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Taghiloo S, Ajami A, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Asgarian-Omran H. Combination therapy of acute myeloid leukemia by dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 and TLR-7/8 agonist R848 in murine model. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 125:111211. [PMID: 37956488 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111211] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the high relapse rate and toxicity of the common therapies in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), modifications in the treatment strategies are required. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of combinational therapy with a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, BEZ235, and TLR7/8 agonist, R848, on murine AML model. METHODS BEZ235 and R848 were administered to AML leukemic mice in either a single or combination treatment. Frequency of T-CD4+, T-CD8+, MDSCs, NK, exhausted T cells and the degranulation levels was measured via flow cytometry. The cytotoxicity and proliferation levels were evaluated by MTT assay. Then, the expression of iNOS, arginase-1, PD-L1, Gal-9, PVR, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-17 was investigated by Real-Time PCR. Organomegaly, body weight and survival rate were also monitored. RESULTS Following combinational therapy with BEZ235 and R848, increasing in the frequency of anti-tumor immune cells including T-CD4+ cells and M1 macroghages, and decreasing in pro-tumor immune cells including MDSCs, exhausted T-CD4+ and T-CD8+ cells and also M2 macrophages were observed. The functional defects of immune cells in term of proliferation, cytotoxicity, degranulation, and cytokines expression were improved in leukemic mice after treatment with BEZ235 and R848. Finally, organomegaly, body weight and survival analysis showed significant improvements after treatment with BEZ235 and R848. CONCLUSION Taken together, we indicated that the combinational therapy with BEZ235 and R848 could be considered as a potential and powerful therapeutic option for AML patients. Further clinical studies are required to expand our current findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeid Taghiloo
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Abolghasem Ajami
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Reza Alizadeh-Navaei
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Non-Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hossein Asgarian-Omran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Non-Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
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Leśniak M, Lipniarska J, Majka P, Kopyt W, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J. The Role of TRL7/8 Agonists in Cancer Therapy, with Special Emphasis on Hematologic Malignancies. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020277. [PMID: 36851155 PMCID: PMC9967151 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLR) belong to the pattern recognition receptors (PRR). TLR7 and the closely correlated TLR8 affiliate with toll-like receptors family, are located in endosomes. They recognize single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules and synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/RNA analogs-oligoribonucleotides. TLRs are primarily expressed in hematopoietic cells. There is compiling evidence implying that TLRs also direct the formation of blood cellular components and make a contribution to the pathogenesis of certain hematopoietic malignancies. The latest research shows a positive effect of therapy with TRL agonists on the course of hemato-oncological diseases. Ligands impact activation of antigen-presenting cells which results in production of cytokines, transfer of mentioned cells to the lymphoid tissue and co-stimulatory surface molecules expression required for T-cell activation. Toll-like receptor agonists have already been used in oncology especially in the treatment of dermatological neoplastic lesions. The usage of these substances in the treatment of solid tumors is being investigated. The present review discusses the direct and indirect influence that TLR7/8 agonists, such as imiquimod, imidazoquinolines and resiquimod have on neoplastic cells and their promising role as adjuvants in anticancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Leśniak
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Justyna Lipniarska
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Patrycja Majka
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Weronika Kopyt
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Lejman
- Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence:
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In vitro induction of neoantigen-specific T cells in myelodysplastic syndrome, a disease with low mutational burden. Cytotherapy 2020; 23:320-328. [PMID: 33262074 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Therapies that utilize immune checkpoint inhibition work by leveraging mutation-derived neoantigens and have shown greater clinical efficacy in tumors with higher mutational burden. Whether tumors with a low mutational burden are susceptible to neoantigen-targeted therapy has not been fully addressed. To examine the feasibility of neoantigen-specific adoptive T-cell therapy, the authors studied the T-cell response against somatic variants in five patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a malignancy with a very low tumor mutational burden. DNA and RNA from tumor (CD34+) and normal (CD3+) cells isolated from the patients' blood were sequenced to predict patient-specific MDS neopeptides. Neopeptides representing the somatic variants were used to induce and expand autologous T cells ex vivo, and these were systematically tested in killing assays to determine the proportion of neopeptides yielding neoantigen-specific T cells. The authors identified a total of 32 somatic variants (four to eight per patient) and found that 21 (66%) induced a peptide-specific T-cell response and 19 (59%) induced a T-cell response capable of killing autologous tumor cells. Of the 32 somatic variants, 11 (34%) induced a CD4+ response and 11 (34%) induced a CD8+ response that killed the tumor. These results indicate that in vitro induction of neoantigen-specific T cells is feasible for tumors with very low mutational burden and that this approach warrants investigation as a therapeutic option for such patients.
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Paracatu LC, Schuettpelz LG. Contribution of Aberrant Toll Like Receptor Signaling to the Pathogenesis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1236. [PMID: 32625214 PMCID: PMC7313547 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll like receptors (TLRs) are a family of pattern recognition receptors that play a central role in the innate immune response. These receptors are expressed on a wide variety of immune and non-immune cells, and they help shape the immune response to infection and injury through the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as well as endogenous damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Accumulating evidence suggests that, in addition to regulating mature effector immune cells, TLRs can influence the immune response from the level of the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC). HSCs express TLRs, and exposure to TLR ligands influences the cycling, differentiation, and function of HSCs, with chronic TLR stimulation leading to impairment of normal HSC repopulating activity. Moreover, enhanced TLR expression and signaling is associated with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a heterogenous group of HSC disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and a high risk of transformation to acute leukemias. In this review, we will discuss the role of TLR signaling in the pathogenesis of MDS, focusing on the known direct and indirect effects of this type of signaling on HSCs, the mechanisms of TLR signaling upregulation in MDS, the changes in TLR expression with disease progression, and the therapeutic implications for modulating TLR signaling in the treatment of MDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Chiquetto Paracatu
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Laura G Schuettpelz
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Functional Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) Are Expressed by a Majority of Primary Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Inducibility of the TLR Signaling Pathway Is Associated with a More Favorable Phenotype. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11070973. [PMID: 31336716 PMCID: PMC6678780 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11070973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease with regard to biological characteristics and receptor expression. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are upstream to the transcription factor NFκB and part of the innate immune system. They are differentially expressed on AML blasts, and during normal hematopoiesis they initiate myeloid differentiation. In this study, we investigated the response upon TLR stimulation in an AML cohort (n = 83) by measuring the increase of NFκB-mediated cytokine secretion. We observed that TLR4 is readily induced in most patients, while TLR1/2 response was more restricted. General response to TLR stimulation correlated with presence of nucleophosmin gene mutations, increased mRNA expression of proteins, which are part of the TLR signaling pathway and reduced expression of transcription-related proteins. Furthermore, signaling via TLR1/2 appeared to be linked with prolonged patient survival. In conclusion, response upon TLR stimulation, and especially TLR1/2 induction, seems to be part of a more favorable phenotype, which also is characterized by higher basal cytokine secretion and a more mature blast population.
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Villamón E, González-Fernández J, Such E, Cervera JV, Gozalbo D, Luisa Gil M. Imiquimod inhibits growth and induces differentiation of myeloid leukemia cell lines. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:15. [PMID: 29422777 PMCID: PMC5791367 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0515-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The antitumoral effects of different Toll-like receptor (TLRs) agonists is mediated by activating immune responses to suppress tumors growth, although TLR ligands may also have a direct effect on tumoral cells. Given that TLR signaling induces hematopoietic cell differentiations this may serve as a novel differentiation therapeutic approach for AML. Methods We investigated the effects of agonists for the ten human TLRs on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and differentiation of ten different types of myeloid leukemia cell lines (HL-60, U-937, KG-1, KG-1a, K-562, Kasumi-1, EOL-1, NB4, MOLM-13 and HEL). Proliferation was measured using the CellTiter 96® Aqueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (Promega). Staining and analysis with a flow cytometer was used to identify cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Differentiation was measured by staining cells with the EuroFlow™ antibody panel for AML and analyzed by flow cytometry. FlowJo software was used to analyze the cytometric data. In all experiments, statistical significance was determined by a two-tailed t test. Results The activation of particular TLRs on some cell lines can induce growth inhibition and Imiquimod (a TLR 7 agonist) was the most effective agonist in all leukemic cell lines examined. Imiquimod was able to induce apoptosis, as well as to induce cell cycle alteration and upregulation of myeloid differentiation markers on some of the cell lines tested. Conclusions Our results, together with the known efficacy of Imiquimod against many tumor entities, suggest that Imiquimod can be a potential alternative therapy to AML. This drug has a direct cytotoxic effect on leukemic cells, has the potential to induce differentiation, and can also stimulate the activation of cellular immune responses anti-AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Villamón
- 1Department of Hematology, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Esperanza Such
- 1Department of Hematology, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Daniel Gozalbo
- 2Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain.,3Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain
| | - M Luisa Gil
- 2Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain.,3Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjasot, Spain
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Hemmati S, Haque T, Gritsman K. Inflammatory Signaling Pathways in Preleukemic and Leukemic Stem Cells. Front Oncol 2017; 7:265. [PMID: 29181334 PMCID: PMC5693908 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a rare subset of bone marrow cells that usually exist in a quiescent state, only entering the cell cycle to replenish the blood compartment, thereby limiting the potential for errors in replication. Inflammatory signals that are released in response to environmental stressors, such as infection, trigger active cycling of HSCs. These inflammatory signals can also directly induce HSCs to release cytokines into the bone marrow environment, promoting myeloid differentiation. After stress myelopoiesis is triggered, HSCs require intracellular signaling programs to deactivate this response and return to steady state. Prolonged or excessive exposure to inflammatory cytokines, such as in prolonged infection or in chronic rheumatologic conditions, can lead to continued HSC cycling and eventual HSC loss. This promotes bone marrow failure, and can precipitate preleukemic states or leukemia through the acquisition of genetic and epigenetic changes in HSCs. This can occur through the initiation of clonal hematopoiesis, followed by the emergence preleukemic stem cells (pre-LSCs). In this review, we describe the roles of multiple inflammatory signaling pathways in the generation of pre-LSCs and in progression to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In AML, activation of some inflammatory signaling pathways can promote the cycling and differentiation of LSCs, and this can be exploited therapeutically. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of modulating inflammatory signaling for the treatment of myeloid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayda Hemmati
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Tamanna Haque
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Kira Gritsman
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Myeloid Malignancies: A Focus on Immune Escaping and Therapeutic Implications. Stem Cells Int 2017; 2017:6720594. [PMID: 28947904 PMCID: PMC5602646 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6720594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of the bone marrow microenvironment forming the so-called niche in physiologic hemopoiesis is largely known, and recent evidences support the presence of stromal alterations from the molecular to the cytoarchitectural level in hematologic malignancies. Various alterations in cell adhesion, metabolism, cytokine signaling, autophagy, and methylation patterns of tumor-derived mesenchymal stem cells have been demonstrated, contributing to the genesis of a leukemic permissive niche. This niche allows both the ineffective haematopoiesis typical of myelodysplastic syndromes and the differentiation arrest, proliferation advantage, and clone selection which is the hallmark of acute myeloid leukemia. Furthermore, the immune system, both adaptive and innate, encompassing mesenchymal-derived cells, has been shown to take part to the leukemic niche. Here, we critically review the state of art about mesenchymal stem cell role in myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia, focusing on immune escaping mechanisms as a target for available and future anticancer therapies.
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Guo X, Wu N, Shang Y, Liu X, Wu T, Zhou Y, Liu X, Huang J, Liao X, Wu L. The Novel Toll-Like Receptor 2 Agonist SUP3 Enhances Antigen Presentation and T Cell Activation by Dendritic Cells. Front Immunol 2017; 8:158. [PMID: 28270814 PMCID: PMC5318439 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly specialized antigen-presenting cells that play crucial roles in innate and adaptive immunity. Previous studies suggested that Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists could be used as potential adjuvants, as activation of TLRs can boost DC-induced immune responses. TLR2 agonists have been shown to enhance DC-mediated immune responses. However, classical TLR2 agonists such as Pam3CSK4 are not stable enough in vivo, which limits their clinical applications. In this study, a novel structurally stable TLR2 agonist named SUP3 was designed. Functional analysis showed that SUP3 induced much stronger antitumor response than Pam3CSK4 by promoting cytotoxic T lymphocytes activation in vivo. This effect was achieved through the following mechanisms: SUP3 strongly enhanced the ability of antigen cross-presentation by DCs and subsequent T cell activation. SUP3 upregulated the expression of costimulatory molecules on DCs and increased antigen deposition in draining lymph nodes. More interestingly, SUP3 induced less amount of pro-inflammatory cytokine production in vivo compared to other TLR agonists such as lipopolysaccharide. Taken together, SUP3 could serve as a novel promising immune adjuvant in vaccine development and immune modulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueheng Guo
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Ning Wu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Yingli Shang
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Tao Wu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Yifan Zhou
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Xin Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Tsinghua University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Beijing , China
| | - Jiaoyan Huang
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Xuebin Liao
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Tsinghua University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Beijing , China
| | - Li Wu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Medicine , Beijing , China
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de Charette M, Marabelle A, Houot R. Turning tumour cells into antigen presenting cells: The next step to improve cancer immunotherapy? Eur J Cancer 2016; 68:134-147. [PMID: 27755997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2016.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Downregulation/loss of the antigen presentation is a major immune escape mechanism in cancer. It allows tumour cells to become 'invisible' and avoid immune attack by antitumour T cells. In tumour harbouring properties of professional antigen presenting cells (i.e. tumour B cells in lymphoma), downregulation/loss of the antigen presentation may also prevent direct priming of naïve T cells by tumour cells. Here, we review treatments that may induce/restore antigen presentation by the tumour cells. These treatments may increase the generation of antitumour T cells and/or their capacity to recognise and eliminate tumour cells. By forcing tumour cells to present their antigens, these treatments may sensitise patients to T cell-based immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aurélien Marabelle
- Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Département d'Innovation Thérapeutique et d'Essais Précoces, Villejuif, F-94805, France; INSERM U1015, Villejuif, F-94805, France
| | - Roch Houot
- CHU Rennes, Service Hématologie Clinique, F-35033, Rennes, France; INSERM, U917, F-35043, Rennes, France.
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Pleyer L, Valent P, Greil R. Mesenchymal Stem and Progenitor Cells in Normal and Dysplastic Hematopoiesis-Masters of Survival and Clonality? Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17071009. [PMID: 27355944 PMCID: PMC4964385 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17071009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are malignant hematopoietic stem cell disorders that have the capacity to progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Accumulating evidence suggests that the altered bone marrow (BM) microenvironment in general, and in particular the components of the stem cell niche, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their progeny, play a pivotal role in the evolution and propagation of MDS. We here present an overview of the role of MSCs in the pathogenesis of MDS, with emphasis on cellular interactions in the BM microenvironment and related stem cell niche concepts. MSCs have potent immunomodulatory capacities and communicate with diverse immune cells, but also interact with various other cellular components of the microenvironment as well as with normal and leukemic stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, compared to normal MSCs, MSCs in MDS and AML often exhibit altered gene expression profiles, an aberrant phenotype, and abnormal functional properties. These alterations supposedly contribute to the “reprogramming” of the stem cell niche into a disease-permissive microenvironment where an altered immune system, abnormal stem cell niche interactions, and an impaired growth control lead to disease progression. The current article also reviews molecular targets that play a role in such cellular interactions and possibilities to interfere with abnormal stem cell niche interactions by using specific targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Pleyer
- 3rd Medical Department with Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research, Oncologic Center, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
- Center for Clinical Cancer and Immunology Trials at Salzburg Cancer Research Institute, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
- 3rd Medical Department, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Peter Valent
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology & Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Richard Greil
- 3rd Medical Department with Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research, Oncologic Center, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
- Center for Clinical Cancer and Immunology Trials at Salzburg Cancer Research Institute, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
- 3rd Medical Department, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
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