101
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Rowaiye AB, Asala T, Oli AN, Uzochukwu IC, Akpa A, Esimone CO. The Activating Receptors of Natural Killer Cells and Their Inter-Switching Potentials. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 21:1733-1751. [PMID: 32914713 DOI: 10.2174/1389450121666200910160929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The global incidence of cancer is on the increase and researchers are prospecting for specific and non-selective therapies derived from the immune system. The killer activating receptors of NK cells are known to be involved in immunosurveillance against tumor and virally-infected cells. These receptors belong to two main categories, namely the immunoglobulin like and C-lectin like families. Though they have different signal pathways, all the killer activating receptors have similar effector functions which include direct cytotoxicity and the release of inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. To transduce signals that exceed the activation threshold for cytotoxicity, most of these receptors require synergistic effort. This review profiles 21 receptors: 13 immunoglobulin-like, 5 lectin-like, and 3 others. It critically explores their structural uniqueness, role in disease, respective transduction signal pathways and their status as current and prospective targets for cancer immunotherapy. While the native ligands of most of these receptors are known, much work is required to prospect for specific antibodies, peptides and multi-target small molecules with high binding affinities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Titilayo Asala
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Angus Nnamdi Oli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Agulu, Anambra state, Nigeria
| | - Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Agulu, Anambra state, Nigeria
| | - Alex Akpa
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Charles Okechukwu Esimone
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Agulu, Anambra state, Nigeria
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102
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Catafal-Tardos E, Baglioni MV, Bekiaris V. Inhibiting the Unconventionals: Importance of Immune Checkpoint Receptors in γδ T, MAIT, and NKT Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184647. [PMID: 34572874 PMCID: PMC8467786 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary All conventional major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T cells transiently express immune checkpoint/inhibitory receptors (ICRs) following activation as a means to counter-regulate overactivation. However, tumors promote chronic ICR expression rendering T cells chronically unresponsive or “exhausted”. Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy targets and blocks ICRs, restoring T cell activation and anti-tumor immunity. However, CPI therapy often fails, partly because of the tumor’s many abilities to inhibit MHC-driven T cell responses. In this regard, our immune system contains an arsenal of unconventional non-MHC-restricted T cells, whose importance in anti-tumor immunity is rapidly gaining momentum. There is currently little knowledge as to whether unconventional T cells can get exhausted and how CPI therapy affects them. In this article we review the current understanding of the role of ICRs in unconventional T cell biology and discuss the importance of targeting these unique immune cell populations for CPI therapy. Abstract In recent years, checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy has shown promising clinical responses across a broad range of cancers. However, many patients remain unresponsive and there is need for improvement. CPI therapy relies on antibody-mediated neutralization of immune inhibitory or checkpoint receptors (ICRs) that constitutively suppress leukocytes. In this regard, the clinical outcome of CPI therapy has primarily been attributed to modulating classical MHC-restricted αβ T cell responses, yet, it will inevitably target most lymphoid (and many myeloid) populations. As such, unconventional non-MHC-restricted gamma delta (γδ) T, mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) and natural killer T (NKT) cells express ICRs at steady-state and after activation and may thus be affected by CPI therapies. To which extent, however, remains unclear. These unconventional T cells are polyfunctional innate-like lymphocytes that play a key role in tumor immune surveillance and have a plethora of protective and pathogenic immune responses. The robust anti-tumor potential of γδ T, MAIT, and NKT cells has been established in a variety of preclinical cancer models and in clinical reports. In contrast, recent studies have documented a pro-tumor effect of innate-like T cell subsets that secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms that regulate such T cells and their response to CPI is critical in designing effective cancer immunotherapies that favor anti-tumor immunity. In this Review, we will discuss the current understanding regarding the role of immune checkpoint regulation in γδ T, MAIT, and NKT cells and its importance in anti-cancer immunity.
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103
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Pisibon C, Ouertani A, Bertolotto C, Ballotti R, Cheli Y. Immune Checkpoints in Cancers: From Signaling to the Clinic. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184573. [PMID: 34572799 PMCID: PMC8468441 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system is known to help fight cancers. Ten years ago, the first immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting CTLA4 was approved by the FDA to treat patients with metastatic melanoma. Since then, immune checkpoint therapies have revolutionized the field of oncology and the treatment of cancer patients. Numerous immune checkpoint inhibitors have been developed and tested, alone or in combination with other treatments, in melanoma and other cancers, with overall clear benefits to patient outcomes. However, many patients fail to respond or develop resistance to these treatments. It is therefore essential to decipher the mechanisms of action of immune checkpoints and to understand how immune cells are affected by signaling to be able to understand and overcome resistance. In this review, we discuss the signaling and effects of each immune checkpoint on different immune cells and their biological and clinical relevance. Restoring the functionality of T cells and their coordination with other immune cells is necessary to overcome resistance and help design new clinical immunotherapy strategies. In this respect, NK cells have recently been implicated in the resistance to anti-PD1 evoked by a protein secreted by melanoma, ITGBL1. The complexity of this network will have to be considered to improve the efficiency of future immunotherapies and may lead to the discovery of new immune checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Pisibon
- Université Côte d’Azur, 06103 Nice, France; (C.P.); (A.O.); (C.B.); (R.B.)
- INSERM, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Biology and Pathologies of Melanocytes, Team1, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Amira Ouertani
- Université Côte d’Azur, 06103 Nice, France; (C.P.); (A.O.); (C.B.); (R.B.)
- INSERM, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Biology and Pathologies of Melanocytes, Team1, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Corine Bertolotto
- Université Côte d’Azur, 06103 Nice, France; (C.P.); (A.O.); (C.B.); (R.B.)
- INSERM, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Biology and Pathologies of Melanocytes, Team1, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Robert Ballotti
- Université Côte d’Azur, 06103 Nice, France; (C.P.); (A.O.); (C.B.); (R.B.)
- INSERM, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Biology and Pathologies of Melanocytes, Team1, 06200 Nice, France
| | - Yann Cheli
- Université Côte d’Azur, 06103 Nice, France; (C.P.); (A.O.); (C.B.); (R.B.)
- INSERM, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Biology and Pathologies of Melanocytes, Team1, 06200 Nice, France
- Correspondence:
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104
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Monjazeb AM, Schalper KA, Villarroel-Espindola F, Nguyen A, Shiao SL, Young K. Effects of Radiation on the Tumor Microenvironment. Semin Radiat Oncol 2021; 30:145-157. [PMID: 32381294 DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A malignant tumor consists of malignant cells as well as a wide array of normal host tissues including stroma, vasculature, and immune infiltrate. The interaction between cancer and these host tissues is critical as these host tissues play a variety of roles in supporting or resisting disease progression. Radiotherapy (RT) has direct effects on malignant cells, but, also, critically important effects on these other components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Given the growing role of immune checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapy strategies, understanding how RT affects the TME, particularly the immune compartment, is essential to advance RT in this new era of cancer therapy. The interactions between RT and the TME are complex, affecting the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. RT can induce both proinflammatory effects and immune suppressive effects that can either promote or impede antitumor immunity. It is likely that the initial proinflammatory effects of RT eventually lead to rebound immune-suppression as chronic inflammation sets in. The exact kinetics and nature of how RT changes the TME likely depends on timing, dose, fractionation, site irradiated, and tumor type. With increased understanding of the effects of RT on the TME, in the future it is likely that we will be able to personalize RT by varying the dose, site, and timing of intervention to generate the desired response to partner with immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arta M Monjazeb
- UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Sacramento, CA.
| | - Kurt A Schalper
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Anthony Nguyen
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Stephen L Shiao
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Kristina Young
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR; Radiation Oncology Division, The Oregon Clinic, Portland, OR
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105
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Bi-specific and Tri-specific NK Cell Engagers: The New Avenue of Targeted NK Cell Immunotherapy. Mol Diagn Ther 2021; 25:577-592. [PMID: 34327614 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-021-00550-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy has grown significantly over the past two decades. More recently, multi-specific engagers have been developed as cancer therapeutics to effectively arm endogenous NK cells to more potently induce specific cytolytic responses against tumor targets. This review explores the bi- and tri-specific NK/tumor engagers that are emerging as a new generation of immunotherapeutics. These molecules vary in configuration, but they typically have small molecular weights and domains that engage specific tumor antigens and NK cell-activating receptors such as CD16, NKp30, NKp46, and NKG2D. They have demonstrated compelling potential in boosting NK cell cytotoxicity against specific tumor targets. This highly adaptable off-the-shelf platform, which in some formats also integrates cytokines, is poised to revolutionize targeted NK cell immunotherapy, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other effective anti-cancer therapies.
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106
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Buckle I, Guillerey C. Inhibitory Receptors and Immune Checkpoints Regulating Natural Killer Cell Responses to Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174263. [PMID: 34503073 PMCID: PMC8428224 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Recent years marked the discovery and increased understanding of the role immune checkpoints play in immunity against cancer. This has revolutionized cancer treatment, saving the lives of many patients. For numerous years the spotlight of success has been directed towards T cells; however, it is now appreciated that other cells play vital roles in this protection. In this review we focused on cytotoxic lymphocytes Natural Killer (NK) cells, which are known to be well equipped in the fight against cancer. We explored the role of well-described and newly emerging inhibitory receptors, including immune checkpoints in regulating NK cell activity against cancer. The knowledge summarized in this review should guide the development of immunotherapies targeting inhibitory receptors with the aim of restoring NK cell responses in cancer patients. Abstract The discovery of immune checkpoints provided a breakthrough for cancer therapy. Immune checkpoints are inhibitory receptors that are up-regulated on chronically stimulated lymphocytes and have been shown to hinder immune responses to cancer. Monoclonal antibodies against the checkpoint molecules PD-1 and CTLA-4 have shown early clinical success against melanoma and are now approved to treat various cancers. Since then, the list of potential candidates for immune checkpoint blockade has dramatically increased. The current paradigm stipulates that immune checkpoint blockade therapy unleashes pre-existing T cell responses. However, there is accumulating evidence that some of these immune checkpoint molecules are also expressed on Natural Killer (NK) cells. In this review, we summarize our latest knowledge about targetable NK cell inhibitory receptors. We discuss the HLA-binding receptors KIRS and NKG2A, receptors binding to nectin and nectin-like molecules including TIGIT, CD96, and CD112R, and immune checkpoints commonly associated with T cells such as PD-1, TIM-3, and LAG-3. We also discuss newly discovered pathways such as IL-1R8 and often overlooked receptors such as CD161 and Siglecs. We detail how these inhibitory receptors might regulate NK cell responses to cancer, and, where relevant, we discuss their implications for therapeutic intervention.
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107
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Rothlin CV, Ghosh S. Lifting the innate immune barriers to antitumor immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-000695. [PMID: 32273348 PMCID: PMC7254113 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-000695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system evolved for adequate surveillance and killing of pathogens while minimizing host damage, such as due to chronic or exaggerated inflammation and autoimmunity. This is achieved by negative regulators and checkpoints that limit the magnitude and time course of the immune response. Tumor cells often escape immune surveillance and killing. Therefore, disrupting the brakes built into the immune system should effectively boost the anticancer immune response. The success of anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 have firmly established this proof of concept. Since the response rate of anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 is still limited, there is an intense effort for the identification of new targets and development of approaches that can expand the benefits of immunotherapy to a larger patient pool. Additional T cell checkpoints are obvious targets; however, here we focus on the unusual suspects—cells that function to initiate and guide T cell activity. Innate immunity is both an obligate prerequisite for the initiation of adaptive immune responses and a requirement for the recruitment of activated T cells to the site of action. We discuss some of the molecules present in innate immune cells, including natural killer cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, endothelial cells and stromal cells, that can activate or enhance innate immune cell functions, and more importantly, the inhibitors or checkpoints present in these cells that restrain their functions. Boosting innate immunity, either by enhancing activator functions or, preferably, by blocking the inhibitors, may represent a new anticancer treatment modality or at least function as adjuvants to T cell checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla V Rothlin
- Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States .,Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
| | - Sourav Ghosh
- Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States .,Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
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Wang J, Yang L, Dao FT, Wang YZ, Chang Y, Xu N, Chen WM, Jiang Q, Jiang H, Liu YR, Qin YZ. Prognostic significance of TIM-3 expression pattern at diagnosis in patients with t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2021; 63:152-161. [PMID: 34405769 DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2021.1966785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) is a heterogeneous disease and needs to be stratified. Both, cancer cells and immune cells participate in tumor initiation, growth and progression and might affect clinical outcomes. TIM-3 (T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3), an immune checkpoint molecule, is expressed not only on immune cells but also on leukemic stem cells (LSCs) in AML. This prompted us to investigate the prognostic significance of TIM-3 in t(8;21) AML. A total of 47 t(8;21) AML patients were tested for TIM-3 expression by multi-parameter flow cytometry at diagnosis. 35 of these, who received chemotherapy alone or along with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were followed up. The expression pattern of TIM-3 on T-cells and NK (natural killer) cells as a whole (T + NK) and LSCs were evaluated independently. High percentage of T + NK - TIM-3+ and CD34+CD38-TIM-3+ cells were significantly associated with a high 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) (p = 0.028, 0.016). Further, concurrent high frequencies of T + NK-TIM-3+ and CD34+CD38-TIM-3+ cells at diagnosis were significantly associated with a high 2-year CIR (p < 0.0001) and this together with c-KIT D816 mutation were the independent adverse prognostic factors for relapse (hazard ratio (HR)=2.5, [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-6.0], p = 0.04; HR = 46.5, [95% CI, 2.7-811.5], p = 0.009). In conclusion, the expression pattern of TIM-3 on both T and NK cells and LSCs at diagnosis had prognostic significance in t (8;21) AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Ting Dao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Zhe Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Chang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Xu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Min Chen
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Rong Liu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Zhen Qin
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
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Wyatt MA, Baumgarten SC, Weaver AL, Van Oort CC, Fedyshyn B, Ruano R, Shenoy CC, Enninga EAL. Evaluating Markers of Immune Tolerance and Angiogenesis in Maternal Blood for an Association with Risk of Pregnancy Loss. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10163579. [PMID: 34441875 PMCID: PMC8397206 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy loss affects approximately 20% of couples. The lack of a clear cause complicates half of all miscarriages. Early evidence indicates the maternal immune system and angiogenesis regulation are both key players in implantation success or failure. Therefore, this prospective study recruited women in the first trimester with known viable intrauterine pregnancy and measured blood levels of immune tolerance proteins galectin-9 (Gal-9) and interleukin (IL)-4, and angiogenesis proteins (vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) A, C, and D) between 5 and 9 weeks gestation. Plasma concentrations were compared between groups defined based on (a) pregnancy outcome and (b) maternal history of miscarriage, respectively. In total, 56 women were recruited with 10 experiencing a miscarriage or pregnancy loss in the 2nd or 3rd trimester and 11 having a maternal history or miscarriage. VEGF-C was significantly lower among women with a miscarriage or pregnancy loss. Gal-9 and VEGF-A concentrations were decreased in women with a prior miscarriage. Identification of early changes in maternal immune and angiogenic factors during pregnancy may be a tool to improve patient counseling on pregnancy loss risk and future interventions to reduce miscarriage in a subset of women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A. Wyatt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Sarah C. Baumgarten
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Amy L. Weaver
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
| | - Chelsie C. Van Oort
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Bohdana Fedyshyn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Rodrigo Ruano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Chandra C. Shenoy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
| | - Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.A.W.); (S.C.B.); (C.C.V.O.); (B.F.); (R.R.); (C.C.S.)
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Correspondence:
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Nakid-Cordero C, Choquet S, Gauthier N, Balegroune N, Tarantino N, Morel V, Arzouk N, Burrel S, Rousseau G, Charlotte F, Larsen M, Vieillard V, Autran B, Leblond V, Guihot A. Distinct immunopathological mechanisms of EBV-positive and EBV-negative posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders. Am J Transplant 2021; 21:2846-2863. [PMID: 33621411 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
EBV-positive and EBV-negative posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) arise in different immunovirological contexts and might have distinct pathophysiologies. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted a multicentric prospective study with 56 EBV-positive and 39 EBV-negative PTLD patients of the K-VIROGREF cohort, recruited at PTLD diagnosis and before treatment (2013-2019), and compared them to PTLD-free Transplant Controls (TC, n = 21). We measured absolute lymphocyte counts (n = 108), analyzed NK- and T cell phenotypes (n = 49 and 94), and performed EBV-specific functional assays (n = 16 and 42) by multiparameter flow cytometry and ELISpot-IFNγ assays (n = 50). EBV-negative PTLD patients, NK cells overexpressed Tim-3; the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) was poorer in patients with a CD4 lymphopenia (CD4+ <300 cells/mm3 , p < .001). EBV-positive PTLD patients presented a profound NK-cell lymphopenia (median = 60 cells/mm3 ) and a high proportion of NK cells expressing PD-1 (vs. TC, p = .029) and apoptosis markers (vs. TC, p < .001). EBV-specific T cells of EBV-positive PTLD patients circulated in low proportions, showed immune exhaustion (p = .013 vs. TC) and poorly recognized the N-terminal portion of EBNA-3A viral protein. Altogether, this broad comparison of EBV-positive and EBV-negative PTLDs highlight distinct patterns of immunopathological mechanisms between these two diseases and provide new clues for immunotherapeutic strategies and PTLD prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Nakid-Cordero
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Choquet
- Service d'Hématologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Gauthier
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - Nadine Tarantino
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Véronique Morel
- Service d'Hématologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Arzouk
- Service de Néphrologie, Urologie et Transplantation Rénale, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Burrel
- Service de Virologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Géraldine Rousseau
- Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Hépato-Bilio-pancréatique et Transplantation Hépatique, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - Martin Larsen
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Vincent Vieillard
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Autran
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - Amélie Guihot
- Sorbonne Université (Univ. Paris 06), INSERM U1135, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.,Département d'Immunologie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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Cox A, Cevik H, Feldman HA, Canaday LM, Lakes N, Waggoner SN. Targeting natural killer cells to enhance vaccine responses. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021; 42:789-801. [PMID: 34311992 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination serves as a cornerstone of global health. Successful prevention of infection or disease by vaccines is achieved through elicitation of pathogen-specific antibodies and long-lived memory T cells. However, several microbial threats to human health have proven refractory to past vaccine efforts. These shortcomings have been attributed to either inefficient triggering of memory T and B cell responses or to the unfulfilled need to stimulate non-conventional forms of immunological memory. Natural killer (NK) cells have recently emerged as both key regulators of vaccine-elicited T and B cell responses and as memory cells that contribute to pathogen control. We discuss potential methods to modulate these functions of NK cells to enhance vaccine success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Cox
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Hilal Cevik
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - H Alex Feldman
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Laura M Canaday
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nora Lakes
- Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Stephen N Waggoner
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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112
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Kikushige Y. TIM-3 in normal and malignant hematopoiesis: Structure, function, and signaling pathways. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:3419-3426. [PMID: 34159709 PMCID: PMC8409405 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is hierarchically organized by self-renewing leukemic stem cells (LSCs). LSCs originate from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by acquiring multistep leukemogenic events. To specifically eradicate LSCs, while keeping normal HSCs intact, the discrimination of LSCs from HSCs is important. We have identified T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) as an LSC-specific surface molecule in human myeloid malignancies and demonstrated its essential function in maintaining the self-renewal ability of LSCs. TIM-3 has been intensively investigated as a "coinhibitory" or "immune checkpoint" molecule of T cells. However, little is known about its distinct function in T cells and myeloid malignancies. In this review, we discuss the structure of TIM-3 and its function in normal blood cells and LSCs, emphasizing the specific signaling pathways involved, as well as the therapeutic applications of TIM-3 molecules in human myeloid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshikane Kikushige
- Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Sciences, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.,Center for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
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113
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Zhao L, Cheng S, Fan L, Zhang B, Xu S. TIM-3: An update on immunotherapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 99:107933. [PMID: 34224993 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) was originally found to be expressed on the surface of Th1 cells, acting as a negative regulator and binding to the ligand galectin-9 to mediate Th1 cell the apoptosis. Recent studies have shown that TIM-3 is also expressed on other immune cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and monocytes. In addition, TIM-3 ligands also include Psdter, High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) and Carcinoembryonic antigen associated cell adhesion molecules (Ceacam-1), which have different effects upon biding to different ligands on immune cells. Studies have shown that TIM-3 plays an important role in autoimmune diseases, chronic viral infections and tumors. A large amount of experimental data supports TIM-3 as an immune checkpoint, and targeting TIM-3 is a promising treatment method in current immunotherapy, especially the new combination of other immune checkpoint blockers. In this review, we summarize the role of TIM-3 in different diseases and its possible signaling pathway mechanisms, providing new insights for better breakthrough immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
| | - Shaoyun Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
| | - Lin Fan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
| | - Shengwei Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
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114
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Shibru B, Fey K, Fricke S, Blaudszun AR, Fürst F, Weise M, Seiffert S, Weyh MK, Köhl U, Sack U, Boldt A. Detection of Immune Checkpoint Receptors - A Current Challenge in Clinical Flow Cytometry. Front Immunol 2021; 12:694055. [PMID: 34276685 PMCID: PMC8281132 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.694055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunological therapy principles are increasingly determining modern medicine. They are used to treat diseases of the immune system, for tumors, but also for infections, neurological diseases, and many others. Most of these therapies base on antibodies, but small molecules, soluble receptors or cells and modified cells are also used. The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors is amazingly fast. T-cell directed antibody therapies against PD-1 or CTLA-4 are already firmly established in the clinic. Further targets are constantly being added and it is becoming increasingly clear that their expression is not only relevant on T cells. Furthermore, we do not yet have any experience with the long-term systemic effects of the treatment. Flow cytometry can be used for diagnosis, monitoring, and detection of side effects. In this review, we focus on checkpoint molecules as target molecules and functional markers of cells of the innate and acquired immune system. However, for most of the interesting and potentially relevant parameters, there are still no test kits suitable for routine use. Here we give an overview of the detection of checkpoint molecules on immune cells in the peripheral blood and show examples of a possible design of antibody panels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Shibru
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katharina Fey
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Friederike Fürst
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Max Weise
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sabine Seiffert
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Katharina Weyh
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sack
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Boldt
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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115
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Deng W, Su Z, Liang P, Ma Y, Liu Y, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Liang T, Shao J, Liu X, Han W, Li R. Single-cell immune checkpoint landscape of PBMCs stimulated with Candida albicans. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:1272-1283. [PMID: 34120578 PMCID: PMC8238073 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1942228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoints play various important roles in tumour immunity, which usually contribute to T cells’ exhaustion, leading to immunosuppression in the tumour microenvironment. However, the roles of immune checkpoints in infectious diseases, especially fungal infection, remain elusive. Here, we reanalyzed a recent published single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with Candida albicans (C. albicans), to explore the expression patterns of immune checkpoints after C. albicans bloodstream infection. We characterized the heterogeneous pathway activities among different immune cell subpopulations after C. albicans infection. The CTLA-4 pathway was up-regulated in stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, while the PD-1 pathway showed high activity in stimulated plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) and monocytes. Importantly, we found that immunosuppressive checkpoints HAVCR2 and LAG3 were only expressed in stimulated NK and CD8+ T cells, respectively. Their viabilities were validated by flow cytometry. We also identified three overexpressed genes (ISG20, LY6E, ISG15) across all stimulated cells. Also, two monocyte-specific overexpressed genes (SNX10, IDO1) were screened out in this study. Together, these results supplemented the landscape of immune checkpoints in fungal infection, which may serve as potential therapeutic targets for C. albicans infection. Moreover, the genes with the most relevant for C. albicans infection were identified in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Deng
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Su
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen university, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Panpan Liang
- Clinical laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen university, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yubo Ma
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yufang Liu
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen university, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Liang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Shao
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenling Han
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Peking University Center for Human Disease Genomics, Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Ministry of Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruoyu Li
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University; National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases; Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Dermatoses, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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116
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Shklovskaya E, Rizos H. MHC Class I Deficiency in Solid Tumors and Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome It. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136741. [PMID: 34201655 PMCID: PMC8268865 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well accepted that the immune system can control cancer growth. However, tumors escape immune-mediated control through multiple mechanisms and the downregulation or loss of major histocompatibility class (MHC)-I molecules is a common immune escape mechanism in many cancers. MHC-I molecules present antigenic peptides to cytotoxic T cells, and MHC-I loss can render tumor cells invisible to the immune system. In this review, we examine the dysregulation of MHC-I expression in cancer, explore the nature of MHC-I-bound antigenic peptides recognized by immune cells, and discuss therapeutic strategies that can be used to overcome MHC-I deficiency in solid tumors, with a focus on the role of natural killer (NK) cells and CD4 T cells.
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117
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Xu H, Shi M, Shao C, Li H, Wu J, Yu Y, Fang F, Guo Y, Xiao W. Development of IL-15/IL-15Rα sushi domain-IgG4 Fc complexes in Pichia pastoris with potent activities and prolonged half-lives. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:115. [PMID: 34107983 PMCID: PMC8190845 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01605-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a critical cytokine for the development, proliferation, and function of natural killer (NK) cells, NKT cells, and CD8+ memory T cells and has become one of the most promising protein molecules for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases. However, there are several limitations in applying IL-15 in therapy, such as its low yield in vitro, limited potency, and short half-life in vivo. To date, there are several recombinant IL-15 agonists based on configurational modifications that are being pursued in the treatment of cancer, such as ALT-803, which are mainly produced from mammalian cells. RESULTS In this study, we designed two different forms of the IL-15 complex, which were formed by the noncovalent assembly of IL-15 with dimeric or monomeric sushi domain of IL-15 receptor α (SuIL-15Rα)-IgG4 Fc fusion protein and designated IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc and IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc, respectively. The two IL-15 complexes were expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris), and their activities and half-lives were evaluated and compared. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc had a half-life of 14.26 h while IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc had a half-life of 9.16 h in mice, which were much longer than the 0.7-h half-life of commercial recombinant human IL-15 (rhIL-15). Treatment of mice with intravenous injection of the two IL-15 complexes resulted in significant increases in NK cells, NKT cells, and memory CD8+ T cells, which were not observed after rhIL-15 treatment. Treatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors with the two IL-15 complexes yielded enhanced NK and CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation, which was comparable to the effect of rhIL-15. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-dFc and IL-15/SuIL-15Rα-mFc produced in P. pastoris exhibit potent activities and prolonged half-lives and may serve as superagonists for immunotherapy in further research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Xu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Mingyang Shi
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Changsheng Shao
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Yin Yu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Yugang Guo
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.
| | - Weihua Xiao
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China.
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118
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Cao Y, Li Q, Liu H, He X, Huang F, Wang Y. Role of Tim-3 in regulating tumorigenesis, inflammation, and antitumor immunity therapy. Cancer Biomark 2021; 32:237-248. [PMID: 34092621 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-210114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, cancer immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICRs), has attained considerable progresses in clinical practice. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) act as next ICRs, and originally function as a co-inhibitory receptor expressed on interferon (IFN)-γ producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. Furthermore, Tim-3 has also been found to express on innate immune cells and several types of tumors, signifying the pivotal role that Tim-3 plays in chronic viral infections and cancer. In addition, Tim-3 and multiple ICRs are concurrently expressed and regulated on dysfunctional or exhausted T-cells, leading to improved antitumor immune responses in preclinical or clinical cancer therapy through co-blockade of Tim-3 and other ICRs such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). In this review, the biological characteristics of Tim-3 and the function of Tim-3 in regulating tumorigenesis and inflammation have been summarized. The usage of a single blockade of Tim-3 or in combination with multiple immunotherapy regimens have drawn attention to antitumor potential as a target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Cao
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiang Li
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huihui Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xianglei He
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yigang Wang
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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119
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Quamine AE, Olsen MR, Cho MM, Capitini CM. Approaches to Enhance Natural Killer Cell-Based Immunotherapy for Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2796. [PMID: 34199783 PMCID: PMC8200074 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of metastatic pediatric solid tumors remain a significant challenge, particularly in relapsed and refractory settings. Standard treatment has included surgical resection, radiation, chemotherapy, and, in the case of neuroblastoma, immunotherapy. Despite such intensive therapy, cancer recurrence is common, and most tumors become refractory to prior therapy, leaving patients with few conventional treatment options. Natural killer (NK) cells are non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted lymphocytes that boast several complex killing mechanisms but at an added advantage of not causing graft-versus-host disease, making use of allogeneic NK cells a potential therapeutic option. On top of their killing capacity, NK cells also produce several cytokines and growth factors that act as key regulators of the adaptive immune system, positioning themselves as ideal effector cells for stimulating heavily pretreated immune systems. Despite this promise, clinical efficacy of adoptive NK cell therapy to date has been inconsistent, prompting a detailed understanding of the biological pathways within NK cells that can be leveraged to develop "next generation" NK cell therapies. Here, we review advances in current approaches to optimizing the NK cell antitumor response including combination with other immunotherapies, cytokines, checkpoint inhibition, and engineering NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) for the treatment of pediatric solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aicha E. Quamine
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (A.E.Q.); (M.R.O.); (M.M.C.)
| | - Mallery R. Olsen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (A.E.Q.); (M.R.O.); (M.M.C.)
| | - Monica M. Cho
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (A.E.Q.); (M.R.O.); (M.M.C.)
| | - Christian M. Capitini
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; (A.E.Q.); (M.R.O.); (M.M.C.)
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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120
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Wang E, Liao Z, Wang L, Liao Y, Xu X, Liu P, Wang X, Hou J, Jiang H, Wu X, Chen X. A combination of pirfenidone and TGF-β inhibition mitigates cystic echinococcosis-associated hepatic injury. Parasitology 2021; 148:767-778. [PMID: 33583470 PMCID: PMC11010163 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021000287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) occurs in the intermediate host's liver, assuming a bladder-like structure surrounded by the host-derived collagen capsule mainly derived from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). However, the effect of CE on liver natural killer (NK) cells and the potential of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signalling inhibition on alleviating CE-related liver damage remain to be explored. Here, by using the CE-mouse model, we revealed that the inhibitory receptors on the surface of liver NK cells were up-regulated, whereas the activating receptors were down-regulated over time. TGF-β1 secretion was elevated in liver tissues and mainly derived from macrophages. A combination of TGF-β signalling inhibitors SB525334 and pirfenidone could reduce the expression of TGF-β1 signalling pathway-related proteins and collagen production. Based on the secretion of TGF-β1, only the pirfenidone group showed a depressing effect. Also, the combination of SB525334 and pirfenidone exhibited a higher potential in effectively alleviating the senescence of the hepatocytes and restoring liver function. Together, TGF-β1 may be a potential target for the treatment of CE-associated liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erqiang Wang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
- Department of Hunan Children's Research Institute, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenyu Liao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Lianghai Wang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Yuan Liao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Xiaodan Xu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Xian Wang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Jun Hou
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Huijiao Jiang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Xiangwei Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
| | - Xueling Chen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, China
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Yang L, Chen X, Wang Q, Zhu Y, Wu C, Ma X, Zuo D, He H, Huang L, Li J, Xia C, Hu S, Yang X, Feng M. Generation of TIM3 inhibitory single-domain antibodies to boost the antitumor activity of chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:542. [PMID: 34079595 PMCID: PMC8157332 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12803] [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: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules has significantly altered cancer treatment regimens. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) is one of the major inhibitory immune checkpoints expressed on T cells. Blocking the engagement of TIM3 and its inhibitory ligand galectin-9 may potentiate the effects of immunotherapy or overcome the adaptive resistance to the therapeutic blockade of programmed cell death protein 1, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator and lymphocyte-activation gene 3, amongst others, as each of these immune checkpoints harbors unique properties that set it apart from the rest. Heavy chain variable fragment (VH)-derived single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) represent a class of expanding drug candidates. These sdAbs have unique advantages, including their minimal size in the antibody class, ease of expression, broad scope for modular structure design and re-engineering, and excellent tumor penetration. In the present study, two sdAbs, TIM3-R23 and TIM3-R53, were generated by immunizing rabbits with the recombinant extracellular domain of TIM3 and applying phage display technology. These sdAbs were easily expressed in mammalian cells. The purified sdAbs were able to bind to both recombinant and cell surface TIM3, and blocked it from binding to the ligand galectin-9. In vivo studies demonstrated that TIM3-R53 was able to potentiate the antitumor activity of chimeric antigen receptor T cells that targeted mesothelin. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that TIM3-R53 may be a novel and attractive immune checkpoint inhibitor against TIM3, which is worthy of further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Yuankui Zhu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Changfa Wu
- Clinical Testing Branch, Hongshan District Chinese Medicine Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, P.R. China
| | - Xuqian Ma
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Dianbao Zuo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Huixia He
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Le Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Jingwen Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Chunjiao Xia
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Sheng Hu
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoqing Yang
- Clinical Laboratory, Hospital of Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Mingqian Feng
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
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de Mingo Pulido Á, Hänggi K, Celias DP, Gardner A, Li J, Batista-Bittencourt B, Mohamed E, Trillo-Tinoco J, Osunmakinde O, Peña R, Onimus A, Kaisho T, Kaufmann J, McEachern K, Soliman H, Luca VC, Rodriguez PC, Yu X, Ruffell B. The inhibitory receptor TIM-3 limits activation of the cGAS-STING pathway in intra-tumoral dendritic cells by suppressing extracellular DNA uptake. Immunity 2021; 54:1154-1167.e7. [PMID: 33979578 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Blockade of the inhibitory receptor TIM-3 shows efficacy in cancer immunotherapy clinical trials. TIM-3 inhibits production of the chemokine CXCL9 by XCR1+ classical dendritic cells (cDC1), thereby limiting antitumor immunity in mammary carcinomas. We found that increased CXCL9 expression by splenic cDC1s upon TIM-3 blockade required type I interferons and extracellular DNA. Chemokine expression as well as combinatorial efficacy of TIM-3 blockade and paclitaxel chemotherapy were impaired by deletion of Cgas and Sting. TIM-3 blockade increased uptake of extracellular DNA by cDC1 through an endocytic process that resulted in cytoplasmic localization. DNA uptake and efficacy of TIM-3 blockade required DNA binding by HMGB1, while galectin-9-induced cell surface clustering of TIM-3 was necessary for its suppressive function. Human peripheral blood cDC1s also took up extracellular DNA upon TIM-3 blockade. Thus, TIM-3 regulates endocytosis of extracellular DNA and activation of the cytoplasmic DNA sensing cGAS-STING pathway in cDC1s, with implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying TIM-3 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro de Mingo Pulido
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Kay Hänggi
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Daiana P Celias
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Alycia Gardner
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Bruna Batista-Bittencourt
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Eslam Mohamed
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Jimena Trillo-Tinoco
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Olabisi Osunmakinde
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 29220, Denmark
| | - Reymi Peña
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Alexis Onimus
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Molecular Medicine PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Tsuneyasu Kaisho
- Institute for Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
| | - Johanna Kaufmann
- Immuno-Oncology & Combinations Research Unit, GSK, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | | | - Hatem Soliman
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Vincent C Luca
- Department of Drug Discovery, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Paulo C Rodriguez
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Yu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Brian Ruffell
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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Kim KJ, Lee HW, Seong J. Combination therapy with anti-T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing molecule 3 and radiation improves antitumor efficacy in murine hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 36:1357-1365. [PMID: 33217056 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.15319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing molecule 3 (TIM3) has emerged as a promising immune checkpoint inhibitor target; however, immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy does not benefit a substantial percentage of patients. Therefore, this study investigated the antitumor effect of anti-TIM3 therapy combined with radiation in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model. METHODS The effect of radiation on TIM3 expression was determined in murine and human HCC cells using western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Tumor growth and survival rate were measured to evaluate the antitumor effect of this combination therapy. Tumor immunological parameters were assessed using flow cytometry and histology. RESULTS TIM3 was upregulated in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in radiation-treated HCa-1-implanted mice. Combination treatment significantly delayed tumor growth compared with monotherapy (P < 0.01). Overall survival was improved in the combination group compared with that in the anti-TIM3 or radiation monotherapy groups (median survival time: 52 days vs 26 or 38 days, respectively, P < 0.001). The antitumor effect of the combination treatment was associated with increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation of tumor cells and reinvigorated CD8+ T-cell activation. CD8+ T-cell depletion reversed the antitumor efficacy of the combination treatment. These findings suggest that CD8+ T cells play key roles in the therapeutic effect of the combination treatment. CONCLUSION Anti-TIM3 and radiation combination therapy significantly improved the antitumor effect in a murine HCC model, as evidenced by inhibited tumor growth and increased overall survival. This approach could be a novel combined immune-radiotherapy strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Jin Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Won Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinsil Seong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Hu X, Zhu Q, Wang Y, Wang L, Li Z, Mor G, Liao A. Newly characterized decidual Tim-3+ Treg cells are abundant during early pregnancy and driven by IL-27 coordinately with Gal-9 from trophoblasts. Hum Reprod 2021; 35:2454-2466. [PMID: 33107565 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaa223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the mechanism of Tim-3+ regulatory T (Treg)-cell accumulation in the decidua during early pregnancy and is its disruption associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)? SUMMARY ANSWER IL-27 and Gal-9 secreted by trophoblasts activate the Tim-3 signaling pathway in CD4+ T cells and Treg cells and so promote accumulation of Tim-3+ Treg cells, the abnormal expression of IL-27 and Gal-9 is associated with impaired immunologic tolerance in RPL patients. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Tim-3+ Treg cells are better suppressors of Teff cell proliferation, and display higher proliferative activity than Tim-3- Treg cells. Tim-3+ Treg cells are tissue-specific promoters of T-cell dysfunction in many tumors. These cells express a unique factor that influences and shapes the tumor microenvironment. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The animal study included 80 normal pregnant mice. In human study, decidua tissues in the first trimester for flow cytometry analysis were collected from 32 normal pregnant women and 23 RPL patients. Placenta tissues for immunohistochemistry analysis were collected from 15 normal pregnant women. Placenta tissues for western blot analysis were collected from 5 normal pregnant women, 5 RPL patients and 5 women who have experienced one miscarriage. Blood samples for in vitro experiments were collected from 30 normal pregnant women. This study was performed between January 2017 and March 2019. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS In this study, we investigated the kinetics of Tim-3+ CD4+ T-cell accumulation, and the proportions of Tim-3+ Treg cells throughout murine pregnancies using flow cytometry. We compared Tim-3 expression on decidual CD4+ T cells and Treg cells during normal pregnancies with expression on the same cell populations in women suffering from RPL. IL-27 and Gal-9 transcription and protein expression in the placenta were determined by RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. An in vitro co-culture model consisting of peripheral CD4+ T cells and primary trophoblasts from early pregnancy was used to mimic the maternal-fetal environment. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The percentage of Tim-3+ Treg cells present in mouse uteri fluctuates as gestation proceeds but does not change in the spleen. Levels of Tim3+ Treg cells in uteri peaked at pregnancy Day 6.5 (E 6.5), then progressively diminished, and fell to non-pregnant levels by E18.5. In pregnant mice, Tim-3+ Treg cells constituted 40-70% of Treg cells in uteri but were present at much lower abundance in spleens. About 60% of decidual Treg cells were Tim-3 positive at E6.5. Of these decidual Tim3+ Treg cells, nearly 90% were PD-1 positive. However, only about 16% of Tim3- Treg cells expressed PD-1. Blocking the Tim-3 signaling pathway decreased the proportion of Treg cells and led to embryo resorption. Moreover, much lower Tim-3 expression was observed on CD4+ T cells and Treg cells in women who had suffered from RPL at 6-9 gestational weeks compared with those who had normal pregnancies at matched gestations. In a normal pregnancy, Tim-3 expression on decidual CD4+ T cells is induced initially by IL-27. Then Gal-9-Tim-3 interaction promotes differentiation of decidual Tim-3+ CD4+ T cells into Treg cells. IL-27 and Gal-9 cooperatively induced Tim-3+ Treg cells in vitro. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We did not investigate the kinetics of human decidual Tim-3+ CD4+ T and Tim-3+ Treg cell populations throughout pregnancy due to limited availability of second and third trimester decidua. In addition, functional suppressive data on the decidual Tim-3+ Treg cells are lacking due to limited and low quantities of these cells in decidua. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS These findings might have therapeutic clinical implications in RPL. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by research grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81871186) and National Key Research & Developmental Program of China (2018YFC1003900, 2018YFC1003904). The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Hu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Liling Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Gil Mor
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Aihua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
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The TIM3/Gal9 signaling pathway: An emerging target for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Lett 2021; 510:67-78. [PMID: 33895262 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade has shown unprecedented and durable clinical response in a wide range of cancers. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) is an inhibitory checkpoint protein that is highly expressed in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. In various cancers, the interaction of TIM3 and Galectin 9 (Gal9) suppresses anti-tumor immunity mediated by innate as well as adaptive immune cells. Thus, the blockade of the TIM3/Gal9 interaction is a promising therapeutic approach for cancer therapy. In addition, co-blockade of the TIM3/Gal9 pathway along with the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway increases the therapeutic efficacy by overcoming non-redundant immune resistance induced by each checkpoint. Here, we summarize the physiological roles of the TIM3/Gal9 pathway in adaptive and innate immune systems. We highlight the recent clinical and preclinical studies showing the involvement of the TIM3/Gal9 pathway in various solid and blood cancers. In addition, we discuss the potential of using TIM3 and Gal9 as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in different cancers. An in-depth mechanistic understanding of the blockade of the TIM3/Gal9 signaling pathway in cancer could help in identifying patients who respond to this therapy as well as designing combination therapies.
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Natural Killer Cells in Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081836. [PMID: 33921413 PMCID: PMC8068932 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are life-threatening complications arising after solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantations. Although the majority of these lymphoproliferations are of B cell origin, and are frequently associated with primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection or reactivation in the post-transplant period, rare cases of T cell and natural killer (NK) cell-originated PTLDs have also been described. A general assumption is that PTLDs result from the impairment of anti-viral and anti-tumoral immunosurveillance due to the long-term use of immunosuppressants in transplant recipients. T cell impairment is known to play a critical role in the immune-pathogenesis of post-transplant EBV-linked complications, while the role of NK cells has been less investigated, and is probably different between EBV-positive and EBV-negative PTLDs. As a part of the innate immune response, NK cells are critical for protecting hosts during the early response to virus-induced tumors. The complexity of their function is modulated by a myriad of activating and inhibitory receptors expressed on cell surfaces. This review outlines our current understanding of NK cells in the pathogenesis of PTLD, and discusses their potential implications for current PTLD therapies and novel NK cell-based therapies for the containment of these disorders.
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Yu X, Lang B, Chen X, Tian Y, Qian S, Zhang Z, Fu Y, Xu J, Han X, Ding H, Jiang Y. The inhibitory receptor Tim-3 fails to suppress IFN-γ production via the NFAT pathway in NK-cell, unlike that in CD4 + T cells. BMC Immunol 2021; 22:25. [PMID: 33832435 PMCID: PMC8034152 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-021-00417-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing-3 (Tim-3) is a negative regulator expressed on T cells, and is also expressed on natural killer (NK) cells. The function of Tim-3 chiefly restricts IFNγ-production in T cells, however, the impact of Tim-3 on NK cell function has not been clearly elucidated. Results In this study, we demonstrated down-regulation of Tim-3 expression on NK cells while Tim-3 is upregulated on CD4+ T cells during HIV infection. Functional assays indicated that Tim-3 mediates suppression of CD107a degranulation in NK cells and CD4+ T cells, while it fails to inhibit the production of IFN-γ by NK cells. Analyses of downstream pathways using an antibody to block Tim-3 function demonstrated that Tim-3 can inhibit ERK and NFκB p65 signaling; however, it failed to suppress the NFAT pathway. Further, we found that the NFAT activity in NK cells was much higher than that in CD4+ T cells, indicating that NFAT pathway is important for promotion of IFN-γ production by NK cells. Conclusions Thus, our data show that the expression of Tim-3 on NK cells is insufficient to inhibit IFN-γ production. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a potential mechanism of Tim-3 regulation of NK cells and a target for HIV infection immunotherapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12865-021-00417-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Yu
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Bin Lang
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Xi Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Yao Tian
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Shi Qian
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Zining Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Yajing Fu
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Xiaoxu Han
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Haibo Ding
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China.,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Yongjun Jiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No 155, Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, China. .,Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, 110001, China.
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Wang Z, Chen J, Wang M, Zhang L, Yu L. One Stone, Two Birds: The Roles of Tim-3 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Immunol 2021; 12:618710. [PMID: 33868234 PMCID: PMC8047468 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.618710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell immunoglobulin and mucin protein 3 (Tim-3) is an immune checkpoint and plays a vital role in immune responses during acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Targeting Tim-3 kills two birds with one stone by balancing the immune system and eliminating leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in AML. These functions make Tim-3 a potential target for curing AML. This review mainly discusses the roles of Tim-3 in the immune system in AML and as an AML LSC marker, which sheds new light on the role of Tim-3 in AML immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiding Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Hematological Malignancies, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.,Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Hematology and BMT Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jinghong Chen
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Hematological Malignancies, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mengzhen Wang
- Department of Hematology and BMT Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Zhang
- Department of Hematology and BMT Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Yu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Hematological Malignancies, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Clinical Medical Academy, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Hematology and BMT Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Morimoto T, Nakazawa T, Matsuda R, Nishimura F, Nakamura M, Yamada S, Nakagawa I, Park YS, Tsujimura T, Nakase H. CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated TIM3 Knockout in Human Natural Killer Cells Enhances Growth Inhibitory Effects on Human Glioma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3489. [PMID: 33800561 PMCID: PMC8036491 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Natural Killer (NK) cells are potent cytotoxic effector cells against tumor cells inducing GBM cells; therefore, NK cell based- immunotherapy might be a promising target in GBM. T cell immunoglobulin mucin family member 3 (TIM3), a receptor expressed on NK cells, has been suggested as a marker of dysfunctional NK cells. We established TIM3 knockout in NK cells, using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9). Electroporating of TIM3 exon 2- or exon 5-targeting guide RNA- Cas9 protein complexes (RNPs) inhibited TIM3 expression on NK cells with varying efficacy. T7 endonuclease I mutation detection assays showed that both RNPs disrupted the intended genome sites. The expression of other checkpoint receptors, i.e., programmed cell death 1 (PD1), Lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3), T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), and TACTILE (CD96) were unchanged on the TIM3 knockout NK cells. Real time cell growth assays revealed that TIM3 knockout enhanced NK cell-mediated growth inhibition of GBM cells. These results demonstrated that TIM3 knockout enhanced human NK cell mediated cytotoxicity on GBM cells. Future, CRISPR-Cas9 mediated TIM3 knockout in NK cells may prove to be a promising immunotherapeutic alternative in patient with GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Morimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | - Tsutomu Nakazawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
- Grandsoul Research Institute for Immunology, Inc., Uda, Nara 633-2221, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Matsuda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | - Fumihiko Nishimura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | - Mitsutoshi Nakamura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
- Clinic Grandsoul Nara, Uda, Nara 633-2221, Japan;
| | - Shuichi Yamada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | - Ichiro Nakagawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | - Young-Soo Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
| | | | - Hiroyuki Nakase
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan; (T.N.); (R.M.); (F.N.); (M.N.); (S.Y.); (I.N.); (Y.-S.P.); (H.N.)
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de Freitas E Silva R, von Stebut E. Unraveling the Role of Immune Checkpoints in Leishmaniasis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:620144. [PMID: 33776999 PMCID: PMC7990902 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.620144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis are Neglected Tropical Diseases affecting millions of people every year in at least 98 countries and is one of the major unsolved world health issues. Leishmania is a parasitic protozoa which are transmitted by infected sandflies and in the host they mainly infect macrophages. Immunity elicited against those parasites is complex and immune checkpoints play a key role regulating its function. T cell receptors and their respective ligands, such as PD-1, CTLA-4, CD200, CD40, OX40, HVEM, LIGHT, 2B4 and TIM-3 have been characterized for their role in regulating adaptive immunity against different pathogens. However, the exact role those receptors perform during Leishmania infections remains to be better determined. This article addresses the key role immune checkpoints play during Leishmania infections, the limiting factors and translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Esther von Stebut
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Rakova J, Truxova I, Holicek P, Salek C, Hensler M, Kasikova L, Pasulka J, Holubova M, Kovar M, Lysak D, Kline JP, Racil Z, Galluzzi L, Spisek R, Fucikova J. TIM-3 levels correlate with enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity and improved clinical outcome in AML patients. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1889822. [PMID: 33758676 PMCID: PMC7946028 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1889822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can restore CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) functions in preclinical models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, ICIs targeting programmed cell death 1 (PDCD1, best known as PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) have limited clinical efficacy in patients with AML. Natural killer (NK) cells are central players in AML-targeting immune responses. However, little is known on the relationship between co-inhibitory receptors expressed by NK cells and the ability of the latter to control AML. Here, we show that hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2, best known as TIM-3) is highly expressed by NK cells from AML patients, correlating with improved functional licensing and superior effector functions. Altogether, our data indicate that NK cell frequency as well as TIM-3 expression levels constitute prognostically relevant biomarkers of active immunity against AML.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter Holicek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cyril Salek
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Hematology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | | | - Monika Holubova
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Kovar
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Lysak
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital in Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Justin P. Kline
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zdenek Racil
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Hematology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
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Deuse T, Hu X, Agbor-Enoh S, Jang MK, Alawi M, Saygi C, Gravina A, Tediashvili G, Nguyen VQ, Liu Y, Valantine H, Lanier LL, Schrepfer S. The SIRPα-CD47 immune checkpoint in NK cells. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20200839. [PMID: 33416832 PMCID: PMC7802363 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20200839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we report on the existence and functionality of the immune checkpoint signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) in NK cells and describe how it can be modulated for cell therapy. NK cell SIRPα is up-regulated upon IL-2 stimulation, interacts with target cell CD47 in a threshold-dependent manner, and counters other stimulatory signals, including IL-2, CD16, or NKG2D. Elevated expression of CD47 protected K562 tumor cells and mouse and human MHC class I-deficient target cells against SIRPα+ primary NK cells, but not against SIRPα- NKL or NK92 cells. SIRPα deficiency or antibody blockade increased the killing capacity of NK cells. Overexpression of rhesus monkey CD47 in human MHC-deficient cells prevented cytotoxicity by rhesus NK cells in a xenogeneic setting. The SIRPα-CD47 axis was found to be highly species specific. Together, the results demonstrate that disruption of the SIRPα-CD47 immune checkpoint may augment NK cell antitumor responses and that elevated expression of CD47 may prevent NK cell-mediated killing of allogeneic and xenogeneic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Deuse
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Xiaomeng Hu
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Sana Biotechnology, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Sean Agbor-Enoh
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Laboratory of Applied Precision Omics, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Moon K. Jang
- Laboratory of Applied Precision Omics, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Malik Alawi
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ceren Saygi
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alessia Gravina
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Grigol Tediashvili
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Vinh Q. Nguyen
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Hannah Valantine
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Laboratory of Transplant Genomics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Lewis L. Lanier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Sonja Schrepfer
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Sana Biotechnology, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
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Wang Z, Weiner GJ. Immune checkpoint markers and anti-CD20-mediated NK cell activation. J Leukoc Biol 2021; 110:723-733. [PMID: 33615552 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.5a0620-365r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-CD20 mAb is an effective therapy for most B-cell malignancies. Checkpoint blockade has been used to enhance T-cell-mediated antitumor response. Little is known about the biologic significance of immune checkpoints expressed by NK cells in anti-CD20-based therapy. To investigate the role of checkpoints in anti-CD20-mediated NK cell biology, Raji B-cell lymphoma cells, and PBMCs from normal donors were cocultured with rituximab (RTX), obinutuzumab (OBZ), or trastuzumab as a control mAb for between 20 h and 9 d. RTX and OBZ induced a dose-dependent NK cell up-regulation of T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT) and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM3), but not PD1, CTLA4, or LAG3. Resting CD56dim NK had higher TIGIT and TIM3 expression than resting CD56bright NK although TIGIT and TIM3 were up-regulated on both subsets. NK cells with the CD16 158VV single nucleotide polymorphism had greater TIM3 up-regulation than did NK from VF or FF donors. TIGIT+ and TIM3+ NK cells degranulated, produced cytokines, and expressed activation markers to a greater degree than did TIGIT- or TIM3- NK cells. Blockade of TIGIT, TIM3, or both had little impact on RTX-induced NK cell proliferation, degranulation, cytokine production, or activation. Taken together, TIGIT and TIM3 can serve as markers for anti-CD20-mediated NK cell activation, but may not serve well as targets for enhancing the anti-tumor activity of such therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoming Wang
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - George J Weiner
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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Zang K, Hui L, Wang M, Huang Y, Zhu X, Yao B. TIM-3 as a Prognostic Marker and a Potential Immunotherapy Target in Human Malignant Tumors: A Meta-Analysis and Bioinformatics Validation. Front Oncol 2021; 11:579351. [PMID: 33692946 PMCID: PMC7938756 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.579351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As a novel immune checkpoint molecular, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (TIM-3) is emerging as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. However, the predictive role of TIM-3 in cancer remains largely undetermined. This study was designed to investigate the role of TIM-3 in cancer. Methods Publications were searched using multiple databases. The hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. To further confirm the prognostic effect of TIM-3, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were applied. Functional analysis of TIM-3 was also investigated. Results 28 studies with 7284 patients with malignant tumors were identified. Based on multivariate Cox regression analysis, TIM-3 was an independent prognostic indicator for poor overall survival (OS) (HR= 1.54, 95% CI = 1.19-1.98, P = 0.001). However, TIM-3 was not correlated with cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival (DFS). Particularly, TIM-3 showed a worse prognosis in non-small cell lung carcinoma and gastric cancer; but it showed a favorable prognosis in breast cancer. Functional analysis showed that TIM-3 was closely correlated with immune responses such as T-cell activation and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Moreover, TIM-3 expression was found to be related to worse OS in 9491 TCGA patients (HR = 1.2, P < 0.001), but was not associated with DFS. Conclusions TIM-3 was an independent prognostic factor. Meanwhile, TIM-3 played a crucial role in tumor immune responses. This supports TIM-3 as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Zang
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Liangliang Hui
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Xingxing Zhu
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Bin Yao
- Department of ICU, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
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Effect of the use of Galectin-9 and blockade of TIM-3 receptor in the latent cellular reservoir of HIV-1. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02214-20. [PMID: 33361434 PMCID: PMC8092815 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02214-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactivation of latent HIV-1 is a necessary step for the purging of the viral reservoir, although it does not seem to be enough. The stimulation of HIV-1 specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) may be just as essential for this purpose. In this study, we aimed to show the effect of galectin-9 (Gal-9), known to revert HIV-1 latency, in combination with the blockade of TIM-3, a natural receptor for Gal-9 and an exhaustion marker. We confirmed the ability of Gal-9 to reactivate latent HIV-1 in Jurkat-LAT-GFP cells, as well as in an IL-7-based cellular model. This reactivation was not mediated via the TIM-3 receptor, but rather by the recognition of the Gal-9 of a specific oligosaccharide pattern of resting memory CD4+ T cells' surfaces. The potency of Gal-9 in inducing transcription of latent HIV-1 was equal to or greater than that of other latency-reversing agents (LRA). Furthermore, the combination of Gal-9 with other LRA did not show synergistic effects in the reactivation of the latent virus. To evaluate the impact of TIM-3 inhibition on the CTL-response, different co-culture experiments with CD4+T, CD8+ T, and NK cells were performed. Our data showed that blocking TIM-3 was associated with control of viral replication in both in vitro and ex vivo models in cells from PLWH on antiretroviral therapy. A joint strategy of the use of Gal-9 to reactivate latent HIV-1 and the inhibition of TIM-3 to enhance the HIV-1 CTL specific-response was associated with control of the replication of the virus that was being reactivated, thus potentially contributing to the elimination of the viral reservoir. Our results place this strategy as a promising approach to be tested in future studies. Reactivation of latent-HIV-1 by Gal-9 and reinvigoration of CD8+ T cells by TIM-3 blockade could be used separately or in combination.ImportanceHIV-1 infection is a health problem of enormous importance that still causes significant mortality. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has demonstrated efficacy in the control of HIV-1 replication, decreasing the morbidity and mortality of the infection, but it cannot eradicate the virus. In our work, we tested a protein, galectin-9 (Gal-9), an HIV-1 latency-reversing agent, using an in vitro cellular model of latency and in cells from people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy. Our results confirmed the potential role of Gal-9 as a molecule with a potent HIV-1 reactivation capacity. More importantly, using a monoclonal antibody against T cell immunoglobulin and the mucin domain-containing molecule 3 (TIM-3) receptor we were able to enhance the HIV-1 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific response to eliminate the CD4+ T cells in which the virus had been reactivated. When used together, i.e., Gal-9 and TIM-3 blockade, control of the replication of HIV-1 was observed, suggesting a decrease in the cellular reservoir.
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Dammeijer F, De Gooijer CJ, van Gulijk M, Lukkes M, Klaase L, Lievense LA, Waasdorp C, Jebbink M, Bootsma GP, Stigt JA, Biesma B, Kaijen-Lambers MEH, Mankor J, Vroman H, Cornelissen R, Baas P, Van der Noort V, Burgers JA, Aerts JG. Immune monitoring in mesothelioma patients identifies novel immune-modulatory functions of gemcitabine associating with clinical response. EBioMedicine 2021; 64:103160. [PMID: 33516644 PMCID: PMC7910686 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gemcitabine is a frequently used chemotherapeutic agent but its effects on the immune system are incompletely understood. Recently, the randomized NVALT19-trial revealed that maintenance gemcitabine after first-line chemotherapy significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) compared to best supportive care (BSC) in malignant mesothelioma. Whether these effects are paralleled by changes in circulating immune cell subsets is currently unknown. These analyses could offer improved mechanistic insights into the effects of gemcitabine on the host and guide development of effective combination therapies in mesothelioma. METHODS We stained peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) at baseline and 3 weeks following start of gemcitabine or BSC treatment in a subgroup of mesothelioma patients included in the NVALT19-trial. In total, 24 paired samples including both MDSCs and PBMCs were included. We performed multicolour flow-cytometry to assess co-inhibitory and-stimulatory receptor- and cytokine expression and matched these parameters with PFS and OS. FINDINGS Gemcitabine treatment was significantly associated with an increased NK-cell- and decreased T-regulatory cell proliferation whereas the opposite occurred in control patients. Furthermore, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) frequencies were lower in gemcitabine-treated patients and this correlated with increased T-cell proliferation following treatment. Whereas gemcitabine variably altered co-inhibitory receptor expression, co-stimulatory molecules including ICOS, CD28 and HLA-DR were uniformly increased across CD4+ T-helper, CD8+ T- and NK-cells. Although preliminary in nature, the increase in NK-cell proliferation and PD-1 expression in T cells following gemcitabine treatment was associated with improved PFS and OS. INTERPRETATION Gemcitabine treatment was associated with widespread effects on circulating immune cells of mesothelioma patients with responding patients displaying increased NK-cell and PD-1 + T-cell proliferation. These exploratory data provide a platform for future on treatment-biomarker development and novel combination treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris Dammeijer
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Cornedine J De Gooijer
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mandy van Gulijk
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Melanie Lukkes
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Larissa Klaase
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lysanne A Lievense
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cynthia Waasdorp
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Merel Jebbink
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gerben P Bootsma
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zuyderland Medical Centre, Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Jos A Stigt
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, the Netherlands
| | - Bonne Biesma
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Den Bosch, the Netherlands
| | - Margaretha E H Kaijen-Lambers
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joanne Mankor
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Heleen Vroman
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robin Cornelissen
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Paul Baas
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jacobus A Burgers
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joachim G Aerts
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Zeidan AM, Komrokji RS, Brunner AM. TIM-3 pathway dysregulation and targeting in cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2021; 21:523-534. [PMID: 33334180 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1865814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dysfunction of the immune system is a hallmark of cancer. Through increased understanding of the complex interactions between immunity and cancer, immunotherapy has emerged as a treatment modality for different types of cancer. Promising activity with immunotherapy has been reported in numerous malignancies, but challenges such as limited response rates and treatment resistance remain. Furthermore, outcomes with this therapeutic approach in hematologic malignancies are even more limited than in solid tumors. T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) has emerged as a potential immune checkpoint target in both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. TIM-3 has been shown to promote immune tolerance, and overexpression of TIM-3 is associated with more aggressive or advanced disease and poor prognosis. AREAS COVERED This review examines what is currently known regarding the biology of TIM-3 and clinical implications of targeting TIM-3 in cancer. Particular focus is given to myeloid malignancies. EXPERT OPINION The targeting of TIM-3 is a promising therapeutic approach in cancers, including hematologic cancers such as myeloid malignancies which have not benefited much from current immunotherapeutic treatment approaches. We anticipate that with further clinical evaluation, TIM-3 blockade will emerge as an important treatment strategy in myeloid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amer M Zeidan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Hematology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rami S Komrokji
- Malignant Hematology Department, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrew M Brunner
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphoid Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients with Varying Disease Stages and Microsatellite Instability-High/Stable Tumors. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9010064. [PMID: 33477864 PMCID: PMC7832866 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibition is an effective anti-cancer therapeutic approach but has shown limited efficacy in treating colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Importantly, immune constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME) can influence therapy response and cancer progression. We investigated the expression of immune checkpoints (ICs) on lymphoid populations within the CRC TME and compared with cells from normal colon tissues using samples from 50 patients with varying disease stages. We found that the levels of B cells, T cells, and NK cells were similar, IC-expressing CD4+ and CD4+CD8+ double positive T cells were higher, while CD8+ T cells and CD4−CD8− double negative T cells were significantly lower in CRC tumors. Notably, patients with mismatch-repair deficiency/microsatellite instability-high tumors had higher levels of IC-expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells than patients with proficient MMR and microsatellite stable tumors. Lastly, The Cancer Genome Atlas Colon Adenocarcinoma datasets showed associations between low expression of selective genes and poorer progression-free interval. Our findings highlight differential expression of ICs on lymphoid cells in CRC tumors in the era of cancer immunotherapy, which at present is solely approved for anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with dMMR/MSI-H tumors. Further investigations into their functionality have potentials for deciphering resistance mechanisms to IC inhibition.
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139
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High-Dimensional Flow Cytometry Analysis of Regulatory Receptors on Human T Cells, NK Cells, and NKT Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2194:255-290. [PMID: 32926371 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0849-4_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The field of flow cytometry has witnessed rapid technological advancements in the last few decades. While the founding principles of fluorescent detection on cells (or particles) within a uniform fluid stream remains largely unchanged, the availability more sensitive cytometers with the ability to multiplex more and more florescent signals has resulted in very complex high-order assays. This results in the co-use of fluorophores with increased levels of emission overlap and/or spillover spreading than in years past and thus requires careful and well thought out planning for flow cytometry assay development. As an example, we present the development of a large 18-color (20 parameter) flow cytometry assay designed to take an in depth analysis of effector lymphocyte phenotypes, with careful attention to assay controls and panel design.
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140
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Charap AJ, Enokida T, Brody R, Sfakianos J, Miles B, Bhardwaj N, Horowitz A. Landscape of natural killer cell activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-001523. [PMID: 33428584 PMCID: PMC7754625 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) encompasses a set of cancers arising from the epithelia of the upper aerodigestive tract, accounting for a significant burden of disease worldwide due to the disease’s mortality, morbidity, and predilection for recurrence. Prognosis of HNSCC in the recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M-HNSCC) setting is especially poor and effective treatment options increasingly rely on modulating T-cell antitumor responses. Still, immunotherapy response rates are generally low, prompting the exploration of novel strategies that incorporate other effector cells within the tumor microenvironment. Within the last decade, important advances have been made leveraging the powerful innate antitumor function of natural killer (NK) cells to treat solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. NK cells are hybrid innate-adaptive effector cells capable of directly eliminating tumor cells in addition to initiating adaptive antitumor immune responses. In the setting of HNSCC, NK cells are important for tumor surveillance and control, and NK cell infiltration has repeatedly been associated with a favorable prognosis. Yet, HNSCC-infiltrating NK cells are susceptible to an array of immune evasion strategies employed by tumors that must be overcome to fully realize the antitumor potential of NK cells. We believe that a conceptual framework informed by the basic biological understanding of the mechanisms underlying NK cell activation can improve treatment of HNSCC, in part by selecting for patients most likely to respond to NK cell-based immunotherapy. Herein, we review the activity of NK cells in HNSCC, paying special attention to the role of environmental and genetic determinants of NK cell antitumor function. Moreover, we explore the evidence that NK cells are a crucial determinant of the efficacy of both established and emerging treatments for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Charap
- Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tomohiro Enokida
- Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rachel Brody
- Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - John Sfakianos
- Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brett Miles
- Otolaryngology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Amir Horowitz
- Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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141
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Design and Implementation of NK Cell-Based Immunotherapy to Overcome the Solid Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123871. [PMID: 33371456 PMCID: PMC7767468 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune effectors capable of broad cytotoxicity via germline-encoded receptors and can have conferred cytotoxic potential via the addition of chimeric antigen receptors. Combined with their reduced risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS), NK cells are an attractive therapeutic platform. While significant progress has been made in treating hematological malignancies, challenges remain in using NK cell-based therapy to combat solid tumors due to their immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TMEs). The development of novel strategies enabling NK cells to resist the deleterious effects of the TME is critical to their therapeutic success against solid tumors. In this review, we discuss strategies that apply various genetic and non-genetic engineering approaches to enhance receptor-mediated NK cell cytotoxicity, improve NK cell resistance to TME effects, and enhance persistence in the TME. The successful design and application of these strategies will ultimately lead to more efficacious NK cell therapies to treat patients with solid tumors. This review outlines the mechanisms by which TME components suppress the anti-tumor activity of endogenous and adoptively transferred NK cells while also describing various approaches whose implementation in NK cells may lead to a more robust therapeutic platform against solid tumors.
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142
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Lee YJ, Kim J. Resveratrol Activates Natural Killer Cells through Akt- and mTORC2-Mediated c-Myb Upregulation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249575. [PMID: 33339133 PMCID: PMC7765583 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are suitable targets for cancer immunotherapy owing to their potent cytotoxic activity. To maximize the therapeutic efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, adjuvants need to be identified. Resveratrol is a well-studied polyphenol with various potential health benefits, including antitumor effects. We previously found that resveratrol is an NK cell booster, suggesting that it can serve as an adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the activation of NK cells by resveratrol remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine this mechanism. To this end, we investigated relevant pathways in NK cells using Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, pathway inhibitor, protein/DNA array, and cytotoxicity analyses. We confirmed the synergistic effects of resveratrol and interleukin (IL)-2 on enhancing the cytolytic activity of NK cells. Resveratrol activated Akt by regulating Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Complex 2 (mTORC2) via phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (S6K1). Moreover, resveratrol-mediated NK cell activation was more dependent on the mTOR pathway than the Akt pathway. Importantly, resveratrol increased the expression of c-Myb, a downstream transcription factor of Akt and mTORC2. Moreover, c-Myb was essential for resveratrol-induced NK cell activation in combination with IL-2. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol activates NK cells through Akt- and mTORC2-mediated c-Myb upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Jin Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 08758, Korea;
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 08758, Korea
| | - Jongsun Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 08758, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2228-1814
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143
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Abstract
Immunotherapy has made a profound impact in the treatment of cancer in the last decade. Insights from the study of the intricate relationships between immune cells and cancer have led to the clinical development of strategies that redirect the power of the immune system to target and eliminate cancer. Today, immunotherapy represents a rapidly expanding and transformative force comprising multiple modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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144
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Ding QQ, Chauvin JM, Zarour HM. Targeting novel inhibitory receptors in cancer immunotherapy. Semin Immunol 2020; 49:101436. [PMID: 33288379 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2020.101436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
T cells play a critical role in promoting tumor regression in both experimental models and humans. Yet, T cells that are chronically exposed to tumor antigen during cancer progression can become dysfunctional/exhausted and fail to induce tumor destruction. Such tumor-induced T cell dysfunction may occur via multiple mechanisms. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitory receptors that are upregulated by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in many cancers limit T cell survival and function. Overcoming this inhibitory receptor-mediated T cell dysfunction has been a central focus of recent developments in cancer immunotherapy. Immunotherapies targeting inhibitory receptor pathways such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), alone or in combination, confer significant clinical benefits in multiple tumor types. However, many patients with cancer do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade, and dual PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade may cause serious adverse events, which limits its indications. Targeting novel non-redundant inhibitory receptor pathways contributing to tumor-induced T cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment may prove efficacious and non-toxic. This review presents preclinical and clinical findings supporting the roles of two key pathways-T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) and T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT)/CD226/CD96/CD112R-in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan-Quan Ding
- Department of Medicine and Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Joe-Marc Chauvin
- Department of Medicine and Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Hassane M Zarour
- Department of Medicine and Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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145
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Ganjalikhani Hakemi M, Jafarinia M, Azizi M, Rezaeepoor M, Isayev O, Bazhin AV. The Role of TIM-3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Promising Target for Immunotherapy? Front Oncol 2020; 10:601661. [PMID: 33425759 PMCID: PMC7793963 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.601661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most common tumors in the world is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its mortality rates are still on the rise, so addressing it is considered an important challenge for universal health. Despite the various treatments that have been developed over the past decades, the prognosis for advanced liver cancer is still poor. Recently, tumor immunotherapy has opened new opportunities for suppression of tumor progression, recurrence, and metastasis. Besides this, investigation into this malignancy due to high immune checkpoint expression and the change of immunometabolic programming in immune cells and tumor cells is highly considered. Because anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated protein (CTLA)-4 antibodies and anti-programmed cell death protein (PD)-1 antibodies have shown therapeutic effects in various cancers, studies have shown that T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3), a new immune checkpoint molecule, plays an important role in the development of HCC. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on signal transduction events of TIM-3, its role as a checkpoint target for HCC therapy, and the immunometabolic situation in the progression of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morteza Jafarinia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahdieh Azizi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahsa Rezaeepoor
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Orkhan Isayev
- Department of Cytology, Embryology and Histology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, Azerbaijan.,Genetic Resources Institute, Azerbaijan National Academy of Scince, Baku, Azerbaijan
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
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146
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Edwards SC, Hoevenaar WHM, Coffelt SB. Emerging immunotherapies for metastasis. Br J Cancer 2020; 124:37-48. [PMID: 33262520 PMCID: PMC7782509 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-01160-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Major advances in cancer immunotherapy have dramatically expanded the potential to manipulate immune cells in cancer patients with metastatic disease to counteract cancer spread and extend patient lifespan. One of the most successful types of immunotherapy is the immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1, that keep anti-tumour T cells active. However, not every patient with metastatic disease benefits from this class of drugs and patients often develop resistance to these therapies over time. Tremendous research effort is now underway to uncover new immunotherapeutic targets that can be used in patients who are refractory to anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1 treatment. Here, we discuss results from experimental model systems demonstrating that modulating the immune response can negatively affect metastasis formation. We focus on molecules that boost anti-tumour immune cells and opportunities to block immunosuppression, as well as cell-based therapies with enhanced tumour recognition properties for solid tumours. We also present a list of challenges in treating metastatic disease with immunotherapy that must be considered in order to move laboratory observations into clinical practice and maximise patient benefit. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Edwards
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Wilma H M Hoevenaar
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Seth B Coffelt
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK. .,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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147
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Arianfar E, Shahgordi S, Memarian A. Natural Killer Cell Defects in Breast Cancer: A Key Pathway for Tumor Evasion. Int Rev Immunol 2020; 40:197-216. [PMID: 33258393 DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2020.1845670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
As the most important innate immune component cancers invader, natural killer (NK) cells have a magnificent role in antitumor immunity without any prior sensitization. Different subsets of NK cells have distinct responses during tumor cell exposure, according to their phenotypes and environments. Their function is induced mainly by the activity of both inhibitory and activating receptors against cancerous cells. Since the immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer patients has directly deteriorated the phenotype and disturbed the function of NK cells, recruiting compensatory mechanisms indicate promising outcomes for immunotherapeutic approaches. These evidences accentuate the importance of NK cell distinct features in protection against breast tumors. In this review, we discuss the several mechanisms involved in NK cells suppression which consequently promote tumor progression and disease recurrence in patients with breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaheh Arianfar
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Sanaz Shahgordi
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Ali Memarian
- Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.,Immunology department, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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148
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Yang Y, Lundqvist A. Immunomodulatory Effects of IL-2 and IL-15; Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123586. [PMID: 33266177 PMCID: PMC7761238 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The type I cytokine family members interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-15 play important roles in the homeostasis of innate and adaptive immunity. Although IL-2 and IL-15 receptor complexes activate similar signal transduction cascades, triggering of these receptors results in different functional activities in lymphocytes. While IL-2 expands regulatory T cells and CD4+ helper T cells, IL-15 supports the development of central memory T cells and NK cells. Recent data have provided evidence that IL-2 and IL-15 differ in their ability to activate T and NK cells to resist various forms of immune suppression. The diverse roles of these two cytokines have on immune cells lead to critical therapeutic implications for cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the distinct roles of IL-2 and IL-15 in activating various functions in T and NK cells with a particular focus on the signals that participate in the resistance of tumor-derived immune suppressive factors. Furthermore, we summarize current clinical applications of IL-2 and IL-15 in metastatic malignancies, either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents, and highlight the future trends for research on these cytokine-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yang
- Department of Respiratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 310009, China;
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Lundqvist
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
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149
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Domagala J, Lachota M, Klopotowska M, Graczyk-Jarzynka A, Domagala A, Zhylko A, Soroczynska K, Winiarska M. The Tumor Microenvironment-A Metabolic Obstacle to NK Cells' Activity. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123542. [PMID: 33260925 PMCID: PMC7761432 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
NK cells have unique capabilities of recognition and destruction of tumor cells, without the requirement for prior immunization of the host. Maintaining tolerance to healthy cells makes them an attractive therapeutic tool for almost all types of cancer. Unfortunately, metabolic changes associated with malignant transformation and tumor progression lead to immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment, which in turn limits the efficacy of various immunotherapies. In this review, we provide a brief description of the metabolic changes characteristic for the tumor microenvironment. Both tumor and tumor-associated cells produce and secrete factors that directly or indirectly prevent NK cell cytotoxicity. Here, we depict the molecular mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of immune effector cells by metabolic factors. Finally, we summarize the strategies to enhance NK cell function for the treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Domagala
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.D.); (A.G.-J.); (A.Z.); (K.S.)
- Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mieszko Lachota
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; (M.L.); (M.K.)
| | - Marta Klopotowska
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; (M.L.); (M.K.)
| | - Agnieszka Graczyk-Jarzynka
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.D.); (A.G.-J.); (A.Z.); (K.S.)
| | - Antoni Domagala
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce, 25-317 Kielce, Poland;
- Department of Urology, Holy Cross Cancer Center, 25-734 Kielce, Poland
| | - Andriy Zhylko
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.D.); (A.G.-J.); (A.Z.); (K.S.)
| | - Karolina Soroczynska
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.D.); (A.G.-J.); (A.Z.); (K.S.)
- Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Winiarska
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.D.); (A.G.-J.); (A.Z.); (K.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-225-992-199
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150
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Pesce S, Trabanelli S, Di Vito C, Greppi M, Obino V, Guolo F, Minetto P, Bozzo M, Calvi M, Zaghi E, Candiani S, Lemoli RM, Jandus C, Mavilio D, Marcenaro E. Cancer Immunotherapy by Blocking Immune Checkpoints on Innate Lymphocytes. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123504. [PMID: 33255582 PMCID: PMC7760325 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints refer to a plethora of inhibitory pathways of the immune system that play a crucial role in maintaining self-tolerance and in tuning the duration and amplitude of physiological immune responses to minimize collateral tissue damages. The breakdown of this delicate balance leads to pathological conditions, including cancer. Indeed, tumor cells can develop multiple mechanisms to escape from immune system defense, including the activation of immune checkpoint pathways. The development of monoclonal antibodies, targeting inhibitory immune checkpoints, has provided an immense breakthrough in cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), initially developed to reverse functional exhaustion in T cells, recently emerged as important actors in natural killer (NK)-cell-based immunotherapy. Moreover, the discovery that also helper innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) express inhibitory immune checkpoints, suggests that these molecules might be targeted on ILCs, to modulate their functions in the tumor microenvironment. Recently, other strategies to achieve immune checkpoint blockade have been developed, including miRNA exploiting systems. Herein, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on inhibitory immune checkpoints on NK cells and ILCs and we discuss how to target these innate lymphocytes by ICI in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pesce
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Sara Trabanelli
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.T.); (C.J.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Clara Di Vito
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Greppi
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Valentina Obino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Fabio Guolo
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Paola Minetto
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Matteo Bozzo
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Michela Calvi
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Zaghi
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
| | - Simona Candiani
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Roberto Massimo Lemoli
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Camilla Jandus
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.T.); (C.J.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Domenico Mavilio
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Marcenaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0103357888
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