
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Virginia Picanço-Castro
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Abstract
Interleukins (ILs) and associated cytokines serve as the means of communication for immune cells and non-immune cells. The use of ILs in harnessing the immune system to cancer treatment has been a promising approach. ILs not only nurture an environment enabling cancer growth but also simultaneously trigger a productive tumor-directed immune response. These properties of ILs are increasingly being explored as a strategy to improve the outcomes of cancer. Here, we describe recently innovative technological approaches that have been developed to improve the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacies of IL-2, 15, 10, and 18 in the treatment of melanoma. Furthermore, the combination of ILs and immune checkpoint inhibition may synergize to reshape the tumor environment, thus yielding better clinical benefits in the future.
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55
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Wolfarth AA, Dhar S, Goon JB, Ezeanya UI, Ferrando-Martínez S, Lee BH. Advancements of Common Gamma-Chain Family Cytokines in Cancer Immunotherapy. Immune Netw 2022; 22:e5. [PMID: 35291658 PMCID: PMC8901704 DOI: 10.4110/in.2022.22.e5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Swati Dhar
- NeoImmuneTech, Inc., Rockville, MD 20850, USA
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56
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Christodoulou I, Ho WJ, Marple A, Ravich JW, Tam A, Rahnama R, Fearnow A, Rietberg C, Yanik S, Solomou EE, Varadhan R, Koldobskiy MA, Bonifant CL. Engineering CAR-NK cells to secrete IL-15 sustains their anti-AML functionality but is associated with systemic toxicities. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003894. [PMID: 34896980 PMCID: PMC8655609 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The prognosis of patients with recurrent/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) remains poor and cell-based immunotherapies hold promise to improve outcomes. Natural Killer (NK) cells can elicit an antileukemic response via a repertoire of activating receptors that bind AML surface ligands. NK-cell adoptive transfer is safe but thus far has shown limited anti-AML efficacy. Here, we aimed to overcome this limitation by engineering NK cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to boost their anti-AML activity and interleukin (IL)-15 to enhance their persistence. Methods We characterized in detail NK-cell populations expressing a panel of AML (CD123)-specific CARs and/or IL-15 in vitro and in AML xenograft models. Results CARs with 2B4.ζ or 4-1BB.ζ signaling domains demonstrated greater cell surface expression and endowed NK cells with improved anti-AML activity in vitro. Initial in vivo testing revealed that only 2B4.ζ Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-NK cells had improved anti-AML activity in comparison to untransduced (UTD) and 4-1BB.ζ CAR-NK cells. However, the benefit was transient due to limited CAR-NK-cell persistence. Transgenic expression of secretory interleukin (sIL)-15 in 2B4.ζ CAR and UTD NK cells improved their effector function in the setting of chronic antigen simulation in vitro. Multiparameter flow analysis after chronic antigen exposure identified the expansion of unique NK-cell subsets. 2B4.ζ/sIL-15 CAR and sIL-15 NK cells maintained an overall activated NK-cell phenotype. This was confirmed by transcriptomic analysis, which revealed a highly proliferative and activated signature in these NK-cell groups. In vivo, 2B4.ζ/sIL-15 CAR-NK cells had potent anti-AML activity in one model, while 2B4.ζ/sIL-15 CAR and sIL-15 NK cells induced lethal toxicity in a second model. Conclusion Transgenic expression of CD123-CARs and sIL-15 enabled NK cells to function in the setting of chronic antigen exposure but was associated with systemic toxicities. Thus, our study provides the impetus to explore inducible and controllable expression systems to provide cytokine signals to AML-specific CAR-NK cells before embarking on early-phase clinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Christodoulou
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Western Greece, Greece
| | - Won Jin Ho
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Marple
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonas W Ravich
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ada Tam
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ruyan Rahnama
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adam Fearnow
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cambrynne Rietberg
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sean Yanik
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elena E Solomou
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Western Greece, Greece
| | - Ravi Varadhan
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael A Koldobskiy
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Challice L Bonifant
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA .,Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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57
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Smith PL, Piadel K, Dalgleish AG. Directing T-Cell Immune Responses for Cancer Vaccination and Immunotherapy. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:1392. [PMID: 34960140 PMCID: PMC8708201 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9121392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccination and immunotherapy revolutionised the treatment of cancer, a result of decades of research into the immune system in health and disease. However, despite recent breakthroughs in treating otherwise terminal cancer, only a minority of patients respond to cancer immunotherapy and some cancers are largely refractive to immunotherapy treatment. This is due to numerous issues intrinsic to the tumour, its microenvironment, or the immune system. CD4+ and CD8+ αβ T-cells emerged as the primary effector cells of the anti-tumour immune response but their function in cancer patients is often compromised. This review details the mechanisms by which T-cell responses are hindered in the setting of cancer and refractive to immunotherapy, and details many of the approaches under investigation to direct T-cell function and improve the efficacy of cancer vaccination and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lawrence Smith
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. Georges University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK; (K.P.); (A.G.D.)
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Conlon K, Watson DC, Waldmann TA, Valentin A, Bergamaschi C, Felber BK, Peer CJ, Figg WD, Potter EL, Roederer M, McNeel DG, Thompson JA, Gupta S, Leidner R, Wang-Gillam A, Parikh NS, Long D, Kurtulus S, Ho Lee L, Chowdhury NR, Bender F, Pavlakis GN. Phase I study of single agent NIZ985, a recombinant heterodimeric IL-15 agonist, in adult patients with metastatic or unresectable solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003388. [PMID: 34799399 PMCID: PMC8606766 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003388] [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] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background NIZ985 is a recombinant heterodimer of physiologically active interleukin (IL-)15 and IL-15 receptor alpha. In preclinical models, NIZ985 promotes cytotoxic lymphocyte proliferation, killing function, and organ/tumor infiltration, with resultant anticancer effects. In this first-in-human study, we assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics, and immune effects of NIZ985 in patients with metastatic or unresectable solid tumors. Methods Single agent NIZ985 dose escalation data are reported from a phase I dose escalation/expansion study of NIZ985 as monotherapy. Adult patients (N=14) received 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 or 4 µg/kg subcutaneous NIZ985 three times weekly (TIW) for the first 2 weeks of each 28-day cycle, in an accelerated 3+3 dose escalation trial design. IL-15 and endogenous cytokines were monitored by ELISA and multiplexed electrochemiluminescent assays. Multiparameter flow cytometry assessed the frequency, phenotype and proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Preliminary antitumor activity was assessed by overall response rate (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors V.1.1). Results As of March 2, 2020, median treatment duration was 7.5 weeks (range 1.1–77.1). Thirteen patients had discontinued and one (uveal melanoma) remains on treatment with stable disease. Best clinical response was stable disease (3 of 14 patients; 21%). The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were circular erythematous injection site reactions (100%), chills (71%), fatigue (57%), and fever (50%). Treatment-related grade 3/4 AEs occurred in six participants (43%); treatment-related serious AEs (SAEs) in three (21%). The per-protocol maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Pharmacokinetic accumulation of serum IL-15 in the first week was followed by significantly lower levels in week 2, likely due to more rapid cytokine consumption by an expanding lymphocyte pool. NIZ985 treatment was associated with increases in several cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-18, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10, and tumor necrosis factor-β, plus significant induction of cytotoxic lymphocyte proliferation (including natural killer and CD8+ T cells), increased CD16+ monocytes, and increased CD163+ macrophages at injection sites. Conclusions Subcutaneous NIZ985 TIW was generally well tolerated in patients with advanced cancer and produced immune activation paralleling preclinical observations, with induction of IFN-γ and proliferation of cytotoxic lymphocytes. Due to delayed SAEs at the two highest dose levels, administration is being changed to once-weekly in a revised protocol, as monotherapy and combined with checkpoint inhibitor spartalizumab. These alterations are expected to maximize the potential of NIZ985 as a novel immunotherapy. Trial registration number NCT02452268.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Conlon
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dionysios C Watson
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA.,University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Thomas A Waldmann
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Antonio Valentin
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Cristina Bergamaschi
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Barbara K Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Cody J Peer
- Clinical Pharmacology Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - William D Figg
- Clinical Pharmacology Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - E Lake Potter
- Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Douglas G McNeel
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Sumati Gupta
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Rom Leidner
- Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Andrea Wang-Gillam
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nehal S Parikh
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Debby Long
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sema Kurtulus
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lang Ho Lee
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Florent Bender
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - George N Pavlakis
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
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Janakiram M, Arora N, Bachanova V, Miller JS. Novel Cell and Immune Engagers in Optimizing Tumor- Specific Immunity Post-Autologous Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma. Transplant Cell Ther 2021; 28:61-69. [PMID: 34634499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2021.10.001] [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: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an important component of treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). The post-ASCT setting offers a unique opportunity to increase myeloma specific immunity through enhancement of T and NK cell responses. The vast array of therapeutics being developed for MM, including cell-based therapies, dendritic vaccines, bispecific antibodies, and IL-15 agonists, provide the opportunity to increase tumor-specific immunity. Maintenance therapies, including immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors, and daratumumab, exhibit a significant anti-myeloma response by modulating the immune system. Lenalidomide promotes an antitumoral immune microenvironment, whereas daratumumab can potentially cause NK cell fratricide. Thus, understanding the effects of commonly used maintenance drugs on the immune system is important. In this review, we look at current and emerging therapeutics and their integration post-ASCT in the context of immune reconstitution to improve clinical responses in patients with MM. © 2021 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murali Janakiram
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
| | - Nivedita Arora
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Veronika Bachanova
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Fiore PF, Di Matteo S, Tumino N, Mariotti FR, Pietra G, Ottonello S, Negrini S, Bottazzi B, Moretta L, Mortier E, Azzarone B. Interleukin-15 and cancer: some solved and many unsolved questions. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-001428. [PMID: 33203664 PMCID: PMC7674108 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Soluble interleukin (IL)-15 exists under two forms: as monomer (sIL-15) or as heterodimeric complex in association with sIL-15Rα (sIL-15/IL-15Rα). Both forms have been successfully tested in experimental tumor murine models and are currently undergoing investigation in phase I/II clinical trials. Despite more than 20 years research on IL-15, some controversial issues remain to be addressed. A first point concerns the detection of the sIL-15/IL-15Rα in plasma of healthy donors or patients with cancer and its biological significance. The second and third unsolved question regards the protumorigenic role of the IL-15/IL-15Rα complex in human cancer and the detrimental immunological consequences associated to prolonged exposure of natural killer (NK) cells to both forms of soluble IL-15, respectively. Data suggest that in vivo prolonged or repeated exposure to monomeric sIL-15 or the soluble complex may lead to NK hypo-responsiveness through the expansion of the CD8+/CD44+ T cell subset that would suppress NK cell functions. In vitro experiments indicate that soluble complex and monomeric IL-15 may cause NK hyporesponsiveness through a direct effect caused by their prolonged stimulation, suggesting that this mechanism could also be effective in vivo. Therefore, a better knowledge of IL-15 and a more appropriate use of both its soluble forms, in terms of concentrations and time of exposure, are essential in order to improve their therapeutic use. In cancer, the overproduction of sIL-15/IL-15Rα could represent a novel mechanism of immune escape. The soluble complex may act as a decoy cytokine unable to efficiently foster NK cells, or could induce NK hyporesponsiveness through an excessive and prolonged stimulation depending on the type of IL-15Rα isoforms associated. All these unsolved questions are not merely limited to the knowledge of IL-15 pathophysiology, but are crucial also for the therapeutic use of this cytokine. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss key unanswered issues on the heterogeneity and biological significance of IL-15 isoforms, analyzing both their cancer-related biological functions and their therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabina Di Matteo
- Immunology Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Tumino
- Immunology Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Gabriella Pietra
- Immuology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine (DiMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Selene Ottonello
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DiMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simone Negrini
- Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa and Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Barbara Bottazzi
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Humanitas Clinical and Research Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Immunology Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Erwan Mortier
- University of Nantes, CNRS, Inserm, CRCINA, University of Nantes, Nantes, France .,Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology, LabEx IGO, Nantes, France
| | - Bruno Azzarone
- Immunology Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Zhao Y, Xie YQ, Van Herck S, Nassiri S, Gao M, Guo Y, Tang L. Switchable immune modulator for tumor-specific activation of anticancer immunity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg7291. [PMID: 34516776 PMCID: PMC8442900 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Immune stimulatory antibodies and cytokines elicit potent antitumor immunity. However, the dose-limiting systemic toxicity greatly hinders their clinical applications. Here, we demonstrate a chemical approach, termed “switchable” immune modulator (Sw-IM), to limit the systemic exposure and therefore ameliorate their toxicities. Sw-IM is a biomacromolecular therapeutic reversibly masked by biocompatible polymers through chemical linkers that are responsive to tumor-specific stimuli, such as high reducing potential and acidic pH. Sw-IMs stay inert (switch off) in the circulation and healthy tissues but get reactivated (switch on) selectively in tumor via responsive removal of the polymer masks, thus focusing the immune boosting activities in the tumor microenvironment. Sw-IMs applied to anti–4-1BB agonistic antibody and IL-15 cytokine led to equivalent antitumor efficacy to the parental IMs with markedly reduced toxicities. Sw-IM provides a highly modular and generic approach to improve the therapeutic window and clinical applicability of potent IMs in mono- and combinational immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhao
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yu-Qing Xie
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Simon Van Herck
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sina Nassiri
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Min Gao
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yugang Guo
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Li Tang
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
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Zeng Y, Lv X, Du J. Natural killer cell‑based immunotherapy for lung cancer: Challenges and perspectives (Review). Oncol Rep 2021; 46:232. [PMID: 34498710 PMCID: PMC8444189 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the marked success of molecular targeted therapy in lung cancer in this era of personalized medicine, its efficacy has been limited by the presence of resistance mechanisms. The prognosis of patients with lung cancer remains poor, and there is an unmet need to develop more effective therapies to improve clinical outcomes. The increasing insight into the human immune system has led to breakthroughs in immunotherapy and has prompted research interest in employing immunotherapy to treat lung cancer. Natural killer (NK) cells, which serve as the first line of defense against tumors, can induce the innate and adaptive immune responses. Therefore, the use of NK cells for the development of novel lung-cancer immunotherapy strategies is promising. A growing number of novel approaches that boost NK cell antitumor immunity and expand NK cell populations ex vivo now provide a platform for the development of antitumor immunotherapy. The present review outlined the biology of NK cells, summarized the role of NK cells in lung cancer and the effect of the tumor microenvironment on NK cells, highlighted the potential of NK cell-based immunotherapy as an effective therapeutic strategy for lung cancer and discussed future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqin Zeng
- Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Hospital Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, P.R. China
| | - Xiuzhi Lv
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550002, P.R. China
| | - Juan Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, P.R. China
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63
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Felices M, Miller JS. Putting On the Gas and Taking Off the Brakes: A Novel Combinatorial Strategy to Enhance Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:1110. [PMID: 34493487 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-21-0556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The advent of checkpoint blockade and use of cytokines to enhance immune responses have changed the field of immunotherapy. Yet, these approaches are not without drawbacks including systemic toxicities and acquired therapeutic resistance. In this issue, Xu and colleagues describe a novel biological molecule composed of a PD-1-targeting antibody linked to a mutated IL15 that induces better targeting of IL15 to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to decrease systemic toxicities and enhance antitumor responses.See related article by Xu et al., p. 1141 (1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Felices
- Masonic Cancer Center, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Masonic Cancer Center, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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64
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Bi-specific and Tri-specific NK Cell Engagers: The New Avenue of Targeted NK Cell Immunotherapy. Mol Diagn Ther 2021; 25:577-592. [PMID: 34327614 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-021-00550-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy has grown significantly over the past two decades. More recently, multi-specific engagers have been developed as cancer therapeutics to effectively arm endogenous NK cells to more potently induce specific cytolytic responses against tumor targets. This review explores the bi- and tri-specific NK/tumor engagers that are emerging as a new generation of immunotherapeutics. These molecules vary in configuration, but they typically have small molecular weights and domains that engage specific tumor antigens and NK cell-activating receptors such as CD16, NKp30, NKp46, and NKG2D. They have demonstrated compelling potential in boosting NK cell cytotoxicity against specific tumor targets. This highly adaptable off-the-shelf platform, which in some formats also integrates cytokines, is poised to revolutionize targeted NK cell immunotherapy, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other effective anti-cancer therapies.
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65
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NK Cell Therapy: A Rising Star in Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164129. [PMID: 34439285 PMCID: PMC8394762 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary A cancer treatment approach known as immunotherapy has become popular in the medical field. In this case, immune cells are boosted for effective response against cancer. A type of immune cell with significant potential for use in immunotherapy is the natural killer (NK) cell. The number of NK cells in the cancer tissues has been shown to be lower than normal, and this contributes to the growth of cancer cells. Besides, the immune function of the NK cells is compromised, thus interfering with anticancer immunity. Many research studies are being conducted to develop cancer treatment strategies based on increasing the number of NK cells and enhancing their activity. Abstract Immunotherapy has become a robust and routine treatment strategy for patients with cancer; however, there are efficacy and safety issues that should be resolved. Natural killer (NK) cells are important innate immune cells that have attracted increasing attention owing to their major histocompatibility complex-independent immunosurveillance ability. These cells provide the first-line defense against carcinogenesis and are closely related to cancer development. However, NK cells are functionally suppressed owing to multiple immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment; thus, releasing the suppressed state of NK cells is an emergent project and a promising solution for immunotherapy. As a result, many clinical trials of NK cell therapy alone or in combination with other agents are currently underway. This review describes the current status of NK cell therapy for cancer treatment based on the effector function and releasing the inhibited state of NK cells in the cancer microenvironment.
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66
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A HER2 Tri-Specific NK Cell Engager Mediates Efficient Targeting of Human Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13163994. [PMID: 34439149 PMCID: PMC8394622 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13163994] [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: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary HER2 is a marker known to be over-expressed on breast cancer, rendering it one of the most useful solid tumor targets for antibody-based therapies. Despite expression on ovarian cancer, results targeting HER2 in this setting have been disappointing, thus requiring more aggressive approaches. Natural killer (NK) cells are known as principal mediators of cancer cell killing, but cancer cells find ways to deter them. We devised a tri-specific biological drug containing antibody fragments that simultaneously binds NK cells and cancer cells and at the same time delivers a natural cytokine signal that triggers robust NK cell expansion. In vitro studies show the drug augments NK cell killing of a number of HER2-positive human cell lines, while enhancing NK cell activation and proliferation. Studies in mice engrafted with human ovarian cancer showed the drug has anti-tumor efficacy, clearly demonstrating its ability to bolster NK cells in their ability to contain tumor cell growth. Abstract Clinical studies validated antibodies directed against HER2, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab, as useful methodology to target breast cancer cases where HER2 is expressed. The hope was that HER2 targeting using these antibodies in ovarian cancer patients would prove useful as well, but clinical studies have shown lackluster results in this setting, indicating a need for a more comprehensive approach. Immunotherapy approaches stimulating the innate immune system show great promise, although enhancing natural killer (NK) function is not an established mainstream immunotherapy. This study focused on a new nanobody platform technology in which the bispecific antibody was altered to incorporate a cytokine. Herein we describe bioengineered CAM1615HER2 consisting of a camelid VHH antibody fragment recognizing CD16 and a single chain variable fragment (scFv) recognizing HER2 cross-linked by the human interleukin-15 (IL-15) cytokine. This tri-specific killer engager (TriKETM) showed in vitro prowess in its ability to kill ovarian cancer human cell lines. In addition, we demonstrated its efficacy in inducing potent anti-cancer effects in an in vivo xenograft model of human ovarian cancer engrafting both cancer cells and human NK cells. While previous approaches with trastuzumab and pertuzumab faltered in ovarian cancer, the hope is incorporating targeting and cytokine priming within the same molecule will enhance efficacy in this setting.
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67
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Hoteit M, Oneissi Z, Reda R, Wakim F, Zaidan A, Farran M, Abi-Khalil E, El-Sibai M. Cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive appraisal of its modes of application. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:655. [PMID: 34386077 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy have reached their therapeutic potential, leaving a gap for developing more effective cancer therapeutics. Cancer cells evade the immune system using various mechanisms of immune tolerance, underlying the potential impact of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer. Immunotherapy includes several approaches such as activating the immune system in a cytokine-dependent manner, manipulating the feedback mechanisms involved in the immune response, enhancing the immune response via lymphocyte expansion and using cancer vaccines to elicit long-lasting, robust responses. These techniques can be used as monotherapies or combination therapies. The present review describes the immune-based mechanisms involved in tumor cell proliferation and maintenance and the rationale underlying various treatment methods. In addition, the present review provides insight into the potential of immunotherapy used alone or in combination with various types of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Hoteit
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Zeina Oneissi
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Ranim Reda
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Fadi Wakim
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Amar Zaidan
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Mohammad Farran
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Elie Abi-Khalil
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Mirvat El-Sibai
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
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68
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Xue D, Hsu E, Fu YX, Peng H. Next-generation cytokines for cancer immunotherapy. Antib Ther 2021; 4:123-133. [PMID: 34263141 PMCID: PMC8271143 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most studies focus on the first and second signals of T cell activation. However, the roles of cytokines in immunotherapy are not fully understood, and cytokines have not been widely used in patient care. Clinical application of cytokines is limited due to their short half-life in vivo, severe toxicity at therapeutic doses, and overall lack of efficacy. Several modifications have been engineered to extend their half-life and increase tumor targeting, including polyethylene glycol conjugation, fusion to tumor-targeting antibodies, and alteration of cytokine/cell receptor-binding affinity. These modifications demonstrate an improvement in either increased antitumor efficacy or reduced toxicity. However, these cytokine engineering strategies may still be improved further, as each strategy poses advantages and disadvantages in the delicate balance of targeting tumor cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and peripheral immune cells. This review focuses on selected cytokines, including interferon-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-15, IL-21, and IL-12, in both preclinical studies and clinical applications. We review next-generation designs of these cytokines that improve half-life, tumor targeting, and antitumor efficacy. We also present our perspectives on the development of new strategies to potentiate cytokine-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diyuan Xue
- Key laboratory of Infection and Immunity Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Da Tun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Eric Hsu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Yang-Xin Fu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Hua Peng
- Key laboratory of Infection and Immunity Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Da Tun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
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69
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Shah N, Perales MA, Turtle CJ, Cairo MS, Cowan AJ, Saeed H, Budde LE, Tan A, Lee Z, Kai K, Marcondes MQ, Zalevsky J, Tagliaferri MA, Patel KK. Phase I study protocol: NKTR-255 as monotherapy or combined with daratumumab or rituximab in hematologic malignancies. Future Oncol 2021; 17:3549-3560. [PMID: 34154392 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-0576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
NKTR-255 is an investigational polyethylene glycol-modified recombinant human IL-15 (rhIL-15) receptor agonist, designed to improve the immunotherapeutic and anti-cancer benefit observed with rhIL-15 while circumventing the toxicities associated with this therapy. In preclinical studies, NKTR-255 has demonstrated enhanced proliferation and function of CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells, as well as enhanced anti-tumor activity and survival both as monotherapy and in combination with monoclonal antibodies in multiple cancer models. Here, we describe the rationale and design of the first-in-human Phase I, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study of NKTR-255 alone and in combination with daratumumab or rituximab in adults with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that will determine the maximum tolerated dose and recommended Phase II dose for NKTR-255.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Shah
- Department of Medicine University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Miguel-Angel Perales
- Department of Medical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Cameron J Turtle
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Mitchell S Cairo
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
| | - Andrew J Cowan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hayder Saeed
- Department of Malignant Hematology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Lihua E Budde
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Alan Tan
- Division of Hematology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Zachary Lee
- Clinical Development, Nektar Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kazuharu Kai
- Clinical Development, Nektar Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mario Q Marcondes
- Clinical Development, Nektar Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jonathan Zalevsky
- Research & Development, Nektar Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Krina K Patel
- Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Patients with Lynch syndrome have a high probability of developing colorectal and other carcinomas. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the immunologic aspects of Lynch syndrome pathogenesis and provides an overview of potential immune interventions for patients with Lynch syndrome polyps and Lynch syndrome-associated carcinomas. RECENT FINDINGS Immunogenic properties of the majority of Lynch syndrome polyps and associated cancers include microsatellite instability leading to a high mutational burden and the development of novel frameshift peptides, i.e., neoantigens. In addition, patients with Lynch syndrome develop T cell responses in the periphery and in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to tumor-associated antigens, and a proinflammatory cytokine TME has also been identified. However, Lynch syndrome lesions also possess immunosuppressive entities such as alterations in MHC class I antigen presentation, TGFβ receptor mutations, regulatory T cells, and upregulation of PD-L1 on tumor-associated lymphocytes. The rich immune microenvironment of Lynch syndrome polyps and associated carcinomas provides an opportunity to employ the spectrum of immune-mediating agents now available to induce and enhance host immune responses and/or to also reduce immunosuppressive entities. These agents can be employed in the so-called prevention trials for the treatment of patients with Lynch syndrome polyps and for trials in patients with Lynch syndrome-associated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Pastor
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- NIH Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Lee SH, Lim YJ, Kim CJ, Yu D, Lee JJ, Won Hong J, Baek YJ, Jung JY, Shin DJ, Kim SK. Safety and immunological effects of recombinant canine IL-15 in dogs. Cytokine 2021; 148:155599. [PMID: 34103211 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays pivotal roles in innate and adaptive immunity. It is also a promising cytokine for treating cancer. Despite growing interest in its use as an immunotherapeutic, its safety and immunological effects in dogs have not been reported. In this study, healthy dogs were given recombinant canine IL-15 (rcIL-15) intravenously at a daily dose of 20 μg/kg for 8 days and monitored for 32 days to determine the safety and immunological effects of rcIL-15. The repeated administration of rcIL-15 was well tolerated, did not cause any serious side effects, and promoted the selective proliferation and activation of canine anti-cancer effector cells, including CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, CD3+CD5dimCD21-, and non-B/non-T NK cell populations, without stimulating Treg lymphocytes. The rcIL-15 injections also stimulated the expression of molecules and transcription factors associated with the activation and effector functions of NK cells, including CD16, NKG2D, NKp30, NKp44, NKp46, perforin, granzyme B, Ly49, T-bet, and Eomes. These results suggest that rcIL-15 might be a valuable therapeutic adjuvant to improve immunity against cancer in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Hyeon Lee
- Department of Integrated Life Science and Technology, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Jin Lim
- Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Jung Kim
- Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Dohyeon Yu
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Jung Lee
- Department of Hemotology-Oncology, Chonnam National Univresity Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Won Hong
- Research Institute for Natural Products, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Ju Baek
- Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Youn Jung
- Department of Integrated Life Science and Technology, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea; Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Natural Products, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Jun Shin
- Research Institute for Natural Products, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea; SD Medic Co, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Ki Kim
- Department of Integrated Life Science and Technology, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea; Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea; Research Institute for Natural Products, Kongju National University, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea.
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72
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Bell M, Gottschalk S. Engineered Cytokine Signaling to Improve CAR T Cell Effector Function. Front Immunol 2021; 12:684642. [PMID: 34177932 PMCID: PMC8220823 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.684642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy with T cells genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is a promising approach to improve outcomes for cancer patients. While CAR T cell therapy is effective for hematological malignancies, there is a need to improve the efficacy of this therapeutic approach for patients with solid tumors and brain tumors. At present, several approaches are being pursued to improve the antitumor activity of CAR T cells including i) targeting multiple antigens, ii) improving T cell expansion/persistence, iii) enhancing homing to tumor sites, and iv) rendering CAR T cells resistant to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Augmenting signal 3 of T cell activation by transgenic expression of cytokines or engineered cytokine receptors has emerged as a promising strategy since it not only improves CAR T cell expansion/persistence but also their ability to function in the immunosuppressive TME. In this review, we will provide an overview of cytokine biology and highlight genetic approaches that are actively being pursued to augment cytokine signaling in CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Bell
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
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73
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Harris KE, Lorentsen KJ, Malik-Chaudhry HK, Loughlin K, Basappa HM, Hartstein S, Ahmil G, Allen NS, Avanzino BC, Balasubramani A, Boudreau AA, Chang K, Cuturi MC, Davison LM, Ho DM, Iyer S, Rangaswamy US, Sankaran P, Schellenberger U, Buelow R, Trinklein ND. A bispecific antibody agonist of the IL-2 heterodimeric receptor preferentially promotes in vivo expansion of CD8 and NK cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10592. [PMID: 34011961 PMCID: PMC8134639 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90096-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) as a therapeutic protein has been limited by significant toxicities despite its demonstrated ability to induce durable tumor-regression in cancer patients. The adverse events and limited efficacy of IL-2 treatment are due to the preferential binding of IL-2 to cells that express the high-affinity, trimeric receptor, IL-2Rαβγ such as endothelial cells and T-regulatory cells, respectively. Here, we describe a novel bispecific heavy-chain only antibody which binds to and activates signaling through the heterodimeric IL-2Rβγ receptor complex that is expressed on resting T-cells and NK cells. By avoiding binding to IL-2Rα, this molecule circumvents the preferential T-reg activation of native IL-2, while maintaining the robust stimulatory effects on T-cells and NK-cells in vitro. In vivo studies in both mice and cynomolgus monkeys confirm the molecule's in vivo biological activity, extended pharmacodynamics due to the Fc portion of the molecule, and enhanced safety profile. Together, these results demonstrate that the bispecific antibody is a safe and effective IL-2R agonist that harnesses the benefits of the IL-2 signaling pathway as a potential anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ghenima Ahmil
- Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation Et Immunologie, UMR 1064, Nantes Université, 44000, Nantes, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria-Cristina Cuturi
- Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation Et Immunologie, UMR 1064, Nantes Université, 44000, Nantes, France
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74
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The use of cytokines in harnessing the immune system to eradicate cancer has been an important treatment modality. However, the dose-limiting toxicities of these cytokines limited their usage in clinic. Here, we review the basic biology of cytokines involved in the treatment of melanoma and discuss their therapeutic applications. Moreover, we describe several innovative technological approaches that have been developed to improve the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of these cytokines. RECENT FINDINGS The safety and the anti-tumor activity of newly engineered cytokines including PEGylated IL-2 (NKTR-214), PEGylated IL-10 (AM0010), and IL-15 super agonist (ALT-803) have been evaluated in clinical trials with encouraging clinical activity and acceptable safety profile, both as single agents and in combination with immuno-oncology agents. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of action and effective dosing of these newly engineered cytokine together with determination of optimum combination therapy regimens may yield greater clinical benefits in the future.
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Nisar S, Yousuf P, Masoodi T, Wani NA, Hashem S, Singh M, Sageena G, Mishra D, Kumar R, Haris M, Bhat AA, Macha MA. Chemokine-Cytokine Networks in the Head and Neck Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094584. [PMID: 33925575 PMCID: PMC8123862 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are aggressive diseases with a dismal patient prognosis. Despite significant advances in treatment modalities, the five-year survival rate in patients with HNSCC has improved marginally and therefore warrants a comprehensive understanding of the HNSCC biology. Alterations in the cellular and non-cellular components of the HNSCC tumor micro-environment (TME) play a critical role in regulating many hallmarks of cancer development including evasion of apoptosis, activation of invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, response to therapy, immune escape mechanisms, deregulation of energetics, and therefore the development of an overall aggressive HNSCC phenotype. Cytokines and chemokines are small secretory proteins produced by neoplastic or stromal cells, controlling complex and dynamic cell-cell interactions in the TME to regulate many cancer hallmarks. This review summarizes the current understanding of the complex cytokine/chemokine networks in the HNSCC TME, their role in activating diverse signaling pathways and promoting tumor progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabah Nisar
- Molecular and Metabolic Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar; (S.N.); (S.H.); (M.H.)
| | - Parvaiz Yousuf
- Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal 191201, India;
| | - Tariq Masoodi
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Genetikode 400102, India;
| | - Nissar A. Wani
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal 191201, India;
| | - Sheema Hashem
- Molecular and Metabolic Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar; (S.N.); (S.H.); (M.H.)
| | - Mayank Singh
- Departmental of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India;
| | | | - Deepika Mishra
- Centre for Dental Education and Research, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India;
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Centre for Advanced Research, School of Biotechnology and Indian Council of Medical Research, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra 182320, India;
| | - Mohammad Haris
- Molecular and Metabolic Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar; (S.N.); (S.H.); (M.H.)
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - Ajaz A. Bhat
- Molecular and Metabolic Imaging Laboratory, Cancer Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar; (S.N.); (S.H.); (M.H.)
- Correspondence: (A.A.B.); or (M.A.M.); Tel.: +974-40037703 (A.A.B.); +91-8082326900 (M.A.M.)
| | - Muzafar A. Macha
- Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora 192122, India
- Correspondence: (A.A.B.); or (M.A.M.); Tel.: +974-40037703 (A.A.B.); +91-8082326900 (M.A.M.)
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St-Pierre F, Bhatia S, Chandra S. Harnessing Natural Killer Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy: A Review of Mechanisms and Novel Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1988. [PMID: 33924213 PMCID: PMC8074597 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that are integral to the body's innate immunity, resulting in a rapid immune response to stressed or infected cells in an antigen-independent manner. The innate immune system plays an important role in the recognition of tumor-derived stress-related factors and is critical to subsequent adaptive immune responses against tumor antigens. The aim of this review is to discuss mechanisms by which tumor cells evade NK cells and to outline strategies that harness NK cells for cancer immunotherapy. We discuss strategies to relieve the exhausted state of NK cells, recent therapies focused on targeting NK-cell-specific activating and inhibitory receptors, the use of cytokines IL-2 and IL-15 to stimulate autologous or allogeneic NK cells, and ongoing trials exploring the use of genetically modified NK cells and chimeric antigen-receptor-modified NK (CAR-NK) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederique St-Pierre
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA;
| | - Shailender Bhatia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Sunandana Chandra
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
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Natural Killer Cells in Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081836. [PMID: 33921413 PMCID: PMC8068932 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are life-threatening complications arising after solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantations. Although the majority of these lymphoproliferations are of B cell origin, and are frequently associated with primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection or reactivation in the post-transplant period, rare cases of T cell and natural killer (NK) cell-originated PTLDs have also been described. A general assumption is that PTLDs result from the impairment of anti-viral and anti-tumoral immunosurveillance due to the long-term use of immunosuppressants in transplant recipients. T cell impairment is known to play a critical role in the immune-pathogenesis of post-transplant EBV-linked complications, while the role of NK cells has been less investigated, and is probably different between EBV-positive and EBV-negative PTLDs. As a part of the innate immune response, NK cells are critical for protecting hosts during the early response to virus-induced tumors. The complexity of their function is modulated by a myriad of activating and inhibitory receptors expressed on cell surfaces. This review outlines our current understanding of NK cells in the pathogenesis of PTLD, and discusses their potential implications for current PTLD therapies and novel NK cell-based therapies for the containment of these disorders.
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Hsu FT, Liu YC, Tsai CL, Yueh PF, Chang CH, Lan KL. Preclinical Evaluation of Recombinant Human IL15 Protein Fused with Albumin Binding Domain on Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy Efficiency and Anti-Tumor Immunity in Colon Cancer and Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081789. [PMID: 33918641 PMCID: PMC8070266 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this manuscript, we reported that a newly developed recombinant human IL15 fused with albumin binding domain (hIL15-ABD) showed superior biological half-life, pharmacokinetic and anti-tumor immunity than wild-type (WT) hIL15. Our hIL-15-ABD can effectively enhance anti-tumor efficacy of anti-PD-L1 on colon cancer and melanoma animal models. The anti-tumor potential of hIL-15-ABD was associated with tumor microenvironment (TME) regulation, including the activation of NK cells and CD8+ T cells, the reduction of immunosuppressive cells (MDSCs and Tregs) and the suppression of immunosuppressive factors (IDO, FOXP3 and VEGF). In conclusion, our new hIL15-ABD combined with anti-PD-L1 antibody increased the activity of anti-tumor effector cells involved in both innate and adaptive immunities, decreased the TME’s immunosuppressive cells, and showed greater anti-tumor effect than that of either monotherapy. We suggested hIL15-ABD as the potential complementary agent may effectively augment the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 antibody in colon cancer and melanoma model. Abstract Anti-PD-L1 antibody monotherapy shows limited efficacy in a significant proportion of the patients. A common explanation for the inefficacy is a lack of anti-tumor effector cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recombinant human interleukin-15 (hIL15), a potent immune stimulant, has been investigated in clinical trial with encouraging results. However, hIL15 is constrained by the short half-life of hIL15 and a relatively unfavorable pharmacokinetics profile. We developed a recombinant fusion IL15 protein composed of human IL15 (hIL15) and albumin binding domain (hIL15-ABD) and explored the therapeutic efficacy and immune regulation of hIL-15, hIL15-ABD and/or combination with anti-PD-L1 on CT26 murine colon cancer (CC) and B16-F10 murine melanoma models. We demonstrated that hIL15-ABD has significant inhibitory effect on the CT26 and B16-F10 tumor growths as compared to hIL-15. hIL-15-ABD not only showed superior half-life and pharmacokinetics data than hIL-15, but also enhance anti-tumor efficacy of antibody against PD-L1 via suppressive effect on accumulation of Tregs and MDSCs and activation of NK and CD8+T cells. Immune suppressive factors including VEGF and IDO were also decreased by combination treatment. hIL15-ABD combined with anti-PD-L1 antibody increased the activity of anti-tumor effector cells involved in both innate and adaptive immunities, decreased the TME’s immunosuppressive cells, and showed greater anti-tumor effect than that of either monotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Ting Hsu
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 406, Taiwan; (F.-T.H.); (P.-F.Y.)
| | - Yu-Chang Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Lukang, Changhua 505, Taiwan;
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 406, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Liang Tsai
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; (C.-L.T.); (C.-H.C.)
| | - Po-Fu Yueh
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 406, Taiwan; (F.-T.H.); (P.-F.Y.)
- Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hsien Chang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; (C.-L.T.); (C.-H.C.)
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan 325, Taiwan
| | - Keng-Li Lan
- Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
- Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +886-2-2826-7000 (ext. 7121)
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Foltz JA, Hess BT, Bachanova V, Bartlett NL, Berrien-Elliott MM, McClain E, Becker-Hapak M, Foster M, Schappe T, Kahl B, Mehta-Shah N, Cashen AF, Marin ND, McDaniels K, Moreno C, Mosior M, Gao F, Griffith OL, Griffith M, Wagner JA, Epperla N, Rock AD, Lee J, Petti AA, Soon-Shiong P, Fehniger TA. Phase I Trial of N-803, an IL15 Receptor Agonist, with Rituximab in Patients with Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:3339-3350. [PMID: 33832946 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-4575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE N-803 is an IL15 receptor superagonist complex, designed to optimize in vivo persistence and trans-presentation, thereby activating and expanding natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) direct Fc receptor-bearing immune cells, including NK cells, to recognize and eliminate cancer targets. The ability of IL15R agonists to enhance tumor-targeting mAbs in patients has not been reported previously. PATIENTS AND METHODS Relapsed/refractory patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma were treated with rituximab and intravenous or subcutaneous N-803 on an open-label, dose-escalation phase I study using a 3+3 design (NCT02384954). Primary endpoint was maximum tolerated dose. Immune correlates were performed using multidimensional analysis via mass cytometry and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq) which simultaneously measures protein and single-cell RNA expression. RESULTS This immunotherapy combination was safe and well tolerated and resulted in durable clinical responses including in rituximab-refractory patients. Subcutaneous N-803 plus rituximab induced sustained proliferation, expansion, and activation of peripheral blood NK cells and CD8 T cells, with increased NK cell and T cells present 8 weeks following last N-803 treatment. CITE-seq revealed a therapy-altered NK cell molecular program, including enhancement of AP-1 transcription factor. Furthermore, the monocyte transcriptional program was remodeled with enhanced MHC expression and antigen-presentation genes. CONCLUSIONS N-803 combines with mAbs to enhance tumor targeting in patients, and warrants further investigation in combination with immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian T Hess
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | | | | | | | - Ethan McClain
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Mark Foster
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Timothy Schappe
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Brad Kahl
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Neha Mehta-Shah
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Amanda F Cashen
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Nancy D Marin
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Chaz Moreno
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Matthew Mosior
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Feng Gao
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Obi L Griffith
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Julia A Wagner
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | | | - John Lee
- ImmunityBio, Culver City, California
| | - Allegra A Petti
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Todd A Fehniger
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
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Dubois SP, Miljkovic MD, Fleisher TA, Pittaluga S, Hsu-Albert J, Bryant BR, Petrus MN, Perera LP, Müller JR, Shih JH, Waldmann TA, Conlon KC. Short-course IL-15 given as a continuous infusion led to a massive expansion of effective NK cells: implications for combination therapy with antitumor antibodies. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e002193. [PMID: 33883258 PMCID: PMC8061813 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-002193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Full application of cytokines as oncoimmunotherapeutics requires identification of optimal regimens. Our initial effort with intravenous bolus recombinant human interleukin-15 (rhIL-15) was limited by postinfusional reactions. Subcutaneous injection and continuous intravenous infusion for 10 days (CIV-10) provided rhIL-15 with less toxicity with CIV-10 giving the best increases in CD8+ lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. To ease rhIL-15 administration, we shortened time of infusion. Treatment with rhIL-15 at a dose of 3-5 µg/kg as a 5-day continuous intravenous infusion (CIV-5) had no dose-limiting toxicities while effector cell stimulation was comparable to the CIV-10 regimen. METHODS Eleven patients with metastatic cancers were treated with rhIL-15 CIV-5, 3 µg (n=4), 4 µg (n=3), and 5 µg/kg/day (n=4) in a phase I dose-escalation study (April 6, 2012). RESULTS Impressive expansions of NK cells were seen at all dose levels (mean 34-fold), including CD56bright NK cells (mean 144-fold for 4 µg/kg), as well as an increase in CD8+ T cells (mean 3.38-fold). At 5 µg/kg/day, there were no dose-limiting toxicities but pulmonary capillary leak and slower patient recovery. This led to our choice of the 4 µg/kg as CIV-5 dose for further testing. Cytolytic capacity of CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells was increased by interleukin-15 assayed by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), natural cytotoxicity and natural killer group 2D-mediated cytotoxicity. The best response was stable disease. CONCLUSIONS IL-15 administered as CIV-5 substantially expanded NK cells with increased cytotoxic functions. Tumor-targeting monoclonal antibodies dependent on ADCC as their mechanism of action including alemtuzumab, obinutuzumab, avelumab, and mogamulizumab could benefit from those NK cell expansions and provide a promising therapeutic strategy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS NCT01572493, NCT03759184, NCT03905135, NCT04185220 and NCT02689453.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid P Dubois
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Milos D Miljkovic
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas A Fleisher
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stefania Pittaluga
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Hsu-Albert
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Bonita R Bryant
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael N Petrus
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liyanage P Perera
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jürgen R Müller
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joanna H Shih
- Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas A Waldmann
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kevin C Conlon
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Borgers JSW, Haanen JBAG. Cellular Therapy and Cytokine Treatments for Melanoma. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2021; 35:129-144. [PMID: 33759770 DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of patients with advanced stage melanoma. Recombinant cytokines were the first tested and approved treatments; however, due to disappointing response rates and severe toxicities, their use has significantly decreased. More recently, adoptive cell transfer therapies have shown to be a promising new treatment strategy able to induce complete and durable remissions in patients with melanoma progressive on first-line treatment. This review provides an overview of the cellular therapies (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, T-cell receptor T cells, chimeric antigen receptor T cells) and cytokine treatments (interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-15, IL-7, IL-10, IL-21, interferon alpha, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S W Borgers
- Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Plesmanlaan 121, Amsterdam 1066 CX, The Netherlands
| | - John B A G Haanen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Plesmanlaan 121, Amsterdam 1066 CX, The Netherlands.
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Rohatgi A, Kirkwood JM. Beyond PD-1: The Next Frontier for Immunotherapy in Melanoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:640314. [PMID: 33732652 PMCID: PMC7958874 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.640314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of first and second-generation immune checkpoint blockade (ICI) has resulted in improved survival of patients with metastatic melanoma over the past decade. However, the majority of patients ultimately progress despite these treatments, which has served as an impetus to consider a range of subsequent therapies. Many of the next generation of immunotherapeutic agents focus on modifying the immune system to overcome resistance to checkpoint blockade. ICI resistance can be understood as primary, or acquired-where the latter is the most common scenario. While there are several postulated mechanisms by which resistance, particularly acquired resistance, occurs, the predominant escape mechanisms include T cell exhaustion, upregulation of alternative inhibitory checkpoint receptors, and alteration of the tumor microenvironment (TME) into a more suppressive, anti-inflammatory state. Therapeutic agents in development are designed to work by combating one or more of these resistance mechanisms. These strategies face the added challenge of minimizing immune-related toxicities, while improving antitumor efficacy. This review focuses upon the following categories of novel therapeutics: 1) alternative inhibitory receptor pathways; 2) damage- or pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs/PAMPs); and 3) immune cell signaling mediators. We present the current state of these therapies, including preclinical and clinical data available for these targets under development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John M. Kirkwood
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Bödder J, Zahan T, van Slooten R, Schreibelt G, de Vries IJM, Flórez-Grau G. Harnessing the cDC1-NK Cross-Talk in the Tumor Microenvironment to Battle Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 11:631713. [PMID: 33679726 PMCID: PMC7933030 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.631713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapeutic approaches have revolutionized the treatment of several diseases such as cancer. The main goal of immunotherapy for cancer is to modulate the anti-tumor immune responses by favoring the recognition and destruction of tumor cells. Recently, a better understanding of the suppressive effect of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on immune cells, indicates that restoring the suppressive effect of the TME is crucial for an efficient immunotherapy. Natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs) are cell types that are currently administered to cancer patients. NK cells are used because of their ability to kill tumor cells directly via cytotoxic granzymes. DCs are employed to enhance anti-tumor T cell responses based on their ability to present antigens and induce tumor-antigen specific CD8+ T cell responses. In preclinical models, a particular DC subset, conventional type 1 DCs (cDC1s) is shown to be specialized in cross-presenting extracellular antigens to CD8+ T cells. This feature makes them a promising DC subset for cancer treatment. Within the TME, cDC1s show a bidirectional cross-talk with NK cells, resulting in a higher cDC1 recruitment, differentiation, and maturation as well as activation and stimulation of NK cells. Consequently, the presence of cDC1s and NK cells within the TME might be of utmost importance for the success of immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the function of cDC1s and NK cells, their bidirectional cross-talk and potential strategies that could improve cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Bödder
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Tasmin Zahan
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rianne van Slooten
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Georgina Flórez-Grau
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Heterodimeric IL-15 in Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040837. [PMID: 33671252 PMCID: PMC7922495 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The rapidly expanding field of cancer immunotherapy uses diverse technologies, including cytokines, T cells, and antibody administration, with the aim to induce effective immune responses leading to tumor control. Interleukin-15 (IL-15), a cytokine discovered in 1994, supports the homeostasis of cytotoxic immune cells and shows promise as an anti-tumor agent. Many studies have elucidated IL-15 synthesis, regulation and biological function and explored its therapeutic efficacy in preclinical cancer models. Escherichia coli-derived single-chain IL-15 was tested in the first in-human trial in cancer patients. Its effects were limited by the biology of IL-15, which in vivo comprises a complex of the IL-15 chain with the IL-15 receptor alpha (IL-15Rα) chain, together forming the IL-15 heterodimer (hetIL-15). Currently, single-chain IL-15 and several heterodimeric IL-15:IL-15Rα variants (hetIL-15, N-803 and RLI) are being tested in clinical trials. This review presents a summary of contemporary preclinical and clinical research on IL-15. Abstract Immunotherapy has emerged as a valuable strategy for the treatment of many cancer types. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) promotes the growth and function of cytotoxic CD8+ T and natural killer (NK) cells. It also enhances leukocyte trafficking and stimulates tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expansion and activity. Bioactive IL-15 is produced in the body as a heterodimeric cytokine, comprising the IL-15 and the so-called IL-15 receptor alpha chain that are together termed “heterodimeric IL-15” (hetIL-15). hetIL-15, closely resembling the natural form of the cytokine produced in vivo, and IL-15:IL-15Rα complex variants, such as hetIL-15Fc, N-803 and RLI, are the currently available IL-15 agents. These molecules have showed favorable pharmacokinetics and biological function in vivo in comparison to single-chain recombinant IL-15. Preclinical animal studies have supported their anti-tumor activity, suggesting IL-15 as a general method to convert “cold” tumors into “hot”, by promoting tumor lymphocyte infiltration. In clinical trials, IL-15-based therapies are overall well-tolerated and result in the expansion and activation of NK and memory CD8+ T cells. Combinations with other immunotherapies are being investigated to improve the anti-tumor efficacy of IL-15 agents in the clinic.
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Guo S, Smeltz RB, Nanajian A, Heller R. IL-15/IL-15Rα Heterodimeric Complex as Cancer Immunotherapy in Murine Breast Cancer Models. Front Immunol 2021; 11:614667. [PMID: 33628206 PMCID: PMC7897681 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.614667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin 15 (IL-15) has been evaluated as a potential treatment for solid tumors in clinical trials, but the effectiveness of systemic IL-15 administration as a monotherapy has not been realized. IL-15 receptor alpha (IL-15Rα) can stabilize IL-15 and enhance its bioactivity. The goal of this study was to examine the activity of IL-15/IL-15Rα complex (IL-15cx) to CD8+ T cells and evaluate its potential efficacy in murine breast cancer models. The antitumor efficacy was studied in mouse mammary carcinoma models (Her2/neu transgenic and 4T1-luc mammary cancers) treated with systemic recombinant protein with/without the depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells or intra-tumoral gene electrotransfer (GET). IL-15cx shows superior in vivo bioactivity to expand CD8 T cells in comparison to an equimolar single chain IL-15. T-bet is partially involved in CD8 T cell expansion ex vivo and in vivo due to IL-15 or IL-15cx. Intraperitoneal administration of IL-15cx results in a moderate inhibition of breast cancer growth that is associated with an increase in the frequency of cytotoxic CD8 T cells and the improvement of their function. The depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has no impact on mouse breast cancer growth. IL-15cx treatment diminishes MDSCs in murine tumors. However, it also antagonizes the effects of anti-Gr-1 depleting antibodies. Intratumoral GET with plasmid IL-15/IL-15Rα leads to a long-term survival benefit in 4T1 mammary carcinoma model. An early increase of local cytotoxic cells correlates with GET treatment and an increase of long-term memory T cells results from animals with complete tumor regression. Systemic and local administration of IL-15cx shows two distinct therapeutic responses, a moderate tumor growth inhibition or heterogeneous tumor regressions with survival improvement. Further studies are warranted to improve the efficacy of IL-15cx as an immunotherapy for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Guo
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Ronald B Smeltz
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Anthony Nanajian
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Richard Heller
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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86
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Watkinson F, Nayar SK, Rani A, Sakellariou CA, Elhage O, Papaevangelou E, Dasgupta P, Galustian C. IL-15 Upregulates Telomerase Expression and Potently Increases Proliferative Capacity of NK, NKT-Like, and CD8 T Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 11:594620. [PMID: 33537030 PMCID: PMC7848219 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.594620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine that has been shown to expand CD8 T cell and natural killer (NK) cell populations, and therefore has potential for potentiating adoptive immune cell therapy for cancer. Previously, IL-15 has been shown to induce proliferation of CD8 memory T cells through activation of telomerase. Here, we investigated whether telomerase is also activated during the IL-15 mediated proliferation of NK and NKT-like (CD56+CD3+) cells. We also examined the extent that each of the three signaling pathways known to be stimulated by IL-2/IL-15 (JAK-STAT, PI3K-AKT Ras-RAF/MAPK) were activated and involved in the telomerase expression in the three cell types NK, NKT, or CD8 T cells. To assess cell proliferation and doubling, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or isolated NK, NKT-like or CD8 T cells were incubated with varying concentrations of IL-15 or IL-2 for 7 days. CD8 T, NK, and NKT cell expansion was determined by fluorophore-conjugated antibody staining and flow cytometry. Cell doubling was investigated using carboxyfluorescein-succinimidyl-ester (CFSE). Telomerase expression was investigated by staining cells with anti-telomerase reverse transcriptase (anti-TERT). Telomerase activity in CD56+ and CD8 T cells was also measured via Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP). Analysis of cellular expansion, proliferation and TERT expression concluded that IL-15 increased cellular growth of NK, NKT, and CD8 T cells more effectively than IL-2 using low or high doses. IL-15, increased TERT expression in NK and NKT cells by up to 2.5 fold, the same increase seen in CD8 T cells. IL-2 had effects on TERT expression only at high doses (100–1000 ng/ml). Proteome profiling identified that IL-15 activated selected signaling proteins in the three pathways (JAK-STAT, PI3K-AKT, Ras-MAPK) known to mediate IL-2/IL-15 signaling, more strongly than IL-2. Evaluation by signaling pathway inhibitors revealed that JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT pathways are important in IL-15’s ability to upregulate TERT expression in NK and NKT cells, whereas all three pathways were involved in CD8 T cell TERT expression. In conclusion, this study shows that IL-15 potently stimulates TERT upregulation in NK and NKT cells in addition to CD8 T cells and is therefore a valuable tool for adoptive cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Watkinson
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sandeep Krishan Nayar
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aradhana Rani
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christina A Sakellariou
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oussama Elhage
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,Urology Centre, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Efthymia Papaevangelou
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Prokar Dasgupta
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,Urology Centre, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Galustian
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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87
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Zhang S, Zhao J, Bai X, Handley M, Shan F. Biological effects of IL-15 on immune cells and its potential for the treatment of cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 91:107318. [PMID: 33383444 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) has recently emerged as a novel immunomodulatory cytokine in cancer immunotherapy. IL-15 has the potential to reject and destroy cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment by expanding and activating natural killer (NK), natural killer T (NKT), and memory (m) CD8+T cells. Due to the feasible outcomes obtained from preclinical studies and phase 1/2 clinical trials, IL-15-based therapy, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell or CAR NK cell infusion following in vitro expansion in the presence of IL-15, used in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and other therapy may extend to clinical practice in the future. It is also important to understand the biological characteristics of IL-15 to ensure the maximal benefit of therapeutic strategies. Here, we summarize the current development of IL-15 in the following areas: anti-tumor mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment, advances in IL-15-based therapy itself or in combination with other methods, including biological agents, monoclonal antibodies, and adoptive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuling Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Jianzhu Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Xueli Bai
- Department of Gynecology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Mike Handley
- Cytocm lnc, 3001 Aloma Ave, Winter Park, FL 32792, USA
| | - Fengping Shan
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
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88
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Filin IY, Solovyeva VV, Kitaeva KV, Rutland CS, Rizvanov AA. Current Trends in Cancer Immunotherapy. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120621. [PMID: 33348704 PMCID: PMC7766207 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for an effective drug to treat oncological diseases, which have become the main scourge of mankind, has generated a lot of methods for studying this affliction. It has also become a serious challenge for scientists and clinicians who have needed to invent new ways of overcoming the problems encountered during treatments, and have also made important discoveries pertaining to fundamental issues relating to the emergence and development of malignant neoplasms. Understanding the basics of the human immune system interactions with tumor cells has enabled new cancer immunotherapy strategies. The initial successes observed in immunotherapy led to new methods of treating cancer and attracted the attention of the scientific and clinical communities due to the prospects of these methods. Nevertheless, there are still many problems that prevent immunotherapy from calling itself an effective drug in the fight against malignant neoplasms. This review examines the current state of affairs for each immunotherapy method, the effectiveness of the strategies under study, as well as possible ways to overcome the problems that have arisen and increase their therapeutic potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Y. Filin
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (I.Y.F.); (V.V.S.); (K.V.K.)
| | - Valeriya V. Solovyeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (I.Y.F.); (V.V.S.); (K.V.K.)
| | - Kristina V. Kitaeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (I.Y.F.); (V.V.S.); (K.V.K.)
| | - Catrin S. Rutland
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2QL, UK;
| | - Albert A. Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (I.Y.F.); (V.V.S.); (K.V.K.)
- Republic Clinical Hospital, 420064 Kazan, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-905-316-7599
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89
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Yang Y, Lundqvist A. Immunomodulatory Effects of IL-2 and IL-15; Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123586. [PMID: 33266177 PMCID: PMC7761238 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The type I cytokine family members interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-15 play important roles in the homeostasis of innate and adaptive immunity. Although IL-2 and IL-15 receptor complexes activate similar signal transduction cascades, triggering of these receptors results in different functional activities in lymphocytes. While IL-2 expands regulatory T cells and CD4+ helper T cells, IL-15 supports the development of central memory T cells and NK cells. Recent data have provided evidence that IL-2 and IL-15 differ in their ability to activate T and NK cells to resist various forms of immune suppression. The diverse roles of these two cytokines have on immune cells lead to critical therapeutic implications for cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the distinct roles of IL-2 and IL-15 in activating various functions in T and NK cells with a particular focus on the signals that participate in the resistance of tumor-derived immune suppressive factors. Furthermore, we summarize current clinical applications of IL-2 and IL-15 in metastatic malignancies, either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents, and highlight the future trends for research on these cytokine-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yang
- Department of Respiratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 310009, China;
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Lundqvist
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
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90
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Safi S, Yamauchi Y, Hoffmann H, Weichert W, Jost PJ, Winter H, Muley T, Beckhove P. Circulating Interleukin-4 Is Associated with a Systemic T Cell Response against Tumor-Associated Antigens in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123496. [PMID: 33255425 PMCID: PMC7761081 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cytokines can increase the activity of T cells specific for tumor-associated antigens and thereby promote tumor-specific immune responses. In this study, cytokine profiles and T cell responses against 14 tumor-associated antigens were investigated in 36 treatment-naïve patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. Based on these results, preoperative serum interleukin-4 levels can play a role in predicting T cell responses specific for tumor-associated antigens and recurrence-free survival regardless of tumor stage. This is clinically relevant as patients with high preoperative serum interleukin-4 levels could be at high risk of postoperative tumor recurrence and, therefore, should be considered for adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment. From this perspective, preoperative serum interleukin-4 levels may become a useful option to assess the risk of postoperative tumor recurrence in non-small-cell lung cancer. Abstract Spontaneous T cell responses to tumor-associated antigens (TAs) in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be relevant for postoperative survival. However, the conditions underlying these T cell responses remain unclear. We quantified the levels of 27 cytokines in the peripheral blood and tumor tissues from treatment-naïve patients with NSCLC (n = 36) and analyzed associations between local and systemic cytokine profiles and both TA-specific T cell responses and clinical parameters. We defined T cell responders as patients with circulating T cells that were reactive to TAs and T cell nonresponders as patients without detectable TA-specific T cells. TA-specific T cell responses were correlated with serum cytokine levels, particularly the levels of interleukin(IL)-4 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), but poorly correlated with the cytokine levels in tumor tissues. Nonresponders showed significantly higher serum IL-4 levels than responders (p = 0.03); the predicted probability of being a responder was higher for individuals with low serum IL-4 levels. In multivariable Cox regression analyses, in addition to IL-4 (hazard ratio (HR) 2.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78–9.9); p = 0.116), the age-adjusted IL-8 level (HR 3.9 (95% CI: 1.05–14.5); p = 0.042) predicted tumor recurrence. However, this study included data for many cytokines without adjustment for multiple testing; thus, the observed differences in IL-4 or IL-8 levels might be incidental findings. Therefore, additional studies are necessary to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyer Safi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Yoshikane Yamauchi
- Department of Surgery, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan
| | - Hans Hoffmann
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstrasse 18, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp J Jost
- Medical Department III for Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
- German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK) of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Clinical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Hauke Winter
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoraxklinik, Heidelberg University Hospital, Roentgenstrasse 1, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), Member of German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Muley
- Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), Member of German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Translational Research Unit, Thoraxklinik, Heidelberg University Hospital, Roentgenstrasse 1, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Beckhove
- Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology and Regensburg University Hospital, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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91
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Arvindam US, van Hauten PMM, Schirm D, Schaap N, Hobo W, Blazar BR, Vallera DA, Dolstra H, Felices M, Miller JS. A trispecific killer engager molecule against CLEC12A effectively induces NK-cell mediated killing of AML cells. Leukemia 2020; 35:1586-1596. [PMID: 33097838 PMCID: PMC8189652 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-020-01065-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The low five-year survival rate for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), primarily caused due to disease relapse, emphasizes the need for better therapeutic strategies. Disease relapse is facilitated by leukemic stem cells (LSCs) that are resistant to standard chemotherapy and promote tumor growth. To target AML blasts and LSCs using Natural Killer (NK) cells, we have developed a trispecific killer engager (TriKE™) molecule containing a humanized anti-CD16 heavy chain camelid single domain antibody (sdAb) that activates NK cells, an IL-15 molecule that drives NK cell priming, expansion and survival, and a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against human CLEC12A (CLEC12A TriKE). CLEC12A is a myeloid lineage antigen that is highly expressed by AML cells and LSCs, but not expressed by normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), thus minimizing off-target toxicity. The CLEC12A TriKE induced robust NK cell specific proliferation, enhanced NK cell activation and killing of both AML cell lines and primary patient derived AML blasts in vitro while sparing healthy HSCs. Additionally, the CLEC12A TriKE was able to reduce tumor burden in pre-clinical mouse models. These findings highlight the clinical potential of the CLEC12A TriKE for the effective treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upasana Sunil Arvindam
- Division of Adult and Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Paulien M M van Hauten
- Department of Laboratory Medicine-Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dawn Schirm
- Division of Adult and Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicolaas Schaap
- Department of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Willemijn Hobo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine-Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bruce R Blazar
- Division of Adult and Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Daniel A Vallera
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology-Radiation Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Harry Dolstra
- Department of Laboratory Medicine-Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Felices
- Division of Adult and Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Division of Adult and Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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92
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NK-Cell-Mediated Targeting of Various Solid Tumors Using a B7-H3 Tri-Specific Killer Engager In Vitro and In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092659. [PMID: 32961861 PMCID: PMC7564091 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We improved the bispecific antibody platform that primarily engages natural killer (NK) cells to kill cancer cells through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by adding IL-15 as a crosslinker that expands and self-sustains the effector NK cell population. The overall goal was to target B7-H3, an established marker predominantly expressed on cancer cells and minimally expressed on normal cells, and prove that it could target cancer cells in vitro and inhibit tumor growth in vivo. The tri-specific killer engager (TriKETM) was assembled by DNA shuffling and ligation using DNA encoding a camelid anti-CD16 antibody fragment, a wild-type IL-15 moiety, and an anti-B7-H3 scFv (clone 376.96). The expressed and purified cam1615B7H3 protein was tested for in vitro NK cell activity against a variety of tumors and in vivo against a tagged human MA-148 ovarian cancer cell line grafted in NSG mice. cam1615B7H3 showed specific NK cell expansion, high killing activity across a range of B7-H3+ carcinomas, and the ability to mediate growth inhibition of aggressive ovarian cancer in vivo. cam1615B7H3 TriKE improves NK cell function, expansion, targeted cytotoxicity against various types of B7-H3-positive human cancer cell lines, and delivers an anti-cancer effect in vivo in a solid tumor setting.
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93
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Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes of the innate immune system that are capable of killing virally infected and/or cancerous cells. Nearly 20 years ago, NK cell-mediated immunotherapy emerged as a safe and effective treatment approach for patients with advanced-stage leukaemia. Subsequently, the field of NK cell-based cancer therapy has grown exponentially and currently constitutes a major area of immunotherapy innovation. In general, the development of NK cell-directed therapies has two main focal points: optimizing the source of therapeutic NK cells for adoptive transfer and enhancing NK cell cytotoxicity and persistence in vivo. A wide variety of sources of therapeutic NK cells are currently being tested clinically, including haploidentical NK cells, umbilical cord blood NK cells, stem cell-derived NK cells, NK cell lines, adaptive NK cells, cytokine-induced memory-like NK cells and chimeric antigen receptor NK cells. A plethora of methods to augment the cytotoxicity and longevity of NK cells are also under clinical investigation, including cytokine-based agents, NK cell-engager molecules and immune-checkpoint inhibitors. In this Review, we highlight the variety of ways in which diverse NK cell products and their auxiliary therapeutics are being leveraged to target human cancers. We also identify future avenues for NK cell therapy research.
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94
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Hangasky JA, Waldmann TA, Santi DV. Interleukin 15 Pharmacokinetics and Consumption by a Dynamic Cytokine Sink. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1813. [PMID: 32903632 PMCID: PMC7438588 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is crucial for the proliferation and survival of NK and CD8+ T memory cells, and of significant interest in immuno-oncology. Immune cell expansion requires continuous IL-15 exposure above a threshold concentration for an extended period. However, the short t1/2 of IL-15 makes this impossible to achieve after a single injection without a high Cmax and toxicities. The most effective way to deliver IL-15 is continuous intra-venous infusion, but this administration mode is impractical. Efforts have been devoted to developing IL-15 agonists which after a single injection maintain the cytokine in a narrow therapeutic window for a long period. Enigmatically, although the half-life extension technologies used often extend the half-life of a protein to 1 or more weeks, the modified IL-15 agonists studied usually have systemic elimination half-lives of only a few hours and rarely much longer than 1 day. These short half-lives—common to all circulating IL-15 agonists thus far reported—can be explained by a dynamic increase in clearance of the agonists that accompanies target immune cell proliferation. What is needed is an IL-15 agonist that is as effective as continuous intravenous infusion, but with the convenience and acceptance of single injections at 1-week or longer intervals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas A Waldmann
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
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95
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Zhu H, Blum RH, Bernareggi D, Ask EH, Wu Z, Hoel HJ, Meng Z, Wu C, Guan KL, Malmberg KJ, Kaufman DS. Metabolic Reprograming via Deletion of CISH in Human iPSC-Derived NK Cells Promotes In Vivo Persistence and Enhances Anti-tumor Activity. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 27:224-237.e6. [PMID: 32531207 PMCID: PMC7415618 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cytokine-inducible SH2-containing protein (CIS; encoded by the gene CISH) is a key negative regulator of interleukin-15 (IL-15) signaling in natural killer (NK) cells. Here, we develop human CISH-knockout (CISH-/-) NK cells using an induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cell (iPSC-NK cell) platform. CISH-/- iPSC-NK cells demonstrate increased IL-15-mediated JAK-STAT signaling activity. Consequently, CISH-/- iPSC-NK cells exhibit improved expansion and increased cytotoxic activity against multiple tumor cell lines when maintained at low cytokine concentrations. CISH-/- iPSC-NK cells display significantly increased in vivo persistence and inhibition of tumor progression in a leukemia xenograft model. Mechanistically, CISH-/- iPSC-NK cells display improved metabolic fitness characterized by increased basal glycolysis, glycolytic capacity, maximal mitochondrial respiration, ATP-linked respiration, and spare respiration capacity mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling that directly contributes to enhanced NK cell function. Together, these studies demonstrate that CIS plays a key role to regulate human NK cell metabolic activity and thereby modulate anti-tumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert H Blum
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Davide Bernareggi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eivind Heggernes Ask
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Zhengming Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hanna Julie Hoel
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Zhipeng Meng
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chengsheng Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kun-Liang Guan
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Karl-Johan Malmberg
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dan S Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Papaevangelou E, Smolarek D, Smith RA, Dasgupta P, Galustian C. Targeting Prostate Cancer Using Intratumoral Cytotopically Modified Interleukin-15 Immunotherapy in a Syngeneic Murine Model. Immunotargets Ther 2020; 9:115-130. [PMID: 32802803 PMCID: PMC7394845 DOI: 10.2147/itt.s257443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The prostate cancer microenvironment is highly immunosuppressive; immune cells stimulated in the periphery by systemic immunotherapies will be rendered inactive once entering this environment. Immunotherapies for prostate cancer need to break this immune tolerance. We have previously identified interleukin-15 (IL-15) as the only cytokine tested that activates and expands immune cells in the presence of prostate cancer cells. In the current study, we aimed to identify a method of boosting the efficacy of IL-15 in prostate cancer. Methods We engineered, by conjugation to a myristoylated peptide, a membrane-localising form of IL-15 (cyto-IL-15) and the checkpoint inhibitor antibodies cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) (cyto-abs) to enable them to bind to cell surfaces by non-specific anchoring to the phospholipid bilayer. The efficacy of these agents was investigated by intratumoral administration either alone (cyto-IL-15 or cyto-abs) or in combination (cyto-combo) in subcutaneous TRAMP-C2 prostate tumors in C57BL/6J mice and compared with their non-modified equivalents in vivo. Following the survival endpoint, histological analyses and RNA sequencing were performed on the tumors. Results Intratumoral injection of cyto-IL-15 or cyto-combo delayed tumor growth by 50% and increased median survival to 28 and 25 days, respectively, compared with vehicle (17 days), whereas non-modified IL-15 or antibodies alone had no significant effects on tumor growth or survival. Histological analysis showed that cyto-IL-15 and cyto-combo increased necrosis and infiltration of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 T cells in the tumors compared with vehicle and non-modified agents. Overall, the efficacy of cyto-combo was not superior to that of cyto-IL-15 alone. Conclusion We have demonstrated that intratumoral injection of cyto-IL-15 leads to prostate cancer growth delay, induces tumor necrosis and increases survival. Hence, cytotopic modification in combination with intratumoral injection appears to be a promising novel approach for prostate cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthymia Papaevangelou
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Dorota Smolarek
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Richard A Smith
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Prokar Dasgupta
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.,Urology Centre, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Christine Galustian
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
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97
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Yuan C, Liu Y, Wang T, Sun M, Chen X. Nanomaterials as Smart Immunomodulator Delivery System for Enhanced Cancer Therapy. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:4774-4798. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Congshan Yuan
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Ya Liu
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Ting Wang
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Mengjie Sun
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Xiguang Chen
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
- Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266000, P.R. China
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98
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Bald T, Krummel MF, Smyth MJ, Barry KC. The NK cell-cancer cycle: advances and new challenges in NK cell-based immunotherapies. Nat Immunol 2020; 21:835-847. [PMID: 32690952 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-020-0728-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells belong to the innate immune system and contribute to protecting the host through killing of infected, foreign, stressed or transformed cells. Additionally, via cellular cross-talk, NK cells orchestrate antitumor immune responses. Hence, significant efforts have been undertaken to exploit the therapeutic properties of NK cells in cancer. Current strategies in preclinical and clinical development include adoptive transfer therapies, direct stimulation, recruitment of NK cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME), blockade of inhibitory receptors that limit NK cell functions, and therapeutic modulation of the TME to enhance antitumor NK cell function. In this Review, we introduce the NK cell-cancer cycle to highlight recent advances in NK cell biology and to discuss the progress and problems of NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bald
- Oncology and Cellular Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew F Krummel
- Department of Pathology, ImmunoX Initiative, and Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mark J Smyth
- Immunology of Cancer and Infection Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Kevin C Barry
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
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99
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Felices M, Lenvik TR, Kodal B, Lenvik AJ, Hinderlie P, Bendzick LE, Schirm DK, Kaminski MF, McElmurry RT, Geller MA, Eckfeldt CE, Vallera DA, Miller JS. Potent Cytolytic Activity and Specific IL15 Delivery in a Second-Generation Trispecific Killer Engager. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 8:1139-1149. [PMID: 32661096 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are potent immune modulators that can quickly lyse tumor cells and elicit inflammatory responses. These characteristics make them ideal candidates for immunotherapy. However, unlike T cells, NK cells do not possess clonotypic receptors capable of specific antigen recognition and cannot expand via activating receptor signals alone. To enable NK cells with these capabilities, we created and have previously described a tri-specific killer engager (TriKE) platform capable of inducing antigen specificity and cytokine-mediated NK-cell expansion. TriKE molecules have three arms: (i) a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against the activating receptor CD16 on NK cells to trigger NK-cell activation, (ii) an scFv against a tumor-associated antigen (CD33 here) to induce specific tumor target recognition, and (iii) an IL15 moiety to trigger NK-cell expansion and priming. Here, we demonstrate that by modifying the anti-CD16 scFv with a humanized single-domain antibody against CD16, we improved TriKE functionality. A CD33-targeting second-generation TriKE induced stronger and more specific NK-cell proliferation without T-cell stimulation, enhanced in vitro NK-cell activation and killing of CD33-expressing targets, and improved tumor control in preclinical mouse models. Given these improved functional characteristics, we propose rapid translation of second-generation TriKEs into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Felices
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Todd R Lenvik
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Behiye Kodal
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Alexander J Lenvik
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Peter Hinderlie
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Laura E Bendzick
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Dawn K Schirm
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Michael F Kaminski
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Ron T McElmurry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Melissa A Geller
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Craig E Eckfeldt
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Daniel A Vallera
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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100
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Waldmann TA, Miljkovic MD, Conlon KC. Interleukin-15 (dys)regulation of lymphoid homeostasis: Implications for therapy of autoimmunity and cancer. J Exp Med 2020; 217:132622. [PMID: 31821442 PMCID: PMC7037239 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20191062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
IL-15 supports NK, NK-T, γδ, ILC1, and memory CD8 T cell function, and dysregulated IL-15 is associated with many autoimmune diseases. Striking IL-15–driven increases in NK and CD8 T cells in patients highlight the potential for combination therapy of cancers. IL-15, a pleiotropic cytokine, stimulates generation of NK, NK-T, γδ, ILC1, and memory CD8 T cells. IL-15 disorders play pathogenetic roles in organ-specific autoimmune diseases including celiac disease. Diverse approaches are developed to block IL-15 action. IL-15 administered to patients with malignancy yielded dramatic increases in NK numbers and modest increases in CD8 T cells. Due to immunological checkpoints, to achieve major cancer therapeutic efficacy, IL-15 will be used in combination therapy, and combination trials with checkpoint inhibitors, with anti-CD40 to yield tumor-specific CD8 T cells, and with anticancer monoclonal antibodies to increase ADCC and antitumor efficacy, have been initiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Waldmann
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Milos D Miljkovic
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Kevin C Conlon
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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