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Meyran D, Zhu JJ, Butler J, Tantalo D, MacDonald S, Nguyen TN, Wang M, Thio N, D'Souza C, Qin VM, Slaney C, Harrison A, Sek K, Petrone P, Thia K, Giuffrida L, Scott AM, Terry RL, Tran B, Desai J, Prince HM, Harrison SJ, Beavis PA, Kershaw MH, Solomon B, Ekert PG, Trapani JA, Darcy PK, Neeson PJ. T STEM-like CAR-T cells exhibit improved persistence and tumor control compared with conventional CAR-T cells in preclinical models. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabk1900. [PMID: 37018415 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abk1900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Patients who receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells that are enriched in memory T cells exhibit better disease control as a result of increased expansion and persistence of the CAR-T cells. Human memory T cells include stem-like CD8+ memory T cell progenitors that can become either functional stem-like T (TSTEM) cells or dysfunctional T progenitor exhausted (TPEX) cells. To that end, we demonstrated that TSTEM cells were less abundant in infused CAR-T cell products in a phase 1 clinical trial testing Lewis Y-CAR-T cells (NCT03851146), and the infused CAR-T cells displayed poor persistence in patients. To address this issue, we developed a production protocol to generate TSTEM-like CAR-T cells enriched for expression of genes in cell replication pathways. Compared with conventional CAR-T cells, TSTEM-like CAR-T cells had enhanced proliferative capacity and increased cytokine secretion after CAR stimulation, including after chronic CAR stimulation in vitro. These responses were dependent on the presence of CD4+ T cells during TSTEM-like CAR-T cell production. Adoptive transfer of TSTEM-like CAR-T cells induced better control of established tumors and resistance to tumor rechallenge in preclinical models. These more favorable outcomes were associated with increased persistence of TSTEM-like CAR-T cells and an increased memory T cell pool. Last, TSTEM-like CAR-T cells and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) treatment eradicated established tumors, and this was associated with increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+CAR+ T cells producing interferon-γ. In conclusion, our CAR-T cell protocol generated TSTEM-like CAR-T cells with enhanced therapeutic efficacy, resulting in increased proliferative capacity and persistence in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Meyran
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Université de Paris, Inserm, U976 HIPI Unit, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris F-75010, France
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Joe Jiang Zhu
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Jeanne Butler
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Daniela Tantalo
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Sean MacDonald
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Thu Ngoc Nguyen
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Minyu Wang
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Niko Thio
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Criselle D'Souza
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Vicky Mengfei Qin
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Clare Slaney
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Aaron Harrison
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Kevin Sek
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Pasquale Petrone
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Kevin Thia
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Lauren Giuffrida
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Andrew M Scott
- Tumor Targeting Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Rachael L Terry
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 1466, Australia
| | - Ben Tran
- Division of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Jayesh Desai
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - H Miles Prince
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Simon J Harrison
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Paul A Beavis
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Michael H Kershaw
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Ben Solomon
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
- Division of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Paul G Ekert
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 1466, Australia
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 1466, Australia
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph A Trapani
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Phillip K Darcy
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Paul J Neeson
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
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102
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Nicod C, da Rocha MN, Warda W, Roussel X, Haderbache R, Seffar E, Trad R, Bouquet L, Goncalves M, Bosdure L, Laude MC, Guiot M, Ferrand C, Deschamps M. CAR-T cells targeting IL-1RAP produced in a closed semiautomatic system are ready for the first phase I clinical investigation in humans. Curr Res Transl Med 2023; 71:103385. [PMID: 36773434 DOI: 10.1016/j.retram.2023.103385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells has demonstrated excellent results in B-lymphoid malignancies. The Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) status and good manufacturing practice (GMP) of CAR-T cells require particular conditions of production performed in a pharmaceutical establishment. Our team developed a new medical drug candidate for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a CAR targeting interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP) expressed by leukemia stem cells, which will need to be evaluated in a phase I-IIa clinical trial. During the preclinical development phase, we produced IL-1RAP CAR-T cells in a semi-automated closed system (CliniMACSࣨ Prodigy) using research grade lentiviral particles. PATIENTS AND THE METHODS The purpose of this work was to validate our production process and to characterize our preclinical GMP-like medicinal product. IL-1RAP CAR-T cells were produced from healthy donors in 9 days, either in an semi-automated closed system (with GMP-like compliant conditions) or according to another research protocols, which was used as a reference. RESULTS Based on phenotypic, functional and metabolic analyses, we were able to show that the final product is ready for clinical use. Finally, in a xenograft AML murine model, we demonstrated that the IL-1RAP CAR-T cells generated in a GMP-like environment could eliminate tumor cells and increase overall survival. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that our IL-1RAP CAR-T cell preclinical GMP-like production process meets standard regulatory requirements in terms of CAR-T cell number, subpopulation phenotype and cytotoxic functionality. Our CAR-T cell production process was validated and can be used to produce medicinal IL-1RAP CAR-T cells for the first phase I clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Nicod
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Mathieu Neto da Rocha
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; CanCell Therapeutics, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Walid Warda
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; CanCell Therapeutics, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Xavier Roussel
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; Department of Hematology, CHU Besançon, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Rafik Haderbache
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Evan Seffar
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Rim Trad
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Lucie Bouquet
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Mathieu Goncalves
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; Lymphobank S.A.S.U, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Léa Bosdure
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Marie-Charlotte Laude
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Mélanie Guiot
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Christophe Ferrand
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; CanCell Therapeutics, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Marina Deschamps
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR1098, RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, F-25000 Besançon, France; CanCell Therapeutics, 25000 Besançon, France.
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103
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Yin X, He L, Guo Z. T-cell exhaustion in CAR-T-cell therapy and strategies to overcome it. Immunology 2023. [PMID: 36942414 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumour immunotherapy has achieved good therapeutic effects in clinical practice and has received increased attention. Cytotoxic T cells undoubtedly play an important role in tumour immunotherapy. As a revolutionary tumour immunotherapy approach, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T-cell) therapy has made breakthroughs in the treatment of haematological cancers. However, T cells are easily exhausted in vivo, especially after they enter solid tumours. The exhaustion of T cells can lead to poor results of CAR-T-cell therapy in the treatment of solid tumours. Here, we review the reasons for T-cell exhaustion and how T-cell exhaustion develops. We also review and discuss ways to improve CAR-T-cell therapy effects by regulating T-cell exhaustion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lingfeng He
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhigang Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- CAR-T R&D, Nanjing Blue Shield Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 210023, China
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104
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CAR T-Cell Persistence Correlates with Improved Outcome in Patients with B-Cell Lymphoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065688. [PMID: 36982764 PMCID: PMC10056741 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has led to profound and durable tumor responses in a relevant subset of patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell lymphomas. Still, some patients show insufficient benefit or relapse after CAR T-cell therapy. We performed a retrospective study to investigate the correlation between CAR T-cell persistence in the peripheral blood (PB) at 6 months, assessed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), with CAR T-cell treatment outcome. 92 patients with r/r B-cell lymphomas were treated with CD19-targeting CAR T-cell therapies at our institution between 01/2019–08/2022. Six months post-treatment, 15 (16%) patients had no detectable circulating CAR-T constructs by ddPCR. Patients with CAR T-cell persistence had a significantly higher CAR T-cell peak (5432 vs. 620 copies/ug cfDNA, p = 0.0096), as well as higher incidence of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (37% vs. 7%, p = 0.0182). After a median follow-up of 8.5 months, 31 (34%) patients relapsed. Lymphoma relapses were less frequent among patients with CAR T-cell persistence (29% vs. 60%, p = 0.0336), and CAR T-cell persistence in the PB at 6 months was associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 2.79, 95% CI: 1.09–7.11, p = 0.0319). Moreover, we observed a trend towards improved overall survival (OS) (HR 1.99, 95% CI: 0.68–5.82, p = 0.2092) for these patients. In our cohort of 92 B-cell lymphomas, CAR T-cell persistence at 6 months was associated with lower relapse rates and longer PFS. Moreover, our data confirm that 4-1BB-CAR T-cells have a longer persistence as compared to CD-28-based CAR T-cells.
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105
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Nanjireddy PM, Olejniczak SH, Buxbaum NP. Targeting of chimeric antigen receptor T cell metabolism to improve therapeutic outcomes. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1121565. [PMID: 36999013 PMCID: PMC10043186 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1121565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetically engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can cure patients with cancers that are refractory to standard therapeutic approaches. To date, adoptive cell therapies have been less effective against solid tumors, largely due to impaired homing and function of immune cells within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Cellular metabolism plays a key role in T cell function and survival and is amenable to manipulation. This manuscript provides an overview of known aspects of CAR T metabolism and describes potential approaches to manipulate metabolic features of CAR T to yield better anti-tumor responses. Distinct T cell phenotypes that are linked to cellular metabolism profiles are associated with improved anti-tumor responses. Several steps within the CAR T manufacture process are amenable to interventions that can generate and maintain favorable intracellular metabolism phenotypes. For example, co-stimulatory signaling is executed through metabolic rewiring. Use of metabolic regulators during CAR T expansion or systemically in the patient following adoptive transfer are described as potential approaches to generate and maintain metabolic states that can confer improved in vivo T cell function and persistence. Cytokine and nutrient selection during the expansion process can be tailored to yield CAR T products with more favorable metabolic features. In summary, improved understanding of CAR T cellular metabolism and its manipulations have the potential to guide the development of more effective adoptive cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Maridhi Nanjireddy
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Immunology Department, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Scott H. Olejniczak
- Immunology Department, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Nataliya Prokopenko Buxbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Nataliya Prokopenko Buxbaum,
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106
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Zhang XW, Wu YS, Xu TM, Cui MH. CAR-T Cells in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: A Promising Cell Therapy. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030465. [PMID: 36979400 PMCID: PMC10046142 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is among the most common gynecologic malignancies with a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage (stage III or IV), with 5-year survival rates ranging from 25% to 47% worldwide. Surgical resection and first-line chemotherapy are the main treatment modalities for OC. However, patients usually relapse within a few years of initial treatment due to resistance to chemotherapy. Cell-based therapies, particularly adoptive T-cell therapy and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, represent an alternative immunotherapy approach with great potential for hematologic malignancies. However, the use of CAR-T-cell therapy for the treatment of OC is still associated with several difficulties. In this review, we comprehensively discuss recent innovations in CAR-T-cell engineering to improve clinical efficacy, as well as strategies to overcome the limitations of CAR-T-cell therapy in OC.
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107
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Lontos K, Wang Y, Joshi SK, Frisch AT, Watson MJ, Kumar A, Menk AV, Wang Y, Cumberland R, Lohmueller J, Carrizosa E, Boyerinas B, Delgoffe GM. Metabolic reprogramming via an engineered PGC-1α improves human chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy against solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006522. [PMID: 36914208 PMCID: PMC10016249 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellular immunotherapies for cancer represent a means by which a patient's immune system can be augmented with high numbers of tumor-specific T cells. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy involves genetic engineering to 'redirect' peripheral T cells to tumor targets, showing remarkable potency in blood cancers. However, due to several resistance mechanisms, CAR-T cell therapies remain ineffective in solid tumors. We and others have shown the tumor microenvironment harbors a distinct metabolic landscape that produces a barrier to immune cell function. Further, altered differentiation of T cells within tumors induces defects in mitochondrial biogenesis, resulting in severe cell-intrinsic metabolic deficiencies. While we and others have shown murine T cell receptor (TCR)-transgenic cells can be improved through enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, we sought to determine whether human CAR-T cells could be enabled through a metabolic reprogramming approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS Anti-EGFR CAR-T cells were infused in NSG mice which bore A549 tumors. The tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed for exhaustion and metabolic deficiencies. Lentiviruses carrying PPAR-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), PGC-1αS571A and NT-PGC-1α constructs were used to co-transduce T cells with anti-EGFR CAR lentiviruses. We performed metabolic analysis via flow cytometry and Seahorse analysis in vitro as well as RNA sequencing. Finally, we treated therapeutically A549-carrying NSG mice with either PGC-1α or NT-PGC-1α anti-EGFR CAR-T cells. We also analyzed the differences in the tumor-infiltrating CAR-T cells when PGC-1α is co-expressed. RESULTS Here, in this study, we show that an inhibition resistant, engineered version of PGC-1α, can metabolically reprogram human CAR-T cells. Transcriptomic profiling of PGC-1α-transduced CAR-T cells showed this approach effectively induced mitochondrial biogenesis, but also upregulated programs associated with effector functions. Treatment of immunodeficient animals bearing human solid tumors with these cells resulted in substantially improved in vivo efficacy. In contrast, a truncated version of PGC-1α, NT-PGC-1α, did not improve the in vivo outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our data further support a role for metabolic reprogramming in immunomodulatory treatments and highlight the utility of genes like PGC-1α as attractive candidates to include in cargo along with chimeric receptors or TCRs for cell therapy of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Lontos
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yiyang Wang
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Supriya K Joshi
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Andrew T Frisch
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - McLane J Watson
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alok Kumar
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ashley V Menk
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yupeng Wang
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Rachel Cumberland
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jason Lohmueller
- Department of Surgery, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Greg M Delgoffe
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, Department of Immunology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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108
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Teng M, Li Z, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Miao L, Bai X, Li Y, Wang S. Real-Time Monitoring of CAR-T Cell Efficiency through a Biorthogonal Cycloaddition Labeling Strategy. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:443-452. [PMID: 36748916 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) recognizing tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) effectively target tumor cells without using the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). However, CARs have inaccurate dose determination in clinical practice, and the methods that can solve this problem often produce cytotoxic substances, such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) insertion. Therefore, in this study, we tried to anchor harmless fluorescent labels on CAR-T cell membranes using highly biologically compatible strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) without any byproducts. Our conjugated fluorescent label was stable on the CAR-T cell surface for at least two weeks, with excellent light stability and metrology. Also, this method enabled the rapid quantification of the living CAR-T cells without affecting their activity. Thus, this method is a promising reliable strategy for accurately diagnosing and treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzhou Teng
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhijia Li
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510091, China
| | - Yali Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhengchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lele Miao
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiao Bai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Yumin Li
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Song Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Digestive System Tumors of Gansu Province, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
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109
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Zhang Y, Xu Y, Dang X, Zhu Z, Qian W, Liang A, Han W. Challenges and optimal strategies of CAR T therapy for hematological malignancies. Chin Med J (Engl) 2023; 136:269-279. [PMID: 36848181 PMCID: PMC10106177 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Remarkable improvement relative to traditional approaches in the treatment of hematological malignancies by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has promoted sequential approvals of eight commercial CAR T products within last 5 years. Although CAR T cells' productization is now rapidly boosting their extensive clinical application in real-world patients, the limitation of their clinical efficacy and related toxicities inspire further optimization of CAR structure and substantial development of innovative trials in various scenarios. Herein, we first summarized the current status and major progress in CAR T therapy for hematological malignancies, then described crucial factors which possibly compromise the clinical efficacies of CAR T cells, such as CAR T cell exhaustion and loss of antigen, and finally, we discussed the potential optimization strategies to tackle the challenges in the field of CAR T therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Zhang
- Department of Bio-Therapeutics, The First Medical Centre, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Xiuyong Dang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Zeyu Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Wenbin Qian
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Aibin Liang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Bio-Therapeutics, The First Medical Centre, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China
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110
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Cheng H, Qiu Y, Xu Y, Chen L, Ma K, Tao M, Frankiw L, Yin H, Xie E, Pan X, Du J, Wang Z, Zhu W, Chen L, Zhang L, Li G. Extracellular acidosis restricts one-carbon metabolism and preserves T cell stemness. Nat Metab 2023; 5:314-330. [PMID: 36717749 PMCID: PMC9970874 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00730-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of acidic metabolic waste products within the tumor microenvironment inhibits effector functions of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). However, it remains unclear how an acidic environment affects T cell metabolism and differentiation. Here we show that prolonged exposure to acid reprograms T cell intracellular metabolism and mitochondrial fitness and preserves T cell stemness. Mechanistically, elevated extracellular acidosis impairs methionine uptake and metabolism via downregulation of SLC7A5, therefore altering H3K27me3 deposition at the promoters of key T cell stemness genes. These changes promote the maintenance of a 'stem-like memory' state and improve long-term in vivo persistence and anti-tumor efficacy in mice. Our findings not only reveal an unexpected capacity of extracellular acidosis to maintain the stem-like properties of T cells, but also advance our understanding of how methionine metabolism affects T cell stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Yajing Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Yue Xu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Li Chen
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, Department of Laboratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kaili Ma
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Mengyuan Tao
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luke Frankiw
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongli Yin
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Ermei Xie
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoli Pan
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Jing Du
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenjie Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, Department of Laboratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Lianjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
| | - Guideng Li
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
- Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
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111
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Babl N, Hofbauer J, Matos C, Voll F, Menevse AN, Rechenmacher M, Mair R, Beckhove P, Herr W, Siska PJ, Renner K, Kreutz M, Schnell A. Low-density lipoprotein balances T cell metabolism and enhances response to anti-PD-1 blockade in a HCT116 spheroid model. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1107484. [PMID: 36776340 PMCID: PMC9911890 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1107484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The discovery of immune checkpoints and the development of their specific inhibitors was acclaimed as a major breakthrough in cancer therapy. However, only a limited patient cohort shows sufficient response to therapy. Hence, there is a need for identifying new checkpoints and predictive biomarkers with the objective of overcoming immune escape and resistance to treatment. Having been associated with both, treatment response and failure, LDL seems to be a double-edged sword in anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Being embedded into complex metabolic conditions, the impact of LDL on distinct immune cells has not been sufficiently addressed. Revealing the effects of LDL on T cell performance in tumor immunity may enable individual treatment adjustments in order to enhance the response to routinely administered immunotherapies in different patient populations. The object of this work was to investigate the effect of LDL on T cell activation and tumor immunity in-vitro. Methods Experiments were performed with different LDL dosages (LDLlow = 50 μg/ml and LDLhigh = 200 μg/ml) referring to medium control. T cell phenotype, cytokines and metabolism were analyzed. The functional relevance of our findings was studied in a HCT116 spheroid model in the context of anti-PD-1 blockade. Results The key points of our findings showed that LDLhigh skewed the CD4+ T cell subset into a central memory-like phenotype, enhanced the expression of the co-stimulatory marker CD154 (CD40L) and significantly reduced secretion of IL-10. The exhaustion markers PD-1 and LAG-3 were downregulated on both T cell subsets and phenotypical changes were associated with a balanced T cell metabolism, in particular with a significant decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS). T cell transfer into a HCT116 spheroid model resulted in a significant reduction of the spheroid viability in presence of an anti-PD-1 antibody combined with LDLhigh. Discussion Further research needs to be conducted to fully understand the impact of LDL on T cells in tumor immunity and moreover, to also unravel LDL effects on other lymphocytes and myeloid cells for improving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The reason for improved response might be a resilient, less exhausted phenotype with balanced ROS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Babl
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Joshua Hofbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Carina Matos
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Florian Voll
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,Division of Interventional Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ayse Nur Menevse
- Division of Interventional Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Rechenmacher
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ruth Mair
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Beckhove
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,Division of Interventional Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Peter J. Siska
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Renner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Kreutz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,Division of Interventional Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Annette Schnell
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Annette Schnell,
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Yan T, Zhu L, Chen J. Current advances and challenges in CAR T-Cell therapy for solid tumors: tumor-associated antigens and the tumor microenvironment. Exp Hematol Oncol 2023; 12:14. [PMID: 36707873 PMCID: PMC9883880 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-023-00373-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed ongoing progress in immune therapy to ameliorate human health. As an emerging technique, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has the advantages of specific killing of cancer cells, a high remission rate of cancer-induced symptoms, rapid tumor eradication, and long-lasting tumor immunity, opening a new window for tumor treatment. However, challenges remain in CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors due to target diversity, tumor heterogeneity, and the complex microenvironment. In this review, we have outlined the development of the CAR T-cell technique, summarized the current advances in tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), and highlighted the importance of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) or neoantigens for solid tumors. We also addressed the challenge of the TAA binding domain in CARs to overcome off-tumor toxicity. Moreover, we illustrated the dominant tumor microenvironment (TME)-induced challenges and new strategies based on TME-associated antigens (TMAs) for solid tumor CAR T-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yan
- grid.443397.e0000 0004 0368 7493Institute of Clinical Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570311 Hainan China
| | - Lingfeng Zhu
- grid.443397.e0000 0004 0368 7493Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570311 Hainan China
| | - Jin Chen
- grid.443397.e0000 0004 0368 7493Institute of Clinical Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570311 Hainan China ,grid.443397.e0000 0004 0368 7493Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570311 Hainan China
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113
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Claiborne MD. Manipulation of metabolic pathways to promote stem-like and memory T cell phenotypes for immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1061411. [PMID: 36741362 PMCID: PMC9889361 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Utilizing the immune system's capacity to recognize and kill tumor cells has revolutionized cancer therapy in recent decades. Phenotypic study of antitumor T cells supports the principle that superior tumor control is achieved by cells with more long-lived memory or stem-like properties as compared to terminally differentiated effector cells. In this Mini-Review, we explore recent advances in profiling the different metabolic programs that both generate and define subsets of memory T cells. We additionally discuss new experimental approaches that aim to maximize the durability and sustained antitumor response associated with memory T cells within the unique immunosuppressive conditions of the tumor microenvironment, such as engineered attempts to overcome hypoxia-induced changes in mitochondrial function, the inhibitory effects of tumor metabolites, and exploitation of more recently-defined metabolic pathways controlling T cell memory fate such as glycogen metabolism.
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114
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Rodrigo S, Senasinghe K, Quazi S. Molecular and therapeutic effect of CRISPR in treating cancer. Med Oncol 2023; 40:81. [PMID: 36650384 PMCID: PMC9845174 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-022-01930-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer has become one of the common causes of mortality around the globe due to mutations in the genome which allows rapid growth of cells uncontrollably without repairing DNA errors. Cancers could arise due alterations in DNA repair mechanisms (errors in mismatch repair genes), activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Each cancer type is different and each individual has a unique genetic change which leads them to cancer. Studying genetic and epigenetic alterations in the genome leads to understanding the underlying features. CAR T therapy over other immunotherapies such as monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapies has been widely used to treat cancer in recent days and gene editing has now become one of the promising treatments for many genetic diseases. This tool allows scientists to change the genome by adding, removing or altering genetic material of an organism. Due to advance in genetics and novel molecular techniques such as CRISPR, TALEN these genes can be edited in such a way that their original function could be replaced which in turn improved the treatment possibilities and can be used against malignancies and even cure cancer in future along with CAR T cell therapy due to the specific recognition and attacking of tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawani Rodrigo
- Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Kaveesha Senasinghe
- Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Sameer Quazi
- GenLab Biosolutions Private Limited, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560043, India.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- SCAMT Institute, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia.
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115
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Thomas S, Abken H. CAR T cell therapy becomes CHIC: "cytokine help intensified CAR" T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1090959. [PMID: 36700225 PMCID: PMC9869021 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1090959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in the canonical "second generation" format provide two signals for inducing T cell effector functions; the primary "signal-1" is provided through the TCR CD3ζ chain and the "signal-2" through a linked costimulatory domain to augment activation. While therapy with second generation CAR T cells can induce remissions of leukemia/lymphoma in a spectacular fashion, CAR T cell persistence is frequently limited which is thought to be due to timely limited activation. Following the "three-signal" dogma for inducing a sustained T cell response, cytokines were supplemented to provide "signal-3" to CAR T cells. Recent progress in the understanding of structural biology and receptor signaling has allowed to engineer cytokines for more selective, fine-tuned stimulation of CAR T cells including an artificial autocrine loop of a transgenic cytokine, a cytokine anchored to the CAR T cell membrane or inserted into the extracellular CAR domain, and a cytokine receptor signaling moiety co-expressed with the CAR or inserted into the CAR endodomain. Here we discuss the recent strategies and options for engineering such "cytokine help intensified CAR" (CHIC) T cells for use in adoptive cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Thomas
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Div. Genetic Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany,Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Div. Genetic Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany,Chair for Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Hinrich Abken,
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McCurry D, Flowers CR, Bermack C. Immune-based therapies in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2023; 32:479-493. [PMID: 37394970 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2023.2230137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive and clinically heterogeneous malignancy originating from B-cells with up to 40% of patients experiencing primary refractory disease or relapse after first-line treatment. However, the past 5 years have seen a flurry of new drug approvals for DLBCL anchored upon new immune therapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells and antibody-based therapies. AREAS COVERED This article summarizes recent advances in the treatment of DLBCL, including in the first line and relapsed and refractory setting (second-line and beyond). A literature search was conducted for publications relevant to the immunotherapeutic approach to DLBCL from 2000 through March 2023 within PubMed and articles were reviewed. The search terms were immunotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor modified T-cell (CAR-T), and classification of DLBCL. Relevant clinical trials and pre-clinical studies exploring the strengths and weaknesses of current immune therapies against DLBCL were chosen. We additionally explored how intrinsic differences amongst DLBCL subtype biology and endogenous host immune recruitment contribute to variable therapeutic efficacy. EXPERT OPINION Future treatments will minimize chemotherapy exposure and be chosen by underlying tumor biology, paving the way for the promise of chemotherapeutic free regimens and improved outcomes for poor-risk subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin McCurry
- Oncology Fellow, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
| | - Christopher R Flowers
- Division Head Ad Interim of Cancer Medicine, Chair and Professor of the Department of Lymphoma-Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
| | - Casey Bermack
- Oncology Fellow, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
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117
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Hiltensperger M, Krackhardt AM. Current and future concepts for the generation and application of genetically engineered CAR-T and TCR-T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1121030. [PMID: 36949949 PMCID: PMC10025359 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1121030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has seen a steep rise of new therapeutic approaches in its immune-oncology pipeline over the last years. This is in great part due to the recent approvals of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies and their remarkable efficacy in certain soluble tumors. A big focus of ACT lies on T cells and how to genetically modify them to target and kill tumor cells. Genetically modified T cells that are currently utilized are either equipped with an engineered CAR or a T cell receptor (TCR) for this purpose. Both strategies have their advantages and limitations. While CAR-T cell therapies are already used in the clinic, these therapies face challenges when it comes to the treatment of solid tumors. New designs of next-generation CAR-T cells might be able to overcome these hurdles. Moreover, CARs are restricted to surface antigens. Genetically engineered TCR-T cells targeting intracellular antigens might provide necessary qualities for the treatment of solid tumors. In this review, we will summarize the major advancements of the CAR-T and TCR-T cell technology. Moreover, we will cover ongoing clinical trials, discuss current challenges, and provide an assessment of future directions within the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hiltensperger
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- IIIrd Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael Hiltensperger, ; Angela M. Krackhardt,
| | - Angela M. Krackhardt
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- IIIrd Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Erlangen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael Hiltensperger, ; Angela M. Krackhardt,
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118
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Daei Sorkhabi A, Mohamed Khosroshahi L, Sarkesh A, Mardi A, Aghebati-Maleki A, Aghebati-Maleki L, Baradaran B. The current landscape of CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors: Mechanisms, research progress, challenges, and counterstrategies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1113882. [PMID: 37020537 PMCID: PMC10067596 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1113882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful outcomes of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in treating hematologic cancers have increased the previously unprecedented excitement to use this innovative approach in treating various forms of human cancers. Although researchers have put a lot of work into maximizing the effectiveness of these cells in the context of solid tumors, few studies have discussed challenges and potential strategies to overcome them. Restricted trafficking and infiltration into the tumor site, hypoxic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), antigen escape and heterogeneity, CAR T-cell exhaustion, and severe life-threatening toxicities are a few of the major obstacles facing CAR T-cells. CAR designs will need to go beyond the traditional architectures in order to get over these limitations and broaden their applicability to a larger range of malignancies. To enhance the safety, effectiveness, and applicability of this treatment modality, researchers are addressing the present challenges with a wide variety of engineering strategies as well as integrating several therapeutic tactics. In this study, we reviewed the antigens that CAR T-cells have been clinically trained to recognize, as well as counterstrategies to overcome the limitations of CAR T-cell therapy, such as recent advances in CAR T-cell engineering and the use of several therapies in combination to optimize their clinical efficacy in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Daei Sorkhabi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Aila Sarkesh
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Mardi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Aghebati-Maleki
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leili Aghebati-Maleki
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- *Correspondence: Leili Aghebati-Maleki, ; Behzad Baradaran,
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- *Correspondence: Leili Aghebati-Maleki, ; Behzad Baradaran,
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119
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Razavi AS, Loskog A, Razi S, Rezaei N. The signaling and the metabolic differences of various CAR T cell designs. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 114:109593. [PMID: 36700773 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is introduced as an effective, rapidly evolving therapeutic to treat cancer, especially cancers derived from hematological cells, such as B cells. CAR T cell gene constructs combine a tumor-targeting device coupled to the T cell receptor (TCR) zeta chain domain with different signaling domains such as domains derived from CD28 or 4-1BB (CD137). The incorporation of each specific co-stimulatory domain targets the immunometabolic pathways of CAR T cells as well as other signaling pathways. Defining the immunometabolic and signaling pathways by which CAR T cells become and remain active, survive, and eliminate their targets may represent a huge step forward in this relatively young research field as the CAR gene can be tailored to gain optimal function also for solid tumors with elaborate immunosuppression and protective stroma. There is a close relationship between different signaling domains applied in CAR T cells, and difficult to evaluate the benefit from different tested CAR gene constructs. In this review, we attempt to collect the latest findings regarding the CAR T cell signaling pathways that affect immunometabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Sadat Razavi
- Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Angelica Loskog
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjöldsväg 20, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sepideh Razi
- Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Stockholm, Sweden.
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120
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Del Baldo G, Del Bufalo F, Pinacchio C, Carai A, Quintarelli C, De Angelis B, Merli P, Cacchione A, Locatelli F, Mastronuzzi A. The peculiar challenge of bringing CAR-T cells into the brain: Perspectives in the clinical application to the treatment of pediatric central nervous system tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1142597. [PMID: 37025994 PMCID: PMC10072260 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1142597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood malignant brain tumors remain a significant cause of death in the pediatric population, despite the use of aggressive multimodal treatments. New therapeutic approaches are urgently needed for these patients in order to improve prognosis, while reducing side effects and long-term sequelae of the treatment. Immunotherapy is an attractive option and, in particular, the use of gene-modified T cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T cells) represents a promising approach. Major hurdles in the clinical application of this approach in neuro-oncology, however, exist. The peculiar location of brain tumors leads to both a difficulty of access to the tumor mass, shielded by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and to an increased risk of potentially life-threatening neurotoxicity, due to the primary location of the disease in the CNS and the low intracranial volume reserve. There are no unequivocal data on the best way of CAR-T cell administration. Multiple trials exploring the use of CD19 CAR-T cells for hematologic malignancies proved that genetically engineered T cells can cross the BBB, suggesting that systemically administered CAR-T cell can be used in the neuro-oncology setting. Intrathecal and intra-tumoral delivery can be easily managed with local implantable devices, suitable also for a more precise neuro-monitoring. The identification of specific approaches of neuro-monitoring is of utmost importance in these patients. In the present review, we highlight the most relevant potential challenges associated with the application of CAR-T cell therapy in pediatric brain cancers, focusing on the evaluation of the best route of delivery, the peculiar risk of neurotoxicity and the related neuro-monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Del Baldo
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Del Bufalo
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Pinacchio
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Carai
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurosurgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Quintarelli
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Biagio De Angelis
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Merli
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Cacchione
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Mastronuzzi
- Department of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology, and Cell and Gene Therapy Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Scientific Institute for Reasearch, Hospitalization and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Angela Mastronuzzi,
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Chen C, Wang Z, Ding Y, Qin Y. Manipulating T-cell metabolism to enhance immunotherapy in solid tumor. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1090429. [PMID: 36618408 PMCID: PMC9812959 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1090429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular metabolism is not only essential for tumor cells to sustain their rapid growth and proliferation, but also crucial to maintain T cell fitness and robust immunity. Dysregulated metabolism has been recognized as a hallmark of cancer, which provides survival advantages for tumor cells under stress conditions. Also, emerging evidence suggests that metabolic reprogramming impacts the activation, differentiation, function, and exhaustion of T cells. Normal stimulation of resting T cells promotes the conversion of catabolic and oxidative metabolism to aerobic glycolysis in effector T cells, and subsequently back to oxidative metabolism in memory T cells. These metabolic transitions profoundly affect the trajectories of T-cell differentiation and fate. However, these metabolic events of T cells could be dysregulated by their interplays with tumor or the tumor microenvironment (TME). Importantly, metabolic competition in the tumor ecosystem is a new mechanism resulting in strong suppression of effector T cells. It is appreciated that targeting metabolic reprogramming is a promising way to disrupt the hypermetabolic state of tumor cells and enhance the capacity of immune cells to obtain nutrients. Furthermore, immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and oncolytic virus (OV) therapy, have significantly refashioned the clinical management of solid tumors, they are not sufficiently effective for all patients. Understanding how immunotherapy affects T cell metabolism provides a bright avenue to better modulate T cell anti-tumor response. In this review, we provide an overview of the cellular metabolism of tumor and T cells, provide evidence on their dynamic interaction, highlight how metabolic reprogramming of tumor and T cells regulate the anti-tumor responses, describe T cell metabolic patterns in the context of ICI, ACT, and OV, and propose hypothetical combination strategies to favor potent T cell functionality.
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122
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Zhu X, Li Q, Zhu X. Mechanisms of CAR T cell exhaustion and current counteraction strategies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1034257. [PMID: 36568989 PMCID: PMC9773844 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1034257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional state of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells determines their efficacy in vivo. Exhausted CAR T cells exhibit decreased proliferative capacity, impaired anti-tumor activity, and attenuated persistence. CAR T cell exhaustion has been recognized as a vital cause of nonresponse and relapse after CAR T cell therapy. However, the triggers and mechanisms leading to CAR T cell exhaustion remain blurry and complicated. Therefore, it is essential to clear the regulation network of CAR T cell exhaustion and explore potent solutions. Here, we review the diverse inducers of CAR T cell exhaustion in terms of manufacture process and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In addition to the admitted immune checkpoint blockade, we also describe promising strategies that may reverse CAR T cell exhaustion including targeting the tumor microenvironment, epigenetics and transcriptomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Hematology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Qing Li, ; Xiaojian Zhu,
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Qing Li, ; Xiaojian Zhu,
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Abstract
Significance: Cancer immunotherapy has yielded striking antitumor effects in many cancers, yet the proportion of benefited patients is still limited. As key mediators of tumor suppression, CD8+ T cells are crucial for cancer immunotherapy. It has been widely appreciated that the modulation of CD8+ T cell immunity could be an effective way to further improve the therapeutic benefit of immunotherapy. Recent Advances: Emerging evidence has underlined a close link between metabolism and immune functions, providing a metabolism-immune axis that is increasingly investigated for understanding CD8+ T cell regulation. On the other hand, growing findings have reported that tumors adopt multiple approaches to induce metabolic reprogramming of CD8+ T cells, leading to compromised immunotherapy. Critical Issues: CD8+ T cell metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is often adapted to diminish antitumor immune responses and thereby evade from immune surveillance. A better understanding of metabolic regulation of CD8+ T cells in the TME is believed to hold promise for opening a new therapeutic window to further improve the benefit of immunotherapy. We herein review the mechanistic understanding of how CD8+ T cell metabolism is reprogrammed in the TME, mainly focusing on the impact of nutrient availability and bioactive molecules secreted by surrounding cells. Future Directions: Future research should pay attention to tumor heterogeneity in the metabolic microenvironment and associated immune responses. It is also important to include the trending opinion of "precision medicine" in cancer immunotherapies to tailor metabolic interventions for individual patients in combination with immunotherapy treatments. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 1234-1253.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaomin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Chow A, Perica K, Klebanoff CA, Wolchok JD. Clinical implications of T cell exhaustion for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2022; 19:775-790. [PMID: 36216928 PMCID: PMC10984554 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00689-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 280] [Impact Index Per Article: 140.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has been a remarkable clinical advancement in the treatment of cancer. T cells are pivotal to the efficacy of current cancer immunotherapies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies. However, cancer is associated with T cell exhaustion, a hypofunctional state characterized by progressive loss of T cell effector functions and self-renewal capacity. The 'un-exhausting' of T cells in the tumour microenvironment is commonly regarded as a key mechanism of action for immune-checkpoint inhibitors, and T cell exhaustion is considered a pathway of resistance for cellular immunotherapies. Several elegant studies have provided important insights into the transcriptional and epigenetic programmes that govern T cell exhaustion. In this Review, we highlight recent discoveries related to the immunobiology of T cell exhaustion that offer a more nuanced perspective beyond this hypofunctional state being entirely undesirable. We review evidence that T cell exhaustion might be as much a reflection as it is the cause of poor tumour control. Furthermore, we hypothesize that, in certain contexts of chronic antigen stimulation, interruption of the exhaustion programme might impair T cell persistence. Therefore, the prioritization of interventions that mitigate the development of T cell exhaustion, including orthogonal cytoreduction therapies and novel cellular engineering strategies, might ultimately confer superior clinical outcomes and the greatest advances in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Chow
- Thoracic Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Karlo Perica
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Cell Therapy Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christopher A Klebanoff
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Cell Therapy Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jedd D Wolchok
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Cancer immunotherapy with CAR T cells: well-trodden paths and journey along lesser-known routes. Radiol Oncol 2022; 56:409-419. [PMID: 36503716 PMCID: PMC9784369 DOI: 10.2478/raon-2022-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a clinically approved cancer immunotherapy approach using genetically engineered T cells. The success of CAR T cells has been met with challenges regarding efficacy and safety. Although a broad spectrum of CAR T cell variants and applications is emerging, this review focuses on CAR T cells for the treatment of cancer. In the first part, the general principles of adoptive cell transfer, the architecture of the CAR molecule, and the effects of design on function are presented. The second part describes five conceptual challenges that hinder the success of CAR T cells; immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment, T cell intrinsic properties, tumour targeting, manufacturing cellular product, and immune-related adverse events. Throughout the review, selected current approaches to address these issues are presented. CONCLUSIONS Cancer immunotherapy with CAR T cells represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of certain blood cancers that do not respond to other available treatment options. Well-trodden paths taken by pioneers led to the first clinical approval, and now the journey continues down lesser-known paths to treat a variety of cancers and other serious diseases with CAR T cells.
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126
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Al-Haideri M, Tondok SB, Safa SH, maleki AH, Rostami S, Jalil AT, Al-Gazally ME, Alsaikhan F, Rizaev JA, Mohammad TAM, Tahmasebi S. CAR-T cell combination therapy: the next revolution in cancer treatment. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:365. [DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02778-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractIn recent decades, the advent of immune-based therapies, most notably Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. The promising results of numerous studies indicate that CAR-T cell therapy has had a remarkable ability and successful performance in treating blood cancers. However, the heterogeneity and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of solid tumors have challenged the effectiveness of these anti-tumor fighters by creating various barriers. Despite the promising results of this therapeutic approach, including tumor degradation and patient improvement, there are some concerns about the efficacy and safety of the widespread use of this treatment in the clinic. Complex and suppressing tumor microenvironment, tumor antigen heterogeneity, the difficulty of cell trafficking, CAR-T cell exhaustion, and reduced cytotoxicity in the tumor site limit the applicability of CAR-T cell therapy and highlights the requiring to improve the performance of this treatment. With this in mind, in the last decade, many efforts have been made to use other treatments for cancer in combination with tuberculosis to increase the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy, especially in solid tumors. The combination therapy results have promising consequences for tumor regression and better cancer control compared to single therapies. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively discuss different cancer treatment methods in combination with CAR-T cell therapy and their therapeutic outcomes, which can be a helpful perspective for improving cancer treatment in the near future.
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127
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Liu Y, An L, Huang R, Xiong J, Yang H, Wang X, Zhang X. Strategies to enhance CAR-T persistence. Biomark Res 2022; 10:86. [PMID: 36419115 PMCID: PMC9685914 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has significantly improved the life expectancy for patients with refractory or relapse B cell lymphoma. As for B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), although the primary response rate is promising, the high incidence of early relapse has caused modest long-term survival with CAR-T cell alone. One of the main challenges is the limited persistence of CAR-T cells. To further optimize the clinical effects of CAR-T cells, many studies have focused on modifying the CAR structure and regulating CAR-T cell differentiation. In this review, we focus on CAR-T cell persistence and summarize the latest progress and strategies adopted during the in vitro culture stage to optimize CAR-T immunotherapy by improving long-term persistence. Such strategies include choosing a suitable cell source, improving culture conditions, combining CAR-T cells with conventional drugs, and applying genetic manipulations, all of which may improve the survival of patients with hematologic malignancies by reducing the probability of recurrence after CAR-T cell infusion and provide clues for solid tumor CAR-T cell therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingna An
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruihao Huang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingkang Xiong
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Haoyu Yang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xi Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China. .,Jinfeng Laboratory, 401329, Chongqing, China.
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Nasiri F, Kazemi M, Mirarefin SMJ, Mahboubi Kancha M, Ahmadi Najafabadi M, Salem F, Dashti Shokoohi S, Evazi Bakhshi S, Safarzadeh Kozani P, Safarzadeh Kozani P. CAR-T cell therapy in triple-negative breast cancer: Hunting the invisible devil. Front Immunol 2022; 13. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1018786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known as the most intricate and hard-to-treat subtype of breast cancer. TNBC cells do not express the well-known estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressed by other breast cancer subtypes. This phenomenon leaves no room for novel treatment approaches including endocrine and HER2-specific antibody therapies. To date, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy remain the principal therapy options for TNBC treatment. However, in numerous cases, these approaches either result in minimal clinical benefit or are nonfunctional, resulting in disease recurrence and poor prognosis. Nowadays, chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy is becoming more established as an option for the treatment of various types of hematologic malignancies. CAR-Ts are genetically engineered T lymphocytes that employ the body’s immune system mechanisms to selectively recognize cancer cells expressing tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) of interest and efficiently eliminate them. However, despite the clinical triumph of CAR-T therapy in hematologic neoplasms, CAR-T therapy of solid tumors, including TNBC, has been much more challenging. In this review, we will discuss the success of CAR-T therapy in hematological neoplasms and its caveats in solid tumors, and then we summarize the potential CAR-T targetable TAAs in TNBC studied in different investigational stages.
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129
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Nasiri F, Kazemi M, Mirarefin SMJ, Mahboubi Kancha M, Ahmadi Najafabadi M, Salem F, Dashti Shokoohi S, Evazi Bakhshi S, Safarzadeh Kozani P, Safarzadeh Kozani P. CAR-T cell therapy in triple-negative breast cancer: Hunting the invisible devil. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1018786. [PMID: 36483567 PMCID: PMC9722775 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1018786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known as the most intricate and hard-to-treat subtype of breast cancer. TNBC cells do not express the well-known estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressed by other breast cancer subtypes. This phenomenon leaves no room for novel treatment approaches including endocrine and HER2-specific antibody therapies. To date, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy remain the principal therapy options for TNBC treatment. However, in numerous cases, these approaches either result in minimal clinical benefit or are nonfunctional, resulting in disease recurrence and poor prognosis. Nowadays, chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy is becoming more established as an option for the treatment of various types of hematologic malignancies. CAR-Ts are genetically engineered T lymphocytes that employ the body's immune system mechanisms to selectively recognize cancer cells expressing tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) of interest and efficiently eliminate them. However, despite the clinical triumph of CAR-T therapy in hematologic neoplasms, CAR-T therapy of solid tumors, including TNBC, has been much more challenging. In this review, we will discuss the success of CAR-T therapy in hematological neoplasms and its caveats in solid tumors, and then we summarize the potential CAR-T targetable TAAs in TNBC studied in different investigational stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Nasiri
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Production Platforms & Analytics, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mehrasa Kazemi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Thalassemia Research Center, Hemoglobinopathy Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Maral Mahboubi Kancha
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Milad Ahmadi Najafabadi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faeze Salem
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Setareh Dashti Shokoohi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Evazi Bakhshi
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Pouya Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Pooria Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Rial Saborido J, Völkl S, Aigner M, Mackensen A, Mougiakakos D. Role of CAR T Cell Metabolism for Therapeutic Efficacy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5442. [PMID: 36358860 PMCID: PMC9658570 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells hold enormous potential. However, a substantial proportion of patients receiving CAR T cells will not reach long-term full remission. One of the causes lies in their premature exhaustion, which also includes a metabolic anergy of adoptively transferred CAR T cells. T cell phenotypes that have been shown to be particularly well suited for CAR T cell therapy display certain metabolic characteristics; whereas T-stem cell memory (TSCM) cells, characterized by self-renewal and persistence, preferentially meet their energetic demands through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), effector T cells (TEFF) rely on glycolysis to support their cytotoxic function. Various parameters of CAR T cell design and manufacture co-determine the metabolic profile of the final cell product. A co-stimulatory 4-1BB domain promotes OXPHOS and formation of central memory T cells (TCM), while T cells expressing CARs with CD28 domains predominantly utilize aerobic glycolysis and differentiate into effector memory T cells (TEM). Therefore, modification of CAR co-stimulation represents one of the many strategies currently being investigated for improving CAR T cells' metabolic fitness and survivability within a hostile tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review, we will focus on the role of CAR T cell metabolism in therapeutic efficacy together with potential targets of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Rial Saborido
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Simon Völkl
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Aigner
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Mackensen
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dimitrios Mougiakakos
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität and University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Medical Center, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
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Watchmaker PB, Colton M, Pineo-Cavanaugh PL, Okada H. Future development of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies for patients suffering from malignant glioma. Curr Opin Oncol 2022; 34:661-669. [PMID: 35855503 PMCID: PMC9560977 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has been successful in some haematologic malignancies, but the central nervous system (CNS) presents unique obstacles to its use against tumours arising therein. This review discusses recent improvements in the delivery and design of these cells to improve the efficacy and safety of this treatment against malignant gliomas. RECENT FINDINGS The immunosuppressive environment of the CNS affects the functionality of CAR T cells, but recent developments using metabolic manipulation and cytokine delivery have shown that the performance of CAR T cells can be improved in this environment. Emerging techniques can improve the delivery of CAR T cells to the CNS parenchyma, which is normally well protected from peripheral immune cells. The implementation of novel antigens and CAR-expression regulation strategies will improve the specificity and efficacy of these cells. Finally, although autologous T cells have historically been the standard, recent developments have made the use of allogeneic T cells or natural killer (NK) cells more clinically feasible. SUMMARY The discoveries highlighted in this review will aid the development of CAR cells that are safer, more resilient against immunosuppressive signals in the CNS, and able to specifically target intracranial tumour cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maggie Colton
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | - Hideho Okada
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
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Co-expression of a PD-L1-specific chimeric switch receptor augments the efficacy and persistence of CAR T cells via the CD70-CD27 axis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6051. [PMID: 36229619 PMCID: PMC9561169 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33793-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-expression of chimeric switch receptors (CSRs) specific for PD-L1 improves the antitumor effects of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. However, the effects of trans-recognition between CSRs and PD-L1 expressed by activated CAR T cells remain unclear. Here, we design a CSR specific for PD-L1 (CARP), containing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic signaling domains of CD28 but not the CD3 ζ chain. We show that CARP T cells enhance the antitumor activity of anti-mesothelin CAR (CARMz) T cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, confocal microscopy indicates that PD-L1 molecules on CARMz T cells accumulate at cell-cell contacts with CARP T cells. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, we reveal that CARP T cells promote CARMz T cells differentiation into central memory-like T cells, upregulate genes related to Th1 cells, and downregulate Th2-associated cytokines through the CD70-CD27 axis. Moreover, these effects are not restricted to PD-L1, as CAR19 T cells expressing anti-CD19 CSR exhibit similar effects on anti-PSCA CAR T cells with truncated CD19 expression. These findings suggest that target trans-recognition by CSRs on CAR T cells may improve the efficacy and persistence of CAR T cells via the CD70-CD27 axis.
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Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells therapy has revolutionized the treatment paradigms for hematological malignancies, with multi-line therapy-refractory patients achieving durable complete remissions (CR) and relatively high objective response rate (ORR). So far, many CAR-T products, such as Kymriah, Yescarta and Tecartus, have been developed and got the unprecedented results. However, some patients may relapse afterwards, driving intense investigations into promoting the development of novel strategies to overcome resistance and mechanisms of relapse. Notable technical progress, such as nanobodies and CRISPR-Case9, has also taken place to ensure CAR-T cell therapy fully satisfies its medical potential. In this review, we outline the basic principles for the development and manufacturing processes of CAR-T cell therapy, summarize the similarities and differences in efficacy of different products as well as their corresponding clinical results, and discuss CAR-T immunotherapy combined with other clinical effects of drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junru Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guan Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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134
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Recent Advances in the Development of Anti-FLT3 CAR T-Cell Therapies for Treatment of AML. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102441. [PMID: 36289703 PMCID: PMC9598885 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the success of the anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies against B-cell malignancies, the CAR T-cell approach is being developed towards other malignancies like acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Treatment options for relapsed AML patients are limited, and the upregulation of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) in malignant T-cells is currently not only being investigated as a prognostic factor, but also as a target for new treatment options. In this review, we provide an overview and discuss different approaches of current anti-FLT3 CAR T-cells under development. In general, these therapies are effective both in vitro and in vivo, however the safety profile still needs to be further investigated. The first clinical trials have been initiated, and the community now awaits clinical evaluation of the approach of targeting FLT3 with CAR T-cells.
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135
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Huang J, Huang X, Huang J. CAR-T cell therapy for hematological malignancies: Limitations and optimization strategies. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1019115. [PMID: 36248810 PMCID: PMC9557333 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1019115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, the emergence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has led to a cellular immunotherapy revolution against various cancers. Although CAR-T cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable efficacy for patients with certain B cell driven hematological malignancies, further studies are required to broaden the use of CAR-T cell therapy against other hematological malignancies. Moreover, treatment failure still occurs for a significant proportion of patients. CAR antigen loss on cancer cells is one of the most common reasons for cancer relapse. Additionally, immune evasion can arise due to the hostile immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the impaired CAR-T cells in vivo persistence. Other than direct antitumor activity, the adverse effects associated with CAR-T cell therapy are another major concern during treatment. As a newly emerged treatment approach, numerous novel preclinical studies have proposed different strategies to enhance the efficacy and attenuate CAR-T cell associated toxicity in recent years. The major obstacles that impede promising outcomes for patients with hematological malignancies during CAR-T cell therapy have been reviewed herein, along with recent advancements being made to surmount them.
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136
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Therapeutic targets and biomarkers of tumor immunotherapy: response versus non-response. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:331. [PMID: 36123348 PMCID: PMC9485144 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers are highly complex diseases that are characterized by not only the overgrowth of malignant cells but also an altered immune response. The inhibition and reprogramming of the immune system play critical roles in tumor initiation and progression. Immunotherapy aims to reactivate antitumor immune cells and overcome the immune escape mechanisms of tumors. Represented by immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cell transfer, tumor immunotherapy has seen tremendous success in the clinic, with the capability to induce long-term regression of some tumors that are refractory to all other treatments. Among them, immune checkpoint blocking therapy, represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (nivolumab) and CTLA-4 inhibitors (ipilimumab), has shown encouraging therapeutic effects in the treatment of various malignant tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma. In addition, with the advent of CAR-T, CAR-M and other novel immunotherapy methods, immunotherapy has entered a new era. At present, evidence indicates that the combination of multiple immunotherapy methods may be one way to improve the therapeutic effect. However, the overall clinical response rate of tumor immunotherapy still needs improvement, which warrants the development of novel therapeutic designs as well as the discovery of biomarkers that can guide the prescription of these agents. Learning from the past success and failure of both clinical and basic research is critical for the rational design of studies in the future. In this article, we describe the efforts to manipulate the immune system against cancer and discuss different targets and cell types that can be exploited to promote the antitumor immune response.
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137
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Okuma A, Ishida Y, Kawara T, Hisada S, Araki S. Secretory co-factors in next-generation cellular therapies for cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:907022. [PMID: 36059449 PMCID: PMC9433659 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.907022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for hematologic malignancies were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, numerous "next-generation" CAR T cells have been developed to improve their safety, efficacy, and applicability. Although some of these novel therapeutic strategies are promising, it remains difficult to apply these therapies to solid tumors and to control adverse effects, such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. CAR T cells are generated using highly scalable genetic engineering techniques. One of the major strategies for producing next-generation CAR T cells involves the integration of useful co-factor(s) into the artificial genetic design of the CAR gene, resulting in next-generation CAR T cells that express both CAR and the co-factor(s). Many soluble co-factors have been reported for CAR T cells and their therapeutic effects and toxicity have been tested by systemic injection; therefore, CAR T cells harnessing secretory co-factors could be close to clinical application. Here, we review the various secretory co-factors that have been reported to improve the therapeutic efficacy of CAR T cells and ameliorate adverse events. In addition, we discuss the different co-factor expression systems that have been used to optimize their beneficial effects. Altogether, we demonstrate that combining CAR T cells with secretory co-factors will lead to next-generation CAR T-cell therapies that can be used against broader types of cancers and might provide advanced tools for more complicated synthetic immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Okuma
- Center for Exploratory Research, Research and Development Group, Hitachi Ltd., Kobe, Japan
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138
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Yi L, Yang L. Stem-like T cells and niches: Implications in human health and disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:907172. [PMID: 36059484 PMCID: PMC9428355 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.907172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, accumulating evidence has elucidated the important role of T cells with stem-like characteristics in long-term maintenance of T cell responses and better patient outcomes after immunotherapy. The fate of TSL cells has been correlated with many physiological and pathological human processes. In this review, we described present advances demonstrating that stem-like T (TSL) cells are central players in human health and disease. We interpreted the evolutionary characteristics, mechanism and functions of TSL cells. Moreover, we discuss the import role of distinct niches and how they affect the stemness of TSL cells. Furthermore, we also outlined currently available strategies to generate TSL cells and associated affecting factors. Moreover, we summarized implication of TSL cells in therapies in two areas: stemness enhancement for vaccines, ICB, and adoptive T cell therapies, and stemness disruption for autoimmune disorders.
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139
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Cai X, Li H, Wang M, Chu E, Wei N, Lin J, Hu Y, Dai J, Chen A, Zheng H, Zhang Q, Zhong Y, Chang R, Wu S, Xiao Y, Liu C. mTOR Participates in the Formation, Maintenance, and Function of Memory CD8 +T Cells Regulated by Glycometabolism. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 204:115197. [PMID: 35926651 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Memory CD8+T cells participate in the fight against infection and tumorigenesis as well as in autoimmune disease progression because of their efficient and rapid immune response, long-term survival, and continuous differentiation. At each stage of their formation, maintenance, and function, the cell metabolism must be adjusted to match the functional requirements of the specific stage. Notably, enhanced glycolytic metabolism can generate sufficient levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to form memory CD8+T cells, countering the view that glycolysis prevents the formation of memory CD8+T cells. This review focuses on how glycometabolism regulates memory CD8+T cells and highlights the key mechanisms through which the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway affects memory CD8+T cell formation, maintenance, and function by regulating glycometabolism. In addition, different subpopulations of memory CD8+T cells exhibit different metabolic flexibility during their formation, survival, and functional stages, during which the energy metabolism may be critical. These findings which may explain why enhanced glycolytic metabolism can give rise to memory CD8+T cells. Modulating the metabolism of memory CD8+T cells to influence specific cell fates may be useful for disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuepei Cai
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haokun Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Manyi Wang
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Edward Chu
- Department of Oncology and Cancer Therapeutics Program, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ning Wei
- Department of Oncology and Cancer Therapeutics Program, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jiayu Lin
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Hu
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingtao Dai
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aijie Chen
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hua Zheng
- Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianbing Zhang
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxia Zhong
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruoshui Chang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Education of Basic Medical Sciences of China, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yaomu Xiao
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Chufeng Liu
- Department of Orthodontics, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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140
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Stem cell like memory T cells: A new paradigm in cancer immunotherapy. Clin Immunol 2022; 241:109078. [PMID: 35840054 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2022.109078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell like memory T (TSCM) cells have emerged as the apex of memory T cell differentiation for their properties of self-renewal and replenishing progenies. With potent long-term persistence, proliferative capacity and antitumor activity, TSCM cells were thought to be the ideal candidate for cancer immunotherapies. Several strategies have been proposed, such as manipulations of cytokines, metabolic factors, signal pathways, and T cell receptor signal intensity, to induce more TSCM cells in vitro, in the hope that they could reach a clinical order of magnitude to provide more long-lasting and effective anti-tumor effects in vivo. In this review, we summarized the differentiation characteristics of TSCM cells and strategies to generate more TSCM cells. We focused on their roles and application in the cancer immunotherapy especially in adoptive cell transfer therapy and cancer therapeutic vaccines, and hopefully provided clues for future understanding and researches.
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Rad SMAH, Halpin JC, Tawinwung S, Suppipat K, Hirankarn N, McLellan AD. MicroRNA‐mediated metabolic reprogramming of chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Immunol Cell Biol 2022; 100:424-439. [PMID: 35507473 PMCID: PMC9322280 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini Rad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology School of Biomedical Science University of Otago Dunedin Otago New Zealand
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune‐mediated Diseases Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
- Department of Microbiology Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
| | - Joshua Colin Halpin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology School of Biomedical Science University of Otago Dunedin Otago New Zealand
| | - Supannikar Tawinwung
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune‐mediated Diseases Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
| | - Koramit Suppipat
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune‐mediated Diseases Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
| | - Nattiya Hirankarn
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune‐mediated Diseases Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
- Department of Microbiology Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand
| | - Alexander D McLellan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology School of Biomedical Science University of Otago Dunedin Otago New Zealand
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Zhang X, Zhu L, Zhang H, Chen S, Xiao Y. CAR-T Cell Therapy in Hematological Malignancies: Current Opportunities and Challenges. Front Immunol 2022; 13:927153. [PMID: 35757715 PMCID: PMC9226391 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.927153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy represents a major breakthrough in cancer treatment, and it has achieved unprecedented success in hematological malignancies, especially in relapsed/refractory (R/R) B cell malignancies. At present, CD19 and BCMA are the most common targets in CAR-T cell therapy, and numerous novel therapeutic targets are being explored. However, the adverse events related to CAR-T cell therapy might be serious or even life-threatening, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), CAR-T-cell-related encephalopathy syndrome (CRES), infections, cytopenia, and CRS-related coagulopathy. In addition, due to antigen escape, the limited CAR-T cell persistence, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a considerable proportion of patients relapse after CAR-T cell therapy. Thus, in this review, we focus on the progress and challenges of CAR-T cell therapy in hematological malignancies, such as attractive therapeutic targets, CAR-T related toxicities, and resistance to CAR-T cell therapy, and provide some practical recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingling Zhu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Pilot Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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143
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Caël B, Galaine J, Bardey I, Marton C, Fredon M, Biichle S, Poussard M, Godet Y, Angelot-Delettre F, Barisien C, Bésiers C, Adotevi O, Pouthier F, Garnache-Ottou F, Bôle-Richard E. Umbilical Cord Blood as a Source of Less Differentiated T Cells to Produce CD123 CAR-T Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133168. [PMID: 35804941 PMCID: PMC9264759 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary We used fresh or thawed Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) to produce CAR-T cells directed against CD123, and we compared their functionality to Peripheral Blood (PB) CAR-T cells. T cells expressing CD123 CAR, derived from UCB, was exhibited through a high transduction rate, activation status, and cytotoxic potential in vitro as PB derived CAR-T cells. Moreover, we obtained T cells that had a less differentiated profile than the PB-derived T cells. UCB derived CAR-T can significantly control tumor progression in mice models. CAR-T obtained from thawed or fresh UCB gives the same results. Abstract Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) therapy has led to great successes in patients with leukemia and lymphoma. Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB), stored in UCB banks, is an attractive source of T cells for CAR-T production. We used a third generation CD123 CAR-T (CD28/4-1BB), which was previously developed using an adult’s Peripheral Blood (PB), to test the ability of obtaining CD123 CAR-T from fresh or cryopreserved UCB. We obtained a cell product with a high and stable transduction efficacy, and a poorly differentiated phenotype of CAR-T cells, while retaining high cytotoxic functions in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, CAR-T produced from cryopreserved UCB are as functional as CAR-T produced from fresh UCB. Overall, these data pave the way for the clinical development of UCB-derived CAR-T. UCB CAR-T could be transferred in an autologous manner (after an UCB transplant) to reduce post-transplant relapses, or in an allogeneic setting, thanks to fewer HLA restrictions which ease the requirements for a match between the donor and recipient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blandine Caël
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Jeanne Galaine
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Isabelle Bardey
- Activité d’Ingénierie Cellulaire et Tissulaire, Etablissement Français du Sang Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (I.B.); (F.P.)
| | - Chrystel Marton
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
- Allogenic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Department of Hematology, CHU Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Maxime Fredon
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Sabeha Biichle
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Margaux Poussard
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Yann Godet
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Fanny Angelot-Delettre
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
- EFS Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France;
| | - Christophe Barisien
- Département Collecte et Production de PSL, Etablissement Français du Sang Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France;
| | | | - Olivier Adotevi
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
- Service Oncologie Médicale, CHU Besançon, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Fabienne Pouthier
- Activité d’Ingénierie Cellulaire et Tissulaire, Etablissement Français du Sang Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (I.B.); (F.P.)
| | - Francine Garnache-Ottou
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
| | - Elodie Bôle-Richard
- RIGHT Interactions Greffon-Hôte-Tumeur/Ingénierie Cellulaire et Génique, EFS BFC, INSERM, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France; (B.C.); (J.G.); (C.M.); (M.F.); (S.B.); (M.P.); (Y.G.); (F.A.-D.); (O.A.); (F.G.-O.)
- Correspondence:
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Zhang J, Siller-Farfán JA. Current and future perspectives of chimeric antigen receptors against glioblastoma. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2022; 2:ltac014. [PMID: 36284838 PMCID: PMC9585667 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant form of cancer in the central nervous system; even with treatment, it has a 5-year survival rate of 7.2%. The adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has shown a remarkable success against hematological malignancies, namely leukemia and multiple myeloma. However, CAR T cell therapy against solid tumors, and more specifically GBM, is still riddled with challenges preventing its widespread adoption. Here, we first establish the obstacles in ACT against GBM, including on-target/off-tumor toxicity, antigen modulation, tumor heterogeneity, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We then present recent preclinical and clinical studies targeting well-characterized GBM antigens, which include the interleukin-13 receptor α2 and the epidermal growth factor receptor. Afterward, we turn our attention to alternative targets in GBM, including less-explored antigens such as B7-H3 (CD276), carbonic anhydrase IX, and the GD2 ganglioside. We also discuss additional target ligands, namely CD70, and natural killer group 2 member D ligands. Finally, we present the possibilities afforded by novel CAR architectures. In particular, we examine the use of armored CARs to improve the survival and proliferation of CAR T cells. We conclude by discussing the advantages of tandem and synNotch CARs when targeting multiple GBM antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Zhang
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles St , Baltimore 21218, United States
- St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Woodstock Rd , Oxford OX2 6HS, United Kingdom
| | - Jesús A Siller-Farfán
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, S Parks Rd , Oxford OX1 3DP, United Kingdom
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145
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Hong Z, Zan X, Yu T, Hu Y, Gou H, Zheng S, Gao X, Zhou P. Local delivery of superagonist gene based on polymer nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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146
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Marhelava K, Krawczyk M, Firczuk M, Fidyt K. CAR-T Cells Shoot for New Targets: Novel Approaches to Boost Adoptive Cell Therapy for B Cell-Derived Malignancies. Cells 2022; 11:1804. [PMID: 35681499 PMCID: PMC9180412 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is undeniably a promising tool in combating various types of hematological malignancies. However, it is not yet optimal and a significant number of patients experience a lack of response or relapse after the treatment. Therapy improvement requires careful analysis of the occurring problems and a deeper understanding of the reasons that stand behind them. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge about CAR-T products' clinical performance and discuss diversified approaches taken to improve the major shortcomings of this therapy. Especially, we prioritize the challenges faced by CD19 CAR-T cell-based treatment of B cell-derived malignancies and revise the latest insights about mechanisms mediating therapy resistance. Since the loss of CD19 is one of the major obstacles to the success of CAR-T cell therapy, we present antigens that could be alternatively used for the treatment of various types of B cell-derived cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsiaryna Marhelava
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
| | - Marta Krawczyk
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
- Laboratory of Immunology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
- Doctoral School of Translational Medicine, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Firczuk
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
- Laboratory of Immunology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudyna Fidyt
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (K.M.); (M.K.); (M.F.)
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147
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Mu-Mosley H, Ostermann L, Muftuoglu M, Vaidya A, Bonifant CL, Velasquez MP, Gottschalk S, Andreeff M. Transgenic Expression of IL15 Retains CD123-Redirected T Cells in a Less Differentiated State Resulting in Improved Anti-AML Activity in Autologous AML PDX Models. Front Immunol 2022; 13:880108. [PMID: 35615350 PMCID: PMC9124830 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.880108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with T-cells expressing bispecific T-cell engagers (ENG T-cells) is a promising approach to improve the outcomes for patients with recurrent/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, similar to T-cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), their antitumor activity is limited in the setting of chronic antigen stimulation. We therefore set out to explore whether transgenic expression of IL15 improves the effector function of ENG T-cells targeting CD123-positive AML. T-cells expressing CD123-specific ENG (CD123-ENG) ± IL15 were generated by retroviral transduction from peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors or patients with AML. In this study, we characterized in detail the phenotype and effector functions of ENG T-cell populations in vitro and in vivo. IL15-expressing CD123-ENG (CD123-ENG.IL15) T-cells retained their antigen-specificity and effector function in the setting of chronic antigen exposure for more 30 days of coculture with AML blasts in contrast to CD123-ENG T-cells, whose effector function rapidly eroded. Furthermore, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells remained in a less differentiated state as judged by a high frequency of naïve/memory stem T-cell-like cells (CD45RA+CCR7+/CD45RO−CD62L+ cells) without evidence of T-cell exhaustion. Single cell cytokine profiling using IsoPlexis revealed enhanced T-cell polyfunctionality of CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells as judged by effector cytokine production, including, granzyme B, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, perforin, TNF-α, and TNF-β. In vivo, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells exhibited superior antigen-specific anti-AML activity and T-cell persistence in both peripheral blood and tissues (BM, spleens, and livers), resulting in a significant survival advantage in one AML xenograft model and two autologous AML PDX models. In conclusion, we demonstrate here that the expansion, persistence, and anti-AML activity of CD123-ENG T-cells can be significantly improved by transgenic expression of IL15, which promotes a naïve/TSCM-like phenotype. However, we also highlight that targeting a single tumor antigen (CD123) can lead to immune escape, reinforcing the need to develop approaches to target multiple antigens. Likewise, our study demonstrates that it is feasible to evaluate autologous T cells in AML PDX models, which will be critical for future preclinical evaluations of next generation AML-redirected T-cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Mu-Mosley
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren Ostermann
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Muharrem Muftuoglu
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Abishek Vaidya
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Challice L. Bonifant
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mireya Paulina Velasquez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
| | - Michael Andreeff
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
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148
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Hickman TL, Choi E, Whiteman KR, Muralidharan S, Pai T, Johnson T, Parikh A, Friedman T, Gilbert M, Shen B, Barron L, McGinness KE, Ettenberg SA, Motz GT, Weiss GJ, Jensen-Smith A. BOXR1030, an anti-GPC3 CAR with exogenous GOT2 expression, shows enhanced T cell metabolism and improved anti-cell line derived tumor xenograft activity. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266980. [PMID: 35507536 PMCID: PMC9067639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The solid tumor microenvironment (TME) drives T cell dysfunction and inhibits the effectiveness of immunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor-based T cell (CAR T) cells. Early data has shown that modulation of T cell metabolism can improve intratumoral T cell function in preclinical models. Experimental design We evaluated GPC3 expression in human normal and tumor tissue specimens. We developed and evaluated BOXR1030, a novel CAR T therapeutic co-expressing glypican-3 (GPC3)-targeted CAR and exogenous glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2 (GOT2) in terms of CAR T cell function both in vitro and in vivo. Results Cell surface expression of tumor antigen GPC3 was observed by immunohistochemical staining in tumor biopsies from hepatocellular carcinoma, liposarcoma, squamous lung cancer, and Merkel cell carcinoma patients. Compared to control GPC3 CAR alone, BOXR1030 (GPC3-targeted CAR T cell that co-expressed GOT2) demonstrated superior in vivo efficacy in aggressive solid tumor xenograft models, and showed favorable attributes in vitro including an enhanced cytokine production profile, a less-differentiated T cell phenotype with lower expression of stress and exhaustion markers, an enhanced metabolic profile and increased proliferation in TME-like conditions. Conclusions Together, these results demonstrated that co-expression of GOT2 can substantially improve the overall antitumor activity of CAR T cells by inducing broad changes in cellular function and phenotype. These data show that BOXR1030 is an attractive approach to targeting select solid tumors. To this end, BOXR1030 will be explored in the clinic to assess safety, dose-finding, and preliminary efficacy (NCT05120271).
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor L. Hickman
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eugene Choi
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kathleen R. Whiteman
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- SOTIO Biotech Inc
| | | | - Tapasya Pai
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tyler Johnson
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Avani Parikh
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Taylor Friedman
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Madaline Gilbert
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Binzhang Shen
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Luke Barron
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Seth A. Ettenberg
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Greg T. Motz
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Glen J. Weiss
- Unum Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- SOTIO Biotech Inc
- * E-mail: (GJW); (AJS)
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149
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Chanda MK, Shudde CE, Piper TL, Zheng Y, Courtney AH. Combined analysis of T cell activation and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity by imaging cytometry. J Immunol Methods 2022; 506:113290. [PMID: 35644255 PMCID: PMC9202232 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2022.113290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer have spurred the development of new drugs that seek to harness the ability of T cells to recognize and kill malignant cells. There is a substantial need to evaluate how these experimental drugs influence T cell functional outputs in co-culture systems that contain cancerous cells. We describe an imaging cytometry-based platform that can simultaneously quantify activated T cells and the capacity of these T cells to kill cancer cells. Our platform was developed using the Nur77-GFP reporter system because GFP expression provides a direct readout of T cell activation that is induced by T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling. We combined the Nur77-GFP reporter system with a cancer cell line that displays a TCR-specific antigen and evaluated the relationship between T cell activation and cancer cell death. We demonstrate that imaging cytometry can be used to quantify the number of activated cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and the capacity of these CTLs to recognize and kill adherent MC38 cancer cells. We tested whether this platform could evaluate heterogenous lymphocyte populations by quantifying the proportion of antigen-specific activated T cells in co-cultures that contain unresponsive lymphocytes. The effects of a SRC family kinase inhibitor on CTL activation and MC38 cell death were also determined. Our findings demonstrate that the Nur77-GFP reporter system can be used to evaluate the effects of diverse treatment conditions on T cell-cancer co-cultures in a microtiter plate-based format by imaging cytometry. We anticipate the combined analysis of T cell activation with T cell-mediated cancer cell death can be used to rapidly assess immuno-oncology drug candidates and T cell-based therapeutics.
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150
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Immune Cell Metabolic Fitness for Life. Antibodies (Basel) 2022; 11:antib11020032. [PMID: 35645205 PMCID: PMC9149842 DOI: 10.3390/antib11020032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy holds great promise for treating a myriad of diseases, especially cancer. Within the last decade, immunotherapy has provided a significant leap in the successful treatment of leukemia. The research conducted throughout this period to understand the interrelationships between cancer cells and infiltrating immune cells winds up having one very common feature, bioenergetics. Cancer cells and immune cells both need ATP to perform their individual functions and cancer cells have adopted means to limit immune cell activity via changes in immune cell bioenergetics that redirect immune cell behavior to encourage tumor growth. Current leading strategies for cancer treatment super-charge an individual’s own immune cells against cancer. Successful Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells (CAR T) target pathways that ultimately influence bioenergetics. In the last decade, scientists identified that mitochondria play a crucial role in T cell physiology. When modifying T cells to create chimeras, a unique mitochondrial fitness emerges that establishes stemness and persistence. This review highlights many of the key findings leading to this generation’s CAR T treatments and the work currently being done to advance immunotherapy, to empower not just T cells but other immune cells as well against a variety of cancers.
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