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Wang YH, Hagiwara S, Kazama H, Iizuka Y, Tanaka N, Tanaka J. Elotuzumab Enhances CD16-Independent NK Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity against Myeloma Cells by Upregulating Several NK Cell-Enhancing Genes. J Immunol Res 2024; 2024:1429879. [PMID: 38444839 PMCID: PMC10914431 DOI: 10.1155/2024/1429879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an intractable hematological malignancy caused by abnormalities in plasma cells. Combination therapy using antibodies and natural killer (NK) effectors, which are innate immune cells with safe and potent antitumor activity, is a promising approach for cancer immunotherapy and can enhance antitumor effects. Elotuzumab (Elo) is an immune-stimulatory antibody that targets the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family 7 (SLAMF7) expressed on the surface of MM and NK cells. We confirmed that Elo strongly promoted NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against SLAMF7-positive MM cells in a CD16-dependent NK cell line, and also activated expanded NK cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors and patients with MM in the present study. However, the antitumor effects and genes involved in the direct promotion of NK cell-mediated activation using Elo in CD16-independent NK cells are not clearly known. In this study, we demonstrated that Elo pretreatment significantly enhanced CD16-independent NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in both SLAMF7-positive MM.1S and SLAMF7-negative K562, U266, and RPMI 8226 tumor cells. Upon direct simulation of CD16-independent NK cells with Elo, increased levels of CD107a degranulation and IFN-γ secretion were observed along with the upregulation of granzyme B, TNF-α, and IL-1α gene expression. The enhanced NK cell function could also be attributed to the increased expression of the transcription factors T-BET and EOMES. Furthermore, the augmentation of the antitumor effects of CD16-independent NK cells upon pretreatment with Elo enhanced the expression of CRTAM, TNFRSF9, EAT-2, and FOXP3 genes and reduced the expression of HSPA6. Our results suggest that Elo directly promotes the cytotoxic function of CD16-independent NK cells against target cells, which is associated with the upregulation of the expression of several NK cell-enhancing genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hua Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Shotaro Hagiwara
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kazama
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
- Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Adachi Medical Center, 4-33-1, Kohoku, Adachi-Ku, Tokyo 123-8558, Japan
| | - Yuki Iizuka
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Norina Tanaka
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Junji Tanaka
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1, Kawada-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
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Lunn-Halbert MC, Laszlo GS, Erraiss S, Orr MT, Jessup HK, Thomas HJ, Chan H, Jahromi MA, Lloyd J, Cheung AF, Chang GP, Dichwalkar T, Fallon D, Grinberg A, Rodríguez-Arbolí E, Lim SYT, Kehret AR, Huo J, Cole FM, Scharffenberger SC, Walter RB. Preclinical Characterization of the Anti-Leukemia Activity of the CD33/CD16a/NKG2D Immune-Modulating TriNKET ® CC-96191. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:877. [PMID: 38473239 PMCID: PMC10931532 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050877] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing efforts are focusing on natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapies for AML. Here, we characterized CC-96191, a novel CD33/CD16a/NKG2D immune-modulating TriNKET®. CC-96191 simultaneously binds CD33, NKG2D, and CD16a, with NKG2D and CD16a co-engagement increasing the avidity for, and activation of, NK cells. CC-96191 was broadly active against human leukemia cells in a strictly CD33-dependent manner, with maximal efficacy requiring the co-engagement of CD16a and NKG2D. A frequent CD33 single nucleotide polymorphism, R69G, reduced CC-96191 potency but not maximal activity, likely because of reduced CD33 binding. Similarly, the potency, but not the maximal activity, of CC-96191 was reduced by high concentrations of soluble CD33; in contrast, the soluble form of the NKG2D ligand MICA did not impact activity. In the presence of CD33+ AML cells, CC-96191 activated NK cells but not T cells; while maximum anti-AML efficacy was similar, soluble cytokine levels were 10- to >100-fold lower than with a CD33/CD3 bispecific antibody. While CC-96191-mediated cytolysis was not affected by ABC transporter proteins, it was reduced by anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins. Finally, in patient marrow specimens, CC-96191 eliminated AML cells but not normal monocytes, suggesting selectivity of TriNKET-induced cytotoxicity toward neoplastic cells. Together, these findings support the clinical exploration of CC-96191 as in NCT04789655.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C. Lunn-Halbert
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - George S. Laszlo
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Sarah Erraiss
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mark T. Orr
- Immuno-Oncology Cellular Therapy Thematic Research Center, Bristol Myers Squibb, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Heidi K. Jessup
- Immuno-Oncology Cellular Therapy Thematic Research Center, Bristol Myers Squibb, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Heather J. Thomas
- Immuno-Oncology Cellular Therapy Thematic Research Center, Bristol Myers Squibb, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Henry Chan
- Bristol Myers Squibb, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Eduardo Rodríguez-Arbolí
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS/CSIC/CIBERONC), University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Sheryl Y. T. Lim
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Allie R. Kehret
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jenny Huo
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Frances M. Cole
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Samuel C. Scharffenberger
- Molecular Medicine and Mechanisms of Disease (M3D) Ph.D. Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Roland B. Walter
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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3
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Lu Z, Chai X, Pan Y, Li S. The causality between CD8 +NKT cells and CD16 -CD56 on NK cells with hepatocellular carcinoma: a Mendelian randomization study. Infect Agent Cancer 2024; 19:3. [PMID: 38245747 PMCID: PMC10799464 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-024-00565-8] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is featured with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, is a primary malignant tumor of the liver. Recently, there is a wealth of supporting evidence revealing that NK cell-related immune traits are strongly associated with the development of HCC, but the causality between them has not been proven. METHODS Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to probe the causal correlation between NK cell-related immune traits and HCC. Genetic variations in NK cell-related immune traits were extracted from recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of individuals with European blood lineage. HCC data were derived from the UK Biobank Consortium's GWAS summary count data, including a total of 372,184 female and male subjects, with 168 cases and 372,016 controls, all of whom are of European ancestry. Sensitivity analysis was mainly used for heterogeneity and pleiotropy testing. RESULTS Our research indicated the causality between NK cell-related immune traits and HCC. Importantly, CD8+NKT cells had protective causal effects on HCC (OR = 0.9996;95%CI,0.9993-0.9999; P = 0.0489). CD16-CD56 caused similar effects on NK cells (OR = 0.9997;95%CI,0.9996-0.9999; P = 0.0117) as CD8+NKT cells. Intercepts from Egger showed no pleiotropy and confounding factors. Furthermore, insufficient evidence was found to support the existence of heterogeneity by Cochran's Q test. CONCLUSION MR analysis suggested that low CD8+NKT cells and CD16-CD56 expression on NK cells were linked with a higher risk of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengmei Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
| | - Xiaowei Chai
- Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yong Pan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
| | - Shibo Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhoushan, 316021, China.
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4
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He S, Su L, Hu H, Liu H, Xiong J, Gong X, Chi H, Wu Q, Yang G. Immunoregulatory functions and therapeutic potential of natural killer cell-derived extracellular vesicles in chronic diseases. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1328094. [PMID: 38239346 PMCID: PMC10795180 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1328094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been proven to play a significant immunoregulatory role in many chronic diseases, such as cancer and immune disorders. Among them, EVs derived from NK cells are an essential component of the immune cell functions. These EVs have been demonstrated to carry a variety of toxic proteins and nucleic acids derived from NK cells and play a therapeutic role in diseases like malignancies, liver fibrosis, and lung injury. However, natural NK-derived EVs (NKEVs) have certain limitations in disease treatment, such as low yield and poor targeting. Concurrently, NK cells exhibit characteristics of memory-like NK cells, which have stronger proliferative capacity, increased IFN-γ production, and enhanced cytotoxicity, making them more advantageous for disease treatment. Recent research has shifted its focus towards engineered extracellular vesicles and their potential to improve the efficiency, specificity, and safety of disease treatments. In this review, we will discuss the characteristics of NK-derived EVs and the latest advancements in disease therapy. Specifically, we will compare different cellular sources of NKEVs and explore the current status and prospects of memory-like NK cell-derived EVs and engineered NKEVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang He
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lanqian Su
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Haiyang Hu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Haiqi Liu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jingwen Xiong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiangjin Gong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Hao Chi
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qibiao Wu
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Guanhu Yang
- Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
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5
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Nguyen T, Chen PC, Pham J, Kaur K, Raman SS, Jewett A, Chiang J. Current and Future States of Natural Killer Cell-Based Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Crit Rev Immunol 2024; 44:71-85. [PMID: 38618730 DOI: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2024052486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells that exhibit high levels of cytotoxicity against NK-specific targets. NK cells also produce various cytokines, and interact with T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells to effectively serve as frontliners of the innate immune system. Produce various cytokines, and interact with T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells to effectively serve as frontliners of the innate immune system. Moreover, NK cells constitute the second most common immune cell in the liver. These properties have drawn significant attention towards leveraging NK cells in treating liver cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 75% of all primary liver cancer and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Notable anti-cancer functions of NK cells against HCC include activating antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), facilitating Gasdermin E-mediated pyroptosis of HCC cells, and initiating an antitumor response via the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. In this review, we describe how these mechanisms work in the context of HCC. We will then discuss the existing preclinical and clinical studies that leverage NK cell activity to create single and combined immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tu Nguyen
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
| | - Po-Chun Chen
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, University of California School of Dentistry, 10833 Le Conte Ave, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Janet Pham
- Department of Radiology, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kawaljit Kaur
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center of Reconstructive Biotechnology University of California School of Dentistry Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven S Raman
- Department of Radiology, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anahid Jewett
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, University of California School of Dentistry, 10833 Le Conte Ave, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason Chiang
- Department of Radiology, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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Slavin S. Immunotherapy with cure potential of multi-drug resistant hematologic malignancies using IL-2 preactivated intentionally mismatched donor lymphocyte. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023:10.1007/s00432-023-04780-5. [PMID: 37202579 PMCID: PMC10374770 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04780-5] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Unfortunately, cure of multi-drug resistant (MDR) hematologic malignancies remains an unmet need. Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can sometimes eliminate multi-drug resistant leukemia but at a risk of acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) and procedure-related toxicity. Supported by pre-clinical experiments in animal models, we hypothesized that immunotherapy induced by non-engrafting intentionally mismatched IL-2 activated killers (IMAK) including both T & NK cells could induce safer, faster and much more effective immunotherapy while avoiding the need for SCT and the risks of GVHD. METHODS IMAK treatment was applied in 33 patients with MDR hematologic malignancies conditioned with cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/m2 based protocol. Haploidentical or unrelated donor lymphocytes were preactivated with IL-2 6000 IU/ml for 4 days. IMAK was combined with Rituximab in 12/23 patients with CD20+ B cells. RESULTS A total of 23/33 patients with MDR (4 failing SCT) achieved complete remission (CR). First patient currently 30 years with no further treatment and 6 observed for > 5 years (2 AML; 2 multiple myeloma, 1 ALL & 1 NHL) can be considered cured. No patient developed > grade 3 toxicity or GVHD. No residual male cells were detectable among six females treated with male cells beyond day + 6, confirming that GVHD was prevented by consistent early rejection of donor lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that safe and superior immunotherapy of MDR with cure potential may be accomplished by IMAK, most probably in patients with low tumor burden, but that remains to be confirmed by future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimon Slavin
- Biotherapy International, The Center for Cancer Immunotherapy & Cellular Medicine, Weizmann Center, 14 Weizmann Street, 64239, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Stem Cell Transplantation & Cancer Immunotherapy Center, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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7
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Mercogliano MF, Bruni S, Mauro FL, Schillaci R. Emerging Targeted Therapies for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15071987. [PMID: 37046648 PMCID: PMC10093019 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15071987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the leading cause of death. HER2 overexpression is found in approximately 20% of breast cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis and a shorter overall survival. Tratuzumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the HER2 receptor, is the standard of care treatment. However, a third of the patients do not respond to therapy. Given the high rate of resistance, other HER2-targeted strategies have been developed, including monoclonal antibodies such as pertuzumab and margetuximab, trastuzumab-based antibody drug conjugates such as trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) and trastuzumab-deruxtecan (T-DXd), and tyrosine kinase inhibitors like lapatinib and tucatinib, among others. Moreover, T-DXd has proven to be of use in the HER2-low subtype, which suggests that other HER2-targeted therapies could be successful in this recently defined new breast cancer subclassification. When patients progress to multiple strategies, there are several HER2-targeted therapies available; however, treatment options are limited, and the potential combination with other drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, CAR-NK, CAR-M, and vaccines is an interesting and appealing field that is still in development. In this review, we will discuss the highlights and pitfalls of the different HER2-targeted therapies and potential combinations to overcome metastatic disease and resistance to therapy.
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8
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Yang M, Conceição M, Chen W, Yang F, Zhao B, Wood MJA, Qiu L, Chen J. Engineered bacteria combined with doxorubicin nanoparticles suppress angiogenesis and metastasis in murine melanoma models. Acta Biomater 2023; 158:734-746. [PMID: 36563772 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Methods capable of distributing antitumour therapeutics uniformly throughout an entire tumour and that can suppress metastasis at the same time, would be of great significance in improving cancer treatment. Bacteria-mediated synergistic therapies have been explored for better specificity, temporal and spatial controllability, as well for providing regulation of the immune microenvironment, in order to provide improved cancer treatment. To achieve this goal, here we developed an engineered bacteria delivery system (GDOX@HSEc) using synthetic biology and interfacial chemistry technologies. The engineered bacteria were concurrently modified to express heparin sulfatase 1 (HSulf-1) inside (HSEc), to attach doxorubicin-loaded glycogen nanoparticles (GDOX NPs) on their surface. Here we demonstrate that HSEc can actively target and colonise tumour sites resulting in HSulf-1 overexpression, thereby suppressing angiogenesis and metastasis. Simultaneously, the GDOX NPs were able to penetrate into tumour cells, leading to intracellular DNA damage. Our results confirmed that a combination of biotherapy and chemotherapy using GDOX@HSEc resulted in significant melanoma suppression in murine models, with reduced side effects. This study provides a powerful platform for the simultaneous delivery of biomacromolecules and chemotherapeutic drugs to tumours, representing an innovative strategy potentially more effective in treating solid tumours. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: An original engineered bacteria-based system (GDOX@HSEc) was developed using synthetic biology and interfacial chemistry technologies to concurrently produce naturally occurring heparin sulfatase 1 (HSulf-1) inside and anchor doxorubicin-loaded glycogen nanoparticles on the surface. GDOX@HSEc allowed for combined local delivery of chemotherapeutic agents along with the enzymes and immunostimulatory bacterial adjuvants, which resulted in a synergistic action in the inhibition of tumour growth and metastasis. The study provides a potential therapeutic approach that allows therapeutic agents to be distributed in a spatiotemporally controllable manner in tumours for combinatorial enhanced therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiyang Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | | | - Weijun Chen
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Fuwei Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Bingke Zhao
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lipeng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Jinghua Chen
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
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9
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Chen YF, Li J, Xu LL, Găman MA, Zou ZY. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia: An overview of obstacles and opportunities. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:268-291. [PMID: 36686358 PMCID: PMC9850970 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i2.268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
As an important treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) plays an important role in reducing relapse and improving long-term survival. With rapid advancements in basic research in molecular biology and immunology and with deepening understanding of the biological characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells, allo-HSCT has been widely applied in clinical practice. During allo-HSCT, preconditioning, the donor, and the source of stem cells can be tailored to the patient’s conditions, greatly broadening the indications for HSCT, with clear survival benefits. However, the risks associated with allo-HSCT remain high, i.e. hematopoietic reconstitution failure, delayed immune reconstitution, graft-versus-host disease, and post-transplant relapse, which are bottlenecks for further improvements in allo-HSCT efficacy and have become hot topics in the field of HSCT. Other bottlenecks recognized in the current treatment of individuals diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and subjected to allo-HSCT include the selection of the most appropriate conditioning regimen and post-transplantation management. In this paper, we reviewed the progress of relevant research regarding these aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Feng Chen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine of Taizhou University, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ling-Long Xu
- Department of Hematology, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mihnea-Alexandru Găman
- Faculty of Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
| | - Zhen-You Zou
- Department of Scientific Research,Brain Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Liuzhou 545005, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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10
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He B, Mai Q, Pang Y, Deng S, He Y, Xue R, Xu N, Zhou H, Liu X, Xuan L, Li C, Liu Q. Cytokines induced memory-like NK cells engineered to express CD19 CAR exhibit enhanced responses against B cell malignancies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1130442. [PMID: 37207215 PMCID: PMC10191231 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered NK cells have been used for treating patients with relapsed and/or refractory B cell malignancies and show encouraging outcomes and safety profile. However, the poor persistence of NK cells remains a major challenge for CAR NK cell therapy. Memory-like NK cells (MLNK) induced by IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 have shown enhanced and prolonged responses to tumor re-stimulation, making them an attractive candidate for adoptive cellular immunotherapy. Here, we show efficient and stable gene delivery of CD19 CAR to memory-like NK cells using retroviral vectors with transduction efficiency comparable to those achieved with conventional NK cells. Analysis of surface molecules revealed a distinct phenotypic profile in CAR engineered memory-like NK cells (CAR MLNK), as evidenced by increased expression of CD94 and downregulation of NKp30 as well as KIR2DL1. Compared to conventional CAR NK cells, CAR MLNK cells exhibited significantly increased IFN-γ production and degranulation in response to CD19+ target cells, resulting in enhanced cytotoxic activity against CD19+ leukemia cells and lymphoma cells. Furthermore, memory properties induced by IL-12/-15/-18 improved the in vivo persistence of CAR MLNK cells and significantly suppressed tumor growth in a exnograft mouse model of lymphoma, leading to prolonged survival of CD19+ tumor-bearing mouse. Altogether, our data indicate that CD19 CAR engineered memory-like NK cells exhibited superior persistence and antitumor activity against CD19+ tumors, which might be an attractive approach for treating patient with relapse or refractory B cell malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailin He
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiusui Mai
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunyi Pang
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shikai Deng
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi He
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rongtao Xue
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Xu
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongsheng Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Xuan
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengyao Li
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qifa Liu, ; Chengyao Li,
| | - Qifa Liu
- Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qifa Liu, ; Chengyao Li,
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Zafarani A, Taghavi-Farahabadi M, Razizadeh MH, Amirzargar MR, Mansouri M, Mahmoudi M. The Role of NK Cells and Their Exosomes in Graft Versus Host Disease and Graft Versus Leukemia. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:26-45. [PMID: 35994137 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are one of the innate immune cells that play an important role in preventing and controlling tumors and viral diseases, but their role in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is not yet fully understood. However, according to some research, these cells can prevent infections and tumor relapse without causing graft versus host disease (GVHD). In addition to NK cells, several studies are about the anti-leukemia effects of NK cell-derived exosomes that can highlight their roles in graft-versus-leukemia (GVL). In this paper, we intend to investigate the results of various articles on the role of NK cells in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and also their exosomes in GVL. Also, we have discussed the antiviral effects of these cells in post-HCT cytomegalovirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Zafarani
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Taghavi-Farahabadi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Reza Amirzargar
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mansoure Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahmoudi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Aarsund M, Nyman TA, Stensland ME, Wu Y, Inngjerdingen M. Isolation of a cytolytic subpopulation of extracellular vesicles derived from NK cells containing NKG7 and cytolytic proteins. Front Immunol 2022; 13:977353. [PMID: 36189227 PMCID: PMC9520454 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.977353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NK cells can broadly target and kill malignant cells via release of cytolytic proteins. NK cells also release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain cytolytic proteins, previously shown to induce apoptosis of a variety of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The EVs released by NK cells are likely very heterogeneous, as vesicles can be released from the plasma membrane or from different intracellular compartments. In this study, we undertook a fractionation scheme to enrich for cytolytic NK-EVs. NK-EVs were harvested from culture medium from the human NK-92 cell line or primary human NK cells grown in serum-free conditions. By combining ultracentrifugation with downstream density-gradient ultracentrifugation or size-exclusion chromatography, distinct EV populations were identified. Density-gradient ultracentrifugation led to separation of three subpopulations of EVs. The different EV isolates were characterized by label-free quantitative mass spectrometry and western blotting, and we found that one subpopulation was primarily enriched for plasma membrane proteins and tetraspanins CD37, CD82, and CD151, and likely represents microvesicles. The other major subpopulation was enriched in intracellularly derived markers with high expression of the endosomal tetraspanin CD63 and markers for intracellular organelles. The intracellularly derived EVs were highly enriched in cytolytic proteins, and possessed high apoptotic activity against HCT-116 colon cancer spheroids. To further enrich for cytolytic EVs, immunoaffinity pulldowns led to the isolation of a subset of EVs containing the cytolytic granule marker NKG7 and the majority of vesicular granzyme B content. We therefore propose that EVs containing cytolytic proteins may primarily be released via cytolytic granules.
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13
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Alternative CAR Therapies: Recent Approaches in Engineering Chimeric Antigen Receptor Immune Cells to Combat Cancer. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071493. [PMID: 35884798 PMCID: PMC9313317 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071493] [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: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For nearly three decades, chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have captivated the interest of researchers seeking to find novel immunotherapies to treat cancer. CARs were first designed to work with T cells, and the first CAR T cell therapy was approved to treat B cell lymphoma in 2017. Recent advancements in CAR technology have led to the development of modified CARs, including multi-specific CARs and logic gated CARs. Other immune cell types, including natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, have also been engineered to express CARs to treat cancer. Additionally, CAR technology has been adapted in novel approaches to treating autoimmune disease and other conditions and diseases. In this article, we review these recent advancements in alternative CAR therapies and design, as well as their mechanisms of action, challenges in application, and potential future directions.
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14
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Zhuang X, Long EO. NK Cells Equipped With a Chimeric Antigen Receptor That Overcomes Inhibition by HLA Class I for Adoptive Transfer of CAR-NK Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:840844. [PMID: 35585985 PMCID: PMC9108249 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.840844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominant inhibitory receptors for HLA class I (HLA-I) endow NK cells with high intrinsic responsiveness, a process termed licensing or education, but hinder their ability to kill HLA-I+ tumor cells. Cancer immunotherapy with adoptive transfer of NK cells must overcome inhibitory signals by such receptors to promote elimination of HLA-I+ tumor cells. As proof of concept, we show here that a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) can be engineered to overcome inhibition by receptors for HLA-I and to promote lysis of HLA-I+ tumor cells by CAR-NK cells. The design of this NK-tailored CAR (NK-CAR) relied on the potent NK cell activation induced by the synergistic combination of NK receptors CD28H (CD28 homolog, TMIGD2) and 2B4 (CD244, SLAMF4). An NK-CAR consisting of the single-chain fragment variable (scFv) of a CD19 antibody, the CD28H transmembrane domain, and the fusion of CD28H, 2B4, and TCRζ signaling domains was compared to a third-generation T-cell CAR with a CD28-41BB-TCRζ signaling domain. The NK-CAR delivered stronger activation signals to NK cells and induced more robust tumor cell lysis. Furthermore, such CAR-NK cells could overcome inhibition by HLA-E or HLA-C expressed on tumor cells. Therefore, engineering of CAR-NK cells that could override inhibition by HLA-I in patients undergoing cancer immunotherapy is feasible. This approach offers an attractive alternative to more complex strategies, such as genetic editing of inhibitory receptors in CAR-NK cells or treatment of patients with a combination of CAR-NK cells and checkpoint blockade with antibodies to inhibitory receptors. A significant benefit of inhibition-resistant NK-CARs is that NK cell inhibition would be overcome only during contact with targeted tumor cells and that HLA-I on healthy cells would continue to maintain NK cell responsiveness through licensing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric O. Long
- *Correspondence: Eric O. Long, ; Xiaoxuan Zhuang,
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15
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Chen S, Chen H, Zhang Y, Li W. Efficacy and Safety of Cellular Immunotherapy by Local Infusion for Liver Tumor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2022; 12:772509. [PMID: 35296019 PMCID: PMC8918675 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.772509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cellular immunotherapy has become a new and promising treatment for patients with liver tumor. However, as most immune cells are delivered by intravenous injection, the effect is limited and is likely to produce systemic toxicity. Here, the objective was to investigate the efficacy and safety of cellular immunotherapy by local infusion, which seems to be a promising approach and has not been well-studied. Methods The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to obtain literature. The overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS) rates, and adverse events were investigated to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of locoregional therapy. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) score. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0. Results The eligible 17 studies involved a total of 318 patients. The random-effects model demonstrated that the ORR of local cell infusion therapy was 48% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26%–70%). The pooled OS rate was 94% (95% CI: 83%–100%) at 6 months, 87% (95% CI: 74%–96%) at 12 months, and 42% (95% CI: 16%–70%) at 24 months. Subgroup analyses suggested that minimally invasive treatment and absence of metastasis were significantly associated with better ORR. Fourteen studies reported a variety of adverse events related to cell therapy by local perfusion. The most common complications after regional infusion of immune cells were myelosuppression (66%), fever (50%), gastrointestinal toxicity (22%), hepatic dysfunction (15%), and pleural effusion and/or ascites (14%). Conclusions Immune cell therapy through local perfusion is effective for patients with liver cancer, with manageable toxicity. It demonstrates better prognosis when combined with minimally invasive therapy. Considering the potential limitations, more randomized controlled trials are needed to provide solid evidence for our findings.
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Gambella M, Carlomagno S, Raiola AM, Giannoni L, Ghiggi C, Setti C, Giordano C, Luchetti S, Serio A, Bo A, Falco M, Della Chiesa M, Angelucci E, Sivori S. CD19-Targeted Immunotherapies for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:837457. [PMID: 35280988 PMCID: PMC8911710 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.837457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were, for many years, the only available cancer treatments. Recently, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies has emerged as promising alternative. These cancer immunotherapies are aimed to support or harness the patient's immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Preclinical and clinical studies, based on the use of T cells and more recently NK cells genetically modified with chimeric antigen receptors retargeting the adoptive cell therapy towards tumor cells, have already shown remarkable results. In this review, we outline the latest highlights and progress in immunotherapies for the treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) patients, focusing on CD19-targeted immunotherapies. We also discuss current clinical trials and opportunities of using immunotherapies to treat DLBCL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Gambella
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simona Carlomagno
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raiola
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Livia Giannoni
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Ghiggi
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Setti
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Giordano
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Luchetti
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Serio
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bo
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michela Falco
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Emanuele Angelucci
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simona Sivori
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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17
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Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Immunotherapy for Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030843. [PMID: 35159109 PMCID: PMC8833963 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation in leukemia increase infection susceptibility, adverse side effects and immune cell inactivation. Natural killer (NK) cells are the first line of defense against cancer and are critical in the recognition and cytolysis of rapidly dividing and abnormal cell populations. In this review, we describe NK cells and NK cell receptors, functional impairment of NK cells in leukemia, NK cell immunotherapies currently under investigation including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), adoptive transfer, chimeric antigen receptor-NKs (CAR-NKs), bi-specific/tri-specific killer engagers (BiKEs/TriKEs) and potential targets of NK cell-mediated immunotherapy for leukemia in the future. Abstract Leukemia is a malignancy of the bone marrow and blood resulting from the abnormal differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). There are four main types of leukemia including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). While chemotherapy and radiation have been conventional forms of treatment for leukemia, these therapies increase infection susceptibility, adverse side effects and immune cell inactivation. Immunotherapies are becoming promising treatment options for leukemia, with natural killer (NK) cell-mediated therapy providing a specific direction of interest. The role of NK cells is critical for cancer cell elimination as these immune cells are the first line of defense against cancer proliferation and are involved in both recognition and cytolysis of rapidly dividing and abnormal cell populations. NK cells possess various activating and inhibitory receptors, which regulate NK cell function, signaling either inhibition and continued surveillance, or activation and subsequent cytotoxic activity. In this review, we describe NK cells and NK cell receptors, functional impairment of NK cells in leukemia, NK cell immunotherapies currently under investigation, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), adoptive transfer, chimeric antigen receptor-NKs (CAR-NKs), bi-specific/tri-specific killer engagers (BiKEs/TriKEs) and future potential targets of NK cell-based immunotherapy for leukemia.
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18
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Michel T, Ollert M, Zimmer J. A Hot Topic: Cancer Immunotherapy and Natural Killer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020797. [PMID: 35054985 PMCID: PMC8776043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020797] [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: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite significant progress in recent years, the therapeutic approach of the multiple different forms of human cancer often remains a challenge. Besides the well-established cancer surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapeutic strategies gain more and more attention, and some of them have already been successfully introduced into the clinic. Among these, immunotherapy based on natural killer (NK) cells is considered as one of the most promising options. In the present review, we will expose the different possibilities NK cells offer in this context, compare data about the theoretical background and mechanism(s) of action, report some results of clinical trials and identify several very recent trends. The pharmaceutical industry is quite interested in NK cell immunotherapy, which will benefit the speed of progress in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Michel
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 Rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; (T.M.); (M.O.)
| | - Markus Ollert
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 Rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; (T.M.); (M.O.)
- Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis (ORCA), Department of Dermatology and Allergy Center, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jacques Zimmer
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 Rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; (T.M.); (M.O.)
- Correspondence:
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19
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Manier S, Ingegnere T, Escure G, Prodhomme C, Nudel M, Mitra S, Facon T. Current state and next-generation CAR-T cells in multiple myeloma. Blood Rev 2022; 54:100929. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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20
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Yawata M, Yawata N. Practical Considerations and Workflow in Utilizing KIR Genotyping in Transplantation Medicine. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2463:291-310. [PMID: 35344182 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2160-8_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This chapter is intended to serve as a practical guide for establishing a workflow using sequence-specific polymorphism PCR (SSP-PCR) for killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotyping in a clinical setting, especially in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). As clinical evidence accumulates on the application of KIR and HLA genetics to guide donor selection in HSCT, there is an increasing need for KIR genotyping in clinical settings, and thus medical institutes may need to build this capability. Among the various KIR genotyping approaches now available, SSP-PCR methods are well-established and are the most cost-effective and will likely be the method of choice especially when expenses will be passed on to the patient. The protocol described in this chapter developed by Vilches et al. features small amplicon PCR and is suitable for KIR genotyping using FFPE-derived DNA as well as DNA extracted from blood samples. Setting up a laboratory workflow for in-house KIR genotyping is relatively straightforward; in this chapter, considerations for KIR genotyping to guide clinical decisions are discussed.In HSCT, a main objective of KIR genotyping is to apply the genetic analysis to predict donor and recipient combinations that have the most potential to produce NK cell alloresponses either through the missing-self mechanism or by action associated with activating KIR. The desired effects are reduction in acute GVHD and relapse rates and enhancement of overall survival. The information herein may also be useful to clinical laboratories considering the application of KIR genotyping in areas such as solid organ transplantation, NK cell-based treatment in other forms of cancer and autoimmune diseases, humanized antibody treatment, regenerative medicine, and reproductive medicine. Some background knowledge on KIR genetics will be necessary in managing a KIR genotyping platform. This chapter aims to address the main difficulties often encountered by physicians in understanding the KIR system, such as basic aspects of the nomenclature of KIR genes and haplotypes, genotypes, and determining presence/absence of KIR ligands in the patient and donor from the extensively diversified HLA class I allotypes. In describing the workflow, emphasis has been placed on the processes after genotype PCR and gel image acquisition: haplotype inference, generating B content scores, deduction of KIR ligands from HLA typing results, and the emerging algorithms for donor selection based on KIR and HLA genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Yawata
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- NUSMED Immunology Translational Research Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | - Nobuyo Yawata
- Department of Ocular Pathology and Imaging Science, Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Lian G, Mak TSK, Yu X, Lan HY. Challenges and Recent Advances in NK Cell-Targeted Immunotherapies in Solid Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:164. [PMID: 35008589 PMCID: PMC8745474 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell is a powerful malignant cells killer, providing rapid immune responses via direct cytotoxicity without the need of antigen processing and presentation. It plays an essential role in preventing early tumor, metastasis and minimal residual disease. Although adoptive NK therapies achieved great success in clinical trials against hematologic malignancies, their accumulation, activation, cytotoxic and immunoregulatory functions are severely impaired in the immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors. Now with better understandings of the tumor evasive mechanisms from NK-mediated immunosurveillance, immunotherapies targeting the key molecules for NK cell dysfunction and exhaustion have been developed and tested in both preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we introduce the challenges that NK cells encountered in solid tumor microenvironment (TME) and the therapeutic approaches to overcome these limitations, followed by an outline of the recent preclinical advances and the latest clinical outcomes of NK-based immunotherapies, as well as promising strategies to optimize current NK-targeted immunotherapies for solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Lian
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Research Laboratory on Immunological and Genetic Kidney Diseases, Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China;
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Thomas Shiu-Kwong Mak
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Xueqing Yu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Research Laboratory on Immunological and Genetic Kidney Diseases, Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China;
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Hui-Yao Lan
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
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22
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D'Amico S, D'Alicandro V, Compagnone M, Tempora P, Guida G, Romania P, Lucarini V, Melaiu O, Falco M, Algeri M, Pende D, Cifaldi L, Fruci D. ERAP1 Controls the Interaction of the Inhibitory Receptor KIR3DL1 With HLA-B51:01 by Affecting Natural Killer Cell Function. Front Immunol 2021; 12:778103. [PMID: 34917091 PMCID: PMC8669763 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.778103] [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: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase ERAP1 regulates innate and adaptive immune responses by trimming peptides for presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Previously, we have shown that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of ERAP1 on murine and human tumor cell lines perturbs the engagement of NK cell inhibitory receptors Ly49C/I and Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), respectively, by their specific ligands (MHC class I molecules), thus leading to NK cell killing. However, the effect of ERAP1 inhibition in tumor cells was highly variable, suggesting that its efficacy may depend on several factors, including MHC class I typing. To identify MHC class I alleles and KIRs that are more sensitive to ERAP1 depletion, we stably silenced ERAP1 expression in human HLA class I-negative B lymphoblastoid cell line 721.221 (referred to as 221) transfected with a panel of KIR ligands (i.e. HLA-B*51:01, -Cw3, -Cw4 and -Cw7), or HLA-A2 which does not bind any KIR, and tested their ability to induce NK cell degranulation and cytotoxicity. No change in HLA class I surface expression was detected in all 221 transfectant cells after ERAP1 depletion. In contrast, CD107a expression levels were significantly increased on NK cells stimulated with 221-B*51:01 cells lacking ERAP1, particularly in the KIR3DL1-positive NK cell subset. Consistently, genetic or pharmacological inhibition of ERAP1 impaired the recognition of HLA-B*51:01 by the YTS NK cell overexpressing KIR3DL1*001, suggesting that ERAP1 inhibition renders HLA-B*51:01 molecules less eligible for binding to KIR3DL1. Overall, these results identify HLA-B*51:01/KIR3DL1 as one of the most susceptible combinations for ERAP1 inhibition, suggesting that individuals carrying HLA-B*51:01-like antigens may be candidates for immunotherapy based on pharmacological inhibition of ERAP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia D'Amico
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio D'Alicandro
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Mirco Compagnone
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Tempora
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Giusy Guida
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Romania
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Lucarini
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Ombretta Melaiu
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Falco
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mattia Algeri
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Pende
- Laboratory of Immunology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Loredana Cifaldi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Doriana Fruci
- Department of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
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Gunduz M, Ataca Atilla P, Atilla E. New Orders to an Old Soldier: Optimizing NK Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy in Hematology. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091201. [PMID: 34572387 PMCID: PMC8466804 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
NK (Natural Killer) cell-mediated adoptive immunotherapy has gained attention in hematology due to the progressing knowledge of NK cell receptor structure, biology and function. Today, challenges related to NK cell expansion and persistence in vivo as well as low cytotoxicity have been mostly overcome by pioneering trials that focused on harnessing NK cell functions. Recent technological advancements in gene delivery, gene editing and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have made it possible to generate genetically modified NK cells that enhance the anti-tumor efficacy and represent suitable “off-the-shelf” products with fewer side effects. In this review, we highlight recent advances in NK cell biology along with current approaches for potentiating NK cell proliferation and activity, redirecting NK cells using CARs and optimizing the procedure to manufacture clinical-grade NK and CAR NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Gunduz
- Department of Hematology, Biruni University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey;
| | - Pinar Ataca Atilla
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Ph.D Program, Stem Cell Institute, Ankara University, Ankara 06520, Turkey;
| | - Erden Atilla
- Department of Hematology, Mersin State Hospital, Korukent District, 96015 St., Toroslar 33240, Turkey
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +9-05-058-213-131
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24
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Gustafson MP, Wheatley-Guy CM, Rosenthal AC, Gastineau DA, Katsanis E, Johnson BD, Simpson RJ. Exercise and the immune system: taking steps to improve responses to cancer immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001872. [PMID: 34215686 PMCID: PMC8256759 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The remarkable success of cancer immunotherapies has provided new hope to cancer patients. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of patients remain unable to respond to immunotherapy or maintain durable clinical responses. The lack of objective responses likely results from profound immune dysfunction often observed in patients with cancer. There is substantial evidence that exercise and physical activity can reduce incidence and improve outcomes in cancer patients. As the immune system is highly responsive to exercise, one potential avenue to improve immune function is through exercise and physical activity. A single event of dynamic exercise results in the substantial mobilization of leukocytes with increased functional capacities into the circulation. Chronic, or long-term, exercise leads to higher physical fitness in terms of greater cardiorespiratory function and/or muscle strength and endurance. High aerobic capacity, as measured by maximal oxygen uptake, has been associated with the reduction of dysfunctional T cells and improvements in the abundance of some T cell populations. To be sure, however, the mechanisms of exercise-mediated immune changes are both extensive and diverse. Here, we examine the evidence and theorize how acute and chronic exercise could be used to improve responses to cancer immunotherapies including immune checkpoint inhibitors, dendritic cell vaccines, natural killer cell therapies, and adoptive T cell therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Although the parameters of optimal exercise to yield defined outcomes remain to be determined, the available current data provide a compelling justification for additional human studies and clinical trials investigating the adjuvant use of exercise in immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Gustafson
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | | | | | - Dennis A Gastineau
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Emmanuel Katsanis
- Pediatrics, Immunobiology, University of Arizona Medical Center - University Campus, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Bruce D Johnson
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Richard J Simpson
- Pediatrics, Immunobiology, and Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona Medical Center - University Campus, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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25
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Niu C, Chen Y, Li M, Zhu S, Zhou L, Xu D, Li Z, Xu J, Li W, Wang Y, Cui J. Non-Coated Rituximab Induces Highly Cytotoxic Natural Killer Cells From Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells via Autologous B Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:658562. [PMID: 34113342 PMCID: PMC8185348 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.658562] [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: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are becoming valuable tools for cancer therapy because of their cytotoxicity against tumor cells without prior sensitization and their involvement in graft-versus-host disease; however, it is difficult to obtain highly cytotoxic NK cells without adding extra feeder cells. In this study, we developed a new method for obtaining highly cytotoxic NK cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) independently of extra feeder cell addition using rituximab not coated on a flask (non-coated rituximab). We found that rituximab could promote both the activation and expansion of NK cells from PBMCs, irrespective of being coated on a flask or not. However, NK cells activated by non-coated rituximab had much greater antitumor activity against cancer cells, and these effects were dependent on autologous living B cells. The antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity effect of NK cells activated by non-coated rituximab was also more substantial. Furthermore, these cells expressed higher levels of CD107a, perforin, granzyme B, and IFN-γ. However, there was no difference in the percentage, apoptosis, and cell-cycle progression of NK cells induced by coated and non-coated rituximab. Non-coated rituximab activated NK cells by increasing AKT phosphorylation, further enhancing the abundance of XBP1s. In conclusion, we developed a new method for amplifying NK cells with higher antitumor functions with non-coated rituximab via autologous B cells from PBMCs, and this method more efficiently stimulated NK cell activation than by using coated rituximab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Niu
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yongchong Chen
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shan Zhu
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dongsheng Xu
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhaozhi Li
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianting Xu
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Cancer Institute, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiuwei Cui
- Department of Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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26
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Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Is It T Time? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102385. [PMID: 34069204 PMCID: PMC8156992 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease driven by impaired differentiation of hematopoietic primitive cells toward myeloid lineages (monocytes, granulocytes, red blood cells, platelets), leading to expansion and accumulation of "stem" and/or "progenitor"-like or differentiated leukemic cells in the bone marrow and blood. AML progression alters the bone marrow microenvironment and inhibits hematopoiesis' proper functioning, causing sustained cytopenia and immunodeficiency. This review describes how the AML microenvironment influences lymphoid lineages, particularly T lymphocytes that originate from the thymus and orchestrate adaptive immune response. We focus on the elderly population, which is mainly affected by this pathology. We discuss how a permissive AML microenvironment can alter and even worsen the thymic function, T cells' peripheral homeostasis, phenotype, and functions. Based on the recent findings on the mechanisms supporting that AML induces quantitative and qualitative changes in T cells, we suggest and summarize current immunotherapeutic strategies and challenges to overcome these anomalies to improve the anti-leukemic immune response and the clinical outcome of patients.
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27
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Zalfa C, Paust S. Natural Killer Cell Interactions With Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment and Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:633205. [PMID: 34025641 PMCID: PMC8133367 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.633205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and heterogeneous environment composed of cancer cells, tumor stroma, a mixture of tissue-resident and infiltrating immune cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in fighting tumors, but chronic stimulation and immunosuppression in the TME lead to NK cell exhaustion and limited antitumor functions. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid cells with potent immunosuppressive activity that gradually accumulate in tumor tissues. MDSCs interact with innate and adaptive immune cells and play a crucial role in negatively regulating the immune response to tumors. This review discusses MDSC-mediated NK cell regulation within the TME, focusing on critical cellular and molecular interactions. We review current strategies that target MDSC-mediated immunosuppression to enhance NK cell cytotoxic antitumor activity. We also speculate on how NK cell-based antitumor immunotherapy could be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silke Paust
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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28
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Rettman P, Blunt MD, Fulton RJ, Vallejo AF, Bastidas-Legarda LY, España-Serrano L, Polak ME, Al-Shamkhani A, Retiere C, Khakoo SI. Peptide: MHC-based DNA vaccination strategy to activate natural killer cells by targeting killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001912. [PMID: 34016721 PMCID: PMC8141441 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells are increasingly being recognized as agents for cancer immunotherapy. The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are expressed by NK cells and are immunogenetic determinants of the outcome of cancer. In particular, KIR2DS2 is associated with protective responses to several cancers and also direct recognition of cancer targets in vitro. Due to the high homology between activating and inhibitory KIR genes to date, it has been challenging to target individual KIR for therapeutic benefit. METHODS A novel KIR2DS2-targeting therapeutic peptide:MHC DNA vaccine was designed and used to immunize mice transgenic for KIR genes (KIR-Tg). NK cells were isolated from the livers and spleens of vaccinated mice and then analyzed for activation by flow cytometry, RNA profiling and cytotoxicity assays. In vivo assays of NK cell function using a syngeneic cancer model (B16 melanoma) and an adoptive transfer model for human hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh7) were performed. RESULTS Injecting KIR-Tg mice with the vaccine construct activated NK cells in both liver and spleens of mice, with preferential activation of KIR2DS2-positive NK cells. KIR-specific activation was most marked on the CD11b+CD27+ mature subset of NK cells. RNA profiling indicated that the DNA vaccine upregulated genes associated with cellular metabolism and downregulated genes related to histone H3 methylation, which are associated with immune cell maturation and NK cell function. Vaccination led to canonical and cross-reactive peptide:MHC-specific NK cell responses. In vivo, DNA vaccination led to enhanced antitumor responses against B16F10 melanoma cells and also enhanced responses against a tumor model expressing the KIR2DS2 ligand HLA-C*0102. CONCLUSION We show the feasibility of a peptide-based KIR-targeting vaccine strategy to activate NK cells and hence generate functional antitumor responses. This approach does not require detailed knowledge of the tumor peptidomes nor HLA matching with the patient. It therefore offers a novel opportunity for targeting NK cells for cancer immunotherapy.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/drug effects
- HLA-C Antigens/administration & dosage
- HLA-C Antigens/genetics
- HLA-C Antigens/immunology
- Haplotypes
- Humans
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Lectins, C-Type/genetics
- Lectins, C-Type/immunology
- Lectins, C-Type/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Melanoma, Experimental/drug therapy
- Melanoma, Experimental/genetics
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/metabolism
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Peptides/administration & dosage
- Peptides/genetics
- Peptides/immunology
- Receptors, Immunologic/genetics
- Receptors, Immunologic/immunology
- Receptors, Immunologic/metabolism
- Receptors, KIR/genetics
- Receptors, KIR/immunology
- Receptors, KIR/metabolism
- Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Skin Neoplasms/genetics
- Skin Neoplasms/immunology
- Skin Neoplasms/metabolism
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Rettman
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Matthew D Blunt
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Rebecca J Fulton
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Andres F Vallejo
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Leidy Y Bastidas-Legarda
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Laura España-Serrano
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Marta E Polak
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Salim I Khakoo
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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29
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Scott JI, Gutkin S, Green O, Thompson EJ, Kitamura T, Shabat D, Vendrell M. A Functional Chemiluminescent Probe for in Vivo Imaging of Natural Killer Cell Activity Against Tumours. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 133:5763-5767. [PMID: 38505495 PMCID: PMC10946790 DOI: 10.1002/ange.202011429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune cells that can kill certain types of cancer cells. Adoptive transfer of NK cells represents a promising immunotherapy for malignant tumours; however, there is a lack of methods to validate anti-tumour activity of NK cells in vivo. Herein, we report a new chemiluminescent probe to image in situ the granzyme B-mediated killing activity of NK cells against cancer cells. We have optimised a granzyme B-specific construct using an activatable phenoxydioxetane reporter so that enzymatic cleavage of the probe results in bright chemiluminescence. The probe shows high selectivity for active granzyme B over other proteases and higher signal-to-noise ratios than commercial fluorophores. Finally, we demonstrate that the probe can detect NK cell activity in mouse models, being the first chemiluminescent probe for in vivo imaging of NK cell activity in live tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I. Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Sara Gutkin
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Ori Green
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Emily J. Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Doron Shabat
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
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30
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Scott JI, Gutkin S, Green O, Thompson EJ, Kitamura T, Shabat D, Vendrell M. A Functional Chemiluminescent Probe for in Vivo Imaging of Natural Killer Cell Activity Against Tumours. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:5699-5703. [PMID: 33300671 PMCID: PMC7986153 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202011429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune cells that can kill certain types of cancer cells. Adoptive transfer of NK cells represents a promising immunotherapy for malignant tumours; however, there is a lack of methods to validate anti-tumour activity of NK cells in vivo. Herein, we report a new chemiluminescent probe to image in situ the granzyme B-mediated killing activity of NK cells against cancer cells. We have optimised a granzyme B-specific construct using an activatable phenoxydioxetane reporter so that enzymatic cleavage of the probe results in bright chemiluminescence. The probe shows high selectivity for active granzyme B over other proteases and higher signal-to-noise ratios than commercial fluorophores. Finally, we demonstrate that the probe can detect NK cell activity in mouse models, being the first chemiluminescent probe for in vivo imaging of NK cell activity in live tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I. Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Sara Gutkin
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Ori Green
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Emily J. Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Doron Shabat
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
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31
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Slattery K, Woods E, Zaiatz-Bittencourt V, Marks S, Chew S, Conroy M, Goggin C, MacEochagain C, Kennedy J, Lucas S, Finlay DK, Gardiner CM. TGFβ drives NK cell metabolic dysfunction in human metastatic breast cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2020-002044. [PMID: 33568351 PMCID: PMC7878131 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-002044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Natural killer (NK) cells provide important immune protection from cancer and are a key requirement for particular immunotherapies. There is accumulating evidence that NK cells become dysfunctional during cancer. Overcoming NK cell exhaustion would be an important step to allow them to function optimally in a range of NK cell therapies, including those that depend on autologos circulating NK cells. We have previously demonstrated that NK cells undergo a normal metabolic reprogramming in response to cytokine activation and that this is required for optimal function. The objective of this work was to investigate if cellular metabolism of circulating NK cells is dysregulated in patients with metastatic breast cancer and if so, to gain insights into potential mechanisms underpinning this. Such discoveries would provide important insights into how to unleash the full activity of NK cells for maximum immunotherapy output. Methods Single-cell analysis, metabolic flux and confocal analysis of NK cells from patients with metastatic breast cancer and healthy controls Results In addition to reduced interferon-γ production and cytotoxicity, peripheral blood NK cells from patients had clear metabolic deficits including reduced glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. There were also distinct morphologically alterations in the mitochondria with increased mitochondrial fragmentation observed. Transforminggrowth factor-β (TGFβ) was identified as a key driver of this phenotype as blocking its activity reversed many metabolic and functional readouts. Expression of glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant (GARP) and latency associated peptide (LAP), which are involved with a novel TGFβ processing pathway, was increased on NK cells from some patients. Blocking the GARP–TGFβ axis recapitulated the effects of TGFβ neutralization, highlighting GARP as a novel NK cell immunotherapy target for the first time. Conclusions TGFβ contributes to metabolic dysfunction of circulating NK cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Blocking TGFβ and/or GARP can restore NK cell metabolism and function and is an important target for improving NK cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Slattery
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Elena Woods
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Sam Marks
- Medical Oncology Service, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sonya Chew
- Medical Oncology Service, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael Conroy
- Medical Oncology Service, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - John Kennedy
- Medical Oncology Service, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sophie Lucas
- Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David K Finlay
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Clair M Gardiner
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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32
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Tanaka J. Recent advances in cellular therapy for malignant lymphoma. Cytotherapy 2021; 23:662-671. [PMID: 33558145 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cellular therapies for malignant lymphoma include autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and adaptive cellular therapy using EBV-specific T cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, NKT cells, NK cells, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells and chimeric antigen receptor NK (CAR-NK) cells. In this review we discusses recent advances of these cellular therapies and consider ways to optimize these therapies. Not only a single strategy using one of these cellular therapies, but also multi-disciplinary treatment combines with antibodies, such as an anti-tumor antibody and an immune checkpoint antibody, may be more effective for relapsed and refractory lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junji Tanaka
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
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33
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Pekar L, Klausz K, Busch M, Valldorf B, Kolmar H, Wesch D, Oberg HH, Krohn S, Boje AS, Gehlert CL, Toleikis L, Krah S, Gupta T, Rabinovich B, Zielonka S, Peipp M. Affinity Maturation of B7-H6 Translates into Enhanced NK Cell-Mediated Tumor Cell Lysis and Improved Proinflammatory Cytokine Release of Bispecific Immunoligands via NKp30 Engagement. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 206:225-236. [PMID: 33268483 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Activating NK cell receptors represent promising target structures to elicit potent antitumor immune responses. In this study, novel immunoligands were generated that bridge the activating NK cell receptor NKp30 on NK cells with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on tumor cells in a bispecific IgG-like format based on affinity-optimized versions of B7-H6 and the Fab arm derived from cetuximab. To enhance NKp30 binding, the solitary N-terminal IgV domain of B7-H6 (ΔB7-H6) was affinity matured by an evolutionary library approach combined with yeast surface display. Biochemical and functional characterization of 36 of these novel ΔB7-H6-derived NK cell engagers revealed an up to 45-fold-enhanced affinity for NKp30 and significantly improved NK cell-mediated, EGFR-dependent killing of tumor cells compared with the NK cell engager based on the wild-type ΔB7-H6 domain. In this regard, potencies (EC50 killing) of the best immunoligands were substantially improved by up to 87-fold. Moreover, release of IFN-γ and TNF-α was significantly increased. Importantly, equipment of the ΔB7-H6-based NK cell engagers with a human IgG1 Fc part competent in Fc receptor binding resulted in an almost 10-fold superior killing of EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells compared with molecules either triggering FcγRIIIa or NKp30. Additionally, INF-γ and TNF-α release was increased compared with molecules solely triggering FcγRIIIa, including the clinically approved Ab cetuximab. Thus, incorporating affinity-matured ligands for NK cell-activating receptors might represent an effective strategy for the generation of potent novel therapeutic agents with unique effector functions in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Pekar
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.,Discovery Pharmacology, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katja Klausz
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Busch
- Discovery Pharmacology, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Valldorf
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Harald Kolmar
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniela Wesch
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; and
| | - Hans-Heinrich Oberg
- Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; and
| | - Steffen Krohn
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ammelie Svea Boje
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Carina Lynn Gehlert
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Toleikis
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Simon Krah
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tushar Gupta
- Department of Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, MA 01821
| | - Brian Rabinovich
- Department of Immuno-oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, MA 01821
| | - Stefan Zielonka
- Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies, Merck KGaA, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany;
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Feucht J, Sadelain M. Function and evolution of the prototypic CD28ζ and 4-1BBζ chimeric antigen receptors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 8:2-11. [PMID: 35757562 PMCID: PMC9216534 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) specific for CD19 have yielded remarkable clinical outcomes in patients with refractory B-cell malignancies. The first CARs to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency are CD19 CARs that comprise either CD28/CD3ζ or 4-1BB/CD3ζ dual-signalling domains. While their efficacy and safety profiles in patients with B-cell malignancies are comparable overall, the functional properties these two CAR designs impart upon engineered T cells differ significantly. Remarkably, alternative costimulatory domains have not, to date, superseded these foundational designs. Rather, recent CAR advances have focused on perfecting the original CD28- and 4-1BB-based CD19 CARs by calibrating strength of activation, pre-empting T-cell exhaustion and increasing the functional persistence of CAR T cells. This article reviews the essential biological properties of these first-in-class prototypes and their recent evolution. CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy has shown remarkable success against B-cell malignancies. The prototypic CD19 CARs comprise either CD28/CD3ζ or 4-1BB/CD3ζ signalling domains. Both CD19 CARs yield similar efficacy but impart distinct T-cell functionalities. Novel CAR designs aim to enhance the persistence or effector potency of T cells. Genome editing averts variegated CAR expression and sustains T-cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. Sadelain
- Correspondence to: Michel Sadelain, Director, Center for Cell Engineering and Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. Tel: 212-639-6190
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Amatya C, Pegues MA, Lam N, Vanasse D, Geldres C, Choi S, Hewitt SM, Feldman SA, Kochenderfer JN. Development of CAR T Cells Expressing a Suicide Gene Plus a Chimeric Antigen Receptor Targeting Signaling Lymphocytic-Activation Molecule F7. Mol Ther 2020; 29:702-717. [PMID: 33129371 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are fusion proteins that contain antigen-recognition domains and T cell signaling domains. Signaling lymphocytic-activation molecule F7 (SLAMF7) is a promising target for CAR T cell therapies of the plasma cell malignancy multiple myeloma (MM) because SLAMF7 is expressed by MM but not normal nonhematopoietic cells. We designed CARs targeting SLAMF7. We transduced human T cells with anti-SLAMF7 CARs containing either CD28 or 4-1BB costimulatory domains. T cells expressing CD28-containing CARs or 4-1BB-containing CARs recognized SLAMF7 in vitro. SLAMF7-specific cytokine release was higher for T cells expressing CARs with CD28 versus 4-1BB domains. In murine solid tumor and disseminated tumor models, anti-tumor activity of T cells was superior with CD28-containing CARs versus 4-1BB-containing CARs. Because of SLAMF7 expression on some normal leukocytes, especially natural killer cells that control certain viral infections, the inclusion of a suicide gene with an anti-SLAMF7 CAR is prudent. We designed a construct with a CD28-containing anti-SLAMF7 CAR and a suicide gene. The suicide gene encoded a dimerization domain fused to a caspase-9 domain. T cells expressing the anti-SLAMF7 CAR plus suicide-gene construct specifically recognized SLAMF7 in vitro and eliminated tumors from mice. T cells expressing this construct were eliminated on demand by administering the dimerizing agent AP1903 (rimiducid).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Amatya
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Melissa A Pegues
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Norris Lam
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Danielle Vanasse
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Claudia Geldres
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stephanie Choi
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stephen M Hewitt
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Pathology, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - James N Kochenderfer
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research, Surgery Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Tanaka J. Recent advances in chimeric antigen receptor natural killer cell therapy for overcoming intractable hematological malignancies. Hematol Oncol 2020; 39:11-19. [PMID: 32905618 DOI: 10.1002/hon.2802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have a potent cytotoxic activity against leukemia and lymphoma without recognition of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. Chimeric antigen receptor-engineered NK cells (CAR-NK cells) can be produced from the NK92 cell line, peripheral blood, cord blood, and induced pluripotent stem cells for immunotherapy of malignant tumor cells. Recently, the safety and efficacy of HLA-mismatched allogeneic cord blood-derived CD19 CAR-NK cell therapy for CD19-positive hematological malignancies have been reported. However, the durability of clinical effects has not been clarified. The characteristics of CAR-NK cells with a strong antileukemia/lymphoma effect and better proliferative capacity without severe adverse effects may be promising for overcoming intractable hematological malignancies as an off-the-shelf allogeneic cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junji Tanaka
- Department of Hematology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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