1
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Jiang B, Yan B, Yang H, Geng H, Li P. Transcription Factor E2F7 Hampers the Killing Effect of NK Cells against Colorectal Cancer Cells via Activating RAD18 Transcription. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 34:920-929. [PMID: 38073330 PMCID: PMC11091666 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2308.08026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
As a pivotal defensive line against multitudinous malignant tumors, natural killer (NK) cells exist in the tumor microenvironment (TME). RAD18 E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase (RAD18) has been reported to foster the malignant progression of multiple cancers, but its effect on NK function has not been mined. Here, the study was designed to mine the mechanism by which RAD18 regulates the killing effect of NK cells on colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Expression of E2F Transcription Factor 7 (E2F7) and RAD18 in CRC tissues, their correlation, binding sites, and RAD18 enrichment pathway were analyzed by bioinformatics. Expression of E2F7 and RAD18 in cells was assayed by qRT-PCR and western blot. Dual-luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay verified the regulatory relationship between E2F7 and RAD18. CCK-8 assay was utilized to assay cell viability, colony formation assay to detect cell proliferation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) test to assay NK cell cytotoxicity, ELISA to assay levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and immunofluorescence to detect expression of toxic molecules perforin and granzyme B. High expression of RAD18 and E2F7 was found in CRC tissues and cells. Silencing RAD18 could hamper the proliferation of CRC cells, foster viability and cytotoxicity of NK cells, and increase the secretion of GM-CSF, TNF-α, IFN-γ as well as the expression of perforin and granzyme B. Additionally, ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter assay ascertained the binding relationship between RAD18 promoter region and E2F7. E2F7 could activate the transcription of RAD18, and silencing RAD18 reversed the inhibitory effect of E2F7 overexpression on NK cell killing. This work clarified the inhibitory effect of the E2F7/RAD18 axis on NK cell killing in CRC, and proffered a new direction for immunotherapy of CRC in targeted immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingdong Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Union Jiangbei Hospital Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430100, P.R. China
| | - Binghua Yan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Huai'an Hospital of Huai'an City, Huai'an City, 223001, P.R. China
| | - Hengjin Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Huai'an Hospital of Huai'an City, Huai'an City, 223001, P.R. China
| | - He Geng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Huai'an Hospital of Huai'an City, Huai'an City, 223001, P.R. China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Huai'an Hospital of Huai'an City, Huai'an City, 223001, P.R. China
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2
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Lee S, Joo Y, Lee EJ, Byeon Y, Kim JH, Pyo KH, Kim YS, Lim SM, Kilbride P, Iyer RK, Li M, French MC, Lee JY, Kang J, Byun H, Cho BC. Successful expansion and cryopreservation of human natural killer cell line NK-92 for clinical manufacturing. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294857. [PMID: 38394177 PMCID: PMC10889882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294857] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have recently shown renewed promise as therapeutic cells for use in treating hematologic cancer indications. Despite this promise, NK cell manufacturing workflows remain largely manual, open, and disconnected, and depend on feeders, as well as outdated unit operations or processes, often utilizing research-grade reagents. Successful scale-up of NK cells critically depends on the availability and performance of nutrient-rich expansion media and cryopreservation conditions that are conducive to high cell viability and recovery post-thaw. In this paper we used Cytiva hardware and media to expand the NK92 cell line in a model process that is suitable for GMP and clinical manufacturing of NK cells. We tested a range of cryopreservation factors including cooling rate, a range of DMSO-containing and DMSO-free cryoprotectants, ice nucleation, and cell density. Higher post-thaw recovery was seen in cryobags over cryovials cooled in identical conditions, and cooling rates of 1°C/min or 2°C/min optimal for cryopreservation in DMSO-containing and DMSO-free cryoprotectants respectively. Higher cell densities of 5x107 cells/ml gave higher post-thaw viability than those cryopreserved at either 1x106 or 5x106 cells/ml. This enabled us to automate, close and connect unit operations within the workflow while demonstrating superior expansion and cryopreservation of NK92 cells. Cellular outputs and performance were conducive to clinical dosing regimens, serving as a proof-of-concept for future clinical and commercial manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seul Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yunjoo Joo
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Ji Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youngseon Byeon
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Hwan Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyoung-Ho Pyo
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Seob Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Min Lim
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Peter Kilbride
- Global Life Sciences Solutions, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rohin K. Iyer
- Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC 100 Results Way, Marlborough, MA, United States of America
| | - Mingming Li
- Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., HarbourFront Center, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mandy C. French
- Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai, China
| | - Jung-Yub Lee
- Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Limited 5F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeeheon Kang
- Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Limited 5F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyesin Byun
- Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Limited 5F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byoung Chul Cho
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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3
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Ding T, Yu Y, Pan X, Chen H. Establishment of humanized mice and its application progress in cancer immunotherapy. Immunotherapy 2023; 15:679-697. [PMID: 37096919 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2022-0148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The current high prevalence of malignant tumors has attracted considerable attention, and treating advanced malignancies is becoming increasingly difficult. Although immunotherapy is a hopeful alternative, it is effective in only a few people. Thus, development of preclinical animal models is needed. Humanized xenotransplantation mouse models can help with selecting treatment protocols, evaluating curative effects and assessing prognosis. This review discusses the establishment of humanized mouse models and their application prospects in cancer immunotherapy to identify tailored therapies for individual patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlong Ding
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
- Department of Tumor Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
| | - Yang Yu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
| | - Xiaoyuan Pan
- Department of Vision Rehabilitation, Gansu Province Hospital Rehabilitation Center, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Tumor Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Digestive System Tumors, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, PR China
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION New methods in cancer immunotherapy, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, have shown promising results in destroying malignant cells. However, limitations and side effects of CAR-T cell therapy, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), neurotoxicity, and cytokine release syndrome, have motivated researchers to investigate safer alternative cells like natural killer (NK) cells. AREA COVERED NK cells can effectively recognize hematologic malignant cells and destroy them. Many clinical and preclinical studies investigate the efficacy of CAR-NK cells in treating lymphoma and other hematologic malignancies. The results of published clinical trials and preclinical studies have shown that CAR-NK cells could be an appropriate choice for treating lymphoma. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of CAR-NK cells, their role in treating B-cell and T-cell lymphoma, and the challenges faced by using them. We also highlight clinical trials using CAR-NK cells for treating lymphoma. EXPERT OPINION CAR-NK cells have shown promising results in cancer therapy, especially B-cell lymphoma, with a much lower risk for GVHD, cytokine release syndrome, and neurotoxicity than CAR-T cells. Further investigations are required to overcome the obstacles of CAR-NK cell therapy, both generally, and in cancers like T-cell lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaghayegh Khanmohammadi
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Xiong Q, Zhang H, Ji X, Zhang Y, Shi G, Dai L, Cheng F, Wang H, Luo J, Xu J, Ji Y, Su X, Yang W, Zhang L, Deng H. A novel membrane-bound interleukin-2 promotes NK-92 cell persistence and anti-tumor activity. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2127282. [PMID: 36185809 PMCID: PMC9519007 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2127282] [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] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy is the limited persistence of NK cells in vivo. However, the proliferation of NK cells is dependent on cytokines such as interleukin-2 (IL-2). Although IL-2 is a critical cytokine for NK cell activation and survival, IL-2 administration in adoptive NK cell therapy can induce adverse toxicities. To improve the persistence of NK cells and attenuate the systemic toxicity of IL-2, we constructed a cell-restricted artificial IL-2, named membrane-bound IL-2 (mbIL-2), comprising human IL-2 and human IL-2Rα joined by a classic linker. We found that mbIL-2-activated NK-92 cells can survive and proliferate in vitro and in vivo, independent of exogenous IL-2, while mbIL-2-expressing NK-92 cells do not support bystander cell survival or proliferation. Additionally, mbIL-2 enhanced NK-92 cell-mediated antitumor activity by tuning the IL-2 receptor downstream signals and NK cell receptor repertoire expression. To conclude, our novel mbIL-2 improves NK-92 cell persistence and enhances NK-92 cell-mediated antitumor activity. NK-92 cells genetically modified to express the novel mbIL-2 with potential significance for clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Hantao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xuanle Ji
- The College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Gang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Lei Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Fuyi Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Huiling Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jieyan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Jia Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yanhong Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Weixiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Hongxin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
- Research Unit of Gene and Immunotherapy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
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Lamers-Kok N, Panella D, Georgoudaki AM, Liu H, Özkazanc D, Kučerová L, Duru AD, Spanholtz J, Raimo M. Natural killer cells in clinical development as non-engineered, engineered, and combination therapies. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:164. [DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01382-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractNatural killer (NK) cells are unique immune effectors able to kill cancer cells by direct recognition of surface ligands, without prior sensitization. Allogeneic NK transfer is a highly valuable treatment option for cancer and has recently emerged with hundreds of clinical trials paving the way to finally achieve market authorization. Advantages of NK cell therapies include the use of allogenic cell sources, off-the-shelf availability, and no risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Allogeneic NK cell therapies have reached the clinical stage as ex vivo expanded and differentiated non-engineered cells, as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered or CD16-engineered products, or as combination therapies with antibodies, priming agents, and other drugs. This review summarizes the recent clinical status of allogeneic NK cell-based therapies for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors, discussing the main characteristics of the different cell sources used for NK product development, their use in cell manufacturing processes, the engineering methods and strategies adopted for genetically modified products, and the chosen approaches for combination therapies. A comparative analysis between NK-based non-engineered, engineered, and combination therapies is presented, examining the choices made by product developers regarding the NK cell source and the targeted tumor indications, for both solid and hematological cancers. Clinical trial outcomes are discussed and, when available, assessed in comparison with preclinical data. Regulatory challenges for product approval are reviewed, highlighting the lack of specificity of requirements and standardization between products. Additionally, the competitive landscape and business field is presented. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the effort driven by biotech and pharmaceutical companies and by academic centers to bring NK cell therapies to pivotal clinical trial stages and to market authorization.
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7
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Baghery Saghchy Khorasani A, Yousefi AM, Bashash D. CAR NK cell therapy in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors; obstacles and strategies to overcome the challenges. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 110:109041. [PMID: 35839565 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive cell treatment (ACT) utilizing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) diverts the specificity of safe cells against a target-specific antigen and portrays exceptional potential for cancer treatment. While CAR T cell treatment has risen as a breakthrough with unprecedented results within the therapeutic procedures of human malignancies, different deficiencies including challenging and costly generation processes, strict patient qualification criteria, and undesirable toxicity have ruined its application. Unlike T cells, the application of natural killer (NK) cells has attracted consideration as a reasonable alternative owing to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independency, shorter life expectancy, the potential to create an off-the-shelf immune product, and potent antitumor properties. In this article, we provide an updated review of the differences between CAR T and CAR NK cells, current enhancements in CAR NK design, the available sources for collecting NK cells, and strategies for the transduction step of the CARs to NK cells. Furthermore, we focus on the published and ongoing preclinical and clinical studies of CAR NK treatment strategies both in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. We also discuss limitations and plausible solutions to improve the perseverance, function, safety, and efficacy of CAR NK cells with a special focus on solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amir-Mohammad Yousefi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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8
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Whyte CE, Singh K, Burton OT, Aloulou M, Kouser L, Veiga RV, Dashwood A, Okkenhaug H, Benadda S, Moudra A, Bricard O, Lienart S, Bielefeld P, Roca CP, Naranjo-Galindo FJ, Lombard-Vadnais F, Junius S, Bending D, Ono M, Hochepied T, Halim TY, Schlenner S, Lesage S, Dooley J, Liston A. Context-dependent effects of IL-2 rewire immunity into distinct cellular circuits. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20212391. [PMID: 35699942 PMCID: PMC9202720 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20212391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a key homeostatic cytokine, with therapeutic applications in both immunogenic and tolerogenic immune modulation. Clinical use has been hampered by pleiotropic functionality and widespread receptor expression, with unexpected adverse events. Here, we developed a novel mouse strain to divert IL-2 production, allowing identification of contextual outcomes. Network analysis identified priority access for Tregs and a competitive fitness cost of IL-2 production among both Tregs and conventional CD4 T cells. CD8 T and NK cells, by contrast, exhibited a preference for autocrine IL-2 production. IL-2 sourced from dendritic cells amplified Tregs, whereas IL-2 produced by B cells induced two context-dependent circuits: dramatic expansion of CD8+ Tregs and ILC2 cells, the latter driving a downstream, IL-5-mediated, eosinophilic circuit. The source-specific effects demonstrate the contextual influence of IL-2 function and potentially explain adverse effects observed during clinical trials. Targeted IL-2 production therefore has the potential to amplify or quench particular circuits in the IL-2 network, based on clinical desirability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly E. Whyte
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kailash Singh
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Oliver T. Burton
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meryem Aloulou
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (Infinity), Centre national de la recherche scientifique U5051, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1291, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Lubna Kouser
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Amy Dashwood
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Samira Benadda
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Centre de Recherche Sur L’inflammation, Centre national de la recherche scientifique ERL8252, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1149, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Alena Moudra
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Orian Bricard
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Carlos P. Roca
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Félix Lombard-Vadnais
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Immunology-Oncology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Steffie Junius
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Bending
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Masahiro Ono
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tino Hochepied
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Susan Schlenner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sylvie Lesage
- Centre de Recherche Sur L’inflammation, Centre national de la recherche scientifique ERL8252, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1149, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - James Dooley
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adrian Liston
- Immunology Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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CCR7 expression in CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-engineered natural killer cells improves migration toward CCL19-expressing lymphoma cells and increases tumor control in mice with human lymphoma. Cytotherapy 2022; 24:827-834. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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10
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Marofi F, Saleh MM, Rahman HS, Suksatan W, Al-Gazally ME, Abdelbasset WK, Thangavelu L, Yumashev AV, Hassanzadeh A, Yazdanifar M, Motavalli R, Pathak Y, Naimi A, Baradaran B, Nikoo M, Khiavi FM. CAR-engineered NK cells; a promising therapeutic option for treatment of hematological malignancies. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:374. [PMID: 34215336 PMCID: PMC8252313 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02462-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy has received a great deal of interest in the treatment of advanced cancers that are resistant to traditional therapy. The tremendous success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cells in the treatment of cancer, especially hematological cancers, has exposed CAR's potential. However, the toxicity and significant limitations of CAR-T cell immunotherapy prompted research into other immune cells as potential candidates for CAR engineering. NK cells are a major component of the innate immune system, especially for tumor immunosurveillance. They have a higher propensity for immunotherapy in hematologic malignancies because they can detect and eliminate cancerous cells more effectively. In comparison to CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells can be prepared from allogeneic donors and are safer with a lower chance of cytokine release syndrome and graft-versus-host disease, as well as being a more efficient antitumor activity with high efficiency for off-the-shelf production. Moreover, CAR-NK cells may be modified to target various antigens while also increasing their expansion and survival in vivo. Extensive preclinical research has shown that NK cells can be effectively engineered to express CARs with substantial cytotoxic activity against both hematological and solid tumors, establishing evidence for potential clinical trials of CAR-NK cells. In this review, we discuss recent advances in CAR-NK cell engineering in a variety of hematological malignancies, as well as the main challenges that influence the outcomes of CAR-NK cell-based tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faroogh Marofi
- Immunology Research Center (IRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Marwan Mahmood Saleh
- Department of Biophysics, College of Applied Science, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq
| | - Heshu Sulaiman Rahman
- College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, Chaq-Chaq Qularaise, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq
| | - Wanich Suksatan
- Faculty of Nursing, HRH Princess Chulabhorn College of Medical Science, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, 10210 Thailand
| | | | - Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Lakshmi Thangavelu
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | | | - Ali Hassanzadeh
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Roza Motavalli
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yashwant Pathak
- Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL USA
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Adel Naimi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center (IRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Marzieh Nikoo
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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11
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Chaudhry K, Dowlati E, Bollard CM. Chimeric antigen receptor-engineered natural killer cells: a promising cancer immunotherapy. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2021; 17:643-659. [PMID: 33821731 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2021.1911648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Introduction:Widespread success of CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for the treatment of hematological malignancies have shifted the focus from conventional cancer treatments toward adoptive immunotherapy. There are major efforts to improve CAR constructs and to identify new target antigens. Even though the Food and Drug Administration has approved commercialization of some CD19 CART cell therapies, there are still some limitations that restrict their widespread clinical use. The manufacture of autologous products for individual patients is logistically cumbersome and expensive and allogeneic T cell products may pose an appreciable risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).Areas covered:Natural killer (NK) cells are an attractive alternative for CART-based immunotherapies. They have the innate ability to detect and eliminate malignant cells and are safer in the 'off-the-shelf' setting. This review discusses the current progress within the CAR NK cell field, including the challenges, and future prospects. Gene engineered NK cells was used as the search term in PubMed and Google Scholar through to December 2020.Expert opinion:CAR NK cell therapies hold promise as an 'off-the-shelf' cell therapy for cancer. It is hoped that an enhanced understanding of their immunobiology and molecular mechanisms of action will improve their in vivo potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajal Chaudhry
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, WA, USA
| | - Ehsan Dowlati
- Department of Neurosurgery, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, WA, USA
| | - Catherine M Bollard
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, WA, USA.,GW Cancer Center, George Washington University, Washington, DC, WA, USA.,Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, WA, USA
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12
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Wang H, Nan S, Wang Y, Xu C. CDX2 enhances natural killer cell-mediated immunotherapy against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through up-regulating CXCL14. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:4596-4607. [PMID: 33733587 PMCID: PMC8107099 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
(NK) cells are at the first line of defence against tumours, but their anti‐tumour mechanisms are not fully understood. We aimed to investigate the mechanism by which NK cells can mediate immunotherapy against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We collected fifty‐two pairs of HNSCC tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues; analysis by RT‐qPCR showed underexpression of CXCL14 in HNSCC tissues. Primary NK cells were then isolated from the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients and healthy donors. CXCL14 was found to be consistently under‐expressed in the primary NK cells from the HNSCC patients. However, CXCL14 expression was increased in IL2‐activated primary NK cells and NK‐92 cells. We next evaluated NK cell migration, IFN‐γ and TNF‐α expression, cytotoxicity and infiltration in response to CXCL14 overexpression or knockdown using gain‐ and loss‐of‐function approach. The results exhibited that CXCL14 overexpression promoted NK cell migration, cytotoxicity and infiltration. Subsequent in vivo experiments revealed that CXCL14 suppressed the growth of HNSCC cells via activation of NK cells. ChIP was applied to study the enrichment of H3K27ac, p300, H3K4me1 and CDX2 in the enhancer region of CXCL14, which showed that CDX2/p300 activated the enhancer of CXCL14 to up‐regulate its expression. Rescue experiments demonstrated that CDX2 stimulated NK cell migration, cytotoxicity and infiltration through up‐regulating CXCL14. In vivo data further revealed that CDX2 suppressed tumorigenicity of HNSCC cells through enhancement of CXCL14. To conclude, CDX2 promotes CXCL14 expression by activating its enhancer, which promotes NK cell–mediated immunotherapy against HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Shanji Nan
- Department of Neurology, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jilin University First Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Chengbi Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, China
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13
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Devillier R, Chrétien AS, Pagliardini T, Salem N, Blaise D, Olive D. Mechanisms of NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment and current clinical approaches to harness NK cell potential for immunotherapy. J Leukoc Biol 2020; 109:1071-1088. [PMID: 32991746 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.5mr0920-198rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NK cells are innate immune cells with inherent capabilities in both recognizing and killing cancer cells. NK cell phenotypes and functional alterations are being described with increasing precision among patients harboring various cancer types, emphasizing the critical role that NK cells play in antitumor immune responses. In addition, advances in understanding NK cell biology have improved our knowledge of such alterations, thereby expanding the potential exploitation of NK cells' anticancer capabilities. In this review, we present an overview of (1) the various types of NK cell alterations that may contribute to immune evasion in cancer patients and (2) the various strategies to improve NK cell-based anticancer immunotherapies, including pharmacologic modulation and/or genetic modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raynier Devillier
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France.,Hematology Department, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Chrétien
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Pagliardini
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France.,Hematology Department, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Nassim Salem
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Blaise
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France.,Hematology Department, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
| | - Daniel Olive
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France.,Immunomonitoring platform, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France
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14
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Chanswangphuwana C, Allan DSJ, Chakraborty M, Reger RN, Childs RW. Augmentation of NK Cell Proliferation and Anti-tumor Immunity by Transgenic Expression of Receptors for EPO or TPO. Mol Ther 2020; 29:47-59. [PMID: 33010232 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many investigational adoptive immunotherapy regimens utilizing natural killer (NK) cells require the administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-15, but these cytokines cause serious dose-dependent toxicities. To reduce or preclude the necessity for IL-2 use, we investigated whether genetic engineering of NK cells to express the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor (EPOR) or thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor (c-MPL) could be used as a method to improve NK cell survival and function. Viral transduction of NK-92 cells to express EPOR or c-MPL receptors conveyed signaling via appropriate pathways, protected cells from apoptosis, augmented cellular proliferation, and increased cell cytotoxic function in response to EPO or TPO ligands in vitro. In the presence of TPO, viral transduction of primary human NK cells to express c-MPL enhanced cellular proliferation and increased degranulation and cytokine production toward target cells in vitro. In contrast, transgenic expression of EPOR did not augment the proliferation of primary NK cells. In immunodeficient mice receiving TPO, in vivo persistence of primary human NK cells genetically modified to express c-MPL was higher compared with control NK cells. These data support the concept that genetic manipulation of NK cells to express hematopoietic growth factor receptors could be used as a strategy to augment NK cell proliferation and antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantiya Chanswangphuwana
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - David S J Allan
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mala Chakraborty
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robert N Reger
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard W Childs
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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15
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Franks SE, Wolfson B, Hodge JW. Natural Born Killers: NK Cells in Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2131. [PMID: 32751977 PMCID: PMC7465121 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular therapy has emerged as an attractive option for the treatment of cancer, and adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expressing T cells has gained FDA approval in hematologic malignancy. However, limited efficacy was observed using CAR-T therapy in solid tumors. Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for tumor surveillance and exhibit potent killing capacity of aberrant cells in an antigen-independent manner. Adoptive transfer of unmodified allogeneic or autologous NK cells has shown limited clinical benefit due to factors including low cell number, low cytotoxicity and failure to migrate to tumor sites. To address these problems, immortalized and autologous NK cells have been genetically engineered to express high affinity receptors (CD16), CARs directed against surface proteins (PD-L1, CD19, Her2, etc.) and endogenous cytokines (IL-2 and IL-15) that are crucial for NK cell survival and cytotoxicity, with positive outcomes reported by several groups both preclinically and clinically. With a multitude of NK cell-based therapies currently in clinic trials, it is likely they will play a crucial role in next-generation cell therapy-based treatment. In this review, we will highlight the recent advances and limitations of allogeneic, autologous and genetically enhanced NK cells used in adoptive cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Elizabeth Franks
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Benjamin Wolfson
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James W Hodge
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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16
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Sabry M, Lowdell MW. Killers at the crossroads: The use of innate immune cells in adoptive cellular therapy of cancer. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 9:974-984. [PMID: 32416056 PMCID: PMC7445022 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.19-0423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is an approach to cancer treatment that involves the use of antitumor immune cells to target residual disease in patients after completion of chemo/radiotherapy. ACT has several advantages compared with other approaches in cancer immunotherapy, including the ability to specifically expand effector cells in vitro before selection for adoptive transfer, as well as the opportunity for host manipulation in order to enhance the ability of transferred cells to recognize and kill established tumors. One of the main challenges to the success of ACT in cancer clinical trials is the identification and generation of antitumor effector cells with high avidity for tumor recognition. Natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine‐induced killers and natural killer T cells are key innate or innate‐like effector cells in cancer immunosurveillance that act at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity, to have a greater influence over immune responses to cancer. In this review, we discuss recent studies that highlight their potential in cancer therapy and summarize clinical trials using these effector immune cells in adoptive cellular therapy for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Sabry
- Department of HaematologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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17
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Xiang L, Gilkes DM. The Contribution of the Immune System in Bone Metastasis Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20040999. [PMID: 30823602 PMCID: PMC6412551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20040999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis is associated with significant morbidity for cancer patients and results in a reduced quality of life. The bone marrow is a fertile soil containing a complex composition of immune cells that may actually provide an immune-privileged niche for disseminated tumor cells to colonize and proliferate. In this unique immune milieu, multiple immune cells including T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and neutrophils are involved in the process of bone metastasis. In this review, we will discuss the crosstalk between immune cells in bone microenvironment and their involvement with cancer cell metastasis to the bone. Furthermore, we will highlight the anti-tumoral and pro-tumoral function of each immune cell type that contributes to bone metastasis. We will end with a discussion of current therapeutic strategies aimed at sensitizing immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Daniele M Gilkes
- Breast & Ovarian Cancer Program, Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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18
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Natural Killer Cells and Current Applications of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Modified NK-92 Cells in Tumor Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20020317. [PMID: 30646574 PMCID: PMC6358726 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that can be activated rapidly to target abnormal and virus-infected cells without prior sensitization. With significant advancements in cell biology technologies, many NK cell lines have been established. Among these cell lines, NK-92 cells are not only the most widely used but have also been approved for clinical applications. Additionally, chimeric antigen receptor-modified NK-92 cells (CAR-NK-92 cells) have shown strong antitumor effects. In this review, we summarize established human NK cell lines and their biological characteristics, and highlight the applications of NK-92 cells and CAR-NK-92 cells in tumor immunotherapy.
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19
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Ayuso JM, Truttschel R, Gong MM, Humayun M, Virumbrales-Munoz M, Vitek R, Felder M, Gillies SD, Sondel P, Wisinski KB, Patankar M, Beebe DJ, Skala MC. Evaluating natural killer cell cytotoxicity against solid tumors using a microfluidic model. Oncoimmunology 2018; 8:1553477. [PMID: 30723584 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1553477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies against solid tumors face additional challenges compared with hematological cancers. In solid tumors, immune cells and antibodies need to extravasate from vasculature, find the tumor, and migrate through a dense mass of cells. These multiple steps pose significant obstacles for solid tumor immunotherapy and their study has remained difficult using classic in vitro models based on Petri dishes. In this work, a microfluidic model has been developed to study natural killer cell response. The model includes a 3D breast cancer spheroid in a 3D extracellular matrix, and two flanking lumens lined with endothelial cells, replicating key structures and components during the immune response. Natural Killer cells and antibodies targeting the tumor cells were either embedded in the matrix or perfused through the lateral blood vessels. Antibodies that were perfused through the lateral lumens extravasated out of the blood vessels and rapidly diffused through the matrix. However, tumor cell-cell junctions hindered antibody penetration within the spheroid. On the other hand, natural killer cells were able to detect the presence of the tumor spheroid several hundreds of microns away and penetrate the spheroid faster than the antibodies. Once inside the spheroid, natural killer cells were able to destroy tumor cells at the spheroid periphery and, importantly, also at the innermost layers. Finally, the combination of antibody-cytokine conjugates and natural killer cells led to an enhanced cytotoxicity located mostly at the spheroid periphery. Overall, these results demonstrate the utility of the model for informing immunotherapy of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M Ayuso
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Regan Truttschel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Max M Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mouhita Humayun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Maria Virumbrales-Munoz
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Provenance Biopharmaceuticals Corp., Carlisle, MA USA.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ross Vitek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mildred Felder
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Paul Sondel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kari B Wisinski
- The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Manish Patankar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Melissa C Skala
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.,The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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20
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Suen WCW, Lee WYW, Leung KT, Pan XH, Li G. Natural Killer Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy: A Review on 10 Years Completed Clinical Trials. Cancer Invest 2018; 36:431-457. [PMID: 30325244 DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2018.1515315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
NK cell cancer immunotherapy is an emerging anti-tumour therapeutic strategy that explores NK cell stimulation. In this review, we address strategies developed to circumvent limitations to clinical application of NK cell-based therapies, and comprehensively review the design and results of clinical trials conducted in the past 10 years (2008-2018) to test their therapeutic potential. NK cell-based immunotherapy of solid cancers remains controversial, but merit further detailed investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade Chun-Wai Suen
- a Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital , Shatin , Hong Kong.,b Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology , Bao-An People's Hospital , Shenzhen , PR China.,c Department of Haematology , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
| | - Wayne Yuk-Wai Lee
- a Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital , Shatin , Hong Kong.,d Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital , Shatin , Hong Kong
| | - Kam-Tong Leung
- e Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin , Hong Kong
| | - Xiao-Hua Pan
- b Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology , Bao-An People's Hospital , Shenzhen , PR China
| | - Gang Li
- a Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital , Shatin , Hong Kong.,d Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital , Shatin , Hong Kong.,f The CUHK-ACC Space Medicine Centre on Health Maintenance of Musculoskeletal System , The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute , Shenzhen , PR China
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21
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Mehta RS, Rezvani K. Chimeric Antigen Receptor Expressing Natural Killer Cells for the Immunotherapy of Cancer. Front Immunol 2018; 9:283. [PMID: 29497427 PMCID: PMC5818392 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy has emerged as a powerful treatment for advanced cancers resistant to conventional agents. Most notable are the remarkable responses seen in patients receiving autologous CD19-redirected chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for the treatment of B lymphoid malignancies; however, the generation of autologous products for each patient is logistically cumbersome and has restricted widespread clinical use. A banked allogeneic product has the potential to overcome these limitations, yet allogeneic T-cells (even if human leukocyte antigen-matched) carry a major risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Natural killer (NK) cells are bone marrow-derived innate lymphocytes that can eliminate tumors directly, with their activity governed by the integration of signals from activating and inhibitory receptors and from cytokines including IL-15, IL-12, and IL-18. NK cells do not cause GVHD or other alloimmune or autoimmune toxicities and thus, can provide a potential source of allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cellular therapy, mediating major anti-tumor effects without inducing potentially lethal alloreactivity such as GVHD. Given the multiple unique advantages of NK cells, researchers are now exploring the use of CAR-engineered NK cells for the treatment of various hematological and non-hematological malignancies. Herein, we review preclinical data on the development of CAR-NK cells, advantages, disadvantages, and current obstacles to their clinical use.
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22
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Jounaidi Y, Cotten JF, Miller KW, Forman SA. Tethering IL2 to Its Receptor IL2Rβ Enhances Antitumor Activity and Expansion of Natural Killer NK92 Cells. Cancer Res 2017; 77:5938-5951. [PMID: 28916655 PMCID: PMC6204197 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
IL2 is an immunostimulatory cytokine for key immune cells including T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Systemic IL2 supplementation could enhance NK-mediated immunity in a variety of diseases ranging from neoplasms to viral infection. However, its systemic use is restricted by its serious side effects and limited efficacy due to activation of T regulatory cells (Tregs). IL2 signaling is mediated through interactions with a multi-subunit receptor complex containing IL2Rα, IL2Rβ, and IL2Rγ. Adult natural killer (NK) cells express only IL2Rβ and IL2Rγ subunits and are therefore relatively insensitive to IL2. To overcome these limitations, we created a novel chimeric IL2-IL2Rβ fusion protein of IL2 and its receptor IL2Rβ joined via a peptide linker (CIRB). NK92 cells expressing CIRB (NK92CIRB) were highly activated and expanded indefinitely without exogenous IL2. When compared with an IL2-secreting NK92 cell line, NK92CIRB were more activated, cytotoxic, and resistant to growth inhibition. Direct contact with cancer cells enhanced the cytotoxic character of NK92CIRB cells, which displayed superior in vivo antitumor effects in mice. Overall, our results showed how tethering IL2 to its receptor IL2Rβ eliminates the need for IL2Rα and IL2Rβ, offering a new tool to selectively activate and empower immune therapy. Cancer Res; 77(21); 5938-51. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Jounaidi
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Joseph F Cotten
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Keith W Miller
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stuart A Forman
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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23
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Zhang C, Oberoi P, Oelsner S, Waldmann A, Lindner A, Tonn T, Wels WS. Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Engineered NK-92 Cells: An Off-the-Shelf Cellular Therapeutic for Targeted Elimination of Cancer Cells and Induction of Protective Antitumor Immunity. Front Immunol 2017; 8:533. [PMID: 28572802 PMCID: PMC5435757 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant progress has been made in recent years toward realizing the potential of natural killer (NK) cells for cancer immunotherapy. NK cells can respond rapidly to transformed and stressed cells and have the intrinsic potential to extravasate and reach their targets in almost all body tissues. In addition to donor-derived primary NK cells, also the established NK cell line NK-92 is being developed for adoptive immunotherapy, and general safety of infusion of irradiated NK-92 cells has been established in phase I clinical trials with clinical responses observed in some of the cancer patients treated. To enhance their therapeutic utility, NK-92 cells have been modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) composed of a tumor-specific single chain fragment variable antibody fragment fused via hinge and transmembrane regions to intracellular signaling moieties such as CD3ζ or composite signaling domains containing a costimulatory protein together with CD3ζ. CAR-mediated activation of NK cells then bypasses inhibitory signals and overcomes NK resistance of tumor cells. In contrast to primary NK cells, CAR-engineered NK-92 cell lines suitable for clinical development can be established from molecularly and functionally well-characterized single cell clones following good manufacturing practice-compliant procedures. In preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, potent antitumor activity of NK-92 variants targeted to differentiation antigens expressed by hematologic malignancies, and overexpressed or mutated self-antigens associated with solid tumors has been found, encouraging further development of CAR-engineered NK-92 cells. Importantly, in syngeneic mouse tumor models, induction of endogenous antitumor immunity after treatment with CAR-expressing NK-92 cells has been demonstrated, resulting in cures and long-lasting immunological memory protecting against tumor rechallenge at distant sites. Here, we summarize the current status and future prospects of CAR-engineered NK-92 cells as off-the-shelf cellular therapeutics, with special emphasis on ErbB2 (HER2)-specific NK-92 cells that are approaching clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Zhang
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pranav Oberoi
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sarah Oelsner
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anja Waldmann
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aline Lindner
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Torsten Tonn
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,German Red Cross Blood Donation Service North-East, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Dresden, Germany.,Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Winfried S Wels
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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24
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Leal FE, Premeaux TA, Abdel-Mohsen M, Ndhlovu LC. Role of Natural Killer Cells in HIV-Associated Malignancies. Front Immunol 2017; 8:315. [PMID: 28377768 PMCID: PMC5359293 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Now in its fourth decade, the burden of HIV disease still persists, despite significant milestone achievements in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, and support. Even with long-term use of currently available antiretroviral therapies (ARTs), eradication of HIV remains elusive and now poses a unique set of challenges for the HIV-infected individual. The occurrence of HIV-associated non-AIDS-related comorbidities outside the scope of AIDS-defining illnesses, in particular non-AIDS-defining cancers, is much greater than the age-matched uninfected population. The underlying mechanism is now recognized in part to be related to the immune dysregulated and inflammatory status characteristic of HIV infection that persists despite ART. Natural killer (NK) cells are multifunctional effector immune cells that play a critical role in shaping the innate immune responses to viral infections and cancer. NK cells can modulate the adaptive immune response via their role in dendritic cell (DC) maturation, removal of immature tolerogenic DCs, and their ability to produce immunoregulatory cytokines. NK cells are therefore poised as attractive therapeutic targets that can be harnessed to control or clear both HIV and HIV-associated malignancies. To date, features of the tumor microenvironment and the evolution of NK-cell function among individuals with HIV-related malignancies remain unclear and may be distinct from malignancies observed in uninfected persons. This review intends to uncouple anti-HIV and antitumor NK-cell features that can be manipulated to halt the evolution of HIV disease and HIV-associated malignancies and serve as potential preventative and curative immunotherapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio E Leal
- Programa de Oncovirologia, Instituto Nacional de Cancer , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
| | - Thomas A Premeaux
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Hawaii Center for AIDS, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii , Honolulu, HI , USA
| | - Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen
- Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lishomwa C Ndhlovu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Hawaii Center for AIDS, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii , Honolulu, HI , USA
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25
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Dahlberg CIM, Sarhan D, Chrobok M, Duru AD, Alici E. Natural Killer Cell-Based Therapies Targeting Cancer: Possible Strategies to Gain and Sustain Anti-Tumor Activity. Front Immunol 2015; 6:605. [PMID: 26648934 PMCID: PMC4663254 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells were discovered 40 years ago, by their ability to recognize and kill tumor cells without the requirement of prior antigen exposure. Since then, NK cells have been seen as promising agents for cell-based cancer therapies. However, NK cells represent only a minor fraction of the human lymphocyte population. Their skewed phenotype and impaired functionality during cancer progression necessitates the development of clinical protocols to activate and expand to high numbers ex vivo to be able to infuse sufficient numbers of functional NK cells to the cancer patients. Initial NK cell-based clinical trials suggested that NK cell-infusion is safe and feasible with almost no NK cell-related toxicity, including graft-versus-host disease. Complete remission and increased disease-free survival is shown in a small number of patients with hematological malignances. Furthermore, successful adoptive NK cell-based therapies from haploidentical donors have been demonstrated. Disappointingly, only limited anti-tumor effects have been demonstrated following NK cell infusion in patients with solid tumors. While NK cells have great potential in targeting tumor cells, the efficiency of NK cell functions in the tumor microenvironment is yet unclear. The failure of immune surveillance may in part be due to sustained immunological pressure on tumor cells resulting in the development of tumor escape variants that are invisible to the immune system. Alternatively, this could be due to the complex network of immune-suppressive compartments in the tumor microenvironment, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and regulatory T cells. Although the negative effect of the tumor microenvironment on NK cells can be transiently reverted by ex vivo expansion and long-term activation, the aforementioned NK cell/tumor microenvironment interactions upon reinfusion are not fully elucidated. Within this context, genetic modification of NK cells may provide new possibilities for developing effective cancer immunotherapies by improving NK cell responses and making them less susceptible to the tumor microenvironment. Within this review, we will discuss clinical trials using NK cells with a specific reflection on novel potential strategies, such as genetic modification of NK cells and complementary therapies aimed at improving the clinical outcome of NK cell-based immune therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carin I M Dahlberg
- Cell Therapies Institute, Nova Southeastern University , Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA ; Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, NOVUM , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Dhifaf Sarhan
- Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden ; Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Masonic Cancer Research Center, University of Minnesota , Minnesota, MN , USA
| | - Michael Chrobok
- Cell Therapies Institute, Nova Southeastern University , Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA ; Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, NOVUM , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Adil D Duru
- Cell Therapies Institute, Nova Southeastern University , Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA ; Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, NOVUM , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Evren Alici
- Cell Therapies Institute, Nova Southeastern University , Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA ; Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, NOVUM , Stockholm , Sweden ; Hematology Center, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge , Stockholm , Sweden
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26
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Carlsten M, Childs RW. Genetic Manipulation of NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy: Techniques and Clinical Implications. Front Immunol 2015; 6:266. [PMID: 26113846 PMCID: PMC4462109 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given their rapid and efficient capacity to recognize and kill tumor cells, natural killer (NK) cells represent a unique immune cell to genetically reprogram in an effort to improve the outcome of cell-based cancer immunotherapy. However, technical and biological challenges associated with gene delivery into NK cells have significantly tempered this approach. Recent advances in viral transduction and electroporation have now allowed detailed characterization of genetically modified NK cells and provided a better understanding for how these cells can be utilized in the clinic to optimize their capacity to induce tumor regression in vivo. Improving NK cell persistence in vivo via autocrine IL-2 and IL-15 stimulation, enhancing tumor targeting by silencing inhibitory NK cell receptors such as NKG2A, and redirecting tumor killing via chimeric antigen receptors, all represent approaches that hold promise in preclinical studies. This review focuses on available methods for genetic reprograming of NK cells and the advantages and challenges associated with each method. It also gives an overview of strategies for genetic reprograming of NK cells that have been evaluated to date and an outlook on how these strategies may be best utilized in clinical protocols. With the recent advances in our understanding of the complex biological networks that regulate the ability of NK cells to target and kill tumors in vivo, we foresee genetic engineering as an obligatory pathway required to exploit the full potential of NK-cell based immunotherapy in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Carlsten
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD , USA
| | - Richard W Childs
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD , USA
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27
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Cheng M, Chen Y, Xiao W, Sun R, Tian Z. NK cell-based immunotherapy for malignant diseases. Cell Mol Immunol 2013; 10:230-52. [PMID: 23604045 DOI: 10.1038/cmi.2013.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play critical roles in host immunity against cancer. In response, cancers develop mechanisms to escape NK cell attack or induce defective NK cells. Current NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy aims to overcome NK cell paralysis using several approaches. One approach uses expanded allogeneic NK cells, which are not inhibited by self histocompatibility antigens like autologous NK cells, for adoptive cellular immunotherapy. Another adoptive transfer approach uses stable allogeneic NK cell lines, which is more practical for quality control and large-scale production. A third approach is genetic modification of fresh NK cells or NK cell lines to highly express cytokines, Fc receptors and/or chimeric tumor-antigen receptors. Therapeutic NK cells can be derived from various sources, including peripheral or cord blood cells, stem cells or even induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and a variety of stimulators can be used for large-scale production in laboratories or good manufacturing practice (GMP) facilities, including soluble growth factors, immobilized molecules or antibodies, and other cellular activators. A list of NK cell therapies to treat several types of cancer in clinical trials is reviewed here. Several different approaches to NK-based immunotherapy, such as tissue-specific NK cells, killer receptor-oriented NK cells and chemically treated NK cells, are discussed. A few new techniques or strategies to monitor NK cell therapy by non-invasive imaging, predetermine the efficiency of NK cell therapy by in vivo experiments and evaluate NK cell therapy approaches in clinical trials are also introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Cheng
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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28
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Sutlu T, Nyström S, Gilljam M, Stellan B, Applequist SE, Alici E. Inhibition of intracellular antiviral defense mechanisms augments lentiviral transduction of human natural killer cells: implications for gene therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2012; 23:1090-100. [PMID: 22779406 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2012.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy with genetically modified natural killer (NK) cells is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Yet, optimization of highly efficient and clinically applicable gene transfer protocols for NK cells still presents a challenge. In this study, we aimed at identifying conditions under which optimum lentiviral gene transfer to NK cells can be achieved. Our results demonstrate that stimulation of NK cells with interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-21 supports efficient transduction using a VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral vector. Moreover, we have identified that inhibition of innate immune receptor signaling greatly enhances transduction efficiency. We were able to boost the efficiency of lentiviral genetic modification on average 3.8-fold using BX795, an inhibitor of the TBK1/IKKɛ complex acting downstream of RIG-I, MDA-5, and TLR3. We have also observed that the use of BX795 enhances lentiviral transduction efficiency in a number of human and mouse cell lines, indicating a broadly applicable, practical, and safe approach that has the potential of being applicable to various gene therapy protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tolga Sutlu
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden
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29
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Sahm C, Schönfeld K, Wels WS. Expression of IL-15 in NK cells results in rapid enrichment and selective cytotoxicity of gene-modified effectors that carry a tumor-specific antigen receptor. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2012; 61:1451-61. [PMID: 22310931 PMCID: PMC11029748 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-012-1212-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Accepted: 01/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells hold promise for adoptive cancer immunotherapy but are dependent on cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-2 for growth and cytotoxicity. Here, we investigated the consequences of ectopic expression of IL-15 in human NK cells. IL-2 and IL-15 belong to the common γ chain family of cytokines and have overlapping activities. Transduction of clinically applicable NK-92 cells with lentiviral vectors encoding human IL-15 resulted in predominantly intracellular expression of the cytokine, and STAT5 activation, proliferation and cytotoxicity of the producer cells in the absence of IL-2. Growth of non-transduced bystander cells was not supported, allowing rapid enrichment of gene-modified cells solely by IL-2 withdrawal. This was also the case upon transduction of NK-92 and NKL cells with a bicistronic lentiviral vector encoding IL-15 and a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting the pancarcinoma antigen EpCAM. Effector cells co-expressing CAR and IL-15 continued to proliferate in the absence of exogenous cytokines and displayed high and selective cell-killing activity against EpCAM-expressing breast carcinoma cells that were resistant to the natural cytotoxicity of unmodified NK cells. This strategy facilitates rapid isolation and continuous expansion of retargeted NK cells and may extend their potential clinical utility.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Neoplasm/biosynthesis
- Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- Breast Neoplasms/immunology
- Breast Neoplasms/therapy
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/biosynthesis
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/immunology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytokines/biosynthesis
- Cytokines/genetics
- Cytokines/immunology
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/genetics
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/immunology
- DNA, Complementary/genetics
- Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule
- Humans
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Interleukin-15/biosynthesis
- Interleukin-15/genetics
- Interleukin-15/immunology
- Interleukin-2/immunology
- Interleukin-2/pharmacology
- K562 Cells
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute/therapy
- Melanoma/immunology
- Melanoma/therapy
- Mice
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Sahm
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kurt Schönfeld
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Winfried S. Wels
- Chemotherapeutisches Forschungsinstitut Georg-Speyer-Haus, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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30
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ZHU LINING, ZHAO ZHIHUI, WEI YANZHANG, MARCOTTE WILLIAM, WAGNER THOMASE, YU XIANZHONG. An IL-12/Shh-C domain fusion protein-based IL-12 autocrine loop for sustained natural killer cell activation. Int J Oncol 2012; 41:661-9. [DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2012.1466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2012] [Accepted: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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31
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Cheng M, Zhang J, Jiang W, Chen Y, Tian Z. Natural killer cell lines in tumor immunotherapy. Front Med 2012; 6:56-66. [PMID: 22460449 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-012-0177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 11/23/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are considered to be critical players in anticancer immunity. However, cancers are able to develop mechanisms to escape NK cell attack or to induce defective NK cells. Current NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy is aimed at overcoming NK cell paralysis through several potential approaches, including activating autologous NK cells, expanding allogeneic NK cells, usage of stable allogeneic NK cell lines and genetically modifying fresh NK cells or NK cell lines. The stable allogeneic NK cell line approach is more practical for quality-control and large-scale production. Additionally, genetically modifying NK cell lines by increasing their expression of cytokines and engineering chimeric tumor antigen receptors could improve their specificity and cytotoxicity. In this review, NK cells in tumor immunotherapy are discussed, and a list of therapeutic NK cell lines currently undergoing preclinical and clinical trials of several kinds of tumors are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Cheng
- Institute of Immunology, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
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32
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Pegram HJ, Kershaw MH, Darcy PK. Genetic modification of natural killer cells for adoptive cellular immunotherapy. Immunotherapy 2011; 1:623-30. [PMID: 20635990 DOI: 10.2217/imt.09.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy of cancer is a rapidly developing field; one such development is the manipulation and use of natural killer (NK) cells. These cells with 'killer instincts' are an attractive cell to utilize, as they are directly reactive toward tumor and could potentially activate the endogenous adaptive immune system. Their employment in adoptive cell transfer treatments has yielded important results and discoveries, although effective antitumor responses are limited. To address these limitations, NK cells are the target of a new generation of immunotherapy involving gene transfer. The gene modification of immune cells is a relatively recent technique and some groups have targeted NK cells for gene modification to improve their antitumor efficacy. This review will investigate studies describing the gene modification of NK cells and their encouraging antitumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie J Pegram
- Cancer Immunology Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 8006, Australia
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Abstract
As our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing natural killer (NK) cell activity increases, their potential in cancer immunotherapy is growing increasingly prominent. This review analyses the currently available preclinical and clinical data regarding NK cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches in cancer starting from a historical background and an overview of molecular mechanisms taking part in NK cell responses. The status of NK cells in cancer patients, currently investigated clinical applications such as in vivo modulation of NK cell activity, ex vivo purification/expansion and adoptive transfer as well as future possibilities such as genetic modifications are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Sutlu
- Division of Haematology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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34
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Abstract
Strategies are emerging to apply natural killer (NK) cells as therapeutic agents against a broad range of malignancies. Novel clinical approaches aim to overcome limitations of original therapies, which have utilized lymphokine activated killer cells or systemic cytokine treatments. Remarkable results, including survival improvements and amelioration of graft versus host disease, were obtained with alloreactive NK cells in some cases. Other approaches in clinical evaluation include targeting heat-shock protein (Hsp) 70 expressing tumors with pre-stimulated autologous NK cells or the application of an NK cell line, NK-92, with enhanced cytolytic activity. Further mechanistic insights into NK cell cytotoxicity are a prelude to improved clinical cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garnet Suck
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Johns Hopkins in Singapore, 31 Biopolis Way, #02-01 The Nanos, Singapore, Singapore.
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35
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Guven H, Konstantinidis KV, Alici E, Aints A, Abedi-Valugerdi M, Christensson B, Ljunggren HG, Dilber MS. Efficient gene transfer into primary human natural killer cells by retroviral transduction. Exp Hematol 2006; 33:1320-8. [PMID: 16263416 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2005.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2004] [Revised: 06/29/2005] [Accepted: 07/18/2005] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To optimize retroviral gene transfer into primary human natural killer (NK) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS NK cells from healthy donors were expanded ex vivo for a period of 21 days. Retroviral transductions were carried out by replacing culture media with retrovirus-containing supernatant during 2-hour incubations on days 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, or 20. In some experiments, NK cells were transduced on 2 consecutive days (days 5 and 6). Green fluorescent protein served as a marker for detection of transduced cells. RESULTS NK cells showed a median of 27.2% transduction efficiency after a single transduction round (transduction on day 5) and a median of 47.1% transduction efficiency after two rounds of transduction (transduction on days 5 and 6), 24 hours after exposure to retrovirus-containing supernatants. On day 21 after initial culture, 51.9% of NK cells were transduced after a single transduction round (transduction on day 5) and 75.4% after two rounds of transduction (transduction on days 5 and 6). Gene transfer did not change the function or phenotype of NK cells as determined by phenotypical analysis, nor did the proliferative ability or cytotoxic function change. CONCLUSION The results show that NK cells can successfully be transduced with retroviral vectors, without any detectable changes in phenotype or function. This may open up new possibilities in the studies of NK cell biology and the development of NK cells for immunotherapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayrettin Guven
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
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