101
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Abstract
Effective methods for treating retinoblastoma while preserving vision are an unmet clinical need. Subretinal delivery of a hydrogel containing T cells that secrete the cytokine IL-15 and express a chimeric antigen receptor directed at the ganglioside protein GD2 completely controls retinoblastoma in immunocompromised mice, with no obvious damage to the surrounding retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anandani Nellan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Terry J Fry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
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102
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Rafia C, Harly C, Scotet E. Beyond CAR T cells: Engineered Vγ9Vδ2 T cells to fight solid tumors. Immunol Rev 2020; 298:117-133. [DOI: 10.1111/imr.12920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chirine Rafia
- INSERMCNRSCRCINAUniversité de Nantes Nantes France
- LabEx IGO “Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology” Nantes France
- ImCheck Therapeutics Marseille France
| | - Christelle Harly
- INSERMCNRSCRCINAUniversité de Nantes Nantes France
- LabEx IGO “Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology” Nantes France
| | - Emmanuel Scotet
- INSERMCNRSCRCINAUniversité de Nantes Nantes France
- LabEx IGO “Immunotherapy, Graft, Oncology” Nantes France
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103
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Joshi S. Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment in Neuroblastoma: Recent Advances and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2057. [PMID: 32722460 PMCID: PMC7465822 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common pediatric tumor malignancy that originates from the neural crest and accounts for more than 15% of all the childhood deaths from cancer. The neuroblastoma cancer research has long been focused on the role of MYCN oncogene amplification and the contribution of other genetic alterations in the progression of this malignancy. However, it is now widely accepted that, not only tumor cells, but the components of tumor microenvironment (TME), including extracellular matrix, stromal cells and immune cells, also contribute to tumor progression in neuroblastoma. The complexity of different components of tumor stroma and their resemblance with surrounding normal tissues pose huge challenges for therapies targeting tumor microenvironment in NB. Hence, the detailed understanding of the composition of the TME of NB is crucial to improve existing and future potential immunotherapeutic approaches against this childhood cancer. In this review article, I will discuss different components of the TME of NB and the recent advances in the strategies, which are used to target the tumor microenvironment in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Joshi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0815, USA
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104
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Zhylko A, Winiarska M, Graczyk-Jarzynka A. The Great War of Today: Modifications of CAR-T Cells to Effectively Combat Malignancies. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2030. [PMID: 32722109 PMCID: PMC7466082 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy of cancer had its early beginnings in the times when the elements of the immune system were still poorly characterized. However, with the progress in molecular biology, it has become feasible to re-engineer T cells in order to eradicate tumour cells. The use of synthetic chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) helped to re-target and simultaneously unleash the cytotoxic potential of T cells. CAR-T therapy proved to be remarkably effective in cases of haematological malignancies, often refractory and relapsed. The success of this approach yielded two Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for the first "living drug" modalities. However, CAR-T therapy is not without flaws. Apart from the side effects associated with the treatment, it became apparent that CAR introduction alters T cell biology and the possible therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, it was shown that CAR-T approaches in solid tumours do not recapitulate the success in the haemato-oncology. Therefore, in this review, we aim to discuss the recent concerns of CAR-T therapy for both haematological and solid tumours. We also summarise the general strategies that are implemented to enhance the efficacy and safety of the CAR-T regimens in blood and solid malignancies.
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105
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Huang R, Li X, He Y, Zhu W, Gao L, Liu Y, Gao L, Wen Q, Zhong JF, Zhang C, Zhang X. Recent advances in CAR-T cell engineering. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:86. [PMID: 32616000 PMCID: PMC7333410 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00910-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is regarded as an effective solution for relapsed or refractory tumors, particularly for hematological malignancies. Although the initially approved anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy has produced impressive outcomes, setbacks such as high relapse rates and resistance were experienced, driving the need to discover engineered CAR-T cells that are more effective for therapeutic use. Innovations in the structure and manufacturing of CAR-T cells have resulted in significant improvements in efficacy and persistence, particularly with the development of fourth-generation CAR-T cells. Paired with an immune modifier, the use of fourth-generation and next-generation CAR-T cells will not be limited because of cytotoxic effects and will be an efficient tool for overcoming the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the recent transformations in the ectodomain, transmembrane domain, and endodomain of the CAR structure, which, together with innovative manufacturing technology and improved cell sources, improve the prospects for the future development of CAR-T cell therapy.
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MESH Headings
- Antigens, CD19/genetics
- Antigens, CD19/immunology
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- CD28 Antigens/chemistry
- CD28 Antigens/immunology
- Cell Engineering/trends
- Chemotaxis, Leukocyte
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- Cytokines/metabolism
- Genetic Vectors/genetics
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/trends
- Lentivirus/genetics
- Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/therapy
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/therapy
- Protein Binding
- Protein Domains
- Protein Engineering
- Receptors, Chemokine/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/agonists
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Transduction, Genetic
- Tumor Microenvironment
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihao Huang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Yundi He
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Wen Zhu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Lei Gao
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Li Gao
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Qin Wen
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Jiang F Zhong
- Department of Otolaryngology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
| | - Xi Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
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106
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Lundh S, Maji S, Melenhorst JJ. Next-generation CAR T cells to overcome current drawbacks. Int J Hematol 2020; 114:532-543. [PMID: 32594314 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-020-02923-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
As a rapidly emerging treatment in the oncology field, adoptive transfer of autologous, genetically modified chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has shown striking efficacy and is curative in certain relapsed/refractory patients with hematologic malignancy. This treatment modality of using a "living drug" offers many tantalizing and novel therapeutic strategies for cancer patients whose remaining treatment options may have otherwise been limited. Despite the early success of CAR T cells in hematologic malignancies, many barriers remain for widespread adoption. General barriers include cellular manufacturing limitations, baseline quality of the T cells, adverse events post-infusion such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity, and host rejection of non-human CARs. Additionally, each hematologic disease presents unique mechanisms of relapse which have to be addressed in future clinical trials if we are to augment the efficacy of CAR T treatment. In this review, we will describe current barriers to hindering efficacy of CAR T-cell treatment for hematologic malignancies in a disease-specific manner and review recent innovations aimed at enhancing the potency and applicability of CAR T cells, with the overall goal of building a framework to begin incorporating this form of therapy into the standard medical management of blood cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Lundh
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sayantan Maji
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Joseph Melenhorst
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, South Pavilion Expansion, Room 9-105, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Bldg. 421, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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107
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Tian Y, Li Y, Shao Y, Zhang Y. Gene modification strategies for next-generation CAR T cells against solid cancers. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:54. [PMID: 32423475 PMCID: PMC7236186 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00890-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies have become the backbone of cancer treatment. Among them, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have demonstrated great success in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, CAR T therapy against solid tumors is less effective. Antigen targeting; an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME); and the infiltration, proliferation, and persistence of CAR T cells are the predominant barriers preventing the extension of CAR T therapy to solid tumors. To circumvent these obstacles, the next-generation CAR T cells will require more potent antitumor properties, which can be achieved by gene-editing technology. In this review, we summarize innovative strategies to enhance CAR T cell function by improving target identification, persistence, trafficking, and overcoming the suppressive TME. The construction of multi-target CAR T cells improves antigen recognition and reduces immune escape. Enhancing CAR T cell proliferation and persistence can be achieved by optimizing costimulatory signals and overexpressing cytokines. CAR T cells equipped with chemokines or chemokine receptors help overcome their poor homing to tumor sites. Strategies like knocking out immune checkpoint molecules, incorporating dominant negative receptors, and chimeric switch receptors can favor the depletion or reversal of negative T cell regulators in the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggui Tian
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yilu Li
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,School of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yupei Shao
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.,School of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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108
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Wang H, Ye X, Ju Y, Cai Z, Wang X, Du P, Zhang M, Li Y, Cai J. Minicircle DNA-Mediated CAR T Cells Targeting CD44 Suppressed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Both in vitro and in vivo. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:3703-3716. [PMID: 32440140 PMCID: PMC7210041 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s247836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Based on the continuous exploration of solid tumor immunotherapy, we focused on hepatocellular carcinoma with a high level of morbidity and mortality. We confirm the stability of mcDNA-based CAR T cell generating platform, and investigate the antitumor activity of CD44-CAR T cells against hepatocellular carcinoma both in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods We fused anti-CD44 scFv structure with transmembrane domain and intracellular domain. Using a non-viral mcDNA vector to load CD44-CAR gene, then transfected the mcDNA-CD44-CAR into human T cells by electroporation. We exhibited the transfection efficacy of CAR T cells and the CD44 expression of tumor cell lines by flow cytometry. The antitumor efficacy of CD44-CAR T cells in vitro and in vivo was detected through CCK-8 and ELISA assays, and xenograft mouse models, respectively. Results We obtained mcDNA-CD44-CAR with a high level of density after repeated extraction and purification. The expression efficacy of CD44-CAR in T cells was more than 50% after seven days electroporation and the phenotype of CD44-CAR T cells was no difference compared with normal T cells. For CD44-positive hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft mice, CD44-CAR T cells had stronger tumor growth suppression compared to normal T and mock T cells. The same results occurred on the in vitro experiments including cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity assays. H&E staining graphs revealed that CD44-CAR T cells did not induce side effects in xenograft mice. Conclusion The strategy for generating CAR T cells targeting cancer stem cell antigens was efficient and concise. The mcDNA had superior transgene ability without virus-related adverse effects. CD44-CAR T cells had strong suppression capacity against hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hezhi Wang
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueshuai Ye
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Therapy, Hebei HOFOY Biotech Corporation Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Ju
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziqi Cai
- Hebei Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Therapy, Hebei HOFOY Biotech Corporation Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Pingping Du
- Hebei Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Therapy, Hebei HOFOY Biotech Corporation Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengya Zhang
- Hebei Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Therapy, Hebei HOFOY Biotech Corporation Ltd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhui Cai
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China.,Department of Surgery & Oncology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China
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109
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Toews K, Grunewald L, Schwiebert S, Klaus A, Winkler A, Ali S, Zirngibl F, Astrahantseff K, Wagner DL, Henssen AG, Deubzer HE, Schulte JH, Ochsenreither S, Eggert A, Künkele A. Central memory phenotype drives success of checkpoint inhibition in combination with CAR T cells. Mol Carcinog 2020; 59:724-735. [PMID: 32333465 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The immunosuppressive microenvironment in solid tumors is thought to form a barrier to the entry and efficacy of cell-based therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Combining CAR T cell therapy with checkpoint inhibitors has been demonstrated to oppose immune escape mechanisms in solid tumors and augment antitumor efficacy. We evaluated PD-1/PD-L1 signaling capacity and the impact of an inhibitor of this checkpoint axis in an in vitro system for cancer cell challenge, the coculture of L1CAM-specific CAR T cells with neuroblastoma cell lines. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based analyses and luciferase reporter assays were used to assess PD-1/PD-L1 expression on CAR T and tumor cells as well as CAR T cell ability to kill neuroblastoma cells. Coculturing neuroblastoma cell lines with L1CAM-CAR T cells upregulated PD-L1 expression on neuroblastoma cells, confirming adaptive immune resistance. Exposure to neuroblastoma cells also upregulated the expression of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in CAR T cells. The checkpoint inhibitor, nivolumab, enhanced L1CAM-CAR T cell-directed killing. However, nivolumab-enhanced L1CAM-CAR T cell killing did not strictly correlate with PD-L1 expression on neuroblastoma cells. In fact, checkpoint inhibitor success relied on strong PD-1/PD-L1 axis expression in the CAR T cells, which in turn depended on costimulatory domains within the CAR construct, and more importantly, on the subset of T cells selected for CAR T cell generation. Thus, T cell subset selection for CAR T cell generation and CAR T cell prescreening for PD-1/PD-L1 expression could help determine when combination therapy with checkpoint inhibitors could improve treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Toews
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Grunewald
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Schwiebert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Klaus
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annika Winkler
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Solin Ali
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Zirngibl
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathy Astrahantseff
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dimitrios L Wagner
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anton G Henssen
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hedwig E Deubzer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Neuroblastoma Research Group, Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes H Schulte
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ochsenreither
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Hematology and Oncology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Germany
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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110
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Ma X, Shou P, Smith C, Chen Y, Du H, Sun C, Porterfield Kren N, Michaud D, Ahn S, Vincent B, Savoldo B, Pylayeva-Gupta Y, Zhang S, Dotti G, Xu Y. Interleukin-23 engineering improves CAR T cell function in solid tumors. Nat Biotechnol 2020; 38:448-459. [PMID: 32015548 PMCID: PMC7466194 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-019-0398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cytokines that stimulate T cell proliferation, such as interleukin (IL)-15, have been explored as a means of boosting the antitumor activity of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. However, constitutive cytokine signaling in T cells and activation of bystander cells may cause toxicity. IL-23 is a two-subunit cytokine known to promote proliferation of memory T cells and T helper type 17 cells. We found that, upon T cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation, T cells upregulated the IL-23 receptor and the IL-23α p19 subunit, but not the p40 subunit. We engineered expression of the p40 subunit in T cells (p40-Td cells) and obtained selective proliferative activity in activated T cells via autocrine IL-23 signaling. In comparison to CAR T cells, p40-Td CAR T cells showed improved antitumor capacity in vitro, with increased granzyme B and decreased PD-1 expression. In two xenograft and two syngeneic solid tumor mouse models, p40-Td CAR T cells showed superior efficacy in comparison to CAR T cells and attenuated side effects in comparison to CAR T cells expressing IL-18 or IL-15.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Hypoxia/genetics
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Interleukin-12 Subunit p40/genetics
- Interleukin-12 Subunit p40/metabolism
- Interleukin-23/genetics
- Interleukin-23/metabolism
- Lymphocyte Activation
- Mice
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Receptors, Interleukin/genetics
- Receptors, Interleukin/metabolism
- STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingcong Ma
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Peishun Shou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christof Smith
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yuhui Chen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hongwei Du
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chuang Sun
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nancy Porterfield Kren
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Michaud
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah Ahn
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin Vincent
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yuliya Pylayeva-Gupta
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shuqun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Yang Xu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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111
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Petty AJ, Heyman B, Yang Y. Chimeric Antigen Receptor Cell Therapy: Overcoming Obstacles to Battle Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040842. [PMID: 32244520 PMCID: PMC7226583 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) are fusion proteins engineered from antigen recognition, signaling, and costimulatory domains that can be used to reprogram T cells to specifically target tumor cells expressing specific antigens. Current CAR-T cell technology utilizes the patient's own T cells to stably express CARs and has achieved exciting clinical success in the past few years. However, current CAR-T cell therapy still faces several challenges, including suboptimal persistence and potency, impaired trafficking to solid tumors, local immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment and intrinsic toxicity associated with CAR-T cells. This review focuses on recent strategies to improve the clinical efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy and other exciting CAR approaches currently under investigation, including CAR natural killer (NK) and NKT cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Petty
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Benjamin Heyman
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Correspondence: (B.H.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Yiping Yang
- Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Correspondence: (B.H.); (Y.Y.)
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112
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Batra SA, Rathi P, Guo L, Courtney AN, Fleurence J, Balzeau J, Shaik RS, Nguyen TP, Wu MF, Bulsara S, Mamonkin M, Metelitsa LS, Heczey A. Glypican-3-Specific CAR T Cells Coexpressing IL15 and IL21 Have Superior Expansion and Antitumor Activity against Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 8:309-320. [PMID: 31953246 PMCID: PMC10765595 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the world, and curative systemic therapies are lacking. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T cells induce robust antitumor responses in patients with hematologic malignancies but have limited efficacy in patients with solid tumors, including HCC. IL15 and IL21 promote T-cell expansion, survival, and function and can improve the antitumor properties of T cells. We explored whether transgenic expression of IL15 and/or IL21 enhanced glypican-3-CAR (GPC3-CAR) T cells' antitumor properties against HCC. We previously optimized the costimulation in GPC3-CARs and selected a second-generation GPC3-CAR incorporating a 4-1BB costimulatory endodomain (GBBz) for development. Here, we generated constructs encoding IL15, IL21, or both with GBBz (15.GBBz, 21.GBBz, and 21.15.GBBz, respectively) and examined the ability of transduced T cells to kill, produce effector cytokines, and expand in an antigen-dependent manner. We performed gene-expression and phenotypic analyses of GPC3-CAR T cells and CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of the TCF7 gene. Finally, we measured GPC3-CAR T-cell antitumor activity in murine xenograft models of GPC3+ tumors. The increased proliferation of 21.15.GBBz T cells was at least in part dependent on the upregulation and maintenance of TCF-1 (encoded by TCF7) and associated with a higher percentage of stem cell memory and central memory populations after manufacturing. T cells expressing 21.15.GBBz had superior in vitro and in vivo expansion and persistence, and the most robust antitumor activity in vivo These results provided preclinical evidence to support the clinical evaluation of 21.15.GPC3-CAR T cells in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Arun Batra
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Purva Rathi
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Linjie Guo
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Julien Fleurence
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Julien Balzeau
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rahamthulla S Shaik
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Thao P Nguyen
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Meng-Fen Wu
- Dan L Duncan Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Shaun Bulsara
- Dan L Duncan Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Maksim Mamonkin
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andras Heczey
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Texas Children's Hospital Liver Tumor Center, Houston, Texas
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113
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Monitoring Immune Responses in Neuroblastoma Patients during Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020519. [PMID: 32102342 PMCID: PMC7072382 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NBL) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Despite intense treatment, children with this high-risk disease have a poor prognosis. Immunotherapy showed a significant improvement in event-free survival in high-risk NBL patients receiving chimeric anti-GD2 in combination with cytokines and isotretinoin after myeloablative consolidation therapy. However, response to immunotherapy varies widely, and often therapy is stopped due to severe toxicities. Objective markers that help to predict which patients will respond or develop toxicity to a certain treatment are lacking. Immunotherapy guided via immune monitoring protocols will help to identify responders as early as possible, to decipher the immune response at play, and to adjust or develop new treatment strategies. In this review, we summarize recent studies investigating frequency and phenotype of immune cells in NBL patients prior and during current treatment protocols and highlight how these findings are related to clinical outcome. In addition, we discuss potential targets to improve immunogenicity and strategies that may help to improve therapy efficacy. We conclude that immune monitoring during therapy of NBL patients is essential to identify predictive biomarkers to guide patients towards effective treatment, with limited toxicities and optimal quality of life.
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114
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Sun C, Shou P, Du H, Hirabayashi K, Chen Y, Herring LE, Ahn S, Xu Y, Suzuki K, Li G, Tsahouridis O, Su L, Savoldo B, Dotti G. THEMIS-SHP1 Recruitment by 4-1BB Tunes LCK-Mediated Priming of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Redirected T Cells. Cancer Cell 2020; 37:216-225.e6. [PMID: 32004441 PMCID: PMC7397569 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell costimulation mediated by CD28 and 4-1BB is essential for CAR-T cell-induced tumor regression. However, CD28 and 4-1BB differentially modulate kinetics, metabolism and persistence of CAR-T cells, and the mechanisms governing these differences are not fully understood. We found that LCK recruited into the synapse of CD28-encoding CAR by co-receptors causes antigen-independent CAR-CD3ζ phosphorylation and increased antigen-dependent T cell activation. In contrast, the synapse formed by 4-1BB-encoding CAR recruits the THEMIS-SHP1 phosphatase complex that attenuates CAR-CD3ζ phosphorylation. We further demonstrated that the CAR synapse can be engineered to recruit either LCK to enhance the kinetics of tumor killing of 4-1BB CAR-T cells or SHP1 to tune down cytokine release of CD28 CAR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuang Sun
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Peishun Shou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hongwei Du
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Koichi Hirabayashi
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yuhui Chen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Laura E Herring
- Michael Hooker Proteomics Center, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah Ahn
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yang Xu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kyogo Suzuki
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Guangming Li
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ourania Tsahouridis
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lishan Su
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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115
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Fucà G, Reppel L, Landoni E, Savoldo B, Dotti G. Enhancing Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Efficacy in Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:2444-2451. [PMID: 32015021 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-1835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been acclaimed as a revolution in cancer treatment following the impressive results in hematologic malignancies. Unfortunately, in patients with solid tumors, objectives responses to CAR T cells are still anecdotal, and important issues are driven by on-target but off-tumor activity of CAR T cells and by the extremely complex biology of solid tumors. Here, we will review the recent attempts to challenge the therapeutic impediments to CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors. We will focus on the most promising strategies of antigen targeting to improve tumor specificity and address the tumor heterogeneity, efforts to circumvent the physical barriers of the tumor architecture such as subverted tumor vasculature, impediments of CAR T-cell trafficking and immune suppressive microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Fucà
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. .,Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Loic Reppel
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Elisa Landoni
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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116
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Rashidijahanabad Z, Huang X. Recent advances in tumor associated carbohydrate antigen based chimeric antigen receptor T cells and bispecific antibodies for anti-cancer immunotherapy. Semin Immunol 2020; 47:101390. [PMID: 31982247 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2020.101390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Tumor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) are a class of attractive antigens for the development of anti-cancer immunotherapy. Besides monoclonal antibodies and vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) targeting TACA are exciting directions to harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer. In this review, we focus on two TACAs, i.e., the GD2 ganglioside and the mucin-1 (MUC1) protein. The latest advances in CAR T cells and bispecific antibodies targeting these two antigens are presented. The roles of co-stimulatory molecules, structures of the sequences for antigen binding, methods for CAR and antibody construction, as well as strategies to enhance solid tumor penetration and reduce T cell exhaustion and death are discussed. Furthermore, approaches to reduce "on target, off tumor" side effects are introduced. With further development, CAR T cells and BsAbs targeting GD2 and MUC1 can become powerful agents to effectively treat solid tumor.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bispecific/genetics
- Antibodies, Bispecific/immunology
- Antibodies, Bispecific/metabolism
- Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate/immunology
- Epitopes/genetics
- Epitopes/immunology
- Gangliosides/antagonists & inhibitors
- Gangliosides/chemistry
- Gangliosides/immunology
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Mucin-1/immunology
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/chemistry
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/chemistry
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Rashidijahanabad
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Xuefei Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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117
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ji C, You F, Zhang T, Fan S, Han Z, Xiang S, Wang Y, Sheng B, Wang T, An G, Meng H, Yang L. Novel anti-GD2 CAR-T cells exhibit superior cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma. EUR J INFLAMM 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/2058739220961193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of high-risk paediatric neuroblastoma represents an unmet clinical need. Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) therapy is a promising treatment option, but there exist some challenges regarding specificity and potency. The current study used ganglioside GD2 as a target for CAR-T construction because of its selective overexpression in neuroblastoma cells. We engineered a GD2-based CAR-T construct, including ICOS and 4-1BB co-stimulatory domains for better persistence. The cytotoxicity of the generated CAR-T cells (PG3-GD2-CAR-T) was verified using in vitro and in vivo assays. PG3-GD2-CAR-T cells exerted potent anti-tumour activity in vitro and in vivo, with minimal effects on peripheral blood cells. PG3-GD2-CAR-T cells exhibited encouraging specificity for and potency against neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng ji
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine & Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fengtao You
- Persongen Bio Therapeutics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuangshuang Fan
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhichao Han
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shufen Xiang
- Persongen Bio Therapeutics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yinyan Wang
- Persongen Bio Therapeutics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Binjie Sheng
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian Wang
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gangli An
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huimin Meng
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Yang
- The Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine & Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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118
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Engineering strategies to overcome the current roadblocks in CAR T cell therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2019; 17:147-167. [PMID: 31848460 PMCID: PMC7223338 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-019-0297-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 737] [Impact Index Per Article: 147.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
T cells genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have proven — and impressive — therapeutic activity in patients with certain subtypes of B cell leukaemia or lymphoma, with promising efficacy also demonstrated in patients with multiple myeloma. Nevertheless, various barriers restrict the efficacy and/or prevent the widespread use of CAR T cell therapies in these patients as well as in those with other cancers, particularly solid tumours. Key challenges relating to CAR T cells include severe toxicities, restricted trafficking to, infiltration into and activation within tumours, suboptimal persistence in vivo, antigen escape and heterogeneity, and manufacturing issues. The evolution of CAR designs beyond the conventional structures will be necessary to address these limitations and to expand the use of CAR T cells to a wider range of malignancies. Investigators are addressing the current obstacles with a wide range of engineering strategies in order to improve the safety, efficacy and applicability of this therapeutic modality. In this Review, we discuss the innovative designs of novel CAR T cell products that are being developed to increase and expand the clinical benefits of these treatments in patients with diverse cancers. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, the first approved therapeutic approach with a genetic engineering component, holds substantial promise in the treatment of a range of cancers but is nevertheless limited by various challenges, including toxicities, intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms, and manufacturing issues. In this Review, the authors describe the innovative approaches to the engineering of CAR T cell products that are providing solutions to these challenges and therefore have the potential to considerably improve the safety and effectiveness of treatment. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have induced remarkable responses in patients with certain haematological malignancies, yet various barriers restrict the efficacy and/or prevent the widespread use of this treatment. Investigators are addressing these challenges with engineering strategies designed to improve the safety, efficacy and applicability of CAR T cell therapy. CARs have modular components, and therefore the optimal molecular design of the CAR can be achieved through many variations of the constituent protein domains. Toxicities currently associated with CAR T cell therapy can be mitigated using engineering strategies to make CAR T cells safer and that potentially broaden the range of tumour-associated antigens that can be targeted by overcoming on-target, off-tumour toxicities. CAR T cell efficacy can be enhanced by using engineering strategies to address the various challenges relating to the unique biology of diverse haematological and solid malignancies. Strategies to address the manufacturing challenges can lead to an improved CAR T cell product for all patients.
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119
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Abstract
The capacity of single-agent therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors to control solid cancers by unleashing preexisting local antitumor T cell responses has renewed interest in the broader use of T cells as anticancer therapeutics. At the same time, durable responses of refractory B-lineage malignancies to chimeric-receptor engineered T cells illustrate that T cells can be effectively redirected to cancers that lack preexisting tumor antigen-specific T cells, as most typical childhood cancers. This review summarizes strategies by which T cells can be modified to recognize defined antigens, with a focus on chimeric-receptor engineering. We provide an overview of candidate target antigens currently investigated in advanced preclinical and early clinical trials in pediatric malignancies and discuss the prerequisites for an adequate in vivo function of engineered T cells in the microenvironment of solid tumors and intrinsic and extrinsic limitations of current redirected T cell therapies. We further address innovative solutions to recruit therapeutic T cells to tumors, overcome the unreliable and heterogenous expression of most known tumor-associated antigens, and prevent functional inactivation of T cells in the hostile microenvironment of solid childhood tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin K Rauwolf
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, University Children's Hospital Muenster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Albert-Schweitzer Campus 1, University Children's Hospital Muenster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
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120
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EGFR-specific CAR-T cells trigger cell lysis in EGFR-positive TNBC. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:11054-11072. [PMID: 31804974 PMCID: PMC6932924 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer subtype for which effective therapies are lacking. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in various types of TNBC cells, and several EGFR-specific immunotherapies have been used to treat cancer patients. Chimeric antigen receptor engineered T (CAR-T) cells have also been used as cancer therapies. In this study, we generated two types of EGFR-specific CAR-modified T cells using lentiviral vectors with DNA sequences encoding the scFv regions of two anti-EGFR antibodies. The cytotoxic and antitumor effects of these CAR-modified T cells were examined in cytokine release and cytotoxicity assays in vitro and in tumor growth assays in TNBC cell line- and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Both types of EGFR-specific CAR-T cells were activated by high-EGFR-expressing TNBC cells and specifically triggered TNBC cell lysis in vitro. Additionally, the CAR-T cells inhibited growth of cell-line- and patient-derived xenograft TNBC tumors in mice. These results suggest that EGFR-specific CAR-T cells might be a promising therapeutic strategy in patients with high-EGFR-expressing TNBC.
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121
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Seitz CM, Schroeder S, Knopf P, Krahl AC, Hau J, Schleicher S, Martella M, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Kneilling M, Pichler B, Lang P, Atar D, Schilbach K, Handgretinger R, Schlegel P. GD2-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T cells prevent metastasis formation by elimination of breast cancer stem-like cells. Oncoimmunology 2019; 9:1683345. [PMID: 32002293 PMCID: PMC6959445 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1683345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Expression of the disialoganglioside GD2 has been identified as a marker antigen associated with a breast cancer stem-like cell (BCSC) phenotype. Here, we report on the evaluation of GD2 as a BCSC-specific target antigen for immunotherapy. GD2 expression was confirmed at variable degree in a set of breast cancer cell lines, predominantly in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). To target GD2, we have generated novel anti-GD2 chimeric antigen receptors (GD2-CAR), based on single-chain variable fragments (scFv) derived from the monoclonal antibody (mAb) ch14.18, also known as dinutuximab beta. Expressed on T cells, GD2-CARs mediated specific GD2-dependent T-cell activation and target cell lysis. In contrast to previously described GD2-CARs, no signs of exhaustion by tonic signaling were found. Importantly, application of GD2-CAR expressing T cells (GD2-CAR-T) in an orthotopic xenograft model of TNBC (MDA-MB-231) halted local tumor progression and completely prevented lung metastasis formation. In line with the BCSC model, GD2 expression was only found in a subpopulation (4-6%) of MDA-MB-231 cells before injection. Significant expansion of GD2-CAR-T in tumor-bearing mice as well as T-cell infiltrates in the primary tumor and the lungs were found, indicating site-specific activation of GD2-CAR-T. Our data strongly support previous findings of GD2 as a BCSC-associated antigen. GD2-targeted immunotherapies have been extensively studied in human. In conclusion, GD2-CAR-T should be considered a promising novel approach for GD2-positive breast cancer, especially to eliminate disseminated tumor cells and prevent metastasis formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian M Seitz
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Schroeder
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Knopf
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christin Krahl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jana Hau
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sabine Schleicher
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Manuela Martella
- Department of Pathology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Manfred Kneilling
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Pichler
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Peter Lang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Atar
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karin Schilbach
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Rupert Handgretinger
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Schlegel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Abstract
While impressive clinical responses have been observed using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting CD19+ hematologic malignancies, limited clinical benefit has been observed using CAR T cells for a variety of solid tumors. Results of clinical studies have highlighted several obstacles which CAR T cells face in the context of solid tumors, including insufficient homing to tumor sites, lack of expansion and persistence, encountering a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and heterogeneous antigen expression. In this review, we review clinical outcomes and discuss strategies to improve the antitumor activity of CAR T cells for solid tumors.
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123
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Current status and hurdles for CAR-T cell immune therapy. BLOOD SCIENCE 2019; 1:148-155. [PMID: 35402809 PMCID: PMC8974909 DOI: 10.1097/bs9.0000000000000025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells have emerged as novel and promising immune therapies for the treatment of multiple types of cancer in patients with hematological malignancies. There are several key components critical for development and application of CAR-T therapy. First, the design of CAR vectors can considerably affect several aspects of the physiological functions of these T cells. Moreover, despite the wide use of γ-retrovirus and lentivirus in mediating gene transfer into T cells, optimal CAR delivery systems are also being developed and evaluated. In addition, several classes of mouse models have been used to evaluate the efficacies of CAR-T cells; however, each model has its own limitations. Clinically, although surprising complete remission (CR) rates were observed in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), lymphoma, and multiple myeloma (MM), there is still a lack of specific targets for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Leukemia relapse remains a major challenge, and its mechanism is presently under investigation. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity are life-threatening adverse effects that need to be carefully treated. Several factors that compromise the activities of anti-solid cancer CAR-T cells have been recognized, and further improvements targeting these factors are the focus of the development of novel CAR-T cells. Overcoming the current hurdles will lead to optimal responses of CAR-T cells, thus paving the way for their wide clinical application.
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124
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Li D, Li X, Zhou WL, Huang Y, Liang X, Jiang L, Yang X, Sun J, Li Z, Han WD, Wang W. Genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2019; 4:35. [PMID: 31637014 PMCID: PMC6799837 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-019-0070-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells in the immune system protect the human body from infection by pathogens and clear mutant cells through specific recognition by T cell receptors (TCRs). Cancer immunotherapy, by relying on this basic recognition method, boosts the antitumor efficacy of T cells by unleashing the inhibition of immune checkpoints and expands adaptive immunity by facilitating the adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells. T cells genetically equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or TCRs have shown remarkable effectiveness in treating some hematological malignancies, although the efficacy of engineered T cells in treating solid tumors is far from satisfactory. In this review, we summarize the development of genetically engineered T cells, outline the most recent studies investigating genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy, and discuss strategies for improving the performance of these T cells in fighting cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Wei-Lin Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Liang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Cell Biology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058 Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Laboratory of Stem cell and Immunotherapy Engineering, 310058 Zhejing, China
| | - Zonghai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200032 Shanghai, China
- CARsgen Therapeutics, 200032 Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Dong Han
- Molecular & Immunological Department, Biotherapeutic Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, 100853 Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, 610041 Chengdu, China
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125
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Majzner RG, Mackall CL. Clinical lessons learned from the first leg of the CAR T cell journey. Nat Med 2019; 25:1341-1355. [DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0564-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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126
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Xu X, Huang W, Heczey A, Liu D, Guo L, Wood M, Jin J, Courtney AN, Liu B, Di Pierro EJ, Hicks J, Barragan GA, Ngai H, Chen Y, Savoldo B, Dotti G, Metelitsa LS. NKT Cells Coexpressing a GD2-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor and IL15 Show Enhanced In Vivo Persistence and Antitumor Activity against Neuroblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:7126-7138. [PMID: 31484667 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-0421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vα24-invariant natural killer T cells (NKT) are attractive carriers for chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) due to their inherent antitumor properties and preferential localization to tumor sites. However, limited persistence of CAR-NKTs in tumor-bearing mice is associated with tumor recurrence. Here, we evaluated whether coexpression of the NKT homeostatic cytokine IL15 with a CAR enhances the in vivo persistence and therapeutic efficacy of CAR-NKTs. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Human primary NKTs were ex vivo expanded and transduced with CAR constructs containing an optimized GD2-specific single-chain variable fragment and either the CD28 or 4-1BB costimulatory endodomain, each with or without IL15 (GD2.CAR or GD2.CAR.15). Constructs that mediated robust CAR-NKT cell expansion were selected for further functional evaluation in vitro and in xenogeneic mouse models of neuroblastoma. RESULTS Coexpression of IL15 with either costimulatory domain increased CAR-NKT absolute numbers. However, constructs containing 4-1BB induced excessive activation-induced cell death and reduced numeric expansion of NKTs compared with respective CD28-based constructs. Further evaluation of CD28-based GD2.CAR and GD2.CAR.15 showed that coexpression of IL15 led to reduced expression levels of exhaustion markers in NKTs and increased multiround in vitro tumor cell killing. Following transfer into mice bearing neuroblastoma xenografts, GD2.CAR.15 NKTs demonstrated enhanced in vivo persistence, increased localization to tumor sites, and improved tumor control compared with GD2.CAR NKTs. Importantly, GD2.CAR.15 NKTs did not produce significant toxicity as determined by histopathologic analysis. CONCLUSIONS Our results informed selection of the CD28-based GD2.CAR.15 construct for clinical testing and led to initiation of a first-in-human CAR-NKT cell clinical trial (NCT03294954).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xu
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Wei Huang
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andras Heczey
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Daofeng Liu
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Linjie Guo
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Michael Wood
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jingling Jin
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Bin Liu
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Erica J Di Pierro
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - John Hicks
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Gabriel A Barragan
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ho Ngai
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Yuhui Chen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. .,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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127
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Magalhaes I, Carvalho-Queiroz C, Hartana CA, Kaiser A, Lukic A, Mints M, Nilsson O, Grönlund H, Mattsson J, Berglund S. Facing the future: challenges and opportunities in adoptive T cell therapy in cancer. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 19:811-827. [PMID: 30986360 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2019.1608179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In recent years, immunotherapy for the treatment of solid cancer has emerged as a promising therapeutic alternative. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT), especially T cell-based, has been found to cause tumor regression and even cure in a percentage of treated patients. Checkpoint inhibitors further underscore the potential of the T cell compartment in the treatment of cancer. Not all patients respond to these treatments; however, many challenges remain. AREAS COVERED This review covers the challenges and progress in tumor antigen target identification and selection, and cell product manufacturing for T cell ACT. Tumor immune escape mechanisms and strategies to overcome those in the context of T cell ACT are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION The immunotherapy toolbox is rapidly expanding and improving, and the future promises further breakthroughs in the T cell ACT field. The heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment and the multiplicity of tumor immune escape mechanisms pose formidable challenges to successful T cell immunotherapy in solid tumors, however. Individualized approaches and strategies combining treatments targeting different immunotherapeutic aspects will be needed in order to expand the applicability and improve the response rates in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Magalhaes
- a Department of Oncology-Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Claudia Carvalho-Queiroz
- b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Ciputra Adijaya Hartana
- c Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital , Cambridge , MA , USA
| | - Andreas Kaiser
- b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Ana Lukic
- b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Michael Mints
- a Department of Oncology-Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,d Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences , Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,e Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Medical Oncology and Hematology , Princess Margaret Cancer Center , Toronto , Canada.,f Department of Medicine , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Ola Nilsson
- b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Hans Grönlund
- b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Jonas Mattsson
- a Department of Oncology-Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,f Department of Medicine , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Sofia Berglund
- a Department of Oncology-Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,b Therapeutic Immune Design, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
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