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Adamo A, Frusteri C, Pilotto S, Caligola S, Belluomini L, Poffe O, Giacobazzi L, Dusi S, Musiu C, Hu Y, Wang T, Rizzini D, Vella A, Canè S, Sartori G, Insolda J, Sposito M, Incani UC, Carbone C, Piro G, Pettinella F, Qi F, Wang D, Sartoris S, De Sanctis F, Scapini P, Dusi S, Cassatella MA, Bria E, Milella M, Bronte V, Ugel S. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy mitigates systemic inflammation and affects cellular FLIP-expressing monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells in non-progressor non-small cell lung cancer patients. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2253644. [PMID: 37720688 PMCID: PMC10503454 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2253644] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells favor the generation of myeloid cells with immunosuppressive and inflammatory features, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which support tumor progression. The anti-apoptotic molecule, cellular FLICE (FADD-like interleukin-1β-converting enzyme)-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), which acts as an important modulator of caspase-8, is required for the development and function of monocytic (M)-MDSCs. Here, we assessed the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy on systemic immunological landscape, including FLIP-expressing MDSCs, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Longitudinal changes in peripheral immunological parameters were correlated with patients' outcome. In detail, 34 NSCLC patients were enrolled and classified as progressors (P) or non-progressors (NP), according to the RECIST evaluation. We demonstrated a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8, IL-6, and IL-1β in only NP patients after ICI treatment. Moreover, using t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and cluster analysis, we characterized in NP patients a significant increase in the amount of lymphocytes and a slight contraction of myeloid cells such as neutrophils and monocytes. Despite this moderate ICI-associated alteration in myeloid cells, we identified a distinctive reduction of c-FLIP expression in M-MDSCs from NP patients concurrently with the first clinical evaluation (T1), even though NP and P patients showed the same level of expression at baseline (T0). In agreement with the c-FLIP expression, monocytes isolated from both P and NP patients displayed similar immunosuppressive functions at T0; however, this pro-tumor activity was negatively influenced at T1 in the NP patient cohort exclusively. Hence, ICI therapy can mitigate systemic inflammation and impair MDSC-dependent immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Adamo
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristina Frusteri
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sara Pilotto
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Simone Caligola
- Veneto Institute of Oncology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Belluomini
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ornella Poffe
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Luca Giacobazzi
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Dusi
- Veneto Institute of Oncology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Musiu
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yushu Hu
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Tian Wang
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Davide Rizzini
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Vella
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefania Canè
- Veneto Institute of Oncology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Sartori
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Jessica Insolda
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco Sposito
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ursula Cesta Incani
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Carmine Carbone
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Geny Piro
- Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Pettinella
- General Pathology section, Department of Medicine University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Fang Qi
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, P.R. China
| | - Dali Wang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, P.R. China
| | - Silvia Sartoris
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesco De Sanctis
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Patrizia Scapini
- General Pathology section, Department of Medicine University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Dusi
- General Pathology section, Department of Medicine University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Emilio Bria
- Veneto Institute of Oncology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- Oncology section, Department of Engineering for Innovative Medicine and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Bronte
- Veneto Institute of Oncology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IOV-IRCCS), Padova, Italy
| | - Stefano Ugel
- Immunology section, Department of Medicine University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
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De Ridder K, Locy H, Piccioni E, Zuazo MI, Awad RM, Verhulst S, Van Bulck M, De Vlaeminck Y, Lecocq Q, Reijmen E, De Mey W, De Beck L, Ertveldt T, Pintelon I, Timmermans JP, Escors D, Keyaerts M, Breckpot K, Goyvaerts C. TNF-α-Secreting Lung Tumor-Infiltrated Monocytes Play a Pivotal Role During Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:811867. [PMID: 35493461 PMCID: PMC9046849 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.811867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) of the PD-1 pathway revolutionized the survival forecast for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Yet, the majority of PD-L1+ NSCLC patients are refractory to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Recent observations indicate a pivotal role for the PD-L1+ tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells in therapy failure. As the latter comprise a heterogenous population in the lung tumor microenvironment, we applied an orthotopic Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) model to evaluate 11 different tumor-residing myeloid subsets in response to anti-PD-L1 therapy. While we observed significantly reduced fractions of tumor-infiltrating MHC-IIlow macrophages and monocytes, serological levels of TNF-α restored in lung tumor-bearing mice. Notably, we demonstrated in vivo and in vitro that anti-PD-L1 therapy mediated a monocyte-specific production of, and response to TNF-α, further accompanied by their significant upregulation of CD80, VISTA, LAG-3, SIRP-α and TIM-3. Nevertheless, co-blockade of PD-L1 and TNF-α did not reduce LLC tumor growth. A phenomenon that was partly explained by the observation that monocytes and TNF-α play a Janus-faced role in anti-PD-L1 therapy-mediated CTL stimulation. This was endorsed by the observation that monocytes appeared crucial to effectively boost T cell-mediated LLC killing in vitro upon combined PD-L1 with LAG-3 or SIRP-α blockade. Hence, this study enlightens the biomarker potential of lung tumor-infiltrated monocytes to define more effective ICB combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten De Ridder
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hanne Locy
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elisa Piccioni
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Miren Ibarra Zuazo
- Immunomodulation Group, Navarrabiomed, Navarrabiomed-UPNA-IdISNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Robin Maximilian Awad
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Verhulst
- Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathias Van Bulck
- Laboratory of Molecular and Medical Oncology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yannick De Vlaeminck
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Quentin Lecocq
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eva Reijmen
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wout De Mey
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lien De Beck
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Ertveldt
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintelon
- Laboratory of Cell Biology & Histology, Antwerp Centre for Advanced Microscopy (ACAM), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Timmermans
- Laboratory of Cell Biology & Histology, Antwerp Centre for Advanced Microscopy (ACAM), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - David Escors
- Immunomodulation Group, Navarrabiomed, Navarrabiomed-UPNA-IdISNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Rayne Institute, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marleen Keyaerts
- In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cleo Goyvaerts
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Cleo Goyvaerts,
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Belluomini L, Dodi A, Caldart A, Kadrija D, Sposito M, Casali M, Sartori G, Ferrara MG, Avancini A, Bria E, Menis J, Milella M, Pilotto S. A narrative review on tumor microenvironment in oligometastatic and oligoprogressive non-small cell lung cancer: a lot remains to be done. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2021; 10:3369-3384. [PMID: 34430373 PMCID: PMC8350097 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-20-1134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Objective In this review, we aim to collect and discuss available data about the role and composition of tumor microenvironment (TME) in oligometastatic (OMD) and oligoprogressive (OPD) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Furthermore, we aim to summarize the ongoing clinical trials evaluating as exploratory objective the TME composition, through tissue and/or blood samples, in order to clarify whether TME and its components could explain, at least partially, the oligometastatic/oligoprogressive process and could unravel the existence of predictive and/or prognostic factors for local ablative therapy (LAT). Background OMD/OPD NSCLC represent a heterogeneous group of diseases. Several data have shown that TME plays an important role in tumor progression and therefore in treatment response. The crucial role of several types of cells and molecules such as immune cells, cytokines, integrins, protease and adhesion molecules, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been widely established. Due to the peculiar activation of specific pathways and expression of adhesion molecules, metastatic cells seem to show a tropism for specific anatomic sites (the so-called “seed and soil” hypothesis). Based on this theory, metastases appear as a biologically driven process rather than a random release of cancer cells. Although the role and the function of TME at the time of progression in patients with NSCLC treated with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been investigated, limited data about the role and the biological meaning of TME are available in the specific OMD/OPD setting. Methods Through a comprehensive PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov search, we identified available and ongoing studies exploring the role of TME in oligometastatic/oligoprogressive NSCLC. Conclusions Deepening the knowledge on TME composition and function in OMD/OPD may provide innovative implications in terms of both prognosis and prediction of outcome in particular from local treatments, paving the way for future investigations of personalized approaches in both advanced and early disease settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Belluomini
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dodi
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Alberto Caldart
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Dzenete Kadrija
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco Sposito
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Miriam Casali
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Sartori
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Miriam Grazia Ferrara
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Alice Avancini
- Biomedical, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Emilio Bria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Jessica Menis
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Medical Oncology Department, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Sara Pilotto
- Section of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona School of Medicine and Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
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Di Noia V, D'Argento E, Pilotto S, Vita E, Ferrara MG, Damiano P, Ribelli M, Cannella A, Virtuoso A, Fattorossi A, Ceresoli GL, Milella M, Beretta GD, Tortora G, Bria E. Blood serum amyloid A as potential biomarker of pembrolizumab efficacy for patients affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer overexpressing PD-L1: results of the exploratory "FoRECATT" study. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 70:1583-1592. [PMID: 33231726 PMCID: PMC8139913 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02788-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying the patients who may benefit the most from immune checkpoints inhibitors remains a great challenge for clinicians. Here we investigate on blood serum amyloid A (SAA) as biomarker of response to upfront pembrolizumab in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS Patients with PD-L1 ≥ 50% receiving upfront pembrolizumab (P cohort) and with PD-L1 0-49% treated with chemotherapy (CT cohort) were evaluated for blood SAA and radiological response at baseline and every 9 weeks. Endpoints were response rate (RR) according to RECIST1.1, progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The most accurate SAA cut-off to predict response was established with ROC analysis in the P cohort. RESULTS In the P Cohort (n = 42), the overall RR was 38%. After a median follow-up of 18.5 months (mo), baseline SAA ≤ the ROC-derived cut-off (29.9 mg/L; n = 28/42.67%) was significantly associated with higher RR (53.6 versus 7.1%; OR15, 95% CI 1.72-130.7, p = 0.009), longer PFS (17.4 versus 2.1 mo; p < 0.0001) and OS (not reached versus 7.2mo; p < 0.0001) compared with SAA > 29.9 mg/L. In multivariate analysis, low SAA positively affects PFS (p = 0.001) and OS (p = 0.048) irrespective of ECOG PS, number of metastatic sites and pleural effusion. SAA monitoring (n = 40) was also significantly associated with survival endpoints: median PFS 17.4 versus 2.1 mo and median OS not reached versus 7.2 mo when SAA remained low (n = 14) and high (n = 12), respectively. In the CT Cohort (n = 30), RR was not affected by SAA level (p > 0.05) while low SAA at baseline (n = 17) was associated with better PFS (HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.90, p = 0.006) and OS (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.67, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Low SAA predicts good survival outcomes irrespective of treatment for advanced NSCLC patients and higher likelihood of response to upfront pembrolizumab only. The strong prognostic value might be exploited to easily identify patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. A further study (FoRECATT-2) is ongoing to confirm results in a larger sample size and to investigate the effect of SAA on immune response in vitro assays.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma of Lung/blood
- Adenocarcinoma of Lung/drug therapy
- Adenocarcinoma of Lung/pathology
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
- B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism
- Biomarkers, Tumor/blood
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/blood
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/blood
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
- Case-Control Studies
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Lung Neoplasms/blood
- Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Lung Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prognosis
- Prospective Studies
- Serum Amyloid A Protein/analysis
- Survival Rate
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Di Noia
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cliniche Humanitas Gavazzeni, Bergamo, Italy.
| | - Ettore D'Argento
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Pilotto
- U.O.C. of Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Emanuele Vita
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Paola Damiano
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Ribelli
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Fattorossi
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Michele Milella
- U.O.C. of Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Giampaolo Tortora
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emilio Bria
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Peranzoni E, Ingangi V, Masetto E, Pinton L, Marigo I. Myeloid Cells as Clinical Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1590. [PMID: 32793228 PMCID: PMC7393010 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are becoming standard treatments in several cancer types, profoundly changing the prognosis of a fraction of patients. Currently, many efforts are being made to predict responders and to understand how to overcome resistance in non-responders. Given the crucial role of myeloid cells as modulators of T effector cell function in tumors, it is essential to understand their impact on the clinical outcome of immune checkpoint blockade and on the mechanisms of immune evasion. In this review we focus on the existing clinical evidence of the relation between the presence of myeloid cell subsets and the response to anti-PD(L)1 and anti-CTLA-4 treatment. We highlight how circulating and tumor-infiltrating myeloid populations can be used as predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors in different human cancers, both at baseline and on treatment. Moreover, we propose to follow the dynamics of myeloid cells during immunotherapy as pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Finally, we provide an overview of the current strategies tested in the clinic that use myeloid cell targeting together with immune checkpoint blockade with the aim of uncovering the most promising approaches for effective combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Peranzoni
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation in Oncology, Institut de Recherche International Servier, Suresnes, France
| | | | - Elena Masetto
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Laura Pinton
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Marigo
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padua, Italy
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Trovato R, Canè S, Petrova V, Sartoris S, Ugel S, De Sanctis F. The Engagement Between MDSCs and Metastases: Partners in Crime. Front Oncol 2020; 10:165. [PMID: 32133298 PMCID: PMC7040035 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor metastases represent the major cause of cancer-related mortality, confirming the urgent need to identify key molecular pathways and cell-associated networks during the early phases of the metastatic process to develop new strategies to either prevent or control distal cancer spread. Several data revealed the ability of cancer cells to establish a favorable microenvironment, before their arrival in distant organs, by manipulating the cell composition and function of the new host tissue where cancer cells can survive and outgrow. This predetermined environment is termed “pre-metastatic niche” (pMN). pMN development requires that tumor-derived soluble factors, like cytokines, growth-factors and extracellular vesicles, genetically and epigenetically re-program not only resident cells (i.e., fibroblasts) but also non-resident cells such as bone marrow-derived cells. Indeed, by promoting an “emergency” myelopoiesis, cancer cells switch the steady state production of blood cells toward the generation of pro-tumor circulating myeloid cells defined as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) able to sustain tumor growth and dissemination. MDSCs are a heterogeneous subset of myeloid cells with immunosuppressive properties that sustain metastatic process. In this review, we discuss current understandings of how MDSCs shape and promote metastatic dissemination acting in each fundamental steps of cancer progression from primary tumor to metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalinda Trovato
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefania Canè
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Varvara Petrova
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Sartoris
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Ugel
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesco De Sanctis
- Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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