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Spiesschaert B, Angerer K, Park J, Wollmann G. Combining Oncolytic Viruses and Small Molecule Therapeutics: Mutual Benefits. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3386. [PMID: 34298601 PMCID: PMC8306439 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The focus of treating cancer with oncolytic viruses (OVs) has increasingly shifted towards achieving efficacy through the induction and augmentation of an antitumor immune response. However, innate antiviral responses can limit the activity of many OVs within the tumor and several immunosuppressive factors can hamper any subsequent antitumor immune responses. In recent decades, numerous small molecule compounds that either inhibit the immunosuppressive features of tumor cells or antagonize antiviral immunity have been developed and tested for. Here we comprehensively review small molecule compounds that can achieve therapeutic synergy with OVs. We also elaborate on the mechanisms by which these treatments elicit anti-tumor effects as monotherapies and how these complement OV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Spiesschaert
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- ViraTherapeutics GmbH, 6063 Rum, Austria
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach a.d. Riss, Germany;
| | - Katharina Angerer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - John Park
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach a.d. Riss, Germany;
| | - Guido Wollmann
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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52
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Hussain SM, Kansal RG, Alvarez MA, Hollingsworth TJ, Elahi A, Miranda-Carboni G, Hendrick LE, Pingili AK, Albritton LM, Dickson PV, Deneve JL, Yakoub D, Hayes DN, Kurosu M, Shibata D, Makowski L, Glazer ES. Role of TGF-β in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression and PD-L1 expression. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2021; 44:673-687. [PMID: 33694102 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-021-00594-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathway plays a paradoxical, context-dependent role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC): a tumor-suppressive role in non-metastatic PDAC and a tumor-promotive role in metastatic PDAC. We hypothesize that non-SMAD-TGF-β signaling induces PDAC progression. METHODS We investigated the expression of non-SMAD-TGF-β signaling proteins (pMAPK14, PD-L1, pAkt and c-Myc) in patient-derived tissues, cell lines and an immunocompetent mouse model. Experimental models were complemented by comparing the signaling proteins in PDAC specimens from patients with various survival intervals. We manipulated models with TGF-β, gemcitabine (DNA synthesis inhibitor), galunisertib (TGF-β receptor inhibitor) and MK-2206 (Akt inhibitor) to investigate their effects on NF-κB, β-catenin, c-Myc and PD-L1 expression. PD-L1 expression was also investigated in cancer cells and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in a mouse model. RESULTS We found that tumors from patients with aggressive PDAC had higher levels of the non-SMAD-TGF-β signaling proteins pMAPK14, PD-L1, pAkt and c-Myc. In PDAC cells with high baseline β-catenin expression, TGF-β increased β-catenin expression while gemcitabine increased PD-L1 expression. Gemcitabine plus galunisertib decreased c-Myc and NF-κB expression, but induced PD-L1 expression in some cancer models. In mice, gemcitabine plus galunisertib treatment decreased metastases (p = 0.018), whereas galunisertib increased PD-L1 expression (p < 0.0001). In the mice, liver metastases contained more TAMs compared to the primary pancreatic tumors (p = 0.001), and TGF-β increased TAM PD-L1 expression (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In PDAC, the non-SMAD-TGF-β signaling pathway leads to more aggressive phenotypes, TAM-induced immunosuppression and PD-L1 expression. The divergent effects of TGF-β ligand versus receptor inhibition in tumor cells versus TAMs may explain the TGF-β paradox. Further evaluation of each mechanism is expected to lead to the development of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mazher Hussain
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Rita G Kansal
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Marcus A Alvarez
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - T J Hollingsworth
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Abul Elahi
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | | | - Leah E Hendrick
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | | | | | - Paxton V Dickson
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Jeremiah L Deneve
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Danny Yakoub
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - D Neil Hayes
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michio Kurosu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - David Shibata
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Liza Makowski
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Evan S Glazer
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, 910 Madison Ave., Suite 300, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.
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53
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Hess JB, Sutherland KD, Best SA. Exploring natural killer cell immunology as a therapeutic strategy in lung cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2021; 10:2788-2805. [PMID: 34295678 PMCID: PMC8264324 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-20-765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic immune cells are key in the control of tumor development and progression. Natural killer (NK) cells are the cytotoxic arm of the innate immune system with the capability to kill tumor cells and surveil tumor cell dissemination. As such, the interest in harnessing NK cells in tumor control is increasing in many solid tumor types, including lung cancer. Here, we review the pre-clinical models used to unveil the role of NK cells in immunosurveillance of solid tumors and highlight measures to enhance NK cell activity. Importantly, the development of NK immunotherapy is rapidly evolving. Enhancing the NK cell response can be achieved using two broad modalities: enhancing endogenous NK cell activity, or performing adoptive transfer of pre-activated NK cells to patients. Numerous clinical trials are evaluating the efficacy of NK cell immunotherapy in isolation or in combination with standard treatments, with encouraging initial results. Pre-clinical studies and early phase clinical trials suggest that patients with solid tumors, including lung cancer, have the potential to benefit from recent developments in NK cell immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas B Hess
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate D Sutherland
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah A Best
- ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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54
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Zhong L, Li Y, Xiong L, Wang W, Wu M, Yuan T, Yang W, Tian C, Miao Z, Wang T, Yang S. Small molecules in targeted cancer therapy: advances, challenges, and future perspectives. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:201. [PMID: 34054126 PMCID: PMC8165101 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00572-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 568] [Impact Index Per Article: 189.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the advantages in efficacy and safety compared with traditional chemotherapy drugs, targeted therapeutic drugs have become mainstream cancer treatments. Since the first tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib was approved to enter the market by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001, an increasing number of small-molecule targeted drugs have been developed for the treatment of malignancies. By December 2020, 89 small-molecule targeted antitumor drugs have been approved by the US FDA and the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China. Despite great progress, small-molecule targeted anti-cancer drugs still face many challenges, such as a low response rate and drug resistance. To better promote the development of targeted anti-cancer drugs, we conducted a comprehensive review of small-molecule targeted anti-cancer drugs according to the target classification. We present all the approved drugs as well as important drug candidates in clinical trials for each target, discuss the current challenges, and provide insights and perspectives for the research and development of anti-cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueshan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Yuan
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuang Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Budi EH, Schaub JR, Decaris M, Turner S, Derynck R. TGF-β as a driver of fibrosis: physiological roles and therapeutic opportunities. J Pathol 2021; 254:358-373. [PMID: 33834494 DOI: 10.1002/path.5680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many chronic diseases are marked by fibrosis, which is defined by an abundance of activated fibroblasts and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, resulting in loss of normal function of the affected organs. The initiation and progression of fibrosis are elaborated by pro-fibrotic cytokines, the most critical of which is transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). This review focuses on the fibrogenic roles of increased TGF-β activities and underlying signaling mechanisms in the activated fibroblast population and other cell types that contribute to progression of fibrosis. Insight into these roles and mechanisms of TGF-β as a universal driver of fibrosis has stimulated the development of therapeutic interventions to attenuate fibrosis progression, based on interference with TGF-β signaling. Their promise in preclinical and clinical settings will be discussed. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erine H Budi
- Pliant Therapeutics Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Scott Turner
- Pliant Therapeutics Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rik Derynck
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, and Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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56
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Zalfa C, Paust S. Natural Killer Cell Interactions With Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment and Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:633205. [PMID: 34025641 PMCID: PMC8133367 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.633205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and heterogeneous environment composed of cancer cells, tumor stroma, a mixture of tissue-resident and infiltrating immune cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in fighting tumors, but chronic stimulation and immunosuppression in the TME lead to NK cell exhaustion and limited antitumor functions. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid cells with potent immunosuppressive activity that gradually accumulate in tumor tissues. MDSCs interact with innate and adaptive immune cells and play a crucial role in negatively regulating the immune response to tumors. This review discusses MDSC-mediated NK cell regulation within the TME, focusing on critical cellular and molecular interactions. We review current strategies that target MDSC-mediated immunosuppression to enhance NK cell cytotoxic antitumor activity. We also speculate on how NK cell-based antitumor immunotherapy could be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silke Paust
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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57
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Harding JJ, Do RK, Yaqubie A, Cleverly A, Zhao Y, Gueorguieva I, Lahn M, Benhadji KA, Kelley RK, Abou‐Alfa GK. Phase 1b study of galunisertib and ramucirumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Med 2021; 10:3059-3067. [PMID: 33811482 PMCID: PMC8085979 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical data suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling interact to stimulate angiogenesis and suppress antitumor immune responses. Thus, combined inhibition of both pathways may offer greater antitumor activity compared with VEGF-targeted antiangiogenic monotherapy against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS This is a multicenter, open-label, phase 1b study of galunisertib, an inhibitor of TGF-β receptor 1, and ramucirumab, an anti-VEGF receptor 2 antibody, in patients with advanced HCC aiming to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Secondary objectives included safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), antitumor efficacy, and plasma alpha-fetoprotein and TGF-β kinetics. Dose escalation employed a 3 + 3 design. Patients received galunisertib at 80 mg (cohort 1) or 150 mg (cohort 2) orally twice a day on days 1-14 of a 28-day cycle combined with ramucirumab 8 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. RESULTS Eight patients were enrolled: three in cohort 1 and five in cohort 2 (two patients were unevaluable due to rapid disease progression and replaced). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) of any grade in ≥2 patients included nausea (25%) and vomiting (25%). There was one Grade 3 treatment-related AE, a cerebrovascular accident possibly related to ramucirumab. Galunisertib exposure was dose-proportional and not affected by ramucirumab. The RECIST version 1.1 objective response rate and disease control rate were 0% and 12.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION Combination therapy was safe and tolerable and displayed favorable PK. The MTD was established at galunisertib at 150 mg orally twice a day and ramucirumab 8 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. The results do not support the preclinical hypothesis that blocking TGFβ signaling enhances efficacy of VEGF-targeted therapy; thus further clinical development was halted for the combination of galunisertib and ramucirumab.
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MESH Headings
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacokinetics
- Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage
- Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacokinetics
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/administration & dosage
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Female
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Maximum Tolerated Dose
- Middle Aged
- Nausea/chemically induced
- Prospective Studies
- Pyrazoles/administration & dosage
- Pyrazoles/adverse effects
- Pyrazoles/pharmacokinetics
- Quinolines/administration & dosage
- Quinolines/adverse effects
- Quinolines/pharmacokinetics
- Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I/antagonists & inhibitors
- Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Vomiting/chemically induced
- alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis
- Ramucirumab
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. Harding
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Richard K. Do
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Amin Yaqubie
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Robin K. Kelley
- Helen Diller Cancer CenterUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Ghassan K. Abou‐Alfa
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNYUSA
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58
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Taki M, Abiko K, Ukita M, Murakami R, Yamanoi K, Yamaguchi K, Hamanishi J, Baba T, Matsumura N, Mandai M. Tumor Immune Microenvironment during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:4669-4679. [PMID: 33827891 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-4459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to play a critical role in tumor development from initiation to metastasis. EMT could be regarded as a continuum, with intermediate hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes having high plasticity. Classical EMT is characterized by the phenotype change of epithelial cells to cells with mesenchymal properties, but EMT is also associated with multiple other molecular processes, including tumor immune evasion. Some previous studies have shown that EMT is associated with the cell number of immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and the expression of immune checkpoints, such as programmed cell death-ligand 1, in several cancer types. At the molecular level, EMT transcriptional factors, including Snail, Zeb1, and Twist1, produce or attract immunosuppressive cells or promote the expression of immunosuppressive checkpoint molecules via chemokine production, leading to a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. In turn, immunosuppressive factors induce EMT in tumor cells. This feedback loop between EMT and immunosuppression promotes tumor progression. For therapy directly targeting EMT has been challenging, the elucidation of the interactive regulation of EMT and immunosuppression is desirable for developing new therapeutic approaches in cancer. The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and immunotherapy targeting immunosuppressive cells could be a promising therapy for EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mana Taki
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Kaoru Abiko
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masayo Ukita
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Murakami
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Koji Yamanoi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Yamaguchi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Junzo Hamanishi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Baba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
| | - Noriomi Matsumura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka-sayama, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaki Mandai
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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Brouwer TP, Vahrmeijer AL, de Miranda NFCC. Immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer: chasing the light at the end of the tunnel. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2021; 44:261-278. [PMID: 33710604 PMCID: PMC7985121 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-021-00587-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy has had a significant impact on the survival of a subset of patients with advanced cancers. It has been particularly effective in immunogenic cancer types that present large numbers of somatic mutations in their genomes. To date, all conventional immunotherapies have failed to produce significant clinical benefits for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, probably due to its poor immunogenic properties, including low numbers of neoantigens and highly immune-suppressive microenvironments. CONCLUSIONS Herein, we discuss advances that have recently been made in cancer immunotherapy and the potential of this field to deliver effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients. Preclinical investigations, combining different types of therapies, highlight possibilities to enhance anti-tumor immunity and to generate meaningful clinical responses in pancreatic cancer patients. Results from completed and ongoing (pre)clinical trials are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Brouwer
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC
| | | | - Noel F C C de Miranda
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC.
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60
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Mao D, Mi J, Pan X, Li F, Rui Y. Suppression of TGF-beta activity with remobilization attenuates immobilization-induced joint contracture in rats. Injury 2021; 52:434-442. [PMID: 33408055 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2020.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Joint contracture is a common complication of joint injury. This study aimed to assess the effect of inhibiting the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling during joint immobilization and remobilization on immobilization-induced joint contracture in rats. METHODS The knees of rats were immobilized using Kirschner wires following trauma to the femoral condyles to generate joint contracture. After immobilization, levels of TGF-β and passive extension range of motion (ROM) were measured at different time points, joints were histologically analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson trichrome staining, and the expression of inflammatory or fibrosis-related mediators, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), phosphorylated Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen types I (Col 1) and III (Col 3), were examined in joint capsules using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Rats were also treated with LY2157299, a TGF-β receptor I kinase inhibitor, at different stages of immobilization and remobilization. RESULTS TGF-β1 levels in the serum and the number of p-Smad2/3+ cells in the joint capsule were significantly elevated after immobilization. ROM decreased during the 6 weeks of immobilization and partly recovered after remobilization. After treatment with LY2157299 during immobilization, the restricted ROM moderately increased, but this effect was stronger when combined with active motion. Mechanistically, the expression of IL-1β, TGF-β, fibrosis-related factors, and the density of collagen significantly decreased after treatment with LY2157299. CONCLUSIONS Inhibiting TGF-β signaling paired with active motion effectively attenuated the formation of immobilization-induced joint contracture in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Mao
- Orthopaedic Institute, Wuxi 9th People's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Wuxi, 214062, China
| | - Jingyi Mi
- Department of Sports Medicine, Wuxi 9th People's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Wuxi, 214062, China
| | - Xiaoyun Pan
- Orthopaedic Institute, Wuxi 9th People's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Wuxi, 214062, China
| | - Fengfeng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, China.
| | - Yongjun Rui
- Department of Orthopedics, Wuxi 9th People's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Wuxi, 214062, China
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61
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Belair DG, Lee JS, Kellner AV, Huard J, Murphy WL. Receptor mimicking TGF-β1 binding peptide for targeting TGF-β1 signaling. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:645-652. [PMID: 33289741 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01374a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Prolonged and elevated transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling can lead to undesired scar formation during tissue repair and fibrosis that is often a result of chronic inflammation in the lung, kidney, liver, heart, skin, and joints. We report new TGF-β1 binding peptides that interfere with TGF-β1 binding to its cognate receptors and thus attenuate its biological activity. We identified TGF-β1 binding peptides from the TGF-β1 binding domains of TGF-β receptors and engineered their sequences to facilitate chemical conjugation to biomaterials using molecular docking simulations. The in vitro binding studies and cell-based assays showed that RIPΔ, which was derived from TGF-β type I receptor, bound TGF-β1 in a sequence-specific manner and reduced the biological activity of TGF-β1 when the peptide was presented either in soluble form or conjugated to a commonly used synthetic biomaterial. This approach may have implications for clinical applications such as treatment of various fibrotic diseases and soft tissue repair and offer a design strategy for peptide antibodies based on the biomimicry of ligand-receptor interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Belair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Jae Sung Lee
- Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anna V Kellner
- School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Johnny Huard
- Center for Regenerative Sports Medicine, Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail, CO, USA
| | - William L Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. and Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA and Materials Science Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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62
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Bielecki PA, Lorkowski ME, Becicka WM, Atukorale PU, Moon TJ, Zhang Y, Wiese M, Covarrubias G, Ravichandran S, Karathanasis E. Immunostimulatory silica nanoparticle boosts innate immunity in brain tumors. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2021; 6:156-167. [PMID: 33400743 PMCID: PMC7878432 DOI: 10.1039/d0nh00446d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The high mortality associated with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is attributed to its invasive nature, hypoxic core, resistant cell subpopulations and a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). To support adaptive immune function and establish a more robust antitumor immune response, we boosted the local innate immune compartment of GBM using an immunostimulatory mesoporous silica nanoparticle, termed immuno-MSN. The immuno-MSN was specifically designed for systemic and proficient delivery of a potent innate immune agonist to dysfunctional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the brain TME. The cargo of the immuno-MSN was cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (cdGMP), a Stimulator of Interferon Gene (STING) agonist. Studies showed the immuno-MSN promoted the uptake of STING agonist by APCs in vitro and the subsequent release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon β, 6-fold greater than free agonist. In an orthotopic GBM mouse model, systemically administered immuno-MSN particles were taken up by APCs in the near-perivascular regions of the brain tumor with striking efficiency. The immuno-MSNs facilitated the recruitment of dendritic cells and macrophages to the TME while sparing healthy brain tissue and peripheral organs, resulting in elevated circulating CD8+ T cell activity (2.5-fold) and delayed GBM tumor growth. We show that an engineered immunostimulatory nanoparticle can support pro-inflammatory innate immune function in GBM and subsequently augment current immunotherapeutic interventions and improve their therapeutic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Bielecki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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63
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Single cell sequencing reveals endothelial plasticity with transient mesenchymal activation after myocardial infarction. Nat Commun 2021; 12:681. [PMID: 33514719 PMCID: PMC7846794 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20905-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells play a critical role in the adaptation of tissues to injury. Tissue ischemia induced by infarction leads to profound changes in endothelial cell functions and can induce transition to a mesenchymal state. Here we explore the kinetics and individual cellular responses of endothelial cells after myocardial infarction by using single cell RNA sequencing. This study demonstrates a time dependent switch in endothelial cell proliferation and inflammation associated with transient changes in metabolic gene signatures. Trajectory analysis reveals that the majority of endothelial cells 3 to 7 days after myocardial infarction acquire a transient state, characterized by mesenchymal gene expression, which returns to baseline 14 days after injury. Lineage tracing, using the Cdh5-CreERT2;mT/mG mice followed by single cell RNA sequencing, confirms the transient mesenchymal transition and reveals additional hypoxic and inflammatory signatures of endothelial cells during early and late states after injury. These data suggest that endothelial cells undergo a transient mes-enchymal activation concomitant with a metabolic adaptation within the first days after myocardial infarction but do not acquire a long-term mesenchymal fate. This mesenchymal activation may facilitate endothelial cell migration and clonal expansion to regenerate the vascular network. Endothelial cells play a critical role in the adaptation of tissues to injury and show a remarkable plasticity. Here the authors show, using single cell sequencing, that endothelial cells acquire a transient mesenchymal state associated with metabolic adaptation after myocardial infarction.
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64
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Puerta Cavanzo N, Bigaeva E, Boersema M, Olinga P, Bank RA. Macromolecular Crowding as a Tool to Screen Anti-fibrotic Drugs: The Scar-in-a-Jar System Revisited. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 7:615774. [PMID: 33521022 PMCID: PMC7841046 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.615774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An unsolved therapeutic problem in fibrosis is the overproduction of collagen. In order to screen the effect of anti-fibrotic drugs on collagen deposition, the Scar-in-a-Jar approach has been introduced about a decade ago. With macromolecular crowding a rapid deposition of collagen is seen, resulting in a substantial decrease in culture time, but the system has never been tested in an adequate way. We therefore have compared six different macromolecular crowders [Ficoll PM 70 (Fc70), Ficoll PM 400 (Fc400), a mixture of Ficoll 70 and 400 (Fc70/400), polyvinylpyrrolidone 40 (PVP40), polyvinylpyrrolidone 360 (PVP360), neutral dextran 670 (ND670), dextran sulfate 500 (DxS500), and carrageenan (CR)] under profibrotic conditions (addition of TGFβ1) with primary human adult dermal fibroblasts in the presence of 0.5 and 10% FBS. We found that (1) collagen deposition and myofibroblast formation was superior with 0.5% FBS, (2) DxS500 and CR results in an aberrant collagen deposition pattern, (3) ND670 does not increase collagen deposition, and (4) CR, DxS500, and Fc40/700 affected important phenotypical properties of the cells when cultured under pro-fibrotic conditions, whereas PVP40 and PVP360 did less or not. Because of viscosity problems with PVP360, we conclude that PVP40 is the most optimal crowder for the screening of anti-fibrotic drugs. Finally, the effect of various concentrations of Imatinib, Galunisertib, Omipalisib or Nintedanib on collagen deposition and myofibroblast formation was tested with PVP40 as the crowder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Puerta Cavanzo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,MATRIX Research Group, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Emilia Bigaeva
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Miriam Boersema
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Peter Olinga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ruud A Bank
- MATRIX Research Group, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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65
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Liu S, Ren J, Ten Dijke P. Targeting TGFβ signal transduction for cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:8. [PMID: 33414388 PMCID: PMC7791126 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00436-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) family members are structurally and functionally related cytokines that have diverse effects on the regulation of cell fate during embryonic development and in the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. Dysregulation of TGFβ family signaling can lead to a plethora of developmental disorders and diseases, including cancer, immune dysfunction, and fibrosis. In this review, we focus on TGFβ, a well-characterized family member that has a dichotomous role in cancer progression, acting in early stages as a tumor suppressor and in late stages as a tumor promoter. The functions of TGFβ are not limited to the regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis of cancer cells. Recent reports have related TGFβ to effects on cells that are present in the tumor microenvironment through the stimulation of extracellular matrix deposition, promotion of angiogenesis, and suppression of the anti-tumor immune reaction. The pro-oncogenic roles of TGFβ have attracted considerable attention because their intervention provides a therapeutic approach for cancer patients. However, the critical function of TGFβ in maintaining tissue homeostasis makes targeting TGFβ a challenge. Here, we review the pleiotropic functions of TGFβ in cancer initiation and progression, summarize the recent clinical advancements regarding TGFβ signaling interventions for cancer treatment, and discuss the remaining challenges and opportunities related to targeting this pathway. We provide a perspective on synergistic therapies that combine anti-TGFβ therapy with cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Liu
- Oncode Institute and Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jiang Ren
- Oncode Institute and Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Ten Dijke
- Oncode Institute and Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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66
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Donisi C, Puzzoni M, Ziranu P, Lai E, Mariani S, Saba G, Impera V, Dubois M, Persano M, Migliari M, Pretta A, Liscia N, Astara G, Scartozzi M. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Treatment of HCC. Front Oncol 2021; 10:601240. [PMID: 33585218 PMCID: PMC7874239 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.601240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the typical inflammation-induced neoplasia. It often prospers where a chronic liver disease persists, thus leading a strong rationale for immune therapy. Several immune-based treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), cytokines, adoptive cell transfer, and vaccines, have been tested in the treatment of HCC. In this review, we summarize the role of the ICI in HCC patients in various sets of treatment. As for advanced HCC, the anti-Programmed cell Death protein 1 (PD1) antibodies and the anti-Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4) antibodies have been examined in patients with enthusiastic results in phase I-II-III studies. Overall, this led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and nivolumab + ipilimumab in the second-line setting. The anti- Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PDL-1) antibodies have also been evaluated. Thanks to the results obtained from phase III IMbrave study, atezolizumab + bevacizumab is now the standard of care in the first-line advanced setting of HCC. As for localized HCC, the putative immunological effect of locoregional therapies led to evaluate the combination strategy with ICI. This way, chemoembolization, ablation with radiofrequency, and radioembolization combined with ICI are currently under study. Likewise, the study of adjuvant immunotherapy following surgical resection is underway. In addition, the different ICI has been studied in combination with other ICI as well as with multikinase inhibitors and anti-angiogenesis monoclonal antibody. The evidence available suggests that combining systemic therapies and locoregional treatments with ICI may represent an effective strategy in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clelia Donisi
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco Puzzoni
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pina Ziranu
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Lai
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Stefano Mariani
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giorgio Saba
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Valentino Impera
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Medical Oncology Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Dubois
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mara Persano
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco Migliari
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Andrea Pretta
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Medical Oncology Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicole Liscia
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Medical Oncology Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Astara
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mario Scartozzi
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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67
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Teicher BA. TGFβ-Directed Therapeutics: 2020. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 217:107666. [PMID: 32835827 PMCID: PMC7770020 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) pathway is essential during embryo development and in maintaining normal homeostasis. During malignancy, the TGFβ pathway is co-opted by the tumor to increase fibrotic stroma, to promote epithelial to mesenchymal transition increasing metastasis and producing an immune-suppressed microenvironment which protects the tumor from recognition by the immune system. Compelling preclinical data demonstrate the therapeutic potential of blocking TGFβ function in cancer. However, the TGFβ pathway cannot be described as a driver of malignant disease. Two small molecule kinase inhibitors which block the serine-threonine kinase activity of TGFβRI on TGFβRII, a pan-TGFβ neutralizing antibody, a TGFβ trap, a TGFβ antisense agent, an antibody which stabilizes the latent complex of TGFβ and a fusion protein which neutralizes TGFβ and binds PD-L1 are in clinical development. The challenge is how to most effectively incorporate blocking TGFβ activity alone and in combination with other therapeutics to improve treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly A Teicher
- Developmental Therapeutics Program, DCTD, National Cancer Institute, RM 4-W602, MSC 9735, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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68
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Parrish KE, Swanson J, Cheng L, Luk E, Stetsko P, Smalley J, Shu YZ, Huang J, Pabalan JG, Sun Y, Zvyaga T, Cvijic ME, Burke J, Borzilleri R, Murtaza A, Augustine K, Yang Z. Pharmacodynamics-based approach for efficacious human dose projection of BMS-986260, a small molecule transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 inhibitor. Biopharm Drug Dispos 2020; 42:137-149. [PMID: 33354831 DOI: 10.1002/bdd.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has a wide array of biological effects. For decades, tumor biology implicated TGF-β as an attractive therapeutic target due to its immunosuppressive effects. Toward this end, multiple pharmaceutical companies developed a number of drug modalities that specifically target the TGF-β pathway. BMS-986260 is a small molecule, selective TGF-βR1 kinase inhibitor that was under preclinical development for oncology. In vivo studies across mouse, rat, dog, and monkey and cryopreserved hepatocytes predicted human pharmacokinetics (PK) and distribution of BMS-986260. Efficacy studies of BMS-986260 were undertaken in the MC38 murine colon cancer model, and target engagement, as measured by phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, was assessed in whole blood to predict the clinical efficacious dose. The human clearance is predicted to be low, 4.25 ml/min/kg. BMS-986260 provided a durable and robust antitumor response at 3.75 mg/kg daily and 1.88 mg/kg twice-daily dosing regimens. Phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 was 3.5-fold less potent in human monocytes than other preclinical species. Taken together, the projected clinical efficacious dose was 600 mg QD or 210 mg BID for 3 days followed by a 4-day drug holiday. Mechanism-based cardiovascular findings in the rat ultimately led to the termination of BMS-986260. This study describes the preclinical PK characterization and pharmacodynamics-based efficacious dose projection of a novel small molecule TGF-βR1 inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Parrish
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jesse Swanson
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lihong Cheng
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Emily Luk
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Paul Stetsko
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - James Smalley
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yue-Zhong Shu
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jinwen Huang
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jonathan G Pabalan
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yongnian Sun
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Tatyana Zvyaga
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mary Ellen Cvijic
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - James Burke
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Robert Borzilleri
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anwar Murtaza
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Karen Augustine
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zheng Yang
- Department of Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Research and Early Discovery, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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69
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Reiss KA, Wattenberg MM, Damjanov N, Prechtel Dunphy E, Jacobs-Small M, Lubas MJ, Robinson J, Dicicco L, Garcia-Marcano L, Giannone MA, Karasic TB, Furth EE, Carpenter EL, Wojcieszynski AP, Vonderheide RH, Beatty GL, Ben-Josef E. A Pilot Study of Galunisertib plus Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 20:389-397. [PMID: 33268571 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
TGFβ is a pleiotropic cytokine with immunosuppressive activity. In preclinical models, blockade of TGFβ enhances the activity of radiation and invokes T-cell antitumor immunity. Here, we combined galunisertib, an oral TGFβ inhibitor, with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and assessed safety, efficacy, and immunologic correlatives. Patients (n = 15) with advanced HCC who progressed on, were intolerant of, or refused sorafenib were treated with galunisertib (150 mg orally twice a day) on days 1 to 14 of each 28-day cycle. A single dose of SBRT (18-Gy) was delivered between days 15 to 28 of cycle 1. Site of index lesions treated with SBRT included liver (9 patients), lymph node (4 patients), and lung (2 patients). Blood for high-dimensional single cell profiling was collected. The most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (53%), abdominal pain (46.6%), nausea (40%), and increased alkaline phosphatase (40%). There were two instances of grade 2 alkaline phosphatase increase and two instances of grade 2 bilirubin increase. One patient developed grade 3 achalasia, possibly related to treatment. Two patients achieved a partial response. Treatment with galunisertib was associated with a decrease in the frequency of activated T regulatory cells in the blood. Distinct peripheral blood leukocyte populations detected at baseline distinguished progressors from nonprogressors. Nonprogressors also had increased CD8+PD-1+TIGIT+ T cells in the blood after treatment. We found galunisertib combined with SBRT to be well tolerated and associated with antitumor activity in patients with HCC. Pre- and posttreatment immune profiling of the blood was able to distinguish patients with progression versus nonprogression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim A Reiss
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. .,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Max M Wattenberg
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nevena Damjanov
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth Prechtel Dunphy
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mona Jacobs-Small
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - M Judy Lubas
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - James Robinson
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lisa Dicicco
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Luis Garcia-Marcano
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael A Giannone
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Thomas B Karasic
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Emma E Furth
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pathology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Erica L Carpenter
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Andrzej P Wojcieszynski
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert H Vonderheide
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gregory L Beatty
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. .,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Edgar Ben-Josef
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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70
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Xie J, Zhu H, Chang HM, Klausen C, Dong M, Leung PCK. GDF8 Promotes the Cell Invasiveness in Human Trophoblasts by Upregulating the Expression of Follistatin-Like 3 Through the ALK5-SMAD2/3 Signaling Pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:573781. [PMID: 33195207 PMCID: PMC7655915 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.573781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8) and its antagonist follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) are expressed in the placenta during early pregnancy. These two factors may have a role to play in the regulation of normal placentation. However, whether GDF8 can regulate the expression of FSTL3 in human trophoblasts remains to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of GDF8 on the expression of FSTL3 and the underlying molecular mechanisms using human trophoblasts as a study model. Our results showed that GDF8 significantly upregulates the expression and production of FSTL3, which further promotes cell invasiveness in immortalized extravillous cytotrophoblast cells and primary extravillous cytotrophoblast cells obtained from human first-trimester placentae. Additionally, using an siRNA-mediated knockdown approach, we found that this regulatory effect is most likely mediated by the ALK5-Sma- and Mad-related protein (SMAD)2/3-induced signaling pathway. These findings deepen our understanding of the functional roles of GDF8 and FSTL3 in the regulation of cell invasiveness of trophoblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hua Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hsun-Ming Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christian Klausen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Minyue Dong
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Women's Reproductive Health of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peter C K Leung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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71
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Ismail MMF, El-Zahabi HSA, Ibrahim RS, Mehany ABM. Design and synthesis of novel tranilast analogs: Docking, antiproliferative evaluation and in-silico screening of TGFβR1 inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2020; 105:104368. [PMID: 33091671 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.104368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of the antiproliferative potential of tranilast prompted additional studies directed at understanding the mechanisms of tranilast action. Its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation depends principally on the capacity of tranilast to interfere with transforming growth factor beta (TGFβR1) signaling. This work summarizes design, synthesis and biological evaluation of sixteen novel tranilast analogs on different tumors such as PC-3, HepG-2 and MCF-7 cell lines. The in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay showed that, twelve compounds out of sixteen showed higher cytotoxic activities (IC50's 1.1-6.29 µM), than that of the reference standard, 5-FU (IC50 7.53 µM). The promising cytotoxic hits (4b, 7a, b and 14c-e), proved to be selective to cancer cells when their cytotoxicity's are examined on human normal cell line (WI-38). Then they are investigated for their possible mode of action as TGFβR1 inhibitors; remarkable inhibition of TGFβR1 by these hits was observed at the range of IC50 0.087-3.276 μM. The cell cycle analysis of the most potent TGFβR1 inhibitor, 4b revealed cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase on prostate cancer cells. Additionally, it is clearly indicated apoptosis induction at Pre-G1 phase, this is substantiated by significant increase in the expression on the tumor suppressor gene, p53 and up regulation the level of apoptosis mediator, caspase-3. In addition, in silico study was performed for validating the physicochemical and ADME properties which revealed that, all compounds are orally bioavailable with no side effects complying with Lipinski rule. The proposed mode of action can be further explored on the light of molecular modeling simulation of the most potent compounds, 4b and 14e which were docked into the active sites of TGFβR1 to predict their affinities toward the receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda M F Ismail
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, 11754 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Heba S A El-Zahabi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, 11754 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rabab S Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, 11754 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed B M Mehany
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, 11754 Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
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72
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Sicard AA, Suarez NG, Cappadocia L, Annabi B. Functional targeting of the TGF-βR1 kinase domain and downstream signaling: A role for the galloyl moiety of green tea-derived catechins in ES-2 ovarian clear cell carcinoma. J Nutr Biochem 2020; 87:108518. [PMID: 33017609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2020.108518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The galloyl moiety is a specific structural feature which dictates, in part, the chemopreventive properties of diet-derived catechins. In ovarian cancer cells, galloylated catechins were recently demonstrated to target the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-mediated control of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. The specific impact of the galloyl moiety on such signaling, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we questioned whether the sole galloyl moiety interacted with TGF-β-receptors to alter signal transduction and chemotactic migratory response in an ES-2 serous carcinoma-derived ovarian cancer cell model. In line with the LogP and LogS values of the tested molecules, we found that TGF-β-induced Smad-3 phosphorylation and cell migration were optimally inhibited, provided that the lateral aliphatic chain of the galloyl moiety reached 8-10 carbons. Functional inhibition of the TGF-β receptor (TGF-βR1) kinase activity was supported by surface plasmon resonance assays showing direct physical interaction between TGF-βR1 and the galloyl moiety. In silico molecular docking analysis predicted a model where galloylated catechins may bind TGF-βR1 within its adenosine triphosphate binding cleft in a site analogous to that of Galunisertib, a selective adenosine triphosphate-mimetic competitive inhibitor of TGF-βR1. In conclusion, our data suggest that the galloyl moiety of the diet-derived catechins provides specificity of action to galloylated catechins by positioning them within the kinase domain of the TGF-βR1 in order to antagonize TGF-β-mediated signaling that is required for ovarian cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey-Ann Sicard
- Laboratoire d'Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Narjara Gonzalez Suarez
- Laboratoire d'Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laurent Cappadocia
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Analytique et Structurale, Centre de recherche CERMO-FC, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Borhane Annabi
- Laboratoire d'Oncologie Moléculaire, Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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73
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Qin W, Zou J, Huang Y, Liu C, Kang Y, Han H, Tang Y, Li L, Liu B, Zhao W, Yuan X. Pirfenidone facilitates immune infiltration and enhances the antitumor efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in mice. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1824631. [PMID: 33457101 PMCID: PMC7781712 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1824631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients have a high risk of developing lung cancer, with few treatment options available. Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic agent approved for the treatment of IPF, has been demonstrated to suppress the TGFβ signaling and modulate the expression of immune-related genes. However, for lung cancer patients with comorbid IPF, whether pirfenidone has any synergetic effect with immune checkpoint inhibitors has not been investigated. In this study, we showed that pirfenidone monotherapy attenuated tumor growth with an increased T cell inflammatory signature in tumors. Co-administration of pirfenidone with PD-L1 blockades significantly delayed the tumor growth and increased survival, compared with the effect of either treatment alone. Combination therapy promoted gene expression with a unique signature associated with innate and adaptive immune response resulted in the infiltration of immune cells and optimal T cell positioning. Furthermore, we showed a great benefit of combination therapy in alleviating the pulmonary fibrosis and reducing the tumor growth in a tumor-fibrosis model. Our results collectively demonstrated that pirfenidone facilitated antitumor immunity and enhanced the efficacy of PD-L1 blockades. It may act as an adjuvant to immunotherapy in cancer treatment, particularly, in lung cancer patients with preexisting IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Qin
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jun Zou
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yongbiao Huang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chaofan Liu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yalin Kang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hu Han
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yang Tang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Long Li
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Weiheng Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xianglin Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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74
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Wang Y, Lakoma A, Zogopoulos G. Building towards Precision Oncology for Pancreatic Cancer: Real-World Challenges and Opportunities. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1098. [PMID: 32967105 PMCID: PMC7563487 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided unprecedented insight into the molecular complexity of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This has led to the emergence of biomarker-driven treatment paradigms that challenge empiric treatment approaches. However, the growth of sequencing technologies is outpacing the development of the infrastructure required to implement precision oncology as routine clinical practice. Addressing these logistical barriers is imperative to maximize the clinical impact of molecular profiling initiatives. In this review, we examine the evolution of precision oncology in PDAC, spanning from germline testing for cancer susceptibility genes to multi-omic tumor profiling. Furthermore, we highlight real-world challenges to delivering precision oncology for PDAC, and propose strategies to improve the generation, interpretation, and clinical translation of molecular profiling data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wang
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (Y.W.); (A.L.)
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Anna Lakoma
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (Y.W.); (A.L.)
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - George Zogopoulos
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (Y.W.); (A.L.)
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
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75
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Zhang Y, Yang X. The Roles of TGF-β Signaling in Cerebrovascular Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:567682. [PMID: 33072751 PMCID: PMC7530326 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.567682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebrovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, however, little progress has been made in preventing or treating these diseases to date. The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays crucial and highly complicated roles in cerebrovascular development and homeostasis, and dysregulated TGF-β signaling contributes to cerebrovascular diseases. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the functional role of TGF-β signaling in the cerebrovascular system under physiological and pathological conditions. We discuss the current understanding of TGF-β signaling in cerebral angiogenesis and the maintenance of brain vessel homeostasis. We also review the mechanisms by which disruption of TGF-β signaling triggers or promotes the progression of cerebrovascular diseases. Finally, we briefly discuss the potential of targeting TGF-β signaling to treat cerebrovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
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76
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Harnessing Natural Killer Immunity in Metastatic SCLC. J Thorac Oncol 2020; 15:1507-1521. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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77
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Dwivedi SKD, Rao G, Dey A, Buechel M, Zhang Y, Zhang M, Yang D, Mukherjee P, Bhattacharya R. Targeting the TGFβ pathway in uterine carcinosarcoma. Cell Stress 2020; 4:252-260. [PMID: 33150300 PMCID: PMC7590842 DOI: 10.15698/cst2020.11.234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) is a relatively infrequent, but extremely aggressive endometrial malignancy. Although surgery and chemotherapy have improved outcomes, overall survival (OS) remains dismal due to the lack of targeted therapy and biphasic (epithelial and mesenchymal) nature that renders the tumor aggressive and difficult to manage. Here we report a role of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) in maintaining epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and aggressiveness in UCS. Using a 3D-culture system, we evaluated the efficacy of the transforming growth factor-β receptor-I (TGFβR1) kinase inhibitor Galunisertib (GLT), alone and in combination with standard chemotherapeutic drugs used for the management of UCS. We demonstrate that GLT by inhibiting canonical and non-canonical signaling emanating from transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) reduces cellular viability, invasion, clonal growth and differentiation. Interestingly, GLT sensitizes UCS cells to chemotherapy both in vitro and in in vivo preclinical tumor model. Hence, targeting TGFβ signaling, in combination with standard chemotherapy, may be exploited as an important strategy to manage the clinically challenging UCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra Kumar Dhar Dwivedi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Geeta Rao
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Anindya Dey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Megan Buechel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Yushan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Da Yang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Priyabrata Mukherjee
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Resham Bhattacharya
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
- Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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78
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Abstract
Revascularization surgeries such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are sometimes necessary to manage coronary heart disease (CHD). However, more than half of these surgeries fail within 10 years due to the development of intimal hyperplasia (IH) among others. The cytokine transforming growth factor-beta (TGFß) and its signaling components have been found to be upregulated in diseased or injured vessels, and to promote IH after grafting. Interventions that globally inhibit TGFß in CABG have yielded contrasting outcomes in in vitro and in vivo studies including clinical trials. With advances in molecular biology, it becomes clear that TGFß exhibits both protective and damaging roles, and only specific components such as some Smad-dependent TGFß signaling mediate vascular IH. The activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)-mediated Smad-dependent TGFß signaling pathways have been found to be activated in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) following injury and in hyperplastic preimplantation vein grafts. It appears that focused targeting of TGFß pathway constitutes a promising therapeutic target to improve the outcome of CABG. This study dissects the role of TGFß pathway in CABG failure, with particular emphasis on the therapeutic potentials of specific targeting of Smad-dependent and ALK-mediated signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzuq A Ungogo
- Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, 58989Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.,Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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79
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Derynck R, Turley SJ, Akhurst RJ. TGFβ biology in cancer progression and immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020; 18:9-34. [DOI: 10.1038/s41571-020-0403-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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80
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Takahashi K, Akatsu Y, Podyma-Inoue KA, Matsumoto T, Takahashi H, Yoshimatsu Y, Koinuma D, Shirouzu M, Miyazono K, Watabe T. Targeting all transforming growth factor-β isoforms with an Fc chimeric receptor impairs tumor growth and angiogenesis of oral squamous cell cancer. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:12559-12572. [PMID: 32631954 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor progression is governed by various growth factors and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Among these, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is secreted by various cell types residing in the TME and promotes tumor progression by inducing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells and tumor angiogenesis. TGF-β comprises three isoforms, TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3, and transduces intracellular signals via TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI) and TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII). For the purpose of designing ligand traps that reduce oncogenic signaling in the TME, chimeric proteins comprising the ligand-interacting ectodomains of receptors fused with the Fc portion of immunoglobulin are often used. For example, chimeric soluble TβRII (TβRII-Fc) has been developed as an effective therapeutic strategy for targeting TGF-β ligands, but several lines of evidence indicate that TβRII-Fc more effectively traps TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 than TGF-β2, whose expression is elevated in multiple cancer types. In the present study, we developed a chimeric TGF-β receptor containing both TβRI and TβRII (TβRI-TβRII-Fc) and found that TβRI-TβRII-Fc trapped all TGF-β isoforms, leading to inhibition of both the TGF-β signal and TGF-β-induced EMT of oral cancer cells, whereas TβRII-Fc failed to trap TGF-β2. Furthermore, we found that TβRI-TβRII-Fc suppresses tumor growth and angiogenesis more effectively than TβRII-Fc in a subcutaneous xenograft model of oral cancer cells with high TGF-β expression. These results suggest that TβRI-TβRII-Fc may be a promising tool for targeting all TGF-β isoforms in the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Akatsu
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Biomedicine Group, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, and Pharmaceutical Group, Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katarzyna A Podyma-Inoue
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Hitomi Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Yoshimatsu
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Daizo Koinuma
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikako Shirouzu
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kohei Miyazono
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Watabe
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
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81
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Farmer SM, Andl CD. Computational modeling of transforming growth factor β and activin a receptor complex formation in the context of promiscuous signaling regulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 39:5166-5181. [PMID: 32597324 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1785330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) superfamily is a group of multipotent growth factors that control proliferation, quiescence and differentiation. Aberrant signal transduction and downstream target activation contribute to tumorigenesis and targeted therapy has therefore been considered a promising avenue. Using various modeling pipelines, we analyzed the structure-function relationship between ligand and receptor molecules of the TGFβ family. We further simulated the molecular docking of Galunisertib, a small molecule inhibitor targeting TGFβ signaling in cancer, which is currently undergoing FDA-approved clinical trials. We found that proprotein dimers of Activin isoforms differ at intrachain disulfide bonds, which support prior evidence of varying pro-domain stability and isoform preference. Further, mature proteins possess flexibility around conserved cystine knots to functionally interact with receptors or regulatory molecules in similar but distinct ways to TGFβ. We show that all Activin isoforms are capable of assuming a closed- or open-dimer state, revealing structural promiscuity of their open forms for receptor binding. We propose the first structural landscape for Activin receptor complexes containing a type I receptor (ACVR1B), which shares a pre-helix extension with TGFβ type I receptor (TGFβR1). Here, we artificially demonstrate that Activin can bind TGFβR1 in a TGFβ-like manner and that TGFβ1 can form signaling complexes with ACVR1B. Interestingly, Galunisertib was found to form stable inhibitory structures within the homologous kinase domains of both TGFβR1 and ACVR1B, thus halting receptor-promiscuous signaling. Overall, these observations highlight the challenges of specific TGFβ cascade targeting in the context of cancer therapies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Farmer
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Claudia D Andl
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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82
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Wang Z, Liu Q, Risu N, Fu J, Zou Y, Tang J, Li L, Liu H, Zhou G, Zhu X. Galunisertib enhances chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell function. Eur J Histochem 2020; 64. [PMID: 32705856 PMCID: PMC7388644 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2020.3122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy still faces the challenge of immunosuppression when treating solid tumors. TGF-β is one of the critical factors in the tumor microenvironment to help tumors escape surveillance by the immune system. Here we tried using the combination of a small molecule inhibitor of TGF-β receptor I, Galunisertib, and CAR T cells to explore whether Galunisertib could enhance CAR T cell function against solid tumor cells. In vitro experiments showed Galunisertib could significantly enhance the specific cytotoxicity of both CD133- and HER2-specific CAR T cells. However, Galunisertib had no direct killing effect on target cells. Galunisertib significantly increased the cytokine secretion of CAR T cells and T cells that do not express CAR (Nontransfected T cells). Galunisertib did not affect the proliferation of T cells, the antigen expression on target cells and CD69 on CAR T cells. We found that TGF-β was secreted by T cells themselves upon activation, and Galunisertib could reduce TGF-β signaling in CAR T cells. Our findings can provide the basis for further preclinical and clinical studies of the combination of Galunisertib and CAR T cells in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Wang
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
| | - Qian Liu
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
| | - Na Risu
- Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka.
| | - Jiayu Fu
- Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka.
| | - Yan Zou
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Jiaxing Tang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Long Li
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Hui Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Guomin Zhou
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
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83
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Wang Z, Liu Q, Risu N, Fu J, Zou Y, Tang J, Li L, Liu H, Zhou G, Zhu X. Galunisertib enhances chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell function. Eur J Histochem 2020. [PMID: 32705856 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2020.3122.pmid:32705856;pmcid:pmc7388644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy still faces the challenge of immunosuppression when treating solid tumors. TGF-β is one of the critical factors in the tumor microenvironment to help tumors escape surveillance by the immune system. Here we tried using the combination of a small molecule inhibitor of TGF-β receptor I, Galunisertib, and CAR T cells to explore whether Galunisertib could enhance CAR T cell function against solid tumor cells. In vitro experiments showed Galunisertib could significantly enhance the specific cytotoxicity of both CD133- and HER2-specific CAR T cells. However, Galunisertib had no direct killing effect on target cells. Galunisertib significantly increased the cytokine secretion of CAR T cells and T cells that do not express CAR (Nontransfected T cells). Galunisertib did not affect the proliferation of T cells, the antigen expression on target cells and CD69 on CAR T cells. We found that TGF-β was secreted by T cells themselves upon activation, and Galunisertib could reduce TGF-β signaling in CAR T cells. Our findings can provide the basis for further preclinical and clinical studies of the combination of Galunisertib and CAR T cells in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Wang
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
| | - Qian Liu
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
| | - Na Risu
- Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka.
| | - Jiayu Fu
- Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka.
| | - Yan Zou
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Jiaxing Tang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Long Li
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Hui Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai.
| | - Guomin Zhou
- School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai.
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84
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Reprogramming of Mesothelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Chronic Peritoneal Diseases by Estrogen Receptor Modulation and TGF-β1 Inhibition. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114158. [PMID: 32532126 PMCID: PMC7312018 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In chronic peritoneal diseases, mesothelial-mesenchymal transition is determined by cues from the extracellular environment rather than just the cellular genome. The transformation of peritoneal mesothelial cells and other host cells into myofibroblasts is mediated by cell membrane receptors, Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1), Src and Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). This article provides a narrative review of the reprogramming of mesothelial mesenchymal transition in chronic peritoneal diseases, drawing on the similarities in pathophysiology between encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis and peritoneal metastasis, with a particular focus on TGF-β1 signaling and estrogen receptor modulators. Estrogen receptors act at the cell membrane/cytosol as tyrosine kinases that can phosphorylate Src, in a similar way to other receptor tyrosine kinases; or can activate the estrogen response element via nuclear translocation. Tamoxifen can modulate estrogen membrane receptors, and has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MMT), peritoneal mesothelial cell migration, stromal fibrosis, and neoangiogenesis in the treatment of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, with a known side effect and safety profile. The ability of tamoxifen to inhibit the transduction pathways of TGF-β1 and HIF and achieve a quiescent peritoneal stroma makes it a potential candidate for use in cancer treatments. This is relevant to tumors that spread to the peritoneum, particularly those with mesenchymal phenotypes, such as colorectal CMS4 and MSS/EMT gastric cancers, and pancreatic cancer with its desmoplastic stroma. Morphological changes observed during mesothelial mesenchymal transition can be treated with estrogen receptor modulation and TGF-β1 inhibition, which may enable the regression of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis and peritoneal metastasis.
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85
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Wang J, Matosevic S. Functional and metabolic targeting of natural killer cells to solid tumors. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2020; 43:577-600. [DOI: 10.1007/s13402-020-00523-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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86
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Chakrabarty A, Surendran S, Bhola NE, Mishra VS, Wani TH, Baghel KS, Arteaga CL, Garg R, Chowdhury G. The H1047R PIK3CA oncogene induces a senescence-like state, pleiotropy and acute HSP90 dependency in HER2+ mammary epithelial cells. Carcinogenesis 2020; 40:1179-1190. [PMID: 31219154 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgz118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In pre-clinical models, co-existence of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2)-amplification and PI3K catalytic subunit (PIK3CA) mutations results in aggressive, anti-HER2 therapy-resistant breast tumors. This is not always reflected in clinical setting. We speculated that the complex interaction between the HER2 and PIK3CA oncogenes is responsible for such inconsistency. We performed series of biochemical, molecular and cellular assays on genetically engineered isogenic mammary epithelial cell lines and breast cancer cells expressing both oncogenes. In vitro observations were validated in xenografts models. We showed that H1047R, one of the most common PIK3CA mutations, is responsible for endowing a senescence-like state in mammary epithelial cells overexpressing HER2. Instead of imposing a permanent growth arrest characteristic of oncogene-induced senescence, the proteome secreted by the mutant cells promotes stem cell enrichment, angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, altered immune surveillance and acute vulnerability toward HSP90 inhibition. We inferred that the pleiotropism, as observed here, conferred by the mutated oncogene, depending on the host microenvironment, contributes to conflicting pre-clinical and clinical characteristics of HER2+, mutated PIK3CA-bearing tumor cells. We also came up with a plausible model for evolution of breast tumors from mammary epithelial cells harboring these two molecular lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sreeraj Surendran
- Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Neil E Bhola
- IDEAYA Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vishnu S Mishra
- Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Khemraj S Baghel
- Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Carlos L Arteaga
- University of Texas Southwestern and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rohini Garg
- Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Goutam Chowdhury
- Department of Chemistry, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, India
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87
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Predictive Value of Precision-Cut Kidney Slices as an Ex Vivo Screening Platform for Therapeutics in Human Renal Fibrosis. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12050459. [PMID: 32443499 PMCID: PMC7285118 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12050459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models are a valuable tool in preclinical research. However, limited predictivity of human biological responses in the conventional models has stimulated the search for reliable preclinical tools that show translational robustness. Here, we used precision-cut kidney slices (PCKS) as a model of renal fibrosis and investigated its predictive capacity for screening the effects of anti-fibrotics. Murine and human PCKS were exposed to TGFβ or PDGF pathway inhibitors with established anti-fibrotic efficacy. For each treatment modality, we evaluated whether it affected: (1) culture-induced collagen type I gene expression and interstitial accumulation; (2) expression of markers of TGFβ and PDGF signaling; and (3) expression of inflammatory markers. We summarized the outcomes of published in vivo animal and human studies testing the three inhibitors in renal fibrosis, and drew a parallel to the PCKS data. We showed that the responses of murine PCKS to anti-fibrotics highly corresponded with the known in vivo responses observed in various animal models of renal fibrosis. Moreover, our results suggested that human PCKS can be used to predict drug efficacy in clinical trials. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the PCKS model is a powerful predictive tool for ex vivo screening of putative drugs for renal fibrosis.
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88
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Masuda A, Nakamura T, Abe M, Iwamoto H, Sakaue T, Tanaka T, Suzuki H, Koga H, Torimura T. Promotion of liver regeneration and anti‑fibrotic effects of the TGF‑β receptor kinase inhibitor galunisertib in CCl4‑treated mice. Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:427-438. [PMID: 32377696 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytokine transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) serves a key role in hepatic fibrosis and has cytostatic effects on hepatocytes. The present study investigated the anti‑fibrogenic and regenerative effects of the TGF‑β receptor type I kinase inhibitor galunisertib (LY2157299) in mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‑induced liver cirrhosis and in vitro. Mice were intraperitoneally treated with CCl4 for 8 weeks. At week 5, the mice were divided randomly into four treatment groups: Vehicle‑treated; and treated with low‑; middle‑; and high‑dose galunisertib, which was administered from weeks 5‑8. The mice were sacrificed after 8 weeks of CCl4 treatment. Liver fibrosis, as evaluated by histology and determination of hydroxyproline content, progressed during week 4‑8 of CCl4 treatment in the vehicle‑treated mice. Galunisertib treatment dose‑dependently prevented liver fibrosis, as demonstrated by the direct inhibition of α‑smooth muscle actin‑positive activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) after 8 weeks of CCl4 treatment. The levels of active matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑9 in galunisertib‑treated livers were significantly increased compared with the vehicle‑treated livers. In the high‑dose group, the number of PCNA‑positive hepatocytes and endothelial cells markedly increased compared with the vehicle group. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analysis verified that interleukin‑6 and epiregulin expression levels were significantly increased in livers from the group treated with high‑dose galunisertib compared with the vehicle‑treated group. Galunisertib inhibited the proliferation of activated HSCs and collagen synthesis in addition to restoring MMP activity. Moreover, galunisertib promoted liver remodeling by proliferating hepatocytes and vascular endothelial cells, while significantly increasing liver weight. These results are consistent with the cytostatic action of TGF‑β that negatively regulates liver regeneration, and demonstrated that galunisertib inhibited TGF‑β signaling, halted liver fibrosis progression and promoted hepatic regeneration. The results of the present study suggest that galunisertib may be an effective treatment for liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsutaka Masuda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko Abe
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Hideki Iwamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Takahiko Sakaue
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Toshimitsu Tanaka
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
| | - Takuji Torimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 830‑0011, Japan
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89
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Huang W, Yang Y, Wu J, Niu Y, Yao Y, Zhang J, Huang X, Liang S, Chen R, Chen S, Guo L. Circular RNA cESRP1 sensitises small cell lung cancer cells to chemotherapy by sponging miR-93-5p to inhibit TGF-β signalling. Cell Death Differ 2020; 27:1709-1727. [PMID: 31728016 PMCID: PMC7206039 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-019-0455-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel RNA molecules that play important roles in chemoresistance in different cancers, including breast and gastric cancers. However, whether circRNAs are involved in the response to chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains largely unknown. In this study, we observed that cESRP1 (circular RNA epithelial splicing regulatory protein-1) expression was significantly downregulated in the chemoresistant cells compared with the parental chemosensitive cells. cESRP1 enhanced drug sensitivity by repressing miR-93-5p in SCLC. Cytoplasmic cESRP1 could directly bind to miR-93-5p and inhibit the posttranscriptional repression mediated by miR-93-5p, thereby upregulating the expression of the miR-93-5p downstream targets Smad7/p21(CDKN1A) and forming a negative feedback loop to regulate transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, cESRP1 overexpression and TGF-β pathway inhibition both altered tumour responsiveness to chemotherapy in an acquired chemoresistant patient-derived xenograft model. Importantly, cESRP1 expression was downregulated in SCLC patient tissues and was associated with survival. Our findings reveal, for the first time, that cESRP1 plays crucial a role in SCLC chemosensitivity by sponging miR-93-5p to inhibit the TGF-β pathway, suggesting that cESRP1 may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in SCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimei Huang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunchu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingfang Wu
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuchun Niu
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Yao Yao
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxian Huang
- Clinical Laboratory, Gushang Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Shumei Liang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Size Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Linlang Guo
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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90
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Horn LA, Fousek K, Palena C. Tumor Plasticity and Resistance to Immunotherapy. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:432-441. [PMID: 32348738 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cell plasticity exhibited as an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified as a major obstacle for the effective treatment of many cancers. This process, which involves the dedifferentiation of epithelial tumor cells towards a motile, metastatic, and mesenchymal tumor phenotype, mediates resistance to conventional therapies and small-molecule targeted therapies. In this review, we highlight current research correlating the role of tumor plasticity with resistance to current immunotherapy approaches and discuss future and ongoing combination immunotherapy strategies to reduce tumor cell plasticity-driven resistance in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas A Horn
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kristen Fousek
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Claudia Palena
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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91
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Rak GD, White MR, Augustine-Rauch K, Newsome C, Graziano MJ, Schulze GE. Intermittent dosing of the transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 inhibitor, BMS-986260, mitigates class-based cardiovascular toxicity in dogs but not rats. J Appl Toxicol 2020; 40:931-946. [PMID: 32061184 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Small-molecule inhibitors of transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGFβRI) have a history of significant class-based toxicities (eg, cardiac valvulopathy) in preclinical species that have limited their development as new medicines. Nevertheless, some TGFβRI inhibitors have entered into clinical trials using intermittent-dosing schedules and exposure limits in an attempt to avoid these toxicities. This report describes the toxicity profile of the small-molecule TGFβRI inhibitor, BMS-986260, in rats and dogs. Daily oral dosing for 10 days resulted in valvulopathy and/or aortic pathology at systemic exposures that would have been targeted clinically, preventing further development with this dosing schedule. These toxicities were not observed in either species in 1-month studies using the same doses on an intermittent-dosing schedule of 3 days on and 4 days off (QDx3 once weekly). Subsequently, 3-month studies were conducted (QDx3 once weekly), and while there were no cardiovascular findings in dogs, valvulopathy and mortality occurred early in rats. The only difference compared to the 1-month study was that the rats in the 3-month study were 2 weeks younger at the start of dosing. Therefore, a follow-up 1-month study was conducted to evaluate whether the age of rats influences sensitivity to target-mediated toxicity. Using the same dosing schedule and similar doses as in the 3-month study, there was no difference in the toxicity of BMS-986260 in young (8 weeks) or adult (8 months) rats. In summary, an intermittent-dosing schedule mitigated target-based cardiovascular toxicity in dogs but did not prevent valvulopathy in rats, and thus the development of BMS-986260 was terminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Rak
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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92
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Faivre S, Rimassa L, Finn RS. Molecular therapies for HCC: Looking outside the box. J Hepatol 2020; 72:342-352. [PMID: 31954496 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, sorafenib has been the only systemic agent with proven clinical efficacy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, lenvatinib was shown to be non-inferior to sorafenib, while regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab were shown to be superior to placebo in patients failing sorafenib. In addition, trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors reported encouraging efficacy signals. However, apart from alpha-fetoprotein, which is used to select patients for ramucirumab, no biomarkers are available to identify patients that may respond to a specific treatment. Different synergisms have been postulated based on the potential interplay between antiangiogenic drugs and immunotherapy, with several clinical trials currently testing this hypothesis. Indeed, encouraging preliminary results of phase I studies of bevacizumab plus atezolizumab and lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab have led to the design of ongoing phase III trials, including both antiangiogenics and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the front-line setting. Other important phase II studies have tested molecular therapies directed against different novel targets, such as transforming growth factor-beta, MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4. These studies integrated translational research with the aim of better defining the biological tumour profile and identifying tumour and blood biomarkers that select patients who may really benefit from a specific molecular therapy. Importantly, good safety profiles make these drugs suitable for future combinations. In this review, we discuss the most recent data on novel combination strategies and targets, as well as looking ahead to the future role of molecular therapies in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lorenza Rimassa
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano (Milan), Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (Milan), Italy.
| | - Richard S Finn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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93
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Cabrera-Pérez R, Monguió-Tortajada M, Gámez-Valero A, Rojas-Márquez R, Borràs FE, Roura S, Vives J. Osteogenic commitment of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells: mechanisms and implications for bioprocess development and clinical application. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:356. [PMID: 31779673 PMCID: PMC6883559 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Orthopaedic diseases are one of the major targets for regenerative medicine. In this context, Wharton’s jelly (WJ) is an alternative source to bone marrow (BM) for allogeneic transplantation since its isolation does not require an invasive procedure for cell collection and does not raise major ethical concerns. However, the osteogenic capacity of human WJ-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) remains unclear. Methods Here, we compared the baseline osteogenic potential of MSC from WJ and BM cell sources by cytological staining, quantitative real-time PCR and proteomic analysis, and assessed chemical and biological strategies for priming undifferentiated WJ-MSC. Concretely, different inhibitors/activators of the TGFβ1-BMP2 signalling pathway as well as the secretome of differentiating BM-MSC were tested. Results Cytochemical staining as well as gene expression and proteomic analysis revealed that osteogenic commitment was poor in WJ-MSC. However, stimulation of the BMP2 pathway with BMP2 plus tanshinone IIA and the addition of extracellular vesicles or protein-enriched preparations from differentiating BM-MSC enhanced WJ-MSC osteogenesis. Furthermore, greater outcome was obtained with the use of conditioned media from differentiating BM-MSC. Conclusions Altogether, our results point to the use of master banks of WJ-MSC as a valuable alternative to BM-MSC for orthopaedic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Cabrera-Pérez
- Cell Therapy Service, Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. .,Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Marta Monguió-Tortajada
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Health Science Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ana Gámez-Valero
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Health Science Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Raquel Rojas-Márquez
- Cell Therapy Service, Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Gene Regulation, Stem Cells and Cancer Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Francesc Enric Borràs
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Health Science Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain.,Nephrology Service, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Santiago Roura
- ICREC Research Program, Health Science Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joaquim Vives
- Cell Therapy Service, Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. .,Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. .,Medicine Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain.
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94
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Kerr WG, Chisholm JD. The Next Generation of Immunotherapy for Cancer: Small Molecules Could Make Big Waves. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 202:11-19. [PMID: 30587569 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
After decades of intense effort, therapeutics that leverage the immune system to fight cancer have now been conclusively demonstrated to be effective. Immuno-oncology has arrived and will play a key role in the treatment of cancer for the foreseeable future. However, the search for novel methods to improve immune responses to cancer continues unabated. Toward this end, small molecules that can either reduce immune suppression in the tumor milieu or enhance activation of cytotoxic lymphocyte responses to the tumor are actively being pursued. Such novel treatment strategies might be used as monotherapies or combined with other cancer therapies to increase and broaden their efficacy. In this article, we provide an overview of small molecule immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer. Over the next decade and beyond, these approaches could further enhance our ability to harness the immune system to combat cancer and thus become additional weapons in the oncologist's armory.
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Affiliation(s)
- William G Kerr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210; .,Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244; and.,Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - John D Chisholm
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244; and
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95
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Bigaeva E, Gore E, Mutsaers HAM, Oosterhuis D, Kim YO, Schuppan D, Bank RA, Boersema M, Olinga P. Exploring organ-specific features of fibrogenesis using murine precision-cut tissue slices. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1866:165582. [PMID: 31676376 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.165582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is the hallmark of pathologic tissue remodelling in most chronic diseases. Despite advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of fibrosis, it remains uncured. Fibrogenic processes share conserved core cellular and molecular pathways across organs. In this study, we aimed to elucidate shared and organ-specific features of fibrosis using murine precision-cut tissue slices (PCTS) prepared from small intestine, liver and kidneys. PCTS displayed substantial differences in their baseline gene expression profiles: 70% of the extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes were differentially expressed across the organs. Culture for 48 h induced significant changes in ECM regulation and triggered the onset of fibrogenesis in all PCTS in organ-specific manner. TGFβ signalling was activated during 48 h culture in all PCTS. However, the degree of its involvement varied: both canonical and non-canonical TGFβ pathways were activated in liver and kidney slices, while only canonical, Smad-dependent, cascade was involved in intestinal slices. The treatment with galunisertib blocked the TGFβRI/SMAD2 signalling in all PCTS, but attenuated culture-induced dysregulation of ECM homeostasis and mitigated the onset of fibrogenesis with organ-specificity. In conclusion, regardless the many common features in pathophysiology of organ fibrosis, PCTS displayed diversity in culture-induced responses and in response to the treatment with TGFβRI kinase inhibitor galunisertib, even though it targets a core fibrosis pathway. A clear understanding of the common and organ-specific features of fibrosis is the basis for developing novel antifibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Bigaeva
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Emilia Gore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Henricus A M Mutsaers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Dorenda Oosterhuis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Yong Ook Kim
- Institute of Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Obere Zahlbacherstraße 63, Mainz 55131, Germany
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Institute of Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Obere Zahlbacherstraße 63, Mainz 55131, Germany; Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 330 Brookline Avenue, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ruud A Bank
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Miriam Boersema
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Olinga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
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96
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Huang H, Zhang Y, Gallegos V, Sorrelle N, Zaid MM, Toombs J, Du W, Wright S, Hagopian M, Wang Z, Hosein AN, Sathe AA, Xing C, Koay EJ, Driscoll KE, Brekken RA. Targeting TGFβR2-mutant tumors exposes vulnerabilities to stromal TGFβ blockade in pancreatic cancer. EMBO Mol Med 2019; 11:e10515. [PMID: 31609088 PMCID: PMC6835203 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201910515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
TGFβ is important during pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) progression. Canonical TGFβ signaling suppresses epithelial pancreatic cancer cell proliferation; as a result, inhibiting TGFβ has not been successful in PDA. In contrast, we demonstrate that inhibition of stromal TGFβR2 reduces IL‐6 production from cancer‐associated fibroblasts, resulting in a reduction of STAT3 activation in tumor cells and reversion of the immunosuppressive landscape. Up to 7% of human PDA have tumor cell‐specific deficiency in canonical TGFβ signaling via loss of TGFβR2. We demonstrate that in PDA that harbors epithelial loss of TGFβR2, inhibition of TGFβ signaling is selective for stromal cells and results in a therapeutic benefit. Our study highlights the potential benefit of TGFβ blockade in PDA and the importance of stratifying PDA patients who might benefit from such therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huocong Huang
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Valerie Gallegos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Noah Sorrelle
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Mohamed Medhat Zaid
- Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason Toombs
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Wenting Du
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Steven Wright
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Moriah Hagopian
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zhaoning Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Abdel Nasser Hosein
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Adwait Amod Sathe
- McDermott Center of Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chao Xing
- McDermott Center of Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Eugene J Koay
- Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Rolf A Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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97
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Yang Y, Yang HH, Tang B, Wu AML, Flanders KC, Moshkovich N, Weinberg DS, Welsh MA, Weng J, Ochoa HJ, Hu TY, Herrmann MA, Chen J, Edmondson EF, Simpson RM, Liu F, Liu H, Lee MP, Wakefield LM. The Outcome of TGFβ Antagonism in Metastatic Breast Cancer Models In Vivo Reflects a Complex Balance between Tumor-Suppressive and Proprogression Activities of TGFβ. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 26:643-656. [PMID: 31582516 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-2370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE TGFβs are overexpressed in many advanced cancers and promote cancer progression through mechanisms that include suppression of immunosurveillance. Multiple strategies to antagonize the TGFβ pathway are in early-phase oncology trials. However, TGFβs also have tumor-suppressive activities early in tumorigenesis, and the extent to which these might be retained in advanced disease has not been fully explored. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN A panel of 12 immunocompetent mouse allograft models of metastatic breast cancer was tested for the effect of neutralizing anti-TGFβ antibodies on lung metastatic burden. Extensive correlative biology analyses were performed to assess potential predictive biomarkers and probe underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Heterogeneous responses to anti-TGFβ treatment were observed, with 5 of 12 models (42%) showing suppression of metastasis, 4 of 12 (33%) showing no response, and 3 of 12 (25%) showing an undesirable stimulation (up to 9-fold) of metastasis. Inhibition of metastasis was immune-dependent, whereas stimulation of metastasis was immune-independent and targeted the tumor cell compartment, potentially affecting the cancer stem cell. Thus, the integrated outcome of TGFβ antagonism depends on a complex balance between enhancing effective antitumor immunity and disrupting persistent tumor-suppressive effects of TGFβ on the tumor cell. Applying transcriptomic signatures derived from treatment-naïve mouse primary tumors to human breast cancer datasets suggested that patients with breast cancer with high-grade, estrogen receptor-negative disease are most likely to benefit from anti-TGFβ therapy. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to dogma, tumor-suppressive responses to TGFβ are retained in some advanced metastatic tumors. Safe deployment of TGFβ antagonists in the clinic will require good predictive biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yang
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Howard H Yang
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Binwu Tang
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alex Man Lai Wu
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kathleen C Flanders
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nellie Moshkovich
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Douglas S Weinberg
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael A Welsh
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jia Weng
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Humberto J Ochoa
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tiffany Y Hu
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michelle A Herrmann
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jinqiu Chen
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Elijah F Edmondson
- Pathology Histotechnology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - R Mark Simpson
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Fang Liu
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Huaitian Liu
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Maxwell P Lee
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lalage M Wakefield
- Lab of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
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98
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Lio DCS, Liu C, Oo MMS, Wiraja C, Teo MHY, Zheng M, Chew SWT, Wang X, Xu C. Transdermal delivery of small interfering RNAs with topically applied mesoporous silica nanoparticles for facile skin cancer treatment. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:17041-17051. [PMID: 31506653 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr06303j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising tool for the treatment of skin disorders including skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This article develops a topical formulation for the transdermal delivery of siRNA. The formulation is built on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) with a loading capacity of 1.4 μg of oligonucleotide per mg of MSNPs. Cell experiments are employed to study the functionality of the formulation including the cellular uptake, the qualitative and quantitative detection of specific gene biomarkers. The clinical potential of this system is examined by topically delivering siRNA targeting TGFβR-1 (TGFβR-1) to the SCC in a mouse xenograft model. In comparison to the controls, MSNPs containing TGFβR-1 siRNA show a 2-fold suppression of TGFβR-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Chin Shiuan Lio
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
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99
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Rautela J, Dagley LF, de Oliveira CC, Schuster IS, Hediyeh-Zadeh S, Delconte RB, Cursons J, Hennessy R, Hutchinson DS, Harrison C, Kita B, Vivier E, Webb AI, Degli-Esposti MA, Davis MJ, Huntington ND, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Therapeutic blockade of activin-A improves NK cell function and antitumor immunity. Sci Signal 2019; 12:12/596/eaat7527. [PMID: 31455725 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aat7527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a major role in immunosurveillance against tumor initiation and metastatic spread. The signals and checkpoints that regulate NK cell fitness and function in the tumor microenvironment are not well defined. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a suppressor of NK cells that inhibits interleukin-15 (IL-15)-dependent signaling events and increases the abundance of receptors that promote tissue residency. Here, we showed that NK cells express the type I activin receptor ALK4, which, upon binding to its ligand activin-A, phosphorylated SMAD2/3 to suppress IL-15-mediated NK cell metabolism. Activin-A impaired human and mouse NK cell proliferation and reduced the production of granzyme B to impair tumor killing. Similar to TGF-β, activin-A also induced SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and stimulated NK cells to increase their cell surface expression of several markers of ILC1 cells. Activin-A also induced these changes in TGF-β receptor-deficient NK cells, suggesting that activin-A and TGF-β stimulate independent pathways that drive SMAD2/3-mediated NK cell suppression. Last, inhibition of activin-A by follistatin substantially slowed orthotopic melanoma growth in mice. These data highlight the relevance of examining TGF-β-independent SMAD2/3 signaling mechanisms as a therapeutic axis to relieve NK cell suppression and promote antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai Rautela
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laura F Dagley
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Carolina C de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Células Inflamatórias e Neoplásicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, SCB, Centro Politecnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, CEP 81531-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Iona S Schuster
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Soroor Hediyeh-Zadeh
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Rebecca B Delconte
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph Cursons
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Robert Hennessy
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Dana S Hutchinson
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Craig Harrison
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Badia Kita
- Paranta Biosciences Limited, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Eric Vivier
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, CNRS, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Andrew I Webb
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Mariapia A Degli-Esposti
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melissa J Davis
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Huntington
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fernando Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. .,University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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100
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Jiang JH, Deng P. Discovery of New Inhibitors of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Type 1 Receptor by Utilizing Docking and Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174090. [PMID: 31438649 PMCID: PMC6747504 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/1970] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plays an important role in pathological fibrosis and cancer transformation. Therefore, the inhibition of the TGF-β signaling pathway has therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer. In this study, the binding modes between 47 molecules with a pyrrolotriazine-like backbone structure and transforming growth factor-beta type 1 receptor (TβR1) were simulated by molecular docking using Discovery Studio software, and their structure–activity relationships were analyzed. On the basis of the analysis of the binding modes of ligands in the active site and the structure–activity relationships, 29,254 new compounds were designed for virtual screening. According to the aforementioned analyses and Lipinski’s rule of five, five new compounds (CQMU1901–1905) with potential activity were screened through molecular docking. Among them, CQMU1905 is an attractive molecule composed of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), and 5-azacytosine. Interestingly, 5-FU, 6-MP, and 5-azacytidine are often used as anti-metabolic agents in cancer treatment. Compared with existing compounds, CQMU1901–1905 can interact with target proteins more effectively and have good potential for modification, making them worthy of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Hao Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Ping Deng
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, China.
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