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Morel D, Robert C, Paragios N, Grégoire V, Deutsch E. Translational Frontiers and Clinical Opportunities of Immunologically Fitted Radiotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2317-2332. [PMID: 38477824 PMCID: PMC11145173 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3632] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation can have a wide range of impacts on tumor-immune interactions, which are being studied with the greatest interest and at an accelerating pace by the medical community. Despite its undeniable immunostimulatory potential, it clearly appears that radiotherapy as it is prescribed and delivered nowadays often alters the host's immunity toward a suboptimal state. This may impair the full recovery of a sustained and efficient antitumor immunosurveillance posttreatment. An emerging concept is arising from this awareness and consists of reconsidering the way of designing radiation treatment planning, notably by taking into account the individualized risks of deleterious radio-induced immune alteration that can be deciphered from the planned beam trajectory through lymphocyte-rich organs. In this review, we critically appraise key aspects to consider while planning immunologically fitted radiotherapy, including the challenges linked to the identification of new dose constraints to immune-rich structures. We also discuss how pharmacologic immunomodulation could be advantageously used in combination with radiotherapy to compensate for the radio-induced loss, for example, with (i) agonists of interleukin (IL)2, IL4, IL7, IL9, IL15, or IL21, similarly to G-CSF being used for the prophylaxis of severe chemo-induced neutropenia, or with (ii) myeloid-derived suppressive cell blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphné Morel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Villejuif, France
| | - Charlotte Robert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Paris-Saclay University, School of Medicine, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Nikos Paragios
- Therapanacea, Paris, France
- CentraleSupélec, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Vincent Grégoire
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Eric Deutsch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Paris-Saclay University, School of Medicine, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
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Wang J, Lou Y, Wang S, Zhang Z, You J, Zhu Y, Yao Y, Hao Y, Liu P, Xu LX. IFNγ at the early stage induced after cryo-thermal therapy maintains CD4 + Th1-prone differentiation, leading to long-term antitumor immunity. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1345046. [PMID: 38827732 PMCID: PMC11140566 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1345046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recently, more and more research illustrated the importance of inducing CD4+ T helper type (Th)-1 dominant immunity for the success of tumor immunotherapy. Our prior studies revealed the crucial role of CD4+ Th1 cells in orchestrating systemic and durable antitumor immunity, which contributes to the satisfactory outcomes of the novel cryo-thermal therapy in the B16F10 tumor model. However, the mechanism for maintaining the cryo-thermal therapy-mediated durable CD4+ Th1-dominant response remains uncovered. Additionally, cryo-thermal-induced early-stage CD4+ Th1-dominant T cell response showed a correlation with the favorable prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM). We hypothesized that CD4+ Th1-dominant differentiation induced during the early stage post cryo-thermal therapy would affect the balance of CD4+ subsets at the late phase. Methods To understand the role of interferon (IFN)-γ, the major effector of Th1 subsets, in maintaining long-term CD4+ Th1-prone polarization, B16F10 melanoma model was established in this study and a monoclonal antibody was used at the early stage post cryo-thermal therapy for interferon (IFN)-γ signaling blockade, and the influence on the phenotypic and functional change of immune cells was evaluated. Results IFNγ at the early stage after cryo-thermal therapy maintained long-lasting CD4+ Th1-prone immunity by directly controlling Th17, Tfh, and Tregs polarization, leading to the hyperactivation of Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represented by abundant interleukin (IL)-1β generation, and thereby further amplifying Th1 response. Discussion Our finding emphasized the key role of early-phase IFNγ abundance post cryo-thermal therapy, which could be a biomarker for better prognosis after cryo-thermal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ping Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisa X. Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Nie SC, Jing YH, Lu L, Ren SS, Ji G, Xu HC. Mechanisms of myeloid-derived suppressor cell-mediated immunosuppression in colorectal cancer and related therapies. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:1690-1704. [PMID: 38764816 PMCID: PMC11099432 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i5.1690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe immunosuppression is a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC). Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), one of the most abundant components of the tumor stroma, play an important role in the invasion, metastasis, and immune escape of CRC. MDSCs create an immunosuppressive microenvironment by inhibiting the proliferation and activation of immunoreactive cells, including T and natural killer cells, as well as by inducing the proliferation of immunosuppressive cells, such as regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages, which, in turn, promote the growth of cancer cells. Thus, MDSCs are key contributors to the emergence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment in CRC and play an important role in the breakdown of antitumor immunity. In this narrative review, we explore the mechanisms through which MDSCs contribute to the immunosuppressive microenvironment, the current therapeutic approaches and technologies targeting MDSCs, and the therapeutic potential of modulating MDSCs in CRC treatment. This study provides ideas and methods to enhance survival rates in patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Chang Nie
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yan-Hua Jing
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Si-Si Ren
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Guang Ji
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Han-Chen Xu
- Institute of Digestive Diseases, Longhua Hospital, China-Canada Center of Research for Digestive Diseases, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Disease and Syndrome Biology of Inflammatory Cancer Transformation, Shanghai 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Classic Formula and Modern Chinese Medicine (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Shanghai 200032, China
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Cornillon P, Bouleftour W, Reynaud T, Pigne G, Maillet D, Hamizi S, Beguinot M. Immunogenicity of radiotherapy on bone metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma: What is the future for the combination with radiotherapy/immunotherapy? TUMORI JOURNAL 2024:3008916241249366. [PMID: 38745528 DOI: 10.1177/03008916241249366] [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: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Bone metastatic prostate cancers (PCa) are resistant to usual immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors. The main hypothesis related to this immunoresistance is the lack of antigens to stimulate anti-tumor immunity. External radiation is a potential inducer antigens presentation and thus to immunotherapy proprieties. The aim of this review is to describe the tumor microenvironment specificities, especially in bone metastasis and the immune modifications after radiation therapy on a metastatic castration-resistant PCa population. PCa microenvironment is immunosuppressive because of many tumor factors. The complex interplay between PCa cells and bone microenvironment leads to a 'vicious circle' promoting bone metastasis. Furthermore, the immune and bone systems, are connected through an osteoclastogenic cytokine: the Receptor Activator Nuclear Factor Kappa B ligand. Adapted doses of ionizing radiation play a dual role on the tumor. Indeed, radiotherapy leads to immunogenicity by inducing damage associated with molecular patterns. However, it also induces an immunosuppressive effect by increasing the number of immunosuppressive cells. Interestingly, the abscopal effect could be used to optimize immunotherapy potential, especially on bone metastasis. Radiotherapy and immunotherapy combination is a promising strategy, however further studies are necessary to determine the more efficient types of radiation and to control the abscopal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Cornillon
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Wafa Bouleftour
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Thomas Reynaud
- Department of Radiotherapy, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Gregoire Pigne
- Department of Radiotherapy, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Denis Maillet
- Department of Medical Oncology, IMMUCARE, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Institut de Cancérologie des Hospices de Lyon, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Salima Hamizi
- Department of Medical Oncology, North Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Marie Beguinot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Medipole Lyon Villeurbanne Mutualist Clinic, Lyon, France
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Wilson J, Kimmel B, Arora K, Chada N, Bharti V, Kwiatkowski A, Finklestein J, Hanna A, Arner E, Sheehy T, Pastora L, Yang J, Pagendarm H, Stone P, Taylor B, Hubert L, Gibson-Corley K, May J, McLean J, Rathmell J, Richmond A, Rathmell W, Balko J, Fingleton B, Hargrove-Wiley E. Programable Albumin-Hitchhiking Nanobodies Enhance the Delivery of STING Agonists to Potentiate Cancer Immunotherapy. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3243545. [PMID: 38766114 PMCID: PMC11100900 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3243545/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a promising target for potentiating antitumor immunity, but multiple pharmacological barriers limit the clinical utility, efficacy, and/or safety of STING agonists. Here we describe a modular platform for systemic administration of STING agonists based on nanobodies engineered for in situ hitchhiking of agonist cargo on serum albumin. Using site-selective bioconjugation chemistries to produce molecularly defined products, we found that covalent conjugation of a STING agonist to anti-albumin nanobodies improved pharmacokinetics and increased cargo accumulation in tumor tissue, stimulating innate immune programs that increased the infiltration of activated natural killer cells and T cells, which potently inhibited tumor growth in multiple mouse tumor models. We also demonstrated the programmability of the platform through the recombinant integration of a second nanobody domain that targeted programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), which further increased cargo delivery to tumor sites while also blocking immunosuppressive PD-1/PD-L1 interactions. This bivalent nanobody carrier for covalently conjugated STING agonists stimulated robust antigen-specific T cell responses and long-lasting immunological memory, conferred enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and was effective as a neoadjuvant treatment for improving responses to adoptive T cell transfer therapy. Albumin-hitchhiking nanobodies thus offer an enabling, multimodal, and programmable platform for systemic delivery of STING agonists with potential to augment responses to multiple immunotherapeutic modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ann Hanna
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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Zou YT, Li JY, Chai JY, Hu YS, Zhang WJ, Zhang Q. The impact of the P2X7 receptor on the tumor immune microenvironment and its effects on tumor progression. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 707:149513. [PMID: 38508051 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a significant global health concern, and finding effective methods to treat it has been a focus of scientific research. It has been discovered that the growth, invasion, and metastasis of tumors are closely related to the environment in which they exist, known as the tumor microenvironment (TME). The immune response interacting with the tumor occurring within the TME constitutes the tumor immune microenvironment, and the immune response can lead to anti-tumor and pro-tumor outcomes and has shown tremendous potential in immunotherapy. A channel called the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has been identified within the TME. It is an ion channel present in various immune cells and tumor cells, and its activation can lead to inflammation, immune responses, angiogenesis, immunogenic cell death, and promotion of tumor development. This article provides an overview of the structure, function, and pharmacological characteristics of P2X7R. We described the concept and components of tumor immune microenvironment and the influence immune components has on tumors. We also outlined the impact of P2X7R regulation and how it affects the development of tumors and summarized the effects of drugs targeting P2X7R on tumor progression, both past and current, assisting researchers in treating tumors using P2X7R as a target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Zou
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Jin-Yuan Li
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Jun-Yi Chai
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Yu-Shan Hu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Wen-Jun Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China.
| | - Qiao Zhang
- Orthopedics Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
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7
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Li Z, Zhang Q, Li Z, Ren L, Pan D, Gong Q, Gu Z, Cai H, Luo K. Branched glycopolymer prodrug-derived nanoassembly combined with a STING agonist activates an immuno-supportive status to boost anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2194-2209. [PMID: 38799622 PMCID: PMC11121173 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the great potential of anti-PD-L1 antibodies for immunotherapy, their low response rate due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has hampered their application. To address this issue, we constructed a cell membrane-coated nanosystem (mB4S) to reverse an immunosuppressive microenvironment to an immuno-supportive one for strengthening the anti-tumor effect. In this system, Epirubicin (EPI) as an immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducer was coupled to a branched glycopolymer via hydrazone bonds and diABZI as a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist was encapsulated into mB4S. After internalization of mB4S, EPI was acidic-responsively released to induce ICD, which was characterized by an increased level of calreticulin (CRT) exposure and enhanced ATP secretion. Meanwhile, diABZI effectively activated the STING pathway. Treatment with mB4S in combination with an anti-PD-L1 antibody elicited potent immune responses by increasing the ratio of matured dendritic cells (DCs) and CD8+ T cells, promoting cytokines secretion, up-regulating M1-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and down-regulating immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Therefore, this nanosystem for co-delivery of an ICD inducer and a STING agonist achieved promotion of DCs maturation and CD8+ T cells infiltration, creating an immuno-supportive microenvironment, thus potentiating the therapy effect of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in both 4T1 breast and CT26 colon tumor mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Li
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Qianfeng Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhiqian Li
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Long Ren
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dayi Pan
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao Cai
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kui Luo
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Clinical Research Center for Breast, Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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Liu D, He W, Yang LL. Revitalizing antitumor immunity: Leveraging nucleic acid sensors as therapeutic targets. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216729. [PMID: 38387757 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid sensors play a critical role in recognizing and responding to pathogenic nucleic acids as danger signals. Upon activation, these sensors initiate downstream signaling cascades that lead to the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and type I interferons. These immune mediators orchestrate diverse effector responses, including the activation of immune cells and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. However, careful consideration must be given to balancing the activation of nucleic acid sensors to avoid unwanted autoimmune or inflammatory responses. In this review, we provide an overview of nucleic acid sensors and their role in combating cancer through the perception of various aberrant nucleic acids and activation of the immune system. We discuss the connections between different programmed cell death modes and nucleic acid sensors. Finally, we outline the development of nucleic acid sensor agonists, highlighting how their potential as therapeutic targets opens up new avenues for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Liu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China
| | - Wei He
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
| | - Lei-Lei Yang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, PR China.
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Xie Y, Li K, Liang J, Wang K, Gong Z, Chen X. Co-delivery of doxorubicin and STING agonist cGAMP for enhanced antitumor immunity. Int J Pharm 2024; 654:123955. [PMID: 38423155 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Many chemotherapeutic agents can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), which leads to the release of danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and tumor-associated antigens. This process promotes dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) infiltration. However, cancer cells can employ diverse mechanisms to evade the host immune system. Recent studies have shown that stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists, such as cGAMP, can amplify ICD-triggered immune responses and enhance the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME). Building upon these findings, we constructed a doxorubicin (DOX) and cGAMP co-delivery system (DOX/cGAMP@NPs) for melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapy. The results demonstrated that DOX could effectively destroy tumors and induce the release of DAMPs by ICD. Furthermore, in orthotopic 4T1 tumors mice model and subcutaneous B16 tumor mice model, cGAMP could promote the maturation of DCs and CD8+ T cell activation and infiltration by inducing the secretion of type I interferons and pro-inflammation cytokine, which amplified the antitumor immune response induced by DOX. This strategy also promoted the depletion of immunosuppressive cells, potentially alleviating the immunosuppressive TME. In conclusion, our study highlights the combination of DOX-induced ICD and the immune-enhancing properties of cGAMP holds significant implications for future research and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xie
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kangkang Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jinxin Liang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kaixuan Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zixuan Gong
- Qingdao No.58 High School of Shandong Province, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuehong Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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Jiang X, Jiang X, Wu D, Xie W, Liu X, Zheng J. A pH-Sensitive Nanoparticle as Reactive Oxygen Species Amplifier to Regulate Tumor Microenvironment and Potentiate Tumor Radiotherapy. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:709-725. [PMID: 38283195 PMCID: PMC10812755 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s436160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Radiotherapy is a widely used clinical tool for tumor treatment but can cause systemic toxicity if excessive radiation is administered. Although numerous nanoparticles have been developed as radiosensitizers to reduce the required dose of X-ray irradiation, they often have limitations, such as passive reliance on radiation-induced apoptosis in tumors, and little consider the unique tumor microenvironment that contributes radiotherapy resistance. Methods In this study, we developed and characterized a novel self-assembled nanoparticle containing dysprosium ion and manganese ion (Dy/Mn-P). We systematically investigated the potential of Dy/Mn-P nanoparticles (NPs) as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplifier and radiosensitizer to enhance radiation therapy and modulate the tumor microenvironment at the cellular level. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of Dy/Mn-P on the stimulator of interferon genes (STING), an innate immune signaling pathway. Results Physicochemical analysis demonstrated the prepared Dy/Mn-P NPs exhibited excellent dispersibility and stability, and degraded rapidly at lower pH values. Furthermore, Dy/Mn-P was internalized by cells and exhibited selective toxicity towards tumor cells compared to normal cells. Our findings also revealed that Dy/Mn-P NPs improved the tumor microenvironment and significantly increased ROS generation under ionizing radiation, resulting in a ~70% increase in ROS levels compared to radiation therapy alone. This enhanced ROS generation inhibited ~92% of cell clone formation and greatly contributed to cytoplasmic DNA exposure. Subsequently, the activation of the STING pathway was observed, leading to the secretion of pro-inflammatory immune factors and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that Dy/Mn-P NPs can potentiate tumor radiotherapy by improving the tumor microenvironment and increasing endogenous ROS levels within the tumor. Furthermore, Dy/Mn-P can amplify the activation of the STING pathway during radiotherapy, thereby triggering an anti-tumor immune response. This novel approach has the potential to expand the application of radiotherapy in tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Liuzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Liuzhou, 545001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohong Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongjie Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Liuzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Liuzhou, 545001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wanzhu Xie
- Department of Rehabilitation, Liuzhou Worker’s Hospital, Liuzhou, 545001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiong Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Liuzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Liuzhou, 545001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jintao Zheng
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Guangdong Technology Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, 515063, People’s Republic of China
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McMahon RA, D'Souza C, Neeson PJ, Siva S. Innate immunity: Looking beyond T-cells in radiation and immunotherapy combinations. Neoplasia 2023; 46:100940. [PMID: 37913654 PMCID: PMC10637988 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2023.100940] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Radiation therapy is an established and effective anti-cancer treatment modality. Extensive pre-clinical experimentation has demonstrated that the pro-inflammatory properties of irradiation may be synergistic with checkpoint immunotherapy. Radiation induces double-stranded DNA breaks (dsDNA). Sensing of the dsDNA activates the cGAS/STING pathway, producing Type 1 interferons essential to recruiting antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Radiation promotes cytotoxic CD8 T-cell recruitment by releasing tumour-associated antigens captured and cross-presented by surveying antigen-presenting cells. Radiation-induced vascular normalisation may further promote T-cell trafficking and drug delivery. Radiation is also immunosuppressive. Recruitment of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and innate cells such as myeloid-derived suppressive cells (m-MDSCs) all counteract the immunostimulatory properties of radiation. Many innate immune cell types operate at the interface of the adaptive immune response. Innate immune cells, such as m-MDSCs, can exert their immunosuppressive effects by expressing immune checkpoints such as PD-L1, further highlighting the potential of combined radiation and checkpoint immunotherapy. Several early-phase clinical studies investigating the combination of radiation and immunotherapy have been disappointing. A greater appreciation of radiotherapy's impact on the innate immune system is essential to optimise radioimmunotherapy combinations. This review will summarise the impact of radiotherapy on crucial cells of the innate immune system and vital immunosuppressive cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A McMahon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - C D'Souza
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - P J Neeson
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - S Siva
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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12
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Huang C, Shao N, Huang Y, Chen J, Wang D, Hu G, Zhang H, Luo L, Xiao Z. Overcoming challenges in the delivery of STING agonists for cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive review of strategies and future perspectives. Mater Today Bio 2023; 23:100839. [PMID: 38024837 PMCID: PMC10630661 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) agonists have emerged as promising agents in the field of cancer immunotherapy, owing to their excellent capacity to activate the innate immune response and combat tumor-induced immunosuppression. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the strategies employed to develop effective formulations for STING agonists, with particular emphasis on versatile nano-delivery systems. The recent advancements in delivery systems based on lipids, natural/synthetic polymers, and proteins for STING agonists are summarized. The preparation methodologies of nanoprecipitation, self-assembly, and hydrogel, along with their advantages and disadvantages, are also discussed. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities in developing next-generation STING agonist delivery systems are elaborated. This review aims to serve as a reference for researchers in designing novel and effective STING agonist delivery systems for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiqing Huang
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Department of Ultrasound, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511400, China
| | - Ni Shao
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yanyu Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Jifeng Chen
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Duo Wang
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Genwen Hu
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Interventional Vascular Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Dongguan, 523560, China
| | - Liangping Luo
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zeyu Xiao
- The Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
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13
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Zhang X, Cai X, Yan C. Opportunities and challenges in combining immunotherapy and radiotherapy in esophageal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:18253-18270. [PMID: 37985502 PMCID: PMC10725359 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05499-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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of esophageal cancer, but using it alone only benefits a small number of patients. Most patients either do not have a significant response or develop secondary drug resistance. The combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy appears to be a promising approach to treating esophageal cancer. PURPOSE We reviewed milestone clinical trials of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy for esophageal cancer. We then discussed potential biomarkers for radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy, including programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status, tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, ct-DNA, imaging biomarkers, and clinical factors. Furthermore, we emphasize the key mechanisms of radiation therapy-induced immune stimulation and immune suppression in order to propose strategies for overcoming immune resistance in radiation therapy (RT). Lastly, we discussed the emerging role of low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) , which has become a promising approach to overcome the limitations of high-dose radiotherapy. CONCLUSION Radiotherapy can be considered a triggering factor for systemic anti-tumor immune response and, with the assistance of immunotherapy, can serve as a systemic treatment option and potentially become the standard treatment for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Zhang
- Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 666 Weizhou Road, Weifang, 261000, Shandong, China
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China
| | - Xinsheng Cai
- Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 666 Weizhou Road, Weifang, 261000, Shandong, China
| | - Chaoguang Yan
- Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 666 Weizhou Road, Weifang, 261000, Shandong, China.
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Wang J, Ge H, Tian Z. Immunotherapy Plus Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Sarcomas: Is There a Potential for Synergism? Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:385-397. [PMID: 37313391 PMCID: PMC10258041 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s410693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a highly heterogeneous malignant tumor derived from mesenchymal tissue. Advanced STS has a poor response to the current anti-cancer therapeutic options, with a median overall survival of less than two years. Thus, new and more effective treatment methods for STS are needed. Increasing evidence has shown that immunotherapy and radiotherapy have synergistic therapeutic effects against malignant tumors. In addition, immunoradiotherapy has yielded positive results in clinical trials for various cancers. In this review, we discuss the synergistic mechanism of immunoradiotherapy in cancer treatment and the application of this combined regimen for the treatment of several cancers. In addition, we summarize the existing evidence on the use of immunoradiotherapy for the treatment of STS and the relevant clinical trials that are currently ongoing. Furthermore, we identify challenges in the use of immunoradiotherapy for the treatment of sarcomas and propose methods and precautions for overcoming these challenges. Lastly, we propose clinical research strategies and future research directions to help in the research and treatment of STS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Wang
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Ge
- Department of Radiotherapy, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhichao Tian
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450008, People’s Republic of China
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15
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Guo S, Yao Y, Tang Y, Xin Z, Wu D, Ni C, Huang J, Wei Q, Zhang T. Radiation-induced tumor immune microenvironments and potential targets for combination therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:205. [PMID: 37208386 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the four major means of cancer treatment including surgery, radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, RT can be applied to various cancers as both a radical cancer treatment and an adjuvant treatment before or after surgery. Although RT is an important modality for cancer treatment, the consequential changes caused by RT in the tumor microenvironment (TME) have not yet been fully elucidated. RT-induced damage to cancer cells leads to different outcomes, such as survival, senescence, or death. During RT, alterations in signaling pathways result in changes in the local immune microenvironment. However, some immune cells are immunosuppressive or transform into immunosuppressive phenotypes under specific conditions, leading to the development of radioresistance. Patients who are radioresistant respond poorly to RT and may experience cancer progression. Given that the emergence of radioresistance is inevitable, new radiosensitization treatments are urgently needed. In this review, we discuss the changes in irradiated cancer cells and immune cells in the TME under different RT regimens and describe existing and potential molecules that could be targeted to improve the therapeutic effects of RT. Overall, this review highlights the possibilities of synergistic therapy by building on existing research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yihan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zengfeng Xin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dang Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Ni
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Qichun Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education), Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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Wang Y, Wang Y, Pan J, Gan L, Xue J. Ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in cancer: Crucial cell death types in radiotherapy and post-radiotherapy immune activation. Radiother Oncol 2023; 184:109689. [PMID: 37150447 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cell death and antitumor immune activation induced by radiotherapy are extensively well-studied. While radiotherapy is believed to mainly induce tumor cell necrosis and apoptosis, recent studies have shown that it can also induce ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in tumor cells. However, studies on the role of ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in radiotherapy and post-radiotherapy immune activation are limited. In this review, we summarize the comprehensive literature on the molecular mechanisms and more recent research progress related to radiotherapy-induced ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in tumor cells. Further, we discuss the role of tumor cells undergoing these types of cell death in immune activation after radiotherapy. In addition, we highlight some unresolved questions on the association of radiotherapy with ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis. This review can improve our current understanding of the relationship between radiotherapy and different cell death pathways and provide a theoretical framework to improve the therapeutic effect of tumor radiotherapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youke Wang
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China; The Second Collage of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
| | - Yali Wang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jing Pan
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University
| | - Lu Gan
- Research Laboratory of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianxin Xue
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
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17
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Zhao Y, Du J, Shen X. Targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells in tumor immunotherapy: Current, future and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1157537. [PMID: 37006306 PMCID: PMC10063857 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1157537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are one of the major negative regulators in tumor microenvironment (TME) due to their potent immunosuppressive capacity. MDSCs are the products of myeloid progenitor abnormal differentiation in bone marrow, which inhibits the immune response mediated by T cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells; promotes the generation of regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages; drives the immune escape; and finally leads to tumor progression and metastasis. In this review, we highlight key features of MDSCs biology in TME that are being explored as potential targets for tumor immunotherapy. We discuss the therapies and approaches that aim to reprogram TME from immunosuppressive to immunostimulatory circumstance, which prevents MDSC immunosuppression activity; promotes MDSC differentiation; and impacts MDSC recruitment and abundance in tumor site. We also summarize current advances in the identification of rational combinatorial strategies to improve clinical efficacy and outcomes of cancer patients, via deeply understanding and pursuing the mechanisms and characterization of MDSCs generation and suppression in TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Du
- Department of General Surgery, The 7th Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Junfeng Du, ; Xiaofei Shen,
| | - Xiaofei Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Junfeng Du, ; Xiaofei Shen,
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18
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Zhang X, Yi C, Zhang L, Zhu X, He Y, Lu H, Li Y, Tang Y, Zhao W, Chen G, Wang C, Huang S, Ouyang G, Yu D. Size-optimized nuclear-targeting phototherapy enhances the type I interferon response for "cold" tumor immunotherapy. Acta Biomater 2023; 159:338-352. [PMID: 36669551 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the effect of innate immune silencing in "cold" tumors, which always fail in the immune checkpoint blockade monotherapy using PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (aPD-L1). Combination of aPD-L1 with photodynamic therapy, i.e., photoimmunotherapy, is a promising strategy to improve the mono immunotherapy. Nuclear-targeting nanoparticles could elicit a type I interferon (IFN)-mediated innate immune response and reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment for long-term immunotherapy of "cold" tumors. Photosensitizers such as zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) have limited ability to target the nucleus and activate innate sensing pathways to minimize tumor recurrence. Additionally, the relationship between nanoparticle size and nuclear entry capacity remains unclear. Herein, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were employed as aPD-L1 and ZnPc carriers. Three particle sizes (200 nm, 32 nm and 5 nm) of aPD-L1/ZnPc/GQD-PEG (PZGE) were synthesized and tested. The 5 nm nanoparticles achieved the best nuclear enrichment capacity contributing to their ultrasmall size. Notably, 5 nm PZGE-based photodynamic therapy enabled an amplification of the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response and could convert "immune-cold" tumors into "immune-hot" ones. Utilizing their size advantage to target the nucleus, 5 nm nanoparticles induced DNA damage and activated the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response, subsequently promoting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte infiltration and reversing negative PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, the nanoplatform we designed is promising for the effective suppression of distant oral squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, for the first time, this study presents a size design strategy for nuclear-targeted photo-controlled immune adjuvants and the nuclear-targeted phototherapy-mediated immunomodulatory functions of type I IFN innate immune signalling for "immune-cold" tumors. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The potential of commonly used photosensitizers to activate innate sensing pathways for producing type I IFNs is limited due to the lack of nuclear targeting. Facilitating the nuclear-targeting of photosensitizers to enhance innate immune response and execute long-term tumor killing effect would be a promising strategy for "cold" tumor photoimmunotherapy. Herein, we report an optimal size of PZGE nanoparticles that enable the nuclear-targeting of ZnPc, which reinforces the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response, synergistically reversing "cold tumors" to "hot tumors" for effective primary and distant tumor photoimmunotherapy. This work highlights the marked efficacy of ultrasmall nuclear-located nanocarriers and offers new insight into "immune-cold tumors" via prominent innate immune activation mediated by nuclear-targeting photoimmunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiliu Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Chen Yi
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Lejia Zhang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Xinyu Zhu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Yi He
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Huanzi Lu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Yiming Li
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Yuquan Tang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China
| | - Guosheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
| | - Siming Huang
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China.
| | - Gangfeng Ouyang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Dongsheng Yu
- Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangzhou, 510055, China.
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cGAS-STING signalling in cancer: striking a balance with chromosomal instability. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:539-555. [PMID: 36876871 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of cancer that drives tumour evolution. It is now recognised that CIN in cancer leads to the constitutive production of misplaced DNA in the form of micronuclei and chromatin bridges. These structures are detected by the nucleic acid sensor cGAS, leading to the production of the second messenger 2'3'-cGAMP and activation of the critical hub of innate immune signalling STING. Activation of this immune pathway should instigate the influx and activation of immune cells, resulting in the eradication of cancer cells. That this does not universally occur in the context of CIN remains an unanswered paradox in cancer. Instead, CIN-high cancers are notably adept at immune evasion and are highly metastatic with typically poor outcomes. In this review, we discuss the diverse facets of the cGAS-STING signalling pathway, including emerging roles in homeostatic processes and their intersection with genome stability regulation, its role as a driver of chronic pro-tumour inflammation, and crosstalk with the tumour microenvironment, which may collectively underlie its apparent maintenance in cancers. A better understanding of the mechanisms whereby this immune surveillance pathway is commandeered by chromosomally unstable cancers is critical to the identification of new vulnerabilities for therapeutic exploitation.
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20
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Zhang Y, Liu C, Wu C, Song L. Natural peptides for immunological regulation in cancer therapy: Mechanism, facts and perspectives. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 159:114257. [PMID: 36689836 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114257] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually. Treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) is unsatisfactory because many patients have advanced disease at the initial diagnosis. However, the emergence of immunotherapy promises to be an effective strategy to improve the outcome of advanced tumors. Immune checkpoint antibodies, which are at the forefront of immunotherapy, have had significant success but still leave some cancer patients without benefit. For more cancer patients to benefit from immunotherapy, it is necessary to find new drugs and combination therapeutic strategies to improve the outcome of advanced cancer patients and achieve long-term tumor control or even eradication. Peptides are promising choices for tumor immunotherapy drugs because they have the advantages of low production cost, high sequence selectivity, high tissue permeability, low toxicity and low immunogenicity etc., and the adjuvant matching and technologies like nanotechnology can further optimize the effects of peptides. In this review, we present the current status and mechanisms of research on peptides targeting multiple immune cells (T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), regulatory T cells (Tregs)) and immune checkpoints in tumor immunotherapy; and we summarize the current status of research on peptide-based tumor immunotherapy in combination with other therapies including RT, chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, cytokine therapy, adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and cancer vaccines. Finally, we discuss the current status of peptide applications in mRNA vaccine delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchao Zhang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chenxin Liu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chunjie Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China.
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21
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Zhang X, Zhang H, Zhang J, Yang M, Zhu M, Yin Y, Fan X, Yu F. The paradoxical role of radiation-induced cGAS-STING signalling network in tumour immunity. Immunology 2023; 168:375-388. [PMID: 36217274 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway is an essential component of the innate immune system and is central to the identification of abnormal DNA leakage caused by ionising radiation (IR) damage. Cell-intrinsic cGAS-STING initiation has been revealed to have tremendous potential for facilitating interferon synthesis and T-cell priming. Targeting the cGAS-STING axis has been proposed as a strategy to improve radiosensitivity or enhance immunosurveillance. However, due to the complex biology of the irradiated tumour microenvironment and the extensive involvement of the cGAS-STING pathway in various physiological and pathological processes, many defects in this strategy limit the therapeutic effect. Here, we outline the molecular mechanisms by which IR activates the cGAS-STING pathway and analyse the dichotomous roles of the cGAS-STING pathway in modulating cancer immunity after radiotherapy (RT). Then, based on the crosstalk between the cGAS-STING pathway and other signalling events induced by IR, such as necroptosis, autophagy and other cellular effects, we discuss the immunomodulatory actions of the broad cGAS-STING signalling network in RT and their potential therapeutic applications. Finally, recent advances in combination therapeutic strategies targeting cGAS-STING in RT are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengdie Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengqin Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuzhen Yin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Fan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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22
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Ghosh S, Huang J, Inkman M, Zhang J, Thotala S, Tikhonova E, Miheecheva N, Frenkel F, Ataullakhanov R, Wang X, DeNardo D, Hallahan D, Thotala D. Radiation-induced circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells induce systemic lymphopenia after chemoradiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabn6758. [PMID: 36696484 PMCID: PMC10501302 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abn6758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Severe and prolonged lymphopenia frequently occurs in patients with glioblastoma after standard chemoradiotherapy and has been associated with worse survival, but its underlying biological mechanism is not well understood. To address this, we performed a correlative study in which we collected and analyzed peripheral blood of patients with glioblastoma (n = 20) receiving chemoradiotherapy using genomic and immune monitoring technologies. RNA sequencing analysis of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) showed an elevated concentration of myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) regulatory genes in patients with lymphopenia when compared with patients without lymphopenia after chemoradiotherapy. Additional analysis including flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing further confirmed increased numbers of circulating MDSC in patients with lymphopenia when compared with patients without lymphopenia after chemoradiotherapy. Preclinical murine models were also established and demonstrated a causal relationship between radiation-induced MDSC and systemic lymphopenia using transfusion and depletion experiments. Pharmacological inhibition of MDSC using an arginase-1 inhibitor (CB1158) or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (tadalafil) during radiation therapy (RT) successfully abrogated radiation-induced lymphopenia and improved survival in the preclinical models. CB1158 and tadalafil are promising drugs in reducing radiation-induced lymphopenia in patients with glioblastoma. These results demonstrate the promise of using these classes of drugs to reduce treatment-related lymphopenia and immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhajit Ghosh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jiayi Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Matthew Inkman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sukrutha Thotala
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David DeNardo
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dennis Hallahan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dinesh Thotala
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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23
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Ji X, Jiang W, Wang J, Zhou B, Ding W, Liu S, Huang H, Chen G, Sun X. Application of individualized multimodal radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy in metastatic tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1106644. [PMID: 36713375 PMCID: PMC9877461 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1106644] [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: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is one of the mainstays of cancer treatment. More than half of cancer patients receive radiation therapy. In addition to the well-known direct tumoricidal effect, radiotherapy has immunomodulatory properties. When combined with immunotherapy, radiotherapy, especially high-dose radiotherapy (HDRT), exert superior systemic effects on distal and unirradiated tumors, which is called abscopal effect. However, these effects are not always effective for cancer patients. Therefore, many studies have focused on exploring the optimized radiotherapy regimens to further enhance the antitumor immunity of HDRT and reduce its immunosuppressive effect. Several studies have shown that low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) can effectively reprogram the tumor microenvironment, thereby potentially overcoming the immunosuppressive stroma induced by HDRT. However, bridging the gap between preclinical commitment and effective clinical delivery is challenging. In this review, we summarized the existing studies supporting the combined use of HDRT and LDRT to synergistically enhance antitumor immunity, and provided ideas for the individualized clinical application of multimodal radiotherapy (HDRT+LDRT) combined with immunotherapy.
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24
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Liu T, Li Y, Wang X, Yang X, Fu Y, Zheng Y, Gong H, He Z. The role of interferons in ovarian cancer progression: Hinderer or promoter? Front Immunol 2022; 13:1087620. [PMID: 36618371 PMCID: PMC9810991 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1087620] [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: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common gynecologic malignancy with poor prognosis and high mortality. Changes in the OC microenvironment are closely related to the genesis, invasion, metastasis, recurrence, and drug-resistance. The OC microenvironment is regulated by Interferons (IFNs) known as a type of important cytokines. IFNs have a bidirectional regulation for OC cells growth and survival. Meanwhile, IFNs positively regulate the recruitment, differentiation and activation of immune cells. This review summarizes the secretion and the role of IFNs. In particular, we mainly elucidate the actions played by IFNs in various types of therapy. IFNs assist radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and biotherapy for OC, except for some IFN pathways that may cause chemo-resistance. In addition, we present some advances in OC treatment with the help of IFN pathways. IFNs have the ability to powerfully modulate the tumor microenvironment and can potentially provide new combination strategies for OC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiqing Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yinqi Li
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunhai Fu
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yeteng Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanlin Gong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Hanlin Gong, ; Zhiyao He,
| | - Zhiyao He
- Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Hanlin Gong, ; Zhiyao He,
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25
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Kleinendorst SC, Oosterwijk E, Bussink J, Westdorp H, Konijnenberg MW, Heskamp S. Combining Targeted Radionuclide Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition for Cancer Treatment. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:3652-3657. [PMID: 35471557 PMCID: PMC9433955 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-4332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of immunotherapy, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), has revolutionized cancer treatment in the past decades. However, its efficacy is still limited to subgroups of patients with cancer. Therefore, effective treatment combination strategies are needed. Here, radiotherapy is highly promising, as it can induce immunogenic cell death, triggering the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby creating an immunogenic phenotype and sensitizing tumors to ICI. Recently, targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) has attained significant interest for cancer treatment. In this approach, a tumor-targeting radiopharmaceutical is used to specifically deliver a therapeutic radiation dose to all tumor cells, including distant metastatic lesions, while limiting radiation exposure to healthy tissue. However, fundamental differences between TRT and conventional radiotherapy make it impossible to directly extrapolate the biological effects from conventional radiotherapy to TRT. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of studies investigating the immunomodulatory effects of TRT and the efficacy of combined TRT-ICI treatment. Preclinical studies have evaluated a variety of murine cancer models in which α- or β-emitting radionuclides were directed to a diverse set of targets. In addition, clinical trials are ongoing to assess safety and efficacy of combined TRT-ICI in patients with cancer. Taken together, research indicates that combining TRT and ICI might improve therapeutic response in patients with cancer. Future research has to disclose what the optimal conditions are in terms of dose and treatment schedule to maximize the efficacy of this combined approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone C. Kleinendorst
- Department of Medical Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Egbert Oosterwijk
- Department of Urology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Johan Bussink
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Harm Westdorp
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mark W. Konijnenberg
- Department of Medical Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra Heskamp
- Department of Medical Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Corresponding Author: Sandra Heskamp, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Phone: 243-614-511; E-mail:
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26
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Zhang Z, Liu X, Chen D, Yu J. Radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy: the dawn of cancer treatment. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:258. [PMID: 35906199 PMCID: PMC9338328 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01102-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is delivered for purposes of local control, but can also exert systemic effect on remote and non-irradiated tumor deposits, which is called abscopal effect. The view of RT as a simple local treatment has dramatically changed in recent years, and it is now widely accepted that RT can provoke a systemic immune response which gives a strong rationale for the combination of RT and immunotherapy (iRT). Nevertheless, several points remain to be addressed such as the interaction of RT and immune system, the identification of the best schedules for combination with immunotherapy (IO), the expansion of abscopal effect and the mechanism to amplify iRT. To answer these crucial questions, we roundly summarize underlying rationale showing the whole immune landscape in RT and clinical trials to attempt to identify the best schedules of iRT. In consideration of the rarity of abscopal effect, we propose that the occurrence of abscopal effect induced by radiation can be promoted to 100% in view of molecular and genetic level. Furthermore, the “radscopal effect” which refers to using low-dose radiation to reprogram the tumor microenvironment may amplify the occurrence of abscopal effect and overcome the resistance of iRT. Taken together, RT could be regarded as a trigger of systemic antitumor immune response, and with the help of IO can be used as a radical and systemic treatment and be added into current standard regimen of patients with metastatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengfu Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Yantai Road, No. 2999, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jiyan Road, No. 440, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Yantai Road, No. 2999, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong University Cancer Center, Yantai Road, No. 2999, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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27
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Mekers VE, Kho VM, Ansems M, Adema GJ. cGAS/cGAMP/STING signal propagation in the tumor microenvironment: key role for myeloid cells in antitumor immunity. Radiother Oncol 2022; 174:158-167. [PMID: 35870728 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), second messenger 2'3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) are fundamental for sensing cytoplasmic double stranded DNA. Radiotherapy treatment induces large amounts of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage and results in the presence of DNA fragments in the cytoplasm, activating the cGAS/STING pathway. Triggering of the cGAS/STING pathway in the tumor microenvironment (TME) results in the production of type I interferons (IFNs). Type I IFNs are crucial for an effective antitumor defense, with myeloid cells as key players. Many questions remain on how these myeloid cells are activated and in which cells (tumor versus myeloid) in the TME the signaling pathway is initiated. The significance of cGAS/STING signaling in the onco-immunology field is being recognized, emphasized by the frequent occurrence of mutations in or silencing of genes in this pathway. We here review several mechanisms of cGAS/STING signal propagation in the TME, focusing on tumor cells and myeloid cells. Cell-cell contact-dependent interactions facilitate the transfer of tumor-derived DNA and cGAMP. Alternatively, transport routes via the extracellular space such as extracellular vesicles, and channel-mediated cGAMP transfer to and from the extracellular space contribute to propagation of cGAS/STING signal mediators DNA and cGAMP. Finally, we discuss regulation of extracellular cGAMP. Altogether, we provide a comprehensive overview of cGAS/cGAMP/STING signal propagation from tumor to myeloid cells in the TME, revealing novel targets for combinatorial treatment approaches with conventional anticancer therapies like radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera E Mekers
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera M Kho
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Ansems
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gosse J Adema
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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28
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Ji H, Zhou Z. A ‘Hybrid’ Radiotherapy Regimen Designed for Immunomodulation: Combining High-Dose Radiotherapy with Low-Dose Radiotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143505. [PMID: 35884565 PMCID: PMC9319172 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Radiotherapy is an important cancer treatment. Aside from its direct killing effect, it also affects anti-tumor immunity. However, radiotherapy’s immune effect is not clear; it depends on the dose and fraction, cancer type, combined immunotherapy, and many other factors. Studies have focused on the optimal radiotherapy regimen to stimulate anti-tumor immunity, but conflicts exist, especially regarding the best radiation dose and fractions. Interestingly, high-dose radiotherapy and low-dose radiotherapy have complementary effects on stimulating anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies supporting this finding have accumulated, but gaps between theory and clinical practice still exist. This review summarizes the evidence supporting the use of this ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy approach to effectively stimulate anti-tumor immunity, explains the immune mechanisms of this combination, raises questions that must be addressed in clinical practice, and provides ideas for designing individualized treatment to increase efficiency in stimulating anti-tumor immunity using high-dose plus low-dose radiotherapy. Abstract Radiotherapy (RT) affects anti-tumor immunity. However, the exact impact of RT on anti-tumor immune response differs among cancer types, RT dose and fractions, patients’ innate immunity, and many other factors. There are conflicting findings on the optimal radiation dose and fractions to stimulate effective anti-tumor immunity. High-dose radiotherapy (HDRT) acts in the same way as a double-edged sword in stimulating anti-tumor immunity, while low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) seems to play a vital role in modulating the tumor immune microenvironment. Recent preclinical data suggest that a ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy regimen, which refers to combining HDRT with LDRT, can reap the advantages of both. Clinical data have also indicated a promising potential. However, there are still questions to be addressed in order to put this novel combination therapy into clinical practice. For example, the selection of treatment site, treatment volume, the sequencing of high-dose radiotherapy and low-dose radiotherapy, combined immunotherapy, and so on. This review summarizes the current evidence supporting the use of HDRT + LDRT, explains possible immune biology mechanisms of this ‘hybrid’ radiotherapy, raises questions to be considered when working out individualized treatment plans, and lists possible avenues to increase efficiency in stimulating anti-tumor immunity using high-dose plus low-dose radiotherapy.
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29
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Huang KCY, Chiang SF, Chang HY, Chen WTL, Yang PC, Chen TW, Liang JA, Shiau A, Ke TW, Clifford Chao KS. Engineered sTRAIL-armed MSCs overcome STING deficiency to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy for immune checkpoint blockade. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:610. [PMID: 35835756 PMCID: PMC9283452 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05069-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) mainly elicits antitumor immunity via the cGAS/STING axis for type I interferon (IFN) production. However, dysregulation of cGAS/STING constrains radiotherapy-induced antitumor immunity and type I IFN-dependent cell death and is associated with shorter survival of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Due to their tumor tropism, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown the potential to deliver therapeutic genes for cancer therapy. Here, we showed that MSCs enhance the sensitivity to RT by inducing TRAIL-dependent cell death and remodel the tumor microenvironment by recruiting CD8+ immune cells to upregulate PD-L1 in the tumor. By engineering MSCs to express CRC-specific soluble TRAIL via adenovirus-associated virus 2 (AAV2), we found that the therapeutic activity of MSC-sTRAIL was superior to that of MSCs alone when combined with RT. Combined treatment with MSC-sTRAIL and RT significantly reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis by inducing TRAIL-dependent cell death in STING-deficient colorectal cancer cells. MSC-sTRAIL directly triggered TRAIL-dependent cell death to overcome the deficiency of the cGAS/STING axis. Moreover, these combination treatments of MSC-sTRAIL and RT significantly remodeled the tumor microenvironment, which was more suitable for anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. Taken together, this therapeutic strategy represents a novel targeted treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer, especially cGAS/STING-deficient patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chih-Yang Huang
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - Shu-Fen Chiang
- grid.454740.6Lab of Precision Medicine, Feng-Yuan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung, 42055 Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Chang
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University HsinChu Hospital, China Medical University, HsinChu, 302 Taiwan Taiwan ,Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chen Yang
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Wei Chen
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.252470.60000 0000 9263 9645Department of Pathology, Asia University Hospital, Asia University, Taichung, 41354 Taiwan
| | - Ji-An Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - An‑Cheng Shiau
- grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tao-Wei Ke
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092School of Chinese Medicine & Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
| | - K. S. Clifford Chao
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan ,Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan ,grid.254145.30000 0001 0083 6092Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402 Taiwan
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30
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Zhang Y, Wu L, Wang Z, Wang J, Roychoudhury S, Tomasik B, Wu G, Wang G, Rao X, Zhou R. Replication Stress: A Review of Novel Targets to Enhance Radiosensitivity-From Bench to Clinic. Front Oncol 2022; 12:838637. [PMID: 35875060 PMCID: PMC9305609 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.838637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA replication is a process fundamental in all living organisms in which deregulation, known as replication stress, often leads to genomic instability, a hallmark of cancer. Most malignant tumors sustain persistent proliferation and tolerate replication stress via increasing reliance to the replication stress response. So whilst replication stress induces genomic instability and tumorigenesis, the replication stress response exhibits a unique cancer-specific vulnerability that can be targeted to induce catastrophic cell proliferation. Radiation therapy, most used in cancer treatment, induces a plethora of DNA lesions that affect DNA integrity and, in-turn, DNA replication. Owing to radiation dose limitations for specific organs and tumor tissue resistance, the therapeutic window is narrow. Thus, a means to eliminate or reduce tumor radioresistance is urgently needed. Current research trends have highlighted the potential of combining replication stress regulators with radiation therapy to capitalize on the high replication stress of tumors. Here, we review the current body of evidence regarding the role of replication stress in tumor progression and discuss potential means of enhancing tumor radiosensitivity by targeting the replication stress response. We offer new insights into the possibility of combining radiation therapy with replication stress drugs for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinpeng Wang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shrabasti Roychoudhury
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bartlomiej Tomasik
- Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Gang Wu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Geng Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinrui Rao
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Rui Zhou, ; Xinrui Rao,
| | - Rui Zhou
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Rui Zhou, ; Xinrui Rao,
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31
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Cortiula F, Reymen B, Peters S, Van Mol P, Wauters E, Vansteenkiste J, De Ruysscher D, Hendriks LEL. Immunotherapy in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: state of the art and novel therapeutic approaches. Ann Oncol 2022; 33:893-908. [PMID: 35777706 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The standard of care for patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) followed by 1 year of adjuvant durvalumab. Despite the survival benefit granted by immunotherapy in this setting, only 1/3 of patients are alive and disease free at 5 years. Novel treatment strategies are under development to improve patient outcomes in this setting: different anti-programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 [anti-PD-(L)1] antibodies after CCRT, consolidation immunotherapy after sequential chemoradiotherapy, induction immunotherapy before CCRT and immunotherapy concurrent with CCRT and/or sequential chemoradiotherapy. Cross-trial comparison is particularly challenging in this setting due to the different timing of immunotherapy delivery and different patients' inclusion and exclusion criteria. In this review, we present the results of clinical trials investigating immune therapy in unresectable stage III NSCLC and discuss in-depth their biological rationale, their pitfalls and potential benefits. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential mechanisms of synergism between chemotherapy, radiation therapy and different monoclonal antibodies, and how this affects the tumor immune microenvironment. The designs and questions tackled by ongoing clinical trials are also discussed. Last, we address open questions and unmet clinical needs, such as the necessity for predictive biomarkers (e.g. radiomics and circulating tumor DNA). Identifying distinct subsets of patients to tailor anticancer treatment is a priority, especially in a heterogeneous disease such as stage III NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Cortiula
- Department of Radiation Oncology (Maastro), Maastricht University Medical Centre(+), GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Udine University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - B Reymen
- Department of Radiation Oncology (Maastro), Maastricht University Medical Centre(+), GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - S Peters
- Oncology Department, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - P Van Mol
- Department of Respiratory Diseases KU Leuven, Respiratory Oncology Unit, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - E Wauters
- Department of Respiratory Diseases KU Leuven, Respiratory Oncology Unit, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - J Vansteenkiste
- Department of Respiratory Diseases KU Leuven, Respiratory Oncology Unit, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - D De Ruysscher
- Department of Radiation Oncology (Maastro), Maastricht University Medical Centre(+), GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - L E L Hendriks
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Maastricht University Medical Centre(+), GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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32
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Yamamoto J, Takahashi Y, Minami K, Tamari K, Katsuki S, Takenaka W, Tatekawa S, Hayashi K, Seo Y, Isohashi F, Ogawa K, Koizumi M. High Dose Local Photon Irradiation Is Crucial in Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody Therapy to Enhance the Abscopal Response in a Murine Pancreatic Carcinoma Model. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092087. [PMID: 35565217 PMCID: PMC9101709 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely treatment-resistant neoplasm to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The combination of photon beam irradiation and anti-CTLA-4 antibody (C4) for the anti-tumor effect enhancement at local and distant tumors (abscopal tumors) was investigated using the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mouse model. Pan02 cells were bilaterally inoculated to both legs of C57BL/6 mice. High dose photon beams in a hypofractionation or a single fraction were delivered to the tumors on one leg. Monotherapy with C4 via i.p. was not effective for PDAC. The high dose irradiation to the local tumors produced significant shrinkage of irradiated tumors but did not induce the abscopal responses. In contrast, the combination therapy of high dose photon beam irradiation in both hypofractionation and a single fraction with C4 enhanced the anti-tumor effect for abscopal tumors with significantly prolonged overall survival. The flow cytometric analysis revealed that the combination therapy dramatically decreased the regulatory T cell (Treg) proportion while increasing the cytotoxic T lymphocytes in both local and abscopal tumors. These results suggest that high dose photon beam irradiation plays an important role in C4 therapy to enhance the abscopal response with immune microenvironment changes in PDAC, regardless of the fractionation in radiation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Yamamoto
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
| | - Yutaka Takahashi
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-6-6879-2564; Fax: +81-6-6879-2565
| | - Kazumasa Minami
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
| | - Keisuke Tamari
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Shohei Katsuki
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
| | - Wataru Takenaka
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
| | - Shotaro Tatekawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Kazuhiko Hayashi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Yuji Seo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Fumiaki Isohashi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Kazuhiko Ogawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (K.T.); (S.T.); (K.H.); (Y.S.); (F.I.); (K.O.)
| | - Masahiko Koizumi
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; (J.Y.); (K.M.); (S.K.); (W.T.); (M.K.)
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33
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Simon Davis DA, Atmosukarto II, Garrett J, Gosling K, Syed FM, Quah BJ. Irradiation immunity interactions. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2022; 66:519-535. [PMID: 35261190 PMCID: PMC9314628 DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.13399] [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: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The immune system can influence cancer development by both impeding and/or facilitating tumour growth and spread. A better understanding of this complex relationship is fundamental to optimise current and future cancer therapeutic strategies. Although typically regarded as a localised and immunosuppressive anti‐cancer treatment modality, radiation therapy has been associated with generating profound systemic effects beyond the intended target volume. These systemic effects are immune‐driven suggesting radiation therapy can enhance anti‐tumour immunosurveillance in some instances. In this review, we summarise how radiation therapy can positively and negatively affect local and systemic anti‐tumour immune responses, how co‐administration of immunotherapy with radiation therapy may help promote anti‐tumour immunity, and how the use of immune biomarkers may help steer radiation therapy‐immunotherapy personalisation to optimise clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Simon Davis
- Irradiation Immunity Interaction Laboratory, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ines I Atmosukarto
- Irradiation Immunity Interaction Laboratory, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jessica Garrett
- Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Katharine Gosling
- Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Farhan M Syed
- Irradiation Immunity Interaction Laboratory, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Radiation Oncology Department, Canberra Hospital, Canberra Health Services, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ben Jc Quah
- Irradiation Immunity Interaction Laboratory, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Division of Genome Sciences & Cancer, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Radiation Oncology Department, Canberra Hospital, Canberra Health Services, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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34
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A Comparative and Comprehensive Review of Antibody Applications in the Treatment of Lung Disease. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12010130. [PMID: 35054524 PMCID: PMC8778790 DOI: 10.3390/life12010130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are a type of protein produced by active B cells in response to antigen stimulation. A series of monoclonal antibodies and neutralizing antibodies have been invented and put into clinical use because of their high therapeutic effect and bright developing insight. Patients with cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases can all benefit from antibody therapy. However, the targeting aspects and potential mechanisms for treating these diseases differ. In the treatment of patients with infectious diseases such as COVID-19, neutralizing antibodies have been proposed as reliable vaccines against COVID-19, which target the ACE2 protein by preventing virus entry into somatic cells. Monoclonal antibodies can target immune checkpoints (e.g., PD-L1 and CTLA-4), tyrosine kinase and subsequent signaling pathways (e.g., VEGF), and cytokines in cancer patients (e.g. IL-6 and IL-1β). It is debatable whether there is any connection between the use of antibodies in these diseases. It would be fantastic to discover the related points and explain the burden for the limitation of cross-use of these techniques. In this review, we provided a comprehensive overview of the use of antibodies in the treatment of infectious disease and cancer patients. There are also discussions of their mechanisms and history. In addition, we discussed our future outlook on the use of antibodies.
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35
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Buqué A, Montrose DC, Galluzzi L. Emergent impact of lifestyle on tumor progression and response to therapy. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 373:ix-xvii. [DOI: 10.1016/s1937-6448(22)00132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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36
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Zhu S, Zhang T, Zheng L, Liu H, Song W, Liu D, Li Z, Pan CX. Combination strategies to maximize the benefits of cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:156. [PMID: 34579759 PMCID: PMC8475356 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) have revolutionized cancer treatment, especially in patients whose disease was otherwise considered incurable. However, primary and secondary resistance to single agent immunotherapy often results in treatment failure, and only a minority of patients experience long-term benefits. This review article will discuss the relationship between cancer immune response and mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy. It will also provide a comprehensive review on the latest clinical status of combination therapies (e.g., immunotherapy with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy), and discuss combination therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It will provide an overview of therapies targeting cytokines and other soluble immunoregulatory factors, ACT, virotherapy, innate immune modifiers and cancer vaccines, as well as combination therapies that exploit alternative immune targets and other therapeutic modalities. Finally, this review will include the stimulating insights from the 2020 China Immuno-Oncology Workshop co-organized by the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON), the China National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) and Tsinghua University School of Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoming Zhu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Urology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, DUMC 103861, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,The Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Hongtao Liu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Wenru Song
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Kira Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Delong Liu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Zihai Li
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA. .,Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Chong-Xian Pan
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA.
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37
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Zhu M, Yang M, Zhang J, Yin Y, Fan X, Zhang Y, Qin S, Zhang H, Yu F. Immunogenic Cell Death Induction by Ionizing Radiation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:705361. [PMID: 34489957 PMCID: PMC8417736 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a form of regulated cell death (RCD) induced by various stresses and produces antitumor immunity via damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) release or exposure, mainly including high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), calreticulin (CRT), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and heat shock proteins (HSPs). Emerging evidence has suggested that ionizing radiation (IR) can induce ICD, and the dose, type, and fractionation of irradiation influence the induction of ICD. At present, IR-induced ICD is mainly verified in vitro in mice and there is few clinical evidence about it. To boost the induction of ICD by IR, some strategies have shown synergy with IR to enhance antitumor immune response, such as hyperthermia, nanoparticles, and chemotherapy. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms of ICD, ICD-promoting factors associated with irradiation, the clinical evidence of ICD, and immunogenic forms of cell death. Finally, we summarize various methods of improving ICD induced by IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqin Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengdie Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuzhen Yin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Fan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shanshan Qin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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38
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Myeloid-derived suppressor cells: Multi-talented immune suppressive cells that can be either helpful or harmful. Cell Immunol 2021; 365:104374. [PMID: 34038759 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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