1
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Aparicio B, Theunissen P, Hervas-Stubbs S, Fortes P, Sarobe P. Relevance of mutation-derived neoantigens and non-classical antigens for anticancer therapies. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2303799. [PMID: 38346926 PMCID: PMC10863374 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2303799] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficacy of cancer immunotherapies relies on correct recognition of tumor antigens by lymphocytes, eliciting thus functional responses capable of eliminating tumor cells. Therefore, important efforts have been carried out in antigen identification, with the aim of understanding mechanisms of response to immunotherapy and to design safer and more efficient strategies. In addition to classical tumor-associated antigens identified during the last decades, implementation of next-generation sequencing methodologies is enabling the identification of neoantigens (neoAgs) arising from mutations, leading to the development of new neoAg-directed therapies. Moreover, there are numerous non-classical tumor antigens originated from other sources and identified by new methodologies. Here, we review the relevance of neoAgs in different immunotherapies and the results obtained by applying neoAg-based strategies. In addition, the different types of non-classical tumor antigens and the best approaches for their identification are described. This will help to increase the spectrum of targetable molecules useful in cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Aparicio
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Patrick Theunissen
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
- DNA and RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sandra Hervas-Stubbs
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Puri Fortes
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
- DNA and RNA Medicine Division, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Spanish Network for Advanced Therapies (TERAV ISCIII), Spain
| | - Pablo Sarobe
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Pamplona, Spain
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2
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Wang Y, Wang H, Shi T, Song X, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Wang X, Che K, Luo Y, Yu L, Liu B, Wei J. Immunotherapies targeting the oncogenic fusion gene CLDN18-ARHGAP in gastric cancer. EMBO Mol Med 2024:10.1038/s44321-024-00120-3. [PMID: 39164472 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00120-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The CLDN18-ARHGAP fusion gene is an oncogenic driver newly discovered in gastric cancer. It was detected in 9% (8/87) of gastric cancer patients in our center. An immunogenic peptide specifically targeting CLDN18-ARHGAP fusion gene was generated to induce neoantigen-reactive T cells, which was proved to have specific and robust anti-tumor capacity both in in vitro coculture models and in vivo xenograft gastric cancer models. Apart from the immunogenic potential, CLDN18-ARHGAP fusion gene was also found to contribute to immune suppression by inducing a regulatory T (Treg) cell-enriched microenvironment. Mechanistically, gastric cancer cells with CLDN18-ARHGAP fusion activate PI3K/AKT-mTOR-FAS signaling, which enhances free fatty acid production of gastric cancer cells to favor the survival of Treg cells. Furthermore, PI3K inhibition could effectively reverse Treg cells upregulation to enhance anti-tumor cytotoxicity of neoantigen-reactive T cells in vitro and reduce tumor growth in the xenograft gastric cancer model. Our study identified the CLDN18-ARHGAP fusion gene as a critical source of immunogenic neoepitopes, a key regulator of the tumor immune microenvironment, and immunotherapeutic applications specific to this oncogenic fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanbing Wang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tao Shi
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueru Song
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Keying Che
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuting Luo
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lixia Yu
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jia Wei
- Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Protein and Peptide Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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3
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Magrath JW, Espinosa-Cotton M, Flinchum DA, Sampath SS, Cheung NK, Lee SB. Desmoplastic small round cell tumor: from genomics to targets, potential paths to future therapeutics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1442488. [PMID: 39139449 PMCID: PMC11319132 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1442488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a highly aggressive pediatric cancer caused by a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 11 and 22, leading to the formation of the EWSR1::WT1 oncoprotein. DSRCT presents most commonly in the abdominal and pelvic peritoneum and remains refractory to current treatment regimens which include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. As a rare cancer, sample and model availability have been a limiting factor to DSRCT research. However, the establishment of rare tumor banks and novel cell lines have recently propelled critical advances in the understanding of DSRCT biology and the identification of potentially promising targeted therapeutics. Here we review model and dataset availability, current understanding of the EWSR1::WT1 oncogenic mechanism, and promising preclinical therapeutics, some of which are now advancing to clinical trials. We discuss efforts to inhibit critical dependencies including NTRK3, EGFR, and CDK4/6 as well as novel immunotherapy strategies targeting surface markers highly expressed in DSRCT such as B7-H3 or neopeptides either derived from or driven by the fusion oncoprotein. Finally, we discuss the prospect of combination therapies and strategies for prioritizing clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W. Magrath
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Madelyn Espinosa-Cotton
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dane A. Flinchum
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Shruthi Sanjitha Sampath
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Nai Kong Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sean B. Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
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4
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Wei Q, Chen R, He X, Qu Y, Yan C, Liu X, Liu J, Luo J, Yu Z, Hu W, Wang L, Lin X, Wu C, Xiao J, Zhou H, Wang J, Zhu M, Yang P, Chen Y, Tan Q, Yuan X, Jing H, Zhang W. Multi-omics and single cell characterization of cancer immunosenescence landscape. Sci Data 2024; 11:739. [PMID: 38972884 PMCID: PMC11228048 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03562-z] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence (CS) is closely related to tumor progression. However, the studies about CS genes across human cancers have not explored the relationship between cancer senescence signature and telomere length. Additionally, single-cell analyses have not revealed the evolutionary trends of malignant cells and immune cells at the CS level. We defined a CS-associated signature, called "senescence signature", and found that patients with higher senescence signature had worse prognosis. Higher senescence signature was related to older age, higher genomic instability, longer telomeres, increased lymphocytic infiltration, higher pro-tumor immune infiltrates (Treg cells and MDSCs), and could predict responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Single-cell analysis further reveals malignant cells and immune cells share a consistent evolutionary trend at the CS level. MAPK signaling pathway and apoptotic processes may play a key role in CS, and senescence signature may effectively predict sensitivity of MEK1/2 inhibitors, ERK1/2 inhibitors and BCL-2 family inhibitors. We also developed a new CS prediction model of cancer survival and established a portal website to apply this model ( https://bio-pub.shinyapps.io/cs_nomo/ ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Wei
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ruizhi Chen
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Suichang County People's Hospital, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Xue He
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Yanan Qu
- Peking University Research Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Changjian Yan
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Xiaoni Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Jiahao Luo
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Zining Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shangrao Municipal Hospital, Jiangxi, 334000, China
| | - Wenping Hu
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Liqun Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150000, China
| | - Xiaoya Lin
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Chaoling Wu
- Department of Respiratory medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, China
| | - Jinyuan Xiao
- Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Haibo Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology & Health Statistics, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Mingxia Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ping Yang
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yingtong Chen
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qilong Tan
- School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaoliang Yuan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| | - Hongmei Jing
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Weilong Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Lymphoma Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
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5
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Yu J, Zhang D, Zhao X, Wang H. First report of B2M-METRNL fusion in adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A case report. Asian J Surg 2024:S1015-9584(24)01292-2. [PMID: 38969593 DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.06.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Yu
- Department of General Surgery I, Gansu Provincial Central Hospital, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery I, Gansu Provincial Central Hospital, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Xiaochen Zhao
- Department of Hematology, The 940th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the People's Liberation Army, Lanzhou, 730050, China.
| | - Hongyu Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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6
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Machaca V, Goyzueta V, Cruz MG, Sejje E, Pilco LM, López J, Túpac Y. Transformers meets neoantigen detection: a systematic literature review. J Integr Bioinform 2024; 0:jib-2023-0043. [PMID: 38960869 DOI: 10.1515/jib-2023-0043] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunology offers a new alternative to traditional cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One notable alternative is the development of personalized vaccines based on cancer neoantigens. Moreover, Transformers are considered a revolutionary development in artificial intelligence with a significant impact on natural language processing (NLP) tasks and have been utilized in proteomics studies in recent years. In this context, we conducted a systematic literature review to investigate how Transformers are applied in each stage of the neoantigen detection process. Additionally, we mapped current pipelines and examined the results of clinical trials involving cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Erika Sejje
- Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, Arequipa, Perú
| | | | | | - Yván Túpac
- 187038 Universidad Católica San Pablo , Arequipa, Perú
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7
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Jiang B, Elkashif A, Coulter JA, Dunne NJ, McCarthy HO. Immunotherapy for HPV negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189138. [PMID: 38889878 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189138] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNSCC) is the 8th most common cancer in the UK, with incidence increasing due to lifestyle factors such as tobacco and alcohol abuse. HNSCC is an immune-suppressive disease characterised by impaired cytokine secretion and dysregulation of immune infiltrate. As such, immunotherapy is a potential treatment option, with therapeutic cancer vaccination demonstrating the greatest potential. The success of cancer vaccination is dependent on informed antigen selection: an ideal antigen must be either tumour-specific or tumour-associated, as well as highly immunogenic. Stratification of the patient population for antigen expression and validated biomarkers are also vital. This review focuses on the latest developments in immunotherapy, specifically the development of therapeutic vaccines, and highlights successes, potential drawbacks and areas for future development. Immunotherapy approaches considered for HNSCC include monoclonal antibodies (mAb), Oncolytic viral (OV) therapies, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyumeng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ahmed Elkashif
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Jonathan A Coulter
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Nicholas J Dunne
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Helen O McCarthy
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
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8
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Singh G, Kutcher D, Lally R, Rai V. Targeting Neoantigens in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2101. [PMID: 38893220 PMCID: PMC11171042 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112101] [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: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and is currently the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States after lung and colon cancer. PDAC is estimated to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. The diagnosis at a late stage is the underlying cause for higher mortality and poor prognosis after surgery. Treatment resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy results in recurrence after surgery and poor prognosis. Neoantigen burden and CD8+ T-cell infiltration are associated with clinical outcomes in PDAC and paucity of neoantigen-reactive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes may be the underlying cause for treatment resistance for immunotherapy. This suggests a need to identify additional neoantigens and therapies targeting these neoantigens to improve clinical outcomes in PDAC. In this review, we focus on describing the pathophysiology, current treatment strategies, and treatment resistance in PDAC followed by the need to target neoantigens in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vikrant Rai
- Department of Translational Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA; (G.S.); (D.K.); (R.L.)
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9
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Bulashevska A, Nacsa Z, Lang F, Braun M, Machyna M, Diken M, Childs L, König R. Artificial intelligence and neoantigens: paving the path for precision cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1394003. [PMID: 38868767 PMCID: PMC11167095 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1394003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has witnessed rapid advancement in recent years, with a particular focus on neoantigens as promising targets for personalized treatments. The convergence of immunogenomics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence (AI) has propelled the development of innovative neoantigen discovery tools and pipelines. These tools have revolutionized our ability to identify tumor-specific antigens, providing the foundation for precision cancer immunotherapy. AI-driven algorithms can process extensive amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions that were once challenging to achieve. However, the integration of AI comes with its own set of challenges, leaving space for further research. With particular focus on the computational approaches, in this article we have explored the current landscape of neoantigen prediction, the fundamental concepts behind, the challenges and their potential solutions providing a comprehensive overview of this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla Bulashevska
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Zsófia Nacsa
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Franziska Lang
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Markus Braun
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Martin Machyna
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Mustafa Diken
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Liam Childs
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Renate König
- Host-Pathogen-Interactions, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
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10
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Emilius L, Bremm F, Binder AK, Schaft N, Dörrie J. Tumor Antigens beyond the Human Exome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4673. [PMID: 38731892 PMCID: PMC11083240 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094673] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
With the advent of immunotherapeutics, a new era in the combat against cancer has begun. Particularly promising are neo-epitope-targeted therapies as the expression of neo-antigens is tumor-specific. In turn, this allows the selective targeting and killing of cancer cells whilst healthy cells remain largely unaffected. So far, many advances have been made in the development of treatment options which are tailored to the individual neo-epitope repertoire. The next big step is the achievement of efficacious "off-the-shelf" immunotherapies. For this, shared neo-epitopes propose an optimal target. Given the tremendous potential, a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms which lead to the formation of neo-antigens is of fundamental importance. Here, we review the various processes which result in the formation of neo-epitopes. Broadly, the origin of neo-epitopes can be categorized into three groups: canonical, noncanonical, and viral neo-epitopes. For the canonical neo-antigens that arise in direct consequence of somatic mutations, we summarize past and recent findings. Beyond that, our main focus is put on the discussion of noncanonical and viral neo-epitopes as we believe that targeting those provides an encouraging perspective to shape the future of cancer immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisabeth Emilius
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Franziska Bremm
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Amanda Katharina Binder
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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11
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Eskandari A, Leow TC, Rahman MBA, Oslan SN. Advances in Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Their Obstacles, and Prospects Toward Tumor Immunotherapy. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3. [PMID: 38625508 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, cancer immunotherapy has experienced a significant revolution due to the advancements in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), along with their regulatory approvals. In recent times, there has been hope in the effectiveness of cancer vaccines for therapy as they have been able to stimulate de novo T-cell reactions against tumor antigens. These tumor antigens include both tumor-associated antigen (TAA) and tumor-specific antigen (TSA). Nevertheless, the constant quest to fully achieve these abilities persists. Therefore, this review offers a broad perspective on the existing status of cancer immunizations. Cancer vaccine design has been revolutionized due to the advancements made in antigen selection, the development of antigen delivery systems, and a deeper understanding of the strategic intricacies involved in effective antigen presentation. In addition, this review addresses the present condition of clinical tests and deliberates on their approaches, with a particular emphasis on the immunogenicity specific to tumors and the evaluation of effectiveness against tumors. Nevertheless, the ongoing clinical endeavors to create cancer vaccines have failed to produce remarkable clinical results as a result of substantial obstacles, such as the suppression of the tumor immune microenvironment, the identification of suitable candidates, the assessment of immune responses, and the acceleration of vaccine production. Hence, there are possibilities for the industry to overcome challenges and enhance patient results in the coming years. This can be achieved by recognizing the intricate nature of clinical issues and continuously working toward surpassing existing limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Eskandari
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Siti Nurbaya Oslan
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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12
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Wang Q, Wang X, Li J, Yin T, Wang Y, Cheng L. PRKCSH serves as a potential immunological and prognostic biomarker in pan-cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1778. [PMID: 38245572 PMCID: PMC10799934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52153-w] [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: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase C substrate 80K-H (PRKCSH) plays a crucial role in the protein N-terminal glycosylation process, with emerging evidence implicating its involvement in tumorigenesis. To comprehensively assess PRKCSH's significance across cancers, we conducted a pan-cancer analysis using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). We assessed aberrant PRKCSH mRNA and protein expression, examined its prognostic implications, and identified correlations with clinical features, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor immunity across cancer types. We explored PRKCSH gene alterations, DNA methylation, and their impact on patient prognosis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and single-cell analysis revealed potential biological roles. Additionally, we investigated drug susceptibility and conducted Connectivity Map (Cmap) analysis. Key findings revealed that PRKCSH exhibited overexpression in most tumors, with a significant association with poor overall survival (OS) in six cancer types. Notably, PRKCSH expression demonstrated variations across disease stages, primarily increasing in advanced stages among eleven tumor types. Moreover, PRKCSH exhibited significant correlations with TMB in five cancer categories, MSI in eight, and displayed associations with immune cell populations in pan-cancer analysis. Genetic variations in PRKCSH were identified across 26 tumor types, suggesting favorable disease-free survival. Furthermore, PRKCSH methylation displayed a significant negative correlation with its expression in 27 tumor types, with a marked decrease compared to normal tissues in ten tumors. Cmap predicted 24 potential therapeutic small molecules in over four cancer types. This study highlights that PRKCSH, as a potential oncogene, may be a promising prognostic marker and therapeutic target of immunotherapy for a range of malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiankun Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiong Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jiaoyuan Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Tongxin Yin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Liming Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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13
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Liu Y, Altreuter J, Bodapati S, Cristea S, Wong CJ, Wu CJ, Michor F. Predicting patient outcomes after treatment with immune checkpoint blockade: A review of biomarkers derived from diverse data modalities. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100444. [PMID: 38190106 PMCID: PMC10794784 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, programmed death 1, and programmed death ligand 1 has shown durable remission and clinical success across different cancer types. However, patient outcomes vary among disease indications. Studies have identified prognostic biomarkers associated with immunotherapy response and patient outcomes derived from diverse data types, including next-generation bulk and single-cell DNA, RNA, T cell and B cell receptor sequencing data, liquid biopsies, and clinical imaging. Owing to inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity and the immune system's complexity, these biomarkers have diverse efficacy in clinical trials of ICB. Here, we review the genetic and genomic signatures and image features of ICB studies for pan-cancer applications and specific indications. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of computational approaches for predicting immunotherapy effectiveness and patient outcomes. We also elucidate the challenges of immunotherapy prognostication and the discovery of novel immunotherapy targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer Altreuter
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sudheshna Bodapati
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Simona Cristea
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cheryl J Wong
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 20115, USA
| | - Catherine J Wu
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; The Eli and Edythe Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Franziska Michor
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 20115, USA; The Eli and Edythe Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Cancer Evolution, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02138, USA; The Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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14
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Kumar H, Luo R, Wen J, Yang C, Zhou X, Kim P. FusionNeoAntigen: a resource of fusion gene-specific neoantigens. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D1276-D1288. [PMID: 37870454 PMCID: PMC10767944 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad922] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the diverse sources of neoantigens (i.e. single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), insertions or deletions (Indels) and fusion genes), fusion gene-derived neoantigens are generally more immunogenic, have multiple targets per mutation and are more widely distributed across various cancer types. Therefore, fusion gene-derived neoantigens are a potential source of highly immunogenic neoantigens and hold great promise for cancer immunotherapy. However, the lack of fusion protein sequence resources and knowledge prevents this application. We introduce 'FusionNeoAntigen', a dedicated resource for fusion-specific neoantigens, accessible at https://compbio.uth.edu/FusionNeoAntigen. In this resource, we provide fusion gene breakpoint crossing neoantigens focused on ∼43K fusion proteins of ∼16K in-frame fusion genes from FusionGDB2.0. FusionNeoAntigen provides fusion gene information, corresponding fusion protein sequences, fusion breakpoint peptide sequences, fusion gene-derived neoantigen prediction, virtual screening between fusion breakpoint peptides having potential fusion neoantigens and human leucocyte antigens (HLAs), fusion breakpoint RNA/protein sequences for developing vaccines, information on samples with fusion-specific neoantigen, potential CAR-T targetable cell-surface fusion proteins and literature curation. FusionNeoAntigen will help to develop fusion gene-based immunotherapies. We will report all potential fusion-specific neoantigens from all possible open reading frames of ∼120K human fusion genes in future versions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himansu Kumar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ruihan Luo
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jianguo Wen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chengyuan Yang
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pora Kim
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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15
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Xie Q, Tong C, Xiong X. An overview of the co-transcription factor NACC1: Beyond its pro-tumor effects. Life Sci 2024; 336:122314. [PMID: 38030057 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122314] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Nucleus accumbens-associated protein 1 (NACC1) is a member of the broad complex, tramtrack, bric-a-brac/poxvirus and zinc finger (BTB/POZ) protein families, mainly exerting its biological functions as a transcription co-regulator. NACC1 forms homo- or hetero-dimers through the BTB/POZ or BANP, E5R, and NACC1 (BEN) domain with other transcriptional regulators to regulate downstream signals. Recently, the overexpression of NACC1 has been observed in various tumors and is positively associated with tumor progression, high recurrence rate, indicating poor prognosis. NACC1 also regulates biological processes such as embryonic development, stem cell pluripotency, innate immunity, and related diseases. Our review combines recent research to summarize advancements in the structure, biological functions, and relative molecular mechanisms of NACC1. The future development of NACC1 clinical appliances is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Chang Tong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Xiangyang Xiong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China; Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogens and Molecular Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
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16
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Fan T, Zhang M, Yang J, Zhu Z, Cao W, Dong C. Therapeutic cancer vaccines: advancements, challenges, and prospects. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:450. [PMID: 38086815 PMCID: PMC10716479 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01674-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development and regulatory approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, cancer immunotherapy has undergone a profound transformation over the past decades. Recently, therapeutic cancer vaccines have shown promise by eliciting de novo T cell responses targeting tumor antigens, including tumor-associated antigens and tumor-specific antigens. The objective was to amplify and diversify the intrinsic repertoire of tumor-specific T cells. However, the complete realization of these capabilities remains an ongoing pursuit. Therefore, we provide an overview of the current landscape of cancer vaccines in this review. The range of antigen selection, antigen delivery systems development the strategic nuances underlying effective antigen presentation have pioneered cancer vaccine design. Furthermore, this review addresses the current status of clinical trials and discusses their strategies, focusing on tumor-specific immunogenicity and anti-tumor efficacy assessment. However, current clinical attempts toward developing cancer vaccines have not yielded breakthrough clinical outcomes due to significant challenges, including tumor immune microenvironment suppression, optimal candidate identification, immune response evaluation, and vaccine manufacturing acceleration. Therefore, the field is poised to overcome hurdles and improve patient outcomes in the future by acknowledging these clinical complexities and persistently striving to surmount inherent constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Fan
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingna Zhang
- Postgraduate Training Base, Shanghai East Hospital, Jinzhou Medical University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Jingxian Yang
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhounan Zhu
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanlu Cao
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunyan Dong
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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17
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Dondi A, Lischetti U, Jacob F, Singer F, Borgsmüller N, Coelho R, Heinzelmann-Schwarz V, Beisel C, Beerenwinkel N. Detection of isoforms and genomic alterations by high-throughput full-length single-cell RNA sequencing in ovarian cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7780. [PMID: 38012143 PMCID: PMC10682465 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43387-9] [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: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the complex background of cancer requires genotype-phenotype information in single-cell resolution. Here, we perform long-read single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on clinical samples from three ovarian cancer patients presenting with omental metastasis and increase the PacBio sequencing depth to 12,000 reads per cell. Our approach captures 152,000 isoforms, of which over 52,000 were not previously reported. Isoform-level analysis accounting for non-coding isoforms reveals 20% overestimation of protein-coding gene expression on average. We also detect cell type-specific isoform and poly-adenylation site usage in tumor and mesothelial cells, and find that mesothelial cells transition into cancer-associated fibroblasts in the metastasis, partly through the TGF-β/miR-29/Collagen axis. Furthermore, we identify gene fusions, including an experimentally validated IGF2BP2::TESPA1 fusion, which is misclassified as high TESPA1 expression in matched short-read data, and call mutations confirmed by targeted NGS cancer gene panel results. With these findings, we envision long-read scRNA-seq to become increasingly relevant in oncology and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Dondi
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Lischetti
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Ovarian Cancer Research, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Francis Jacob
- University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Ovarian Cancer Research, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Singer
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- ETH Zurich, NEXUS Personalized Health Technologies, Wagistrasse 18, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Nico Borgsmüller
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ricardo Coelho
- University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Ovarian Cancer Research, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viola Heinzelmann-Schwarz
- University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Ovarian Cancer Research, Department of Biomedicine, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
- University Hospital Basel, Gynecological Cancer Center, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Beisel
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
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18
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Wu M, Zhou S. Harnessing tumor immunogenomics: Tumor neoantigens in ovarian cancer and beyond. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:189017. [PMID: 37935309 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189017] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a major cause of death among gynecological cancers due to its highly aggressive nature. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising avenue for ovarian cancer treatment, offering targeted approaches with reduced off-target effects. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, it has become possible to identify genomic alterations that can serve as potential targets for immunotherapy. Furthermore, immunogenomics research has revealed the importance of genetic alterations in shaping the cancer immune responses. However, the heterogeneity of immunogenicity and the low tumor mutation burden pose challenges for neoantigen-based immunotherapies. Further research is needed to identify neoantigen-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and establish guidelines for patient inclusion criteria in TIL-based therapy. The study of neoantigens and their implications in ovarian cancer immunotherapy holds great promise, and efforts focused on personalized treatment strategies, refined neoantigen selection, and optimized therapeutic combinations will contribute to improving patient outcomes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengrui Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Shengtao Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, PR China.
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19
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Zappa E, Vitali A, Anders K, Molenaar JJ, Wienke J, Künkele A. Adoptive cell therapy in paediatric extracranial solid tumours: current approaches and future challenges. Eur J Cancer 2023; 194:113347. [PMID: 37832507 PMCID: PMC10695178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113347] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has ignited hope to cure paediatric solid tumours that resist traditional therapies. Among the most promising methods is adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Particularly, ACT using T cells equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has moved into the spotlight in clinical studies. However, the efficacy of ACT is challenged by ACT-intrinsic factors, like lack of activation or T cell exhaustion, as well as immune evasion strategies of paediatric solid tumours, such as their highly immunosuppressive microenvironment. Novel strategies, including ACT using innate-like lymphocytes, innovative cell engineering techniques, and ACT combination therapies, are being developed and will be crucial to overcome these challenges. Here, we discuss the main classes of ACT for the treatment of paediatric extracranial solid tumours, reflect on the available preclinical and clinical evidence supporting promising strategies, and address the challenges that ACT is still facing. Ultimately, we highlight state-of-the-art developments and opportunities for new therapeutic options, which hold great potential for improving outcomes in this challenging patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Zappa
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alice Vitali
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Kathleen Anders
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Judith Wienke
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Qiu X, Quan G, Ou W, Wang P, Huang X, Li X, Shen Y, Yang W, Wang J, Wu X. Unraveling TIMP1: a multifaceted biomarker in colorectal cancer. Front Genet 2023; 14:1265137. [PMID: 37842645 PMCID: PMC10570617 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1265137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The pathogenic genes of colorectal cancer (CRC) have not yet been fully elucidated, and there is currently a lack of effective therapeutic targets. This study used bioinformatics methods to explore and experimentally validate the most valuable biomarkers for colorectal cancer and further investigate their potential as targets. Methods: We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and screened out hub genes. ROC curve and univariate Cox analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset revealed the most diagnostically and prognostically valuable genes. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) experiments were then conducted to validate the expression level of these selected genes in colorectal cancer. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to evaluate the enriched signaling pathways associated with the gene. Using the CIBERSORT algorithm in R software, we analyzed the immune infiltrating cell abundance in both high and low gene expression groups and examined the gene's correlation with immune cells and immune checkpoints. Additionally, we performed drug sensitivity analysis utilizing the DepMap database, and explored the correlation between gene expression levels and ferroptosis based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Results: The study identified a total of 159 DEGs, including 7 hub genes: SPP1, MMP1, CXCL8, CXCL1, TIMP1, MMP3, and CXCL10. Further analysis revealed TIMP1 as the most valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer, with IHC experiments verifying its high expression. Additionally, GSEA results showed that the high TIMP1 expression group was involved in many cancer signaling pathways. Analysis of the TCGA database revealed a positive correlation between TIMP1 expression and infiltration of macrophages (M0, M1, M2) and neutrophils, as well as the expression of immune checkpoint genes, including CTLA-4 and HAVCR2. Drug sensitivity analysis, conducted using the DepMap database, revealed that colorectal cancer cell lines exhibiting elevated levels of TIMP1 expression were more responsive to certain drugs, such as CC-90003, Pitavastatin, Atuveciclib, and CT7001, compared to those with low levels of TIMP1. Furthermore, TIMP1 expression was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-related genes, such as GPX4 and HSPA5. Conclusion: TIMP1 can be used as a biomarker for colorectal cancer and is associated with the immunological microenvironment, drug sensitivity, and ferroptosis inhibition in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaode Qiu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Guangqian Quan
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Wenquan Ou
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xing Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xinhua Li
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Yufan Shen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Weifeng Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
| | - Xiaohua Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Nanping, China
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21
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Pu T, Peddle A, Zhu J, Tejpar S, Verbandt S. Neoantigen identification: Technological advances and challenges. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 183:265-302. [PMID: 38548414 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2023.06.005] [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] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Neoantigens have emerged as promising targets for cutting-edge immunotherapies, such as cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapy. These neoantigens are unique to tumors and arise exclusively from somatic mutations or non-genomic aberrations in tumor proteins. They encompass a wide range of alterations, including genomic mutations, post-transcriptomic variants, and viral oncoproteins. With the advancements in technology, the identification of immunogenic neoantigens has seen rapid progress, raising new opportunities for enhancing their clinical significance. Prediction of neoantigens necessitates the acquisition of high-quality samples and sequencing data, followed by mutation calling. Subsequently, the pipeline involves integrating various tools that can predict the expression, processing, binding, and recognition potential of neoantigens. However, the continuous improvement of computational tools is constrained by the availability of datasets which contain validated immunogenic neoantigens. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the current knowledge as well as limitations in neoantigen prediction and validation. Additionally, it delves into the origin and biological role of neoantigens, offering a deeper understanding of their significance in the field of cancer immunotherapy. This article thus seeks to contribute to the ongoing efforts to harness neoantigens as powerful weapons in the fight against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Pu
- Digestive Oncology Unit, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Jingjing Zhu
- de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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22
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Salokas K, Dashi G, Varjosalo M. Decoding Oncofusions: Unveiling Mechanisms, Clinical Impact, and Prospects for Personalized Cancer Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3678. [PMID: 37509339 PMCID: PMC10377698 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated gene fusions, also known as oncofusions, have emerged as influential drivers of oncogenesis across a diverse range of cancer types. These genetic events occur via chromosomal translocations, deletions, and inversions, leading to the fusion of previously separate genes. Due to the drastic nature of these mutations, they often result in profound alterations of cellular behavior. The identification of oncofusions has revolutionized cancer research, with advancements in sequencing technologies facilitating the discovery of novel fusion events at an accelerated pace. Oncofusions exert their effects through the manipulation of critical cellular signaling pathways that regulate processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Extensive investigations have been conducted to understand the roles of oncofusions in solid tumors, leukemias, and lymphomas. Large-scale initiatives, including the Cancer Genome Atlas, have played a pivotal role in unraveling the landscape of oncofusions by characterizing a vast number of cancer samples across different tumor types. While validating the functional relevance of oncofusions remains a challenge, even non-driver mutations can hold significance in cancer treatment. Oncofusions have demonstrated potential value in the context of immunotherapy through the production of neoantigens. Their clinical importance has been observed in both treatment and diagnostic settings, with specific fusion events serving as therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers. However, despite the progress made, there is still considerable untapped potential within the field of oncofusions. Further research and validation efforts are necessary to understand their effects on a functional basis and to exploit the new targeted treatment avenues offered by oncofusions. Through further functional and clinical studies, oncofusions will enable the advancement of precision medicine and the drive towards more effective and specific treatments for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Salokas
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giovanna Dashi
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Varjosalo
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
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23
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Alturki NA. Review of the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Context of Cancer Treatment. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4301. [PMID: 37445336 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Checkpoint proteins are an integral part of the immune system and are used by the tumor cells to evade immune response, which helps them grow uncontrollably. By blocking these proteins, immune checkpoint inhibitors can restore the capability of the immune system to attack cancer cells and stop their growth. These findings are backed by adequate clinical trial data and presently, several FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors exist in the market for treating various types of cancers, including melanoma, hepatocellular, endometrial, lung, kidney and others. Their mode of action is inhibition by targeting the checkpoint proteins CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, etc. They can be used alone as well as in amalgamation with other cancer treatments, like surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Since these drugs target only specific immune system proteins, their side effects are reduced in comparison with the traditional chemotherapy drugs, but may still cause a few affects like fatigue, skin rashes, and fever. In rare cases, these inhibitors are known to have caused more serious side effects, such as cardiotoxicity, and inflammation in the intestines or lungs. Herein, we provide an overview of these inhibitors and their role as biomarkers, immune-related adverse outcomes and clinical studies in the treatment of various cancers, as well as present some future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norah A Alturki
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia
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Kong Y, Jiang C, Wei G, Sun K, Wang R, Qiu T. Small Molecule Inhibitors as Therapeutic Agents Targeting Oncogenic Fusion Proteins: Current Status and Clinical. Molecules 2023; 28:4672. [PMID: 37375228 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124672] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic fusion proteins, arising from chromosomal rearrangements, have emerged as prominent drivers of tumorigenesis and crucial therapeutic targets in cancer research. In recent years, the potential of small molecular inhibitors in selectively targeting fusion proteins has exhibited significant prospects, offering a novel approach to combat malignancies harboring these aberrant molecular entities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of small molecular inhibitors as therapeutic agents for oncogenic fusion proteins. We discuss the rationale for targeting fusion proteins, elucidate the mechanism of action of inhibitors, assess the challenges associated with their utilization, and provide a summary of the clinical progress achieved thus far. The objective is to provide the medicinal community with current and pertinent information and to expedite the drug discovery programs in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichao Kong
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Caihong Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Guifeng Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Kai Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Ruijie Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Ting Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
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25
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Luo R, Chyr J, Wen J, Wang Y, Zhao W, Zhou X. A novel integrated approach to predicting cancer immunotherapy efficacy. Oncogene 2023; 42:1913-1925. [PMID: 37100920 PMCID: PMC10244162 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02670-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment modalities; however, predicting clinical response accurately and reliably remains challenging. Neoantigen load is considered as a fundamental genetic determinant of therapeutic response. However, only a few predicted neoantigens are highly immunogenic, with little focus on intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) in the neoantigen landscape and its link with different features in the tumor microenvironment. To address this issue, we comprehensively characterized neoantigens arising from nonsynonymous mutations and gene fusions in lung cancer and melanoma. We developed a composite NEO2IS to characterize interplays between cancer and CD8+ T-cell populations. NEO2IS improved prediction accuracy of patient responses to immune-checkpoint blockades (ICBs). We found that TCR repertoire diversity was consistent with the neoantigen heterogeneity under evolutionary selections. Our defined neoantigen ITH score (NEOITHS) reflected infiltration degree of CD8+ T lymphocytes with different differentiation states and manifested the impact of negative selection pressure on CD8+ T-cell lineage heterogeneity or tumor ecosystem plasticity. We classified tumors into distinct immune subtypes and examined how neoantigen-T cells interactions affected disease progression and treatment response. Overall, our integrated framework helps profile neoantigen patterns that elicit T-cell immunoreactivity, enhance the understanding of evolving tumor-immune interplays and improve prediction of ICBs efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihan Luo
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jacqueline Chyr
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jianguo Wen
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Weiling Zhao
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- School of Dentistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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Zhu Y, Wu W, Qiao L, Ji J, Duan L, Gong L, Ren D, Li F, Wei L, Pan K. The characteristics and clinical relevance of tumor fusion burden in non-EBV (+) gastric cancer with MSS. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:153. [PMID: 37189078 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-02765-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is maturely applied for gene fusion detection. Although tumor fusion burden (TFB) has been identified as an immune marker for cancer, the relationship between these fusions and the immunogenicity and molecular characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) patients remains unclear. GCs have different clinical significance depending on their subtypes, and thus, this study aimed to investigate the characteristics and clinical relevance of TFB in non-Epstein-Barr-virus-positive (EBV+) GC with microsatellite stability (MSS). METHODS A total of 319 GC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas stomach adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) and a cohort of 45-case from ENA (PRJEB25780) were included. The cohort characteristics and distribution of TFB among the patients were analyzed. Additionally, the correlations of TFB with mutation characteristics, pathway differences, relative abundance of immune cells, and prognosis were examined in the TCGA-STAD cohort of MSS and non-EBV (+) patients. RESULTS We observed that in the MSS and non-EBV (+) cohort, the TFB-low group exhibited significantly lower gene mutation frequency, gene copy number, loss of heterozygosity score, and tumor mutation burden than in the TFB-high group. Additionally, the TFB-low group exhibited a higher abundance of immune cells. Furthermore, the immune gene signatures were significantly upregulated in the TFB-low group, 2-year disease-specific survival was markedly increased in the TFB-low group compared with to the TFB-high group. The rates of TFB-low cases were significantly higher TFB-than high cases in durable clinical benefit (DCB) and response groups with pembrolizumab treatment. Low TFB may serve as a predictor of GC prognosis, and the TFB-low group exhibits higher immunogenicity. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study reveals that the TFB-based classification of GC patient may be instructive for individualized immunotherapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Zhu
- Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, The Second Clinical Medical College, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Jinan University, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Weixin Wu
- Department of Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361004, China
| | - Liangliang Qiao
- Oncology Department I, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510000, China
| | - Jingfen Ji
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 410011, Changsha, China
| | - Lunxi Duan
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 410011, Changsha, China
| | - Longlong Gong
- Department of Medicine, Genecast Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 214000, Wuxi, China
| | - Dandan Ren
- Department of Medicine, Genecast Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 214000, Wuxi, China
| | - Feifei Li
- Department of Medicine, Genecast Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 214000, Wuxi, China
| | - Lihui Wei
- Department of Medicine, Genecast Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 214000, Wuxi, China.
| | - Ke Pan
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 410011, Changsha, China.
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27
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Vensko SP, Olsen K, Bortone D, Smith CC, Chai S, Beckabir W, Fini M, Jadi O, Rubinsteyn A, Vincent BG. LENS: Landscape of Effective Neoantigens Software. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad322. [PMID: 37184881 PMCID: PMC10246587 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Elimination of cancer cells by T cells is a critical mechanism of anti-tumor immunity and cancer immunotherapy response. T cells recognize cancer cells by engagement of T cell receptors with peptide epitopes presented by major histocompatibility complex molecules on the cancer cell surface. Peptide epitopes can be derived from antigen proteins coded for by multiple genomic sources. Bioinformatics tools used to identify tumor-specific epitopes via analysis of DNA and RNA-sequencing data have largely focused on epitopes derived from somatic variants, though a smaller number have evaluated potential antigens from other genomic sources. RESULTS We report here an open-source workflow utilizing the Nextflow DSL2 workflow manager, Landscape of Effective Neoantigens Software (LENS), which predicts tumor-specific and tumor-associated antigens from single nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, fusion events, splice variants, cancer-testis antigens, overexpressed self-antigens, viruses, and endogenous retroviruses. The primary advantage of LENS is that it expands the breadth of genomic sources of discoverable tumor antigens using genomics data. Other advantages include modularity, extensibility, ease of use, and harmonization of relative expression level and immunogenicity prediction across multiple genomic sources. We present an analysis of 115 acute myeloid leukemia samples to demonstrate the utility of LENS. We expect LENS will be a valuable platform and resource for T cell epitope discovery bioinformatics, especially in cancers with few somatic variants where tumor-specific epitopes from alternative genomic sources are an elevated priority. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION More information about LENS, including code, workflow documentation, and instructions, can be found at (https://gitlab.com/landscape-of-effective-neoantigens-software).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven P Vensko
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kelly Olsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Dante Bortone
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Christof C Smith
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shengjie Chai
- Uber Technologies, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Wolfgang Beckabir
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Misha Fini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Othmane Jadi
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alex Rubinsteyn
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin G Vincent
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Ursino C, Mouric C, Gros L, Bonnefoy N, Faget J. Intrinsic features of the cancer cell as drivers of immune checkpoint blockade response and refractoriness. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1170321. [PMID: 37180110 PMCID: PMC10169604 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1170321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade represents the latest revolution in cancer treatment by substantially increasing patients' lifetime and quality of life in multiple neoplastic pathologies. However, this new avenue of cancer management appeared extremely beneficial in a minority of cancer types and the sub-population of patients that would benefit from such therapies remain difficult to predict. In this review of the literature, we have summarized important knowledge linking cancer cell characteristics with the response to immunotherapy. Mostly focused on lung cancer, our objective was to illustrate how cancer cell diversity inside a well-defined pathology might explain sensitivity and refractoriness to immunotherapies. We first discuss how genomic instability, epigenetics and innate immune signaling could explain differences in the response to immune checkpoint blockers. Then, in a second part we detailed important notions suggesting that altered cancer cell metabolism, specific oncogenic signaling, tumor suppressor loss as well as tight control of the cGAS/STING pathway in the cancer cells can be associated with resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. At the end, we discussed recent evidences that could suggest that immune checkpoint blockade as first line therapy might shape the cancer cell clones diversity and give rise to the appearance of novel resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Julien Faget
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Univ Montpellier, Institut du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), Montpellier, France
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Weng S, Li M, Deng J, Xu H, Ren Y, Zhou Z, Wang L, Zhang Y, Xing Z, Li L, Liu Z, Han X. Epigenetically regulated gene expression profiles decipher four molecular subtypes with prognostic and therapeutic implications in gastric cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:64. [PMID: 37061743 PMCID: PMC10105476 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01478-w] [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: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract which seriously endangers the health of human beings worldwide. Transcriptomic deregulation by epigenetic mechanisms plays a crucial role in the heterogeneous progression of GC. This study aimed to investigate the impact of epigenetically regulated genes on the prognosis, immune microenvironment, and potential treatment of GC. RESULTS Under the premise of verifying significant co-regulation of the aberrant frequencies of microRNA (miRNA) correlated (MIRcor) genes and DNA methylation-correlated (METcor) genes. Four GC molecular subtypes were identified and validated by comprehensive clustering of MIRcor and METcor GEPs in 1521 samples from five independent multicenter GC cohorts: cluster 1 was characterized by up-regulated cell proliferation and transformation pathways, with good prognosis outcomes, driven by mutations, and was sensitive to 5-fluorouracil and paclitaxel; cluster 2 performed moderate prognosis and benefited more from apatinib and cisplatin; cluster 3 was featured by an up-regulated ligand-receptor formation-related pathways, poor prognosis, an immunosuppression phenotype with low tumor purity, resistant to chemotherapy (e.g., 5-fluorouracil, paclitaxel, and cisplatin), and targeted therapy drug (apatinib) and sensitive to dasatinib; cluster 4 was characterized as an immune-activating phenotype, with advanced tumor stages, benefit more from immunotherapy and displayed worst prognosis. CONCLUSIONS According to the epigenetically regulated GEPs, we developed four robust GC molecular subtypes, which facilitated the understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms underlying GC heterogeneity, offering an optimized decision-making and surveillance platform for GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Weng
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Minghao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jinhai Deng
- Richard Dimbleby Laboratory of Cancer Research, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Yuqing Ren
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhaokai Zhou
- Department of Urologic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Libo Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuyuan Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Zhe Xing
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Medical School, Huanghe Science and Technology University, 666 Zi Jing Shan Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China.
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Xinwei Han
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
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30
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Liu M, Han Z, Zhi Y, Ruan Y, Cao G, Wang G, Xu X, Mu J, Kang J, Dai F, Wen X, Zhang Q, Li F. Long-read sequencing reveals oncogenic mechanism of HPV-human fusion transcripts in cervical cancer. Transl Res 2023; 253:80-94. [PMID: 36223881 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Integration of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) into the host genome is a crucial event for the development of cervical cancer, however, the underlying mechanism of HPV integration-driven carcinogenesis remains unknown. Here, we performed long-read RNA sequencing on 12 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and cervical cancer patients, including 3 pairs of cervical cancer and corresponding para-cancerous tissue samples to investigate the full-length landscape of cross-species genome integrations. In addition to massive unannotated isoforms, transcriptional regulatory events, and gene chimerism, more importantly, we found that HPV-human fusion events were prevalent in HPV-associated cervical cancers. Combined with the genome data, we revealed the existence of a universal transcription pattern in these fusion events, whereby structurally similar fusion transcripts were generated by specific splicing in E6 and a canonical splicing donor site in E1 linking to various human splicing acceptors. Highly expressed HPV-human fusion transcripts, eg, HPV16 E6*I-E7-E1SD880-human gene, were the key driver of cervical carcinogenesis, which could trigger overexpression of E6*I and E7, and destroy the transcription of tumor suppressor genes CMAHP, TP63 and P3H2. Finally, evidence from in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrates that the novel read-through fusion gene mRNA, E1-CMAHP (E1C, formed by the integration of HPV58 E1 with CMAHP), existed in the fusion transcript can promote malignant transformation of cervical epithelial cells via regulating downstream oncogenes to participate in various biological processes. Taken together, we reveal a previously unknown mechanism of HPV integration-driven carcinogenesis and provide a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Han
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Zhi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yetian Ruan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangxu Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangxue Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinxin Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianbing Mu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD
| | - Jiuhong Kang
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangping Dai
- Genome-decoding Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd, Nantong, China
| | - Xuejun Wen
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, School of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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31
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Neoantigens: promising targets for cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:9. [PMID: 36604431 PMCID: PMC9816309 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01270-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 173.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in neoantigen research have accelerated the development and regulatory approval of tumor immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy and antibody-based therapies, especially for solid tumors. Neoantigens are newly formed antigens generated by tumor cells as a result of various tumor-specific alterations, such as genomic mutation, dysregulated RNA splicing, disordered post-translational modification, and integrated viral open reading frames. Neoantigens are recognized as non-self and trigger an immune response that is not subject to central and peripheral tolerance. The quick identification and prediction of tumor-specific neoantigens have been made possible by the advanced development of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic technologies. Compared to tumor-associated antigens, the highly immunogenic and tumor-specific neoantigens provide emerging targets for personalized cancer immunotherapies, and serve as prospective predictors for tumor survival prognosis and immune checkpoint blockade responses. The development of cancer therapies will be aided by understanding the mechanism underlying neoantigen-induced anti-tumor immune response and by streamlining the process of neoantigen-based immunotherapies. This review provides an overview on the identification and characterization of neoantigens and outlines the clinical applications of prospective immunotherapeutic strategies based on neoantigens. We also explore their current status, inherent challenges, and clinical translation potential.
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Tang Y, Ye C, Zeng J, Zhu P, Cheng S, Zeng W, Yang B, Liu Y, Yu Y. Identification of a basement membrane-based risk scoring system for prognosis prediction and individualized therapy in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Front Genet 2023; 14:1038924. [PMID: 36816030 PMCID: PMC9935575 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1038924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) belongs to one of the 10 most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide and has a poor prognosis at the advanced stage. Although multiple therapeutic agents have been proven to be curative in ccRCC, their clinical application was limited due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Considering the important role of basement membrane (BM) in tumor metastasis and TME regulation, we investigated the expression of BM-related genes in ccRCC and identified prognostic BM genes through differentially expression analysis and univariate cox regression analysis. Then, BM-related ccRCC subtypes were recognized through consensus non-negative matrix factorization based on the prognostic BM genes and evaluated with regard to clinical and TME features. Next, utilizing the differentially expressed genes between the BM-related subtypes, a risk scoring system BMRS was established after serial analysis of univariate cox regression analysis, lasso regression analysis, and multivariate cox regression analysis. Time-dependent ROC curve revealed the satisfactory prognosis predictive capacity of BMRS with internal, and external validation. Multivariate analysis proved the independent predictive ability of BMRS and a BMRS-based nomogram was constructed for clinical application. Some featured mutants were discovered through genomic analysis of the BMRS risk groups. Meanwhile, the BMRS groups were found to have distinct immune scores, immune cell infiltration levels, and immune-related functions. Moreover, with the help of data from The Cancer Immunome Atlas (TCIA) and Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC), the potential of BMRS in predicting therapeutic response was evaluated and some possible therapeutic compounds were proposed through ConnectivityMap (CMap). For the practicability of BMRS, we validated the expression of BMRS-related genes in clinical samples. After all, we identified BM-related ccRCC subtypes with distinct clinical and TME features and constructed a risk scoring system for the prediction of prognosis, therapeutic responses, and potential therapeutic agents of ccRCC. As ccRCC systemic therapy continues to evolve, the risk scoring system BMRS we reported may assist in individualized medication administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Tang
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chujin Ye
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayi Zeng
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shouyu Cheng
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weinan Zeng
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bowen Yang
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjun Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yuming Yu, ; Yanjun Liu,
| | - Yuming Yu
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yuming Yu, ; Yanjun Liu,
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Zhou Z, Wu J, Ma W, Dong F, Wang J. Pan-Cancer analyses of Necroptosis-Related genes as a potential target to predict immunotherapeutic outcome. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 27:204-221. [PMID: 36583248 PMCID: PMC9843528 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Necroptosis is a unique programmed death mechanism of necrotic cells. However, its role and specific mechanism in cancer remain unclear, and a systematic pan-cancer analysis of necroptosis is yet to be conducted. Thus, we performed a specific pan-cancer analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases to analyse necroptosis expression in terms of cancer prognosis, DNA methylation status, tumour mutative burden, microsatellite instability, immune cell infiltration in different types of cancer and molecular mechanisms. For the first time, we explored the correlation between necroptosis and immunotherapy prognosis. Thus, our study provides a relatively comprehensive understanding of the carcinogenicity of necroptosis in different types of cancer. It is suggested that necroptosis can be used to evaluate the sensitivity of different patients to immunotherapy and may become a potential target for tumour immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- Bengbu Medical College Graduate SchoolBengbuChina,Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Centre of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's HospitalPeople's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhouChina
| | - Jiajun Wu
- Bengbu Medical College Graduate SchoolBengbuChina,Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Centre of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's HospitalPeople's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhouChina
| | - Wenli Ma
- Bengbu Medical College Graduate SchoolBengbuChina,Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Centre of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's HospitalPeople's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhouChina
| | - Feilin Dong
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Gland DiseasesHangzhouChina
| | - Jiafeng Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Centre of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's HospitalPeople's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhouChina,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Gland DiseasesHangzhouChina
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Liu J, Liu Z, Yan W, Yang H, Fang S, Deng S, Wen Y, Shen P, Li Y, Hou R, Liu X, Huang T, Li R, Zheng D, Liu Z, Fang W. ENKUR recruits FBXW7 to ubiquitinate and degrade MYH9 and further suppress MYH9‐induced deubiquitination of β‐catenin to block gastric cancer metastasis. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e185. [DOI: 10.1002/mco2.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Liu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Zhan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology Hunan People's Hospital Changsha P.R. China
| | - Weiwei Yan
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Huiling Yang
- School of Pharmacy Guangdong Medical University Dongguan P.R. China
| | - Shiyi Fang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
- School of Public Health University of South China Hengyang P. R. China
| | - Shuting Deng
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Yinghao Wen
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Peng Shen
- Oncology Department Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou P.R. China
| | - Yonghao Li
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Rentao Hou
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Xiong Liu
- Oncology Department Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou P.R. China
| | - Tao Huang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Rong Li
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Dayong Zheng
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation Basic School of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
| | - Weiyi Fang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou P. R. China
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Li Y, Hong YK, Wang X, Pandit H, Zheng Q, Yu Y, Shi X, Chen Y, Tan M, Pulliam Z, Bhutiani N, Lin A, Badach J, Zhang P, Martin RCG. Epigenetic modulation enhances immunotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Clin Transl Immunology 2022; 11:e1430. [PMID: 36452477 PMCID: PMC9705274 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. PDAC has poor response to immunotherapy because of its unique tumour microenvironment (TME). In an attempt to stimulate immunologically silent pancreatic cancer, we investigated the role of epigenetic therapy in modulating the TME to improve immunogenicity. Methods In vitro human PDAC cell lines MiaPaca2 and S2-013 were treated with 5μ m 3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep, an EZH2 inhibitor) and 5 μ m 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA, a DNMT1 inhibitor). In vivo orthotopic murine tumour models using both murine PAN02 cells and KPC cells inoculated in immunocompetent C56/BL7 mice were treated with anti-PD-L1 combined with DZNep and 5-AZA. Short hairpin knockdown (KD) of EZH2 and DNMT1 in PAN02 cells for the orthotopic murine tumour model was established to validate the drug treatment (DZNep and 5-AZA). qRT-PCR and microarray assays were performed for the evaluation of Th1-attracting chemokines and cancer-associated antigen induction. Results Drug treatments induced significant upregulation of gene expressions of Th1-attracting chemokines, CXCL9 and CXCL10, and the cancer-testis antigens, NY-ESO-1, LAGE and SSX-4 (P < 0.05). In orthotopic tumour models, inoculation of PAN02 cells or KPC cells demonstrated significant tumour regression with corresponding increased apoptosis and infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the combination treatment group. In the orthotopic Pan02-KD model, the anti-PD-L1 treatment also caused significant tumour regression. Conclusion We demonstrate that immunotherapy for PDAC can be potentiated with epigenetic therapy by increasing cancer-associated antigen expression and increased T-cell trafficking across the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment via upregulation of the repressed chemokines and increased apoptosis with subsequent tumour regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,Department of Pharmacology & ToxicologyUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Young K Hong
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of SurgeryCooper University HospitalCamdenNJUSA
| | - Xingtong Wang
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Harshul Pandit
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,Department of Pharmacology & ToxicologyUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Qianqian Zheng
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,Basic Medicine College, China Medical UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Youxi Yu
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Xiaoju Shi
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Yujia Chen
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Min Tan
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Zachary Pulliam
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Neal Bhutiani
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Andrew Lin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of SurgeryCooper University HospitalCamdenNJUSA
| | - Jeremy Badach
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of SurgeryCooper University HospitalCamdenNJUSA
| | - Ping Zhang
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of SurgeryCooper University HospitalCamdenNJUSA
| | - Robert CG Martin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D. Department of SurgerySchool of Medicine, University of LouisvilleLouisvilleKYUSA,Department of Pharmacology & ToxicologyUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKYUSA
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Zhong X, Li C, Zhao G, Li M, Chen S, Cao Y, Wang Q, Sun J, Zhu S, Chang S. Photoacoustic mediated multifunctional tumor antigen trapping nanoparticles inhibit the recurrence and metastasis of ovarian cancer by enhancing tumor immunogenicity. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:468. [PMID: 36329515 PMCID: PMC9632083 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01682-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypoimmunogenicity of tumors is one of the main bottlenecks of cancer immunotherapy. Enhancing tumor immunogenicity can improve the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy by increasing antigen exposure and presentation, and establishing an inflammatory microenvironment. Here, a multifunctional antigen trapping nanoparticle with indocyanine green (ICG), aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) and oxaliplatin (OXA) (PPIAO) has been developed for tumor photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality imaging and therapy. The combination of photothermal/photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy induced tumor antigen exposure and release through immunogenic death of tumor cells. A timely capture and storage of antigens by aluminum hydroxide enabled dendritic cells to recognize and present those antigens spatiotemporally. In an ovarian tumor model, the photoacoustic-mediated PPIAO NPs combination therapy achieved a transition from “cold tumor” to “hot tumor” that promoted more CD8+ T lymphocytes activation in vivo and intratumoral infiltration, and successfully inhibited the growth of primary and metastatic tumors. An in situ tumor vaccine effect was produced from the treated tumor tissue, assisting mice against the recurrence of tumor cells. This study provided a simple and effective personalized tumor vaccine strategy for better treatment of metastatic and recurrent tumors. The developed multifunctional tumor antigen trapping nanoparticles may be a promising nanoplatform for integrating multimodal imaging monitoring, tumor treatment, and tumor vaccine immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangzong Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuning Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Cao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangchuan Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenyin Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shufang Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China.
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Li B. Why do tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have variable efficacy in the treatment of solid tumors? Front Immunol 2022; 13:973881. [PMID: 36341370 PMCID: PMC9635507 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.973881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytes in tumor tissue are called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and they play a key role in the control and treatment of tumor diseases. Since the discovery in 1987 that cultured TILs can kill tumor cells more than 100 times more effectively than T-cells cultured from peripheral blood in melanoma, it has been confirmed that cultured TILs can successfully cure clinical patients with melanoma. Since 1989, after we investigated TIL isolation performance from solid tumors, we modified some procedures to increase efficacy, and thus successfully established new TIL isolation and culture methods in 1994. Moreover, our laboratory and clinicians using our cultured TILs have published more than 30 papers. To improve the efficacy of TILs, we have been carrying out studies of TIL efficacy to treat solid tumor diseases for approximately 30 years. The three main questions of TIL study have been "How do TILs remain silent in solid tumor tissue?", "How do TILs attack homologous and heterologous antigens from tumor cells of solid tumors?", and "How do TILs infiltrate solid tumor tissue from a distance into tumor sites to kill tumor cells?". Research on these three issues has increasingly answered these questions. In this review I summarize the main issues surrounding TILs in treating solid tumors. This review aims to study the killing function of TILs from solid tumor tissues, thereby ultimately introducing the optimal strategy for patients suffering from solid tumors through personalized immunotherapy in the near future.
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Velaga R, Koo KM, Mainwaring PN. Harnessing gene fusion-derived neoantigens for 'cold' breast and prostate tumor immunotherapy. Immunotherapy 2022; 14:1165-1179. [PMID: 36043380 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2022-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast and prostate cancers are generally considered immunologically 'cold' tumors due to multiple mechanisms rendering them unresponsive to immune checkpoint blockade therapies. With little success in garnering positive outcomes in modern immunotherapeutic clinical trials, it is prudent to re-examine the role of immunogenic neoantigens in these cold tumors. Gene fusions are driver mutations in hormone-driven cancers that can result in alternative mutation-specific neoantigens to promote immunotherapy sensitivity. This review focuses on 1) gene fusion formation mechanisms in neoantigen generation; 2) gene fusion neoantigens in cancer immunotherapeutic strategies and associated clinical trials; and 3) challenges and opportunities in computational and liquid biopsy technologies. This review is anticipated to initiate further research into gene fusion neoantigens of cold tumors for further experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Velaga
- Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kevin M Koo
- XING Technologies Pty Ltd, Brisbane, QLD 4073, Australia.,The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
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Zhou X, Sun Q, Xu C, Zhou Z, Chen X, Zhu X, Huang Z, Wang W, Shi Y. A systematic pan-cancer analysis of PXDN as a potential target for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Front Oncol 2022; 12:952849. [PMID: 35982948 PMCID: PMC9380648 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.952849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxidasin (PXDN), also known as vascular peroxidase-1, is a newly discovered heme-containing peroxidase; it is involved in the formation of extracellular mesenchyme, and it catalyzes various substrate oxidation reactions in humans. However, the role and specific mechanism of PXDN in tumor are unclear, and no systematic pan-cancer studies on PXDN have been reported to date. This study employed data from multiple databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas and The Genotype-Tissue Expression, to conduct a specific pan-cancer analysis of the effects of PXDN expression on cancer prognosis. Further, we evaluated the association of PXDN expression with DNA methylation status, tumor mutation burden, and microsatellite instability. Additionally, for the first time, the relationship of PXDN with the tumor microenvironment and infiltration of fibroblasts and different immune cells within different tumors was explored, and the possible molecular mechanism of the effect was also discussed. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the carcinogenicity of PXDN in different tumors and suggest that PXDN may be a potential target for tumor immunotherapy, providing a new candidate that could improve cancer clinical diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chang Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Centre of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoquan Chen
- Department of pediatric, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiuping Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoshuai Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weilin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Weilin Wang, ; Yanjun Shi,
| | - Yanjun Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Weilin Wang, ; Yanjun Shi,
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He L, Ren D, Lv G, Mao B, Wu L, Liu X, Gong L, Liu P. The characteristics and clinical relevance of tumor fusion burden in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Med 2022; 12:852-861. [PMID: 35621268 PMCID: PMC9844600 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that tumor fusion burden (TFB) is a hallmark of immune infiltration in prostate cancer, the correlation of TFB with immune microenvironment, and genomic patterns in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSC) remain largely unclear. METHODS Gene fusion, genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical data of HNSC patients from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database were collected to analyze the correlation of TFB with mutation patterns, tumor immune microenvironment, and survival time in HNSC patients. RESULTS Human papillomavirus (HPV) (-) patients with low TFB exhibited significantly enhanced CD8+ T cells infiltration and cytolysis activity and increased level of interferon-gamma (IL-γ), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I, and chemokines. Moreover, TFB was positively correlated with TP53 mutation, score of gene copy number, and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), as well as the biological progress of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis, and stem cell characteristics. Further analysis revealed that HPV (-) HNSC patients with low TFB have a better prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Our data revealed the correlation of TFB with tumor immune microenvironment and predictive features for immunotherapy, implying tumors with low TFB may be potential candidates for immunotherapeutic agents. Moreover, the TFB low group had prolonged overall survival (OS) in the HPV (-) HNSC cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirui He
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryPeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhenChina
| | - Dandan Ren
- Genecast Biotechnology Co., LtdJiangsu ProvinceChina
| | - Guoqing Lv
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryPeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhenChina
| | - Beibei Mao
- Genecast Biotechnology Co., LtdJiangsu ProvinceChina
| | - Lijia Wu
- Genecast Biotechnology Co., LtdJiangsu ProvinceChina
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of OncologyThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaHunan ProvinceChina
| | - Longlong Gong
- Genecast Biotechnology Co., LtdJiangsu ProvinceChina
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of OncologyThe Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityChangshaHunan ProvinceChina
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Lu M, Xu L, Jian X, Tan X, Zhao J, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Liu C, Chen L, Lin Y, Xie L. dbPepNeo2.0: A Database for Human Tumor Neoantigen Peptides From Mass Spectrometry and TCR Recognition. Front Immunol 2022; 13:855976. [PMID: 35493528 PMCID: PMC9043652 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.855976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoantigens are widely reported to induce T-cell response and lead to tumor regression, indicating a promising potential to immunotherapy. Previously, we constructed an open-access database, i.e., dbPepNeo, providing a systematic resource for human tumor neoantigens to storage and query. In order to expand data volume and application scope, we updated dbPepNeo to version 2.0 (http://www.biostatistics.online/dbPepNeo2). Here, we provide about 801 high-confidence (HC) neoantigens (increased by 170%) and 842,289 low-confidence (LC) HLA immunopeptidomes (increased by 107%). Notably, 55 class II HC neoantigens and 630 neoantigen-reactive T-cell receptor-β (TCRβ) sequences were firstly included. Besides, two new analytical tools are developed, DeepCNN-Ineo and BLASTdb. DeepCNN-Ineo predicts the immunogenicity of class I neoantigens, and BLASTdb performs local alignments to look for sequence similarities in dbPepNeo2.0. Meanwhile, the web features and interface have been greatly improved and enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Lu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Linfeng Xu
- Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China.,School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingxing Jian
- Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China.,Bioinformatics Center, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoxiu Tan
- Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China.,Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenhao Liu
- Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China.,School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Lanming Chen
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Lin
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Xie
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai-Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Institute for Genome and Bioinformatics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China.,Bioinformatics Center, National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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42
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Neoantigens – the next frontier in precision immunotherapy for B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Blood Rev 2022; 56:100969. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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43
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Li Y, Zhang Y, Pan T, Zhou P, Zhou W, Gao Y, Zheng S, Xu J. Shedding light on the hidden human proteome expands immunopeptidome in cancer. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6533503. [PMID: 35189633 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Unrestrained cellular growth and immune escape of a tumor are associated with the incidental errors of the genome and transcriptome. Advances in next-generation sequencing have identified thousands of genomic and transcriptomic aberrations that generate variant peptides that assemble the hidden proteome, further expanding the immunopeptidome. Emerging next-generation sequencing technologies and a number of computational methods estimated the abundance of immune infiltration from bulk transcriptome have advanced our understanding of tumor microenvironments. Here, we will characterize several major types of tumor-specific antigens arising from single-nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, gene fusion, alternative splicing, RNA editing and non-coding RNAs. Finally, we summarize the current state-of-the-art computational and experimental approaches or resources and provide an integrative pipeline for the identification of candidate tumor antigens. Together, the systematic investigation of the hidden proteome in cancer will help facilitate the development of effective and durable immunotherapy targets for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Li
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Tao Pan
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Hainan, China
| | - Weiwei Zhou
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yueying Gao
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Shaojiang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Trauma of Ministry of Education, Tumor Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
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44
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Identification of an Immunogenic Medulloblastoma-Specific Fusion Involving EPC2 and GULP1. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225838. [PMID: 34830991 PMCID: PMC8616194 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Immunotherapy is yet to demonstrate dramatic results in medulloblastoma, one reason being the low rate of mutations creating new antigens in this entity. In tumors with low mutational burden, gene fusions may represent a source of tumor-specific neoantigens. Here, we reviewed the landscape of fusions in medulloblastoma and analyzed their predicted immunogenicity. Furthermore, we described a new in-frame fusion protein identified by RNA-Seq. The fusion involved two genes on chromosome 2 coding for the enhancer of polycomb homolog 2 (EPC2) and GULP PTB domain containing engulfment adaptor 1 (GULP1) respectively. By qRT-PCR analysis, the fusion was detected in 3 out of 11 medulloblastoma samples, whereby 2 samples were from the same patients obtained at 2 different time points (initial diagnosis and relapse), but not in other pediatric brain tumor entities. Cloning of the full-length sequence indicated that the fusion protein contains the N-terminal enhancer of polycomb-like domain A (EPcA) of EPC2 and the coiled-coil domain of GULP1. In silico analyses predicted binding of the neoantigen-derived peptide to HLA-A*0201. A total of 50% of the fusions described in the literature were also predicted to produce an immunogenic peptide. The EPC2-GULP1 fusion peptide was able to induce a de novo T cell response characterized by interferon gamma release of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in vitro. While the functional relevance of this fusion in medulloblastoma biology remains to be clarified, our data support an immunotherapeutic approach for pediatric medulloblastoma patients carrying the EPC2-GULP1 fusion and other immunogenic fusions.
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