1
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Azimi M, Cho S, Bozkurt E, McDonough E, Kisakol B, Matveeva A, Salvucci M, Dussmann H, McDade S, Firat C, Urganci N, Shia J, Longley DB, Ginty F, Prehn JH. Spatial effects of infiltrating T cells on neighbouring cancer cells and prognosis in stage III CRC patients. J Pathol 2024. [PMID: 39092716 DOI: 10.1002/path.6327] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers, but prognostic biomarkers identifying patients at risk of recurrence are still lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate in more detail the spatial relationship between intratumoural T cells, cancer cells, and cancer cell hallmarks as prognostic biomarkers in stage III colorectal cancer patients. We conducted multiplexed imaging of 56 protein markers at single-cell resolution on resected fixed tissue from stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy. Images underwent segmentation for tumour, stroma, and immune cells, and cancer cell 'state' protein marker expression was quantified at a cellular level. We developed a Python package for estimation of spatial proximity, nearest neighbour analysis focusing on cancer cell-T-cell interactions at single-cell level. In our discovery cohort (Memorial Sloan Kettering samples), we processed 462 core samples (total number of cells: 1,669,228) from 221 adjuvant 5FU-treated stage III patients. The validation cohort (Huntsville Clearview Cancer Center samples) consisted of 272 samples (total number of cells: 853,398) from 98 stage III CRC patients. While there were trends for an association between the percentage of cytotoxic T cells (across the whole cancer core), it did not reach significance (discovery cohort: p = 0.07; validation cohort: p = 0.19). We next utilised our region-based nearest neighbour approach to determine the spatial relationships between cytotoxic T cells, helper T cells, and cancer cell clusters. In both cohorts, we found that shorter distance between cytotoxic T cells, T helper cells, and cancer cells was significantly associated with increased disease-free survival. An unsupervised trained model that clustered patients based on the median distance between immune cells and cancer cells, as well as protein expression profiles, successfully classified patients into low-risk and high-risk groups (discovery cohort: p = 0.01; validation cohort: p = 0.003). © 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadreza Azimi
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sanghee Cho
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center (formerly GE Research Center), Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Emir Bozkurt
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth McDonough
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center (formerly GE Research Center), Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Batuhan Kisakol
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anna Matveeva
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Manuela Salvucci
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Heiko Dussmann
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Simon McDade
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Canan Firat
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nil Urganci
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jinru Shia
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel B Longley
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Fiona Ginty
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center (formerly GE Research Center), Niskayuna, NY, USA
| | - Jochen Hm Prehn
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
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2
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Azimi M, Cho S, Bozkurt E, McDonough E, Kisakol B, Matveeva A, Salvucci M, Dussmann H, McDade S, Firat C, Urganci N, Shia J, Longley DB, Ginty F, Prehn JHM. Spatial Effects of Infiltrating T cells on Neighbouring Cancer Cells and Prognosis in Stage III CRC patients. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.577720. [PMID: 38352309 PMCID: PMC10862776 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.577720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers, but prognostic biomarkers identifying patients at risk of recurrence are still lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate in more detail the spatial relationship between intratumoural T cells, cancer cells, and cancer cell hallmarks, as prognostic biomarkers in stage III colorectal cancer patients. We conducted multiplexed imaging of 56 protein markers at single cell resolution on resected fixed tissue from stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Images underwent segmentation for tumour, stroma and immune cells, and cancer cell 'state' protein marker expression was quantified at a cellular level. We developed a Python package for estimation of spatial proximity, nearest neighbour analysis focusing on cancer cell - T cell interactions at single-cell level. In our discovery cohort (MSK), we processed 462 core samples (total number of cells: 1,669,228) from 221 adjuvant 5FU-treated stage III patients. The validation cohort (HV) consisted of 272 samples (total number of cells: 853,398) from 98 stage III CRC patients. While there were trends for an association between percentage of cytotoxic T cells (across the whole cancer core), it did not reach significance (Discovery cohort: p = 0.07, Validation cohort: p = 0.19). We next utilized our region-based nearest neighbourhood approach to determine the spatial relationships between cytotoxic T cells, helper T cells and cancer cell clusters. In the both cohorts, we found that lower distance between cytotoxic T cells, T helper cells and cancer cells was significantly associated with increased disease-free survival. An unsupervised trained model that clustered patients based on the median distance between immune cells and cancer cells, as well as protein expression profiles, successfully classified patients into low-risk and high-risk groups (Discovery cohort: p = 0.01, Validation cohort: p = 0.003).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadreza Azimi
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Sanghee Cho
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center, Niskayuna, NY, 12309, USA (formerly GE Research Center)
| | - Emir Bozkurt
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth McDonough
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center, Niskayuna, NY, 12309, USA (formerly GE Research Center)
| | - Batuhan Kisakol
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Anna Matveeva
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Manuela Salvucci
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Heiko Dussmann
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Simon McDade
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, Northern Ireland, UK
| | | | | | - Jinru Shia
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, NY
| | - Daniel B Longley
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Fiona Ginty
- GE HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center, Niskayuna, NY, 12309, USA (formerly GE Research Center)
| | - Jochen H M Prehn
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland
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3
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Deng D, Hao T, Lu L, Yang M, Zeng Z, Lovell JF, Liu Y, Jin H. Applications of Intravital Imaging in Cancer Immunotherapy. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:264. [PMID: 38534538 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11030264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, immunotherapy is one of the most effective treatment strategies for cancer. However, the efficacy of any specific anti-tumor immunotherapy can vary based on the dynamic characteristics of immune cells, such as their rate of migration and cell-to-cell interactions. Therefore, understanding the dynamics among cells involved in the immune response can inform the optimization and improvement of existing immunotherapy strategies. In vivo imaging technologies use optical microscopy techniques to visualize the movement and behavior of cells in vivo, including cells involved in the immune response, thereby showing great potential for application in the field of cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we briefly introduce the technical aspects required for in vivo imaging, such as fluorescent protein labeling, the construction of transgenic mice, and various window chamber models. Then, we discuss the elucidation of new phenomena and mechanisms relating to tumor immunotherapy that has been made possible by the application of in vivo imaging technology. Specifically, in vivo imaging has supported the characterization of the movement of T cells during immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and the kinetic analysis of dendritic cell migration in tumor vaccine therapy. Finally, we provide a perspective on the challenges and future research directions for the use of in vivo imaging technology in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deqiang Deng
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tianli Hao
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lisen Lu
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Muyang Yang
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhen Zeng
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jonathan F Lovell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Yushuai Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Honglin Jin
- College of Biomedicine and Health and College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Mittermüller D, Otto L, Long Z, Kraus A, Beer A, Hasenberg A, Zelinskyy G, Westmeier J, Hasenkrug KJ, Dittmer U, Gunzer M. Regulatory T cells suppress the motility of cytotoxic T cells in Friend retrovirus-infected mice. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e167482. [PMID: 37427590 PMCID: PMC10371334 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.167482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Antiviral immunity often requires CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that actively migrate and search for virus-infected targets. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to suppress CTL responses, but it is not known whether this is also mediated by effects on CTL motility. Here, we used intravital 2-photon microscopy in the Friend retrovirus (FV) mouse model to define the impact of Tregs on CTL motility throughout the course of acute infection. Virus-specific CTLs were very motile and had frequent short contacts with target cells at their peak cytotoxic activity. However, when Tregs were activated and expanded in late-acute FV infection, CTLs became significantly less motile and contacts with target cells were prolonged. This phenotype was associated with development of functional CTL exhaustion. Tregs had direct contacts with CTLs in vivo and, importantly, their experimental depletion restored CTL motility. Our findings identify an effect of Tregs on CTL motility as part of their mechanism of functional impairment in chronic viral infections. Future studies must address the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Mittermüller
- Institute for Virology and
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Lucas Otto
- Institute for Virology and
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Zoë Long
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kraus
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alexander Beer
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Anja Hasenberg
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | | | - Kim J Hasenkrug
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Ulf Dittmer
- Institute for Virology and
- Institute for Translational HIV Research, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Matthias Gunzer
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute for Analytical Sciences ISAS-e.V., Dortmund, Germany
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5
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Almagro J, Messal HA. Volume imaging to interrogate cancer cell-tumor microenvironment interactions in space and time. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1176594. [PMID: 37261345 PMCID: PMC10228654 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1176594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Volume imaging visualizes the three-dimensional (3D) complexity of tumors to unravel the dynamic crosstalk between cancer cells and the heterogeneous landscape of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tissue clearing and intravital microscopy (IVM) constitute rapidly progressing technologies to study the architectural context of such interactions. Tissue clearing enables high-resolution imaging of large samples, allowing for the characterization of entire tumors and even organs and organisms with tumors. With IVM, the dynamic engagement between cancer cells and the TME can be visualized in 3D over time, allowing for acquisition of 4D data. Together, tissue clearing and IVM have been critical in the examination of cancer-TME interactions and have drastically advanced our knowledge in fundamental cancer research and clinical oncology. This review provides an overview of the current technical repertoire of fluorescence volume imaging technologies to study cancer and the TME, and discusses how their recent applications have been utilized to advance our fundamental understanding of tumor architecture, stromal and immune infiltration, vascularization and innervation, and to explore avenues for immunotherapy and optimized chemotherapy delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Almagro
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hendrik A. Messal
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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6
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Zhen W, Weichselbaum RR, Lin W. Nanoparticle-Mediated Radiotherapy Remodels the Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Antitumor Efficacy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2206370. [PMID: 36524978 PMCID: PMC10213153 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202206370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) uses ionizing radiation to eradicate localized tumors and, in rare cases, control tumors outside of the irradiated fields via stimulating an antitumor immune response (abscopal effect). However, the therapeutic effect of RT is often limited by inherent physiological barriers of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as hypoxia, abnormal vasculature, dense extracellular matrix (ECM), and an immunosuppressive TME. Thus, it is critical to develop new RT strategies that can remodel the TME to overcome radio-resistance and immune suppression. In the past decade, high-Z-element nanoparticles have been developed to increase radiotherapeutic indices of localized tumors by reducing X-ray doses and side effects to normal tissues and enhance abscopal effects by activating the TME to elicit systemic antitumor immunity. In this review, the principles of RT and radiosensitization, the mechanisms of radio-resistance and immune suppression, and the use of various nanoparticles to sensitize RT and remodel TMEs for enhanced antitumor efficacy are discussed. The challenges in clinical translation of multifunctional TME-remodeling nanoradiosensitizers are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyao Zhen
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, and the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Ralph R Weichselbaum
- Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology and the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Wenbin Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, and the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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7
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The mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cell: an emerging driver of therapy cross-resistance. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:7. [PMID: 36774337 PMCID: PMC9922263 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00452-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of the most aggressive human cancers. Targeted therapies (TT) against BRAF mutated melanoma and immune checkpoints blockade therapies (ICB) have been a breakthrough in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, therapy-driven resistance remains a major hurdle in the clinical management of the metastatic disease. Besides shaping the tumor microenvironment, current treatments impact transition states to promote melanoma cell phenotypic plasticity and intratumor heterogeneity, which compromise treatment efficacy and clinical outcomes. In this context, mesenchymal-like dedifferentiated melanoma cells exhibit a remarkable ability to autonomously assemble their own extracellular matrix (ECM) and to biomechanically adapt in response to therapeutic insults, thereby fueling tumor relapse. Here, we review recent studies that highlight mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cells as a hallmark of adaptive and non-genetic resistance to treatment and emerging driver in cross-resistance to TT and ICB. We also discuss how targeting BRAF-mutant dedifferentiated cells and ECM-based mechanotransduction pathways may overcome melanoma cross-resistance.
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8
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Espie D, Donnadieu E. CAR T-cell behavior and function revealed by real-time imaging. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:229-239. [PMID: 36688965 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-023-00983-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T-cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) has shown remarkable clinical efficacy against advanced B-cell malignancies. Nonetheless, the field of CAR T-cells is currently facing several major challenges. In particular, the CAR T-cell strategy has not yet produced favorable clinical responses when targeting solid tumors. In this context, it is of paramount importance to understand the determinants that limit the efficacy of T-cell-based immunotherapy. Characterization of CAR T-cells is usually based on flow cytometry and whole-transcriptome profiling. These approaches have been very valuable to determine intrinsic elements that condition T-cell ability to proliferate and expand. However, they do not take into account spatial and kinetic aspects of T-cell responses. In particular, in order to control tumor growth, CAR T-cells need to enter into the tumor, migrate within a complex tumor environment, and form productive conjugates with their targets. Advanced imaging techniques combined with innovative preclinical models represent promising tools to uncover the dynamics of CAR T-cells. In this review, we will discuss recent results on the biology of engineered T-cells that have been obtained with real-time imaging microscopy. Important notions have emerged from these imaging-based studies, such as the multi-killing potential of CAR T-cells. Finally, we will highlight how imaging techniques combined with other tools can solve remaining unresolved questions in the field of engineered T-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Espie
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, 22 rue Méchain, F-75014, Paris, France.,Invectys, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Donnadieu
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, 22 rue Méchain, F-75014, Paris, France.
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9
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Michaelides S, Obeck H, Kechur D, Endres S, Kobold S. Migratory Engineering of T Cells for Cancer Therapy. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1845. [PMID: 36366354 PMCID: PMC9692862 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in particular represents an adaptive, yet versatile strategy for cancer treatment. Convincing results in the treatment of hematological malignancies have led to FDA approval for several CAR T cell therapies in defined refractory diseases. In contrast, the treatment of solid tumors with adoptively transferred T cells has not demonstrated convincing efficacy in clinical trials. One of the main reasons for ACT failure in solid tumors is poor trafficking or access of transferred T cells to the tumor site. Tumors employ a variety of mechanisms shielding themselves from immune cell infiltrates, often translating to only fractions of transferred T cells reaching the tumor site. To overcome this bottleneck, extensive efforts are being undertaken at engineering T cells to improve ACT access to solid tumors. In this review, we provide an overview of the immune cell infiltrate in human tumors and the mechanisms tumors employ toward immune exclusion. We will discuss ways in which T cells can be engineered to circumvent these barriers. We give an outlook on ongoing clinical trials targeting immune cell migration to improve ACT and its perspective in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Michaelides
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Hannah Obeck
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Daryna Kechur
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Endres
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Pettenkoferstrasse 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich, Lindwurmstrasse 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Pettenkoferstrasse 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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10
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Yu L, Jin Y, Song M, Zhao Y, Zhang H. When Natural Compounds Meet Nanotechnology: Nature-Inspired Nanomedicines for Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14081589. [PMID: 36015215 PMCID: PMC9412684 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent significant strides of natural compounds in immunomodulation have highlighted their great potential against cancer. Despite many attempts being made for cancer immunotherapy, the biomedical application of natural compounds encounters a bottleneck because of their unclear mechanisms, low solubility and bioavailability, and limited efficacy. Herein, we summarize the immune regulatory mechanisms of different natural compounds at each step of the cancer-immunity cycle and highlight their anti-tumor potential and current limitations. We then propose and present various drug delivery strategies based on nanotechnology, including traditional nanoparticles (NPs)-based delivery strategies (lipid-based NPs, micelles, and polysaccharide/peptide/protein-based NPs) and novel delivery strategies (cell-derived NPs and carrier-free NPs), thus providing solutions to break through existing bottlenecks. Furthermore, representative applications of nature-inspired nanomedicines are also emphasized in detail with the advantages and disadvantages discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospects of natural compounds for cancer immunotherapy are provided, hopefully, to facilitate their far-reaching development toward clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linna Yu
- People’s Hospital of Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Minority Autonomous Prefecture, Xingyi 562400, China;
| | - Yi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (Y.J.); (M.S.)
| | - Mingjie Song
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (Y.J.); (M.S.)
| | - Yu Zhao
- People’s Hospital of Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Minority Autonomous Prefecture, Xingyi 562400, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Huaqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education), State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (Y.J.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (H.Z.)
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11
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Immune Checkpoint Proteins, Metabolism and Adhesion Molecules: Overlooked Determinants of CAR T-Cell Migration? Cells 2022; 11:cells11111854. [PMID: 35681548 PMCID: PMC9180731 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T cells genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) has demonstrated striking efficacy for the treatment of several hematological malignancies, including B-cell lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. However, many patients still do not respond to this therapy or eventually relapse after an initial remission. In most solid tumors for which CAR T-cell therapy has been tested, efficacy has been very limited. In this context, it is of paramount importance to understand the mechanisms of tumor resistance to CAR T cells. Possible factors contributing to such resistance have been identified, including inherent CAR T-cell dysfunction, the presence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and tumor-intrinsic factors. To control tumor growth, CAR T cells have to migrate actively enabling a productive conjugate with their targets. To date, many cells and factors contained within the tumor microenvironment have been reported to negatively control the migration of T cells and their ability to reach cancer cells. Recent evidence suggests that additional determinants, such as immune checkpoint proteins, cellular metabolism, and adhesion molecules, may modulate the motility of CAR T cells in tumors. Here, we review the potential impact of these determinants on CAR T-cell motility, and we discuss possible strategies to restore intratumoral T-cell migration with a special emphasis on approaches targeting these determinants.
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12
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High resolution microfluidic assay and probabilistic modeling reveal cooperation between T cells in tumor killing. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3111. [PMID: 35661707 PMCID: PMC9166723 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30575-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic T cells are important components of natural anti-tumor immunity and are harnessed in tumor immunotherapies. Immune responses to tumors and immune therapy outcomes largely vary among individuals, but very few studies examine the contribution of intrinsic behavior of the T cells to this heterogeneity. Here we show the development of a microfluidic-based in vitro method to track the outcome of antigen-specific T cell activity on many individual cancer spheroids simultaneously at high spatiotemporal resolution, which we call Multiscale Immuno-Oncology on-Chip System (MIOCS). By combining parallel measurements of T cell behaviors and tumor fates with probabilistic modeling, we establish that the first recruited T cells initiate a positive feedback loop to accelerate further recruitment to the spheroid. We also provide evidence that cooperation between T cells on the spheroid during the killing phase facilitates tumor destruction. Thus, we propose that both T cell accumulation and killing function rely on collective behaviors rather than simply reflecting the sum of individual T cell activities, and the possibility to track many replicates of immune cell-tumor interactions with the level of detail our system provides may contribute to our understanding of immune response heterogeneity. Anti-cancer cytotoxic T cell responses largely vary among individuals. Here authors show, by stochastic modeling on high throughput T cell behavior and matched tumor spheroid fate data generated by a microfluidics system, that tumor killing is dependent on T cell cooperativity, which might contribute to the heterogeneity of T cell responses.
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13
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van Genugten EAJ, Weijers JAM, Heskamp S, Kneilling M, van den Heuvel MM, Piet B, Bussink J, Hendriks LEL, Aarntzen EHJG. Imaging the Rewired Metabolism in Lung Cancer in Relation to Immune Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 11:786089. [PMID: 35070990 PMCID: PMC8779734 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.786089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Alterations in the micro-environmental metabolic characteristics are recognized as important tools for cancer cells to interact with the resident and infiltrating T-cells within this tumor microenvironment. Cancer-induced metabolic changes in the micro-environment also affect treatment outcomes. In particular, immune therapy efficacy might be blunted because of somatic mutation-driven metabolic determinants of lung cancer such as acidity and oxygenation status. Based on these observations, new onco-immunological treatment strategies increasingly include drugs that interfere with metabolic pathways that consequently affect the composition of the lung cancer tumor microenvironment (TME). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has developed a wide array of tracers targeting metabolic pathways, originally intended to improve cancer detection and staging. Paralleling the developments in understanding metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, as well as its effects on stromal, immune, and endothelial cells, a wave of studies with additional imaging tracers has been published. These tracers are yet underexploited in the perspective of immune therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of currently available PET tracers for clinical studies and discuss their potential roles in the development of effective immune therapeutic strategies, with a focus on lung cancer. We report on ongoing efforts that include PET/CT to understand the outcomes of interactions between cancer cells and T-cells in the lung cancer microenvironment, and we identify areas of research which are yet unchartered. Thereby, we aim to provide a starting point for molecular imaging driven studies to understand and exploit metabolic features of lung cancer to optimize immune therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien A J van Genugten
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jetty A M Weijers
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sandra Heskamp
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Manfred Kneilling
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Berber Piet
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Johan Bussink
- Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboudumc, Netherlands
| | - Lizza E L Hendriks
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, GROW - School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC), Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Erik H J G Aarntzen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
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14
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Safarzadeh Kozani P, Safarzadeh Kozani P, Rahbarizadeh F. Addressing the obstacles of CAR T cell migration in solid tumors: wishing a heavy traffic. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:1079-1098. [PMID: 34957875 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1988509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has been recognized as one of the most prosperous treatment options against certain blood-based malignancies. However, the same clinical and commercial success have been out of range in the case of solid tumors. The main contributing factor in this regard is the hostile environment the tumor cells impose that results in the exhaustion of immune effector cells alongside the abrogation of their infiltration capacity. The discovery of the underlying mechanisms and the development of reliable counterstrategies to overcome the inaccessibility of CAR-Ts to their target cells might correlate with encouraging clinical outcomes in advanced solid tumors. Here, we highlight the successive physical and metabolic barriers that systemically administered CAR-Ts face on their journey toward their target cells. Moreover, we propose meticulously-devised countertactics and combination therapies that can be applied to maximize the therapeutic benefits of CAR-T therapies against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooria Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pouya Safarzadeh Kozani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Medical Biotechnology Research Center, School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rahbarizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.,Research and Development Center of Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Therapeutic targeting of the hypoxic tumour microenvironment. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2021; 18:751-772. [PMID: 34326502 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-021-00539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia is prevalent in human tumours and contributes to microenvironments that shape cancer evolution and adversely affect therapeutic outcomes. Historically, two different tumour microenvironment (TME) research communities have been discernible. One has focused on physicochemical gradients of oxygen, pH and nutrients in the tumour interstitium, motivated in part by the barrier that hypoxia poses to effective radiotherapy. The other has focused on cellular interactions involving tumour and non-tumour cells within the TME. Over the past decade, strong links have been established between these two themes, providing new insights into fundamental aspects of tumour biology and presenting new strategies for addressing the effects of hypoxia and other microenvironmental features that arise from the inefficient microvascular system in solid tumours. This Review provides a perspective on advances at the interface between these two aspects of the TME, with a focus on translational therapeutic opportunities relating to the elimination and/or exploitation of tumour hypoxia.
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16
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Chen M, Chen R, Jin Y, Li J, Hu X, Zhang J, Fujimoto J, Hubert SM, Gay CM, Zhu B, Tian Y, McGranahan N, Lee WC, George J, Hu X, Chen Y, Wu M, Behrens C, Chow CW, Pham HHN, Fukuoka J, Wu J, Parra ER, Little LD, Gumbs C, Song X, Wu CJ, Diao L, Wang Q, Cardnell R, Zhang J, Wang J, Le X, Gibbons DL, Heymach JV, Jack Lee J, William WN, Cheng C, Glisson B, Wistuba I, Andrew Futreal P, Thomas RK, Reuben A, Byers LA, Zhang J. Cold and heterogeneous T cell repertoire is associated with copy number aberrations and loss of immune genes in small-cell lung cancer. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6655. [PMID: 34789716 PMCID: PMC8599854 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26821-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is speculated to harbor complex genomic intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) associated with high recurrence rate and suboptimal response to immunotherapy. Here, using multi-region whole exome/T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing as well as immunohistochemistry, we reveal a rather homogeneous mutational landscape but extremely cold and heterogeneous TCR repertoire in limited-stage SCLC tumors (LS-SCLCs). Compared to localized non-small cell lung cancers, LS-SCLCs have similar predicted neoantigen burden and genomic ITH, but significantly colder and more heterogeneous TCR repertoire associated with higher chromosomal copy number aberration (CNA) burden. Furthermore, copy number loss of IFN-γ pathway genes is frequently observed and positively correlates with CNA burden. Higher mutational burden, higher T cell infiltration and positive PD-L1 expression are associated with longer overall survival (OS), while higher CNA burden is associated with shorter OS in patients with LS-SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, China. .,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China. .,Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China. .,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China.
| | - Runzhe Chen
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060 China ,grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA ,grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Ying Jin
- grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China
| | - Jun Li
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Xin Hu
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Jiexin Zhang
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Junya Fujimoto
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Shawna M. Hubert
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA ,grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Carl M. Gay
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Bo Zhu
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA ,grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Yanhua Tian
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA ,grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Nicholas McGranahan
- grid.11485.390000 0004 0422 0975Cancer Research United Kingdom-University College London Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, London, WC1E6BT UK
| | - Won-Chul Lee
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Julie George
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777Department of Translational Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, 50931 Germany ,grid.411097.a0000 0000 8852 305XDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Xiao Hu
- grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China
| | - Yamei Chen
- grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China
| | - Meijuan Wu
- grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China ,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022 China
| | - Carmen Behrens
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Chi-Wan Chow
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Hoa H. N. Pham
- grid.174567.60000 0000 8902 2273Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Junya Fukuoka
- grid.174567.60000 0000 8902 2273Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jia Wu
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Image Physics, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Edwin Roger Parra
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Latasha D. Little
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Curtis Gumbs
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Xingzhi Song
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Chang-Jiun Wu
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Lixia Diao
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Qi Wang
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Robert Cardnell
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Jing Wang
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Xiuning Le
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Don L. Gibbons
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - John V. Heymach
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - J. Jack Lee
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Biostatistics, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - William N. William
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- grid.39382.330000 0001 2160 926XInstitute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Bonnie Glisson
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Ignacio Wistuba
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - P. Andrew Futreal
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Roman K. Thomas
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777Department of Translational Genomics, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, 50931 Germany ,grid.411097.a0000 0000 8852 305XDepartment of Pathology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, 50931 Germany ,grid.7497.d0000 0004 0492 0584DKFZ, German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, 69115 Germany
| | - Alexandre Reuben
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
| | - Lauren A. Byers
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030 USA
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA. .,Department of Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.
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17
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Nicolas-Boluda A, Vaquero J, Vimeux L, Guilbert T, Barrin S, Kantari-Mimoun C, Ponzo M, Renault G, Deptula P, Pogoda K, Bucki R, Cascone I, Courty J, Fouassier L, Gazeau F, Donnadieu E. Tumor stiffening reversion through collagen crosslinking inhibition improves T cell migration and anti-PD-1 treatment. eLife 2021; 10:58688. [PMID: 34106045 PMCID: PMC8203293 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Only a fraction of cancer patients benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors. This may be partly due to the dense extracellular matrix (ECM) that forms a barrier for T cells. Comparing five preclinical mouse tumor models with heterogeneous tumor microenvironments, we aimed to relate the rate of tumor stiffening with the remodeling of ECM architecture and to determine how these features affect intratumoral T cell migration. An ECM-targeted strategy, based on the inhibition of lysyl oxidase, was used. In vivo stiffness measurements were found to be strongly correlated with tumor growth and ECM crosslinking but negatively correlated with T cell migration. Interfering with collagen stabilization reduces ECM content and tumor stiffness leading to improved T cell migration and increased efficacy of anti-PD-1 blockade. This study highlights the rationale of mechanical characterizations in solid tumors to understand resistance to immunotherapy and of combining treatment strategies targeting the ECM with anti-PD-1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Nicolas-Boluda
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France.,Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Javier Vaquero
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France.,TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.,LPP (Laboratoire de physique des plasmas, UMR 7648), Sorbonne Université, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France.,Oncology Program, CIBEREHD, National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lene Vimeux
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Guilbert
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Barrin
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Chahrazade Kantari-Mimoun
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Matteo Ponzo
- CNRS ERL 9215, CRRET laboratory, University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), Paris, France
| | - Gilles Renault
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Piotr Deptula
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Pogoda
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Robert Bucki
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Ilaria Cascone
- CNRS ERL 9215, CRRET laboratory, University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), Paris, France
| | - José Courty
- CNRS ERL 9215, CRRET laboratory, University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), Paris, France
| | - Laura Fouassier
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
| | - Florence Gazeau
- Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Donnadieu
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016/CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
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18
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Hypoxia and Extracellular Acidification as Drivers of Melanoma Progression and Drug Resistance. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040862. [PMID: 33918883 PMCID: PMC8070386 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia and elevated extracellular acidification are prevalent features of solid tumors and they are often shown to facilitate cancer progression and drug resistance. In this review, we have compiled recent and most relevant research pertaining to the role of hypoxia and acidification in melanoma growth, invasiveness, and response to therapy. Melanoma represents a highly aggressive and heterogeneous type of skin cancer. Currently employed treatments, including BRAF V600E inhibitors and immune therapy, often are not effective due to a rapidly developing drug resistance. A variety of intracellular mechanisms impeding the treatment were discovered. However, the tumor microenvironment encompassing stromal and immune cells, extracellular matrix, and physicochemical conditions such as oxygen level or acidity, may also influence the therapy effectiveness. Hypoxia and acidification are able to reprogram the metabolism of melanoma cells, enhance their survival and invasiveness, as well as promote the immunosuppressive environment. For this reason, these physicochemical features of the melanoma niche and signaling pathways related to them emerge as potential therapeutic targets.
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19
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Donnadieu E, Dupré L, Pinho LG, Cotta-de-Almeida V. Surmounting the obstacles that impede effective CAR T cell trafficking to solid tumors. J Leukoc Biol 2020; 108:1067-1079. [PMID: 32620049 PMCID: PMC7586996 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.1mr0520-746r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Innovative immunotherapies based on immune checkpoint targeting antibodies and engineered T cells are transforming the way we approach cancer treatment. However, although these T cell centered strategies result in marked and durable responses in patients across many different tumor types, they provide therapeutic efficacy only in a proportion of patients. A major challenge of immuno‐oncology is thereby to identify mechanisms responsible for resistance to cancer immunotherapy in order to overcome them via adapted strategies that will ultimately improve intrinsic efficacy and response rates. Here, we focus on the barriers that restrain the trafficking of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐expressing T cells to solid tumors. Upon infusion, CAR T cells need to home into malignant sites, navigate within complex tumor environments, form productive interactions with cancer cells, deliver their cytotoxic activities, and finally persist. We review the accumulating evidence that the microenvironment of solid tumors contains multiple obstacles that hinder CAR T cells in the dynamic steps underlying their trafficking. We focus on how these hurdles may in part account for the failure of CAR T cell clinical trials in human carcinomas. Given the engineered nature of CAR T cells and possibilities to modify the tumor environment, there are ample opportunities to augment CAR T cell ability to efficiently find and combat tumors. We present some of these strategies, which represent a dynamic field of research with high potential for clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Donnadieu
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, U1016, CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France
| | - Loïc Dupré
- INSERM, UMR1043, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, Toulouse, France.,CNRS, UMR5282, Toulouse, France.,Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Lia Gonçalves Pinho
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Cotta-de-Almeida
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Abstract
Tumor microenvironment is a network of complex cellular and molecular systems where cells will gain specific phenotypes and specific functions that would drive tumorigenesis. In skin cancers, tumor microenvironment is characterized by tumor infiltrating immune cells that sustain immune suppression, mainly lymphocytes. Melanoma cellular heterogeneity can be described on genetic, proteomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic levels. Melanoma cells display a metabolic reprogramming triggered by both genetic alterations and adaptation to a microenvironment that lacks nutrients and oxygen supply. Tumor cells present clear metabolic adaptations and identifying deregulated glycolysis pathway could offer new therapy targets. Moreover, the immune cells (T lymphocytes, macrophages, NK cells, neutrophils and so on) that infiltrate melanoma tumors have metabolic particularities that, upon interaction within tumor microenvironment, would favor tumorigenesis. Analyzing both tumor cell metabolism and the metabolic outline of immune cells can offer innovative insights in new therapy targets and cancer therapeutical approaches. In addition to already approved immune- and targeted therapy in melanoma, approaching metabolic check-points could improve therapy efficacy and hinder resistance to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Neagu
- Immunology Department, "Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.,Pathology Department, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.,Faculty of Biology, Doctoral School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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21
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Liu A, Curran MA. Tumor hypermetabolism confers resistance to immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 65:155-163. [PMID: 31982512 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Advances in our understanding of tumor immune biology and development of cancer immunotherapies have led to improved outcomes for patients that suffer from aggressive cancers such as metastatic melanoma. Despite these advances, a significant proportion of patients still fail to benefit, and as a result, attention has shifted to understanding how cancer cells escape immune destruction. Of particular interest is the metabolic landscape of the tumor microenvironment, as recent studies have demonstrated how both competition for essential nutrients and depletion of specific amino acids can promote T cell dysfunction. Here, we will discuss the major energetic pathways engaged by both T cells and cancer cells, metabolic substrates present in the tumor microenvironment, and emerging therapeutic strategies that seek to improve T cell metabolic fitness and bolster the antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Liu
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Michael A Curran
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77054, USA.
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