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Qi Y, Huang X, Ji C, Wang C, Yao Y. The co-inhibitory immune checkpoint proteins B7-H1(PD-L1) and B7-H4 in high grade glioma: From bench to bedside. Transl Oncol 2024; 39:101793. [PMID: 37844479 PMCID: PMC10587763 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101793] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-inhibitory immune checkpoints play a crucial role in tumor progression, and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor has been a breakthrough for treating multiple refractory tumors in last decade. Nevertheless, results of several phase III clinical trials of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor are unsatisfactory in high grade gliomas recently. This article reviews the promising biomarkers which can predict the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade immunotherapy and current status of emerging strategies involving PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, especially the combination treatment and neoadjuvant PD-1 therapy in gliomas. In addition, B7-H4, one of the most promising immune checkpoints, is also briefly reviewed here for its clinical significance, regulatory mechanism and developing immunotherapeutic strategies in pre-clinical glioma models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China; Immunology Laboratory, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoming Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China; Immunology Laboratory, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunxia Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China; Immunology Laboratory, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yu Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China; Immunology Laboratory, Neurosurgical Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Clinical Medical Center of Neurosurgery, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J. Alternative immune checkpoints in immunoregulatory profile of cancer stem cells. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23171. [PMID: 38144305 PMCID: PMC10746460 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-mediated bypass of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, also called B7-H1 or CD274) or anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a challenge of current years in the area of cancer immunotherapy. Alternative immune checkpoints (AICs) are molecules beyond the common PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, and are upregulated in patients who show low/no ICI responses. These are members of B7 family including B7-H2 (ICOS-L), B7-H3 (CD276), B7-H4 (B7x), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), B7-H6, HHLA2 (B7-H5/B7-H7) and catabolic enzymes like indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), and others that are also contributed to the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). There is also strong evidence supporting the implication of AICs in regulation of cancer stemness and expanding the population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs display immunoregulatory capacity and represent multiple immune checkpoints either on their surface or inside. Besides, they are active promoters of resistance to the common ICIs. The aim of this review is to investigate interrelations between AICs with stemness and differentiation profile of cancer. The key message of this paper is that targeted checkpoints can be selected based on their impact on CSCs along with their effect on immune cells. Studies published so far mainly focused on immune cells as a target for anti-checkpoints. Ex vivo engineering of extracellular vesicles (EVs) equipped with CSC-targeted anti-checkpoint antibodies is without a doubt a key therapeutic target that can be under consideration in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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3
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Semenza GL. Targeting intratumoral hypoxia to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:5-10. [PMID: 37717718 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.09.002] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Cancers express a large battery of genes by which they establish an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Many of these genes are induced by intratumoral hypoxia through transcriptional activation mediated by hypoxia-inducible factors HIF-1 and HIF-2. This review summarizes several recent reports describing hypoxia-induced mechanisms of immune evasion in sarcoma and breast, colorectal, hepatocellular, prostate and uterine cancer. These studies point to several novel therapeutic approaches to improve anti-tumor immunity and increase responses to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg L Semenza
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Institute for Cell Engineering, and Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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4
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Yamashita N, Yoshida K, Sanada N, Kanno Y, Kizu R. Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Directly Regulates VTCN1 Gene Expression in MCF-7 Cells. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:793-797. [PMID: 35650105 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-01068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the toxicity of dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Recent studies have suggested that AhR is involved in cancer immunity. In the present study, we examined whether AhR regulates the expression of immune checkpoint genes in breast cancer cells. We discovered that the mRNA expression of V-set domain containing T cell activation inhibitor 1 (VTCN1) that negatively regulates T cell immunity was upregulated by AhR agonists in breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and T47D. Furthermore, AhR knockout or knockdown experiments clearly demonstrated that upregulation of VTCN1 gene expression by 3-methylcholanthrene was AhR dependent. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that this upregulation of VTCN1 gene expression was induced by the recruitment of AhR to the AhR responsive element in the VTCN1 gene promoter in MCF-7 cells. Taken together, AhR directly regulates VTCN1 gene expression in MCF-7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Yamashita
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts
| | - Kyoko Yoshida
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts
| | - Noriko Sanada
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts
| | - Yuichiro Kanno
- Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka
| | - Ryoichi Kizu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts
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5
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Salman S, Meyers DJ, Wicks EE, Lee SN, Datan E, Thomas AM, Anders NM, Hwang Y, Lyu Y, Yang Y, Jackson W, Dordai D, Rudek MA, Semenza GL. HIF inhibitor 32-134D eradicates murine hepatocellular carcinoma in combination with anti-PD1 therapy. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:156774. [PMID: 35499076 PMCID: PMC9057582 DOI: 10.1172/jci156774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide and available therapies, including immunotherapies, are ineffective for many patients. HCC is characterized by intratumoral hypoxia, and increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in diagnostic biopsies is associated with patient mortality. Here we report the development of 32-134D, a low-molecular-weight compound that effectively inhibits gene expression mediated by HIF-1 and HIF-2 in HCC cells, and blocks human and mouse HCC tumor growth. In immunocompetent mice bearing Hepa1-6 HCC tumors, addition of 32-134D to anti-PD1 therapy increased the rate of tumor eradication from 25% to 67%. Treated mice showed no changes in appearance, behavior, body weight, hemoglobin, or hematocrit. Compound 32-134D altered the expression of a large battery of genes encoding proteins that mediate angiogenesis, glycolytic metabolism, and responses to innate and adaptive immunity. This altered gene expression led to significant changes in the tumor immune microenvironment, including a decreased percentage of tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which mediate immune evasion, and an increased percentage of CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells, which mediate antitumor immunity. Taken together, these preclinical findings suggest that combining 32-134D with immune checkpoint blockade may represent a breakthrough therapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaima Salman
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
| | | | | | - Sophia N. Lee
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
| | - Emmanuel Datan
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
| | - Aline M. Thomas
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science
| | - Nicole M. Anders
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Yousang Hwang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
| | - Yajing Lyu
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
| | - Yongkang Yang
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Walter Jackson
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
| | - Dominic Dordai
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
| | - Michelle A. Rudek
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gregg L. Semenza
- Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center
- Institute for Cell Engineering
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine
- Department of Oncology and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
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6
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Emaldi M, Nunes-Xavier CE. B7-H4 Immune Checkpoint Protein Affects Viability and Targeted Therapy of Renal Cancer Cells. Cells 2022; 11:1448. [PMID: 35563753 PMCID: PMC9104196 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors has been recently implemented in advanced or metastatic renal cancer treatment. However, many treated patients either do not respond or develop resistance to therapy, making alternative immune checkpoint-based immunotherapies of potential clinical benefit for specific groups of patients. In this study, we analyzed the global expression of B7 immune checkpoint family members (PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H2, B7-H3, B7-H4, B7-H5, B7-H6, and B7-H7) in human renal cancer cells (Caki-1, A-498, and 786-O cell lines) upon treatment with clinically relevant targeted drugs, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Axitinib, Cabozantinib, and Lenvatinib) and mTOR inhibitors (Everolimus and Temsirolimus). Gene expression analysis by quantitative PCR revealed differential expression patterns of the B7 family members in renal cancer cell lines upon targeted drug treatments. B7-H4 gene expression was upregulated after treatment with various targeted drugs in Caki-1 and 786-O renal cancer cells. Knocking down the expression of B7-H4 by RNA interference (RNAi) using small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased renal cancer cell viability and increased drug sensitivity. Our results suggest that B7-H4 expression is induced upon targeted therapy in renal cancer cells and highlight B7-H4 as an actionable immune checkpoint protein in combination with targeted therapy in advanced renal cancer cases resistant to current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Emaldi
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Plaza de Cruces 12, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain;
| | - Caroline E. Nunes-Xavier
- Biomarkers in Cancer Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Plaza de Cruces 12, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain;
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, 0310 Oslo, Norway
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7
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Zhou B, Lu Y, Zhao Z, Shi T, Wu H, Chen W, Zhang L, Zhang X. B7-H4 expression is upregulated by PKCδ activation and contributes to PKCδ-induced cell motility in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:147. [PMID: 35410218 PMCID: PMC8996430 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02567-1] [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: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction B7-H4 is overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and plays an important role in tumor growth and immunosuppression. However, the exact mechanism that regulates B7-H4 expression remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether protein kinase C δ (PKCδ) regulates the expression of B7-H4 in CRC. Methods By using immunohistochemical (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining, we analyzed the expression of B7-H4 and phospho-PKCδ (p-PKCδ) in 225 colorectal tumor samples and determined the clinical significance of the expression patterns. In vitro experiments were performed with the CRC cell lines HCT116 and SW620 to detect the effect of PKCδ activation on B7-H4 expression, and xenograft-bearing mice were treated with rottlerin to monitor the expression of B7-H4 and tumor metastasis. Results The B7-H4 expression level was significantly correlated with the p-PKCδ level (r = 0.378, P < 0.001) in tumor tissues. Coexpression of p-PKCδ and B7-H4 was significantly associated with moderate/poor differentiation (P = 0.024), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001) and advanced Dukes’ stage (P = 0.002). Western blot analysis showed that Phorbol-12-Myristate-13-Acetate (TPA) increased B7-H4 expression in a concentration-dependent manner and that rottlerin abrogated the TPA-induced increase in B7-H4 expression. The protein levels of B7-H4 and p-STAT3 were significantly reduced by a PKCδ-specific siRNA. Moreover, the STAT3 inhibitor cryptotanshinone significantly decreased the B7-H4 protein level in CRC cells. Knockdown of B7-H4 or PKCδ suppressed cell migration and motility. Rottlerin also inhibited B7-H4 expression and tumor metastasis in vivo. Conclusion The B7-H4 expression level is significantly correlated with the p-PKCδ level and tumor metastasis in CRC samples. B7-H4 expression is upregulated by STAT3 activation via PKCδ and plays roles in PKCδ-induced cancer cell motility and metastasis, suggesting that the PKCδ/STAT3/B7-H4 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for CRC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02567-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhou
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youwei Lu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiming Zhao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tongguo Shi
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongya Wu
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weichang Chen
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. .,College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xueguang Zhang
- Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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8
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Marcucci F, Rumio C. Depleting Tumor Cells Expressing Immune Checkpoint Ligands-A New Approach to Combat Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:872. [PMID: 33921301 PMCID: PMC8069236 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies against inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules (ICPMs), referred to as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have gained a prominent place in cancer therapy. Several ICIs in clinical use have been engineered to be devoid of effector functions because of the fear that ICIs with preserved effector functions could deplete immune cells, thereby curtailing antitumor immune responses. ICPM ligands (ICPMLs), however, are often overexpressed on a sizeable fraction of tumor cells of many tumor types and these tumor cells display an aggressive phenotype with changes typical of tumor cells undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, immune cells expressing ICPMLs are often endowed with immunosuppressive or immune-deviated functionalities. Taken together, these observations suggest that compounds with the potential of depleting cells expressing ICPMLs may become useful tools for tumor therapy. In this article, we summarize the current state of the art of these compounds, including avelumab, which is the only ICI targeting an ICPML with preserved effector functions that has gained approval so far. We also discuss approaches allowing to obtain compounds with enhanced tumor cell-depleting potential compared to native antibodies. Eventually, we propose treatment protocols that may be applied in order to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of compounds that deplete cells expressing ICPMLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Marcucci
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy;
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9
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Zhang W, Qiu Y, Xie X, Fu Y, Wang L, Cai Z. B7 Family Members in Lymphoma: Promising Novel Targets for Tumor Immunotherapy? Front Oncol 2021; 11:647526. [PMID: 33869045 PMCID: PMC8044412 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.647526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells play a vital role in the immune responses against tumors. Costimulatory or coinhibitory molecules regulate T cell activation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have shown remarkable benefits in patients with various tumor, but few patients have displayed significant immune responses against tumors after PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy and many have been completely unresponsive. Thus, researchers must explore novel immune checkpoints that trigger durable antitumor responses and improve clinical outcomes. In this regard, other B7 family checkpoint molecules have been identified, namely PD-L2, B7-H2, B7-H3, B7-H4 and B7-H6. The aim of the present article was to address the expression, clinical significance and roles of B7 family molecules in lymphoma, as well as in T and NK cell-mediated tumor immunity. B7 family checkpoints may offer novel and immunotherapeutic strategies for patients with lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.,Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Yu Qiu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.,Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Xiaoli Xie
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Yao Fu
- Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.,Central Laboratory, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Zhen Cai
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Wang M, Zhao HY, Zhang JL, Wan DM, Li YM, Jiang ZX. Dysregulation of LncRNA ANRIL mediated by miR-411-3p inhibits the malignant proliferation and tumor stem cell like property of multiple myeloma via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Exp Cell Res 2020; 396:112280. [PMID: 32961145 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL has been reported to be closely related to the relapse of multiple myeloma patients. However, the functional role and underlying mechanism of lncRNA ANRIL in multiple myeloma are not known. This study aims to investigate the biological function of lncRNA ANRIL in multiple myeloma. In this study, compared with normal tissues from healthy donors, lncRNA ANRIL and HIF-1α expressions were up-regulated in tumor tissues from multiple myeloma patients. miR-411-3p expression was down-regulated in tumor tissues from multiple myeloma patients. Besides, lncRNA ANRIL can interact with miR-411-3p. HIF-1α was confirmed to be a target of miR-411-3p. Correlation analysis showed that lncRNA ANRIL expression was negatively correlated with miR-411-3p expression. HIF-1α expression was negatively correlated with miR-411-3p expression. Further transfection experiments showed that knockdown of ANRIL or overexpression of miR-411-3p significantly inhibited cell proliferation, tumor formation ability and tumor stem cell like property, promoted cell apoptosis in vitro. Finally, miR-411-3p mimic reduced tumor volume, improved survival rate, suppressed malignant proliferation and tumor stem cell like property in U266 xenograft model. Our results demonstrate that lncRNA ANRIL mediated by miR-411-3p promotes the malignant proliferation and tumor stem cell like property of multiple myeloma through regulating HIF-1α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China
| | - Hua-Yan Zhao
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China
| | - Jing-Lan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China
| | - Ding-Ming Wan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China
| | - Ying-Mei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China
| | - Zhong-Xing Jiang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 452000, China.
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11
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Li A, Zhang N, Zhao Z, Chen Y, Zhang L. Overexpression of B7-H4 promotes renal cell carcinoma progression by recruiting tumor-associated neutrophils via upregulation of CXCL8. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:1535-1544. [PMID: 32724395 PMCID: PMC7377185 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune checkpoint molecule B7 family member H4 (B7-H4) plays a similar role to programmed death-ligand 1 in tumor immune evasion by regulating T-cell-mediated immune responses. However, besides the role in T-cell immunity, B7-H4 also affects tumor cell biology by promoting tumor cell proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis. In order to explore the effect of B7-H4 on tumor cell biology, it is necessary to investigate the gene expression profile when B7-H4 is overexpressed. In the present study, 786-O cells were transfected to stably express B7-H4. A microarray technique was subsequently used to screen B7-H4-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in B7-H4/786-O cells compared with negative control (NC)/786-O cells. The protein expression of the upregulated DEGs, including non-metastatic cells 5, NME/NM23 family member 5 (NME5), membrane metalloendopeptidase (MME), vascular non-inflammatory molecule 1 (VNN1), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 7, tumor necrosis factor, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 8, CXCL1 and C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 2, was investigated using western blotting. Kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma mRNA-sequencing data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that chemokines, including CXCL1/2/3, CXCL8, MMP7 and CCL20, were positively correlated with B7-H4 gene expression. Furthermore, 59 clinical renal cell carcinoma tissues were collected and analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. The results revealed the positive correlation of B7-H4 with CCL20 and CXCL8, and validated the DEGs identified in tumor cell lines. 786-O transfectants were inoculated into non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice, and tumor growth was investigated. B7-H4 overexpression promoted tumor growth and administration of anti-CXCL8 antibody reversed this effect. Furthermore, B7-H4 overexpression increased the number of tumor-infiltrating neutrophils while inhibition of CXCL8 abrogated this effect. These data indicated that recruitment of neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment by CXCL8 serves an important role in the tumor promotion effect of B7-H4. The present study revealed a novel mechanism of B7-H4 in tumor promotion in addition to T cell inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Li
- Department of Biological Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Ningyue Zhang
- Department of Biological Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Zhiming Zhao
- Department of Biological Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yali Chen
- Department of Biological Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Biological Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China.,Jiangsu Institute of Clinical Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, P.R. China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, P.R. China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Tumor Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, P.R. China
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12
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Zhang Y, Zheng J. Functions of Immune Checkpoint Molecules Beyond Immune Evasion. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1248:201-226. [PMID: 32185712 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-3266-5_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint molecules, including inhibitory and stimulatory immune checkpoint molecules, are defined as ligand-receptor pairs that exert inhibitory or stimulatory effects on immune responses. Most of the immune checkpoint molecules that have been described so far are expressed on cells of the adaptive immune system, particularly on T cells, and of the innate immune system. They are crucial for maintaining the self-tolerance and modulating the length and magnitude of immune responses of effectors in different tissues to minimize the tissue damage. More and more evidences have shown that inhibitory or stimulatory immune checkpoint molecules are expressed on a sizeable fraction of tumor types. Although the main function of tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecules is considered to mediate the immune evasion, it has been reported that the immune checkpoint molecules expressed on tumor cells also play important roles in the maintenance of many malignant behaviors, including self-renewal, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, drug resistance, anti-apoptosis, angiogenesis, or enhanced energy metabolisms. In this section, we mainly focus on delineating the roles of the tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecules beyond immune evasion, such as PD-L1, PD-1, B7-H3, B7-H4, LILRB1, LILRB2, TIM3, CD47, CD137, and CD70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Zhang
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Junke Zheng
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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13
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Wang JY, Wang WP. B7-H4, a promising target for immunotherapy. Cell Immunol 2019; 347:104008. [PMID: 31733822 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2019.104008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The coinhibitory molecule B7-H4, an important member of the B7 family, is abnormally expressed in tumors, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. B7-H4 negatively regulates T cell immune response and promotes immune escape by inhibiting the proliferation, cytokine secretion, and cell cycle of T cells. Moreover, B7-H4 plays an extremely important role in tumorigenesis and tumor development including cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, anti-apoptosis, etc. In addition, B7-H4 has the other biological functions, such as protection against type 1 diabetes (T1D) and islet cell transplantation. Therefore, B7-H4 has been identified as a novel marker or a therapeutic target for the treatment of tumors, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplantation. Here, we summarized the expression profiles, physiological and pathological functions, and regulatory mechanisms of B7-H4, the signaling pathways involved, as well as B7-H4-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Yu Wang
- Center for Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Wei-Peng Wang
- Center for Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
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14
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The B7x Immune Checkpoint Pathway: From Discovery to Clinical Trial. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2019; 40:883-896. [PMID: 31677920 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
B7x (B7 homolog x, also known as B7-H4, B7S1, and VTCN1) was discovered by ourselves and others in 2003 as the seventh member of the B7 family. It is an inhibitory immune checkpoint of great significance to human disease. Tissue-expressed B7x minimizes autoimmune and inflammatory responses. It is overexpressed in a broad spectrum of human cancers, where it suppresses antitumor immunity. Further, B7x and PD-L1 tend to have mutually exclusive expression in cancer cells. Therapeutics targeting B7x are effective in animal models of cancers and autoimmune disorders, and early-phase clinical trials are underway to determine the efficacy and safety of targeting B7x in human diseases. It took 15 years moving from the discovery of B7x to clinical trials. Further studies will be necessary to identify its receptors, reveal its physiological functions in organs, and combine therapies targeting B7x with other treatments.
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15
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B7-H3 promotes multiple myeloma cell survival and proliferation by ROS-dependent activation of Src/STAT3 and c-Cbl-mediated degradation of SOCS3. Leukemia 2018; 33:1475-1486. [PMID: 30573782 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-018-0331-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
B7-H3 (CD276) is broadly overexpressed by multiple human cancers. It plays a vital role in tumor progression and has been accepted as one of the inhibitory B7 family checkpoint molecules. To identify the functions and underlying mechanisms of B7-H3 in multiple myeloma, we analyzed B7-H3 expression in myeloma patients and used siRNAs and overexpression plasmid of B7-H3 to investigate its roles and downstream signaling molecules in myeloma cell lines. The results showed that surface expression of B7-H3 was upregulated in myeloma samples and cell lines. Lower expression of B7-H3 in myeloma cells was associated with better progression-free survival. Myeloma cell survival, drug resistance, and tumor growth could be promoted by B7-H3. The molecular basis for these functional roles of B7-H3 involved the activation of JAK2/STAT3 via redox-mediated oxidation and activation of Src. We further identified a STAT3-promoting signaling pathway by which oxidant-mediated Src phosphorylation led to secondary activation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl. Activated c-Cbl subsequently caused specific proteasomal degradation of SOCS3, a negative regulator of JAK2/STAT3. These data indicate B7-H3's important role in the activation of ROS/Src/c-Cbl pathway in multiple myeloma which integrates redox regulation and sustained STAT3 activation at the level of degradation of STAT3 suppressor.
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16
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Piao L, Yang Z, Jin J, Ni W, Qi W, Xuan Y. B7H4 is associated with stemness and cancer progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Hum Pathol 2018; 80:152-162. [PMID: 29885401 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2018.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
B7H4 is overexpressed in human cancers and often correlates with poor clinical outcome. There is a lack of data on the role of B7H4 as a cancer stem cell (CSC) regulator in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its expression levels compared to other stemness genes in ESCC. In this study, we have assessed the expression of B7H4 and cancer stemness proteins in 156 paraffin-embedded ESCC tissue samples using immunohistochemistry as well as in ESCC cell lines using Western blotting and immunofluorescence imaging. The correlation of B7H4 expression with clinicopathological parameters, cell cycle regulating genes, and PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling genes was investigated. The expression of B7H4 in ESCC tissue was correlated with the primary tumor (pT) stage, stromal activity, and the expression of CD68 and HIF-1α. However, B7H4 expression was negatively associated with CD8+ T cell infiltration in ESCC tissues. Moreover, B7H4 was found to be strongly linked to prognostic factors leading to poor clinical outcome. B7H4-expressing cancer cells also expressed known cancer stemness proteins (Sox9, LSD1, Oct4, and LGR5). Moreover, B7H4, Sox9, LSD1, Oct4, and LGR5 were highly expressed in more poorly differentiated ESCC cell lines. Notably, B7H4 expression was positively associated with the expression of cell cycle regulators such as cyclin D1, p27, and PI3K/Akt/NFκB signaling proteins. B7H4 could be a novel cancer stem cell marker for the prognostic evaluation of ESCC patients as well as a potential therapeutic target against ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longzhen Piao
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
| | - Zhaoting Yang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecules, Ministry of Education, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China; Department of Pathology, Yanbian University College of Medicine, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
| | - Jiajun Jin
- Department of Oncology, Shenyang Fifth People Hospital, Shenyang 110023, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
| | - Weidong Ni
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecules, Ministry of Education, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China; Department of Pathology, Yanbian University College of Medicine, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
| | - Wenbo Qi
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecules, Ministry of Education, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China; Department of Pathology, Yanbian University College of Medicine, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
| | - Yanhua Xuan
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecules, Ministry of Education, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China; Department of Pathology, Yanbian University College of Medicine, Yanji 133002, Jilin Province, P.R. China.
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17
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Wei M, Shen D, Mulmi Shrestha S, Liu J, Zhang J, Yin Y. The Progress of T Cell Immunity Related to Prognosis in Gastric Cancer. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:3201940. [PMID: 29682534 PMCID: PMC5848132 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3201940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy all over the world, and the factors that can affect progress and prognosis of the gastric cancer patients are various, such as TNM stages, invasive depth, and lymph node metastasis ratio. T cell immunity is important component of human immunity system and immunity responding to tumor and dysfunction or imbalance of T cell immunity will lead to serious outcomes for body. T cell immunity includes many different types of cells, CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, memory cell, and so on, and each of them has special function on antitumor response or tumor immune escape which is revealed in lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and so on. But its correlation with gastric cancer is not clear. Our review was preformed to explore the relationship between the progress and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) and T cell immunity. According to recent researches, T cell immunity may have an important role in the progress and prognosis of GCs, but its function is affected by location, category, related molecule, and interaction between the cells, and some effects still are controversial. More researches are needed to clarify this correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wei
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Duo Shen
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sachin Mulmi Shrestha
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Junyi Zhang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Yin
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Marcucci F, Rumio C, Corti A. Tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecules - Drivers of malignancy and stemness. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1868:571-583. [PMID: 29056539 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory or stimulatory immune checkpoint molecules are expressed on a sizeable fraction of tumor cells in different tumor types. It was thought that the main function of tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecules would be the modulation (down- or upregulation) of antitumor immune responses. In recent years, however, it has become clear that the expression of immune checkpoint molecules on tumor cells has important consequences on the biology of the tumor cells themselves. In particular, a causal relationship between the expression of these molecules and the acquisition of malignant traits has been demonstrated. Thus, immune checkpoint molecules have been shown to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells, the acquisition of tumor-initiating potential and resistance to apoptosis and antitumor drugs, as well as the propensity to disseminate and metastasize. Herein, we review this evidence, with a main focus on PD-L1, the most intensively investigated tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecule and for which most information is available. Then, we discuss more concisely other tumor cell-associated immune checkpoint molecules that have also been shown to induce the acquisition of malignant traits, such as PD-1, B7-H3, B7-H4, Tim-3, CD70, CD28, CD137, CD40 and CD47. Open questions in this field as well as some therapeutic approaches that can be derived from this knowledge, are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Marcucci
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, via Trentacoste 2, Milan, Italy.
| | - Cristiano Rumio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, via Trentacoste 2, Milan, Italy.
| | - Angelo Corti
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, DIBIT-Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 58, Milan, Italy.
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19
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Guo M, Tomoshige K, Meister M, Muley T, Fukazawa T, Tsuchiya T, Karns R, Warth A, Fink-Baldauf IM, Nagayasu T, Naomoto Y, Xu Y, Mall MA, Maeda Y. Gene signature driving invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung. EMBO Mol Med 2017; 9:462-481. [PMID: 28255028 PMCID: PMC5376761 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201606711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Though invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung (IMA) is pathologically distinctive, the molecular mechanism driving IMA is not well understood, which hampers efforts to identify therapeutic targets. Here, by analyzing gene expression profiles of human and mouse IMA, we identified a Mucinous Lung Tumor Signature of 143 genes, which was unexpectedly enriched in mucin-producing gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and breast cancers. The signature genes included transcription factors FOXA3, SPDEF, HNF4A, mucins MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC3, and an inhibitory immune checkpoint VTCN1/B7-H4 (but not PD-L1/B7-H1). Importantly, induction of FOXA3 or SPDEF along with mutant KRAS in lung epithelium was sufficient to develop benign or malignant mucinous lung tumors, respectively, in transgenic mice. FOXA3 and SPDEF induced MUC5AC and MUC5B, while HNF4A induced MUC3 in human mucinous lung cancer cells harboring a KRAS mutation. ChIP-seq combined with CRISPR/Cas9 determined that upstream enhancer regions of the mucin genes MUC5AC and MUC5B, which were bound by SPDEF, were required for the expression of the mucin genes. Here, we report the molecular signature and gene regulatory network driving mucinous lung tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhe Guo
- Perinatal Institute, Divisions of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Koichi Tomoshige
- Perinatal Institute, Divisions of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Michael Meister
- Translational Research Unit, Thoraxklinik at University Hospital Heidelberg, Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Muley
- Translational Research Unit, Thoraxklinik at University Hospital Heidelberg, Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Takuya Fukazawa
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Tomoshi Tsuchiya
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Rebekah Karns
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Arne Warth
- Institute of Pathology, Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Iris M Fink-Baldauf
- Perinatal Institute, Divisions of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Takeshi Nagayasu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yoshio Naomoto
- Department of General Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yan Xu
- Perinatal Institute, Divisions of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marcus A Mall
- Department of Translational Pulmonology, Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yutaka Maeda
- Perinatal Institute, Divisions of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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20
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Tumor-expressed immune checkpoint B7x promotes cancer progression and antigen-specific CD8 T cell exhaustion and suppressive innate immune cells. Oncotarget 2017; 8:82740-82753. [PMID: 29137299 PMCID: PMC5669925 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
B7x (B7-H4 or B7S1) is a coinhibitory member of the B7 immune checkpoint ligand family that regulates immune function following ligation with its unknown cognate receptors. B7x has limited expression on normal tissues, but is up-regulated on solid human tumors to inhibit anti-tumor immunity and associates with poor clinical prognosis. We assessed the contribution of cytokine stimuli to induce surface B7x expression on cancer cells and the role of tumor-expressed B7x in a murine pulmonary metastasis model, and finally evaluated the potential interaction between B7x and Neuropilin-1, a suggested potential cognate receptor. We showed that pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, TNFα, and IL-10 did not induce expression of B7x on human or murine cancer cells. Following i.v. injection of CT26, a murine colon cancer cell line in the BALB/c background, we observed a significant increase in tumor burden in the lung of B7x-expressing CT26 mice compared to B7x-negative parental CT26 control mice. This was marked by a significant increase in M2 tumor associated macrophages and antigen-specific CD8 T cell exhaustion. Finally, we found through multiple systems that there was no evidence for B7x and Neuropilin-1 direct interaction. Thus, the B7x pathway has an essential role in modulating the innate and adaptive immune cell infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment with its currently unknown cognate receptor(s).
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21
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Abstract
Observations noting the presence of white blood cell infiltrates within tumors date back more than a century, however the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating tumor immunity continue to be elucidated. The recent successful use of monoclonal antibodies to block immune regulatory pathways to enhance tumor-specific immune responses for the treatment of cancer has encouraged the identification of additional immune regulatory receptor/ligand pathways. Over the past several years, a growing body of data has identified B7-H4 (VTCN1/B7x/B7S1) as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer. The potential clinical significance of B7-H4 is supported by the high levels of B7-H4 expression found in numerous tumor tissues and correlation of the level of expression on tumor cells with adverse clinical and pathologic features, including tumor aggressiveness. The biological activity of B7-H4 has been associated with decreased inflammatory CD4+ T-cell responses and a correlation between B7-H4-expressing tumor-associated macrophages and FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) within the tumor microenvironment. Since B7-H4 is expressed on tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages in various cancer types, therapeutic blockade of B7-H4 could favorably alter the tumor microenvironment allowing for antigen-specific clearance tumor cells. The present review highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting B7-H4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Podojil
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephen D Miller
- Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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22
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Leung J, St-Onge P, Stagg J, Suh WK. Synergistic effects of host B7-H4 deficiency and gemcitabine treatment on tumor regression and anti-tumor T cell immunity in a mouse model. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2017; 66:491-502. [PMID: 28074226 PMCID: PMC11028495 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-016-1950-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
B7-H4 (B7x/B7S1), a B7 family inhibitor of T cell activity, is expressed in multiple human cancers and correlates with decreased infiltrating lymphocytes and poor prognosis. In murine models, tumor-expressed B7-H4 enhances tumor growth and reduces T cell immunity, and blockade of tumor-B7-H4 rescues T cell activity and lowers tumor burden. This implicates B7-H4 as a target for cancer immunotherapy, yet limits the efficacy of B7-H4 blockade exclusively to patients with B7-H4+ tumors. Given the expression of B7-H4 on host immune cells, we have previously shown that BALB/c mice lacking host B7-H4 have enhanced anti-tumor profiles, yet similar 4T1 tumor growth relative to control. Given that T cell-mediated immunotherapies work best for tumors presenting tumor-associated neoantigens, we further investigated the function of host B7-H4 in the growth of a more immunogenic derivative, 4T1-12B, which is known to elicit strong anti-tumor CD8 T cell responses due to expression of a surrogate tumor-specific antigen, firefly luciferase. Notably, B7-H4 knockout hosts not only mounted greater tumor-associated anti-tumor T cell responses, but also displayed reduced tumors. Additionally, B7-H4-deficiency synergized with gemcitabine to further inhibit tumor growth, often leading to tumor eradication and the generation of protective T cell immunity. These findings imply that inhibition of host B7-H4 can enhance anti-tumor T cell immunity in immunogenic cancers, and can be combined with other anti-cancer therapies to further reduce tumor burden regardless of tumor-B7-H4 positivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Leung
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), 110 avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe St-Onge
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), 110 avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada
- Département de Médecine (Programmes de Biologie Moléculaire), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - John Stagg
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Woong-Kyung Suh
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), 110 avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Département de Médecine (Programmes de Biologie Moléculaire), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie, et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ni
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
| | - Chen Dong
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
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24
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Wang L, Heng X, Lu Y, Cai Z, Yi Q, Che F. Could B7-H4 serve as a target to activate anti-cancer immunity? Int Immunopharmacol 2016; 38:97-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2016.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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25
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Rahbar R, Ohashi PS. B7-H4 is a positive regulator of antitumor immunity. Oncoimmunology 2015; 5:e1050575. [PMID: 26942059 PMCID: PMC4760282 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2015.1050575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
B7-H4 (B7x, B7S1, VTCN1, DD-0110) is a member of the B7 superfamily that negatively regulates T cell responses.1 In addition, B7-H4 expression is increased on tumors and has been shown to be a negative prognostic marker for many cancers.2 Unexpectedly our recent study demonstrated that B7-H4 inhibited tumor growth and was required to promote effective antitumor responses.3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramtin Rahbar
- Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Immunology
| | - Pamela S Ohashi
- Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Immunology; Department of Medical Biophysics; University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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