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Netskar H, Pfefferle A, Goodridge JP, Sohlberg E, Dufva O, Teichmann SA, Brownlie D, Michaëlsson J, Marquardt N, Clancy T, Horowitz A, Malmberg KJ. Pan-cancer profiling of tumor-infiltrating natural killer cells through transcriptional reference mapping. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:1445-1459. [PMID: 38956379 PMCID: PMC11291284 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01884-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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The functional diversity of natural killer (NK) cell repertoires stems from differentiation, homeostatic, receptor-ligand interactions and adaptive-like responses to viral infections. In the present study, we generated a single-cell transcriptional reference map of healthy human blood- and tissue-derived NK cells, with temporal resolution and fate-specific expression of gene-regulatory networks defining NK cell differentiation. Transfer learning facilitated incorporation of tumor-infiltrating NK cell transcriptomes (39 datasets, 7 solid tumors, 427 patients) into the reference map to analyze tumor microenvironment (TME)-induced perturbations. Of the six functionally distinct NK cell states identified, a dysfunctional stressed CD56bright state susceptible to TME-induced immunosuppression and a cytotoxic TME-resistant effector CD56dim state were commonly enriched across tumor types, the ratio of which was predictive of patient outcome in malignant melanoma and osteosarcoma. This resource may inform the design of new NK cell therapies and can be extended through transfer learning to interrogate new datasets from experimental perturbations or disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herman Netskar
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Aline Pfefferle
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Ebba Sohlberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olli Dufva
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Clymphoid cells (ILCs)ampus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Demi Brownlie
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Jakob Michaëlsson
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicole Marquardt
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Trevor Clancy
- Oslo Cancer Cluster, NEC OncoImmunity AS, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Vaccine Informatics, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Amir Horowitz
- Department of Immunology & Immunotherapy, Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karl-Johan Malmberg
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Lam PY, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Highlight of 2023: Unlocking the therapeutic potential of natural killer cells-advances in adaptive functions, cellular engineering and immunotherapy. Immunol Cell Biol 2024; 102:444-447. [PMID: 38693888 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12769] [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] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells possess potent cytotoxicity against infected and cancerous cells and hold promise in the development of new immunotherapies. This article for the Highlights of 2023 Series focuses on current advances in NK cell biology in cancerous and infectious settings and highlights opportunities for therapeutic interventions, including engineered NK cell therapies and advancements in feeder cell technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pui Yeng Lam
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
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Frey HC, Sun X, Oudeif F, Corona DL, He Z, Won T, Schultz TL, Carruthers VB, Laouar A, Laouar Y. A Membrane Lipid Signature Unravels the Dynamic Landscape of Group 1 ILCs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.17.589821. [PMID: 38659946 PMCID: PMC11042254 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.17.589821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In an era where the established lines between cell identities are blurred by intra-lineage plasticity, distinguishing between stable and transitional states becomes imperative. This challenge is particularly pronounced within the Group 1 ILC lineage, where the similarity and plasticity between NK cells and ILC1s obscure their classification and the assignment of their unique contributions to immune regulation. This study exploits the unique property of Asialo-GM1 (AsGM1)-a membrane lipid associated with cytotoxic attributes absent in ILC1s-as a definitive criterion to distinguish between these cells. By prioritizing cytotoxic potential as the cardinal differentiator, our strategic use of the AsGM1 signature achieved precise delineation of NK cells and ILC1s across tissues, validated by RNA-seq analysis. This capability extends beyond steady-state classifications, adeptly capturing the binary classification of NK cells and ILC1s during acute liver injury. By leveraging two established models of NK-to-ILC1 plasticity driven by TGFβ and Toxoplasma gondii , we demonstrate the stability of the AsGM1 signature, which sharply contrasts with the loss of Eomes. This signature identified a spectrum of known and novel NK cell derivatives-ILC1-like entities that bridge traditional binary classifications in aging and infection. The early detection of the AsGM1 signature at the immature NK (iNK) stage, preceding Eomes, and its stability, unaffected by transcriptional reprogramming that typically alters Eomes, position AsGM1 as a unique, site-agnostic marker for fate mapping NK-to-ILC1 plasticity. This provides a powerful tool to explore the expanding heterogeneity within the Group 1 ILC landscape, effectively transcending the ambiguity inherent to the NK-to-ILC1 continuum.
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Czaplicka A, Lachota M, Pączek L, Zagożdżon R, Kaleta B. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence. Cells 2024; 13:101. [PMID: 38201305 PMCID: PMC10777940 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010101] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of malignant and non-malignant disorders. CARs are synthetic transmembrane receptors expressed on genetically modified immune effector cells, including T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, or macrophages, which are able to recognize specific surface antigens on target cells and eliminate them. CAR-modified immune cells mediate cytotoxic antitumor effects via numerous mechanisms, including the perforin and granzyme pathway, Fas and Fas Ligand (FasL) pathway, and cytokine secretion. High hopes are associated with the prospective use of the CAR-T strategy against solid cancers, especially the ones resistant to standard oncological therapies, such as pancreatic cancer (PC). Herein, we summarize the current pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating potential tumor-associated antigens (TAA), CAR-T cell toxicities, and their efficacy in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Czaplicka
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Mazovian “Bródnowski” Hospital, 03-242 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Mieszko Lachota
- Laboratory of Cellular and Genetic Therapies, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland; (M.L.); (R.Z.)
| | - Leszek Pączek
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Radosław Zagożdżon
- Laboratory of Cellular and Genetic Therapies, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland; (M.L.); (R.Z.)
| | - Beata Kaleta
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland;
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