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Sui C, Wu H, Li X, Wang Y, Wei J, Yu J, Wu X. Cancer immunotherapy and its facilitation by nanomedicine. Biomark Res 2024; 12:77. [PMID: 39097732 PMCID: PMC11297660 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00625-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has sparked a wave of cancer research, driven by recent successful proof-of-concept clinical trials. However, barriers are emerging during its rapid development, including broad adverse effects, a lack of reliable biomarkers, tumor relapses, and drug resistance. Integration of nanomedicine may ameliorate current cancer immunotherapy. Ultra-large surface-to-volume ratio, extremely small size, and easy modification surface of nanoparticles enable them to selectively detect cells and kill cancer cells in vivo. Exciting synergistic applications of the two approaches have emerged in treating various cancers at the intersection of cancer immunotherapy and cancer nanomedicine, indicating the potential that the combination of these two therapeutic modalities can lead to new paradigms in the treatment of cancer. This review discusses the status of current immunotherapy and explores the possible opportunities that the nanomedicine platform can make cancer immunotherapy more powerful and precise by synergizing the two approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sui
- Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Heqing Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinxin Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Yuhang Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Wei
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA.
- Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA.
| | - Xiaojin Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou, China.
- Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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2
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Adams SC, Nambiar AK, Bressler EM, Raut CP, Colson YL, Wong WW, Grinstaff MW. Immunotherapies for locally aggressive cancers. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 210:115331. [PMID: 38729264 PMCID: PMC11228555 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Improving surgical resection outcomes for locally aggressive tumors is key to inducing durable locoregional disease control and preventing progression to metastatic disease. Macroscopically complete resection of the tumor is the standard of care for many cancers, including breast, ovarian, lung, sarcoma, and mesothelioma. Advancements in cancer diagnostics are increasing the number of surgically eligible cases through early detection. Thus, a unique opportunity arises to improve patient outcomes with decreased recurrence rates via intraoperative delivery treatments using local drug delivery strategies after the tumor has been resected. Of the current systemic treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies), immunotherapies are the latest approach to offer significant benefits. Intraoperative strategies benefit from direct access to the tumor microenvironment which improves drug uptake to the tumor and simultaneously minimizes the risk of drug entering healthy tissues thereby resulting in fewer or less toxic adverse events. We review the current state of immunotherapy development and discuss the opportunities that intraoperative treatment provides. We conclude by summarizing progress in current research, identifying areas for exploration, and discussing future prospects in sustained remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Adams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Arun K Nambiar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eric M Bressler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Chandrajit P Raut
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yolonda L Colson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Mark W Grinstaff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston MA 02215, USA.
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3
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Abdel-Rahman S, Ovchinnikov V, Gabr MT. Structure-Based Rational Design of Constrained Peptides as TIM-3 Inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:806-813. [PMID: 38894912 PMCID: PMC11181482 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Blocking the immunosuppressive function of T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3) is an established therapeutic strategy to maximize the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy. Currently, effective inhibition of TIM-3 interactions relies on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which come with drawbacks such as immunogenicity risk, limited tumor penetration, and high manufacturing costs. Guided by the X-ray cocrystal structures of TIM-3 with mAbs, we report an in silico structure-based rational design of constrained peptides as potent TIM-3 inhibitors. The top cyclic peptide from our study (P2) binds TIM-3 with a K D value of 166.3 ± 12.1 nM as determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) screening. Remarkably, P2 efficiently inhibits key TIM-3 interactions with natural TIM-3 ligands at submicromolar concentrations in a panel of cell-free and cell-based assays. The capacity of P2 to reverse immunosuppression in T-cell/cancer cell cocultures, coupled with favorable in vitro pharmacokinetic properties, highlights the potential of P2 for further evaluation in preclinical models of immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya
A. Abdel-Rahman
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Victor Ovchinnikov
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Moustafa T. Gabr
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
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4
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Guo J, Yu F, Zhang K, Jiang S, Zhang X, Wang T. Beyond inhibition against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway: development of PD-L1 inhibitors targeting internalization and degradation of PD-L1. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:1096-1108. [PMID: 38665824 PMCID: PMC11042118 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00636k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells hijack the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) pathway to suppress the immune response through overexpressing PD-L1 to interact with PD-1 of T cells. With in-depth ongoing research, tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 is found to play important roles in tumor progression without interaction with PD-1 expressed on T cells, which provides an additional important target and therapeutic approach for development of PD-L1 inhibitors. Existing monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway generally behave by conformationally blocking the interactions of PD-1 with PD-L1 on the cell surface. Beyond general inhibition of the protein-protein interaction (PPI), inhibitors targeting PD-L1 currently focus on the functional inhibition of the interaction between PD-1/PD-L1 and degradation of tumor-intrinsic PD-L1. This perspective will clarify the evolution of PD-L1 inhibitors and provide insights into the current development of PD-L1 inhibitors, especially targeting internalization and degradation of PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazheng Guo
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Fengyi Yu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Kuojun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Sheng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing 210009 China
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5
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Javed SA, Najmi A, Ahsan W, Zoghebi K. Targeting PD-1/PD-L-1 immune checkpoint inhibition for cancer immunotherapy: success and challenges. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1383456. [PMID: 38660299 PMCID: PMC11039846 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) acts as a T-cell brake, and its interaction with ligand-1 (PD-L-1) interferes with signal transduction of the T-cell receptor. This leads to suppression of T-cell survival, proliferation, and activity in the tumor microenvironment resulting in compromised anticancer immunity. PD-1/PD-L-1 interaction blockade shown remarkable clinical success in various cancer immunotherapies. To date, most PD-1/PD-L-1 blockers approved for clinical use are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs); however, their therapeutic use are limited owing to poor clinical responses in a proportion of patients. mAbs also displayed low tumor penetration, steep production costs, and incidences of immune-related side effects. This strongly indicates the importance of developing novel inhibitors as cancer immunotherapeutic agents. Recently, advancements in the small molecule-based inhibitors (SMIs) that directly block the PD-1/PD-L-1 axis gained attention from the scientific community involved in cancer research. SMIs demonstrated certain advantages over mAbs, including longer half-lives, low cost, greater cell penetration, and possibility of oral administration. Currently, several SMIs are in development pipeline as potential therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. To develop new SMIs, a wide range of structural scaffolds have been explored with excellent outcomes; biphenyl-based scaffolds are most studied. In this review, we analyzed the development of mAbs and SMIs targeting PD-1/PD-L-1 axis for cancer treatment. Altogether, the present review delves into the problems related to mAbs use and a detailed discussion on the development and current status of SMIs. This article may provide a comprehensive guide to medicinal chemists regarding the potential structural scaffolds required for PD-1/PD-L-1 interaction inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Asim Najmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
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6
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Shin HS, Kim S, Jin SM, Yoo YJ, Heo JH, Lim YT. Molecular Masking of Synthetic Immunomodulator Evokes Antitumor Immunity With Reduced Immune Tolerance and Systemic Toxicity by Temporal Activity Recovery and Sustained Stimulation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309039. [PMID: 37903320 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Activation of the innate immune system counteracts tumor-induced immunosuppression. Hence, small molecule-based toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists (TLR7/8a), which can modulate immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment along with the activation of innate immunity, are emerging as essential components of cancer immunotherapy. However, the clinical application of synthetic TLR7/8a therapies is limited by systemic immune-associated toxicity and immune tolerance induced by uncontrolled stimulatory activities and repeated treatments. To address these limitations, a dynamic immunomodulation strategy incorporating masking and temporal recovery of the activity of TLR7/8a through prodrug-like TLR7/8a (pro-TLR7/8a) at the molecular level and a sustained and controlled release of active TLR7/8a from nanoliposome (pro-TLR7/8a) (NL(pro-TLR7/8)) in a macroscale depot are designed. Immunization with cationic NL(pro-TLR7/8) and anionic antigens triggers robust activation of innate immune cells as well as antigen-specific T cell responses, eliciting reprogramming of immunosuppressive cells into tumor-suppressive cells, with decreased systemic adverse effects and immune tolerance. Combination treatment with NL(pro-TLR7/8a) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTLA-4 plus anti-PD-L1) or nanoliposomes (Doxorubicin) has synergistic effects on antitumor immunity in various tumor models. The concept of pro-TLR7/8a suggested herein may facilitate the advancement of small-molecule-based immunomodulators for clinical translation and safe and effective cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Sik Shin
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sohyun Kim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Mo Jin
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon Jeong Yoo
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Hun Heo
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Taik Lim
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16419, Republic of Korea
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7
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Abdel-Rahman SA, Santini BL, Calvo-Barreiro L, Zacharias M, Gabr M. Design of cyclic peptides as novel inhibitors of ICOS/ICOSL interaction. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 99:129599. [PMID: 38185345 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Compared to small molecules and antibodies, cyclic peptides exhibit unique biochemical and therapeutic attributes in the realm of pharmaceutical applications. The interaction between the inducible costimulator (ICOS) and its ligand (ICOSL) plays a key role in T-cell differentiation and activation. ICOS/ICOSL inhibition results in a reduction in the promotion of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Herein, we implement the computational cPEPmatch approach to design the first examples of cyclic peptides that inhibit ICOS/ICOSL interaction. The top cyclic peptide from our approach possessed an IC50 value of 1.87 ± 0.15 μM as an ICOS/ICOSL inhibitor and exhibited excellent in vitro pharmacokinetic properties as a drug candidate. Our work will lay the groundwork for future endeavors in cancer drug discovery, with the goal of developing cyclic peptides that target the ICOS/ICOSL interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya A Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Brianda L Santini
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße 8, Garching, Germany
| | - Laura Calvo-Barreiro
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße 8, Garching, Germany
| | - Moustafa Gabr
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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8
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Fuchs N, Zhang L, Calvo-Barreiro L, Kuncewicz K, Gabr M. Inhibitors of Immune Checkpoints: Small Molecule- and Peptide-Based Approaches. J Pers Med 2024; 14:68. [PMID: 38248769 PMCID: PMC10817355 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14010068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The revolutionary progress in cancer immunotherapy, particularly the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors, marks a significant milestone in the fight against malignancies. However, the majority of clinically employed immune checkpoint inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with several limitations, such as poor oral bioavailability and immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). Another major limitation is the restriction of the efficacy of mAbs to a subset of cancer patients, which triggered extensive research efforts to identify alternative approaches in targeting immune checkpoints aiming to overcome the restricted efficacy of mAbs. This comprehensive review aims to explore the cutting-edge developments in targeting immune checkpoints, focusing on both small molecule- and peptide-based approaches. By delving into drug discovery platforms, we provide insights into the diverse strategies employed to identify and optimize small molecules and peptides as inhibitors of immune checkpoints. In addition, we discuss recent advances in nanomaterials as drug carriers, providing a basis for the development of small molecule- and peptide-based platforms for cancer immunotherapy. Ongoing research focused on the discovery of small molecules and peptide-inspired agents targeting immune checkpoints paves the way for developing orally bioavailable agents as the next-generation cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Fuchs
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.F.); (L.Z.); (L.C.-B.); (K.K.)
| | - Longfei Zhang
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.F.); (L.Z.); (L.C.-B.); (K.K.)
| | - Laura Calvo-Barreiro
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.F.); (L.Z.); (L.C.-B.); (K.K.)
| | - Katarzyna Kuncewicz
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.F.); (L.Z.); (L.C.-B.); (K.K.)
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Moustafa Gabr
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.F.); (L.Z.); (L.C.-B.); (K.K.)
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9
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Niu X, Wu M, Li G, Zhou X, Cao W, Zhai W, Wu A, Zhou X, Jin S, Chen G, Li Y, Du J, Wu Y, Qiu L, Zhao W, Gao Y. Identification and optimization of peptide inhibitors to block VISTA/PSGL-1 interaction for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4511-4522. [PMID: 37969728 PMCID: PMC10638518 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.003] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing new therapeutic agents for cancer immunotherapy is highly demanding due to the low response ratio of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in cancer patients. Here, we discovered that the novel immune checkpoint VISTA is highly expressed on a variety of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, especially myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and CD8+ T cells. Then, peptide C1 with binding affinity to VISTA was developed by phage displayed bio-panning technique, and its mutant peptide VS3 was obtained by molecular docking based mutation. Peptide VS3 could bind VISTA with high affinity and block its interaction with ligand PSGL-1 under acidic condition, and elicit anti-tumor activity in vivo. The peptide DVS3-Pal was further designed by d-amino acid substitution and fatty acid modification, which exhibited strong proteolytic stability and significant anti-tumor activity through enhancing CD8+ T cell function and decreasing MDSCs infiltration. This is the first study to develop peptides to block VISTA/PSGL-1 interaction, which could act as promising candidates for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshuang Niu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Menghan Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Guodong Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Wenpeng Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Aijun Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shengzhe Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Guanyu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yanying Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jiangfeng Du
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yahong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lu Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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10
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Zhang J, Wang J, Shang Y, Chen Y, Chen S, He Q. Boningmycin induces AMPK-mediated endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of PD-L1 protein in human cancer cells. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:110905. [PMID: 37717372 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies have displayed remarkable clinical benefits and revolutionized the treatment of multiple tumor types, but the low response rates and immune-related adverse events limit their application, which promoting the development of small molecule agents to improve the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy. Boningmycin (BON), a new small molecule belonging to bleomycin (BLM) family, exhibits potent anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo, as well as negligible lung toxicity, thereby can be an alternative of BLM. However, understandings about the anticancer mechanism of BLM-related compounds are extremely rare, it remains unclear if they affect PD-L1 level in a manner similar to that of other antitumor drugs. In this study, we discover that BON significantly reduces PD-L1 protein level in NCI-H460 and HT-1080 cells. Meanwhile, BON decreases the protein level of PD-L1 in a tumor xenograft model of NCI-H460 cells. Nevertheless, the mRNA level is not influenced after BON exposure. Furthermore, BON-induced PD-L1 reduction is proteasome- dependent. By using specific inhibitors and RNA interference technology, we confirm that the decline of PD-L1 protein by BON is mediated by AMPK-activated endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway, which is like to the action of metformin. Last but not the least, BON has synergism on gefitinib in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, it is the first report demonstrating that BON decreases PD-L1 protein level through AMPK-mediated endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway. These findings will benefit the clinical transformation of BON and aid in the elucidation of molecular mechanism of BLM-related compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Nano-imaging and Drug-loaded Preparation of Shanxi Province, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China.
| | - Jincai Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, China
| | - Yue Shang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shuzhen Chen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Qiyang He
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union College, Beijing 100050, China.
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11
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Zhou L, Ye X, Wang K, Shen H, Wang T, Zhang X, Jiang S, Xiao Y, Zhang K. Discovery of diaminotriazine carboxamides as potent inhibitors of hematopoetic progenitor kinase 1. Bioorg Chem 2023; 138:106682. [PMID: 37339563 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a member of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase (MAP4K) family of Ste20 serine/threonine kinases, is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Inactivating HPK1 kinase has been reported to be sufficient to elicit antitumor immune response. Therefore, HPK1 has attracted much attention as a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. A few of HPK1 inhibitors have been reported, and none of them have been approved for clinical applications. Hence, more effective HPK1 inhibitors are needed. Herein, a series of structurally novel diaminotriazine carboxamides were rationally designed, synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against HPK1 kinase. Most of them exhibited potent inhibitory potency against HPK1 kinase. In particular, compound 15b showed more robust HPK1 inhibitory activity than that of 11d developed by Merck in kinase activity assay (IC50 = 3.1 and 8.2 nM, respectively). The significant inhibitory potency against SLP76 phosphorylation in Jurkat T cells further confirmed the efficacy of compound 15b. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) functional assays, compound 15b more significantly induced the production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) relative to 11d. Furthermore, 15b alone or in combination with anti-PD-1 antibodies showed potent in vivo antitumor efficacy in MC38 tumor-bearing mice. Compound 15b represents a promising lead for the development of effective HPK1 small-molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiuquan Ye
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kaizhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hongtao Shen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Sheng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yibei Xiao
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Kuojun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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12
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Li X, Zeng Q, Xu F, Jiang Y, Jiang Z. Progress in programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 pathway inhibitors and binding mode analysis. Mol Divers 2023; 27:1935-1955. [PMID: 35948846 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays an important role in negative regulating immunity. The search for effective PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors has been at the cutting-edge of academic and industrial medicinal chemistry, leading to the emergence of 16 clinical candidate drugs and the launch of six monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) drugs. However, due to the unclear mechanism of the interaction between drugs and substances in vivo, the screening of preclinical drugs often takes a long time. In order to shorten the time of drug development as much as possible, the binding mode analysis that can simulate the interaction between drugs and substances in vivo at the molecular level can significantly shorten the drug development process. This paper reviews the mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway at the molecular level, as well as the research progress and obstacles of inhibitors. Besides, we analyzed the binding mode of recently reported PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with PD-1 or PD-L1 protein in detail in order to provide ideas for the development of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Chun'an County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 311700, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qin Zeng
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Fengjiao Xu
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuying Jiang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhongmei Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Chun'an County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 311700, Zhejiang, China.
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13
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Sunga GM, Hartgerink J, Sikora AG, Young S. Enhancement of Immunotherapies in Head and Neck Cancers Using Biomaterial-Based Treatment Strategies. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2023; 29:257-275. [PMID: 37183412 PMCID: PMC10282827 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2023.0090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a challenging disease to treat because of typically late-stage diagnoses and tumor formation in difficult-to-treat areas, sensitive to aggressive or invasive treatments. To date, HNSCC treatments have been limited to surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which may have significant morbidity and often lead to long-lasting side effects. The development of immunotherapies has revolutionized cancer treatment by providing a promising alternative to standard-of-care therapies. However, single-agent immunotherapy has been only modestly effective in the treatment of various cancers, including HNSCC, with most patients receiving no overall benefit or increased survival. In addition, single-agent immunotherapy's limitations, namely immune-related side effects and the necessity of multidose treatments, must be addressed to further improve treatment efficacy. Biocompatible biomaterials, in combination with cancer immunotherapies, offer numerous advantages in the concentration, localization, and controlled release of drugs, cancer antigens, and immune cells. Biomaterial structures are diverse, and their design can generally be customized to enhance immunotherapy response. In preclinical settings, the use of biomaterials has shown great promise in improving the efficacy of single-agent immunotherapy. Herein, we provide an overview of current immunotherapy treatments for HNSCC and their limitations, as well as the potential applications of biomaterials in enhancing cancer immunotherapies. Impact Statement Advances in anticancer immunotherapies for the past 30 years have yielded exciting clinical results and provided alternatives to long-standing standard-of-care treatments, which are associated with significant toxicities and long-term morbidity. However, patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not benefited from immunotherapies as much as patients with other cancers. Immunotherapy limitations include systemic side effects, therapeutic resistance, poor delivery kinetics, and limited patient responses. Biomaterial-enhanced immunotherapies, as explored in this review, are a potentially powerful means of achieving localized drug delivery, sustained and controlled drug release, and immunomodulation. They may overcome current treatment limitations and improve patient outcomes and care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemalene M. Sunga
- Katz Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jeffrey Hartgerink
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew G. Sikora
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Simon Young
- Katz Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, Houston, Texas, USA
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14
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Kothari N, Postwala H, Pandya A, Shah A, Shah Y, Chorawala MR. Establishing the applicability of cancer vaccines in combination with chemotherapeutic entities: current aspect and achievable prospects. Med Oncol 2023; 40:135. [PMID: 37014489 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02003-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is one of the recently developed cancer treatment modalities. When compared with conventional anticancer drug regimens, immunotherapy has shown significantly better outcomes in terms of quality of life and overall survival. It incorporates a wide range of immunomodulatory modalities that channel the effects of the immune system either by broadly modulating the host immune system or by accurately targeting distinct tumor antigens. One such treatment modality that has gained interest is cancer vaccine therapy which acts by developing antibodies against tumor cells. Cancer vaccines target individual peptides or groups of antigens that are released by tumor cells and presented by the APCs. This also initiates an effective process to activate the host immune responses. Studies on various types of cancer vaccines are conducted, out of which only few are approved by FDA for clinical uses. Despite of documented safety and efficacy of conventional chemotherapy and cancer vaccines, individually they did not produce substantial results in eradication of the cancer as a monotherapy. Hence, the combination approach holds the extensive potential to provide significant improvement in disease outcomes. Certain chemotherapy has immunomodulatory effects and is proven to synergize with cancer vaccines thereby enhancing their anti-tumor activities. Chemotherapeutic agents are known to have immunostimulatory mechanisms apart from its cytotoxic effect and intensify the anti-tumor activities of vaccines by various mechanisms. This review highlights various cancer vaccines, their mechanism, and how their activity gets affected by chemotherapeutic agents. It also aims at summarizing the evidence-based outcome of the combination approach of a cancer vaccine with chemotherapy and a brief on future aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirjari Kothari
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Humzah Postwala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Aanshi Pandya
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Aayushi Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Yesha Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
| | - Mehul R Chorawala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, 380009, India.
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15
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Hu C, Song Y, Zhang Y, He S, Liu X, Yang X, Gong T, Huang Y, Gao H. Sequential delivery of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade peptide and IDO inhibitor for immunosuppressive microenvironment remodeling via an MMP-2 responsive dual-targeting liposome. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:2176-2187. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
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16
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Shang P, Yu L, Cao S, Guo C, Zhang W. An improved cell line-derived xenograft humanized mouse model for evaluation of PD-1/PD-L1 blocker BMS202-induced immune responses in colorectal cancer. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 54:1497-1506. [PMID: 36269133 PMCID: PMC9827804 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of an in vivo mouse model mimicking human tumor-immune environments provides a promising platform for immunotherapy assessment, drug discovery and clinical decision guidance. To this end, we construct humanized NCG mice by transplanting human hCD34 + hematopoietic progenitors into non-obese diabetic (NOD) Cg- Prkdc scidIL2rg tm1Wjl /Sz (null; NCG) mice and monitoring the development of human hematopoietic and immune systems (Hu-NCG). The cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) Hu-NCG mouse models are set up to assess the outcome of immunotherapy mediated by the small molecule BMS202. As a PD-1/PD-L1 blocker, BMS202 shows satisfactory antitumour efficacy in the HCT116 and SW480 xenograft Hu-NCG mouse models. Mechanistically, BMS202 exerts antitumour efficacy by improving the tumor microenvironment and enhancing the infiltration of hCD8 + T cells and the release of hIFNγ in tumor tissue. Thus, tumor-bearing Hu-NCG mice are a suitable and important in vivo model for preclinical study, particularly in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhao Shang
- School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Liting Yu
- Department of PharmacyBinzhou Medical UniversityYantai264003China
| | - Shucheng Cao
- School of EngineeringChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Changying Guo
- School of Life Science and TechnologyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China,Correspondence address. Tel: +86-15737957481; (W.Z.) / Tel: +86-18252099426; (C.G.) @cpu.edu.cn
| | - Wanheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacythe First Affiliated Hospitaland College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and TechnologyLuoyang471003China,Correspondence address. Tel: +86-15737957481; (W.Z.) / Tel: +86-18252099426; (C.G.) @cpu.edu.cn
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17
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Lipid Nanoparticles for mRNA Delivery to Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175607. [PMID: 36080373 PMCID: PMC9458026 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is being developed by researchers as a novel drug for the treatment or prevention of many diseases. However, to enable mRNA to fully exploit its effects in vivo, researchers need to develop safer and more effective mRNA delivery systems that improve mRNA stability and enhance the ability of cells to take up and release mRNA. To date, lipid nanoparticles are promising nanodrug carriers for tumor therapy, which can significantly improve the immunotherapeutic effects of conventional drugs by modulating mRNA delivery, and have attracted widespread interest in the biomedical field. This review focuses on the delivery of mRNA by lipid nanoparticles for cancer treatment. We summarize some common tumor immunotherapy and mRNA delivery strategies, describe the clinical advantages of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery, and provide an outlook on the current challenges and future developments of this technology.
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18
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Acúrcio RC, Pozzi S, Carreira B, Pojo M, Gómez-Cebrián N, Casimiro S, Fernandes A, Barateiro A, Farricha V, Brito J, Leandro AP, Salvador JAR, Graça L, Puchades-Carrasco L, Costa L, Satchi-Fainaro R, Guedes RC, Florindo HF. Therapeutic targeting of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade by novel small-molecule inhibitors recruits cytotoxic T cells into solid tumor microenvironment. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004695. [PMID: 35863821 PMCID: PMC9310269 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Inhibiting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has shown exciting clinical outcomes in diverse human cancers. So far, only monoclonal antibodies are approved as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. While significant clinical outcomes are observed on patients who respond to these therapeutics, a large proportion of the patients do not benefit from the currently available immune checkpoint inhibitors, which strongly emphasize the importance of developing new immunotherapeutic agents. Methods In this study, we followed a transdisciplinary approach to discover novel small molecules that can modulate PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. To that end, we employed in silico analyses combined with in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experimental studies to assess the ability of novel compounds to modulate PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and enhance T-cell function. Results Accordingly, in this study we report the identification of novel small molecules, which like anti-PD-L1/PD-1 antibodies, can stimulate human adaptive immune responses. Unlike these biological compounds, our newly-identified small molecules enabled an extensive infiltration of T lymphocytes into three-dimensional solid tumor models, and the recruitment of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to the tumor microenvironment in vivo, unveiling a unique potential to transform cancer immunotherapy. Conclusions We identified a new promising family of small-molecule candidates that regulate the PD-L1/PD-1 signaling pathway, promoting an extensive infiltration of effector CD8 T cells to the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita C Acúrcio
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sabina Pozzi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Barbara Carreira
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Pojo
- Unidade de Investigação em Patobiologia Molecular (UIPM) do Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE 1099-023, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Sandra Casimiro
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular - João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adelaide Fernandes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Andreia Barateiro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vitor Farricha
- Serviço de Cirurgia do Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil EPE, 1099-023 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joaquim Brito
- Serviço de Ortopedia, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Leandro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge A R Salvador
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra,Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Graça
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular - João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Luís Costa
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular - João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.,Serviço de Oncologia Médica, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ronit Satchi-Fainaro
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel .,Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Rita C Guedes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena F Florindo
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
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19
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Szponarski M, Gademann K. Antibody Recognition of Cancer Cells via Glycan Surface Engineering. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200125. [PMID: 35638149 PMCID: PMC9400979 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200125] [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: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Stimulation of the body's immune system toward tumor cells is now well recognized as a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Just behind cell therapy and monoclonal antibodies, small molecule‐based strategies are receiving growing attention as alternatives to direct immune response against tumor cells. However, the development of small‐molecule approaches to modulate the balance between stimulatory immune factors and suppressive factors in a targeted way remains a challenge. Here, we report the cell surface functionalization of LS174T cancer cells with an abiotic hapten to recruit antibodies to the cell surface. Metabolic glycoengineering followed by covalent reaction with the hapten results in antibody recognition of the target cells. Microscopy and flow cytometry studies provide compelling evidence that metabolic glycoengineering and small molecule stimulators can be combined to direct antibody recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Szponarski
- University of Zurich: Universitat Zurich, Department of Chemistry, SWITZERLAND
| | - Karl Gademann
- University of Zurich, Department of Chemistry, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, SWITZERLAND
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20
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Nel AE, Mei KC, Liao YP, Lu X. Multifunctional Lipid Bilayer Nanocarriers for Cancer Immunotherapy in Heterogeneous Tumor Microenvironments, Combining Immunogenic Cell Death Stimuli with Immune Modulatory Drugs. ACS NANO 2022; 16:5184-5232. [PMID: 35348320 PMCID: PMC9519818 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c01252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
In addition to the contribution of cancer cells, the solid tumor microenvironment (TME) has a critical role in determining tumor expansion, antitumor immunity, and the response to immunotherapy. Understanding the details of the complex interplay between cancer cells and components of the TME provides an unprecedented opportunity to explore combination therapy for intervening in the immune landscape to improve immunotherapy outcome. One approach is the introduction of multifunctional nanocarriers, capable of delivering drug combinations that provide immunogenic stimuli for improvement of tumor antigen presentation, contemporaneous with the delivery of coformulated drug or synthetic molecules that provide immune danger signals or interfere in immune-escape, immune-suppressive, and T-cell exclusion pathways. This forward-looking review will discuss the use of lipid-bilayer-encapsulated liposomes and mesoporous silica nanoparticles for combination immunotherapy of the heterogeneous immune landscapes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and triple-negative breast cancer. We describe how the combination of remote drug loading and lipid bilayer encapsulation is used for the synthesis of synergistic drug combinations that induce immunogenic cell death, interfere in the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, inhibit the indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1) immune metabolic pathway, restore spatial access to activated T-cells to the cancer site, or reduce the impact of immunosuppressive stromal components. We show how an integration of current knowledge and future discovery can be used for a rational approach to nanoenabled cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- André E. Nel
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Correspondence should be addressed to: André E. Nel, Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 52-175 CHS, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. Phone: 310.825.6620;
| | - Kuo-Ching Mei
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Yu-Pei Liao
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Xiangsheng Lu
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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21
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Tang ML, Li H, Ning JF, Shen X, Sun X. Discovery of First-in-Class TAK1-MKK3 Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Inhibitor (R)-STU104 for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis through Modulating TNF-α Production. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6690-6709. [PMID: 35442672 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) has been demonstrated to be a therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. However, this biological therapy exhibits some inevitable disadvantages, such as risk of infection. Thus, small-molecule alternatives by targeting TNF-α production signaling pathway are still in demand. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of 3-aryindanone compounds regarding their modulation of TNF-α production. Among them, (R)-STU104 exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity on TNF-α production, which suppressed the TAK1/MKK3/p38/MnK1/MK2/elF4E signal pathways through binding with MKK3 and disrupting the TAK1 phosphorylating MKK3. As a result, (R)-STU104 demonstrated remarkable dose-effect relationships on both acute and chronic mouse UC models. In addition to its good pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety profile, (R)-STU104 showed better anti-UC efficacy in vivo at 10 mg/kg/d than mesalazine at the dose of 50 mg/kg/d. These results suggested that TAK1-MKK3 interaction inhibitors could be potentially utilized for the treatment of UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Lin Tang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Haidong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jin-Feng Ning
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaoyan Shen
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xun Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,The Institutes of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi Zhong Road, Shanghai 200040, China
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22
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Xu J, Li X, Du Y. Antibody-Pattern Recognition Receptor Agonist Conjugates: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2101065. [PMID: 35122418 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202101065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are composed of monoclonal antibodies linked to cytotoxic payload drugs, each of which can be diversely designed in accordance with pharmacological and clinical requirements. The use of ADCs is effective for the treatment of different diseases, including cancers, and is gaining widespread attention. To date, 12 ADCs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating cancer and improving the quality of life of patients. To expand the application of ADCs and improve their treatment efficiency, various formats have recently been manufactured, including pattern recognition receptor (PRR) agonist-based ADCs. The antibody has a unique structure that enables the specific delivery of PRR agonists to the tumor area, and this improves the therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity. This review briefly discusses the current landscape and future perspectives of antibody-PRR agonist conjugates for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Beijing Kawin Technology Share-Holding Co., Ltd, BDA, Beijing, 100176, China
| | - Yue Du
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
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23
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Tong S, Cinelli MA, El-Sayed NS, Huang H, Patel A, Silverman RB, Yang S. Inhibition of interferon-gamma-stimulated melanoma progression by targeting neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Sci Rep 2022; 12:1701. [PMID: 35105915 PMCID: PMC8807785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05394-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is shown to stimulate melanoma development and progression. However, the underlying mechanism has not been completely defined. Our study aimed to determine the role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-mediated signaling in IFN-γ-stimulated melanoma progression and the anti-melanoma effects of novel nNOS inhibitors. Our study shows that IFN-γ markedly induced the expression levels of nNOS in melanoma cells associated with increased intracellular nitric oxide (NO) levels. Co-treatment with novel nNOS inhibitors effectively alleviated IFN-γ-activated STAT1/3. Further, reverse phase protein array (RPPA) analysis demonstrated that IFN-γ induced the expression of HIF1α, c-Myc, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), in contrast to IFN-α. Blocking the nNOS-mediated signaling pathway using nNOS-selective inhibitors was shown to effectively diminish IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in melanoma cells. Using a human melanoma xenograft mouse model, the in vivo studies revealed that IFN-γ increased tumor growth compared to control, which was inhibited by the co-administration of nNOS inhibitor MAC-3-190. Another nNOS inhibitor, HH044, was shown to effectively inhibit in vivo tumor growth and was associated with reduced PD-L1 expression levels in melanoma xenografts. Our study demonstrates the important role of nNOS-mediated NO signaling in IFN-γ-stimulated melanoma progression. Targeting nNOS using highly selective small molecular inhibitors is a unique and effective strategy to improve melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Tong
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, #297-Y, 9401 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Maris A Cinelli
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Naglaa Salem El-Sayed
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, #297-Y, 9401 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - He Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Anika Patel
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, #297-Y, 9401 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Richard B Silverman
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sun Yang
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, #297-Y, 9401 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA.
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24
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Franklin MR, Platero S, Saini KS, Curigliano G, Anderson S. Immuno-oncology trends: preclinical models, biomarkers, and clinical development. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e003231. [PMID: 35022192 PMCID: PMC8756278 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The landscape in immuno-oncology (I-O) has undergone profound changes since its early beginnings up through the rapid advances happening today. The current drug development pipeline consists of thousands of potential I-O therapies and therapy combinations, many of which are being evaluated in clinical trials. The efficient and successful development of these assets requires the investment in and utilization of appropriate tools and technologies that can facilitate the rapid transitions from preclinical evaluation through clinical development. These tools include (i) appropriate preclinical models, (ii) biomarkers of pharmacodynamic, predictive and monitoring utility, and (iii) evolving clinical trial designs that allow rapid and efficient evaluation during the development process. This article provides an overview of how novel discoveries and insights into each of these three areas have the potential to further address the clinical management needs for patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suso Platero
- Labcorp Drug Development Inc, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kamal S Saini
- Labcorp Drug Development Inc, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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25
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Cheng P, Shen P, Shan Y, Yang Y, Deng R, Chen W, Lu Y, Wei Z. Gut Microbiota-Mediated Modulation of Cancer Progression and Therapy Efficacy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:626045. [PMID: 34568308 PMCID: PMC8455814 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.626045] [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: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of gut microbiota in the development of various tumors has been a rising topic of public interest, and in recent years, many studies have reported a close relationship between microbial groups and tumor development. Gut microbiota play a role in host metabolism, and the positive and negative alterations of these microbiota have an effect on tumor treatment. The microbiota directly promote, eliminate, and coordinate the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and the toxicity of adjuvant drugs, and enhance the ability of patients to respond to tumors in adjuvant immunotherapy. In this review, we outline the significance of gut microbiota in tumor development, reveal its impacts on chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and discover various potential mechanisms whereby they influence tumor treatment. This review demonstrates the importance of intestinal microbiota-related research for clinical tumor treatment and provides additional strategy for clinical assistance in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peiliang Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunlong Shan
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Deng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenxing Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yin Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhonghong Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacolgy and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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26
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Shrestha B, Wang L, Brey EM, Uribe GR, Tang L. Smart Nanoparticles for Chemo-Based Combinational Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:853. [PMID: 34201333 PMCID: PMC8227511 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13060853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a heterogeneous and complex disease. Traditional cancer therapy is associated with low therapeutic index, acquired resistance, and various adverse effects. With the increasing understanding of cancer biology and technology advancements, more strategies have been exploited to optimize the therapeutic outcomes. The rapid development and application of nanomedicine have motivated this progress. Combinational regimen, for instance, has become an indispensable approach for effective cancer treatment, including the combination of chemotherapeutic agents, chemo-energy, chemo-gene, chemo-small molecules, and chemo-immunology. Additionally, smart nanoplatforms that respond to external stimuli (such as light, temperature, ultrasound, and magnetic field), and/or to internal stimuli (such as changes in pH, enzymes, hypoxia, and redox) have been extensively investigated to improve precision therapy. Smart nanoplatforms for combinational therapy have demonstrated the potential to be the next generation cancer treatment regimen. This review aims to highlight the recent advances in smart combinational therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gabriela Romero Uribe
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA; (B.S.); (L.W.); (E.M.B.)
| | - Liang Tang
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA; (B.S.); (L.W.); (E.M.B.)
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27
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Wang Y, Zhou Y, Cao S, Sun Y, Dong Z, Li C, Wang H, Yao Y, Yu H, Song X, Li M, Wang J, Wei M, Yang G, Yang C. In vitro and in vivo degradation of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) by a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC). Bioorg Chem 2021; 111:104833. [PMID: 33839580 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.104833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy via immune checkpoints blockade has aroused the attention of researchers worldwide. Inhibition of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) interaction has been one of the most promising immunotherapy strategies. Several neutralizing antibodies targeting this interaction have been developed, which have already achieved considerable clinical success. Additionally, numerous pharmaceutical companies have been committed to develop small molecules which could block the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1. In this study, a novel PROTAC molecule 21a was developed, and effectively induced the degradation of PD-L1 protein in various malignant cells in a proteasome-dependent manner. Moreover, compound 21a could significantly reduce PD-L1 protein levels of MC-38 cancer cells in vivo, by which promoted the invasion of CD8+ T cells and inhibited the growth of MC-38 in vivo. This PROTAC molecule could be used as a novel and alternative strategy for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubo Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Sheng Cao
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Yue Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Zhiqiang Dong
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Chen Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Haoran Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Yuhong Yao
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Tianjin Pacific Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co., LTD, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Xiangyi Song
- Tianjin Pacific Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co., LTD, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Ming Li
- Cangzhou Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Cangzhou 061000, PR China
| | - Jiefu Wang
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, PR China.
| | - Mingming Wei
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
| | - Guang Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
| | - Cheng Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
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28
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Guo Y, Jin Y, Wang B, Liu B. Molecular Mechanism of Small-Molecule Inhibitors in Blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway through PD-L1 Dimerization. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4766. [PMID: 33946261 PMCID: PMC8125578 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), which is a molecule involved in the inhibitory signal in the immune system and is important due to blocking of the interactions between PD-1 and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), has emerged as a promising immunotherapy for treating cancer. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations were performed on complex systems consisting of the PD-L1 dimer with (S)-BMS-200, (R)-BMS-200 and (MOD)-BMS-200 (i.e., S, R and MOD systems) to systematically evaluate the inhibitory mechanism of BMS-200-related small-molecule inhibitors in detail. Among them, (MOD)-BMS-200 was modified from the original (S)-BMS-200 by replacing the hydroxyl group with a carbonyl to remove its chirality. Binding free energy analysis indicates that BMS-200-related inhibitors can promote the dimerization of PD-L1. Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed between the S and MOD systems, though the R system exhibited a slightly higher energy. Residue energy decomposition, nonbonded interaction, and contact number analyses show that the inhibitors mainly bind with the C, F and G regions of the PD-L1 dimer, while nonpolar interactions of key residues Ile54, Tyr56, Met115, Ala121 and Tyr123 on both PD-L1 monomers are the dominant binding-related stability factors. Furthermore, compared with (S)-BMS-200, (R)-BMS-200 is more likely to form hydrogen bonds with charged residues. Finally, free energy landscape and protein-protein interaction analyses show that the key residues of the PD-L1 dimer undergo remarkable conformational changes induced by (S)-BMS-200, which boosts its intimate interactions. This systematic investigation provides a comprehensive molecular insight into the ligand recognition process, which will benefit the design of new small-molecule inhibitors targeting PD-L1 for use in anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yulong Jin
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Based Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.G.); (B.W.)
| | | | - Boping Liu
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Based Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.G.); (B.W.)
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29
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Peptide-based and small molecule PD-1 and PD-L1 pharmacological modulators in the treatment of cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 227:107870. [PMID: 33895183 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107870] [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] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is an option to enhance physiological defence mechanism to fight cancer, where natural substances (e.g., antigen/antibody) or small synthetic molecule can be utilized to improve and restore the immune system to stop or slacken the development of malignant cells, stop metastasis and/or help the immune response with synthetic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and tumour-agnostic therapy to eliminate cancer cells. Interaction between the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor (programmed cell death protein 1, PD-1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) linked signalling pathways have been identified as perilous towards the body's immune mechanism in regulating the progression of cancer. It is known that certain cancers use these pathways to evade the body's defence mechanism. The immune system is capable of responding to cancer by stalling these trails with specific synthetic antibodies or immune checkpoint inhibitors, which can ultimately either stop or slow cancer cell development. Recent findings and data suggested that using such inhibitors invigorated a new approach to cancer treatment. These inhibitors usually activate the immune system to identify and eliminate cancer cells rather than attacking tumour cells directly. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have already been substantiated for their efficacy in over twenty variations of cancer through different clinical trials. Studies on molecular interaction with existing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors that are mainly dominated by antibodies are constantly generating new ideas to develop novel inhibitors. This review has summarised information on reported and/or patented small molecules and peptides for their ability to interact with the PD-1/PD-L1 as a potential anticancer strategy.
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30
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Zhai W, Zhou X, Zhai M, Li W, Ran Y, Sun Y, Du J, Zhao W, Xing L, Qi Y, Gao Y. Blocking of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by a novel cyclic peptide inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 64:548-562. [PMID: 32737851 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1740-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of PD-1/PD-L1 allows tumor cells to escape from immune surveillance. Clinical success of the antibody drugs has proven that blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we developed a cyclic peptide C8 by using Ph.D.-C7C phage display technology. C8 showed high binding affinity with hPD-1 and could effectively interfere the interaction of PD-1/PD-L1. Furthermore, C8 could stimulate CD8+ T cell activation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also observed that C8 could suppress tumor growth in CT26 and B16-OVA, as well as anti-PD-1 antibody resistant B16 mouse model. CD8 T cells infiltration significantly increased in tumor microenvironment, and IFN-γ secretion by CD8+ T cells in draining lymph nodes also increased. Simultaneously, we exploited T cells depletion models and confirmed that C8 exerted anti-tumor effects via activating CD8+ T cells dependent manner. The interaction model of C8 with hPD-1 was simulated and confirmed by alanine scanning. In conclusion, C8 shows anti-tumor capability by blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, and C8 may provide an alternative candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Mingxia Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wanqiong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yunhui Ran
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yixuan Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jiangfeng Du
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Lingxiao Xing
- Department of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Yuanming Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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31
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Brayshaw LL, Martinez-Fleites C, Athanasopoulos T, Southgate T, Jespers L, Herring C. The role of small molecules in cell and gene therapy. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:330-352. [PMID: 34046619 PMCID: PMC8130622 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00221f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell and gene therapies have achieved impressive results in the treatment of rare genetic diseases using gene corrected stem cells and haematological cancers using chimeric antigen receptor T cells. However, these two fields face significant challenges such as demonstrating long-term efficacy and safety, and achieving cost-effective, scalable manufacturing processes. The use of small molecules is a key approach to overcome these barriers and can benefit cell and gene therapies at multiple stages of their lifecycle. For example, small molecules can be used to optimise viral vector production during manufacturing or used in the clinic to enhance the resistance of T cell therapies to the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. Here, we review current uses of small molecules in cell and gene therapy and highlight opportunities for medicinal chemists to further consolidate the success of cell and gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis L Brayshaw
- Cell & Gene Therapy Discovery Research, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Carlos Martinez-Fleites
- Protein Degradation Group, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Takis Athanasopoulos
- Cell & Gene Therapy Discovery Research, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Thomas Southgate
- Cell & Gene Therapy Discovery Research, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Laurent Jespers
- Cell & Gene Therapy Discovery Research, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
| | - Christopher Herring
- Cell & Gene Therapy Discovery Research, Medicinal Science & Technology, GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage SG1 2NY UK
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32
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Camacho CM, Pizzio MG, Roces DL, Boggián DB, Mata EG, Bellizzi Y, Barrionuevo E, Blank VC, Roguin LP. Design, synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of a library of oxadiazole-containing hybrids. RSC Adv 2021; 11:29741-29751. [PMID: 35479556 PMCID: PMC9040754 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra05602f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of hybrid compounds led to the discovery of new pharmacologically active agents for some of the most critical diseases, including cancer. Herein, we describe a new series of oxadiazole-containing structures designed by a molecular hybridization approach. Penicillin derivatives and amino acids were linked to amino acid and aromatic moieties through the formation of a 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring. Alternatively, condensation between amino acid-derived hydrazides and an activated penicillanic acid led to a series of 1,3,4-oxadiazole penicillin-containing hybrids and non-cyclized diacylhydrazides. From the cytotoxicity assays it is highlighted that two 1,2,4-oxadiazoles and one 1,3,4-oxadiazole connecting a penicillin and aliphatic amino acids displayed a high degree of cytotoxic selectivity, ranging between being three and four times more potent against tumor cells than normal cells. The results give a very interesting perspective suggesting that these hybrid compounds can offer a novel antitumor scaffold with promising cytotoxicity profiles. Synthesized hybrids of 1,2,4-oxadiazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole connecting a penicillin and aliphatic amino acids displayed a high degree of cytotoxic selectivity.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristián M. Camacho
- Instituto de Química Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Marianela G. Pizzio
- Instituto de Química Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - David L. Roces
- Instituto de Química Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Dora B. Boggián
- Instituto de Química Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Ernesto G. Mata
- Instituto de Química Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Yanina Bellizzi
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA – CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Junín 956, C1113AAD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elizabeth Barrionuevo
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA – CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Junín 956, C1113AAD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Viviana C. Blank
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA – CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Junín 956, C1113AAD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leonor P. Roguin
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA – CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Junín 956, C1113AAD Buenos Aires, Argentina
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33
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Small molecules targeting the innate immune cGAS‒STING‒TBK1 signaling pathway. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:2272-2298. [PMID: 33354501 PMCID: PMC7745059 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple cancer immunotherapies including chimeric antigen receptor T cell and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been successfully developed to treat various cancers by motivating the adaptive anti-tumor immunity. Particularly, the checkpoint blockade approach has achieved great clinic success as evidenced by several U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti-programmed death receptor 1/ligand 1 or anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated protein 4 antibodies. However, the majority of cancers have low clinical response rates to these ICIs due to poor tumor immunogenicity. Indeed, the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase‒stimulator of interferon genes‒TANK-binding kinase 1 (cGAS‒STING‒TBK1) axis is now appreciated as the major signaling pathway in innate immune response across different species. Aberrant signaling of this pathway has been closely linked to multiple diseases, including auto-inflammation, virus infection and cancers. In this perspective, we provide an updated review on the latest progress on the development of small molecule modulators targeting the cGAS‒STING‒TBK1 signaling pathway and their preclinical and clinical use as a new immune stimulatory therapy. Meanwhile, highlights on the clinical candidates, limitations and challenges, as well as future directions in this field are also discussed. Further, small molecule inhibitors targeting this signaling axis and their potential therapeutic use for various indications are discussed as well.
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Key Words
- ABZI, amidobenzimidazole
- ACMA, 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine
- AMP, adenosine monophosphate
- ATP, adenosine triphosphate
- Anti-tumor
- BNBC, 6-bromo-N-(naphthalen-1-yl)benzo[d][1,3]dioxole-5-carboxamide
- CBD, cyclic dinucleotide-binding domain
- CDA, cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP)
- CDG, cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP)
- CDN, cyclic dinucleotide
- CMA, 10-carboxymethyl-9-acridanone
- CTD, C-terminal domain
- CTLA-4, cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated protein 4
- CTT, C-terminal tail
- CXCL, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand
- DC50, concentration for 50% degradation
- DCs, dendritic cells
- DMXAA, 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid
- DSDP, dispiro diketopiperzine
- EM, cryo-electron microscopy
- ENPP1, ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase
- ER, endoplasmic reticulum
- FAA, flavone-8-acetic acid
- FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- FP, fluorescence polarization
- GMP, guanosine monophosphate
- GTP, guanosine triphosphate
- HCQ, hydrochloroquine
- HTS, high throughput screening
- ICI, immune checkpoint inhibitor
- IKK, IκB kinase
- IO, immune-oncology
- IRF3, interferon regulatory factor 3
- ISG, interferon stimulated gene
- ITC, isothermal titration calorimetry
- Immunotherapy
- KD, kinase domain
- LBD, ligand-binding domain
- MDCK, Madin–Darby canine kidney
- MG, Mangostin
- MI, maximum induction
- MLK, mixed lineage kinase
- MinEC5×, minimum effective concentration for inducing 5-fold luciferase activity
- NF-κB, nuclear factor-κB
- Ntase, nucleotidyl transferase
- PBMCs, peripheral-blood mononuclear cells
- PD-1, programmed death receptor 1
- PD-L1, programmed death ligand 1
- PDE, phosphodiesterases
- PDK1, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1
- PPi, pyrophosphoric acid
- PROTACs, proteolysis targeting chimeras
- PRRs, pattern recognition receptors
- QC, quinacrine
- SAR, structure–activity relationship
- SDD, scaffold and dimerization domain
- STAT, signal transducer and activator of transcription
- STING
- STING, stimulator of interferon genes
- Small molecule modulators
- TBK1
- TBK1, TANK-binding kinase 1
- THIQCs, tetrahydroisoquinolone acetic acids
- TNFRSF, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily
- ULD, ubiquitin-like domain
- VHL, von Hippel–Lindau
- cAIMP, cyclic adenosine-inosine monophosphate
- cGAMP, cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate
- cGAS
- cGAS, cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase
- dsDNA, double-stranded DNA
- i.t., intratumoral
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Sasikumar PG, Ramachandra M. Peptide and peptide-inspired checkpoint inhibitors: Protein fragments to cancer immunotherapy. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2020.100073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Guo J, Luo L, Wang Z, Hu N, Wang W, Xie F, Liang E, Yan X, Xiao J, Li S. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Linear Aliphatic Amine-Linked Triaryl Derivatives as Potent Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Programmed Cell Death-1/Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 Interaction with Promising Antitumor Effects In Vivo. J Med Chem 2020; 63:13825-13850. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Guo
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Longlong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and ToxicologyBeijing 100850, China
| | - Zhihong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and ToxicologyBeijing 100850, China
| | - Naijing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and ToxicologyBeijing 100850, China
| | - Wei Wang
- The Affiliated Hospital, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Fei Xie
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Erguang Liang
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xinlin Yan
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Junhai Xiao
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Song Li
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
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Kaumaya PTP, Guo L, Overholser J, Penichet ML, Bekaii-Saab T. Immunogenicity and antitumor efficacy of a novel human PD-1 B-cell vaccine (PD1-Vaxx) and combination immunotherapy with dual trastuzumab/pertuzumab-like HER-2 B-cell epitope vaccines (B-Vaxx) in a syngeneic mouse model. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1818437. [PMID: 33117602 PMCID: PMC7553530 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1818437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has shown clinical success and activity across a broad set of cancer subtypes. However, monotherapy with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are only effective in a subset of patients and ongoing studies show efficacy of treatment depends on a combinatorial approach. Contrary to mAbs chimeric B-cell cancer vaccines incorporating a “promiscuous” T-cell epitope have the advantage of producing a polyclonal B-cell antibody that can potentially induce memory B- and T-cell responses, while reducing immune evasion and suppression. Here, we describe a novel PD-1 B-cell peptide epitope vaccine (amino acid 92–110; PD1-Vaxx) linked to a measles virus fusion peptide (MVF) amino acid 288–302 via a four amino acid residue (GPSL) emulsified in Montanide ISA 720VG that aims to induce the production of polyclonal antibodies that block PD-1 signaling and thus trigger anticancer effects similar to nivolumab. In preclinical studies, the PD1-Vaxx outperformed the standard anti-mouse PD-1 antibody (mAb 29F.1A12) in a mouse model of human HER-2 expressing colon carcinoma. Furthermore, the combination of PD1-Vaxx with combo HER-2 peptide vaccine (B-Vaxx) showed enhanced inhibition of tumor growth in colon carcinoma BALB/c model challenged with CT26/HER-2 cells. The PD-1 or combined vaccines were safe with no evidence of toxicity or autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravin T P Kaumaya
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.,The Wexner Medical Center and the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Manuel L Penichet
- Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Pryde DC, Middya S, Banerjee M, Shrivastava R, Basu S, Ghosh R, Yadav DB, Surya A. The discovery of potent small molecule activators of human STING. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 209:112869. [PMID: 33038794 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The adaptor protein STING plays a major role in innate immune sensing of cytosolic nucleic acids, by triggering a robust interferon response. Despite the importance of this protein as a potential therapeutic target for serious unmet medical conditions including cancer and infectious disease there remains a paucity of STING ligands. Starting with a benzothiazinone series of weak STING activators (human EC50 ∼10 μM) we identified several chemotypes with sub-micromolar STING activity across all the major protein polymorphs. An example compound 53 based on an oxindole core structure demonstrated robust on-target functional activation of STING (human EC50 185 nM) in immortalised and primary cells and a cytokine induction fingerprint consistent with STING activation. Our study has identified several related series of potent small molecule human STING activators with potential to be developed as immunomodulatory therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Pryde
- Curadev Pharma Ltd, Innovation House, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9ND, UK.
| | - Sandip Middya
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Monali Banerjee
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ritesh Shrivastava
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sourav Basu
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajib Ghosh
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Dharmendra B Yadav
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Arjun Surya
- Curadev Pharma Pvt. Ltd, B-87, Sector 83, Noida 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Sawasdikosol S, Burakoff S. A perspective on HPK1 as a novel immuno-oncology drug target. eLife 2020; 9:55122. [PMID: 32896273 PMCID: PMC7478889 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In this perspective review, the role Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 (HPK1) in tumor immunity will be reviewed, with special emphasis on how T cells are negatively-regulated at different junctures of cancer-immunity cycle by this regulatory kinase. The review will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of HPK1 as a candidate target for novel immuno-oncology (IO) drug development that is centered on the use of small molecule kinase inhibitor to modulate the immune response against cancer. Such a therapeutic approach, if proven successful, could supplement the cancer cell-centric standard of care therapies in order to fully meet the therapeutic needs of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sansana Sawasdikosol
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Steven Burakoff
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, United States
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Geng Q, Rohondia SO, Khan HJ, Jiao P, Dou QP. Small molecules as antagonists of co-inhibitory pathways for cancer immunotherapy: a patent review (2018-2019). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 30:677-694. [PMID: 32715813 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2020.1801640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Therapeutic antibodies blocking co-inhibitory pathways do not attack tumor cells directly, but instead bind to their targeted proteins and mobilize the immune system to eradicate tumors. However, only a small fraction of patients with certain cancer types can benefit from the antibodies. Additionally, antibodies have shown serious immune-related adverse events in certain patients. Small-molecule antagonists may be a complementary and potentially synergistic approach to antibodies for patients with various cancers. AREAS COVERED The authors review the small molecules as antagonists of co-inhibitory pathway proteins, summarize their preliminary SARs, discuss biochemistry assays used in patents for the development of small molecules as novel antagonists. EXPERT OPINION The disclosed pharmacophores of small molecules as co-inhibitory pathway antagonists are represented by biphenyl derivatives, biaryl derivatives, teraryl derivatives, quateraryl derivatives, and oxadiazole/thiadiazole derivatives. However, these antagonists are still inferior to therapeutic antibodies in their inhibitory activities due to relatively flat of human co-inhibitory pathways proteins. Allosteric modulators may be an alternative approach. The more safety and efficacy evaluation trials of small-molecule antagonists targeting co-inhibitory pathways should be performed to demonstrate the proof-of-principle that small-molecule antagonists can result in sustained safety and antitumor response in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaohong Geng
- Department of Chemistry, Qilu Normal University , Jinan, China
| | - Sagar O Rohondia
- Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and Departments of Oncology, Pharmacology and Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University , Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Harras J Khan
- Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and Departments of Oncology, Pharmacology and Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University , Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Peifu Jiao
- Department of Chemistry, Qilu Normal University , Jinan, China
| | - Q Ping Dou
- Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and Departments of Oncology, Pharmacology and Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University , Detroit, MI, USA
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Kaumaya PTP. B-cell epitope peptide cancer vaccines: a new paradigm for combination immunotherapies with novel checkpoint peptide vaccine. Future Oncol 2020; 16:1767-1791. [PMID: 32564612 PMCID: PMC7426751 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-0224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of the numerous US FDA-approved humanized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cancer immunotherapy, it is surprising that the advancement of B-cell epitope vaccines designed to elicit a natural humoral polyclonal antibody response has not gained traction in the immune-oncology landscape. Passive immunotherapy with humanized mAbs (Trastuzumab [Herceptin®]; Pertuzumab [Perjeta®]) has provided clinical benefit to breast cancer patients, albeit with significant shortcomings including toxicity problems and resistance, high costs, sophisticated therapeutic regimen and long half-life. The role of B-cell humoral immunity in cancer is under appreciated and underdeveloped. We have advanced the idea of active immunotherapy with chimeric B-cell epitope peptides incorporating a 'promiscuous' T-cell epitope that elicits a polyclonal antibody response, which provides safe, cost-effective therapeutic advantage over mAbs. We have created a portfolio of validated B-cell peptide epitopes against multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (HER-1, HER-3, IGF-1R and VEGF). We have successfully translated two HER-2 combination B-cell peptide vaccines in Phase I and II clinical trials. We have recently developed an effective novel PD-1 vaccine. In this article, I will review our approaches and strategies that focus on B-cell epitope cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravin TP Kaumaya
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The James Cancer Hospital & Solove Research Institute, The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Van Herck S, De Geest BG. Nanomedicine-mediated alteration of the pharmacokinetic profile of small molecule cancer immunotherapeutics. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2020; 41:881-894. [PMID: 32451411 PMCID: PMC7471422 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0425-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of immunotherapy is a game changer in cancer therapy with monoclonal antibody- and T cell-based therapeutics being the current flagships. Small molecule immunotherapeutics might offer advantages over the biological drugs in terms of complexity, tissue penetration, manufacturing cost, stability, and shelf life. However, small molecule drugs are prone to rapid systemic distribution, which might induce severe off-target side effects. Nanotechnology could aid in the formulation of the drug molecules to improve their delivery to specific immune cell subsets. In this review we summarize the current efforts in changing the pharmacokinetic profile of small molecule immunotherapeutics with a strong focus on Toll-like receptor agonists. In addition, we give our vision on limitations and future pathways in the route of nanomedicine to the clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Van Herck
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bruno G De Geest
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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Zhai W, Zhou X, Wang H, Li W, Chen G, Sui X, Li G, Qi Y, Gao Y. A novel cyclic peptide targeting LAG-3 for cancer immunotherapy by activating antigen-specific CD8 + T cell responses. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:1047-1060. [PMID: 32642411 PMCID: PMC7332792 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PD-1 and CTLA-4 antibodies offer great hope for cancer immunotherapy. However, many patients are incapable of responding to PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade and show low response rates due to insufficient immune activation. The combination of checkpoint blockers has been proposed to increase the response rates. Besides, antibody drugs have disadvantages such as inclined to cause immune-related adverse events and infiltration problems. In this study, we developed a cyclic peptide C25 by using Ph.D.-C7C phage display technology targeting LAG-3. As a result, C25 showed a relative high affinity with human LAG-3 protein and could effectively interfere the binding between LAG-3 and HLA-DR (MHC-II). Additionally, C25 could significantly stimulate CD8+ T cell activation in human PBMCs. The results also demonstrated that C25 could inhibit tumor growth of CT26, B16 and B16-OVA bearing mice, and the infiltration of CD8+ T cells was significantly increased while FOXP3+ Tregs significantly decreased in the tumor site. Furthermore, the secretion of IFN-γ by CD8+ T cells in spleen, draining lymph nodes and especially in the tumors was promoted. Simultaneously, we exploited T cells depletion models to study the anti-tumor mechanisms for C25 peptide, and the results combined with MTT assay confirmed that C25 exerted anti-tumor effects via CD8+ T cells but not direct killing. In conclusion, cyclic peptide C25 provides a rationale for targeting the immune checkpoint, by blockade of LAG-3/HLA-DR interaction in order to enhance anti-tumor immunity, and C25 may provide an alternative for cancer immunotherapy besides antibody drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Hongfei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wanqiong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guanyu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xinghua Sui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guodong Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yuanming Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 20 84723750.
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 20 84723750.
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Putting the Brakes on Tumorigenesis with Natural Products of Plant Origin: Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Actions and Immune Targets for Bladder Cancer Treatment. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051213. [PMID: 32414171 PMCID: PMC7290334 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051213] [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: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Although the incidence in men is 4 times higher than that in women, the diagnoses are worse for women. Over the past 30 years, the treatment for bladder cancer has not achieved a significant positive effect, and the outlook for mortality rates due to muscle-invasive bladder cancer and metastatic disease is not optimistic. Phytochemicals found in plants and their derivatives present promising possibilities for cancer therapy with improved treatment effects and reduced toxicity. In this study, we summarize the promising natural products of plant origin with anti-bladder cancer potential, and their anticancer mechanisms—especially apoptotic induction—are discussed. With the developments in immunotherapy, small-molecule targeted immunotherapy has been promoted as a satisfactory approach, and the discovery of novel small molecules against immune targets for bladder cancer treatment from products of plant origin represents a promising avenue of research. It is our hope that this could pave the way for new ideas in the fields of oncology, immunology, phytochemistry, and cell biology, utilizing natural products of plant origin as promising drugs for bladder cancer treatment.
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Han Y, Zhu L, Wu W, Zhang H, Hu W, Dai L, Yang Y. Small Molecular Immune Modulators as Anticancer Agents. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1248:547-618. [PMID: 32185725 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
After decades of intense effort, immune checkpoint inhibitors have been conclusively demonstrated to be effective in cancer treatments and thus are revolutionizing the concepts in the treatment of cancers. Immuno-oncology has arrived and will play a key role in cancer treatment in the foreseeable future. However, efforts to find novel methods to improve the immune response to cancer have not ceased. Small-molecule approaches offer inherent advantages over biologic immunotherapies since they can cross cell membranes, penetrate into tumor tissue and tumor microenvironment more easily, and are amenable to be finely controlled than biological agents, which may help reduce immune-related adverse events seen with biologic therapies and provide more flexibility for the combination use with other therapies and superior clinical benefit. On the one hand, small-molecule therapies can modulate the immune response to cancer by restoring the antitumor immunity, promoting more effective cytotoxic lymphocyte responses, and regulating tumor microenvironment, either directly or epigenetically. On the other hand, the combination of different mechanisms of small molecules with antibodies and other biologics demonstrated admirable synergistic effect in clinical settings for cancer treatment and may expand antibodies' usefulness for broader clinical applications. This chapter provides an overview of small-molecule immunotherapeutic approaches either as monotherapy or in combination for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Han
- Lapam Capital LLC., 17C1, Tower 2, Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Li Zhu
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Wei Wu
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Wei Hu
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Liguang Dai
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Yanqing Yang
- PrimeGene (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
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Hu X, Hou B, Xu Z, Saeed M, Sun F, Gao Z, Lai Y, Zhu T, Zhang F, Zhang W, Yu H. Supramolecular Prodrug Nanovectors for Active Tumor Targeting and Combination Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2020; 7:1903332. [PMID: 32328426 PMCID: PMC7175291 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201903332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy aiming to harness the exquisite power of the immune system has emerged as a crucial part of clinical cancer management. However, only a subset of cancer patients responds to current immunotherapy because of low immunogenicity of the tumor cells and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Herein, host-guest prodrug nanovectors are reported for active tumor targeting and combating immune tolerance in tumors. The prodrug nanovectors are designed by integrating hyaluronic acid (HA) and reduction-labile heterodimer of Pheophorbide A (PPa) and NLG919 into the supramolecular nanocomplexes, where PPa and NLG919 act as a photosensitizer and potent inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1), respectively. Meanwhile, HA is employed to achieve active tumor targeting by recognizing CD44 overexpressed on the surface of tumor cell membranes. Near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation triggers the release of reactive oxygen species to provoke antitumor immunogenicity and intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Meanwhile, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITM) is reversed by NLG919-mediated IDO-1 inhibition. Combination of photodynamic immunotherapy and IDO-1 blockade efficiently eradicates CT26 colorectal tumors in the immunocompetent mice. The host-guest nanoplatform capable of eliciting effective antitumor immunity by inactivating inhibitory immune response can be applied to other immune modulators for improved cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianli Hu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center of PharmaceuticsShanghai Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201203China
| | - Bo Hou
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center of PharmaceuticsShanghai Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201203China
| | - Zhiai Xu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
| | - Madiha Saeed
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center of PharmaceuticsShanghai Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201203China
| | - Fang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center of PharmaceuticsShanghai Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201203China
| | - Zhenmei Gao
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
| | - Yi Lai
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
| | - Tong Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of ChemistryFudan UniversityShanghai200438China
| | - Wen Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular EngineeringEast China Normal UniversityShanghai200241China
| | - Haijun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research & Center of PharmaceuticsShanghai Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201203China
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Hu Z, Yu P, Du G, Wang W, Zhu H, Li N, Zhao H, Dong Z, Ye L, Tian J. PCC0208025 (BMS202), a small molecule inhibitor of PD-L1, produces an antitumor effect in B16-F10 melanoma-bearing mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228339. [PMID: 32214351 PMCID: PMC7098565 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased PD-L1 expression induces poorer prognosis in melanoma. The small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 pathways have been an encouraging drug development strategy because of good affinity and oral bioavailability without immunogenicity and immunotoxicities of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. In this study, we studied the effects of PCC0208025 (BMS202), a small molecule inhibitor of PD-L1, on PD-1/PD-L1 binding and the cytokines secretion in human CD3+ cells in vitro. We also investigated the antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of PCC0208025 and the pharmacokinetics properties in B16-F10 melanoma-bearing mice. The results showed that PCC0208025 inhibited the PD-1/PD-L1 proteins binding, and rescued PD-L1-mediated inhibition of IFN-γ production in human CD3+ T cells in vitro. Furthermore, in B16-F10 melanoma-bearing mice, PCC0208025 presented the antitumor effects, enhanced IFN-γ levels in plasma, increased the frequency of CD3+CD8+ T and CD8+IFN-γ+ T and the ratios of CD8+/Treg, and deceased the CD4+CD25+CD127low/− (Treg) number in tumor. Pharmacokinetics study found that PCC0208025 was absorbed and distributed into the tumors with much higher concentrations than those of the blockade against PD-1/PD-L1 binding. Our work suggests that PCC0208025 exhibited anti-tumor effects through inhibiting Treg expansion and increasing cytotoxic activity of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells by the blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 binding, which may provide the pharmacological basis to develop small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 binding for PCC0208025 as a lead compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengping Hu
- Medicine & Pharmacy Research Center, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Pengfei Yu
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Guangying Du
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Wenyan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Haibo Zhu
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Li
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Huijuan Zhao
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaoju Dong
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Liang Ye
- School of Public Health and Management & Institute of Toxicology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
- * E-mail: (LY); (JT)
| | - Jingwei Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China
- * E-mail: (LY); (JT)
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47
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Paciotti R, Agamennone M, Coletti C, Storchi L. Characterization of PD-L1 binding sites by a combined FMO/GRID-DRY approach. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2020; 34:897-914. [PMID: 32185582 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-020-00306-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand, PD-L1, constitute an important co-inhibitory immune checkpoint leading to downregulation of immune system. Tumor cells developed a strategy to trigger PD-1/PD-L1 pathway reducing the T cell anticancer activity. Anti-PD-L1 small drugs, generally with improved pharmacokinetic and technological profiles than monoclonal antibodies, became an attractive research topic. Nevertheless, still few works have been published on the chemical features of possible binding sites. In this work, we applied a novel computational protocol based on the combination of the ab initio Fragment Molecular Orbital (FMO) method and a newly developed GRID-DRY approach in order to characterize the PD-L1 binding sites, starting from PD-1/PD-L1 and PD-L1/BMS-ligands (Bristol-Mayers Squibb ligands) complexes. The FMO method allows the calculation of the pair-residues as well as the ligand-residues interactions with ab initio accuracy, whereas the GRID-DRY approach is an effective tool to investigate hydrophobic interactions, not easily detectable by ab initio methods. The present GRID-DRY protocol is able to determine the energy contributions of each ligand atoms to each hydrophobic interaction, both qualitatively and quantitatively. We were also able to identify the three specific hot regions involved in PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction and in PD-L1/BMS-ligand interactions, in agreement with preceding theoretical/experimental results, and to suggest a specific pharmacophore for PD-L1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Paciotti
- Department of Pharmacy, Università "G. D'Annunzio" Di Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
| | | | - Cecilia Coletti
- Department of Pharmacy, Università "G. D'Annunzio" Di Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Loriano Storchi
- Department of Pharmacy, Università "G. D'Annunzio" Di Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. .,Molecular Discovery Limited, Middlesex, London, UK.
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48
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Serafini M, Torre E, Aprile S, Grosso ED, Gesù A, Griglio A, Colombo G, Travelli C, Paiella S, Adamo A, Orecchini E, Coletti A, Pallotta MT, Ugel S, Massarotti A, Pirali T, Fallarini S. Discovery of Highly Potent Benzimidazole Derivatives as Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) Inhibitors: From Structure-Based Virtual Screening to in Vivo Pharmacodynamic Activity. J Med Chem 2020; 63:3047-3065. [PMID: 32150677 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a successful medicinal chemistry campaign that exploited virtual, biophysical, and biological investigations led to the identification of a novel class of IDO1 inhibitors based on a benzimidazole substructure. This family of compounds is endowed with an extensive bonding network in the protein active site, including the interaction with pocket C, a region not commonly exploited by previously reported IDO1 inhibitors. The tight packing of selected compounds within the enzyme contributes to the strong binding interaction with IDO1, to the inhibitory potency at the low nanomolar level in several tumoral settings, and to the selectivity toward IDO1 over TDO and CYPs. Notably, a significant reduction of L-Kyn levels in plasma, together with a potent effect on abrogating immunosuppressive properties of MDSC-like cells isolated from patients affected by pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, was observed, pointing to this class of molecules as a valuable template for boosting the antitumor immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Serafini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Enza Torre
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Silvio Aprile
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Erika Del Grosso
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gesù
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Alessia Griglio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Giorgia Colombo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Cristina Travelli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Salvatore Paiella
- General and Pancreatic Surgery, Pancreas Institute, University of Verona, Verona 37134, Italy
| | - Annalisa Adamo
- University Hospital and Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona37126, Italy
| | - Elena Orecchini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06132, Italy
| | - Alice Coletti
- Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi 1, Perugia 06132, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Ugel
- University Hospital and Department of Medicine, Section of Immunology, University of Verona, Verona37126, Italy
| | - Alberto Massarotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Tracey Pirali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Silvia Fallarini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara 28100, Italy
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49
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Kötzner L, Huck B, Garg S, Urbahns K. Small molecules-Giant leaps for immuno-oncology. PROGRESS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2020; 59:1-62. [PMID: 32362326 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmch.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Immuno-oncology therapies are revolutionizing the oncology landscape with checkpoint blockade becoming the treatment backbone for many indications. While inspiring, much work remains to increase the number of cancer patients that can benefit from these treatments. Thus, a new era of immuno-oncology research has begun which is focused on identifying novel combination regimes that lead to improved response rates. This review highlights the significance of small molecules in this approach and illustrates the huge progress that has been made to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Kötzner
- Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bayard Huck
- Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sakshi Garg
- Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Klaus Urbahns
- Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
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50
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Dong H, Xu X, Wang L, Mo R. Advances in living cell-based anticancer therapeutics. Biomater Sci 2020; 8:2344-2365. [DOI: 10.1039/d0bm00036a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes recent advances in the applications of living cells as drug carriers or active drugs for anticancer drug delivery and cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases
- Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
- China Pharmaceutical University
- Nanjing 210009
| | - Xiao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases
- Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
- China Pharmaceutical University
- Nanjing 210009
| | - Leikun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases
- Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
- China Pharmaceutical University
- Nanjing 210009
| | - Ran Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases
- Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
- China Pharmaceutical University
- Nanjing 210009
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