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Ainslie RJ, Simitsidellis I, Kirkwood PM, Gibson DA. RISING STARS: Androgens and immune cell function. J Endocrinol 2024; 261:e230398. [PMID: 38579776 PMCID: PMC11103679 DOI: 10.1530/joe-23-0398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Androgens can modulate immune cell function and may contribute to differences in the prevalence and severity of common inflammatory conditions. Although most immune cells are androgen targets, our understanding of how changes in androgen bioavailability can affect immune responses is incomplete. Androgens alter immune cell composition, phenotype, and activation by modulating the expression and secretion of inflammatory mediators or by altering the development and maturation of immune cell precursors. Androgens are generally associated with having suppressive effects on the immune system, but their impacts are cell and tissue context-dependent and can be highly nuanced even within immune cell subsets. In response to androgens, innate immune cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages increase the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and decrease nitric oxide production. Androgens promote the differentiation of T cell subsets and reduce the production of inflammatory mediators, such as IFNG, IL-4 and IL-5. Additionally, androgens/androgen receptor can promote the maturation of B cells. Thus, androgens can be considered as immunomodulatory agents, but further work is required to understand the precise molecular pathways that are regulated at the intersection between endocrine and inflammatory signals. This narrative review focusses on summarising our current understanding of how androgens can alter immune cell function and how this might affect inflammatory responses in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Ainslie
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Simitsidellis
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebe M Kirkwood
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas A Gibson
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Zhao J, Wang Q, Tan AF, Loh CJL, Toh HC. Sex differences in cancer and immunotherapy outcomes: the role of androgen receptor. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1416941. [PMID: 38863718 PMCID: PMC11165033 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1416941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Across the wide range of clinical conditions, there exists a sex imbalance where biological females are more prone to autoimmune diseases and males to some cancers. These discrepancies are the combinatory consequence of lifestyle and environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and oncogenic viruses, as well as other intrinsic biological traits including sex chromosomes and sex hormones. While the emergence of immuno-oncology (I/O) has revolutionised cancer care, the efficacy across multiple cancers may be limited because of a complex, dynamic interplay between the tumour and its microenvironment (TME). Indeed, sex and gender can also influence the varying effectiveness of I/O. Androgen receptor (AR) plays an important role in tumorigenesis and in shaping the TME. Here, we lay out the epidemiological context of sex disparity in cancer and then review the current literature on how AR signalling contributes to such observation via altered tumour development and immunology. We offer insights into AR-mediated immunosuppressive mechanisms, with the hope of translating preclinical and clinical evidence in gender oncology into improved outcomes in personalised, I/O-based cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhe Zhao
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qian Wang
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medical Oncology Cancer Hospital of China Medical University/Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | | | - Celestine Jia Ling Loh
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Han Chong Toh
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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3
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Taglialatela I, Indini A, Santanelli G, Di Liberti G, Di Guardo L, De Braud F, Del Vecchio M. Melanoma and sex hormones: Pathogenesis, progressive disease and response to treatments. TUMORI JOURNAL 2024:3008916241231687. [PMID: 38372040 DOI: 10.1177/03008916241231687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma represents the fifth tumor in terms of incidence in young adults, with a major involvement of males than females. Despite the significant changes in available effective treatments for cutaneous melanoma, there is still a proportion of patients that do not benefit long-term disease control with immune checkpoint inhibitors and/or BRAF/MEK inhibitors, and eventually develop progressive disease. In addition to the emerging biomarkers under investigation to understand resistance to treatments, recent studies resumed the role of sex hormones (estrogens, progesterone and androgens) in melanoma patients. In the last decades, the impact of sex hormones has been considered controversial in melanoma patients, but actual growing preclinical and clinical evidence underline the potential influence on melanoma cells' growth, tumor microenvironment, the immune system and consequently on the course of disease.This review will provide available insights on the role of sex hormones in melanoma pathogenesis, disease progression and response/resistance to systemic treatments. We will also offer an overview on the recent studies on the theme, describing the hormonal contribution to disease response and the interaction with targeted therapies and immune-checkpoint inhibitors in cutaneous melanoma patients, illustrating an insight into future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Taglialatela
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Indini
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Santanelli
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Di Liberti
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenza Di Guardo
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo De Braud
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Università degli studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Del Vecchio
- Melanoma Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milan, Italy
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4
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Bhattacharya S, Sadhukhan D, Saraswathy R. Role of sex in immune response and epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetics Chromatin 2024; 17:1. [PMID: 38247002 PMCID: PMC10802034 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-024-00525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The functioning of the human immune system is highly dependent on the sex of the individual, which comes by virtue of sex chromosomes and hormonal differences. Epigenetic mechanisms such as X chromosome inactivation, mosaicism, skewing, and dimorphism in X chromosome genes and Y chromosome regulatory genes create a sex-based variance in the immune response between males and females. This leads to differential susceptibility in immune-related disorders like infections, autoimmunity, and malignancies. Various naturally available immunomodulators are also available which target immune pathways containing X chromosome genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sombodhi Bhattacharya
- Biomedical Genetics Research Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Debasmita Sadhukhan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Radha Saraswathy
- Biomedical Genetics Research Lab, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
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5
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Hoffmann JP, Liu JA, Seddu K, Klein SL. Sex hormone signaling and regulation of immune function. Immunity 2023; 56:2472-2491. [PMID: 37967530 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Immune responses to antigens, including innocuous, self, tumor, microbial, and vaccine antigens, differ between males and females. The quest to uncover the mechanisms for biological sex differences in the immune system has intensified, with considerable literature pointing toward sex hormonal influences on immune cell function. Sex steroids, including estrogens, androgens, and progestins, have profound effects on immune function. As such, drastic changes in sex steroid concentrations that occur with aging (e.g., after puberty or during the menopause transition) or pregnancy impact immune responses and the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases. The effect of sex steroids on immunity involves both the concentration of the ligand and the density and distribution of genomic and nongenomic receptors that serve as transcriptional regulators of immune cellular responses to affect autoimmunity, allergy, infectious diseases, cancers, and responses to vaccines. The next frontier will be harnessing these effects of sex steroids to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Hoffmann
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jennifer A Liu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kumba Seddu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sabra L Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Liu X, Yu P, Xu Y, Wang Y, Chen J, Tang F, Hu Z, Zhou J, Liu L, Qiu W, Ye Y, Jia Y, Yao W, Long J, Zeng Z. Metformin induces tolerogenicity of dendritic cells by promoting metabolic reprogramming. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:283. [PMID: 37688662 PMCID: PMC10492886 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04932-3] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) can mediate immune responses or immune tolerance depending on their immunophenotype and functional status. Remodeling of DCs' immune functions can develop proper therapeutic regimens for different immune-mediated diseases. In the immunopathology of autoimmune diseases (ADs), activated DCs notably promote effector T-cell polarization and exacerbate the disease. Recent evidence indicates that metformin can attenuate the clinical symptoms of ADs due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Whether and how the therapeutic effects of metformin on ADs are associated with DCs remain unknown. In this study, metformin was added to a culture system of LPS-induced DC maturation. The results revealed that metformin shifted DC into a tolerant phenotype, resulting in reduced surface expression of MHC-II, costimulatory molecules and CCR7, decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ), increased level of IL-10, upregulated immunomodulatory molecules (ICOSL and PD-L) and an enhanced capacity to promote regulatory T-cell (Treg) differentiation. Further results demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects of metformin in vivo were closely related to remodeling the immunophenotype of DCs. Mechanistically, metformin could mediate the metabolic reprogramming of DCs through FoxO3a signaling pathways, including disturbing the balance of fatty acid synthesis (FAS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO), increasing glycolysis but inhibiting the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC) and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), which resulted in the accumulation of fatty acids (FAs) and lactic acid, as well as low anabolism in DCs. Our findings indicated that metformin could induce tolerance in DCs by reprogramming their metabolic patterns and play anti-inflammatory roles in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianmei Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujun Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuzhou Tang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuquan Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Functions & Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Lina Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Qiu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuannong Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Jia
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijuan Yao
- Hemorheology Center, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinhua Long
- Department of Head & Neck, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhu Zeng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences/School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immunity and Antibody Engineering in Guizhou Province/Engineering Center of Cellular Immunotherapy in Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Functions & Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Doshi B, Athans SR, Woloszynska A. Biological differences underlying sex and gender disparities in bladder cancer: current synopsis and future directions. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:44. [PMID: 37666817 PMCID: PMC10477245 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00489-9] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex and gender disparities in bladder cancer have long been a subject of interest to the cancer research community, wherein men have a 4 times higher incidence rate than women, and female patients often present with higher-grade disease and experience worse outcomes. Despite the known differences in disease incidence and clinical outcomes between male and female bladder cancer patients, clinical management remains the same. In this review, we critically analyze studies that report on the biological differences between men and women and evaluate how these differences contribute to sex and gender disparities in bladder cancer. Distinct characteristics of the male and female immune systems, differences in circulating hormone levels and hormone receptor expression, and different genetic and epigenetic alterations are major biological factors that all likely contribute to disparate incidence rates and outcomes for male and female bladder cancer patients. Future preclinical and clinical studies in this area should employ experimental approaches that account for and consider sex and gender disparities in bladder cancer, thereby facilitating the development of precision medicine for the effective treatment of bladder cancer in all patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavisha Doshi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Sarah R Athans
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Anna Woloszynska
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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8
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He F, Furones AR, Landegren N, Fuxe J, Sarhan D. Sex dimorphism in the tumor microenvironment - From bench to bedside and back. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:166-179. [PMID: 35278635 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cancer represents a significant cause of death and suffering in both the developed and developing countries. Key underlying issues in the mortality of cancer are delayed diagnosis and resistance to treatments. However, improvements in biomarkers represent one important step that can be taken for alleviating the suffering caused by malignancy. Precision-based medicine is promising for revolutionizing diagnostic and treatment strategies for cancer patients worldwide. Contemporary methods, including various omics and systems biology approaches, as well as advanced digital imaging and artificial intelligence, allow more accurate assessment of tumor characteristics at the patient level. As a result, treatment strategies can be specifically tailored and adapted for individual and/or groups of patients that carry certain tumor characteristics. This includes immunotherapy, which is based on characterization of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and, more specifically, the presence and activity of immune cell subsets. Unfortunately, while it is increasingly clear that gender strongly affects immune regulation and response, there is a knowledge gap concerning differences in sex-specific immune responses and how these contribute to the immunosuppressive TME and the response to immunotherapy. In fact, sex dimorphism is poorly understood in cancer progression and is typically ignored in current clinical practice. In this review, we aim to survey the available literature and highlight the existing knowledge gap in order to encourage further studies that would contribute to understanding both gender-biased immunosuppression in the TME and the driver of tumor progression towards invasive and metastatic disease. The review highlights the need to include sex optimized/genderized medicine as a new concept in future medicine cancer diagnostics and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei He
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institute, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Urology, First affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Andrea Rodgers Furones
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institute, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden; Tumor Immunology Department, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Nils Landegren
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 23, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 76, Sweden
| | - Jonas Fuxe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institute, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dhifaf Sarhan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institute, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Terracciano R, Carcamo-Bahena Y, Butler EB, Demarchi D, Grattoni A, Filgueira CS. Hyaluronate-Thiol Passivation Enhances Gold Nanoparticle Peritumoral Distribution When Administered Intratumorally in Lung Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1561. [PMID: 34829790 PMCID: PMC8615404 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofouling is the unwanted adsorption of cells, proteins, or intracellular and extracellular biomolecules that can spontaneously occur on the surface of metal nanocomplexes. It represents a major issue in bioinorganic chemistry because it leads to the creation of a protein corona, which can destabilize a colloidal solution and result in undesired macrophage-driven clearance, consequently causing failed delivery of a targeted drug cargo. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a bioactive, natural mucopolysaccharide with excellent antifouling properties, arising from its hydrophilic and polyanionic characteristics in physiological environments which prevent opsonization. In this study, hyaluronate-thiol (HA-SH) (MW 10 kDa) was used to surface-passivate gold nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesized using a citrate reduction method. HA functionalized GNP complexes (HA-GNPs) were characterized using absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. GNP cellular uptake and potential dose-dependent cytotoxic effects due to treatment were evaluated in vitro in HeLa cells using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and trypan blue and MTT assays. Further, we quantified the in vivo biodistribution of intratumorally injected HA functionalized GNPs in Lewis Lung carcinoma (LLC) solid tumors grown on the flank of C57BL/6 mice and compared localization and retention with nascent particles. Our results reveal that HA-GNPs show overall greater peritumoral distribution (** p < 0.005, 3 days post-intratumoral injection) than citrate-GNPs with reduced biodistribution in off-target organs. This property represents an advantageous step forward in localized delivery of metal nano-complexes to the infiltrative region of a tumor, which may improve the application of nanomedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossana Terracciano
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.T.); (Y.C.-B.); (A.G.)
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy;
| | - Yareli Carcamo-Bahena
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.T.); (Y.C.-B.); (A.G.)
| | - E. Brian Butler
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Danilo Demarchi
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Grattoni
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.T.); (Y.C.-B.); (A.G.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Carly S. Filgueira
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.T.); (Y.C.-B.); (A.G.)
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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10
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Sex-Based Differences in the Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1329:499-533. [PMID: 34664253 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-73119-9_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancers are heterogeneous multifactorial diseases consisting of a major public health issue worldwide. Sex disparities are evidenced in cancer incidence, mortality, expression of prognosis factor, response to treatment, and survival. For both sexes, an interplay of intrinsic and environmental factors influences cancer cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) components. The TME cumulates both supportive and communicative functions, contributing to cancer development, progression, and metastasis dissemination. The frontline topics of this chapter are focused on the contribution of sex, via steroid hormones, such as estrogens and androgens, on the following components of the TME: cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), extracellular matrix (ECM), blood and lymphatic endothelial cells, and immunity/inflammatory system.
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11
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Özdemir BC. Androgen Signaling in the Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1270:169-183. [PMID: 33123999 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-47189-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The key function of mesenchymal/stromal androgen receptor (AR) signaling for prostate development has been well documented by tissue recombination experiments. Some studies have addressed the expression and function of AR in stromal cells in prostate cancer, yet our understanding of the role of stromal AR in other tissues beyond prostate is still insufficient.Genomic analysis has revealed that cellular responses to androgens differ between epithelial and stromal cells. AR in stromal cells seems not to act via classical AR transcription factors such as FOXA1 but rather depends on the JUN/AP1 complex. Stromal AR appears to have tumor-promoting and tumor-protective functions depending on tumor stage. Loss of AR signaling in fibroblasts has been detected already in premalignant lesions in the skin and prostate and has been associated with tumor induction in xenografts of skin cancer and aggressive disease features and poor patient prognosis in prostate cancer. Moreover, AR expression is found on virtually all tissue-infiltrating immune cells and plays critical roles in immune cell function. These findings suggest a potential deleterious impact of current androgen deprivation therapies which inhibit both epithelial and stromal AR, highlighting the need to develop tissue-specific AR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna C Özdemir
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,International Cancer Prevention Institute, Epalinges, Switzerland.
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12
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Becerra-Diaz M, Song M, Heller N. Androgen and Androgen Receptors as Regulators of Monocyte and Macrophage Biology in the Healthy and Diseased Lung. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1698. [PMID: 32849595 PMCID: PMC7426504 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgens, the predominant male sex hormones, drive the development and maintenance of male characteristics by binding to androgen receptor (AR). As androgens are systemically distributed throughout the whole organism, they affect many tissues and cell types in addition to those in male sexual organs. It is now clear that the immune system is a target of androgen action. In the lungs, many immune cells express ARs and are responsive to androgens. In this review, we describe the effects of androgens and ARs on lung myeloid immune cells-monocytes and macrophages-as they relate to health and disease. In particular, we highlight the effect of androgens on lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung fibrosis. We also discuss the therapeutic use of androgens and how circulating androgens correlate with lung disease. In addition to human studies, we also discuss how mouse models have helped to uncover the effect of androgens on monocytes and macrophages in lung disease. Although the role of estrogen and other female hormones has been broadly analyzed in the literature, we focus on the new perspectives of androgens as modulators of the immune system that target myeloid cells during lung inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicola Heller
- Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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13
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Sex and Gender Influences on Cancer Immunotherapy Response. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8070232. [PMID: 32708265 PMCID: PMC7400663 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8070232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The global burden of cancer is growing and a wide disparity in the incidence, malignancy and mortality of different types of cancer between each sex has been demonstrated. The sex specificity of cancer appears to be a relevant issue in the management of the disease, and studies investigating the role of sex and gender are becoming extremely urgent. Sex hormones are presumably the leading actors of sex differences in cancer, especially estrogens. They modulate gene expression, alter molecules and generate disparities in effectiveness and side effects of anticancer therapies. Recently immunotherapy aims to improve anticancer treatment strategies reducing off-target effects of chemotherapy and direct cancer cells killing. It is recognized as a fruitful strategy to treat and possible to cure cancer. Immunotherapeutic agents are used to activate or boost the activation of the immune system to fight cancer cells through physiological mechanisms often evaded in the offensive march of the disease. These therapeutic strategies have allowed new successes, but also have serious adverse effects including non-specific inflammation and autoimmunity. Sex and gender issues are of primary importance in this field, due to their recognized role in inflammation, immunity and cancer, and the clarification and understanding of these aspects is a necessary step to increase the responses and to diminish the adverse effects of immunotherapy. This review describes the available knowledge on the role of sex and gender in cancer immunotherapy, and will offer insights to stimulate the attention and practice of clinicians and researchers in a gender perspective of new cancer treatment strategies.
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14
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Ben-Batalla I, Vargas-Delgado ME, von Amsberg G, Janning M, Loges S. Influence of Androgens on Immunity to Self and Foreign: Effects on Immunity and Cancer. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1184. [PMID: 32714315 PMCID: PMC7346249 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that sex hormones can directly and indirectly influence immune cell function. Different studies support a suppressive role of androgens on different components of the immune system by decreasing antibody production, T cell proliferation, NK cytotoxicity, and stimulating the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Androgen receptors have also been detected in many different cells of hematopoietic origin leading to direct effects of their ligands on the development and function of the immune system. The immunosuppressive properties of androgens could contribute to gender dimorphisms in autoimmune and infectious disease and thereby also hamper immune surveillance of tumors. Consistently, females generally are more prone to autoimmunity, while relatively less susceptible to infections, and have lower incidence and mortality of the majority of cancers compared to males. Some studies show that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can induce expansion of naïve T cells and increase T-cell responses. Emerging clinical data also reveal that ADT might enhance the efficacy of various immunotherapies including immune checkpoint blockade. In this review, we will discuss the potential role of androgens and their receptors in the immune responses in the context of different diseases. A particular focus will be on cancer, highlighting the effect of androgens on immune surveillance, tumor biology and on the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies including emerging immune therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ben-Batalla
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - María Elena Vargas-Delgado
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gunhild von Amsberg
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Martini-Clinic, Prostate Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Janning
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Division of Personalized Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Personalized Oncology, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sonja Loges
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Division of Personalized Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Personalized Oncology, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
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15
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Mao YQ, Liu JF, Han B, Wang LS. Longevity-Associated Forkhead Box O3 (FOXO3) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms are Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Elderly Women. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:2966-2975. [PMID: 31009445 PMCID: PMC6489531 DOI: 10.12659/msm.913788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) gene with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Material/Methods A total of 843 elderly residents from east China were enrolled in this study, which included 426 patients with type 2 diabetes and 417 controls. Four SNPs were analyzed by qPCR. Genotype frequencies of the 4 SNPs in FOXO3 of the patients and controls were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The association between each SNP and clinical indicators was analyzed by linear regression analysis. Results None of the 4 FOXO3 variants, rs13217795, rs2764264, rs2802292, and rs13220810, were associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to controls. However, rs13217795, rs2764264, and rs2802292 were associated with lower blood glucose levels. Notably, further subgroup analysis indicated that the longevity-associated alleles of FOXO3 SNP (rs13217795, rs2764264, and rs2802292) were associated with lower blood glucose levels in women (TC versus TT, −0.724 mmol/L, P=0.005; CC versus TT, −1.093 mmol/L, P=0.03; TC versus TT, −0.801 mmol/L, P=0.002; CC versus TT, −1.212 mmol/L, P=0.001; TG versus TT, −0.754 mmol/L, P=0.004; and GG versus TT, −1.150 mmol/L, P=0.001) but not in men. Conclusions The results indicated that longevity-associated FOXO3 variants were correlated with lower blood glucose levels in elderly women with type 2 diabetes in east China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Qin Mao
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan Univesity, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Jin-Feng Liu
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan Univesity, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Bing Han
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan Univesity, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Li-Shun Wang
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan Univesity, Shanghai, China (mainland)
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16
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Navarro FC, Herrnreiter C, Nowak L, Watkins SK. Estrogen Regulation of T-Cell Function and Its Impact on the Tumor Microenvironment. GENDER AND THE GENOME 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/2470289718801379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies demonstrate significant gender-specific differences in immune system function. Males are more prone to infection and malignancies, while females are more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. These differences are thought to be due to the action of gonadal hormones: Estrogen increases the inflammatory response and testosterone dampens it. More specifically, estrogen stimulation induces inflammatory cytokine production including interferon γ, interleukin (IL) 6, and tumor necrosis factor α, while testosterone induces IL-10, IL-4, and transforming growth factor β. More recent studies demonstrate threshold effects of estrogen stimulation on immune cell function: physiologic doses of estrogen (approximately 0.5 nmol/L) stimulate inflammatory cytokine production, but superphysiologic dosages (above 50 nmol/L) can result in decreased inflammatory cytokine production. This review reports findings concerning the impact of estrogen on CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and the overall immune response in the tumor microenvironment. Variables examined include dosage of hormone, the diversity of immune cells involved, and the nature of the immune response in cancer. Collective review of these points may assist in future hypotheses and studies to determine sex-specific differences in immune responses that may be used as targets in disease prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flor C. Navarro
- Department of Surgery, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Microbiology and Immunology, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Caroline Herrnreiter
- Department of Surgery, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Microbiology and Immunology, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Lauren Nowak
- Department of Surgery, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Microbiology and Immunology, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Stephanie K. Watkins
- Department of Surgery, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Microbiology and Immunology, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track, Oncology Research Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
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17
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Binnewies M, Roberts EW, Kersten K, Chan V, Fearon DF, Merad M, Coussens LM, Gabrilovich DI, Ostrand-Rosenberg S, Hedrick CC, Vonderheide RH, Pittet MJ, Jain RK, Zou W, Howcroft TK, Woodhouse EC, Weinberg RA, Krummel MF. Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) for effective therapy. Nat Med 2018; 24:541-550. [PMID: 29686425 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-018-0014-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3078] [Impact Index Per Article: 513.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The clinical successes in immunotherapy have been both astounding and at the same time unsatisfactory. Countless patients with varied tumor types have seen pronounced clinical response with immunotherapeutic intervention; however, many more patients have experienced minimal or no clinical benefit when provided the same treatment. As technology has advanced, so has the understanding of the complexity and diversity of the immune context of the tumor microenvironment and its influence on response to therapy. It has been possible to identify different subclasses of immune environment that have an influence on tumor initiation and response and therapy; by parsing the unique classes and subclasses of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) that exist within a patient's tumor, the ability to predict and guide immunotherapeutic responsiveness will improve, and new therapeutic targets will be revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Binnewies
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Edward W Roberts
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kelly Kersten
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Chan
- UCSF Immunoprofiler Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Miriam Merad
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lisa M Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Huntsman Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Catherine C Hedrick
- Division of Inflammation Biology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert H Vonderheide
- Department of Medicine, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mikael J Pittet
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rakesh K Jain
- Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Weiping Zou
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matthew F Krummel
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,UCSF Immunoprofiler Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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18
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Capone I, Marchetti P, Ascierto PA, Malorni W, Gabriele L. Sexual Dimorphism of Immune Responses: A New Perspective in Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2018; 9:552. [PMID: 29619026 PMCID: PMC5871673 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, several types of tumors can benefit from the new frontier of immunotherapy, due to the recent increasing knowledge of the role of the immune system in cancer control. Among the new therapeutic strategies, there is the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), able to restore an efficacious antitumor immunity and significantly prolong the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced tumors such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the impressive efficacy of these agents in some patients, treatment failure and resistance are frequently observed. In this regard, the signaling governed by IFN type I (IFN-I) has emerged as pivotal in orchestrating host defense. This pathway displays different activation between sexes, thus potentially contributing to sexual dimorphic differences in the immune responses to immunotherapy. This perspective article aims to critically consider the immune signals, with particular attention to IFN-I, that may differently affect female and male antitumor responses upon immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imerio Capone
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Marchetti
- Department of Oncology, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Ascierto
- Unit of Melanoma, Cancer Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapy, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
| | - Walter Malorni
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Gabriele
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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19
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Capone I, Marchetti P, Ascierto PA, Malorni W, Gabriele L. Sexual Dimorphism of Immune Responses: A New Perspective in Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2018. [PMID: 29619026 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, several types of tumors can benefit from the new frontier of immunotherapy, due to the recent increasing knowledge of the role of the immune system in cancer control. Among the new therapeutic strategies, there is the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), able to restore an efficacious antitumor immunity and significantly prolong the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced tumors such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the impressive efficacy of these agents in some patients, treatment failure and resistance are frequently observed. In this regard, the signaling governed by IFN type I (IFN-I) has emerged as pivotal in orchestrating host defense. This pathway displays different activation between sexes, thus potentially contributing to sexual dimorphic differences in the immune responses to immunotherapy. This perspective article aims to critically consider the immune signals, with particular attention to IFN-I, that may differently affect female and male antitumor responses upon immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imerio Capone
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Marchetti
- Department of Oncology, Sapienza University of Rome, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Ascierto
- Unit of Melanoma, Cancer Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapy, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
| | - Walter Malorni
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Gabriele
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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20
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Navarro FC, Watkins SK. Estrogen Stimulation Differentially Impacts Human Male and Female Antigen-Specific T Cell Anti-Tumor Function and Polyfunctionality. GENDER AND THE GENOME 2017. [DOI: 10.1089/gg.2017.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific differences exist in innate and adaptive immune responses and are mediated by hormone signaling. Estrogen is able to differentially modulate the development and differentiation of immune cells, including T cells. However, the effect of estrogen on T cell function, especially at concentrations other than physiological, remains controversial and incompletely understood. Immunotherapy is one of the most promising cancer treatments to date with a high probability of future enhancements. The adoptive transfer of genetically modified T cells can mediate tumor regression but there are still many hurdles to enhancing the proficiency of this treatment. This study demonstrates for the first time that one major aspect to consider for designing potent immunotherapies for cancer is the impact of the patient's sex. Herein, using two different Ag-specific T cell groups, we investigated the effect of sex and estrogen in antitumor effector responses, T helper cytokine secretion, and, importantly, on T cell whole polyfunctionality important for memory T cell development and survival. Major differences were observed in T cell function and polyfunctionality between sexes and on E2 treatment. The findings of this study may be critical to understand the results of immunotherapy on different patients and for the enhancement of immunotherapy for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flor C. Navarro
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Stephanie K. Watkins
- Department of Surgery, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
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