Unveil the mysterious mask of cytokine-based immunotherapy for melanoma

Macrophage Membrane-Camouflaged shRNA and Doxorubicin: A pH-Dependent Release System for Melanoma Chemo-Immunotherapy

Improving the efficacy of melanoma treatment remains an important global challenge. Here, we combined chemotherapy with protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2(Ptpn2) based immunotherapy in an effort to address this challenge. Short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Ptpn2 was coencapsulated with doxorubicin (DOX) in the cell membrane of M1 macrophages (M1HD@RPR). The prepared nanoparticles (NPs) were effectively phagocytosed by B16F10 cells and M1 macrophages, but not by M0 macrophages. Hence, NP evasion from the reticuloendothelial system (RES) was improved and NP enrichment in tumor sites increased. M1HD@RPR can directly kill tumor cells and stimulate immunogenic cell death (ICD) by DOX and downregulate Ptpn2. It can promote M1 macrophage polarization and dendritic cell maturation and increase the proportion of CD8⁺ T cells. M1HD@RPR killed and inhibited the growth of primary melanoma and lung metastatic tumor cells without harming the surrounding tissue. These findings establish M1HD@RPR as a safe multifunctional nanoparticle capable of effectively combining chemotherapy and gene immunotherapies against melanoma.

The treatment of advanced melanoma: a review of systemic and local therapies in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials

INTRODUCTION

While the incidence of melanoma continues to rise, the mortality of the disease appears to have stabilized. This may, in part, be due to the development and application of immune checkpoint inhibitors as standard of care in advanced melanoma. However, many patients do not respond to these therapies alone. Combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with other classes of therapeutics appears to be a promising direction to improve response and survival in advanced melanoma.

AREAS COVERED

This review article aims to discuss phase 1 and 2 clinical trials examining immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination therapy for the treatment of advanced, unresectable melanoma. In particular, these regimens include various kinase inhibitors, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, toll-like receptor agonists, cytokines, and oncolytic viral therapies. The combinations under discussion include both systemic and combination systemic/local therapies.

EXPERT OPINION

Drug combinations discussed here appear to be promising therapeutic regimens for advanced melanoma. Improved understanding of the mechanisms of primary, adaptive, and acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors may guide the development of future combination regimens.

The role of various interleukins in acute myeloid leukemia

Interleukins are signaling molecules involved in the immune system, and they play a variety of roles in different diseases and cancers. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of leukemia in adults, and survival rate after diagnosis is very low. Investigating the role interleukins play in AML can help understand the progression of the disease. There exists a need for more effective treatment of AML. Interleukins can be used to guide immunotherapy for AML. This review article will examine how specific interleukins play a role in AML disease progression and how they can be utilized as a future treatment option.

The role of interleukins and the widely studied TNF-α in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a relatively common cancer with malignant tendencies. Although there is no current cure for the disease, research has been successful in figuring out the mechanisms of how the disease progresses, however, there is still a lot of unknowns, and more research must be done to find the ultimate cause of the disease. Interleukins and various cytokines play unique roles in the development of cancer. This review article summarizes the pathophysiology between certain interleukins and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although TNF-α is not an interleukin, the article examines TNF-α due to its high correspondence with cancer. The article also describes a promising immunotherapy for the disease, while looking at immunotherapies that have been successful in other types of cancer and disease.

Co-Delivery of Paclitaxel and Interleukin-12 Regulating Tumor Microenvironment for Cancer Immunochemotherapy

In the treatment of malignant tumors, the combination of chemotherapy that can directly kill tumor cells and immunotherapy that can activate the body's immune system and regulate tumor microenvironments is becoming one of the most promising cancer treatments. However, to co-deliver agents with different physicochemical properties for immunochemotherapy is still facing a challenge. Here, nanoparticles are developed for the co-delivery of the hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) and biomacromolecule interleukin-12 (IL-12) through the acid-sensitive material mPEG-Dlink_m -PDLLA and low-temperature expansion effect of Pluronic F127. The nanoparticles encrich in the tumor site, significantly inhibit the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells 4T1, and prolong the overall survival of tumor-bearing mice. The underlying immune mechanism is further explored. The combination of PTX and IL-12 activates T lymphocytes and NK cells to release IFN-γ, selectively inhibits regulatory T cells and induces M1-type differentiation of tumor-related macrophages, thereby improving tumor immunosuppressive microenvironments. This study may provide an effective strategy for cancer immunochemotherapy through co-delivery of chemotherapeutic drug and immune cytokine by the facile thermo-sponge nanoparticles.

Interleukin-17F Has Anti-Tumor Effects in Oral Tongue Cancer

We recently showed that extracellular interleukin-17F (IL-17F) correlates with better disease-specific survival in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) patients. However, the underlying mechanisms of such effect remain obscure. Here, we used qRT-PCR to assess the expression of IL-17F and its receptors (IL-17RA and IL-17RC) in two OTSCC cell lines (HSC-3 and SCC-25) and in normal human oral keratinocytes (HOKs). IL-17F effects on cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were studied using a live-imaging IncuCyte system, and a Caspase-3/7 reagent was used for testing apoptosis. 3D tumor spheroids were utilized to assess the impact of IL-17F on invasion with or without cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Tube-formation assays were used to examine the effects of IL-17F on angiogenesis using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). OTSCC cells express low levels of IL-17F, IL-17RA, and IL-17RC mRNA compared with HOKs. IL-17F inhibited cell proliferation and random migration of highly invasive HSC-3 cells. CAFs promoted OTSCC invasion in tumor spheroids, whereas IL-17F eliminated such effect. IL-17F suppressed HUVEC tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, we suggest that IL-17F counteracts the pro-tumorigenic activity in OTSCC. Due to its downregulation in tumor cells and inhibitory activity in in vitro cancer models, targeting IL-17F or its regulatory pathways could lead to promising immunotherapeutic strategies against OTSCC.

Combination therapy improves immune response and prognosis in patients with advanced oral mucosal melanoma: A clinical treatment success

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to analyze disease response and immune response to assess treatment effectiveness and success in patients with advanced oral mucosal melanoma treated with cytokines injection, cryosurgery, and adoptive cell transfer therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

Ten patients were enrolled in the study, and the relevant characteristics and immunologic differences were evaluated.

RESULTS

All patients achieved an objective clinical response according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, including 7 cases of continuing complete remission (55, 27, 87 + , 58⁺, 58 + , 45 + , and 37 + months) and 3 cases of partial remission (30, 12, and 9 months). Five responders are currently alive. After combination therapy, we observed that the proportion of CD3+ lymphocytes and the secretion of interferon-γ increased, whereas interleukin-10 decreased. In the assay of improved cytokine-induced killer cells, CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells declined, and natural killer cells upregulated. Meanwhile, the proliferation rate of in vitro cultured improved cytokine-induced killer cells improved after courses of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy of cytokine injection, cryosurgery, and transfer of improved cytokine-induced killer cells may be a promising approach for patients with oral mucosal melanoma.

Advances in Proteomic Techniques for Cytokine Analysis: Focus on Melanoma Research

Melanoma is a skin cancer with permanently increasing incidence and resistance to therapies in advanced stages. Reports of spontaneous regression and tumour infiltration with T-lymphocytes makes melanoma candidate for immunotherapies. Cytokines are key factors regulating immune response and intercellular communication in tumour microenvironment. Cytokines may be used in therapy of melanoma to modulate immune response. Cytokines also possess diagnostic and prognostic potential and cytokine production may reflect effects of immunotherapies. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of recent advances in proteomic techniques for the detection and quantification of cytokines in melanoma research. Approaches covered span from mass spectrometry to immunoassays for single molecule detection (ELISA, western blot), multiplex assays (chemiluminescent, bead-based (Luminex) and planar antibody arrays), ultrasensitive techniques (Singulex, Simoa, immuno-PCR, proximity ligation/extension assay, immunomagnetic reduction assay), to analyses of single cells producing cytokines (ELISpot, flow cytometry, mass cytometry and emerging techniques for single cell secretomics). Although this review is focused mainly on cancer and particularly melanoma, the discussed techniques are in general applicable to broad research field of biology and medicine, including stem cells, development, aging, immunology and intercellular communication.