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Hall MS, Teer JK, Yu X, Branthoover H, Snedal S, Rodriguez-Valentin M, Nagle L, Scott E, Schachner B, Innamarato P, Hall AM, Blauvelt J, Rich CJ, Richards AD, Ceccarelli J, Langer TJ, Yoder SJ, Beatty MS, Cox CA, Messina JL, Abate-Daga D, Mule JJ, Mullinax JE, Sarnaik AA, Pilon-Thomas S. Neoantigen-specific CD4 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are potent effectors identified within adoptive cell therapy products for metastatic melanoma patients. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007288. [PMID: 37802604 PMCID: PMC10565316 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007288] [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] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a promising immunotherapeutic approach for patients with advanced solid tumors. While numerous advances have been made, the contribution of neoantigen-specific CD4+T cells within TIL infusion products remains underexplored and therefore offers a significant opportunity for progress. METHODS We analyzed infused TIL products from metastatic melanoma patients previously treated with ACT for the presence of neoantigen-specific T cells. TILs were enriched on reactivity to neoantigen peptides derived and prioritized from patient sample-directed mutanome analysis. Enriched TILs were further investigated to establish the clonal neoantigen response with respect to function, transcriptomics, and persistence following ACT. RESULTS We discovered that neoantigen-specific TIL clones were predominantly CD4+ T cells and were present in both therapeutic responders and non-responders. CD4+ TIL demonstrated an effector T cell response with cytotoxicity toward autologous tumor in a major histocompatibility complex class II-dependent manner. These results were validated by paired TCR and single cell RNA sequencing, which elucidated transcriptomic profiles distinct to neoantigen-specific CD4+ TIL. CONCLUSIONS Despite methods which often focus on CD8+T cells, our study supports the importance of prospective identification of neoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells within TIL products as they are a potent source of tumor-specific effectors. We further advocate for the inclusion of neoantigen-specific CD4+ TIL in future ACT protocols as a strategy to improve antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacLean S Hall
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jamie K Teer
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Yu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Holly Branthoover
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sebastian Snedal
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | - Luz Nagle
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ellen Scott
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ben Schachner
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Patrick Innamarato
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Amy M Hall
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jamie Blauvelt
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Carolyn J Rich
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Allison D Richards
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | - T J Langer
- Turnstone Biologics, Inc, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Sean J Yoder
- Molecular Genomics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Matthew S Beatty
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Cheryl A Cox
- Cell Therapies Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jane L Messina
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel Abate-Daga
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - James J Mule
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - John E Mullinax
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Sarcoma, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Amod A Sarnaik
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Shari Pilon-Thomas
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Gayer FA, Henkel M, Luft J, Reichardt SD, Fichtner A, Legler TJ, Reichardt HM. The Subtype Identity of Testicular Cancer Cells Determines Their Immunostimulatory Activity in a Coculture Model. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092619. [PMID: 37174085 PMCID: PMC10177190 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092619] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC) is subdivided into several subtypes. While seminomatous germ cell tumors (SGCT) are characterized by an intensive infiltration of immune cells which constitute a pro-inflammatory tumor micromilieu (TME), immune cells in non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) are differently composed and less abundant. Previously, we have shown that the seminomatous cell line TCam-2 promotes T cell and monocyte activation in a coculture model, resulting in mutual interactions between both cell types. Here we set out to compare this feature of TCam-2 cells with the non-seminomatous cell line NTERA-2. Peripheral blood T cells or monocytes cocultured with NTERA-2 cells failed to secrete relevant amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and significantly downregulated the expression of genes encoding activation markers and effector molecules. In contrast, immune cells cocultured with TCam-2 cells produced IL-2, IL-6 and TNFα, and strongly upregulated the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in proliferation, stemness and subtype specification remained unaltered in NTERA-2 cells during coculture with T cells or monocytes, indicating the absence of mutual interactions. Collectively, our findings uncover fundamental differences between SGCT and NSGCT in their capability to generate a pro-inflammatory TME, which possibly impacts the clinical features and prognosis of both TGCC subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian A Gayer
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Clinic of Urology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Miriam Henkel
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Juliane Luft
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sybille D Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Fichtner
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias J Legler
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Holger M Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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3
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Schepisi G, Gianni C, Cursano MC, Gallà V, Menna C, Casadei C, Bleve S, Lolli C, Martinelli G, Rosti G, De Giorgi U. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy: Potential treatment options against Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1118610. [PMID: 36860862 PMCID: PMC9968831 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1118610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Germ cell tumors (GCTs) represent a heterogeneous neoplasm family affecting gonads and rarely occurring in extragonadal areas. Most of patients have a good prognosis, often even in the presence of metastatic disease; however, in almost 15% of cases, tumor relapse and platinum resistance are the main challenges. Thus, novel treatment strategies with both improved antineoplastic activity and minor treatment-related adverse events compared with platinum are really expected. In this context, the development and the high activity demonstrated by immune checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumors and, subsequently, the interesting results obtained from the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-) T cell therapy in hematological tumors, have stimulated research in this direction also in GCTs. In this article, we will analyze the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune action in the development of GCTs, and we will report the data from the studies that tested the new immunotherapeutic approaches in these neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Schepisi
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy,*Correspondence: Giuseppe Schepisi,
| | - Caterina Gianni
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Maria Concetta Cursano
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Valentina Gallà
- 2Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Cecilia Menna
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Chiara Casadei
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Sara Bleve
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Cristian Lolli
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rosti
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Ugo De Giorgi
- 1Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
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Kalavska K, Sestakova Z, Mlcakova A, Gronesova P, Miskovska V, Rejlekova K, Svetlovska D, Sycova-Mila Z, Obertova J, Palacka P, Mardiak J, Chovanec M, Chovanec M, Mego M. Comprehensive Assessment of Selected Immune Cell Subpopulations Changes in Chemotherapy-Naïve Germ Cell Tumor Patients. Front Oncol 2022; 12:858797. [PMID: 35359385 PMCID: PMC8963339 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.858797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The pattern of immune cell distribution in testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) significantly differs from the immune environment in normal testicular tissues. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of different leukocyte subpopulation in GCTs. A cohort of 84 chemotherapy-naïve GCT patients was analyzed. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations was carried out by flow cytometry. In addition, the data assessing the immunophenotypes and the baseline clinicopathological characteristics of the included subjects were statistically evaluated. Their prognostic value for the assessment of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was estimated. The percentage of different innate/adaptive immune cell subpopulations was significantly associated with poor risk-related clinical features, including the number of metastatic sites, presence of retroperitoneal, mediastinal, lung, brain and non-pulmonary visceral metastases as well as with the S-stage and International Germ Cell Consensus Classification Group (IGCCCG) risk groups. In univariate analysis, the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils, dendritic cells type 2, lymphocytes and T cytotoxic cells were significantly associated with PFS, while the neutrophil, non-classical monocyte and lymphocyte percentage were associated with OS. However, all these outcome correlations were not independent of IGCCCG in multivariate analysis. The data indicated a link among different innate/adaptive peripheral immune cell subpopulations in GCT patients. In addition, the association between these subpopulations and tumor characteristics was also investigated. The findings of the present study may contribute to a deeper understanding of the interactions between cancer and innate/adaptive immune response in GCT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Kalavska
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Sestakova
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Institute of Children's Diseases, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Mlcakova
- Department of Hematology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Paulina Gronesova
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viera Miskovska
- 1Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Elisabeth Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Rejlekova
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Svetlovska
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Jana Obertova
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Patrik Palacka
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Mardiak
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Miroslav Chovanec
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Chovanec
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Mego
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- 2Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
- *Correspondence: Michal Mego,
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5
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Gayer FA, Fichtner A, Legler TJ, Reichardt HM. A Coculture Model Mimicking the Tumor Microenvironment Unveils Mutual Interactions between Immune Cell Subtypes and the Human Seminoma Cell Line TCam-2. Cells 2022; 11:cells11050885. [PMID: 35269507 PMCID: PMC8909655 DOI: 10.3390/cells11050885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC) is the most common type of cancer in young men. Seminomas account for around half of them and are characterized by a pronounced infiltration of immune cells. So far, the impact of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on disease progression, especially the interaction of individual immune cell subtypes with the tumor cells, remains unclear. To address this question, we used an in vitro TME model involving the seminoma-derived cell line Tcam-2 and immune cell subsets purified from human peripheral blood. T cells and monocytes were strongly activated when individually cocultured with Tcam-2 cells as revealed by increased expression of activation markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines both on the mRNA and protein level. Importantly, the interaction between tumor and immune cells was mutual. Gene expression of pluripotency markers as well as markers of proliferation and cell cycle activity were upregulated in Tcam-2 cells in cocultures with T cells, whereas gene expression of SOX17, a marker for seminomas, was unaltered. Interestingly, the impact of monocytes on gene expression of Tcam-2 cells was less pronounced, indicating that the effects of individual immune cell subsets on tumor cells in the TME are highly specific. Collectively, our data indicate that seminoma cells induce immune cell activation and thereby generate a strong pro-inflammatory milieu, whereas T cells conversely increase the proliferation, metastatic potential, and stemness of tumor cells. Although the employed model does not fully mimic the physiological situation found in TGCC in vivo, it provides new insights potentially explaining the connection between inflammatory infiltrates in seminomas and their tendency to burn out and metastasize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian A. Gayer
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
- Clinic of Urology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Fichtner
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Tobias J. Legler
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Holger M. Reichardt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-551-39-63365
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Cattoni A, Albanese A. Case report: Fluctuating tumor markers in a boy with gonadotropin-releasing hormone-independent precocious puberty induced by a pineal germ cell tumor. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:940656. [PMID: 36081625 PMCID: PMC9445167 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.940656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
GnRH-independent precocious puberty (GIPP) can be the presenting clinical picture experienced by patients with secreting germ cell tumor (GCT). Indeed, as luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) share identical α-subunits and similar β-subunits, an increased secretion of β-hCG may result in a precocious activation of Leydig cells. Though the co-occurrence of raised β-hCG levels and signs of precocious virilization usually prompts a complete oncological work-up, the diagnostic and therapeutic management of GCT-induced GIPP may be challenging. We report the case of a 6.2 year-old boy presenting with clinical and biochemical findings consistent with GIPP (discrepancy between overt virilization and pre-pubertal testicular volume, suppressed gonadotropins and remarkably raised testosterone). Brain imaging detected a bilobed cyst of the pineal gland, while serum and cerebrospinal baseline assessment initially ruled out raised alpha-fetoprotein or β-hCG levels. Nevertheless, a strict biochemical follow-up highlighted a fluctuant trend of tumor markers, with a more aggressive behavior and recurrent erections occurring as a result of unpredictable phases of raised testosterone and serum/cerebrospinal β-hCG, followed by sudden spontaneous decrease. Accordingly, a secreting pineal GCT was suspected. Given the fluctuating trend of tumor markers, surgery was initially kept on hold and a combined treatment with bicalutamide (androgen receptor blocker) and anastrozole (aromatase inhibitor) was undertaken in order to prevent the patient from experiencing further virilization and excessive bone age maturation. Subsequently, a progression in the size of the pineal tumor prompted surgical resection and a diagnosis of secreting GCT was histologically confirmed. Accordingly, the patient was started on adjuvant chemo- and radiotherapy. Antineoplastic treatment was followed by persistent and remarkable decrease of tumor markers and by a complete pubertal arrest. We reported the challenging diagnosis of a secreting pineal GCT in a patient with GIPP and a fluctuating trend of tumor markers, testosterone levels and associated clinical signs, hence prompting the indication for a systematic assessment and a strict monitoring whenever a patient with GnRH-independent precocious puberty shows clinical or radiological markers potentially consistent with a GCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cattoni
- Department of Pediatrics, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione MBBM, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Assunta Albanese
- Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione MBBM, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
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Are Changes in the Percentage of Specific Leukocyte Subpopulations Associated with Endogenous DNA Damage Levels in Testicular Cancer Patients? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158281. [PMID: 34361047 PMCID: PMC8347719 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance of germ cell tumors (GCTs) represents an intensively studied property of GCTs that is the result of a complicated multifactorial process. One of the driving factors in this process is the tumor microenvironment (TME). Intensive crosstalk between the DNA damage/DNA repair pathways and the TME has already been reported. This study aimed at evaluating the interplay between the immune TME and endogenous DNA damage levels in GCT patients. A cocultivation system consisting of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and GCT cell lines was used in an in vitro study. The patient cohort included 74 chemotherapy-naïve GCT patients. Endogenous DNA damage levels were measured by comet assay. Immunophenotyping of leukocyte subpopulations was performed using flow cytometry. Statistical analysis included data assessing immunophenotypes, DNA damage levels and clinicopathological characteristics of enrolled patients. The DNA damage level in PBMCs cocultivated with cisplatin (CDDP)-resistant GCT cell lines was significantly higher than in PBMCs cocultivated with their sensitive counterparts. In GCT patients, endogenous DNA damage levels above the cutoff value were independently associated with increased percentages of natural killer cells, CD16-positive dendritic cells and regulatory T cells. The crosstalk between the endogenous DNA damage level and specific changes in the immune TME reflected in the blood of GCT patients was revealed. The obtained data contribute to a deeper understanding of ongoing interactions in the TME of GCTs.
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Yamada K, Masuda K, Ida S, Tada H, Bando M, Abe K, Tatematsu KI, Sezutsu H, Oyama T, Chikamatsu K, Takeda S. In vitro assessment of antitumor immune responses using tumor antigen proteins produced by transgenic silkworms. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE. MATERIALS IN MEDICINE 2021; 32:58. [PMID: 33999320 PMCID: PMC8128804 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-021-06526-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The evaluation of antitumor immune responses is essential for immune monitoring to predict clinical outcomes as well as treatment efficacies in cancer patients. In this study, we produced two tumor antigen (TA) proteins, melanoma antigen family A4 and wild type p53, using TG silkworm systems and evaluated anti-TA-specific immune responses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assays in patients with head and neck cancer. Eleven (61.1%) of 18 patients showed significant IFN-γ production in response to at least one TA; however, the presence of TA-specific immune responses did not significantly contribute to better prognosis (overall survival, p = 0.1768; progression-free survival, p = 0.4507). Further studies will need to be performed on a larger scale to better assess the clinical significance of these systems. The production of multiple TA proteins may provide new avenues for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies to stimulate a potent and specific immune response against tumor cells as well as precise assessment of antitumor immune responses in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanae Yamada
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
| | - Kei Masuda
- Department of Pathology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Shota Ida
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hiroe Tada
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Minori Bando
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
| | - Kanako Abe
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichiro Tatematsu
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Transgenic Silkworm Research Unit, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Tetsunari Oyama
- Department of Pathology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Chikamatsu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan.
| | - Shigeki Takeda
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of Molecular Science, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma, 376-8515, Japan.
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9
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Yang P, Meng M, Zhou Q. Oncogenic cancer/testis antigens are a hallmarker of cancer and a sensible target for cancer immunotherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188558. [PMID: 33933558 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence shows that numerous cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are uniquely overexpressed in various types of cancer and most CTAs are oncogenic. Overexpression of oncogenic CTAs promotes carcinogenesis, cancer metastasis, and drug resistance. Oncogenic CTAs are generally associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients and are an important hallmark of cancer, making them a crucial target for cancer immunotherapy. CTAs-targeted antibodies, vaccines, and chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T) have recently been used in cancer treatment and achieved promising outcomes in the preclinical and early clinical trials. However, the efficacy of current CTA-targeted therapeutics is either moderate or low in cancer therapy. CTA-targeted cancer immunotherapy is facing enormous challenges. Several critical scientific problems need to be resolved: (1) the antigen presentation function of MHC-I protein is usually deficient in cancer patients, so that very low amounts of intracellular CTA epitopes are presented to tumor cell membrane surface, leading to weak immune response and subsequent immunity to CTAs; (2) various immunosuppressive cells are rich in tumor tissues leading to diminished tumor immunity; (3) the tumor tissue microenvironment markedly reduces the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In the current review paper, the authors propose new strategies and approaches to overcome the barriers of CTAs-targeted immunotherapy and to develop novel potent immune therapeutics against cancer. Finally, we highlight that the oncogenic CTAs have high tumor specificity and immunogenicity, and are sensible targets for cancer immunotherapy. We predict that CTAs-targeted immunotherapy will bring about breakthroughs in cancer therapy in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, PR China
| | - Mei Meng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Quansheng Zhou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
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10
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Pęksa R, Kunc M, Popęda M, Piątek M, Bieńkowski M, Żok J, Starzyńska A, Perdyan A, Sowa M, Duchnowska R, Biernat W. Combined Assessment of Immune Checkpoint Regulator VISTA on Tumor-Associated Immune Cells and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Identifies Advanced Germ Cell Tumors with Higher Risk of Unfavorable Outcomes. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081750. [PMID: 33916925 PMCID: PMC8067539 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) are the most common malignancies in young males. The current treatment regimens are usually highly effective and curative. Nevertheless, a portion of patients presents with recurrence or succumbs due to the disease. There is an undoubtful necessity to investigate new prognostic markers to stratify the risk of such events. The current study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of markers of the tumor microenvironment and systemic inflammation markers in GCTs. We found that low expression of immune checkpoint proteins VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) and PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) on tumor-associated immune cells and elevated inflammatory marker platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio are associated with a higher risk of events in testicular GCTs. It indicates a role of both local anti-tumor immune response and systemic inflammation in these tumors. Abstract In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether expression of immune checkpoint proteins (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)) and markers of systemic inflammation could predict progression/relapse and death in the cohort of 180 patients with testicular germ-cell tumors (GCTs). Expression of PD-L1 and VISTA was assessed by immunohistochemistry utilizing tissue microarrays. To estimate systemic inflammation neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated. We found high PD-L1 and VISTA expression on tumor-associated immune cells (TAICs) in 89 (49.44%) and 63 (37.22%) of GCTs, respectively, whereas tumor cells besides trophoblastic elements were almost uniformly negative. High PD-L1 was associated with seminomatous histology and lower stage. Relapses in stage I patients occurred predominantly in cases with low numbers of PD-L1 and VISTA-expressing TAICs. In stage II/III disease, the combination of low VISTA-expressing TAICs and high PLR was identified as predictor of shorter event-free survival (HR 4.10; 1.48–11.36, p = 0.006) and overall survival (HR 15.56, 95% CI 1.78–135.51, p = 0.001) independently of tumor histology and location of metastases. We demonstrated that the assessment of immune checkpoint proteins on TAICs may serve as a valuable prognostic factor in patients with high-risk testicular GCTs. Further study is warranted to explore the predictive utility of these biomarkers in GCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Pęksa
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland; (M.K.); (M.B.); (W.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-349-3750
| | - Michał Kunc
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland; (M.K.); (M.B.); (W.B.)
| | - Marta Popęda
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80211 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Michał Piątek
- Department of Clinical Oncology/Chemotherapy, St Barbara Regional Specialist Hospital No 5, 41200 Sosnowiec, Poland;
| | - Michał Bieńkowski
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland; (M.K.); (M.B.); (W.B.)
| | - Jolanta Żok
- Department of Oncology, Regional Oncology Center in Gdansk, 80219 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Anna Starzyńska
- Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 80211 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Adrian Perdyan
- Student Scientific Circle of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Marek Sowa
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Renata Duchnowska
- Department of Oncology, Military Institute in Warsaw, 01755 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Wojciech Biernat
- Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80214 Gdansk, Poland; (M.K.); (M.B.); (W.B.)
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11
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Song Y, Qi X, Kang J, Wang X, Ou N, Zhu J, Wang S, Liu X. Identification of new biomarkers in immune microenvironment of testicular germ cell tumour. Andrologia 2021; 53:e13986. [PMID: 33544925 DOI: 10.1111/and.13986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To seek novel prognostic biomarkers for testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) and investigate the tumour immune microenvironment, we identified critical differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by overlapping GSE1818 dataset from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to investigate key modules and hub genes. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the underlying molecular functions of the DEGs in TGCT development and progression. The following survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) TGCT dataset indicated that AKAP4, SPA17 and TNP1 are correlated with TGCT prognosis. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction verified the down-regulation of the 3 hub genes in TGCT. Gene set enrichment analysis was conducted to further explore the role of the 3 hub genes in TGCT respectively. In addition, TGCT samples had high infiltration of CD8+ T cells, M0 and M1 macrophage cells, and resting myeloid dendritic cells in immune microenvironment. We also constructed the microRNA-gene regulatory networks to identify the key upstream microRNAs in TGCT. In conclusion, our findings indicated that AKAP4, SPA17 and TNP1 are promising biomarkers of TGCT. AKAP4 and TNP1 might regulate immune cells infiltration in immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Song
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangjie Qi
- Department of Urology, Linzi District People's Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Jiaqi Kang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ningjing Ou
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shangren Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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12
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Kaur G, Wright K, Verma S, Haynes A, Dufour JM. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Testicular Immune Regulation: A Delicate Balance Between Immune Function and Immune Privilege. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1288:21-47. [PMID: 34453730 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77779-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The testis is one of several immune privilege sites. These sites are necessary to decrease inflammation and immune responses that could be damaging to the host. For example, inflammation in the brain, eye or placenta could result in loss of cognitive function, vision or rejection of the semi-allogeneic fetus, respectively. In the testis, immune privilege is "good" as it is necessary for protection of the developing auto-immunogenic germ cells. However, there is also a downside or "bad" part of immune privilege, where pathogens and cancers can take advantage of this privilege and persist in the testis as a sanctuary site. Even worse, the "ugly" of privilege is how re-emerging viruses, such as Ebola and Zika viruses, can establish persistence in the testes and be sexually transmitted even months after they have been cleared from the bloodstream. In this review, we will discuss the delicate balance within the testis that provides immune privilege to protect the germ cells while still allowing for immune function to fight off pathogens and tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurvinder Kaur
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kandis Wright
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Saguna Verma
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Allan Haynes
- Department of Urology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Jannette M Dufour
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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13
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Gong J, Zeng Q, Yu D, Duan YG. T Lymphocytes and Testicular Immunity: A New Insight into Immune Regulation in Testes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010057. [PMID: 33374605 PMCID: PMC7793097 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune privilege of the testes is necessary to prevent immune attacks to gamete-specific antigens and paternal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, allowing for normal spermatogenesis. However, infection and inflammation of the male genital tract can break the immune tolerance and represent a significant cause of male infertility. Different T cell subsets have been identified in mammalian testes, which may be involved in the maintenance of immune tolerance and pathogenic immune responses in testicular infection and inflammation. We reviewed the evidence in the published literature on different T subtypes (regulatory T cells, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, γδ T cells, and natural killer T cells) in human and animal testes that support their regulatory roles in infertility and the orchitis pathology. While many in vitro studies have indicated the regulation potential of functional T cell subsets and their possible interaction with Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and spermatogenesis, both under physiological and pathological processes, there have been no in situ studies to date. Nevertheless, the normal distribution and function of T cell subsets are essential for the immune privilege of the testes and intact spermatogenesis, and T cell-mediated immune response drives testicular inflammation. The distinct function of different T cell subsets in testicular homeostasis and the orchitis pathology suggests a considerable potential of targeting specific T cell subsets for therapies targeting chronic orchitis and immune infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialei Gong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China
| | - Qunxiong Zeng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China
| | - Di Yu
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Yong-Gang Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China
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14
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Kalavska K, Schmidtova S, Chovanec M, Mego M. Immunotherapy in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. Front Oncol 2020; 10:573977. [PMID: 33072608 PMCID: PMC7542989 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.573977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are malignancies with very high curative potential even in metastatic settings, mainly due to the introduction of cisplatin in the treatment of this disease. However, in a group of patients with cisplatin-refractory disease or with progressive disease despite high-dose salvage chemotherapy treatment, the prognosis is typically dismal. The triple combination of gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and paclitaxel (GOP) has reasonable efficacy and is considered to be standard care for this group of patients. It remains to be seen, however, whether refractory TGCTs may represent a potential target for immune checkpoint inhibition. This review will focus on the rationale of the use of immunotherapy for platinum-refractory TGCTs and summarize data reporting experiences with immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Kalavska
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, University Science Park for Biomedicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Silvia Schmidtova
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, University Science Park for Biomedicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Chovanec
- Second Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Mego
- Translational Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Second Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
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15
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Zhou B, Jiang Q, Xiao X, Xu X, Xu Y, Kong Y, Zhang W, Zeng Y, Liu X, Luo B. Assisting anti-PD-1 antibody treatment with a liposomal system capable of recruiting immune cells. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:7996-8011. [PMID: 30969294 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr01434a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the functions of anti-PD-1 antibodies as immune checkpoint regulators, less than 30% of patients exhibit durable therapeutic responses to anti-PD-1 antibodies. Studies have shown that insufficient infiltration of immune cells might limit the outcome of anti-PD-1 therapy. Therefore, we synthesized an immune cell-recruiting liposomal system (FN-nps) to improve this therapeutic strategy. The FN-nps could generate cell debris and expose heat shock protein 70, which could recruit immune cells to tumor sites to assist in anti-PD-1 treatment. In vivo experiments revealed that the FN-nps could assist in anti-PD-1 therapy by increasing the number of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and tumor site by generating tumor antigens, and this effect was accompanied by an increase in cytokine expression. The number of CTLs increased and mRNA expression levels of cytokines were regulated when the FN-nps were combined with anti-PD-1 therapy. The revealed properties of the liposomal system make it highly promising for assisting in anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy in different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Zhou
- Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiangxi Rd, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China.
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16
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Immune-Related Concepts in Biology and Treatment of Germ-Cell Tumors. Adv Urol 2018; 2018:3718165. [PMID: 29725351 PMCID: PMC5872660 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3718165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ-cell tumors (GCTs) are highly curable with chemotherapy. Salvage chemotherapy or surgery can cure a proportion of patients, but the ones failing these treatments will die of their disease in the young age. Immune checkpoint pathways are emerging as powerful targetable biomarkers, and a significant preclinical and clinical research is underway to widen our knowledge and expand the treatment possibilities with immune therapy. The concept of immune modulation that was currently adopted in many solid tumors is understudied in GCTs. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge of published literature discussing the immune mechanisms and immune therapy in GCTs.
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17
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Schnell A, Schmidl C, Herr W, Siska PJ. The Peripheral and Intratumoral Immune Cell Landscape in Cancer Patients: A Proxy for Tumor Biology and a Tool for Outcome Prediction. Biomedicines 2018; 6:E25. [PMID: 29495308 PMCID: PMC5874682 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional systemic and local immunity is required for effective anti-tumor responses. In addition to an active engagement with cancer cells and tumor stroma, immune cells can be affected and are often found to be dysregulated in cancer patients. The impact of tumors on local and systemic immunity can be assessed using a variety of approaches ranging from low-dimensional analyses that are performed on large patient cohorts to multi-dimensional assays that are technically and logistically challenging and are therefore confined to a limited sample size. Many of these strategies have been established in recent years leading to exciting findings. Not only were analyses of immune cells in tumor patients able to predict the clinical course of the disease and patients' survival, numerous studies also detected changes in the immune landscape that correlated with responses to novel immunotherapies. This review will provide an overview of established and novel tools for assessing immune cells in tumor patients and will discuss exemplary studies that utilized these techniques to predict patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Schnell
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Christian Schmidl
- Regensburg Centre for Interventional Immunology and University Medical Center of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
- Regensburg Centre for Interventional Immunology and University Medical Center of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Peter J Siska
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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