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Shan T, Wang W, Fan M, Bi J, He T, Sun Y, Zheng M, Yan D. Effective glioblastoma immune sonodynamic treatment mediated by macrophage cell membrane cloaked biomimetic nanomedicines. J Control Release 2024; 370:866-878. [PMID: 38685386 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.04.043] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) as one of the most lethal brain tumours, remains poor therapeutic index due to its typical characters including heterogeneous, severe immune suppression as well as the existence of blood brain barrier (BBB). Immune sonodynamic (ISD) therapy combines noninvasive sonodynamic therapy with immunotherapy, which has great prospects for the combinational treatment of GBM. Herein, we develop macrophage cell membrane cloaked reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive biomimetic nanoparticles, co-delivering of sonosensitizer Ce6 and JQ1 (a bromo-domain protein 4 (BRD4) inhibitor which can down-regulate PD-L1) and realizing potent GBM ISD therapy. The ApoE peptide decorated macrophage membrane coating endows these biomimetic nanoparticles with low immunogenicity, efficient BBB permeability, prolonged blood circulation half-live and good biocompatibility. The ROS responsive polymeric inner core could be readily degraded as triggered by excessive ROS under the ultrasound once they accumulated in tumour cells, fast release encapsulated drugs. The generation of ROS not only killed tumour cells via sonodynamic therapy, but also induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) and further activated the anti-tumour immune response. The released JQ1 inhibited tumour cell proliferation and augmented the immune activities by inhibiting the PD-L1 expression on the surface of tumour cells. The cascade sonodynamic and immune therapy resulted in significantly improved median survival time in both orthotopic GL261 and PTEN deficient immunosuppressive CT2A GBM mice models. Therefore, our developed biomimetic nanoparticle platform provides a promising combinational therapy strategy to treat immune suppressive GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tikun Shan
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Wendie Wang
- Henan-Macquarie Uni Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, Henan Key Laboratory of Brain Targeted Bio-nanomedicine, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nanobiomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Mengyu Fan
- Henan-Macquarie Uni Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, Henan Key Laboratory of Brain Targeted Bio-nanomedicine, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nanobiomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Jiajia Bi
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Tengfei He
- Henan-Macquarie Uni Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, Henan Key Laboratory of Brain Targeted Bio-nanomedicine, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nanobiomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Yajing Sun
- Henan-Macquarie Uni Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, Henan Key Laboratory of Brain Targeted Bio-nanomedicine, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nanobiomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Meng Zheng
- Henan-Macquarie Uni Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, Henan Key Laboratory of Brain Targeted Bio-nanomedicine, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nanobiomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China.
| | - Dongming Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China..
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Song Y, Fan W, Yao C, Wang H, Lu X, Wang Y, Liu P, Ma Y, Zhang Z, Wang J, Chu B, Shi L, Yang G, Wang M. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of quinazoline and pyrrolo[3,2- d]pyrimidine derivatives as TLR7 agonists for antiviral agents. Org Biomol Chem 2024; 22:2764-2773. [PMID: 38497199 DOI: 10.1039/d4ob00048j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a critical role in the innate immune response, and toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is an important member of PRRs. Although several TLR7 agonists are available, most of them are being tested clinically, with only one available on the market. Thus, it is imperative to develop new TLR7 agonists. In this study, we designed and synthesized three kinds of quinazoline derivatives and five kinds of pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives targeting TLR7. The antiviral efficacy of these compounds was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Our findings indicated that four kinds of compounds showed exceptional antiviral activity. Furthermore, molecular docking studies confirmed that compound 11 successfully positioned itself in the pocket of the TLR7 guanosine loading site with a binding energy of -4.45 kcal mol-1. These results suggested that these compounds might be potential antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Molecule Biology Laboratory of Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450044, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Wenjie Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Chen Yao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Heng Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Xiuxiang Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Yumin Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Pengxiang Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Yanjie Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Molecule Biology Laboratory of Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450044, China
| | - Jiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - BeiBei Chu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Lijun Shi
- College of Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
| | - Guoyu Yang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Mengdi Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
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Ren SM, Chang JB, Liu RQ, Jin GY. The novel selective TLR7 agonist GY101 suppresses colon cancer growth by stimulating immune cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 967:176383. [PMID: 38311281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176383] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7, a transmembrane signal transduction receptor expressed on the surface of endosomes, has become an attractive target for antiviral and cancer immunotherapies. TLR7 can induce signal transduction by recognizing single-stranded RNA or its analogs, leading to the release of cytokines such as IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and type-I IFN. Activation of TLR7 helps to enhance immunogenicity and immune memory by stimulating immune cells. Herein, we identified a novel selective TLR7 agonist, GY101, and determined its ability to activate TLR7. In summary, in vitro, compound GY101 significantly induced the secretion of IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ in mouse splenic lymphocytes; in vivo, peritumoral injection of GY101 significantly suppressed colon cancer CT26, as well as poorly immunogenic B16-F10 and 4T1 cancer cell-derived tumor growth by activating the infiltration of lymphocytes and polarization of M2-like macrophages into M1-like macrophages. These results demonstrate that GY101, as a potent TLR7 agonist, holds great potential for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Mei Ren
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Jun-Biao Chang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Rui-Qi Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
| | - Guang-Yi Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Conjugenix Pharmaceutical Technology Company, China.
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4
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Liu YS, Wang JX, Jin GY, Hu MH, Wang XD. Combination Therapy with a TLR7 Agonist and a BRD4 Inhibitor Suppresses Tumor Growth via Enhanced Immunomodulation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:663. [PMID: 38203835 PMCID: PMC10779224 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010663] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
JQ-1 is a typical BRD4 inhibitor with the ability to directly fight tumor cells and evoke antitumor immunity via reducing the expression of PD-L1. However, problems arise with the development of JQ-1 in clinical trials, such as marked lymphoid and hematopoietic toxicity, leading to the investigation of combination therapy. SZU-101 is a TLR7 agonist designed and synthesized by our group with potent immunostimulatory activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that combination therapy of SZU-101 and JQ-1 would target innate immunity and adaptive immunity simultaneously, to achieve a better antitumor efficacy than monotherapy. In this study, the repressive effects of the combination administration on tumor growth and metastasis were demonstrated in both murine breast cancer and melanoma models. In 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, i.t. treatment with SZU-101 in combination with i.p. treatment with JQ-1 suppressed the growth of tumors at both injected and uninjected sites. Combination therapy increased M1/M2 ratio in TAMs, decreased PD-L1 expression and promoted the recruitment of activated CD8+ T cells in the TME. In summary, the improved therapeutic efficacy of the novel combination therapy appears to be feasible for the treatment of a diversity of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ming-Hao Hu
- Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, China; (Y.-S.L.); (J.-X.W.); (G.-Y.J.)
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, China; (Y.-S.L.); (J.-X.W.); (G.-Y.J.)
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Nayanar SK, Roshan V G D, Surendran S, Kjeller G, Hasséus B, Giglio D. Intracellular Toll-Like Receptors Modulate Adaptive Immune Responses in Head and Neck Cancer. Viral Immunol 2023; 36:659-668. [PMID: 38064542 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2023.0079] [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] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The percentage of head and neck cancer (HNC) positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) is unknown in most parts of India. How toll-like receptors (TLRs) affect the adaptive immune response in HNC is also mainly unknown. We here assessed the expressions of HPV DNA, p16, inflammation, and TLRs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OC) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPC). Patients with OC (n = 31) and OPC (n = 41), diagnosed during 2017-2018 at the Malabar Cancer Centre (tertiary cancer center), Kerala, India, were included in the study. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tumor specimens against p16, TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, CD4, and CD8. Quantitate polymerase chain reaction for 14 high-risk HPVs (HPV16/18/31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59/66/68) was performed. Seven out of 31 OC (22.6%) were p16+ but only 3.2% (1/31) of OC were positive for HPV DNA. While 24.4% (10/41) of OPC were p16+, HPV DNA was found in only one P16+ OPC and in no P16- OPC. TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 were expressed both in OC and in OPC. The expression of TLR7 was significantly higher in OPC compared with OC. TLR8 expression was correlated with and TLR7 tended to be correlated with the inflammatory score in OPC (r = 0.56, p < 0.05 and r = 0.52, p = 0.08, respectively). In conclusion, the role of HPV in OC and OPC is minor, and p16 constitutes a poor biomarker for HPV positivity in Kerala, India. Intracellular TLRs are correlated with the degree of inflammation in OPC but not in OC and may potentially constitute a medical target in the therapy of HNC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Deepak Roshan V G
- Division of Cancer Research, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
- Division of Genetics and Cytogenetics; Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala, India
| | - Shruthi Surendran
- Division of Oncopathology; Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala, India
| | - Göran Kjeller
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Odontology; Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hasséus
- Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Odontology; Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinic of Oral Medicine, Public Dental Service, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel Giglio
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences; Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Sharma D, Hager CG, Shang L, Tran L, Zhu Y, Ma A, Magnuson B, Lesko MW, Wicha MS, Burness ML. The BET degrader ZBC260 suppresses stemness and tumorigenesis and promotes differentiation in triple-negative breast cancer by disrupting inflammatory signaling. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:144. [PMID: 37968653 PMCID: PMC10648675 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01715-3] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are resistant to standard therapies, facilitate tumor dissemination, and contribute to relapse and progression. Super-enhancers are regulators of stemness, and BET proteins, which are critical for super-enhancer function, are a potential therapeutic target. Here, we investigated the effects of BET proteins on the regulation of breast cancer stemness using the pan-BET degrader ZBC260. METHODS We evaluated the effect of ZBC260 on CSCs in TNBC cell lines. We assessed the effect of ZBC260 on cellular viability and tumor growth and measured its effects on cancer stemness. We used RNA sequencing and stemness index to determine the global transcriptomic changes in CSCs and bulk cells and further validated our findings by qPCR, western blot, and ELISA. RESULTS ZBC260 potently inhibited TNBC growth both in vitro and in vivo. ZBC260 reduced stemness as measured by cell surface marker expression, ALDH activity, tumorsphere number, and stemness index while increasing differentiated cells. GSEA analysis indicated preferential downregulation of stemness-associated and inflammatory genes by ZBC260 in ALDH+ CSCs. CONCLUSIONS The BET degrader ZBC260 is an efficient degrader of BET proteins that suppresses tumor progression and decreases CSCs through the downregulation of inflammatory genes and pathways. Our findings support the further development of BET degraders alone and in combination with other therapeutics as CSC targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeksha Sharma
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Cody G Hager
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Li Shang
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lam Tran
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, NCRC 26-319S, SPC 2800, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yongyou Zhu
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Elevate Bio, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aihui Ma
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Brian Magnuson
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Matthew W Lesko
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Max S Wicha
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Monika L Burness
- Department, Unit, and Laboratories, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Jiang Y, Miao X, Wu Z, Xie W, Wang L, Liu H, Gong W. Targeting SIRT1 synergistically improves the antitumor effect of JQ-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22093. [PMID: 38045194 PMCID: PMC10692793 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22093] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal domain protein inhibitors have shown therapeutic promise in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, resistance to bromodomain and extraterminal domain protein inhibitors has emerged in preclinical trials, presenting an immense clinical challenge, and the mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we found that overexpression of SIRT1 induced by JQ-1, a bromodomain and extraterminal domain protein inhibitor, may confer resistance to JQ-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma. SIRT1 protein expression was higher in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues than in normal tissues, and this phenotype was correlated with a poor prognosis. Cotreatment with JQ-1 and the SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 synergistically suppressed proliferation and blocked cell cycle progression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Combined administration of JQ-1 and EX527 successfully reduced the tumor burden in vivo. In addition, JQ-1 mediated AMPK/p-AMPK axis activation to upregulate SIRT1 protein expression and enhanced autophagy to inhibit cell apoptosis. Activation of AMPK could alleviate the antitumor effect of the combination of JQ-1 and EX527 on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Furthermore, inhibition of SIRT1 further enhanced the antitumor effect of JQ-1 by blocking protective autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Our study proposes a novel and efficacious therapeutic strategy of a BET inhibitor combined with a SIRT1 inhibitor for hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuancong Jiang
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Surgery, Shaoxing People's Hospital (Shaoxing Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine), Shaoxing, China
| | - Xiaolong Miao
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- The Institute of Transplantation Science, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zelai Wu
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weixun Xie
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Han Liu
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weihua Gong
- Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Breast Cancer Vaccine Containing a Novel Toll-like Receptor 7 Agonist and an Aluminum Adjuvant Exerts Antitumor Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315130. [PMID: 36499455 PMCID: PMC9741412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315130] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucin 1 (MUC1) has received increasing attention due to its high expression in breast cancer, in which MUC1 acts as a cancer antigen. Our group has been committed to the development of small-molecule TLR7 (Toll-like receptor 7) agonists, which have been widely investigated in the field of tumor immunotherapy. In the present study, we constructed a novel tumor vaccine (SZU251 + MUC1 + Al) containing MUC1 and two types of adjuvants: a TLR7 agonist (SZU251) and an aluminum adjuvant (Al). Immunostimulatory responses were first verified in vitro, where the vaccine promoted the release of cytokines and the expression of costimulatory molecules in mouse BMDCs (bone marrow dendritic cells) and spleen lymphocytes. Then, we demonstrated that SZU251 + MUC1 + Al was effective and safe against a tumor expressing the MUC1 antigen in both prophylactic and therapeutic schedules in vivo. The immune responses in vivo were attributed to the increase in specific humoral and cellular immunity, including antibody titers, CD4+, CD8+ and activated CD8+ T cells. Therefore, our vaccine candidate may have beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer patients.
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Yu X, Long Y, Chen B, Tong Y, Shan M, Jia X, Hu C, Liu M, Zhou J, Tang F, Lu H, Chen R, Xu P, Huang W, Ren J, Wan Y, Sun J, Li J, Jin G, Gong L. PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting nanobody-drug conjugate mediates potent tumor regression via elevating tumor immunogenicity in a host-expressed PD-L1 bias-dependent way. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004590. [PMID: 36253000 PMCID: PMC9577932 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Various tumors are insensitive to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) establish the link between innate and adaptive immunity, which can assist T-cell activation and serve as promising targets for combination to enhance ICB therapy. Here, we aimed to improve efficacy for anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy by developing a PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting nanobody-drug conjugate (NDC), based on the PD-L1 nanobodies and TLR7 agonist we developed. Methods PD-L1 nanobodies were obtained by phage display screening and identified through T-cell activation bioassay, in vivo imaging and quantitative biodistribution study. Immune activation and PD-L1-inducing of TLR7 agonists were evaluated in diverse innate cell models. We constructed PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting NDCs by chemically coupling PD-L1 nanobodies and TLR7 agonists. The antitumor effect was evaluated via several murine or humanized solid tumor models. Immunophenotyping, immune cell depletion, tumor rechallenge, RNA sequencing and PD-L1-deficient models were combined to determine the mechanism for NDCs function. The dynamics of the in vivo behaviors of NDCs were assessed based on multiorgan changes in PD-L1 levels. Results The screened PD-L1 nanobodies were characterized as tumor-targeting and alleviated T-cell immunosuppression. The TLR7 agonists induced broad innate immune responses and intratumoral PD-L1 expression on antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and its antitumor effect was dependent on intratumoral delivery. The combination of TLR7 agonists and PD-L1 nanobodies activated both innate and adaptive immunity and upregulated PD-L1-related signaling pathways. After coupling to form dual-targeting NDCs, TLR7 agonists and PD-L1 nanobodies exerted synergistic antitumor effects and safety in either ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ tumor and early or advanced tumor models, reshaped the tumor immune microenvironment and induced antitumor immune memory. CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells were the main effector cells for NDCs to function. NDCs can promote PD-L1 expression on intratumoral APCs and tumor cells, and subsequently achieve targeted enrichment in tumors. Moreover, the efficacy of NDCs is biased toward dependence on host expression of PD-L1. Conclusions The novel PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting NDC exhibited potent efficacy against heterogeneous tumors through orchestrating innate and adaptive immunity, which could act as a promising strategy to improve ICB therapy and shows prospects for clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiru Long
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Binfan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongliang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengwen Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaomin Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Meng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Zhou
- International Cancer Center, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Henglei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Runqiu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Pan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yakun Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guangyi Jin
- International Cancer Center, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Likun Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
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10
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Ren S, Wang X, Jin G. Conjugate of ibrutinib with a TLR7 agonist suppresses melanoma progression and enhances antitumor immunity. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:166-179. [PMID: 34975325 PMCID: PMC8692160 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.64094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of large molecules for immunotherapy has led to exciting developments in cancer treatment, such as the development of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. However, small molecule targeted therapies still lack effective immune-functional classes. Ideal anticancer drugs should simultaneously generate immune memory when killing cancer cells to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis. To this end, we carried out a rationally designed strategy to develop novel classes of small molecule compounds with bifunctional targeting and immunostimulatory abilities by conjugating targeting compounds with TLR7 agonists, generating immune-targeting conjugates (ImmunTacs). GY161, as a representative ImmunTac, was synthesized via chemical conjugation of ibrutinib with a TLR7 agonist. In vitro, GY161 stimulated the production of cytokines by mouse spleen lymphocytes, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), and inhibited the growth and induced the apoptosis of B16 melanoma cells by regulating the c-Met/β-catenin pathway. In vivo, GY161 enhanced the frequency of CD8+ T cells in spleens and tumors, suppressed the growth of B16 melanoma cell-derived tumors and prolonged the survival time of mice. In summary, GY161 could prevent melanoma progression through direct tumor killing and by triggering specific immunity. These results strongly suggest that ImmunTacs are a reliable and promising strategy for developing small molecule immunogenic anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumei Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.,Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Guangyi Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
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11
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Zhang Z, Zhang Q, Xie J, Zhong Z, Deng C. Enzyme-responsive micellar JQ1 induces enhanced BET protein inhibition and immunotherapy of malignant tumors. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:6915-6926. [PMID: 34524279 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm00724f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins are attractive targets for treating various malignancies including melanoma. The inhibition of BET bromodomains, e.g. with JQ1, is found to downregulate the expression of both c-MYC oncoprotein and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), which play a crucial role in tumor growth and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, respectively. The BET bromodomain inhibitors like JQ1 though exhibiting high selectivity and affinity show usually low bioavailability and efficacy in vivo due to fast clearance and inferior uptake by tumor cells. The therapeutic effect of JQ1 might further be lowered by drug resistance. Here, enzyme-responsive micellar JQ1 (mJQ1) was fabricated from a poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-tyrosine) copolypeptide to enhance JQ1 delivery and the immunotherapy of malignant melanoma. The in vitro results showed that mJQ1 induced clearly better repression of c-MYC and PD-L1 proteins, cell cycle arrest, cell inhibition, and apoptotic activity than free JQ1 in B16F10 cancer cells. The intratumoral administration of mJQ1 at 2.5 mg of JQ1 equiv. per kg was found to show better inhibition of B16F10 tumors in C57BL/6 mice than the intraperitoneal administration of free JQ1 at 50 mg kg-1. In particular, when combined with radiotherapy, mJQ1 effectively suppressed tumor growth and brought about strong local and systemic antitumor immunity as evidenced by elevated CD8+ T cells and increased ratios of CD8+ T cells to Tregs, affording significantly improved survival of B16F10 tumor-bearing mice than their JQ1 counterparts and marked growth suppression of distant tumors. The great potency of enzyme-responsive micellar JQ1 makes it interesting for immunotherapy of various tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenqi Zhang
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Jiguo Xie
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Zhiyuan Zhong
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Chao Deng
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
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