101
|
Zheng Y, Wang Z, Wei S, Liu Z, Chen G. Epigenetic silencing of chemokine CCL2 represses macrophage infiltration to potentiate tumor development in small cell lung cancer. Cancer Lett 2020; 499:148-163. [PMID: 33253790 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Highly invasive and rapidly fatal, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been an insurmountable gulf since discovery. Innate immunity plays a vital role in anti-tumor response, among which macrophages contribute to an indispensable character. Here, we found that macrophage infiltration in SCLC reduced significantly in a stage-dependent manner, attributed to the decreased expression of CCL2, a potent chemoattractant for monocytes. Validated by ChIP-qPCR and MassArray methylation analysis, CCL2 expression was inhibited by EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 in the enhancer regions and DNMT1-mediated DNA methylation in the promoter regions, the process of which could be reversed by small-molecular compounds, EPZ011989 and Decitabine. Direct cell-cell contact between SCLC cells and macrophages skewed the phenotype of macrophages to be more M1-like. Furthermore, in an ectopic engraft model of SCLC, disruption of EZH2/DNMT1 function using the combination treatment of EPZ011989 and Decitabine potently abrogated the inhibition of macrophage infiltration and thus suppressed tumor growth, the effect of which was impaired by CCL2 neutralization or macrophage depletion. Overall, this work provides new insights into the role of macrophages in SCLC and establishes a rationale for constructing novel therapeutic avenues for SCLC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zheng
- Department of Oncology, First Hospital, Jilin University, 130012, Jilin, PR China.
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 100850, Beijing, PR China; School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Simeng Wei
- Department of Oncology, First Hospital, Jilin University, 130012, Jilin, PR China
| | - Ziling Liu
- Department of Oncology, First Hospital, Jilin University, 130012, Jilin, PR China.
| | - Guojiang Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 100850, Beijing, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
102
|
Yi J, Shi X, Xuan Z, Wu J. Histone demethylase UTX/KDM6A enhances tumor immune cell recruitment, promotes differentiation and suppresses medulloblastoma. Cancer Lett 2020; 499:188-200. [PMID: 33253789 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The deregulation of epigenetic pathways has been implicated as a critical step in tumorigenesis including in childhood brain tumor medulloblastoma. The H3K27me3 demethylase UTX/KDM6A plays important roles in development and is frequently mutated in various types of cancer. However, how UTX regulates tumor development remains largely unclear. Here, we report the generation of a UTX-deleted mouse model of SHH medulloblastoma that demonstrates the tumor suppressor functions of UTX, which could be antagonized by the deletion of another H3K27me3 demethylase JMJD3/KDM6B. Intriguingly, UTX deletion in cancerous cerebellar granule neuron precursors (CGNPs) resulted in the impaired recruitment of host CD8+ T cells to the tumor microenvironment through a non-cell autonomous mechanism. In both mouse medulloblastoma models and in human medulloblastoma cells, we showed that UTX activates Th1-type chemokines, which are responsible for T cell migration. Surprisingly, our results showed that the depletion of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells did not affect mouse medulloblastoma growth. Nevertheless, the UTX/chemokine/T cell recruitment pathway we identified may be applied to many other cancers and may be important for improving cancer immunotherapy. In addition, UTX is required for the expression of NeuroD2 in precancerous progenitors, which encodes a potent proneural transcription factor. Overexpression of NEUROD2 in CGNPs decreased cell proliferation and increased neuron differentiation. We showed that UTX deletion led to impaired neural differentiation, which could coordinate with active SHH signaling to accelerate medulloblastoma development. Thus, UTX regulates both cell-intrinsic oncogenic processes and the tumor microenvironment in medulloblastoma. Our study provides insights into both medulloblastoma development and context dependent functions of UTX in tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqing Yi
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Xuanming Shi
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Zhenyu Xuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Systems Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Jiang Wu
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Koss B, Shields BD, Taylor EM, Storey AJ, Byrum SD, Gies AJ, Washam CL, Choudhury SR, Hyun Ahn J, Uryu H, Williams JB, Krager KJ, Chiang TC, Mackintosh SG, Edmondson RD, Aykin-Burns N, Gajewski TF, Wang GG, Tackett AJ. Epigenetic Control of Cdkn2a.Arf Protects Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes from Metabolic Exhaustion. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4707-4719. [PMID: 33004350 PMCID: PMC7642172 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
T-cell exhaustion in cancer is linked to poor clinical outcomes, where evidence suggests T-cell metabolic changes precede functional exhaustion. Direct competition between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and cancer cells for metabolic resources often renders T cells dysfunctional. Environmental stress produces epigenome remodeling events within TIL resulting from loss of the histone methyltransferase EZH2. Here, we report an epigenetic mechanism contributing to the development of metabolic exhaustion in TIL. A multiomics approach revealed a Cdkn2a.Arf-mediated, p53-independent mechanism by which EZH2 inhibition leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and the resultant exhaustion. Reprogramming T cells to express a gain-of-function EZH2 mutant resulted in an enhanced ability of T cells to inhibit tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Our data suggest that manipulation of T-cell EZH2 within the context of cellular therapies may yield lymphocytes that are able to withstand harsh tumor metabolic environments and collateral pharmacologic insults. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that manipulation of T-cell EZH2 in cellular therapies may yield cellular products able to withstand solid tumor metabolic-deficient environments. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/80/21/4707/F1.large.jpg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Koss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Bradley D Shields
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Erin M Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Aaron J Storey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Stephanie D Byrum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Allen J Gies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Charity L Washam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Samrat Roy Choudhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Jeong Hyun Ahn
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Hidetaka Uryu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jason B Williams
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kimberly J Krager
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Tung-Chin Chiang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Samuel G Mackintosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Rick D Edmondson
- Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Nukhet Aykin-Burns
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Thomas F Gajewski
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gang Greg Wang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alan J Tackett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas
| |
Collapse
|
104
|
Wang F, Wang S, Zhou Q. The Resistance Mechanisms of Lung Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2020; 10:568059. [PMID: 33194652 PMCID: PMC7606919 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.568059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized lung cancer treatment in the past decade. By reactivating the host’s immune system, immunotherapy significantly prolongs survival in some advanced lung cancer patients. However, resistance to immunotherapy is frequent, which manifests as a lack of initial response or clinical benefit to therapy (primary resistance) or tumor progression after the initial period of response (acquired resistance). Overcoming immunotherapy resistance is challenging owing to the complex and dynamic interplay among malignant cells and the defense system. This review aims to discuss the mechanisms that drive immunotherapy resistance and the innovative strategies implemented to overcome it in lung cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Lung Cancer, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research, Department of Oncology, Cancer Institute of Shenzhen-PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shubin Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Cancer Translational Research, Department of Oncology, Cancer Institute of Shenzhen-PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qing Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Lung Cancer, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
105
|
Shao FF, Chen BJ, Wu GQ. The functions of EZH2 in immune cells: Principles for novel immunotherapies. J Leukoc Biol 2020; 110:77-87. [PMID: 33040370 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.1ru0520-311r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is aberrantly expressed or mutated in multiple types of cancer cells and plays an oncogenic role in tumorigenesis and development in most cancers. Results from pilot clinical studies have implied that EZH2 inhibitors have therapeutic potential against some cancers. However, the exact mechanisms by which EZH2 plays oncogenic roles and EZH2 inhibition exerts anticancer effects are incompletely understood. To date, the findings of studies focusing on EZH2 and cancer cells have failed to fully explain the observations in preclinical and clinical studies. Therefore, recent studies about the roles of EZH2 in cancers have shifted from cancer cells to immune cells. The human immune system is a complex network comprising multiple subpopulations of immune cells. Immune cells communicate and interact with cancer cells during cancer development and treatment, dictating the fate of cancer cells. Elucidating the roles of EZH2 in immune cells, especially in cancer patients, promises the identification of novel immunotherapeutic strategies or priming of existing immunotherapies against cancer. Hence, we reviewed the studies focusing on the involvement of EZH2 in various immune cells, aiming to provide ideas for immunotherapies targeting EZH2 in immune cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fei Shao
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bo-Jin Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guo-Qing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
106
|
Stairiker CJ, Thomas GD, Salek-Ardakani S. EZH2 as a Regulator of CD8+ T Cell Fate and Function. Front Immunol 2020; 11:593203. [PMID: 33117406 PMCID: PMC7574680 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.593203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2) is the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) that mediates di- and trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 27 effectively precluding successful gene transcription at these loci. This class of epigenetic modifications facilitates the maintenance of tissue-specific cellular transcriptional programs as cells undergoing successive rounds of proliferation. CD8+ T cells are effective mediators of adaptive immunity and function to eliminate virus- and bacteria-infected cells as well as tumor cells. Upon recognition of cognate antigen, T cells undergo activation/proliferation to clear the target cells. The heterogeneous population of responding T cells formed during these proliferative events thus rely on epigenetic modifications to ensure identity and confer functional capabilities. In this review, we will focus on the role of the dynamic expression EZH2 in shaping the epigenetic landscape of CD8+ T cell fate and function, with a particular emphasis on infection and cancer. We also explore competing hypotheses pertaining to EZH2 function and the prospects of clinical EZH2 inhibitors in fine-tuning T cell responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Stairiker
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Graham D Thomas
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Shahram Salek-Ardakani
- Cancer Immunology Discovery, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
107
|
Das P, Taube JH. Regulating Methylation at H3K27: A Trick or Treat for Cancer Cell Plasticity. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2792. [PMID: 33003334 PMCID: PMC7600873 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Properly timed addition and removal of histone 3 lysine 27 tri-methylation (H3K27me3) is critical for enabling proper differentiation throughout all stages of development and, likewise, can guide carcinoma cells into altered differentiation states which correspond to poor prognoses and treatment evasion. In early embryonic stages, H3K27me3 is invoked to silence genes and restrict cell fate. Not surprisingly, mutation or altered functionality in the enzymes that regulate this pathway results in aberrant methylation or demethylation that can lead to malignancy. Likewise, changes in expression or activity of these enzymes impact cellular plasticity, metastasis, and treatment evasion. This review focuses on current knowledge regarding methylation and de-methylation of H3K27 in cancer initiation and cancer cell plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph H. Taube
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
108
|
Eich ML, Athar M, Ferguson JE, Varambally S. EZH2-Targeted Therapies in Cancer: Hype or a Reality. Cancer Res 2020; 80:5449-5458. [PMID: 32978169 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-2147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Next-generation genomic sequencing has identified multiple novel molecular alterations in cancer. Since the identification of DNA methylation and histone modification, it has become evident that genes encoding epigenetic modifiers that locally and globally regulate gene expression play a crucial role in normal development and cancer progression. The histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is the enzymatic catalytic subunit of the polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that can alter gene expression by trimethylating lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27). EZH2 is involved in global transcriptional repression, mainly targeting tumor-suppressor genes. EZH2 is commonly overexpressed in cancer and shows activating mutations in subtypes of lymphoma. Extensive studies have uncovered an important role for EZH2 in cancer progression and have suggested that it may be a useful therapeutic target. In addition, tumors harboring mutations in other epigenetic genes such as ARID1A, KDM6, and BAP1 are highly sensitive to EZH2 inhibition, thus increasing its potential as a therapeutic target. Recent studies also suggest that inhibition of EZH2 enhances the response to tumor immunotherapy. Many small-molecule inhibitors have been developed to target EZH2 or the PRC2 complex, with some of these inhibitors now in early clinical trials reporting clinical responses with acceptable tolerability. In this review, we highlight the recent advances in targeting EZH2, its successes, and potential limitations, and we discuss the future directions of this therapeutic subclass.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Lisa Eich
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mohammad Athar
- Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - James E Ferguson
- Department of Urology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Sooryanarayana Varambally
- Department of Pathology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- Informatics Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, Department of Pathology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
109
|
Liu J, Zhao H, Zhang Q, Shi Z, Zhang Y, Zhao L, Ren Y, Ou R, Xu Y. Human papillomavirus type 16 E7 oncoprotein-induced upregulation of lysine-specific demethylase 5A promotes cervical cancer progression by regulating the microRNA-424-5p/suppressor of zeste 12 pathway. Exp Cell Res 2020; 396:112277. [PMID: 32918895 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and viral protein expression cause several epigenetic alterations that lead to cervical carcinogenesis. Our previous study identified that upregulated lysine-specific demethylase (KDM) 2 A promotes cervical cancer progression by inhibiting mircoRNA (miR)-132 function. However, the roles of histone methylation modifiers in HPV-related cervical cancer remain unclear. In the present study, changes in the expression of 48 histone methylation modifiers were assessed following knockdown of HPV16 E6/E7 in CaSki cells. The dysregulated expression of KDM5A was identified, and its function in cervical cancer was investigated in vitro and in vivo. E7 oncoprotein-induced upregulation of KDM5A promoted cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness in vitro and in vivo, which was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer. KDM5A was found to physically interact with the promoter region of miR-424-5p, and to suppress its expression by removing the tri- and di-methyl groups from H3K4 at the miR-424-5p locus. Furthermore, miR-424-5p repressed cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness by targeting suppressor of zeste 12 (Suz12). KDM5A upregulation promoted cervical cancer progression by repressing miR-424-5p, which resulted in a decrease in Suz12. Therefore, KDM5A functions as a tumor activator in cervical cancer pathogenesis by binding to the miR-424-5p promoter and inhibiting its tumor-suppressive function. These results indicate a function for KDM5A in cervical cancer progression and suggest its candidacy as a novel prognostic biomarker and target for the clinical management of this malignancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Center, The Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China
| | - Hongqin Zhao
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China
| | - Zhengzheng Shi
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Laboratory for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yi Ren
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Rongying Ou
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, PR China.
| | - Yunsheng Xu
- Laboratory for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR China; Department of Dermatovenereology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
110
|
Hu W, Wang G, Yarmus LB, Wan Y. Combined Methylome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets for EGFR Wild Type Lung Cancers with Low PD-L1 Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092496. [PMID: 32899191 PMCID: PMC7563876 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Low expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs) are refractory, and only few therapeutic options exist. This study aims to clarify the molecular basis of this special subtype of NSCLC and identify potential therapeutic targets. We performed integrating data from multiple sources including transcriptome, methylome, and clinical outcome to uncover the effect of epigenetic changes acting this special subtype lung cancer. We elucidated both aberrant methylation and associated aberrant gene expression and the emerging methylation-transcription patterns were classified as HypoUp, HypoDown, HyperUp, or HyperDown. We found that the aberrant methylation-transcription patterns significantly affect the overall survival time of the patients. We used protein–drug interaction data and molecular docking analysis to identify potential therapeutic candidates. This study uncovered the distinct methylation-transcription characteristics of this special subtype lung cancer, and provided an adaptable way to identify potential therapeutic targets. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1/PD-L1 have demonstrated remarkable treatment efficacy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, low expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type NSCLCs are refractory, and only few therapeutic options exist. Currently, combination therapy with ICIs is frequently used in order to enhance the treatment response rates. Yet, this regimen is still associated with poor treatment outcome. Therefore, identification of potential therapeutic targets for this subgroup of NSCLC is strongly desired. Here, we report the distinct methylation signatures of this special subgroup. Moreover, several druggable targets and relevant drugs for targeted therapy were incidentally identified. We found hypermethylated differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in three regions (TSS200, TSS1500, and gene body) are significantly higher than hypomethylated ones. Downregulated methylated genes were found to be involved in negative regulation of immune response and T cell-mediated immunity. Moreover, expression of four methylated genes (PLCXD3 (Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C, X Domain Containing 3), BAIAP2L2 (BAR/IMD Domain Containing Adaptor Protein 2 Like 2), NPR3 (Natriuretic Peptide Receptor 3), SNX10 (Sorting Nexin 10)) can influence patients’ prognosis. Subsequently, based on DrugBank data, NetworkAnalyst 3.0 was used for protein–drug interaction analysis of up-regulated differentially methylated genes. Protein products of nine genes were identified as potential druggable targets, of which the tumorigenic potential of XDH (Xanthine Dehydrogenase), ATIC (5-Aminoimidazole-4-Carboxamide Ribonucleotide Formyltransferase/IMP Cyclohydrolase), CA9 (Carbonic Anhydrase 9), SLC7A11 (Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11), and GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase) have been demonstrated in previous studies. Next, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were performed to verify the structural basis of the therapeutic targets. It is noteworthy that the identified pemetrexed targeting ATIC has been recently approved for first-line use in combination with anti-PD1 inhibitors against lung cancer, irrespective of PD-L1 expression. In future work, a pivotal clinical study will be initiated to further validate our findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weilei Hu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China;
- Center for Disease Prevention Research and Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Guosheng Wang
- The Pq Laboratory of Micro/Nano BiomeDx, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Binghamton University—SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA;
| | - Lonny B. Yarmus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
| | - Yuan Wan
- The Pq Laboratory of Micro/Nano BiomeDx, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Binghamton University—SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-607-777-5477; Fax: +1-607-777-5780
| |
Collapse
|
111
|
Yang R, Wang M, Zhang G, Bao Y, Wu Y, Li X, Yang W, Cui H. E2F7-EZH2 axis regulates PTEN/AKT/mTOR signalling and glioblastoma progression. Br J Cancer 2020; 123:1445-1455. [PMID: 32814835 PMCID: PMC7591888 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01032-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND E2F transcription factors are considered to be important drivers of tumour growth. E2F7 is an atypical E2F factor, and its role in glioblastoma remains undefined. METHODS E2F7 expression was examined in patients by IHC and qRT-PCR. The overall survival probability was determined by statistical analyses. MTT assay, colony formation, cell-cycle assay, cell metastasis and the in vivo model were employed to determine the functional role of E2F7 in glioblastoma. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase assay and western blot were used to explore the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS E2F7 was found to be up-regulated in glioblastoma patients, and high E2F7 expression was associated with poor overall survival in glioblastoma patients. Functional studies showed that E2F7 promoted cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression, cell metastasis and tumorigenicity abilities in vitro and in vivo. E2F7 promoted the transcription of EZH2 by binding to its promoter and increased H3K27me3 level. EZH2 recruited H3K27me3 to the promoter of PTEN and inhibited PTEN expression, and then activated the AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. In addition, restored expression of EZH2 recovered the abilities of cell proliferation and metastasis in E2F7-silencing cells. CONCLUSION Collectively, our findings indicate that E2F7 promotes cell proliferation, cell metastasis and tumorigenesis via EZH2-mediated PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway in glioblastoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Precision Oncology of Shandong Higher Education, Institute of Precision Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Guizhou Provincial College-based Key Laboratory for Tumor Prevention and Treatment with Distinctive Medicines, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Guanghui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yonghua Bao
- Key Laboratory of Precision Oncology of Shandong Higher Education, Institute of Precision Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Yanan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiuxiu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng, Liaocheng, China
| | - Wancai Yang
- Key Laboratory of Precision Oncology of Shandong Higher Education, Institute of Precision Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.,Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. .,Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
112
|
Wang L, Qu J, Zhou N, Hou H, Jiang M, Zhang X. Effect and biomarker of immune checkpoint blockade therapy for ARID1A deficiency cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 130:110626. [PMID: 32791396 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The AT-rich interaction domain 1A (ARID1A) are frequently mutates across a broad spectrum of cancers. The majority of ARID1A mutations are inactivating mutations and lead to loss expression of the ARID1A protein. To date, clinical applicable targeted cancer therapy based on ARID1A mutational status has not been described. With increasing number of studies reported that the ARID1A deficiency may be a novel predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment. ARID1A deficiency would compromise mismatch repair pathway and increase the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tumor mutation burden and expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in some cancers, which would suggested cooperate with ICB treatment. In this review, we summarize the relationship between ARID1A deficiency and ICB treatment including potential mechanisms, potential therapeutic combination, and the biomarker value of ARID1A deficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jialin Qu
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Na Zhou
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Helei Hou
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Man Jiang
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Xiaochun Zhang
- Precision Medicine Center of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
113
|
Bai R, Chen N, Li L, Du N, Bai L, Lv Z, Tian H, Cui J. Mechanisms of Cancer Resistance to Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1290. [PMID: 32850400 PMCID: PMC7425302 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, based on the extensive development of preclinical animal studies and clinical trials, the efficacy, and mechanisms of immunotherapy have been fully explored. Significant and lasting clinical responses with immunotherapy provide a new breakthrough treatment for a variety of refractory cancer histologies, which gradually change the treatment pattern of tumors. However, although immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs are promising for achieving longer-term efficacy, their benefits in the overall population are still very low, such as low frequency of response in some common tumor types such as breast and prostate, and heterogeneity in the degree of response among different tumor lesions in the same patient, making immunotherapy with many limitations and challenges. Most patients do not respond to immunotherapy or inevitably develop resistance to treatment after a period of treatment, manifesting with primary resistance or acquired resistance who initially respond to treatment. The mechanisms of tumor immune resistance are very complex and involve multiple aspects such as genes, metabolism, inflammation, and abnormal neovascularization. Currently, many mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance have been characterized, and more continue to be uncovered. These efforts can improve the quality of medical care for cancer diagnosis and treatment, which improve the quality of life of patients, and finally lead to accurate individualized treatment. This review discusses mechanisms of cancer immunotherapy resistance including tumor-intrinsic factors and tumor-extrinsic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jiuwei Cui
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
114
|
The role of histone methylation in the development of digestive cancers: a potential direction for cancer management. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:143. [PMID: 32747629 PMCID: PMC7398912 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00252-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Digestive cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and have high risks of morbidity and mortality. Histone methylation, which is mediated mainly by lysine methyltransferases, lysine demethylases, and protein arginine methyltransferases, has emerged as an essential mechanism regulating pathological processes in digestive cancers. Under certain conditions, aberrant expression of these modifiers leads to abnormal histone methylation or demethylation in the corresponding cancer-related genes, which contributes to different processes and phenotypes, such as carcinogenesis, proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion, and migration, during digestive cancer development. In this review, we focus on the association between histone methylation regulation and the development of digestive cancers, including gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer, as well as on its clinical application prospects, aiming to provide a new perspective on the management of digestive cancers.
Collapse
|
115
|
The complex role of EZH2 in the tumor microenvironment: opportunities and challenges for immunotherapy combinations. Future Med Chem 2020; 12:1415-1430. [PMID: 32723083 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2020-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment occurs through epigenetic changes in both tumor cells and immune cells that alter transcriptional programs driving cell fate and cell function. Oncogenic activation of the histone methyltransferase EZH2 mediates gene expression changes, governing tumor immunogenicity as well as differentiation, survival and activation states of immune lineages. Emerging preclinical studies have highlighted the potential for EZH2 inhibitors to reverse epigenetic immune suppression in tumors and combine with immune checkpoint therapies. However, EZH2 activity is essential for the development of lymphoid cells, performing critical immune effector functions within tumors. In this review, we highlight the complexity of EZH2 function in immune regulation which may impact the implementation of combination with immunotherapy agents in clinic.
Collapse
|
116
|
BMI1 Inhibition Eliminates Residual Cancer Stem Cells after PD1 Blockade and Activates Antitumor Immunity to Prevent Metastasis and Relapse. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 27:238-253.e6. [PMID: 32697949 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PD1 blockade-based combination therapy has been approved as a first-line treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the response rate remains relatively low, and patients with HNSCC eventually relapse. Here, we show that the combination treatment of anti-PD1 and cisplatin enriched BMI1+ CSCs in HNSCC while inhibiting HNSCC growth. In contrast, the pharmacological and genetic inhibition of BMI1 eliminated BMI1+ CSCs and enabled PD1 blockade therapy, resulting in the inhibition of metastatic HNSCC and prevention of HNSCC relapses. BMI1 inhibition strongly induced tumor cell-intrinsic immune responses by recruiting and activating CD8+ T cells in addition to eliminating BMI1+ CSCs. Mechanistically, BMI1 inhibition induced CD8+ T cell-recruiting chemokines by stimulating IRF3-mediated transcription and erasing repressive H2A ubiquitination. Our results suggest that targeting BMI1 may enable immune checkpoint blockade to inhibit metastatic tumor growth and prevent tumor relapse by activating cell-intrinsic immunity, in addition to purging CSCs.
Collapse
|
117
|
Chen X, Pan X, Zhang W, Guo H, Cheng S, He Q, Yang B, Ding L. Epigenetic strategies synergize with PD-L1/PD-1 targeted cancer immunotherapies to enhance antitumor responses. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:723-733. [PMID: 32528824 PMCID: PMC7276686 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy strategies targeting the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) pathway in clinical treatments have achieved remarkable success in treating multiple types of cancer. However, owing to the heterogeneity of tumors and individual immune systems, PD-L1/PD-1 blockade still shows slow response rates in controlling malignancies in many patients. Accumulating evidence has shown that an effective response to anti-PD-L1/anti-PD-1 therapy requires establishing an integrated immune cycle. Damage in any step of the immune cycle is one of the most important causes of immunotherapy failure. Impairments in the immune cycle can be restored by epigenetic modification, including reprogramming the environment of tumor-associated immunity, eliciting an immune response by increasing the presentation of tumor antigens, and by regulating T cell trafficking and reactivation. Thus, a rational combination of PD-L1/PD-1 blockade and epigenetic agents may offer great potential to retrain the immune system and to improve clinical outcomes of checkpoint blockade therapy.
Collapse
Key Words
- 5-AzaC, 5-azacitidine
- ACE1, angiotensin converting enzyme
- ACP1, human red cell acid phosphatase
- APC, antigen-presenting cell
- BETi, bromodomain and extra-terminal motif inhibitors
- CCL22 (MDC), macrophage-derived chemokine
- CLL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- CTA, cancer testis antigen
- CTLA-4, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4
- CTLs, cytotoxic T lymphocytes
- CX3CL1, C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1
- CXCL, CXC chemokine ligand
- Cancer
- DC, dendritic cell
- DNMT1, DNA methyltransferase 1
- DNMTi, DNA methyltransferase inhibitors
- EZH2, enhancer of zeste homolog 2
- Epigenetic regulation
- FDA, U. S. Food and Drug Administration
- FOXP3, forkhead box P3
- H3K27me3, tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3
- HDACi, histone deacetylase inhibitor
- IDO, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase
- IFN-γ, interferon-gamma
- Immune cycle
- Immunotherapy
- LAG-3, lymphocyte activation gene-3
- MDSCs, myeloid-derived suppressor cells
- MHC, major histocompatibility complex
- OS, overall survival
- PD-1, programmed cell death 1
- PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand 1
- PD-L1/PD-1 blockade
- PRC2, polycomb repressive complex 2
- TAA, tumor-associated antigen
- TET2, ten-eleven translocation 2
- TH-1, T helper type 1
- TIL, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes
- TIM-3, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3
- Tregs, regulatory T cells
- UHRF1, ubiquitin-like PHD and RING finger domain-containing 1
Collapse
|
118
|
Li J, Wang W, Zhang Y, Cieślik M, Guo J, Tan M, Green MD, Wang W, Lin H, Li W, Wei S, Zhou J, Li G, Jing X, Vatan L, Zhao L, Bitler B, Zhang R, Cho KR, Dou Y, Kryczek I, Chan TA, Huntsman D, Chinnaiyan AM, Zou W. Epigenetic driver mutations in ARID1A shape cancer immune phenotype and immunotherapy. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:2712-2726. [PMID: 32027624 PMCID: PMC7190935 DOI: 10.1172/jci134402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether mutations in cancer driver genes directly affect cancer immune phenotype and T cell immunity remains a standing question. ARID1A is a core member of the polymorphic BRG/BRM-associated factor chromatin remodeling complex. ARID1A mutations occur in human cancers and drive cancer development. Here, we studied the molecular, cellular, and clinical impact of ARID1A aberrations on cancer immunity. We demonstrated that ARID1A aberrations resulted in limited chromatin accessibility to IFN-responsive genes, impaired IFN gene expression, anemic T cell tumor infiltration, poor tumor immunity, and shortened host survival in many human cancer histologies and in murine cancer models. Impaired IFN signaling was associated with poor immunotherapy response. Mechanistically, ARID1A interacted with EZH2 via its carboxyl terminal and antagonized EZH2-mediated IFN responsiveness. Thus, the interaction between ARID1A and EZH2 defines cancer IFN responsiveness and immune evasion. Our work indicates that cancer epigenetic driver mutations can shape cancer immune phenotype and immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Weichao Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Marcin Cieślik
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
- University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, and
| | - Jipeng Guo
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Michael D. Green
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Weimin Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Heng Lin
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shuang Wei
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Gaopeng Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Linda Vatan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lili Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Benjamin Bitler
- Gene Expression and Regulation Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rugang Zhang
- Gene Expression and Regulation Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathleen R. Cho
- Department of Pathology
- University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, and
| | - Yali Dou
- Department of Pathology
- University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, and
| | - Ilona Kryczek
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Timothy A. Chan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - David Huntsman
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Arul M. Chinnaiyan
- Department of Pathology
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Urology
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and
| | - Weiping Zou
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pathology
- University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, and
- Graduate Program in Immunology and Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
119
|
Dzobo K. Epigenomics-Guided Drug Development: Recent Advances in Solving the Cancer Treatment "jigsaw puzzle". OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2020; 23:70-85. [PMID: 30767728 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2018.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The human epigenome plays a key role in determining cellular identity and eventually function. Drug discovery undertakings have focused mainly on the role of genomics in carcinogenesis, with the focus turning to the epigenome recently. Drugs targeting DNA and histone modifications are under development with some such as 5-azacytidine, decitabine, vorinostat, and panobinostat already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This expert review offers a critical analysis of the epigenomics-guided drug discovery and development and the opportunities and challenges for the next decade. Importantly, the coupling of epigenetic editing techniques, such as clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein-9 (Cas9) and APOBEC-coupled epigenetic sequencing (ACE-seq) with epigenetic drug screens, will allow the identification of small-molecule inhibitors or drugs able to reverse epigenetic changes responsible for many diseases. In addition, concrete and sustainable innovation in cancer treatment ought to integrate epigenome targeting drugs with classic therapies such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dzobo
- 1 International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa.,2 Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
120
|
The Fate of Th17 Cells is Shaped by Epigenetic Modifications and Remodeled by the Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051673. [PMID: 32121394 PMCID: PMC7084267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Th17 cells represent a subset of CD4+ T cells characterized by the master transcription factor RORγt and the production of IL-17. Epigenetic modifications such as post-translational histone modifications and DNA methylation play a key role in Th17 cell differentiation and high plasticity. Th17 cells are highly recruited in many types of cancer and can be associated with good or bad prognosis. Here, we will review the remodeling of the epigenome induced by the tumor microenvironment, which may explain Th17 cell predominance. We will also discuss the promising treatment perspectives of molecules targeting epigenetic enzymes to remodel a Th17-enriched tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
|
121
|
Barrueto L, Caminero F, Cash L, Makris C, Lamichhane P, Deshmukh RR. Resistance to Checkpoint Inhibition in Cancer Immunotherapy. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100738. [PMID: 32114384 PMCID: PMC7047187 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction of the host immune system with tumor cells in the tissue microenvironment is essential in understanding tumor immunity and development of successful cancer immunotherapy. The presence of lymphocytes in tumors is highly correlated with an improved outcome. T cells have a set of cell surface receptors termed immune checkpoints that when activated suppress T cell function. Upregulation of immune checkpoint receptors such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) occurs during T cell activation in an effort to prevent damage from an excessive immune response. Immune checkpoint inhibitors allow the adaptive immune system to respond to tumors more effectively. There has been clinical success in different types of cancer blocking immune checkpoint receptors such as PD-1 and CTLA. However, relapse has occurred. The innate and acquired/therapy induced resistance to treatment has been encountered. Aberrant cellular signal transduction is a major contributing factor to resistance to immunotherapy. Combination therapies with other co-inhibitory immune checkpoints such as TIM-3, LAG3 and VISTA are currently being tested to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Expression of TIM-3 has been associated with resistance to PD-1 blockade and combined blockade of TIM-3 and PD-1 has demonstrated improved responses in preclinical models. LAG3 blockade has the potential to increase the responsiveness of cytotoxic T-cells to tumors. Furthermore, tumors that were found to express VISTA had an increased rate of growth due to the T cell suppression. The growing understanding of the inhibitory immune checkpoints’ ligand biology, signaling mechanisms, and T-cell suppression in the tumor microenvironment continues to fuel preclinical and clinical advancements in design, testing, and approval of agents that block checkpoint molecules. Our review seeks to bridge fundamental regulatory mechanisms across inhibitory immune checkpoint receptors that are of great importance in resistance to cancer immunotherapy. We will summarize the biology of different checkpoint molecules, highlight the effect of individual checkpoint inhibition as anti-tumor therapies, and outline the literatures that explore mechanisms of resistance to individual checkpoint inhibition pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Barrueto
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL
| | - Francheska Caminero
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL
| | - Lindsay Cash
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL
| | - Courtney Makris
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL
| | - Purushottam Lamichhane
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida School of Dental Medicine, Bradenton, FL.
| | - Rahul R Deshmukh
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Bradenton, FL.
| |
Collapse
|
122
|
Zhang Z, Liu S, Zhang B, Qiao L, Zhang Y, Zhang Y. T Cell Dysfunction and Exhaustion in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:17. [PMID: 32117960 PMCID: PMC7027373 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with advanced cancers. T cells are key mediators of antitumor function that specifically recognize and react to tumor-expressing antigens and have proven critical for cancer immunotherapy. However, T cells are not as effective against cancer as expected. This is partly because T cells enter a dysfunctional or exhausted state, which is characterized by sustained expression of inhibitory receptors and a transcriptional state distinct from that of functional effector or memory T cells. T cell dysfunction induces the out of control of tumors. Recently, T cell dysfunction has been investigated in many experimental and clinical settings. The molecular definition of T cell dysfunction and the underlying causes of the T cell dysfunction has been advanced regardless of the fact that the pathways involved are not well elucidated, which proposing promising therapeutic opportunities in clinic. In this review, we will discuss the recent advances in the molecular mechanisms that affect TME and induce T cell dysfunction, and the development of promising immunotherapies to counteract the mechanisms of tumor-induced T cell dysfunction. Better understanding these underlying mechanisms may lead to new strategies to improve the clinical outcome of patients with cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Liang Qiao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Health Sciences Division, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Yi Zhang
- Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
123
|
Miyahira AK, Sharp A, Ellis L, Jones J, Kaochar S, Larman HB, Quigley DA, Ye H, Simons JW, Pienta KJ, Soule HR. Prostate cancer research: The next generation; report from the 2019 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting. Prostate 2020; 80:113-132. [PMID: 31825540 PMCID: PMC7301761 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2019 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Prostate Cancer Research: The Next Generation," was held 20 to 23 June, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. METHODS The CHPCA Meeting is an annual conference held by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, that is uniquely structured to stimulate intense discussion surrounding topics most critical to accelerating prostate cancer research and the discovery of new life-extending treatments for patients. The 7th Annual CHPCA Meeting was attended by 86 investigators and concentrated on many of the most promising new treatment opportunities and next-generation research technologies. RESULTS The topics of focus at the meeting included: new treatment strategies and novel agents for targeted therapies and precision medicine, new treatment strategies that may synergize with checkpoint immunotherapy, next-generation technologies that visualize tumor microenvironment (TME) and molecular pathology in situ, multi-omics and tumor heterogeneity using single cells, 3D and TME models, and the role of extracellular vesicles in cancer and their potential as biomarkers. DISCUSSION This meeting report provides a comprehensive summary of the talks and discussions held at the 2019 CHPCA Meeting, for the purpose of globally disseminating this knowledge and ultimately accelerating new treatments and diagnostics for patients with prostate cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea K. Miyahira
- Science Department, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Adam Sharp
- Division of Clinical Studies, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Leigh Ellis
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Womenʼs Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer Jones
- National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Salma Kaochar
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - H. Benjamin Larman
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - David A. Quigley
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Huihui Ye
- Department of Pathology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Urology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jonathan W. Simons
- Science Department, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Kenneth J. Pienta
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Howard R. Soule
- Science Department, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Santa Monica, California
| |
Collapse
|
124
|
Do HTT, Lee CH, Cho J. Chemokines and their Receptors: Multifaceted Roles in Cancer Progression and Potential Value as Cancer Prognostic Markers. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E287. [PMID: 31991604 PMCID: PMC7072521 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are chemotactic cytokines that mediate immune cell chemotaxis and lymphoid tissue development. Recent advances have indicated that chemokines and their cognate receptors play critical roles in cancer-related inflammation and cancer progression. On the basis of these findings, the chemokine system has become a new potential drug target for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the essential roles of the complex network of chemokines and their receptors in cancer progression. Furthermore, we discuss the potential value of the chemokine system as a cancer prognostic marker. The chemokine system regulates the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment, which induces both pro- and anti-immunity and promotes or suppresses tumor growth and proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Increasing evidence indicates the promising prognostic value of the chemokine system in cancer patients. While CCL2, CXCL10, and CX3CL1/CX3CR1 can serve as favorable or unfavorable prognostic factors depending on the cancer types, CCL14 and XCL1 possess good prognostic value. Other chemokines such as CXCL1, CXCL8, and CXCL12 are poor prognostic markers. Despite vast advances in our understanding of the complex nature of the chemokine system in tumor biology, knowledge about the multifaceted roles of the chemokine system in different types of cancers is still limited. Further studies are necessary to decipher distinct roles within the chemokine system in terms of cancer progression and to validate their potential value in cancer prognosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jungsook Cho
- College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, Gyeonggi 10326, Korea; (H.T.T.D.); (C.H.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
125
|
Zhang J, Endres S, Kobold S. Enhancing tumor T cell infiltration to enable cancer immunotherapy. Immunotherapy 2020; 11:201-213. [PMID: 30730277 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2018-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has changed the treatment landscape for cancer patients, especially for those with metastatic spread. While the immunotherapeutic armamentarium is constantly growing, as exemplified by approved compounds, clinical outcome remains variable both within and across entities. A sufficient infiltration into the tumor microenvironment and successful activation of effector T lymphocytes against tumor cells have been identified as predictors for responses to T cell-based immunotherapies. However, tumor cells have developed a variety of mechanisms to reduce T cell homing and access to the tumor tissue to prevent activity of anticancer immunity. As a consequence, investigations have interrogated strategies to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies by enhancing T cell infiltration into tumor tissues. In this review, we summarize mechanisms of how tumor tissue shapes immune suppressive microenvironment to prevent T cell access to the tumor site. We focus on current strategies to improve cancer immunotherapies through enhancing T cell infiltration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) & Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany, Member of the German Center of Lung Research
| | - Stefan Endres
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) & Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany, Member of the German Center of Lung Research
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) & Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany, Member of the German Center of Lung Research
| |
Collapse
|
126
|
Zhong W, Myers JS, Wang F, Wang K, Lucas J, Rosfjord E, Lucas J, Hooper AT, Yang S, Lemon LA, Guffroy M, May C, Bienkowska JR, Rejto PA. Comparison of the molecular and cellular phenotypes of common mouse syngeneic models with human tumors. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:2. [PMID: 31898484 PMCID: PMC6941261 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6344-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors demonstrates that reactivation of the human immune system delivers durable responses for some patients and represents an exciting approach for cancer treatment. An important class of preclinical in vivo models for immuno-oncology is immunocompetent mice bearing mouse syngeneic tumors. To facilitate translation of preclinical studies into human, we characterized the genomic, transcriptomic, and protein expression of a panel of ten commonly used mouse tumor cell lines grown in vitro culture as well as in vivo tumors. RESULTS Our studies identified a number of genetic and cellular phenotypic differences that distinguish commonly used mouse syngeneic models in our study from human cancers. Only a fraction of the somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in these common mouse cell lines directly match SNVs in human actionable cancer genes. Some models derived from epithelial tumors have a more mesenchymal phenotype with relatively low T-lymphocyte infiltration compared to the corresponding human cancers. CT26, a colon tumor model, had the highest immunogenicity and was the model most responsive to CTLA4 inhibitor treatment, by contrast to the relatively low immunogenicity and response rate to checkpoint inhibitor therapies in human colon cancers. CONCLUSIONS The relative immunogenicity of these ten syngeneic tumors does not resemble typical human tumors derived from the same tissue of origin. By characterizing the mouse syngeneic models and comparing with their human tumor counterparts, this study contributes to a framework that may help investigators select the model most relevant to study a particular immune-oncology mechanism, and may rationalize some of the challenges associated with translating preclinical findings to clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenyan Zhong
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA.
| | - Jeremy S Myers
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Fang Wang
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Justin Lucas
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Edward Rosfjord
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Judy Lucas
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Andrea T Hooper
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Sharon Yang
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Lu Anna Lemon
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Magali Guffroy
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Chad May
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, New York, Pearl River, 10965, USA
| | - Jadwiga R Bienkowska
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Paul A Rejto
- Oncology Research & Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
127
|
Ai L, Xu A, Xu J. Roles of PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway: Signaling, Cancer, and Beyond. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1248:33-59. [PMID: 32185706 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies that target PD-1/PD-L1 axis have shown unprecedented success in a wide variety of human cancers. PD-1 is one of the key coinhibitory receptors expressed on T cells upon T cell activation. After engagement with its ligands, mainly PD-L1, PD-1 is activated and recruits the phosphatase SHP-2 in proximity to T cell receptor (TCR) and CD28 signaling. This event results in dephosphorylation and attenuation of key molecules in TCR and CD28 pathway, leading to inhibition of T cell proliferation, activation, cytokine production, altered metabolism and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) killer functions, and eventual death of activated T cells. Bodies evolve coinhibitory pathways controlling T cell response magnitude and duration to limit tissue damage and maintain self-tolerance. However, tumor cells hijack these inhibitory pathways to escape host immune surveillance by overexpression of PD-L1. This provides the scientific rationale for clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in oncology. The aberrantly high expression of PD-L1 in tumor microenvironment (TME) can be attributable to the "primary" activation of multiple oncogenic signaling and the "secondary" induction by inflammatory factors such as IFN-γ. Clinically, antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 reinvigorate the "exhausted" T cells in TME and show remarkable objective response and durable remission with acceptable toxicity profile in large numbers of tumors such as melanoma, lymphoma, and mismatch-repair deficient tumors. Nevertheless, most patients are still refractory to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Identifying the predictive biomarkers and design rational PD-1-based combination therapy become the priorities in cancer immunotherapy. PD-L1 expression, cytotoxic T lymphocytes infiltration, and tumor mutation burden (TMB) are generally considered as the most important factors affecting the effectiveness of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. The revolution in cancer immunotherapy achieved by PD-1/PD-L1 blockade offers the paradigm for scientific translation from bench to bedside. The next decades will without doubt witness the renaissance of immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luoyan Ai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Antao Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200001, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
128
|
Abstract
Recent advances in immunotherapy have revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers. Some patients show a durable response to these immunotherapies, while others show little benefit or develop resistance. Identification of biomarkers to predict responsiveness will be helpful for informing treatment strategies; and would furthermore lead to the identification of molecular pathways dysregulated in nonresponding patients that could be targeted for therapeutic development. Pathways of epigenetic modification, such as histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs), have been shown to be dysregulated in certain cancer and immune cells. Histones are abundant cellular proteins readily assayed with high-throughput technologies, making them attractive targets as biomarkers. We explore promising advancements for using histone PTMs as immunotherapy responsiveness biomarkers in both cancer and immune cells, and provide a methodological workflow for assaying histone PTMs in relevant samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Brian Koss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Lauren E Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Alan J Tackett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
129
|
Sylvestre M, Tarte K, Roulois D. Epigenetic mechanisms driving tumor supportive microenvironment differentiation and function: a role in cancer therapy? Epigenomics 2019; 12:157-169. [PMID: 31849241 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2019-0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a central role in tumor development and drug resistance. Within TME, the stromal cell subset, called cancer-associated fibroblasts, is a heterogeneous population originating from poorly characterized precursors. Since cancer-associated fibroblasts do not acquire somatic mutations, other mechanisms like epigenetic regulation, could be involved in the development of these cells and in the acquisition of tumor supportive phenotypes. Moreover, such epigenetic modulations have been correlated to the emergence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment facilitating tumor evasion. These findings underline the need to deepen our knowledge on epigenetic mechanisms driving TME development and function, and to understand the impact of epigenetic drugs that could be used in future to target both tumor cells and their TME.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marvin Sylvestre
- UMR _S 1236, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, Établissement français du sang (EFS) Bretagne, Rennes, France
| | - Karin Tarte
- UMR _S 1236, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, Établissement français du sang (EFS) Bretagne, Rennes, France.,Laboratoire Suivi Immunologique des Thérapeutiques Innovantes (SITI), Centre Hospitalier Universitaires de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | - David Roulois
- UMR _S 1236, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, Établissement français du sang (EFS) Bretagne, Rennes, France.,Niches & Epigenetics of Tumors from Cancéropole Grand Ouest, France
| |
Collapse
|
130
|
Aspeslagh S, Morel D, Soria JC, Postel-Vinay S. Epigenetic modifiers as new immunomodulatory therapies in solid tumours. Ann Oncol 2019; 29:812-824. [PMID: 29432557 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immune therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment over the last few years by allowing improvements in overall survival. However, the majority of patients is still primary or secondary resistant to such therapies, and enhancing sensitivity to immune therapies is therefore crucial to improve patient outcome. Several recent lines of evidence suggest that epigenetic modifiers have intrinsic immunomodulatory properties, which could be of therapeutic interest. Material and methods We reviewed preclinical evidence and clinical studies which describe or exploit immunomodulatory properties of epigenetic agents. Experimental approaches, clinical applicability and corresponding ongoing clinical trials are described. Results Several epigenetic modifiers, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors, DNA methyl transferase inhibitors, bromodomain inhibitors, lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 inhibitors and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 inhibitors, display intrinsic immunomodulatory properties. The latter can be achieved through the action of these drugs either on cancer cells (e.g. presentation and generation of neoantigens, induction of immunogenic cell death, modulation of cytokine secretion), on immune cells (e.g. linage, differentiation, activation status and antitumor capability), or on components of the microenvironment (e.g. regulatory T cells and macrophages). Several promising combinations, notably with immune checkpoint blockers or adoptive T-cell therapy, can be envisioned. Dedicated clinically relevant approaches for patient selection and trial design will be required to optimally develop such combinations. Conclusion In an era where immune therapies are becoming a treatment backbone in many tumour types, epigenetic modifiers could play a crucial role in modulating tumours' immunogenicity and sensitivity to immune agents. Optimal trial design, including window of opportunity trials, will be key in the success of this approach, and clinical evaluation is ongoing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Aspeslagh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet - ULB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - D Morel
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France
| | - J-C Soria
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France; Drug Development Department (DITEP, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - S Postel-Vinay
- INSERM, UMR981, Villejuif, France; Drug Development Department (DITEP, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France.
| |
Collapse
|
131
|
Xiao G, Jin LL, Liu CQ, Wang YC, Meng YM, Zhou ZG, Chen J, Yu XJ, Zhang YJ, Xu J, Zheng L. EZH2 negatively regulates PD-L1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:300. [PMID: 31727135 PMCID: PMC6854886 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0784-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulating studies suggest that targeting epigenetic modifications could improve the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the ability of the epigenetic modifier, enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2), to regulate the expression of immune checkpoint inhibitor, programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Immunohistochemistry and multiplex immunofluorescence staining were performed to analyze the expression and correlation of EZH2 and PD-L1 in HCC tissues. Immunoblotting, quantitative real-time PCR, flow cytometry, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to evaluate the regulatory roles of EZH2 on PD-L1 expression. Results In vitro cell experiments revealed that EZH2 negatively regulated the PD-L1 expression of hepatoma cell lines in IFNγ-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that EZH2 could suppress PD-L1 expression by upregulating the H3K27me3 levels on the promoters of CD274 (encoding PD-L1) and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), an essential transcription factor for PD-L1 expression, without affecting the activation of the IFNγ-signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway. Clinical samples from HCC patients with immune-activated microenvironments showed negative correlations between EZH2 and PD-L1 expression in hepatoma cells. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that the combination of EZH2 and PD-L1 was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and RFS for patients with HCC. Conclusions The epigenetic modificator EZH2 can suppress the expression of immune checkpoint inhibitor PD-L1 by directly upregulating the promoter H3K27me3 levels of CD274 and IRF1 in hepatoma cells, and might serve as a potential therapeutic target for combination of immunotherapy for immune-activated HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gang Xiao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Lian Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao-Qun Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Chun Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ming Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Guo Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Juan Yu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao-Jun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Xu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Limin Zheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, People's Republic of China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
132
|
Approaches to treat immune hot, altered and cold tumours with combination immunotherapies. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2019; 18:197-218. [PMID: 30610226 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-018-0007-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1881] [Impact Index Per Article: 376.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies are the most rapidly growing drug class and have a major impact in oncology and on human health. It is increasingly clear that the effectiveness of immunomodulatory strategies depends on the presence of a baseline immune response and on unleashing of pre-existing immunity. Therefore, a general consensus emerged on the central part played by effector T cells in the antitumour responses. Recent technological, analytical and mechanistic advances in immunology have enabled the identification of patients who are more likely to respond to immunotherapy. In this Review, we focus on defining hot, altered and cold tumours, the complexity of the tumour microenvironment, the Immunoscore and immune contexture of tumours, and we describe approaches to treat such tumours with combination immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors. In the upcoming era of combination immunotherapy, it is becoming critical to understand the mechanisms responsible for hot, altered or cold immune tumours in order to boost a weak antitumour immunity. The impact of combination therapy on the immune response to convert an immune cold into a hot tumour will be discussed.
Collapse
|
133
|
Targeting EZH2 Reprograms Intratumoral Regulatory T Cells to Enhance Cancer Immunity. Cell Rep 2019; 23:3262-3274. [PMID: 29898397 PMCID: PMC6094952 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.05.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical for maintaining immune homeostasis, but their presence in tumor tissues impairs anti-tumor immunity and portends poor prognoses in cancer patients. Here, we reveal a mechanism to selectively target and reprogram the function of tumor-infiltrating Tregs (TI-Tregs) by exploiting their dependency on the histone H3K27 methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in tumors. Disruption of EZH2 activity in Tregs, either pharmacologically or genetically, drove the acquisition of pro-inflammatory functions in TI-Tregs, remodeling the tumor microenvironment and enhancing the recruitment and function of CD8+ and CD4+ effector T cells that eliminate tumors. Moreover, abolishing EZH2 function in Tregs was mechanistically distinct from, more potent than, and less toxic than a generalized Treg depletion approach. This study reveals a strategy to target Tregs in cancer that mitigates autoimmunity by reprogramming their function in tumors to enhance anti-cancer immunity.
Collapse
|
134
|
Li B, Chan HL, Chen P. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Basics and Challenges. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:3009-3025. [PMID: 28782469 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170804143706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases in the modern world. The last decade has witnessed dramatic advances in cancer treatment through immunotherapy. One extremely promising means to achieve anti-cancer immunity is to block the immune checkpoint pathways - mechanisms adopted by cancer cells to disguise themselves as regular components of the human body. Many review articles have described a variety of agents that are currently under extensive clinical evaluation. However, while checkpoint blockade is universally effective against a broad spectrum of cancer types and is mostly unrestricted by the mutation status of certain genes, only a minority of patients achieve a complete response. In this review, we summarize the basic principles of immune checkpoint inhibitors in both antibody and smallmolecule forms and also discuss potential mechanisms of resistance, which may shed light on further investigation to achieve higher clinical efficacy for these inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Li
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33156, United States
| | - Ho Lam Chan
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33156, United States
| | - Pingping Chen
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33156, United States
| |
Collapse
|
135
|
Yin X, Yang S, Zhang M, Yue Y. The role and prospect of JMJD3 in stem cells and cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 118:109384. [PMID: 31545292 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, stem cells are reported to be involved in tumor formation, drug resistance and recurrence. Inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells, promoting their senescence and apoptosis has been the most important anti-tumor therapy. Epigenetics is involved in the regulation of gene expression and is closely related to cancer and stem cells. It mainly includes DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling. Histone methylation and demethylation play an important role in histone modification. Histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) induces transcriptional inhibition and plays an important role in gene expression. Jumonji domain-containing protein-3 (JMJD3), one of the demethyases of histone H3K27me3, has been reported to be associated with the prognosis of many cancers and stem cells differentiation. Inhibition of JMJD3 can reduce proliferation and promote apoptosis in tumor cells, as well as suppress differentiation in stem cells. GSK-J4 is an inhibitor of demethylase JMJD3 and UTX, which has been shown to possess anti-cancer and inhibition of embryonic stem cells differentiation effects. In this review, we examine how JMJD3 regulates cellular fates of stem cells and cancer cells and references were identified through searches of PubMed, Medline, Web of Science.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojiao Yin
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Siyu Yang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Mingyue Zhang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Ying Yue
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
136
|
Fenton SE, Sosman JA, Chandra S. Resistance mechanisms in melanoma to immuneoncologic therapy with checkpoint inhibitors. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2019; 2:744-761. [PMID: 35582566 PMCID: PMC8992532 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2019.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint inhibitors act by blocking physiologic mechanisms coopted by tumor cells to evade immune surveillance, restoring the immune system's ability to identify and kill malignant cells. These therapies have dramatically improved outcomes in multiple tumor types with durable responses in many patients, leading to FDA approval first in advanced melanoma, then in many other malignancies. However, as experience with checkpoint inhibitors has grown, populations of patients who are primary nonresponders or develop secondary resistance have been the majority of cases, even in melanoma. Mechanisms of resistance include those inherent to the tumor microenvironment, the tumor cells themselves, and the function of the patient's native immune cells. This review will discuss resistance to checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma as well as possible methods to restore sensitivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Fenton
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Sosman
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Sunandana Chandra
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
137
|
Ying X, Pan R, Zhong J, Wu B, Jiang Y, Ying J, Zhou C, Dai J, Zhao S, Shen Y, Zhang W, Duan S. Significant association of EED promoter hypomethylation with colorectal cancer. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:1564-1570. [PMID: 31423224 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and serious types of malignancy worldwide. The embryonic ectoderm development (EED) gene is important to maintain transcriptional repressive states of genes over successive cell generations. The present study aimed to investigate the association between EED methylation and CRC. A total of 111 CRC tissue samples, 111 paired para-tumor tissues and 20 colorectal normal tissues were obtained for EED methylation assay, which was performed using a quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The percentage of methylated reference was calculated to represent the DNA methylation level. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect the gene promoter activity of a EED fragment. The current results revealed a significant difference in the EED methylation levels among tumor, para-tumor and normal colorectal tissues (tumor vs. para-tumor vs. normal, 5.03±4.61 vs. 8.65±11.50 vs. 40.12±45.31; F=45.014; P<0.0001). The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of recombinant pGL3-EED plasmid was significantly higher compared with that of the pGL3-Basic control vector (fold-change, 3.15; P=0.014), which suggests the EED fragment can promote gene expression. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that EED hypomethylation may be an important factor associated with CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuru Ying
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Ranran Pan
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhong
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Boyi Wu
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Yuting Jiang
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Jieer Ying
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P.R. China
| | - Cong Zhou
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Jie Dai
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Shuangying Zhao
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Yinan Shen
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine and The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
138
|
Dong H, Liu S, Zhang X, Chen S, Kang L, Chen Y, Ma S, Fu X, Liu Y, Zhang H, Zou B. An Allosteric PRC2 Inhibitor Targeting EED Suppresses Tumor Progression by Modulating the Immune Response. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5587-5596. [PMID: 31395608 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant activity of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is involved in a wide range of human cancer progression. The WD40 repeat-containing protein EED is a core component of PRC2 and enhances PRC2 activity through interaction with H3K27me3. In this study, we report the discovery of a class of pyrimidone compounds, represented by BR-001, as potent allosteric inhibitors of PRC2. X-ray co-crystallography showed that BR-001 directly binds EED in the H3K27me3-binding pocket. BR-001 displayed antitumor potency in vitro and in vivo. In Karpas422 and Pfeiffer xenograft mouse models, twice daily oral dosing with BR-001 resulted in robust antitumor activity. BR-001 was also efficacious in syngeneic CT26 colon tumor-bearing mice; oral dosing of 30 mg/kg of BR-001 led to 59.3% tumor growth suppression and increased frequency of effector CD8+ T-cell infiltrates in tumors. Pharmacodynamic analysis revealed that CXCL10 was highly upregulated, suggesting that CXCL10 triggers the trafficking of CD8+ T cells toward tumor sites. Our results demonstrate for the first time that inhibition of EED modulates the tumor immune microenvironment to induce regression of colon tumors and therefore has the potential to be used in combination with immune-oncology therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: BR-001, a potent inhibitor of the EED subunit of the PRC2 complex, suppresses tumor progression by modulating the tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Dong
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China.
| | - Shaojun Liu
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Xuejie Zhang
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Lijing Kang
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yanni Chen
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Shichao Ma
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Xianlei Fu
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yanchao Liu
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Hailong Zhang
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zou
- Shanghai Blueray Biopharma Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
139
|
Shen H, Yang ESH, Conry M, Fiveash J, Contreras C, Bonner JA, Shi LZ. Predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint blockade and opportunities for combination therapies. Genes Dis 2019; 6:232-246. [PMID: 32042863 PMCID: PMC6997608 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade therapies (ICBs) are a prominent breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy in recent years (named the 2013 “Breakthrough of the Year” by the Science magazine). Thus far, FDA-approved ICBs primarily target immune checkpoints CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1. Notwithstanding their impressive long-term therapeutic benefits, their efficacy is limited to a small subset of cancer patients. In addition, ICBs induce inadvertent immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and can be costly for long-term use. To overcome these limitations, two strategies are actively being pursued: identification of predictive biomarkers for clinical response to ICBs and multi-pronged combination therapies. Biomarkers will allow clinicians to practice a precision medicine approach in ICBs (biomarker-based patient selection) such as treating triple-negative breast cancer patients that exhibit PD-L1 staining of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in ≥1% of the tumor area with nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab)–paclitaxel plus anti-PD-L1 and treating patients of MSI-H or MMR deficient unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1). Importantly, the insights gained from these biomarker studies can guide rational combinatorial strategies such as CDK4/6 inhibitor/fractionated radiotherapy/HDACi in conjunction with ICBs to maximize therapeutic benefits. Further, with the rapid technological advents (e.g., ATCT-Seq), we predict more reliable biomarkers will be identified, which in turn will inspire more promising combination therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongxing Shen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Eddy Shih-Hsin Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Marty Conry
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - John Fiveash
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Carlo Contreras
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - James A Bonner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Lewis Zhichang Shi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.,Program in Immunology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| |
Collapse
|
140
|
Reynders N, Abboud D, Baragli A, Noman MZ, Rogister B, Niclou SP, Heveker N, Janji B, Hanson J, Szpakowska M, Chevigné A. The Distinct Roles of CXCR3 Variants and Their Ligands in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cells 2019; 8:cells8060613. [PMID: 31216755 PMCID: PMC6627231 DOI: 10.3390/cells8060613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
First thought to orchestrate exclusively leukocyte trafficking, chemokines are now acknowledged for their multiple roles in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Dysregulation of their normal functions contributes to various pathologies, including inflammatory diseases and cancer. The two chemokine receptor 3 variants CXCR3-A and CXCR3-B, together with their cognate chemokines (CXCL11, CXCL10, CXCL9, CXCL4, and CXCL4L1), are involved in the control but also in the development of many tumors. CXCR3-A drives the infiltration of leukocytes to the tumor bed to modulate tumor progression (paracrine axis). Conversely, tumor-driven changes in the expression of the CXCR3 variants and their ligands promote cancer progression (autocrine axis). This review summarizes the anti- and pro-tumoral activities of the CXCR3 variants and their associated chemokines with a focus on the understanding of their distinct biological roles in the tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Reynders
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication, University of Luxembourg, L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Dayana Abboud
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, University of Liège, CHU, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Alessandra Baragli
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Muhammad Zaeem Noman
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Bernard Rogister
- Laboratory of Nervous System Diseases and Therapy, GIGA-Neuroscience, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
- Neurology Department, CHU, Academic Hospital, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Simone P Niclou
- NorLux Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Nikolaus Heveker
- Research Centre, Saint-Justine Hospital, University of Montreal, Montréal H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Montreal, Montréal H3T 1J4, Canada.
| | - Bassam Janji
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Julien Hanson
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, University of Liège, CHU, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, CHU, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Martyna Szpakowska
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Andy Chevigné
- Immuno-Pharmacology and Interactomics, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1526 Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| |
Collapse
|
141
|
Cui YS, Song YP, Fang BJ. The role of long non-coding RNAs in multiple myeloma. Eur J Haematol 2019; 103:3-9. [PMID: 30985973 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is still an incurable disease, and its pathogenesis involves cytogenetics and epigenetics. In recent years, the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in MM have been deeply studied by scholars. LncRNAs are defined as a class of non-protein-coding transcripts greater than 200 nucleotides in length, which are involved in a large spectrum of biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, invasion, and chromatin remodeling. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms of these lncRNAs. They can act as oncogenic and/or tumor-suppressive factors in the development and progression of MM. But that how do they work remains unclear. In this review, the recent progress in the study of functional lncRNAs associated with MM was summarized and the present knowledge about their expression and roles was discussed, to provide guidance for the in-depth functional study of lncRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shan Cui
- Department of Hematology, Henan Institute of Haematology, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yong-Ping Song
- Department of Hematology, Henan Institute of Haematology, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bai-Jun Fang
- Department of Hematology, Henan Institute of Haematology, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
142
|
Wu X, Gu Z, Chen Y, Chen B, Chen W, Weng L, Liu X. Application of PD-1 Blockade in Cancer Immunotherapy. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2019; 17:661-674. [PMID: 31205619 PMCID: PMC6558092 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway has received considerable attention due to its role in eliciting the immune checkpoint response of T cells, resulting in tumor cells capable of evading immune surveillance and being highly refractory to conventional chemotherapy. Application of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies as checkpoint inhibitors is rapidly becoming a promising therapeutic approach in treating tumors, and some of them have successfully been commercialized in the past few years. However, not all patients show complete responses and adverse events have been noted, suggesting a better understanding of PD-1 pathway mediated immunosuppression is needed to predict patient response and improve treatment efficacy. Here, we review the progresses on the studies of the mechanistic role of PD-1 pathway in the tumor immune evasion, recent clinical development and commercialization of PD-1 pathway inhibitors, the toxicities associated with PD-1 blockade observed in clinical trials as well as how to improve therapeutic efficacy and safety of cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Key Words
- 5-AZA-dC, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine
- ADCC, Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity
- AEs, Adverse events
- AP1, Activator protein 1
- APCs, Antigen presenting cells
- ASCT, Autologous stem cell transplantation
- B2M, β2 microglobulin
- BATF, Basic leucine zipper transcriptional factor ATF-like
- BICR, Blinded Independent Central Review
- BV, Brentuximab vedotin
- CC, Cervical cancer
- CRC, Colorectal cancer
- CTLA-4, Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4
- CXCL9, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9
- Checkpoint blockade
- DCM, Dilated cardiomyopathy
- DCs, Dendritic cells
- DNMT, DNA methyltransferase
- DOR, Duration overall response
- DZNep, 3-Deazaneplanocin A
- ERK, Extracellular signal–regulated kinase
- EZH2, Enhancer of zeste homolog 2
- GC, Gastric cancer
- GEJ, GASTRIC or gastroesophageal junction
- HCC, Hepatocellular carcinoma
- HNSCC, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- HR, Hazard ratio
- ICC, Investigator-choice chemotherapy
- ICOS, Inducible T-cell co-stimulator
- IFN, Interferon
- IHC, Immunohistochemistry
- ITIM, Immune-receptortyrosine-based inhibitory motif
- ITSM, Immune-receptortyrosine-based switch motif
- ITT, Intention-to-treat
- Immune surveillance
- Immunotherapy
- IrAEs, Immune related adverse events
- JMJD3, Jumonji Domain-Containing Protein 3
- LAG3, Lymphocyte-activation gene 3
- LCK, Tyrosine-protein kinase Lck
- MAP, Mitogen-activated protein
- MCC, Merkel cell carcinoma
- MHC, Major histocompatibility
- MSI-H, Microsatellite instability-high
- NF-κB, Nuclear factor-κB
- NFAT, Nuclear factor of activated T cells
- NSCLC, Non-small cell lung cancer
- ORR, Overall response rate
- OS, Overall survival
- PD-1
- PD-1, Programmed cell death 1
- PD-L1
- PD-L1, Programmed death-ligand 1
- PFS, Progression-free survival
- PI3K, Phosphoinositide 3-kinase
- PKC, Protein kinase C
- PMBCL, Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma
- PRC2, Polycomb repressive complex 2
- PTEN, Phosphatase and tensin homolog
- PTPs, Protein tyrosine phosphatases
- RCC, Renal cell carcinoma
- SCLC, Small cell lung cancer
- SHP2, Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2
- SIRPα, Signal-regulatory protein alpha
- TCR, T-cell receptor
- TGF, Transforming growth factor
- TIICs, Tumor infiltrating immune cells
- TILs, Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
- TIM3, T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3
- TMB, Tumor mutation burden
- TME, Tumor microenvironment
- UC, Urothelial carcinoma
- VEGF, Vascular endothelial growth factor
- ZAP70, Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70
- cHL, Classical Hodgkin lymphoma
- cTnI, Cardiac troponin I
- dMMR, DNA mismatch repair deficiency
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomo Wu
- Dermatology Institute of Fuzhou, Dermatology Hospital of Fuzhou, Xihong Road 243, Fuzhou 350025, PR China
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zhongkai Gu
- The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Mingdao Building, Dongan Road 131, Shanghai 200032, PR China
| | - Yang Chen
- Dermatology Institute of Fuzhou, Dermatology Hospital of Fuzhou, Xihong Road 243, Fuzhou 350025, PR China
| | - Borui Chen
- Dermatology Institute of Fuzhou, Dermatology Hospital of Fuzhou, Xihong Road 243, Fuzhou 350025, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Liver Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Chazhong Road 20, Fuzhou 350005, PR China
| | - Liqiang Weng
- Dermatology Institute of Fuzhou, Dermatology Hospital of Fuzhou, Xihong Road 243, Fuzhou 350025, PR China
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Xihong Road 312, Fuzhou 350025, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
143
|
Wei Y, Lao XM, Xiao X, Wang XY, Wu ZJ, Zeng QH, Wu CY, Wu RQ, Chen ZX, Zheng L, Li B, Kuang DM. Plasma Cell Polarization to the Immunoglobulin G Phenotype in Hepatocellular Carcinomas Involves Epigenetic Alterations and Promotes Hepatoma Progression in Mice. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:1890-1904.e16. [PMID: 30711627 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.01.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Little is known about the composition and generation of plasma cell subsets in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and how these associate with outcomes. We investigated whether, or how, plasma cells differentiate and function in patients with HCC and mice with liver tumors. METHODS We analyzed subset composition and distribution of plasma cells in HCC samples from 342 patients who underwent curative resection at the Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University in China; samples of non-tumor liver tissue were used as controls. We associated plasma cell profiles with patient outcomes. Tissue-derived leukocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. The ability of macrophages to regulate plasma cell differentiation was determined in ex vivo cultures of cells from human HCC tissues. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were given injections of Hepa1-6 cells, which formed hepatomas, or H22 cells, which formed ascitic hepatomas. Gene expression patterns were analyzed in human HCC, mouse hepatoma, and non-tumor tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mice with hepatomas were given injections of GSK126 (an inhibitor of histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase [EZH2]) and 5-AZA-dC (an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferases); tumor tissues were analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry for the presence of immune cells and cytokines. RESULTS B cells isolated from HCCs had somatic hypermutations and class-switch recombinations to the IgG phenotype that were not observed in non-tumor tissues. Increased level of plasma cells correlated with poor outcomes of patients. Activated CD4+ T cells from HCCs stimulated C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) production by macrophages. CXCL10 bound CXC chemokine receptor 3 on B cells and signaled via extracellular signal-regulated kinase to cause them to become IgG-producing plasma cells. IgG activated Fc receptors on macrophages and induced them to produce interleukin 6, interleukin 10, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20). In mice with hepatomas, depletion of B cells prevented generation of these macrophage, increased the anti-tumor T cell response, and reduced growth of hepatomas. However, these effects were lost after injection of CXC chemokine receptor 3-positive plasma cells. Human HCC and mouse hepatoma tissues had increased expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 and EZH2 compared with non-tumor tissues. Injection of mice with GSK126 and 5-AZA-dC induced expression of CXCL10 by tumor cells and caused plasma cell polarization, suppression of the anti-tumor T cell response, and hepatoma growth. CONCLUSIONS Human HCC tissues contain B cells with class-switch recombinations to the IgG phenotype. Activated CD4+ T cells from HCCs stimulate CXCL10 production by macrophages; CXCL10 binds CXC chemokine receptor 3 on B cells and causes them to become IgG-producing plasma cells. IgG activates Fc receptor in macrophages to produce cytokines that reduce the anti-tumor immune response. In mice with hepatomas, depletion of B cells prevented generation of these macrophages, increased the anti-tumor T cell response, and reduced growth of hepatomas. This pathway involves increased expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 and EZH2 by HCC and hepatoma cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Ming Lao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Cancer Immunoregulation and Immunotherapy Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Xu-Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zong-Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiu-Hui Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Cai-Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui-Qi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen-Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Limin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong-Ming Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Cancer Immunoregulation and Immunotherapy Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia; The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
144
|
Wang X, Brea LT, Yu J. Immune modulatory functions of EZH2 in the tumor microenvironment: implications in cancer immunotherapy. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL UROLOGY 2019; 7:85-91. [PMID: 31139703 PMCID: PMC6526357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Polycomb group protein EZH2, a histone methyltransferase, is the enzymatic subunit of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) that catalyzes histone H3 lysine 27 methylation. They are epigenetic modifiers that mediate gene repression, or epigenetic silencing. EZH2 controls developmental regulators in embryonic stem cells and is essential for cell fate determination and transition. In the last two decades, EZH2 was reported upregulated in a variety of solid tumors, including prostate cancer, and mutated in multiple hematological malignancies, such as lymphoma. EZH2 represses the expression of a plethora of tumor suppressor genes in tumor cells, thereby promoting cell cycle, cell proliferation, and cell invasion and driving cancer progression. Recently, evidence is emerging indicating important roles of EZH2 in immune cells. Here, we review EZH2 regulation of various immune cell types, the tumor microenvironment, immune responses, and cancer immunotherapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohai Wang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Lourdes T Brea
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
| | - Jindan Yu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
145
|
Stahl M, Goldberg AD. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Novel Combinations and Therapeutic Targets. Curr Oncol Rep 2019; 21:37. [PMID: 30904967 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-019-0781-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Immune checkpoint therapy has dramatically changed the therapeutic landscape of solid malignancies. Here, we review the scientific rationale and current data evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). RECENT FINDINGS Immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy has shown limited clinical activity in AML. Initial results from early-phase clinical trials suggest that rational combinations of immune checkpoint inhibition with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) are safe and potentially more promising. There are currently no data directly comparing immune checkpoint inhibition to standard therapies. Emerging immune targets more specific for leukemia cells including LILRB4 may improve future therapeutic efficacy. The success of immune checkpoint inhibition in AML has been modest to date. However, an improved understanding of the biology and the use of rational combinations has potential to improve rates of durable responses. Multiple clinical trials in AML are currently evaluating the use of immune checkpoints alone and in combination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Stahl
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aaron D Goldberg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
146
|
Ye Y, Huang S, Wu Y. UNBS5162 and amonafide inhibits tumor progression in human melanoma by the AKT/mTOR pathway. Cancer Manag Res 2019; 11:2339-2348. [PMID: 30962721 PMCID: PMC6434921 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s177623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human melanoma is a malignant tumor originated from melanocytes with high invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis. In this study, the effects of naphthalimides UNBS5162 and amonafide on the properties of proliferation and apoptosis in human melanoma cells were confirmed. Methods Cell proliferation was determined by CCK8 and clone formation assay. Transwell assay was performed to detect the migration and invasion of M14 and A375 cells. Cell apoptosis was estimated using flow cytometry. Results In a drug sensitivity assay, cell viability decreased with increasing concentrations of UNBS5162 or amonafide. Likewise, proliferation of M14 or A375 cells treated with 10 μM UNBS5162 or 8 μM amonafide decreased significantly when compared with negative control (NC) cells, their inhibition effect verified by means of a clone formation assay. After the treatment with UNBS5162 or amonafide, the migration of melanoma cells was inhibited in a dosede-pendent manner. The number of invaded cells treated with UNBS5162 was also significantly reduced when compared with those of the NC cells. The apoptotic cell numbers treated with UNBS5162 or amonafide decreased significantly when compared with the M14 and A375 cells in the NC group. According to Western blot results, phosphorylation of AKT and expressions of mesenchymal marker factors were inhibited in cells treated with UNBS5162 or amonafide. Conclusion These results reveal that UNBS5162 inhibits the cell activity of melanoma cells through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and reverses epithelial–mesenchymal transition conversion in human melanoma cells. This study on UNBS5162 and amonafide in melanomas provides an experimental basis of their uses and potential value on human melanoma treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingyi Ye
- Department of Dermatology, HwaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, School of Basic Medical Science, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Oncology, HwaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang, China,
| |
Collapse
|
147
|
Hagihara Y, Yoshimatsu Y, Mikami Y, Takada Y, Mizuno S, Kanai T. Epigenetic regulation of T helper cells and intestinal pathogenicity. Semin Immunopathol 2019; 41:379-399. [DOI: 10.1007/s00281-019-00732-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
148
|
Abstract
DNA methylation inhibitors have become the mainstay for treatment of certain haematological malignancies. In addition to their abilities to reactivate genes, including tumour suppressors, that have acquired DNA methylation during carcinogenesis, they induce the expression of thousands of transposable elements including endogenous retroviruses and latent cancer testis antigens normally silenced by DNA methylation in most somatic cells. This results in a state of viral mimicry in which treated cells mount an innate immune response by turning on viral defence genes and potentially expressing neoantigens. Furthermore, these changes mediated by DNA methylation inhibitors can also alter the function of immune cells relevant to acquired immunity. Additionally, other inhibitors of epigenetic processes, such as histone deacetylases, methylases and demethylases, can elicit similar effects either individually or in combinations with DNA methylation inhibitors. These findings together with rapid development of immunotherapies open new avenues for cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Jones
- Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Hitoshi Ohtani
- Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Ankur Chakravarthy
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
149
|
Yahata T, Mizoguchi M, Kimura A, Orimo T, Toujima S, Kuninaka Y, Nosaka M, Ishida Y, Sasaki I, Fukuda-Ohta Y, Hemmi H, Iwahashi N, Noguchi T, Kaisho T, Kondo T, Ino K. Programmed cell death ligand 1 disruption by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9-genome editing promotes antitumor immunity and suppresses ovarian cancer progression. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:1279-1292. [PMID: 30702189 PMCID: PMC6447841 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) on tumor cells suppresses anti‐tumor immunity and has an unfavorable prognostic impact in ovarian cancer patients. We herein report the pathophysiological and therapeutic impacts of PD‐L1 disruption in ovarian cancer. PD‐L1 was genetically disrupted in the murine ovarian cancer cell line ID8 using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9‐mediated genome editing. PD‐L1 knockout (KO) and control ovarian cancer cells were intraperitoneally inoculated into syngeneic mice, and survival and tumor dissemination were evaluated. Survival times were significantly longer in the PD‐L1‐KO ID8‐inoculated groups than in their control groups, and its therapeutic benefit was enhanced in combination with the cisplatin treatment. Tumor weights and ascites volumes were significantly lower in the PD‐L1‐KO ID8 groups than in their control groups. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses showed that intratumoral CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, NK cells and CD11c+ M1 macrophages were significantly increased, whereas regulatory T cells were significantly decreased in the PD‐L1‐KO ID8 groups compared with those in their control groups. The intratumoral mRNA expression of interferon‐γ, tumor‐necrosis factor‐α, interleukin (IL)‐2, IL‐12a, CXCL9 and CXCL10 was significantly stronger, while that of IL‐10, vascular endothelial growth factor, CXCL1 and CXCL2 was significantly weaker in the PD‐L1‐KO ID8 groups. These results indicate that CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated PD‐L1 disruption on tumor cells promotes anti‐tumor immunity by increasing tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes and modulating cytokine/chemokine profiles within the tumor microenvironment, thereby suppressing ovarian cancer progression. These results suggest that PD‐L1‐targeted therapy by genome editing may be a novel therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamaki Yahata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Mika Mizoguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kimura
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Takashi Orimo
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Saori Toujima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Yumi Kuninaka
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Mizuho Nosaka
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Yuko Ishida
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Izumi Sasaki
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Yuri Fukuda-Ohta
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Hemmi
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Iwahashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Tomoko Noguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Tsuneyasu Kaisho
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Kondo
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ino
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
150
|
Salmaninejad A, Valilou SF, Shabgah AG, Aslani S, Alimardani M, Pasdar A, Sahebkar A. PD-1/PD-L1 pathway: Basic biology and role in cancer immunotherapy. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:16824-16837. [PMID: 30784085 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the course of past few years, cancer immunotherapy has been accompanied with promising results. However, preliminary investigations with respect to immunotherapy concentrated mostly on targeting the immune checkpoints, nowadays, emerge as the most efficient strategy to raise beneficial antitumor immune responses. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) plays an important role in subsiding immune responses and promoting self-tolerance through suppressing the activity of T cells and promoting differentiation of regulatory T cells. PD-1 is considered as an immune checkpoint and protects against autoimmune responses through both induction of apoptosis in antigen-specific T cells and inhibiting apoptosis in regulatory T cells. Several clinical trials exerting PD-1 monoclonal antibodies as well as other immune-checkpoint blockades have had prosperous outcomes and opened new horizons in tumor immunotherapy. Nonetheless, a bulk of patients have failed to respond to these newly emerging immune-based approach and the survival rate was not satisfying. Additional strategies, especially combination therapies, has been initiated and been further promising. Attempts to identify novel and well-suited predictive biomarkers are also sensed. In this review, the promotion of cancer immunotherapy targeting PD-1 immunoinhibitory pathway is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arash Salmaninejad
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Medical Genetics Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Saeed Farajzadeh Valilou
- Medical Genetics Network (MeGeNe), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Saeed Aslani
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Malihe Alimardani
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Medical Genetics Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Alireza Pasdar
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Genetics, Medical Genetics Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Division of Applied Medicine, Medical School, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| |
Collapse
|