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Donnenberg VS, Luketich JD, Sultan I, Lister J, Bartlett DL, Ghosh S, Donnenberg AD. A maladaptive pleural environment suppresses preexisting anti-tumor activity of pleural infiltrating T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1157697. [PMID: 37063842 PMCID: PMC10097923 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1157697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Treatment options for patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are limited due, at least in part, to the unique environment of the pleural space, which drives an aggressive tumor state and governs the behavior of infiltrating immune cells. Modulation of the pleural environment may be a necessary step toward the development of effective treatments. We examine immune checkpoint molecule (ICM) expression on pleural T cells, the secretomes of pleural fluid, pleural infiltrating T cells (PIT), and ability to activate PIT ex vivo. Methods ICM expression was determined on freshly drained and in vitro activated PIT from breast, lung and renal cell cancer. Secretomics (63 analytes) of activated PIT, primary tumor cultures and MPE fluid was determined using Luminex technology. Complementary digital spatial proteomic profiling (42 analytes) of CD45+ MPE cells was done using the Nanostring GeoMx platform. Cytolytic activity was measured against autologous tumor targets. Results ICM expression was low on freshy isolated PIT; regulatory T cells (T-reg) were not detectable by GeoMx. In vitro activated PIT coexpressed PD-1, LAG-3 and TIGIT but were highly cytotoxic against autologous tumor and uniquely secreted cytokines and chemokines in the > 100 pM range. These included CCL4, CCL3, granzyme B, IL-13, TNFα, IL-2 IFNγ, GM-CSF, and perforin. Activated PIT also secreted high levels of IL-6, IL-8 and sIL-6Rα, which contribute to polarization of the pleural environment toward wound healing and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Addition of IL-6Rα antagonist to cultures reversed tumor EMT but did not alter PIT activation, cytokine secretion or cytotoxicity. Discussion Despite the negative environment, immune effector cells are plentiful, persist in MPE in a quiescent state, and are easily activated and expanded in culture. Low expression of ICM on native PIT may explain reported lack of responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade. The potent cytotoxic activity of activated PIT and a proof-of-concept clinical scale GMP-expansion experiment support their promise as a cellular therapeutic. We expect that a successful approach will require combining cellular therapy with pleural conditioning using immune checkpoint blockers together with inhibitors of upstream master cytokines such as the IL-6/IL-6R axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera S. Donnenberg
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Centers, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - James D. Luketich
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Centers, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ibrahim Sultan
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - John Lister
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David L. Bartlett
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Sohini Ghosh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Albert D. Donnenberg
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Centers, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Gao T, Yang X, Fujisawa M, Ohara T, Wang T, Tomonobu N, Sakaguchi M, Yoshimura T, Matsukawa A. SPRED2: A Novel Regulator of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Stemness in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054996. [PMID: 36902429 PMCID: PMC10003366 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054996] [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: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The downregulation of SPRED2, a negative regulator of the ERK1/2 pathway, was previously detected in human cancers; however, the biological consequence remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of SPRED2 loss on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell function. Human HCC cell lines, expressing various levels of SPRED2 and SPRED2 knockdown, increased ERK1/2 activation. SPRED2-knockout (KO)-HepG2 cells displayed an elongated spindle shape with increased cell migration/invasion and cadherin switching, with features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). SPRED2-KO cells demonstrated a higher ability to form spheres and colonies, expressed higher levels of stemness markers and were more resistant to cisplatin. Interestingly, SPRED2-KO cells also expressed higher levels of the stem cell surface markers CD44 and CD90. When CD44+CD90+ and CD44-CD90- populations from WT cells were analyzed, a lower level of SPRED2 and higher levels of stem cell markers were detected in CD44+CD90+ cells. Further, endogenous SPRED2 expression decreased when WT cells were cultured in 3D, but was restored in 2D culture. Finally, the levels of SPRED2 in clinical HCC tissues were significantly lower than those in adjacent non-HCC tissues and were negatively associated with progression-free survival. Thus, the downregulation of SPRED2 in HCC promotes EMT and stemness through the activation of the ERK1/2 pathway, and leads to more malignant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Gao
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Fujisawa
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Ohara
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Tianyi Wang
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Nahoko Tomonobu
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Masakiyo Sakaguchi
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Teizo Yoshimura
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Akihiro Matsukawa
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-86-235-7141
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Yu W, Liu F, Lei Q, Wu P, Yang L, Zhang Y. Identification of Key Pathways and Genes Related to Immunotherapy Resistance of LUAD Based on WGCNA Analysis. Front Oncol 2022; 11:814014. [PMID: 35071018 PMCID: PMC8770266 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.814014] [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: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy resistance is a major barrier in the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Although recent studies have found several mechanisms and potential genes responsible for immunotherapy resistance, ways to solve this problem are still lacking. Tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithm is a newly developed method to calculate potential regulators and indicators of ICI resistance. In this article, we combined TIDE and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to screen potential modules and hub genes that are highly associated with immunotherapy resistance using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset of LUAD patients. We identified 45 gene co-expression modules, and the pink module was most correlated with TIDE score and other immunosuppressive features. After considering the potential factors in immunotherapy resistance, we found that the pink module was also highly related to cancer stemness. Further analysis showed enriched immunosuppressive cells in the extracellular matrix (ECM), immunotherapy resistance indicators, and common cancer-related signaling pathways in the pink module. Seven hub genes in the pink module were shown to be significantly upregulated in tumor tissues compared with normal lung tissue, and were related to poor survival of LUAD patients. Among them, THY1 was the gene most associated with TIDE score, a gene highly related to suppressive immune states, and was shown to be strongly expressed in late-stage patients. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results demonstrated that THY1 level was higher in the progressive disease (PD) group of LUAD patients receiving a PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and positively correlated with SOX9. Collectively, we identified that THY1 could be a critical biomarker in predicting ICI efficiency and a potential target for avoiding tumor immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Yu
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fengsen Liu
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qingyang Lei
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Peng Wu
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Li Yang
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Yang J, Zhan XZ, Malola J, Li ZY, Pawar JS, Zhang HT, Zha ZG. The multiple roles of Thy-1 in cell differentiation and regeneration. Differentiation 2020; 113:38-48. [PMID: 32403041 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Thy-1 is a 25-37 kDa glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored cell surface protein that was discovered more than 50 years ago. Recent findings have suggested that Thy-1 is expressed on thymocytes, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cancer stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, endothelial cells, neuronal smooth muscle cells, and pan T cells. Thy-1 plays vital roles in cell migration, adhesion, differentiation, transdifferentiation, apoptosis, mechanotransduction, and cell division, which in turn are involved in tumor development, pulmonary fibrosis, neurite outgrowth, and T cell activation. Studies have increasingly indicated a significant role of Thy-1 in cell differentiation and regeneration. However, despite recent research, many questions remain regarding the roles of Thy-1 in cell differentiation and regeneration. This review aimed to summarize the roles of Thy-1 in cell differentiation and regeneration. Furthermore, since Thy-1 is an outer leaflet membrane protein anchored by GPI, we attempted to address how Thy-1 regulates intracellular pathways through cis and trans signals. Due to the complexity and mystery surrounding the issue, we also summarized the Thy-1-related pathways in different biological processes, and this might provide novel insights in the field of cell differentiation and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Institute of Orthopedic Diseases and Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Zhen Zhan
- Department of Stomatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Jonathan Malola
- College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47906, IN, USA
| | - Zhen-Yan Li
- Institute of Orthopedic Diseases and Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Jogendra Singh Pawar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47906, IN, USA
| | - Huan-Tian Zhang
- Institute of Orthopedic Diseases and Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhen-Gang Zha
- Institute of Orthopedic Diseases and Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China.
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Schildberg FA, Donnenberg VS. Stromal cells in health and disease. Cytometry A 2019; 93:871-875. [PMID: 30256523 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Frank A Schildberg
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Vera S Donnenberg
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Centers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Prognostic impact of microscopic vessel invasion and visceral pleural invasion and their correlations with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stemness, and treatment failure in lung adenocarcinoma. Lung Cancer 2018; 128:13-19. [PMID: 30642445 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Microscopic vessel invasion (MVI) and visceral pleural invasion (VPI) have been recently reported as poor prognostic factors of non-small cell lung cancer. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness (CS) are known malignant phenotypes that induce resistance to cancer therapy. We aimed to assess the prognostic significance of MVI and the correlations among VPI/MVI, EMT, CS, and treatment failure for recurrent tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 2002 to 2013, 1034 consecutive patients with pathological T1-4N0-2M0 lung adenocarcinoma underwent complete resection. Moreover, we established 206 tissue microarray (TMA) samples from 2002 to 2007. We then evaluated the prognostic impact of MVI, including conventional clinicopathological factors, and analyzed the VPI/MVI, EMT, CS, and treatment failure by TMA immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS Among the 1034 cases, the proportion of patients with a 5-year overall survival (OS) period was 63.9% and 88.2% (MVI: +/-; p < .001). Multivariate analysis revealed that both MVI and VPI were independent predictors of OS (HR 1.57 and 1.47, respectively). Significant separation of the OS rate curves was observed among the 3 groups [VPI/MVI: both positive (2), either positive (1), and both negative (0)]. Among the 206 TMA cases, these 3 groups of VPI/MVI were significantly correlated with EMT and CS. The median time to progression after recurrence were 3.8, 8.9, and 15.9 months, respectively (VPI/MVI: 2/1/0; p = 0.016). CONCLUSION MVI and VPI are significant prognostic factors of lung cancer, and they are correlated with EMT, CS, and treatment failure for recurrent tumor.
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Donnenberg VS, Zhang JJ, Moravcikova E, Meyer EM, Lu H, Carson CT, Donnenberg AD. Antibody-based cell-surface proteome profiling of metastatic breast cancer primary explants and cell lines. Cytometry A 2018; 93:448-457. [PMID: 29498809 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Flow cytometric cell surface proteomics provides a new and powerful tool to determine changes accompanying neoplastic transformation and invasion, providing clues to essential interactions with the microenvironment as well as leads for potential therapeutic targets. One of the most important advantages of flow cytometric cell surface proteomics is that it can be performed on living cells that can be sorted for further characterization and functional studies. Here, we document the surface proteome of clonogenic metastatic breast cancer (MBrCa) explants, which was strikingly similar to that of normal mesenchymal stromal cells (P = 0.017, associated with Pearson correlation coefficient) and transformed mammary epithelial cells (P = 0.022). Markers specifically upregulated on MBrCa included CD200 (Ox2), CD51/CD61 (Integrin α5/β3), CD26 (dipeptidyl peptidase-4), CD165 (c-Cbl), and CD54 (ICAM-1). Proteins progressively upregulated in a model of neoplastic transformation and invasion included CD26, CD63 (LAMP3), CD105 (Endoglin), CD107a (LAMP1), CD108 (Semaphorin 7A), CD109 (Integrin β4), CD151 (Raph blood group), and disialoganglioside G2. The proteome of the commonly used cell lines MDA-MB-231, MCF7, and BT-474 were uncorrelated with that of MBrCa (P = 1.0, 1.0, 0.9, respectively). The comparison has demonstrated the mesenchymal nature of clonogenic cells isolated by short-term culture of metastatic breast cancer, provided several leads for biomarkers and potential targets for anti-invasive therapy, including CD200, and highlighted the limitations of breast cancer cell lines for representing the cell surface biology of breast cancer. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera S Donnenberg
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.,University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jayce Jieming Zhang
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha City, China
| | - Erika Moravcikova
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - Haihui Lu
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Albert D Donnenberg
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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