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Shrestha M, Wang DY, Ben-David Y, Zacksenhaus E. CDK4/6 inhibitors and the pRB-E2F1 axis suppress PVR and PD-L1 expression in triple-negative breast cancer. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:29. [PMID: 37230983 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00475-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint (IC) modulators like the poliovirus receptor (PVR) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) attenuate innate and adaptive immune responses and are potential therapeutic targets for diverse malignancies, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, pRB, controls cell growth through E2F1-3 transcription factors, and its inactivation drives metastatic cancer, yet its effect on IC modulators is contentious. Here, we show that RB-loss and high E2F1/E2F2 signatures correlate with expression of PVR, CD274 (PD-L1 gene) and other IC modulators and that pRB represses whereas RB depletion and E2F1 induce PVR and CD274 in TNBC cells. Accordingly, the CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib, suppresses both PVR and PD-L1 expression. Palbociclib also counteracts the effect of CDK4 on SPOP, leading to its depletion, but the overall effect of palbociclib is a net reduction in PD-L1 level. Hydrochloric acid, commonly used to solubilize palbociclib, counteracts its effect and induces PD-L1 expression. Remarkably, lactic acid, a by-product of glycolysis, also induces PD-L1 as well as PVR. Our results suggest a model in which CDK4/6 regulates PD-L1 turnover by promoting its transcription via pRB-E2F1 and degradation via SPOP and that the CDK4/6-pRB-E2F pathway couples cell proliferation with the induction of multiple innate and adaptive immunomodulators, with direct implications for cancer progression, anti-CDK4/6- and IC-therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Shrestha
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Toronto General Research Institute - University Health Network, 101 College Street, Max Bell Research Centre, Rm. 5R406, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada.
| | - Dong-Yu Wang
- Toronto General Research Institute - University Health Network, 101 College Street, Max Bell Research Centre, Rm. 5R406, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Yaacov Ben-David
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province and Chinese Academic of Sciences, 550014, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- State Key Laboratory for Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, 550025, Guiyang, China
| | - Eldad Zacksenhaus
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Toronto General Research Institute - University Health Network, 101 College Street, Max Bell Research Centre, Rm. 5R406, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada.
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Xie D, Jiang B, Wang S, Wang Q, Wu G. The mechanism and clinical application of DNA damage repair inhibitors combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of urologic cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1200466. [PMID: 37305685 PMCID: PMC10248030 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1200466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Urologic cancers such as kidney, bladder, prostate, and uroepithelial cancers have recently become a considerable global health burden, and the response to immunotherapy is limited due to immune escape and immune resistance. Therefore, it is crucial to find appropriate and effective combination therapies to improve the sensitivity of patients to immunotherapy. DNA damage repair inhibitors can enhance the immunogenicity of tumor cells by increasing tumor mutational burden and neoantigen expression, activating immune-related signaling pathways, regulating PD-L1 expression, and reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to activate the immune system and enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. Based on promising experimental results from preclinical studies, many clinical trials combining DNA damage repair inhibitors (e.g., PARP inhibitors and ATR inhibitors) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors) are underway in patients with urologic cancers. Results from several clinical trials have shown that the combination of DNA damage repair inhibitors with immune checkpoint inhibitors can improve objective rates, progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS) in patients with urologic tumors, especially in patients with defective DNA damage repair genes or a high mutational load. In this review, we present the results of preclinical and clinical trials of different DNA damage repair inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in urologic cancers and summarize the potential mechanism of action of the combination therapy. Finally, we also discuss the challenges of dose toxicity, biomarker selection, drug tolerance, drug interactions in the treatment of urologic tumors with this combination therapy and look into the future direction of this combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qifei Wang
- *Correspondence: Guangzhen Wu, ; Qifei Wang,
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Zhao Y, Liu X, Liu X, Yu J, Bai X, Wu X, Guo X, Liu Z, Liu X. Combination of phototherapy with immune checkpoint blockade: Theory and practice in cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:955920. [PMID: 36119019 PMCID: PMC9478587 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.955920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has evolved as a revolutionized therapeutic modality to eradicate tumor cells by releasing the brake of the antitumor immune response. However, only a subset of patients could benefit from ICB treatment currently. Phototherapy usually includes photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). PTT exerts a local therapeutic effect by using photothermal agents to generate heat upon laser irradiation. PDT utilizes irradiated photosensitizers with a laser to produce reactive oxygen species to kill the target cells. Both PTT and PDT can induce immunogenic cell death in tumors to activate antigen-presenting cells and promote T cell infiltration. Therefore, combining ICB treatment with PTT/PDT can enhance the antitumor immune response and prevent tumor metastases and recurrence. In this review, we summarized the mechanism of phototherapy in cancer immunotherapy and discussed the recent advances in the development of phototherapy combined with ICB therapy to treat malignant tumors. Moreover, we also outlined the significant progress of phototherapy combined with targeted therapy or chemotherapy to improve ICB in preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, we analyzed the current challenges of this novel combination treatment regimen. We believe that the next-generation technology breakthrough in cancer treatment may come from this combinational win-win strategy of photoimmunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Head, Neck and Mammary Gland Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Bai
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xi Wu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Guo
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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