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Zhou G, Fu S, Zhang Y, Li S, Guo Z, Ouyang D, Ying T, Lu Y, Zhao Q. Antibody Recognition of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2) Juxtamembrane Domain Enhances Anti-Tumor Response of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cells. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:45. [PMID: 38920969 PMCID: PMC11200690 DOI: 10.3390/antib13020045] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy shows promise in treating malignant tumors. However, the use of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) CAR-T cells carries the risk of severe toxicity, including cytokine release syndrome, due to their "on-target off-tumor" recognition of HER2. Enhancing the quality and functionality of HER2 CARs could greatly improve the therapeutic potential of CAR-T cells. In this study, we developed a novel anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, Ab8, which targets domain III of HER2, distinct from the domain IV recognition of trastuzumab. Although two anti-HER2 mAbs induced similar levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, trastuzumab-based CAR-T cells exhibited potent antitumor activity against HER2-positive cancer cells. In conclusion, our findings provide scientific evidence that antibody recognition of the membrane-proximal domain promotes the anti-tumor response of HER2-specific CAR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Zhou
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (G.Z.); (S.F.); (Z.G.)
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China
| | - Shengyu Fu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (G.Z.); (S.F.); (Z.G.)
| | - Yunsen Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (Y.Z.); (D.O.)
| | - Shuang Li
- The Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100036, China;
| | - Ziang Guo
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (G.Z.); (S.F.); (Z.G.)
| | - Defang Ouyang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (Y.Z.); (D.O.)
| | - Tianlei Ying
- MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Synthetic Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China;
| | - Yinying Lu
- The Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100036, China;
| | - Qi Zhao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China; (G.Z.); (S.F.); (Z.G.)
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau SAR, China
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2
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Dingfelder J, Aigner M, Taubmann J, Minopoulou I, Park S, Kaplan CD, Cheng JK, Van Blarcom T, Schett G, Mackensen A, Lutzny-Geier G. Fully Human Anti-CD19 CAR T Cells Derived from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Exhibit Cytotoxicity with Reduced Inflammatory Cytokine Production. Transplant Cell Ther 2024; 30:582.e1-582.e10. [PMID: 38548226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
KYV-101 is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy under investigation for patients with B-cell driven autoimmune diseases. Hu19-CD828Z is a fully human anti-CD19 CAR designed and demonstrated to have a favorable clinical safety profile. Since anti-CD19 CAR T cells target and kill B cells in both circulation and tissues, the treatment with Hu19-CD828Z CAR T cells offers great potential in depleting autoreactive B cells. Demonstrate that Hu19-CD828Z CAR T cells manufactured from cryopreserved leukaphereses from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exhibit CAR-mediated and CD19-dependent cytokine release, proliferation and cytotoxicity when co-cultured with autologous primary B cells. T cells were enriched from cryopreserved leukaphereses from SLE patients or healthy donors (HD). CAR T cells were generated by transducing these cells with a lentiviral vector encoding Hu19-CD828Z. CAR-mediated and CD19-dependent activity was monitored in vitro in a set of cytotoxicity, cytokine release, and proliferation studies, in response to autologous primary CD19+ B cells, a CD19+ cell line (NALM-6), or a CD19- cell line (U937). Hu19-CD828Z CAR T cells produced from SLE patients or HD induced greater proliferation and dose-dependent cytotoxicity against both autologous primary B cells and the CD19+ NALM-6 cells than nontransduced control T cells or co-cultures with a CD19- cell line. Interestingly, there was lower inflammatory cytokine production from SLE patient-derived CAR T cells compared to HD donor-derived CAR T cells with either CD19+ cells or primary B cells. Hu19-CD828Z CAR T cells generated from SLE patient lymphocytes demonstrate CAR-mediated and CD19-dependent activity against autologous primary B cells with reduced inflammatory cytokine production supporting KYV-101 as a novel potential therapy for the depletion of pathogenic B cells in SLE patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janin Dingfelder
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Germany
| | - Michael Aigner
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Germany
| | - Jule Taubmann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ioanna Minopoulou
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Soo Park
- Kyverna Therapeutics, Emeryville, California
| | | | | | | | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Mackensen
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Germany
| | - Gloria Lutzny-Geier
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Germany.
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3
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Ujlaky-Nagy L, Szöllősi J, Vereb G. Disrupting EGFR-HER2 Transactivation by Pertuzumab in HER2-Positive Cancer: Quantitative Analysis Reveals EGFR Signal Input as Potential Predictor of Therapeutic Outcome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5978. [PMID: 38892166 PMCID: PMC11173106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pertuzumab (Perjeta®), a humanized antibody binding to the dimerization arm of HER2 (Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2), has failed as a monotherapy agent in HER2 overexpressing malignancies. Since the molecular interaction of HER2 with ligand-bound EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) has been implied in mitogenic signaling and malignant proliferation, we hypothesized that this interaction, rather than HER2 expression and oligomerization alone, could be a potential molecular target and predictor of the efficacy of pertuzumab treatment. Therefore, we investigated static and dynamic interactions between HER2 and EGFR molecules upon EGF stimulus in the presence and absence of pertuzumab in HER2+ EGFR+ SK-BR-3 breast tumor cells using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy and fluorescence correlation and cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCS/FCCS). The consequential activation of signaling and changes in cell proliferation were measured by Western blotting and MTT assay. The autocorrelation functions of HER2 diffusion were best fitted by a three-component model corrected for triplet formation, and among these components the slowly diffusing membrane component revealed aggregation induced by EGFR ligand binding, as evidenced by photon-counting histograms and co-diffusing fractions. This aggregation has efficiently been prevented by pertuzumab treatment, which also inhibited the post-stimulus interaction of EGFR and HER2, as monitored by changes in FRET efficiency. Overall, the data demonstrated that pertuzumab, by hindering post-stimulus interaction between EGFR and HER2, inhibits EGFR-evoked HER2 aggregation and phosphorylation and leads to a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation, particularly when higher amounts of EGF are present. Consequently, we propose that EGFR expression on HER2-positive tumors could be taken into consideration as a potential biomarker when predicting the outcome of pertuzumab treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Ujlaky-Nagy
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UD Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - János Szöllősi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UD Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UD Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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4
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Chen T, Wang M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Current challenges and therapeutic advances of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:133. [PMID: 38622705 PMCID: PMC11017638 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03315-3] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors. According to recent studies, optimizing the design of CAR-T cells, implementing logic-gated CAR-T cells and refining the delivery methods of therapeutic agents can all enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, combination therapy shows promise as a way to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. At present, numerous clinical trials involving CAR-T cells for solid tumors are actively in progress. In conclusion, CAR-T cell therapy has both potential and challenges when it comes to treating solid tumors. As CAR-T cell therapy continues to evolve, further innovations will be devised to surmount the challenges associated with this treatment modality, ultimately leading to enhanced therapeutic response for patients suffered solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Mingzhao Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanchao Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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5
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Zhang T, Tai Z, Miao F, Zhang X, Li J, Zhu Q, Wei H, Chen Z. Adoptive cell therapy for solid tumors beyond CAR-T: Current challenges and emerging therapeutic advances. J Control Release 2024; 368:372-396. [PMID: 38408567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Adoptive cellular immunotherapy using immune cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is a highly specific anti-tumor immunotherapy that has shown promise in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, there has been a slow progress toward the treatment of solid tumors owing to the complex tumor microenvironment that affects the localization and killing ability of the CAR cells. Solid tumors with a strong immunosuppressive microenvironment and complex vascular system are unaffected by CAR cell infiltration and attack. To improve their efficacy toward solid tumors, CAR cells have been modified and upgraded by "decorating" and "pruning". This review focuses on the structure and function of CARs, the immune cells that can be engineered by CARs and the transformation strategies to overcome solid tumors, with a view to broadening ideas for the better application of CAR cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingrui Zhang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Medical Guarantee Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China; School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Zongguang Tai
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China; Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Fengze Miao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Jiadong Li
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Quangang Zhu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Hua Wei
- Medical Guarantee Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
| | - Zhongjian Chen
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China.
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6
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Nagy L, Mezősi-Csaplár M, Rebenku I, Vereb G, Szöőr Á. Universal CAR T cells targeted to HER2 with a biotin-trastuzumab soluble linker penetrate spheroids and large tumor xenografts that are inherently resistant to trastuzumab mediated ADCC. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1365172. [PMID: 38562932 PMCID: PMC10982377 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1365172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
CAR T cell therapies face challenges in combating solid tumors due to their single-target approach, which becomes ineffective if the targeted antigen is absent or lost. Universal CAR T cells (UniCAR Ts) provide a promising solution by utilizing molecular tags (linkers), such as biotin conjugated to monoclonal antibodies, enabling them to target a variety of tumor antigens. Recently, we showed that conventional CAR T cells could penetrate the extracellular matrix (ECM) of ADCC-resistant tumors, which forms a barrier to therapeutic antibodies. This finding led us to investigate whether UniCAR T cells, targeted by soluble antibody-derived linkers, could similarly tackle ADCC-resistant tumors where ECM restricts antibody penetration. We engineered UniCAR T cells by incorporating a biotin-binding monomeric streptavidin 2 (mSA2) domain for targeting HER2 via biotinylated trastuzumab (BT). The activation and cytotoxicity of UniCAR T cells in the presence or absence of BT were evaluated in conventional immunoassays. A 3D spheroid coculture was set up to test the capability of UniCAR Ts to access ECM-masked HER2+ cells. For in vivo analysis, we utilized a HER2+ xenograft model in which intravenously administered UniCAR T cells were supplemented with intraperitoneal BT treatments. In vitro, BT-guided UniCAR T cells showed effective activation and distinct anti-tumor response. Upon target recognition, IFNγ secretion correlated with BT concentration. In the presence of BT, UniCAR T cells effectively penetrated HER2+ spheroids and induced cell death in their core regions. In vivo, upon intravenous administration of UniCAR Ts, circulating BT linkers immediately engaged the mSA2 domain and directed effector cells to the HER2+ tumors. However, these co-treated mice died early, possibly due to the lung infiltration of UniCAR T cells that could recognize both native biotin and HER2. Our results suggest that UniCAR T cells guided with soluble linkers present a viable alternative to conventional CAR T cells, especially for patients resistant to antibody therapy and those with solid tumors exhibiting high antigenic variability. Critical to their success, however, is the choice of an appropriate binding domain for the CAR and the corresponding soluble linker, ensuring both efficacy and safety in therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lőrinc Nagy
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Marianna Mezősi-Csaplár
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - István Rebenku
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- HUN-REN-UD Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Cho Y, Laird M, Bishop T, Li R, Ruffo E, Lohmueller J, Zervantonakis IK. CAR T cell infiltration and cytotoxic killing within the core of 3D breast cancer spheroids under control of antigen sensing in microwell arrays. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.14.585033. [PMID: 38654820 PMCID: PMC11037865 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.14.585033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in blood cancers has intensified efforts to develop CAR T therapies for solid cancers. In the solid tumor microenvironment, CAR T cell trafficking and suppression of cytotoxic killing represent limiting factors for therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present a microwell platform to study CAR T cell interactions with 3D tumor spheroids and determine predictors of anti-tumor CAR T cell function. To precisely control antigen sensing by CAR T cells, we utilized a switchable adaptor CAR system, that instead of directly binding to an antigen of interest, covalently attaches to co-administered antibody adaptors that mediate tumor antigen recognition. Following addition of an anti-HER2 adaptor antibody, primary human CAR T cells exhibited higher infiltration and clustering compared to the no adaptor control. By tracking CAR T cell killing at the individual spheroid level, we showed the suppressive effects of spheroid size and identified the initial CAR T cell : spheroid area ratio as a predictor of cytotoxicity. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed lower CAR T cell numbers and cytotoxicity in the spheroid core compared to the periphery. Finally, increasing CAR T cell seeding density, resulted in higher CAR T cell infiltration and cancer cell elimination in the spheroid core. Our findings provide new quantitative insights into CAR T cell-mediated killing of HER2+ breast tumor cells. Given the miniaturized nature and live imaging capabilities, our microfabricated system holds promise for discovering cell-cell interaction mechanisms that orchestrate antitumor CAR T cell functions and screening cellular immunotherapies in 3D tumor models.
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Leander R, Owanga G, Nelson D, Liu Y. A Mathematical Model of Stroma-Supported Allometric Tumor Growth. Bull Math Biol 2024; 86:38. [PMID: 38446260 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01265-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Mounting empirical research suggests that the stroma, or interface between healthy and cancerous tissue, is a critical determinate of cancer invasion. At the same time, a cancer cell's location and potential to proliferate can influence its sensitivity to cancer treatments. In this paper, we use ordinary differential equations to develop spatially structured models for solid tumors wherein the growth of tumor components is coordinated. The model tumors feature two components, a proliferating peripheral growth region, which potentially includes a mix of cancerous and noncancerous stroma cells, and a solid tumor core. Mathematical and numerical analysis are used to investigate how coordinated expansion of the tumor growth region and core can influence overall growth dynamics in a variety of tumor types. Model assumptions, which are motivated by empirical and in silico solid tumor research, are evaluated through comparison to tumor volume data and existing models of tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Leander
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box 34, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
| | - Greg Owanga
- Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, 1017 Academic Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - David Nelson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box 60, Murfreesboro, TN, 610101, USA
| | - Yeqian Liu
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box 34, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
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9
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Dougé A, El Ghazzi N, Lemal R, Rouzaire P. Adoptive T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors: State-of-the Art, Current Challenges, and Upcoming Improvements. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:272-284. [PMID: 37903371 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
In solid tumors, three main complementary approaches of adoptive T-cell therapies were successively developed: tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, chimeric antigen receptor engineered T cells, and high-affinity T-cell receptor engineered T cells. In this review, we summarized rational and main results of these three adoptive T-cell therapies in solid tumors field and gave an overview of encouraging data and their limits. Then, we listed the major remaining challenges (including tumor antigen loss, on-target/off-tumor effect, tumor access difficulties and general/local immunosubversion) and their lines of research. Finally, we gave insight into the ongoing trials in solid tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Dougé
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
- EA(UR)7453 CHELTER - Clermont Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Nathan El Ghazzi
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Richard Lemal
- EA(UR)7453 CHELTER - Clermont Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetic Department, University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Paul Rouzaire
- EA(UR)7453 CHELTER - Clermont Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetic Department, University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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10
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Chen Z, Han S, Kim S, Lee C, Sanny A, Tan AHM, Park S. A 3D hanging spheroid-filter plate for high-throughput drug testing and CAR T cell cytotoxicity assay. Analyst 2024; 149:475-481. [PMID: 38050728 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01904g] [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: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Tumour spheroids are widely used in immune cell cytotoxicity assays and anticancer drug testing, providing a physiologically relevant model replicating the tumour microenvironment. However, co-culture of immune and tumour cells complicates quantification of immune cell killing efficiency. We present a novel 3D hanging spheroid-filter plate that efficiently facilitates spheroid formation and separates unbound/dead cells during cytotoxicity assays. Optical imaging directly measures the cytotoxic effects of anti-cancer drugs on tumour spheroids, eliminating the need for live/dead fluorescent staining. This approach enables cost-effective evaluation of T-cell cytotoxicity with specific chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), enhancing immune cell-based assays and drug testing in three-dimensional tumour models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhong Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Seokgyu Han
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Sein Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Chanyang Lee
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Arleen Sanny
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros, Singapore 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Andy Hee-Meng Tan
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros, Singapore 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Sungsu Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics (IQB), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Korea.
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11
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Chamorro DF, Somes LK, Hoyos V. Engineered Adoptive T-Cell Therapies for Breast Cancer: Current Progress, Challenges, and Potential. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 16:124. [PMID: 38201551 PMCID: PMC10778447 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010124] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a significant health challenge, and novel treatment approaches are critically needed. This review presents an in-depth analysis of engineered adoptive T-cell therapies (E-ACTs), an innovative frontier in cancer immunotherapy, focusing on their application in breast cancer. We explore the evolving landscape of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T-cell receptor (TCR) T-cell therapies, highlighting their potential and challenges in targeting breast cancer. The review addresses key obstacles such as target antigen selection, the complex breast cancer tumor microenvironment, and the persistence of engineered T-cells. We discuss the advances in overcoming these barriers, including strategies to enhance T-cell efficacy. Finally, our comprehensive analysis of the current clinical trials in this area provides insights into the future possibilities and directions of E-ACTs in breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego F. Chamorro
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (D.F.C.); (L.K.S.)
| | - Lauren K. Somes
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (D.F.C.); (L.K.S.)
| | - Valentina Hoyos
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (D.F.C.); (L.K.S.)
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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12
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Keshavarz S, Wall JR, Keshavarz S, Vojoudi E, Jafari-Shakib R. Breast cancer immunotherapy: a comprehensive review. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:4431-4447. [PMID: 37658246 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01177-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Cancer remains a major health problem despite numerous new medical interventions that have been introduced in recent years. One of the major choices for cancer therapy is so-called adoptive cell therapy (ACT). ACT can be performed using both innate immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, and γδ T cells and acquired immune T cells. It has become possible to utilize these cells in both their native and modified states in clinical studies. Because of considerable success in cancer treatment, ACT now plays a role in advanced therapy protocols. Genetic engineering of autologous and allogeneic immune cells (T lymphocytes, NK cells, macrophages, etc.) with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) is a powerful new tool to target specific antigens on cancer cells. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US has approved certain CAR-T cells for hematologic malignancies and it is hoped that their use can be extended to incorporate a variety of cells, in particular NK cells. However, the ACT method has some limitations, such as the risk of rejection in allogeneic engrafts. Accordingly, numerous efforts are being made to eliminate or minimize this and other complications. In the present review, we have developed a guide to breast cancer (BC) therapy from conventional therapy, through to cell-based approaches, in particular novel technologies including CAR with emphasis on NK cells as a new and safer candidate in this field as well as the more recent aptamer technology, which can play a major role in BC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Keshavarz
- School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Jack R Wall
- University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Somayeh Keshavarz
- School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Elham Vojoudi
- Regenerative Medicine, Organ Procurement and Transplantation Multidisciplinary Center, Razi Hospital, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
| | - Reza Jafari-Shakib
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
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13
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Chikileva IO, Bruter AV, Persiyantseva NA, Zamkova MA, Vlasenko RY, Dolzhikova YI, Shubina IZ, Donenko FV, Lebedinskaya OV, Sokolova DV, Pokrovsky VS, Fedorova PO, Ustyuzhanina NE, Anisimova NY, Nifantiev NE, Kiselevskiy MV. Anti-Cancer Potential of Transiently Transfected HER2-Specific Human Mixed CAR-T and NK Cell Populations in Experimental Models: Initial Studies on Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfate Usage for Safer Treatment. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2563. [PMID: 37761005 PMCID: PMC10526813 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092563] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in numerous cancer cell types. Therapeutic antibodies and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) against HER2 were developed to treat human tumors. The major limitation of anti-HER2 CAR-T lymphocyte therapy is attributable to the low HER2 expression in a wide range of normal tissues. Thus, side effects are caused by CAR lymphocyte "on-target off-tumor" reactions. We aimed to develop safer HER2-targeting CAR-based therapy. CAR constructs against HER2 tumor-associated antigen (TAA) for transient expression were delivered into target T and natural killer (NK) cells by an effective and safe non-viral transfection method via nucleofection, excluding the risk of mutations associated with viral transduction. Different in vitro end-point and real-time assays of the CAR lymphocyte antitumor cytotoxicity and in vivo human HER2-positive tumor xenograft mice model proved potent cytotoxic activity of the generated CAR-T-NK cells. Our data suggest transient expression of anti-HER2 CARs in plasmid vectors by human lymphocytes as a safer treatment for HER2-positive human cancers. We also conducted preliminary investigations to elucidate if fucosylated chondroitin sulfate may be used as a possible agent to decrease excessive cytokine production without negative impact on the CAR lymphocyte antitumor effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina O. Chikileva
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Alexandra V. Bruter
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Nadezhda A. Persiyantseva
- Research Institute of Carcinogenesis, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (N.A.P.); (M.A.Z.)
| | - Maria A. Zamkova
- Research Institute of Carcinogenesis, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (N.A.P.); (M.A.Z.)
| | - Raimonda Ya. Vlasenko
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Yuliya I. Dolzhikova
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Irina Zh. Shubina
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Fedor V. Donenko
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Olga V. Lebedinskaya
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cytology, EA Vagner Perm State Medical University, 614000 Perm, Russia;
| | - Darina V. Sokolova
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
- Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim S. Pokrovsky
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
- Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Polina O. Fedorova
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
- Microbiology, Virology and Immunology Department, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia
- II Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums, 105064 Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Natalia Yu. Anisimova
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
| | - Nikolay E. Nifantiev
- ND Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Mikhail V. Kiselevskiy
- Research Institute of Experimental Therapy and Diagnostics of Tumor, NN Blokhin National Medical Center of Oncology, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (R.Y.V.); (Y.I.D.); (I.Z.S.); (F.V.D.); (D.V.S.); (V.S.P.); (P.O.F.); (N.Y.A.); (M.V.K.)
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14
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Dempsey N, Sandoval A, Mahtani R. Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Is There an Optimal Sequence of Therapy? Curr Treat Options Oncol 2023; 24:1120-1137. [PMID: 37428332 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-023-01108-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Approximately 20% of breast cancers overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+), conferring a particularly aggressive subtype of the disease with an increased risk for the development of systemic and brain metastases. However, the advent of trastuzumab and more recently several other HER2-targeting novel therapies has led to significant improvements in the prognosis, making the diagnosis a "double-edged sword." The current standard first-line therapy for patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a taxane combined with trastuzumab and pertuzumab. Trastuzumab deruxtecan should be used preferentially in the second line, with the only caveat being patients with CNS involvement where the tucatinib, capecitabine, and trastuzumab regimen could be considered. In the third line setting, given the survival benefits demonstrated with the tucatinib regimen in patients with and without CNS metastases, this is the preferred strategy. In the fourth line and beyond, there is no clear standard. Options include margetuximab in combination with chemotherapy, neratinib + capecitabine, or trastuzumab + chemotherapy. There are several novel therapies under investigation reporting promising results in the late-line setting. The treatment landscape of HER2-positive advanced disease is evolving constantly, with several active therapies being moved to the early-stage setting. Accordingly, it will be critical to identify biomarkers and mechanisms of resistance to optimize therapy selection and maximize patient outcomes and quality of life. Here, we provide an overview of the current and future management of HER2-positive advanced breast cancer and address the specific scenarios which may impact treatment selection including triple-positive breast cancer and the presence of brain metastases. Finally, we highlight promising novel treatments and ongoing trials that may impact future treatment sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Dempsey
- Miami Cancer Institute, 8900 Kendall Drive, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ana Sandoval
- Miami Cancer Institute, 8900 Kendall Drive, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Reshma Mahtani
- Miami Cancer Institute, 8900 Kendall Drive, Miami, FL, USA.
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15
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Cao Y, Efetov SK, He M, Fu Y, Beeraka NM, Zhang J, Zhang X, Bannimath N, Chen K. Updated Clinical Perspectives and Challenges of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell Therapy in Colorectal Cancer and Invasive Breast Cancer. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2023; 71:19. [PMID: 37566162 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-023-00684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer (BC) has increased worldwide and caused a higher mortality rate due to the lack of selective anti-tumor therapies. Current chemotherapies and surgical interventions are significantly preferred modalities to treat CRC or BC in advanced stages but the prognosis for patients with advanced CRC and BC remains dismal. The immunotherapy technique of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells has resulted in significant clinical outcomes when treating hematologic malignancies. The novel CAR-T therapy target antigens include GUCY2C, CLEC14A, CD26, TEM8/ANTXR1, PDPN, PTK7, PODXL, CD44, CD19, CD20, CD22, BCMA, GD2, Mesothelin, TAG-72, CEA, EGFR, B7H3, HER2, IL13Ra2, MUC1, EpCAM, PSMA, PSCA, NKG2D. The significant aim of this review is to explore the recently updated information pertinent to several novel targets of CAR-T for CRC, and BC. We vividly described the challenges of CAR-T therapies when treating CRC or BC. The immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors, the shortage of tumor-specific antigens, and post-treatment side effects are the major hindrances to promoting the development of CAR-T cells. Several clinical trials related to CAR-T immunotherapy against CRC or BC have already been in progress. This review benefits academicians, clinicians, and clinical oncologists to explore more about the novel CAR-T targets and overcome the challenges during this therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cao
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Sergey K Efetov
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Mingze He
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Yu Fu
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Narasimha M Beeraka
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (RIPER), Chiyyedu, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, 515721, India
| | - Jin Zhang
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Xinliang Zhang
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Namitha Bannimath
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Kuo Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, #1 Jianshedong Str., Zhengzhou, 450052, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Hu C, Liu M, Li Y, Zhao Y, Sharma A, Liu H, Schmidt-Wolf IGH. Recent advances and future perspectives of CAR-T cell therapy in head and neck cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1213716. [PMID: 37457699 PMCID: PMC10346844 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1213716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) ranks as the sixth most prevalent type of cancer globally and accounts for about 4% of all types of cancer. Among all HNC, most are head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with clinical therapies that include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and multimodal treatments. In recent years, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy has significantly transformed the therapeutic approaches for leukemia and lymphoma and has garnered increased attention as a potential treatment for a wide range of cancers. However, CAR-T immunotherapy in solid tumors, especially HNSCCs, lags significantly behind due to the paucity of tumor-specific antigens, high levels of tumor heterogeneity, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, the risk of treatment-related toxicities and off-target adverse events in HNSCCs. The objective of this review is to explore the advancement of CAR-T cell therapy in the treatment of HNSCCs. We aim to outline the targeted antigens in HNSCCs, highlight the challenges and potential solutions, and discuss the relevant combination therapies. Our review presents a comprehensive overview of the recent developments in CAR-T cell therapy for HNSCCs, and provides valuable insights into future research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yutao Li
- Department of Integrated Oncology, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yi Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Amit Sharma
- Department of Integrated Oncology, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Haotian Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ingo G. H. Schmidt-Wolf
- Department of Integrated Oncology, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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17
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Mezősi-Csaplár M, Szöőr Á, Vereb G. CD28 and 41BB Costimulatory Domains Alone or in Combination Differentially Influence Cell Surface Dynamics and Organization of Chimeric Antigen Receptors and Early Activation of CAR T Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3081. [PMID: 37370693 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123081] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells brought a paradigm shift in the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant lymphomas. Conversely, clinical experience with CAR T cells targeting solid tumors has been disheartening, indicating the necessity of their molecular-level optimization. While incorporating CD28 or 41BB costimulatory domains into CARs in addition to the CD3z signaling domain improved the long-term efficacy of T cell products, their influence on early tumor engagement has yet to be elucidated. We studied the antigen-independent self-association and membrane diffusion kinetics of first- (.z), second- (CD28.z, 41BB.z), and third- (CD28.41BB.z) generation HER2-specific CARs in the resting T cell membrane using super-resolution AiryScan microscopy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, in correlation with RoseTTAFold-based structure prediction and assessment of oligomerization in native Western blot. While .z and CD28.z CARs formed large, high-density submicron clusters of dimers, 41BB-containing CARs formed higher oligomers that assembled into smaller but more numerous membrane clusters. The first-, second-, and third-generation CARs showed progressively increasing lateral diffusion as the distance of their CD3z domain from the membrane plane increased. Confocal microscopy analysis of immunological synapses showed that both small clusters of highly mobile CD28.41BB.z and large clusters of less mobile .z CAR induced more efficient CD3ζ and pLck phosphorylation than CD28.z or 41BB.z CARs of intermediate mobility. However, electric cell-substrate impedance sensing revealed that the CD28.41BB.z CAR performs worst in sequential short-term elimination of adherent tumor cells, while the .z CAR is superior to all others. We conclude that the molecular structure, membrane organization, and mobility of CARs are critical design parameters that can predict the development of an effective immune synapse. Therefore, they need to be taken into account alongside the long-term biological effects of costimulatory domains to achieve an optimal therapeutic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Mezősi-Csaplár
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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18
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He Q, Hu H, Yang F, Song D, Zhang X, Dai X. Advances in chimeric antigen receptor T cells therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114609. [PMID: 37001182 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring cancer type seriously threatening the lives of women worldwide. Clinically, the high frequency of diverse resistance to current therapeutic strategies advocates a demand to develop novel and effective approaches for the efficient treatment of BC. The chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells therapy, one of the immunotherapies, has displayed powerful capacity to specifically kill and eliminate tumors. Due to the success of CAR-T therapy achieved in treating hematological malignancy, the effect of CAR-T cells therapy has been tested in various human diseases including breast cancer. This review summarized and discussed the landscape of the CAR-T therapy for breast cancer, including the advances, challenge and countermeasure of CAR-T therapy in research and clinical application. The roles of potential antigen targets, tumor microenvironment, immune escape in regulating CAR-T therapy, the combination of CAR-T therapy with other therapeutic strategies to further enhance therapeutic efficacy of CAR-T treatment were also highlighted. Therefore, our review provided a comprehensive understanding of CAR-T cell therapy in breast cancer which will awake huge interests for future in-depth investigation of CAR-T based therapy in cancer treatment.
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19
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Yin L, Chen GL, Xiang Z, Liu YL, Li XY, Bi JW, Wang Q. Current progress in chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114648. [PMID: 37023621 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women. Around 20-30% breast cancer patients undergo invasion or metastasis after radical surgical resection and eventually die. Number of breast cancer patients show poor sensitivity toward treatments despite the advances in chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and molecular targeted treatments. Therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence or metastasis develop with the ongoing treatments. Conducive treatment strategies are thus required. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cell therapy has progressed as a part of tumor immunotherapy. However, CAR-T treatment has not been effective in solid tumors because of tumor microenvironment complexity, inhibitory effects of extracellular matrix, and lacking ideal tumor antigens. Herein, the prospects of CAR-T cell therapy for metastatic breast cancer are discussed, and the targets for CAR-T therapy in breast cancer (HER-2, C-MET, MSLN, CEA, MUC1, ROR1, EGFR) at clinical level are reviewed. Moreover, solutions are proposed for the challenges of breast cancer CAR-T therapy regarding off-target effects, heterogeneous antigen expression by tumor cells and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Ideas for improving the therapeutics of CAR-T cell therapy in metastatic breast cancer are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China; Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 250355 Jinan, China
| | - Gui-Lai Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China
| | - Zhuo Xiang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China
| | - Yu-Lin Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China
| | - Xing-Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, China
| | - Jing-Wang Bi
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China.
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 250023 Jinan, China; Oncology Department, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, 250023 Jinan, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, China.
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20
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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: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [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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21
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Viswanathan S, Parida S, Lingipilli BT, Krishnan R, Podipireddy DR, Muniraj N. Role of Gut Microbiota in Breast Cancer and Drug Resistance. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030468. [PMID: 36986390 PMCID: PMC10058520 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. The cause of cancer is multifactorial. An early diagnosis and the appropriate treatment of cancer can improve the chances of survival. Recent studies have shown that breast cancer is influenced by the microbiota. Different microbial signatures have been identified in the breast microbiota, which have different patterns depending on the stage and biological subgroups. The human digestive system contains approximately 100 trillion bacteria. The gut microbiota is an emerging field of research that is associated with specific biological processes in many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, brain disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. In this review article, we discuss the impact of the microbiota on breast cancer, with a primary focus on the gut microbiota’s regulation of the breast cancer microenvironment. Ultimately, updates on how immunotherapy can affect the breast cancer-based microbiome and further clinical trials on the breast and microbiome axis may be an important piece of the puzzle in better predicting breast cancer risk and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sheetal Parida
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Bhuvana Teja Lingipilli
- Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Deemed University, Visakhapatnam 530045, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Ramalingam Krishnan
- Department of Biochemistry, Narayana Medical College, Nellore 524003, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Devendra Rao Podipireddy
- Rangaraya Medical College, Dr. YSR University of Health Sciences, Kakinada 533001, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Nethaji Muniraj
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children’s National Hospital, 111, Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-202-476-2466
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22
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Yuan Z, Li Y, Zhang S, Wang X, Dou H, Yu X, Zhang Z, Yang S, Xiao M. Extracellular matrix remodeling in tumor progression and immune escape: from mechanisms to treatments. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:48. [PMID: 36906534 PMCID: PMC10007858 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01744-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The malignant tumor is a multi-etiological, systemic and complex disease characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and distant metastasis. Anticancer treatments including adjuvant therapies and targeted therapies are effective in eliminating cancer cells but in a limited number of patients. Increasing evidence suggests that the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in tumor development through changes in macromolecule components, degradation enzymes and stiffness. These variations are under the control of cellular components in tumor tissue via the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, the interaction of the ECM components to multiple surface receptors, and mechanical impact. Additionally, the ECM shaped by cancer regulates immune cells which results in an immune suppressive microenvironment and hinders the efficacy of immunotherapies. Thus, the ECM acts as a barrier to protect cancer from treatments and supports tumor progression. Nevertheless, the profound regulatory network of the ECM remodeling hampers the design of individualized antitumor treatment. Here, we elaborate on the composition of the malignant ECM, and discuss the specific mechanisms of the ECM remodeling. Precisely, we highlight the impact of the ECM remodeling on tumor development, including proliferation, anoikis, metastasis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and immune escape. Finally, we emphasize ECM "normalization" as a potential strategy for anti-malignant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhennan Yuan
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yingpu Li
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Sifan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - He Dou
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xi Yu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Zhiren Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China.,Institute of Metabolic Disease, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Metabolic Disorder and Cancer Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Shanshan Yang
- Department of Gynecological Radiotherapy, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150000, China.
| | - Min Xiao
- Department of Oncological Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China.
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23
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Duro-Sánchez S, Alonso MR, Arribas J. Immunotherapies against HER2-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041069. [PMID: 36831412 PMCID: PMC9954045 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. HER2-positive breast cancer, which represents 15-20% of all cases, is characterized by the overexpression of the HER2 receptor. Despite the variety of treatments available for HER2-positive breast cancer, both targeted and untargeted, many patients do not respond to therapy and relapse and eventually metastasize, with a poor prognosis. Immunotherapeutic approaches aim to enhance the antitumor immune response to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis. Several immunotherapies have been approved for solid tumors, but their utility for HER2-positive breast cancer has yet to be confirmed. In this review, we examine the different immunotherapeutic strategies being tested in HER2-positive breast cancer, from long-studied cancer vaccines to immune checkpoint blockade, which targets immune checkpoints in both T cells and tumor cells, as well as the promising adoptive cell therapy in various forms. We discuss how some of these new approaches may contribute to the prevention of tumor progression and be used after standard-of-care therapies for resistant HER2-positive breast tumors, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each. We conclude that immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of HER2-positive tumors, with the potential to completely eradicate tumor cells and prevent the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Duro-Sánchez
- Preclinical & Translational Research Program, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Macarena Román Alonso
- Preclinical & Translational Research Program, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquín Arribas
- Preclinical & Translational Research Program, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
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24
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Deng X, Zhou J, Cao Y. Generating universal chimeric antigen receptor expressing cell products from induced pluripotent stem cells: beyond the autologous CAR-T cells. Chin Med J (Engl) 2023; 136:127-137. [PMID: 36806264 PMCID: PMC10106131 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Adoptive therapeutic immune cells, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and natural killer cells, have established a new generation of precision medicine based on which dramatic breakthroughs have been achieved in intractable lymphoma treatments. Currently, well-explored approaches focus on autologous cells due to their low immunogenicity, but they are highly restricted by the high costs, time consumption of processing, and the insufficiency of primary cells in some patients. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cell sources that can theoretically produce indefinite well-differentiated immune cells. Based on the above facts, it may be reasonable to combine the iPSC technology and the CAR design to produce a series of highly controllable and economical "live" drugs. Manufacturing hypoimmunogenic iPSCs by inactivation or over-expression at the genetic level and then arming the derived cells with CAR have emerged as a form of "off-the-shelf" strategy to eliminate tumor cells efficiently and safely in a broader range of patients. This review describes the reasonability, feasibility, superiority, and drawbacks of such approaches, summarizes the current practices and relevant research progress, and provides insights into the possible new paths for personalized cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Deng
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Department of Scientific Research Management, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Jianfeng Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Department of Scientific Research Management, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Department of Scientific Research Management, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
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25
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Attalla S, Taifour T, Muller W. Tailoring therapies to counter the divergent immune landscapes of breast cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1111796. [PMID: 36910138 PMCID: PMC9992199 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1111796] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a significant clinical concern affecting millions of women worldwide. Immunotherapy is a rapidly growing drug class that has revolutionized cancer treatment but remains marginally successful in breast cancer. The success of immunotherapy is dependent on the baseline immune responses as well as removing the brakes off pre-existing anti-tumor immunity. In this review, we summarize the different types of immune microenvironment observed in breast cancer as well as provide approaches to target these different immune subtypes. Such approaches have demonstrated pre-clinical success and are currently under clinical evaluation. The impact of combination of these approaches with already approved chemotherapies and immunotherapies may improve patient outcome and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif Attalla
- Department Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Goodman Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tarek Taifour
- Goodman Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - William Muller
- Department Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Goodman Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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26
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Chow CY, Lie EF, Wu CH, Chow LW. Clinical implication of genetic composition and molecular mechanism on treatment strategies of HER2-positive breast cancers. Front Oncol 2022; 12:964824. [PMID: 36387174 PMCID: PMC9659858 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.964824] [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: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The current clinical management model of HER2-positive breast cancers is commonly based on guidelines, which in turn are based on the design and outcome of clinical trials. While this model is useful to most practicing clinicians, the treatment outcome of individual patient is not certain at the start of treatment. As the understanding of the translational research of carcinogenesis and the related changes in cancer genetics and tumor microenvironment during treatment is critical in the selection of right choice of treatment to maximize the successful clinical outcome for the patient, this review article intends to discuss the latest developments in the genetic and molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and treatment resistance, and how they influence the planning of the treatment strategies of HER2-positive breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Y.C. Chow
- UNIMED Medical Institute, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Cheng-Hsun Wu
- Department of Anatomy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Louis W.C. Chow
- UNIMED Medical Institute, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Organisation for Oncology and Translational Research, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Louis W.C. Chow,
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27
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Qu C, Zhang H, Cao H, Tang L, Mo H, Liu F, Zhang L, Yi Z, Long L, Yan L, Wang Z, Zhang N, Luo P, Zhang J, Liu Z, Ye W, Liu Z, Cheng Q. Tumor buster - where will the CAR-T cell therapy 'missile' go? Mol Cancer 2022; 21:201. [PMID: 36261831 PMCID: PMC9580202 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01669-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy based on gene editing technology represents a significant breakthrough in personalized immunotherapy for human cancer. This strategy uses genetic modification to enable T cells to target tumor-specific antigens, attack specific cancer cells, and bypass tumor cell apoptosis avoidance mechanisms to some extent. This method has been extensively used to treat hematologic diseases, but the therapeutic effect in solid tumors is not ideal. Tumor antigen escape, treatment-related toxicity, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) limit their use of it. Target selection is the most critical aspect in determining the prognosis of patients receiving this treatment. This review provides a comprehensive summary of all therapeutic targets used in the clinic or shown promising potential. We summarize CAR-T cell therapies’ clinical trials, applications, research frontiers, and limitations in treating different cancers. We also explore coping strategies when encountering sub-optimal tumor-associated antigens (TAA) or TAA loss. Moreover, the importance of CAR-T cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrun Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, The Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China.,The School of Clinical Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lanhua Tang
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Haoyang Mo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fangkun Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Liyang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenjie Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lifu Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Luzhe Yan
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,One-third Lab, College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Peng Luo
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Weijie Ye
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhixiong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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28
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Gámez-Chiachio M, Sarrió D, Moreno-Bueno G. Novel Therapies and Strategies to Overcome Resistance to Anti-HER2-Targeted Drugs. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4543. [PMID: 36139701 PMCID: PMC9496705 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis and quality of life of HER2 breast cancer patients have significantly improved due to the crucial clinical benefit of various anti-HER2 targeted therapies. However, HER2 tumors can possess or develop several resistance mechanisms to these treatments, thus leaving patients with a limited set of additional therapeutic options. Fortunately, to overcome this problem, in recent years, multiple different and complementary approaches have been developed (such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)) that are in clinical or preclinical stages. In this review, we focus on emerging strategies other than on ADCs that are either aimed at directly target the HER2 receptor (i.e., novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors) or subsequent intracellular signaling (e.g., PI3K/AKT/mTOR, CDK4/6 inhibitors, etc.), as well as on innovative approaches designed to attack other potential tumor weaknesses (such as immunotherapy, autophagy blockade, or targeting of other genes within the HER2 amplicon). Moreover, relevant technical advances such as anti-HER2 nanotherapies and immunotoxins are also discussed. In brief, this review summarizes the impact of novel therapeutic approaches on current and future clinical management of aggressive HER2 breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Gámez-Chiachio
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Sarrió
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Moreno-Bueno
- Biochemistry Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Autónoma Madrid-CSIC, IdiPaz, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- MD Anderson International Foundation, 28033 Madrid, Spain
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29
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Deshet-Unger N, Horn G, Rawet-Slobodkin M, Waks T, Laskov I, Michaan N, Raz Y, Bar V, Zundelevich A, Aharon S, Turovsky L, Mallel G, Salpeter S, Neev G, Hollander KS, Katz BZ, Grisaru D, Globerson Levin A. Comparing Intraperitoneal and Intravenous Personalized ErbB2CAR-T for the Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092216. [PMID: 36140319 PMCID: PMC9496506 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092216] [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: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most common type of epithelial ovarian cancer. The majority of cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, when intraperitoneal (IP) spread has already occurred. Despite significant surgical and chemotherapeutic advances in HGSOC treatment over the past decades, survival rates with HGSOC have only modestly improved. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells enable T cells to directly bind to tumor-associated antigens in a major histocompatibility complex-independent manner, thereby inducing tumor rejection. While CAR-T cell therapy shows great promise in hematological malignancies, its use in solid tumors is limited. Therefore, innovative approaches are needed to increase the specificity of CAR-modified T cells against solid tumors. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal (IP) versus intravenous (IV) CAR-T cell therapy in the treatment of HGSOC. We constructed a CAR that targets the ErbB2/HER2 protein (ErbB2CAR), which is overexpressed in HGSOC, and evaluated the functionality of ErbB2CAR on ovarian cancer cell lines (OVCAR8, SKOV3, and NAR). Our findings show that an IP injection of ErbB2CAR-T cells to tumor-bearing mice led to disease remission and increased survival compared to the IV route. Moreover, we found that IP-injected ErbB2CART cells circulate to a lesser extent, making them safer for non-tumor tissues than IV-injected cells. Further supporting our findings, we show that the effect of ErbB2CAR-T cells on primary HGSOC tumors is correlated with ErbB2 expression. Together, these data demonstrate the advantages of an IP administration of CAR-T cells over IV administration, offering not only a safer strategy but also the potential for counteracting the effect of ErbB2CAR in HGSOC. Significance: IP-injected ErbB2CAR-T cells led to disease remission and increased survival compared to the IV route. These findings demonstrate the advantages of IP administration, offering a safe treatment strategy with the potential for counteracting the effect of ErbB2CAR in HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naamit Deshet-Unger
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Galit Horn
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Moran Rawet-Slobodkin
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Tova Waks
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ido Laskov
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Nadav Michaan
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Yael Raz
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Vered Bar
- cResponce Company, Rehovot 7670102, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Guy Neev
- cResponce Company, Rehovot 7670102, Israel
| | - Kenneth Samuel Hollander
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Ben-Zion Katz
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The Hematology Laboratory, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Dan Grisaru
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Anat Globerson Levin
- Immunology and Advanced CAR-T Therapy, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Dotan Center for Advanced Therapies, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-3-6972503
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Immunotherapy and immunoengineering for breast cancer; a comprehensive insight into CAR-T cell therapy advancements, challenges and prospects. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:755-777. [PMID: 35943716 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00700-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is a highly prevalent solid cancer with a high-rise infiltration of immune cells, turning it into a significant candidate for tumor-specific immunotherapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are emerging as immunotherapeutic tools with genetically engineered receptors to efficiently recognize and attack tumor cells that express specific target antigens. Technological advancements in CAR design have provided five generations of CAR-T cells applicable to a wide range of cancer patients while boosting CAR-T cell therapy safety. However, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective against breast cancer because of the loss of specified antigens, the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor and CAR-T cell-induced toxicities. Next-generation CAR-T cells actively pass through the tumor vascular barriers, persist for extended periods and disrupt the tumor microenvironment (TME) to block immune escape. CONCLUSION CAR-T cell therapy embodies advanced immunotherapy for BC, but further pre-clinical and clinical assessments are recommended to achieve maximized efficiency and safety.
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IFI16-dependent STING signaling is a crucial regulator of anti-HER2 immune response in HER2+ breast cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201376119. [PMID: 35878022 PMCID: PMC9351446 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201376119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Relapse to anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies, such as trastuzumab in HER2+ breast cancer (BC), is associated with residual disease progression due to resistance to therapy. Here, we identify interferon-γ inducible protein 16 (IFI16)-dependent STING signaling as a significant determinant of trastuzumab responses in HER2+ BC. We show that down-regulation of immune-regulated genes (IRG) is specifically associated with poor survival of HER2+, but not other BC subtypes. Among IRG, IFI16 is identified as a direct target of EZH2, the underexpression of which leads to deficient STING activation and downstream CXCL10/11 expression in response to trastuzumab treatment. Dual inhibition of EZH2 and histone deacetylase (HDAC) significantly activates IFI16-dependent immune responses to trastuzumab. Notably, a combination of a novel histone methylation inhibitor with an HDAC inhibitor induces complete tumor eradication and long-term T cell memory in a HER2+ BC mouse model. Our findings demonstrate an epigenetic regulatory mechanism suppressing the expression of the IFI16-CXCL10/11 signaling pathway that provides a survival advantage to HER2+ BC to confer resistance to trastuzumab treatment.
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Sun J, Li X, Chen P, Gao Y. From Anti-HER-2 to Anti-HER-2-CAR-T Cells: An Evolutionary Immunotherapy Approach for Gastric Cancer. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:4061-4085. [PMID: 35873388 PMCID: PMC9304417 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s368138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Current Therapeutic modalities provide no survival advantage to gastric cancer (GC) patients. Targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) is a viable therapeutic strategy against advanced HER-2 positive GC. Antibody-drug conjugates, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and bispecific antibodies are emerging as novel drug forms that may abrogate the resistance to HER-2-specific drugs and monoclonal antibodies. Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T) targeting HER-2 have shown considerable therapeutic potential in GC and other solid tumors. However, due to the high heterogeneity along with the complex tumor microenvironment (TME) of GC that often leads to immune escape, the immunological treatment of GC still faces many challenges. Here, we reviewed and discussed the current progress in the research of anti-HER-2-CAR-T cell immunotherapy against GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangang Sun
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongshun Gao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, People's Republic of China
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Zhang H, Zhu S, Deng W, Li R, Zhou H, Xiong H. The landscape of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in breast cancer: Perspectives and outlook. Front Immunol 2022; 13:887471. [PMID: 35935930 PMCID: PMC9354605 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy is a revolutionary adoptive cell therapy, which could modify and redirect T cells to specific tumor cells. Since CAR-T cell therapy was first approved for B cell-derived malignancies in 2017, it has yielded unprecedented progress in hematological tumors and has dramatically reshaped the landscape of cancer therapy in recent years. Currently, cumulative evidence has demonstrated that CAR-T cell therapy could be a viable therapeutic strategy for solid cancers. However, owing to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and heterogenous tumor antigens, the application of CAR-T cell therapy against solid cancers requires circumventing more challenging obstacles. Breast cancer is characterized by a high degree of invasiveness, malignancy, and poor prognosis. The review highlights the underlying targets of CAR-T cell therapy in breast cancer, summarizes the challenges associated with CAR-T cell therapy, and proposes the strategies to overcome these challenges, which provides a novel approach to breast cancer treatment.
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Stock S, Benmebarek MR, Kluever AK, Darowski D, Jost C, Stubenrauch KG, Benz J, Freimoser-Grundschober A, Moessner E, Umana P, Subklewe M, Endres S, Klein C, Kobold S. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells engineered to recognize the P329G-mutated Fc part of effector-silenced tumor antigen-targeting human IgG1 antibodies enable modular targeting of solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005054. [PMID: 35902133 PMCID: PMC9341194 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has proven its clinical utility in hematological malignancies. Optimization is still required for its application in solid tumors. Here, the lack of cancer-specific structures along with tumor heterogeneity represent a critical barrier to safety and efficacy. Modular CAR T cells indirectly binding the tumor antigen through CAR-adaptor molecules have the potential to reduce adverse events and to overcome antigen heterogeneity. We hypothesized that a platform utilizing unique traits of clinical grade antibodies for selective CAR targeting would come with significant advantages. Thus, we developed a P329G-directed CAR targeting the P329G mutation in the Fc part of tumor-targeting human antibodies containing P329G L234A/L235A (LALA) mutations for Fc silencing. METHODS A single chain variable fragment-based second generation P329G-targeting CAR was retrovirally transduced into primary human T cells. These CAR T cells were combined with IgG1 antibodies carrying P329G LALA mutations in their Fc part targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mesothelin (MSLN) or HER2/neu. Mesothelioma, pancreatic and breast cancer cell lines expressing the respective antigens were used as target cell lines. Efficacy was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in xenograft mouse models. RESULTS Unlike CD16-CAR T cells, which bind human IgG in a non-selective manner, P329G-targeting CAR T cells revealed specific effector functions only when combined with antibodies carrying P329G LALA mutations in their Fc part. P329G-targeting CAR T cells cannot be activated by an excess of human IgG. P329G-directed CAR T cells combined with a MSLN-targeting P329G-mutated antibody mediated pronounced in vitro and in vivo antitumor efficacy in mesothelioma and pancreatic cancer models. Combined with a HER2-targeting antibody, P329G-targeting CAR T cells showed substantial in vitro activation, proliferation, cytokine production and cytotoxicity against HER2-expressing breast cancer cell lines and induced complete tumor eradication in a breast cancer xenograft mouse model. The ability of the platform to target multiple antigens sequentially was shown in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS P329G-targeting CAR T cells combined with antigen-binding human IgG1 antibodies containing the P329G Fc mutation mediate pronounced in vitro and in vivo effector functions in different solid tumor models, warranting further clinical translation of this concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Stock
- Department of Medicine IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany .,Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mohamed-Reda Benmebarek
- Department of Medicine IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany.,National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna-Kristina Kluever
- Department of Medicine IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Diana Darowski
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Innovent Biologics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Christian Jost
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Athebio AG, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | | | - Joerg Benz
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Ekkehard Moessner
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Umana
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Marion Subklewe
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Endres
- Department of Medicine IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.,Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Roche Innovation Center Zurich, Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Department of Medicine IV, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.,Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
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Cserepes M, Nelhűbel GA, Meilinger-Dobra M, Herczeg A, Türk D, Hegedűs Z, Svajda L, Rásó E, Ladányi A, Csikó KG, Kenessey I, Szöőr Á, Vereb G, Remenár É, Tóvári J. EGFR R521K Polymorphism Is Not a Major Determinant of Clinical Cetuximab Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102407. [PMID: 35626010 PMCID: PMC9140151 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102407] [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: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are among the most abundant malignancies worldwide. Patients with recurrent/metastatic disease undergo combination chemotherapy containing cetuximab, the monoclonal antibody used against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Cetuximab augments the effect of chemotherapy; however, a significant number of patients show therapy resistance. The mechanism of resistance is yet to be unveiled, although extracellular alterations of the receptor have been reported, and their role in cetuximab failure has been proposed. Aims: Here, we investigate possible effects of the multi-exon deletion variant (EGFRvIII), and the single nucleotide polymorphism EGFR R521K on cetuximab efficacy. Results: Our results show that in HNSCC patients, the EGFRvIII allele frequency is under 1%; therefore, it cannot lead to common resistance. EGFR R521K, present in 42% of the patients, is investigated in vitro in four HNSCC cell lines (two wild-type and two heterozygous for EGFR R521K). While no direct effect is found to be related to the EGFR status, cells harboring R521K show a reduced sensitivity in ADCC experiments and in vivo xenograft experiments. However, this preclinical difference is not reflected in the progression-free or overall survival of HNSCC patients. Furthermore, NK cell and macrophage presence in tumors is not related to EGFR R521K. Discussion: Our results suggest that EGFR R521K, unlike reported previously, is unable to cause cetuximab resistance in HNSCC patients; therefore, its screening before therapy selection is not justifiable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihály Cserepes
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (A.L.); (I.K.)
| | - Györgyi A. Nelhűbel
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
| | - Mónika Meilinger-Dobra
- The Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.-D.); (A.H.); (É.R.)
| | - Adrienn Herczeg
- The Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.-D.); (A.H.); (É.R.)
| | - Dóra Türk
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
| | - Zita Hegedűs
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
| | - Laura Svajda
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
| | - Erzsébet Rásó
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, H-1091 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Andrea Ladányi
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (A.L.); (I.K.)
- Department of Surgical and Molecular Pathology, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kristóf György Csikó
- Department of Chest and Abdominal Tumors and Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - István Kenessey
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (A.L.); (I.K.)
- Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, H-1091 Budapest, Hungary;
- Hungarian Cancer Registry, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.S.); (G.V.)
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.S.); (G.V.)
| | - Éva Remenár
- The Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.M.-D.); (A.H.); (É.R.)
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth György utca 7-9, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (M.C.); (G.A.N.); (D.T.); (Z.H.); (L.S.)
- National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Hungary; (A.L.); (I.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-1-224-8778; Fax: +36-1-224-8724
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Agostinetto E, Montemurro F, Puglisi F, Criscitiello C, Bianchini G, Del Mastro L, Introna M, Tondini C, Santoro A, Zambelli A. Immunotherapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Clinical Evidence and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2136. [PMID: 35565264 PMCID: PMC9105460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, and HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancer diagnoses. The advent of HER2-targeting therapies has dramatically improved the survival of these patients, significantly reducing their risk of recurrence and death. However, as a significant proportion of patients ultimately develop resistance to these therapies, it is extremely important to identify new treatments to further improve their clinical outcomes. Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment and history of several cancer types, and it has already been approved as a standard of care for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Based on a strong preclinical rationale, immunotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer represents an intriguing field that is currently under clinical investigation. There is a close interplay between HER2-targeting therapies (both approved and under investigation) and the immune system, and several new immunotherapeutic strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells and therapeutic vaccines, are being studied in this disease. In this narrative review, we discuss the clinical evidence and the future perspectives of immunotherapy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Agostinetto
- Academic Trials Promoting Team, Institut Jules Bordet, L’Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B), 1070 Brussels, Belgium;
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy;
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Humanitas Cancer Center, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Montemurro
- Direzione Breast Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy;
| | - Fabio Puglisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, CRO Aviano, National Cancer Institute, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy;
- Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Carmen Criscitiello
- Division of Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Bianchini
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lucia Del Mastro
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Clinica di Oncologia Medica, 16132 Genova, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Medica, Università di Genova, 16124 Genova, Italy
| | - Martino Introna
- UOS Centro di Terapia Cellulare “G. Lanzani”, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, 24127 Bergamo, Italy;
| | - Carlo Tondini
- Medical Oncology Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Piazza OMS 1, 27100 Bergamo, Italy;
| | - Armando Santoro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy;
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Humanitas Cancer Center, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Zambelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele, 20072 Milan, Italy;
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Humanitas Cancer Center, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
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Chen Z, Han S, Sanny A, Chan DLK, van Noort D, Lim W, Tan AHM, Park S. 3D hanging spheroid plate for high-throughput CAR T cell cytotoxicity assay. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:30. [PMID: 35012567 PMCID: PMC8744335 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01213-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most high-throughput screening (HTS) systems studying the cytotoxic effect of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells on tumor cells rely on two-dimensional cell culture that does not recapitulate the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor spheroids, however, can recapitulate the TME and have been used for cytotoxicity assays of CAR T cells. But a major obstacle to the use of tumor spheroids for cytotoxicity assays is the difficulty in separating unbound CAR T and dead tumor cells from spheroids. Here, we present a three-dimensional hanging spheroid plate (3DHSP), which facilitates the formation of spheroids and the separation of unbound and dead cells from spheroids during cytotoxicity assays. Results The 3DHSP is a 24-well plate, with each well composed of a hanging dripper, spheroid wells, and waste wells. In the dripper, a tumor spheroid was formed and mixed with CAR T cells. In the 3DHSP, droplets containing the spheroids were deposited into the spheroid separation well, where unbound and dead T and tumor cells were separated from the spheroid through a gap into the waste well by tilting the 3DHSP by more than 20°. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumor cells (BT474 and SKOV3) formed spheroids of approximately 300–350 μm in diameter after 2 days in the 3DHSP. The cytotoxic effects of T cells engineered to express CAR recognizing HER2 (HER2-CAR T cells) on these spheroids were directly measured by optical imaging, without the use of live/dead fluorescent staining of the cells. Our results suggest that the 3DHSP could be incorporated into a HTS system to screen for CARs that enable T cells to kill spheroids formed from a specific tumor type with high efficacy or for spheroids consisting of tumor types that can be killed efficiently by T cells bearing a specific CAR. Conclusions The results suggest that the 3DHSP could be incorporated into a HTS system for the cytotoxic effects of CAR T cells on tumor spheroids. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-021-01213-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhong Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Seokgyu Han
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Arleen Sanny
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Dorothy Leung-Kwan Chan
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Danny van Noort
- Centro de Investigación en Bioingeniería, Universidad de Ingenieria y Tecnologia - UTEC, Lima 04, Peru.,Biotechnology, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Wanyoung Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Andy Hee-Meng Tan
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore.
| | - Sungsu Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea. .,Institute of Quantum Biophysics (IQB), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, South Korea.
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Simmons C, Rayson D, Joy AA, Henning JW, Lemieux J, McArthur H, Card PB, Dent R, Brezden-Masley C. Current and future landscape of targeted therapy in HER2-positive advanced breast cancer: redrawing the lines. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2022; 14:17588359211066677. [PMID: 35035535 PMCID: PMC8753087 DOI: 10.1177/17588359211066677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence to date supports continued human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) suppression beyond progression on HER2-directed therapy for advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. Data from several phase II and III trials evaluating HER2-directed therapy following second-line T-DM1 have recently become available. METHODS We performed a systematic search of the published and presented literature to identify phase II and phase III trials assessing novel HER2-targeted agents as third-line therapy or beyond for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer using search terms 'breast cancer' AND 'HER2' AND 'advanced' AND ('phase II' OR 'phase III'). RESULTS Eight clinical trials reporting efficacy outcomes on third-line or greater HER2-directed therapy for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer were identified. In phase III trials, margetuximab and neratinib combinations demonstrated significant 1.3-month (hazard ratio, HR = 0.71, p < 0.001) and 0.1-month (HR = 0.76, p = 0.006) net improvements in median progression-free survival (PFS), respectively, with no significant improvements in overall survival (OS). Tucatinib added to trastuzumab and capecitabine demonstrated a significant 2.7-month improvement in median PFS (HR = 0.57, p < 0.00001) and a 5.5-month improvement in median OS (HR = 0.73, p = 0.004) in a randomized phase II trial, including significant clinical benefit for patients with brain metastases. Finally, trastuzumab-deruxtecan, zenocutuzumab, and poziotinib demonstrated benefit in phase II trials with the most robust overall response rate (62.0%) and median duration of response (18.2 months) observed for trastuzumab-deruxtecan among heavily pretreated patients. CONCLUSION Tucatinib plus trastuzumab and capecitabine significantly prolongs OS, and promising preliminary response outcomes for trastuzumab-deruxtecan suggest that sequencing of these regimens following second-line therapy is reasonable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Simmons
- Medical Oncology, British Columbia Cancer
Agency – Vancouver Centre, University of British Columbia, 600 West 10th
Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4E6, Canada
| | - Daniel Rayson
- Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre,
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Anil Abraham Joy
- Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Julie Lemieux
- Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec,
Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | | | - Paul B. Card
- Kaleidoscope Strategic, Inc., Toronto, ON,
Canada
| | - Rebecca Dent
- National Cancer Centre Singapore, Duke-NUS
Medical School, Singapore
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Vander Mause ER, Atanackovic D, Lim CS, Luetkens T. Roadmap to affinity-tuned antibodies for enhanced chimeric antigen receptor T cell function and selectivity. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:875-890. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Duan Y, Chen R, Huang Y, Meng X, Chen J, Liao C, Tang Y, Zhou C, Gao X, Sun J. Tuning the ignition of CAR: optimizing the affinity of scFv to improve CAR-T therapy. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:14. [PMID: 34966954 PMCID: PMC11073403 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04089-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
How single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) affect the functions of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has not been well studied. Here, the components of CAR with an emphasis on scFv were described, and then several methods to measure scFv affinity were discussed. Next, scFv optimization studies for CD19, CD38, HER2, GD2 or EGFR were overviewed, showing that tuning the affinity of scFv could alleviate the on-target/off-tumor toxicity. The affinities of scFvs for different antigens were also summarized to designate a relatively optimal working range for CAR design. Last, a synthetic biology approach utilizing a low-affinity synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptor to achieve ultrasensitivity of antigen-density discrimination and murine models to assay the on-target/off-tumor toxicity of CARs were highlighted. Thus, this review provides preliminary guidelines of choosing the right scFvs for CARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Duan
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital & Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruoqi Chen
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital & Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yanjie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xianhui Meng
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital & Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiangqing Chen
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital & Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chan Liao
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongmin Tang
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chun Zhou
- School of Public Health, and Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaofei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital & Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Baulu E, Dougé A, Chuvin N, Bay JO, Depil S. [T cell-based immunotherapies in solid tumors]. Bull Cancer 2021; 108:S96-S108. [PMID: 34920813 DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2021.06.004] [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: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
In solid tumors, adoptive T cell therapies based on ex vivo amplification of antitumor T cell are represented by three main complementary approaches : (i) tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) which are amplified in vitro before reinjection to the patient, (ii) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T cells and (iii) T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells. Despite encouraging results, some obstacles remain, such as optimal target selection and tumor microenvironment. In this Review, we discuss pros and cons of these different therapeutic strategies that may open new perspectives in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Baulu
- Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France; ErVaccine Technologies, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Aurore Dougé
- CHU Estaing, service d'hématologie, 1, rue Lucie et Raymond Aubrac, 63100 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Nicolas Chuvin
- ErVaccine Technologies, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Jacques-Olivier Bay
- CHU Estaing, service d'hématologie, 1, rue Lucie et Raymond Aubrac, 63100 Clermont-Ferrand, France; Faculté de médecine, 28, place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Stéphane Depil
- Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France; ErVaccine Technologies, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France; Centre Léon Bérard, 28, Prom. Léa et Napoléon Bullukian, 69008 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1, 43, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France.
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Bashiri Dezfouli A, Yazdi M, Pockley AG, Khosravi M, Kobold S, Wagner E, Multhoff G. NK Cells Armed with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR): Roadblocks to Successful Development. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123390. [PMID: 34943898 PMCID: PMC8699535 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, cell-based immunotherapies have demonstrated promising results in the treatment of cancer. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) arm effector cells with a weapon for targeting tumor antigens, licensing engineered cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. The quality of the CAR-antigen interaction strongly depends on the selected tumor antigen and its expression density on cancer cells. CD19 CAR-engineered T cells approved by the Food and Drug Administration have been most frequently applied in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Clinical challenges in their application primarily include cytokine release syndrome, neurological symptoms, severe inflammatory responses, and/or other off-target effects most likely mediated by cytotoxic T cells. As a consequence, there remains a significant medical need for more potent technology platforms leveraging cell-based approaches with enhanced safety profiles. A promising population that has been advanced is the natural killer (NK) cell, which can also be engineered with CARs. NK cells which belong to the innate arm of the immune system recognize and kill virally infected cells as well as (stressed) cancer cells in a major histocompatibility complex I independent manner. NK cells play an important role in the host’s immune defense against cancer due to their specialized lytic mechanisms which include death receptor (i.e., Fas)/death receptor ligand (i.e., Fas ligand) and granzyme B/perforin-mediated apoptosis, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, as well as their immunoregulatory potential via cytokine/chemokine release. To develop and implement a highly effective CAR NK cell-based therapy with low side effects, the following three principles which are specifically addressed in this review have to be considered: unique target selection, well-designed CAR, and optimized gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Bashiri Dezfouli
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research Technische Universität München (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Einstein Str. 25, 81675 Munich, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-4140-6013
| | - Mina Yazdi
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.Y.); (E.W.)
| | - Alan Graham Pockley
- John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK;
| | - Mohammad Khosravi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 61357-831351, Iran;
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 80337 Munich, Germany;
- German Center for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Ernst Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.Y.); (E.W.)
| | - Gabriele Multhoff
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research Technische Universität München (TranslaTUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Einstein Str. 25, 81675 Munich, Germany;
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Understanding and improving cellular immunotherapies against cancer: From cell-manufacturing to tumor-immune models. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 179:114003. [PMID: 34653533 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is shaped by dynamic metabolic and immune interactions between precancerous and cancerous tumor cells and stromal cells like epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and hematopoietically-derived immune cells. The metabolic states of the TME, including the hypoxic and acidic niches, influence the immunosuppressive phenotypes of the stromal and immune cells, which confers resistance to both host-mediated tumor killing and therapeutics. Numerous in vitro TME platforms for studying immunotherapies, including cell therapies, are being developed. However, we do not yet understand which immune and stromal components are most critical and how much model complexity is needed to answer specific questions. In addition, scalable sourcing and quality-control of appropriate TME cells for reproducibly manufacturing these platforms remain challenging. In this regard, lessons from the manufacturing of immunomodulatory cell therapies could provide helpful guidance. Although immune cell therapies have shown unprecedented results in hematological cancers and hold promise in solid tumors, their manufacture poses significant scale, cost, and quality control challenges. This review first provides an overview of the in vivo TME, discussing the most influential cell populations in the tumor-immune landscape. Next, we summarize current approaches for cell therapies against cancers and the relevant manufacturing platforms. We then evaluate current immune-tumor models of the TME and immunotherapies, highlighting the complexity, architecture, function, and cell sources. Finally, we present the technical and fundamental knowledge gaps in both cell manufacturing systems and immune-TME models that must be addressed to elucidate the interactions between endogenous tumor immunity and exogenous engineered immunity.
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The Immune Landscape of Breast Cancer: Strategies for Overcoming Immunotherapy Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13236012. [PMID: 34885122 PMCID: PMC8657247 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immunotherapy is a rapidly advancing field in breast cancer treatment, however, it encounters many obstacles that leave open gateways for breast cancer cells to resist novel immunotherapies. It is believed that the tumor microenvironment consisting of cancer, stromal, and immune cells as well as a plethora of tumor-promoting soluble factors, is responsible for the failure of therapeutic strategies in cancer, including breast tumors. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of key barriers to effective immunotherapy, focusing the research efforts on harnessing the power of the immune system, and thus, developing new strategies to overcome the resistance may contribute significantly to increase breast cancer patient survival. In this review, we discuss the latest reports regarding the strategies rendering the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment more sensitive to immunotherapy in breast cancers, HER2-positive and triple-negative types of breast cancer, which are attractive from an immunotherapeutic point of view. Abstract Breast cancer (BC) has traditionally been considered to be not inherently immunogenic and insufficiently represented by immune cell infiltrates. Therefore, for a long time, it was thought that the immunotherapies targeting this type of cancer and its microenvironment were not justified and would not bring benefits for breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, to date, a considerable number of reports have indicated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) as a prognostic and clinically relevant biomarker in breast cancer. A high TILs expression has been demonstrated in primary tumors, of both, HER2-positive BC and triple-negative (TNBC), of patients before treatment, as well as after treatment with adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Another milestone was reached in advanced TNBC immunotherapy with the help of the immune checkpoint inhibitors directed against the PD-L1 molecule. Although those findings, together with the recent developments in chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, show immense promise for significant advancements in breast cancer treatments, there are still various obstacles to the optimal activity of immunotherapeutics in BC treatment. Of these, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment constitutes a key barrier that greatly hinders the success of immunotherapies in the most aggressive types of breast cancer, HER2-positive and TNBC. Therefore, the improvement of the current and the demand for the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies is strongly warranted.
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Yang Z, Li L, Turkoz A, Chen P, Harari-Steinfeld R, Bobbin M, Stefanson O, Choi H, Pietrobon V, Alphson B, Goswami A, Balan V, Kearney A, Patel D, Yang J, Inel D, Vinod V, Cesano A, Wang B, Roh KH, Qi LS, Marincola FM. Contextual reprogramming of CAR-T cells for treatment of HER2 + cancers. J Transl Med 2021; 19:459. [PMID: 34743703 PMCID: PMC8573881 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03132-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells combined with checkpoint inhibition may prevent T cell exhaustion and improve clinical outcomes. However, the approach is limited by cumulative costs and toxicities. METHODS To overcome this drawback, we created a CAR-T (RB-340-1) that unites in one product the two modalities: a CRISPR interference-(CRISPRi) circuit prevents programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expression upon antigen-encounter. RB-340-1 is engineered to express an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) CAR single chain variable fragment (scFv), with CD28 and CD3ζ co-stimulatory domains linked to the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease and a single guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting the PD-1 transcription start site (TSS). A second constructs includes linker for activation of T cells (LAT) fused to nuclease-deactivated spCas9 (dCas9)-Kruppel-associated box (KRAB) via a TEV-cleavable sequence (TCS). Upon antigen encounter, the LAT-dCas9-KRAB (LdCK) complex is cleaved by TEV allowing targeting of dCas9-KRAB to the PD-1 gene TSS. RESULTS Here, we show that RB-340-1 consistently demonstrated higher production of homeostatic cytokines, enhanced expansion of CAR-T cells in vitro, prolonged in vivo persistence and more efficient suppression of HER2+ FaDu oropharyngeal cancer growth compared to the respective conventional CAR-T cell product. CONCLUSIONS As the first application of CRISPRi toward a clinically relevant product, RB-340-1 with the conditional, non-gene editing and reversible suppression promotes CAR-T cells resilience to checkpoint inhibition, and their persistence and effectiveness against HER2-expressing cancer xenografts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifen Yang
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Lingyu Li
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Ahu Turkoz
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Pohan Chen
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | - Maggie Bobbin
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | - Hana Choi
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | | | | | - Vitaly Balan
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Alper Kearney
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | - Jin Yang
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Damla Inel
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Veena Vinod
- ESSA Pharma, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | | | - Bing Wang
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Kyung-Ho Roh
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, ChEM-H, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Francesco M Marincola
- Refuge Biotechnologies Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
- Gilead/Kite, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA.
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Szöőr Á, Szöllősi J, Vereb G. From antibodies to living drugs: Quo vadis cancer immunotherapy? Biol Futur 2021; 72:85-99. [PMID: 34554498 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-021-00072-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In the last few decades, monoclonal antibodies targeting various receptors and ligands have shown significant advance in cancer therapy. However, still a great percentage of patients experiences tumor relapse despite persistent antigen expression. Immune cell therapy with adoptively transferred modified T cells that express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) is an engaging option to improve disease outcome. Designer T cells have been applied with remarkable success in the treatment for acute B cell leukemias, yielding unprecedented antitumor activity and significantly improved overall survival. Relying on the success of CAR T cells in leukemias, solid tumors are now emerging potential targets; however, their complexity represents a significant challenge. In preclinical models, CAR T cells recognized and efficiently killed the wide spectrum of tumor xenografts; however, in human clinical trials, limited antitumor efficacy and serious side effects, including cytokine release syndrome, have emerged as potential limitations. The next decade will be an exciting time to further optimize this novel cellular therapeutics to improve effector functions and, at the same time, keep adverse events in check. Moreover, we need to establish whether gene-modified T cells which are yet exclusively used for cancer patients could also be successful in the treatment for other diseases. Here, we provide a concise overview about the transition from monoclonal antibodies to the generation of chimeric antigen receptor T cells. We summarize lessons learned from preclinical models, including our own HER2-positive tumor models, as well as from clinical trials worldwide. We also discuss the challenges we are facing today and outline future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - János Szöllősi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- MTA-DE Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
- MTA-DE Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
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Cytolytic Activity of CAR T Cells and Maintenance of Their CD4+ Subset Is Critical for Optimal Antitumor Activity in Preclinical Solid Tumor Models. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13174301. [PMID: 34503109 PMCID: PMC8428348 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Adoptively transferred T cells expressing recombinant chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) have been approved for the therapy of hematological malignancies of the B cell lineage. However, CAR T cell therapy for patients with solid tumors so far has shown limited benefits. Correlative clinical studies of patients with hematological malignancies have suggested that less differentiated CAR T cells have improved anti-leukemic activity. We have therefore investigated the role of differentiation on the anti-tumor activity of CAR T cells targeting the solid tumor antigen HER2 in preclinical models. We utilized different activation/expansion protocols, and explored whether different co-stimulatory domains in the CAR construct influence the short- and long-term efficacy of HER2-CAR T cells. We demonstrate that the CAR T cell product with the highest proportion of effector cells and maintaining a good balance of CD4+/CD8+ cells is the most effective against solid tumors both in vitro and in vivo. Abstract Correlative clinical studies of hematological malignancies have implicated that less differentiated, CD8+-dominant CAR T cell products have greater antitumor activity. Here, we have investigated whether the differentiation status of CAR T cell products affects their antitumor activity in preclinical models of solid tumors. We explored if different activation/expansion protocols, as well as different co-stimulatory domains in the CAR construct, influence the short- and long-term efficacy of CAR T cells against HER2-positive tumors. We generated T cell products that range from the most differentiated (CD28.z; OKT3-antiCD28/RPMI expansion) to the least differentiated (41BB.z; OKT3-RetroNectin/LymphoONE expansion), as judged by cell surface expression of the differentiation markers CCR7 and CD45RA. While the effect of differentiation status was variable with regard to antigen-specific cytokine production, the most differentiated CD28.z CAR T cell products, which were enriched in effector memory T cells, had the greatest target-specific cytolytic activity in vitro. These products also had a greater proliferative capacity and maintained CD4+ T cells upon repeated stimulation in vitro. In vivo, differentiated CD28.z CAR T cells also had the greatest antitumor activity, resulting in complete response. Our results highlight that it is critical to optimize CAR T cell production and that optimal product characteristics might depend on the targeted antigen and/or cancer.
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Kwee BJ, Sung KE. Engineering microenvironments for manufacturing therapeutic cells. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:1845-1856. [PMID: 34250847 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211026922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are a growing number of globally approved products and clinical trials utilizing autologous and allogeneic therapeutic cells for applications in regenerative medicine and immunotherapies. However, there is a need to develop rapid and cost-effective methods for manufacturing therapeutically effective cells. Furthermore, the resulting manufactured cells may exhibit heterogeneities that result in mixed therapeutic outcomes. Engineering approaches that can provide distinct microenvironmental cues to these cells may be able to enhance the growth and characterization of these cell products. This mini-review describes strategies to potentially enhance the expansion of therapeutic cells with biomaterials and bioreactors, as well as to characterize the cell products with microphysiological systems. These systems can provide distinct cues to maintain the quality attributes of the cells and evaluate their function in physiologically relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Kwee
- Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20903, USA
| | - Kyung E Sung
- Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20903, USA
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Kang G, Hu M, Ren H, Wang J, Cheng X, Li R, Yuan B, Balan Y, Bai Z, Huang H. VHH212 nanobody targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α suppresses angiogenesis and potentiates gemcitabine therapy in pancreatic cancer in vivo. Cancer Biol Med 2021; 18:j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0568. [PMID: 33830713 PMCID: PMC8330535 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to develop a novel anti-HIF-1α intrabody to decrease gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer patients. METHODS Surface plasmon resonance and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays were conducted to identify the binding affinity and specificity of anti-HIF-1α VHH212 [a single-domain antibody (nanobody)]. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to determine the protein-protein interactions between hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VHH212. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot analyses were performed to identify the expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF-A in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines. The efficiency of the VHH212 nanobody in inhibiting the HIF-1 signaling pathway was measured using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, a PANC-1 xenograft model was developed to evaluate the anti-tumor efficiency of combined treatment. Immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted to detect the expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF-A in tumor tissues. RESULTS VHH212 was stably expressed in tumor cells with low cytotoxicity, high affinity, specific subcellular localization, and neutralization of HIF-1α in the cytoplasm or nucleus. The binding affinity between VHH212 and the HIF-1α PAS-B domain was 42.7 nM. Intrabody competitive inhibition of the HIF-1α heterodimer with an aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator was used to inhibit the HIF-1/VEGF pathway in vitro. Compared with single agent gemcitabine, co-treatment with gemcitabine and a VHH212-encoding adenovirus significantly suppressed tumor growth in the xenograft model with 80.44% tumor inhibition. CONCLUSIONS We developed an anti-HIF-1α nanobody and showed the function of VHH212 in a preclinical murine model of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer. The combination of VHH212 and gemcitabine significantly inhibited tumor development. These results suggested that combined use of anti-HIF-1α nanobodies with first-line treatment may in the future be an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangbo Kang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Min Hu
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - He Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, Center of Tumor Immunology and Cytotherapy, Medical Research Center of The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jiewen Wang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ruowei Li
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Bo Yuan
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yasmine Balan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Zixuan Bai
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - He Huang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a revolutionary addition to the burgeoning field of immunotherapy. CAR T-cells are engineered by combining a T-cell receptor with the antigen-binding site of an immunoglobulin that allows the hybrid cell to target antigens of interest. CAR T-cell therapy has been approved to treat various hematologic malignancies, including relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. While the treatment efficacy is exciting, challenges remain in understanding the unique spectrum of adverse effects of CAR T-cell therapy, including cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. Innovative research is underway to expand this therapy into solid tumors and fields beyond hematology and oncology. To date, there has been limited research into ophthalmic uses and considerations of CAR T-cell therapy. This review focuses on preclinical investigations into CAR T-cell therapy for retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma, as well as ophthalmic complications of CAR T-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Chodnicki
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sashank Prasad
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Boston, MA, USA
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