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Simon B, Uslu U. CAR-T cell therapy in melanoma: A future success story? Exp Dermatol 2019; 27:1315-1321. [PMID: 30288790 DOI: 10.1111/exd.13792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are one of the impressive recent success stories of anti-cancer immunotherapy. Especially in haematological malignancies, this treatment strategy has shown promising results leading to the recent approval of two CAR-T cell constructs targeting CD19 in the United States and the European Union. After the huge success in haematological cancers, the next step will be the evaluation of its efficacy in different solid tumors, which is currently investigated in preclinical as well as clinical settings. A commonly examined tumor model in the context of immunotherapy is melanoma, since it is known for its immunogenic features. However, the first results of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors did not reveal the same impressive outcomes that were observed in haematological malignancies, as engineered cells need to cope with several challenges. Obstacles include the lack of migration of CAR-T cells from blood vessels to the tumor site as well as the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment within solid tumors. Another hurdle is posed by the identification of an ideal target antigen to avoid on-target/off-tumor toxicities. Regarding immune escape mechanisms, which can be developed by tumor cells to bypass immune recognition, the observation of antigen loss should also be considered. This article gives an overview of the challenges displayed in CAR-T cell therapy for the use in solid tumors and discusses different new strategies and approaches that deal with these problems in order to improve CAR-T cell therapy, particularly for its use in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Simon
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Biology, Division of Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ugur Uslu
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Simon B, Harrer DC, Thirion C, Schuler-Thurner B, Schuler G, Uslu U. Enhancing lentiviral transduction to generate melanoma-specific human T cells for cancer immunotherapy. J Immunol Methods 2019; 472:55-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2019.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Rotolo R, Leuci V, Donini C, Cykowska A, Gammaitoni L, Medico G, Valabrega G, Aglietta M, Sangiolo D. CAR-Based Strategies beyond T Lymphocytes: Integrative Opportunities for Cancer Adoptive Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20112839. [PMID: 31212634 PMCID: PMC6600566 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20112839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T lymphocytes (CAR Ts) produced impressive clinical results against selected hematological malignancies, but the extension of CAR T cell therapy to the challenging field of solid tumors has not, so far, replicated similar clinical outcomes. Many efforts are currently dedicated to improve the efficacy and safety of CAR-based adoptive immunotherapies, including application against solid tumors. A promising approach is CAR engineering of immune effectors different from αβT lymphocytes. Herein we reviewed biological features, therapeutic potential, and safety of alternative effectors to conventional CAR T cells: γδT, natural killer (NK), NKT, or cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. The intrinsic CAR-independent antitumor activities, safety profile, and ex vivo expansibility of these alternative immune effectors may favorably contribute to the clinical development of CAR strategies. The proper biological features of innate immune response effectors may represent an added value in tumor settings with heterogeneous CAR target expression, limiting the risk of tumor clonal escape. All these properties bring out CAR engineering of alternative immune effectors as a promising integrative option to be explored in future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Rotolo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
| | - Valeria Leuci
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
- Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo TO, Italy.
| | - Chiara Donini
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
| | - Anna Cykowska
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
| | | | - Giovanni Medico
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Valabrega
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
- Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo TO, Italy.
| | - Massimo Aglietta
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
- Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo TO, Italy.
| | - Dario Sangiolo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10140 Torino, Italy.
- Candiolo Cancer Institute FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo TO, Italy.
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Microbiota: Overview and Implication in Immunotherapy-Based Cancer Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20112699. [PMID: 31159348 PMCID: PMC6600175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20112699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last few years, the gut microbiota has gained increasing attention as a consequence of its emerging role as a modulator of the immune system. With the advent of the era of checkpoint inhibitors immunotherapy and adoptive cell transfer (ACT) in oncology, these findings became of primary relevance in light of experimental data that suggested the microbiota involvement as a plausible predictor of a good or poor response. These remarks justify the efforts to pinpoint the specific actions of the microbiota and to identify new strategies to favorably edit its composition.
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Simon B, Harrer DC, Schuler-Thurner B, Schuler G, Uslu U. Arming T Cells with a gp100-Specific TCR and a CSPG4-Specific CAR Using Combined DNA- and RNA-Based Receptor Transfer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11050696. [PMID: 31137488 PMCID: PMC6562862 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050696] [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: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells can develop immune escape mechanisms to bypass T cell recognition, e.g., antigen loss or downregulation of the antigen presenting machinery, which represents a major challenge in adoptive T cell therapy. To counteract these mechanisms, we transferred not only one, but two receptors into the same T cell to generate T cells expressing two additional receptors (TETARs). We generated these TETARs by lentiviral transduction of a gp100-specific T cell receptor (TCR) and subsequent electroporation of mRNA encoding a second-generation CSPG4-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Following pilot experiments to optimize the combined DNA- and RNA-based receptor transfer, the functionality of TETARs was compared to T cells either transfected with the TCR only or the CAR only. After transfection, TETARs clearly expressed both introduced receptors on their cell surface. When stimulated with tumor cells expressing either one of the antigens or both, TETARs were able to secrete cytokines and showed cytotoxicity. The confirmation that two antigen-specific receptors can be functionally combined using two different methods to introduce each receptor into the same T cell opens new possibilities and opportunities in cancer immunotherapy. For further evaluation, the use of these TETARs in appropriate animal models will be the next step towards a potential clinical use in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Simon
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
- Division of Genetics, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Dennis C Harrer
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Beatrice Schuler-Thurner
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Gerold Schuler
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Ugur Uslu
- Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Holzinger A, Abken H. CAR T Cells: A Snapshot on the Growing Options to Design a CAR. Hemasphere 2019; 3:e172. [PMID: 31723811 PMCID: PMC6745938 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy of malignant diseases with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T cells rapidly advanced from pre-clinical models to commercial approvals within 2 decades. CARs redirect patient's T cells towards cancer cells and activate the engineered cells for a cytolytic attack resulting in the destruction of the cognate target cell. CAR T cells have demonstrated their powerful capacities in inducing complete and lasting remissions of leukemia/lymphoma in an increasing number of trials worldwide. Since the early 90's, the design of CARs went through various steps of optimization until the very recent developments which include CARs with logic gating in the recognition of antigen patterns on target cells and TRUCKs with a target recognition induced delivery of immune modulating agents. Here we review the generations in CAR design, the impact of specific modifications, the strategies to improve the safety of CAR T cell therapy, and the challenges to adapt the CAR design for broader applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Holzinger
- RCI, Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology, Chair for Gene-Immune Therapy, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- RCI, Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology, Chair for Gene-Immune Therapy, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Tu Y, Pan M, Song S, Hua J, Liu R, Li L. CD3 +CD56 + natural killer T cell infiltration is increased in cervical cancer and negatively correlated with tumour progression. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2019.1669489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Tu
- Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, PR China
- Department of Oncology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Mei Pan
- Department of Oncology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Shuhong Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jishui People's Hospital, Ji'an, PR China
| | - Jinren Hua
- Department of Oncology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Rongfang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, PR China
| | - Longyu Li
- Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, PR China
- Department of Oncology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, PR China
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