1
|
Presence of Skin Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells in Human Nonmalignant and Premalignant Melanocytic Skin Lesions and in Melanoma. Am J Dermatopathol 2022; 44:416-423. [PMID: 35311751 DOI: 10.1097/dad.0000000000002184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The infiltration of tissue-resident memory (TRM) cells in melanoma correlates with improved survival, suggesting an important role for TRM cells in immunity against melanoma. However, little is known about the presence of TRM cells in nonmalignant and premalignant melanocytic lesions. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of TRM cells in human skin melanocytic lesions, representing the spectrum from healthy skin to metastatic melanoma. FFPE sections from healthy skin, sun-exposed skin, benign nevi, lentigo maligna (LM), primary LM melanoma, and primary cutaneous and metastatic melanoma were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The number of infiltrating cells expressing TRM-associated markers, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD69, CD103, and CD49a, was quantified by digital analyses. Multiplex immunofluorescence was performed to analyze coexpression of TRM cell markers. More T cells and CD69+ cells were found in melanoma lesions, as compared with healthy skin and nevi. CD103+ and CD49a+ cell numbers did not significantly differ. More importantly, no differences were seen in expression of all markers between healthy skin and benign nevi. Similar results, except for CD69, were observed in LM melanoma, as compared with LM and sun-exposed skin. Interestingly, multiplex immunofluorescence showed that nevi tissues have comparable CD103+ T cell numbers with healthy skin but comprise more CD103+ CD8+ cells. Expression of TRM cell markers is significantly increased in melanoma, as compared with nonmalignant skin. Our data also show that TRM cells are not abundantly present already in premalignant tissues. Further studies on the specificity of TRM cells for melanocyte/melanoma antigens may reveal their significance in cancer immunosurveillance.
Collapse
|
2
|
Sprooten J, De Wijngaert P, Vanmeerbeerk I, Martin S, Vangheluwe P, Schlenner S, Krysko DV, Parys JB, Bultynck G, Vandenabeele P, Garg AD. Necroptosis in Immuno-Oncology and Cancer Immunotherapy. Cells 2020; 9:E1823. [PMID: 32752206 PMCID: PMC7464343 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint blockers (ICBs) have revolutionized oncology and firmly established the subfield of immuno-oncology. Despite this renaissance, a subset of cancer patients remain unresponsive to ICBs due to widespread immuno-resistance. To "break" cancer cell-driven immuno-resistance, researchers have long floated the idea of therapeutically facilitating the immunogenicity of cancer cells by disrupting tumor-associated immuno-tolerance via conventional anticancer therapies. It is well appreciated that anticancer therapies causing immunogenic or inflammatory cell death are best positioned to productively activate anticancer immunity. A large proportion of studies have emphasized the importance of immunogenic apoptosis (i.e., immunogenic cell death or ICD); yet, it has also emerged that necroptosis, a programmed necrotic cell death pathway, can also be immunogenic. Emergence of a proficient immune profile for necroptosis has important implications for cancer because resistance to apoptosis is one of the major hallmarks of tumors. Putative immunogenic or inflammatory characteristics driven by necroptosis can be of great impact in immuno-oncology. However, as is typical for a highly complex and multi-factorial disease like cancer, a clear cause versus consensus relationship on the immunobiology of necroptosis in cancer cells has been tough to establish. In this review, we discuss the various aspects of necroptosis immunobiology with specific focus on immuno-oncology and cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Sprooten
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cell Stress & Immunity (CSI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter De Wijngaert
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cell Stress & Immunity (CSI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Isaure Vanmeerbeerk
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cell Stress & Immunity (CSI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shaun Martin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cellular Transport Systems, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vangheluwe
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cellular Transport Systems, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susan Schlenner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dmitri V Krysko
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, Cell Death Investigation and Therapy Laboratory, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Pathophysiology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146 Moscow, Russia
| | - Jan B Parys
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Leuven Kanker Instituut (LKI), Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Bultynck
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Leuven Kanker Instituut (LKI), Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandenabeele
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Methusalem Program, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Abhishek D Garg
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Cell Stress & Immunity (CSI), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vanmeerbeek I, Sprooten J, De Ruysscher D, Tejpar S, Vandenberghe P, Fucikova J, Spisek R, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Garg AD. Trial watch: chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death in immuno-oncology. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1703449. [PMID: 32002302 PMCID: PMC6959434 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1703449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The term ‘immunogenic cell death’ (ICD) denotes an immunologically unique type of regulated cell death that enables, rather than suppresses, T cell-driven immune responses that are specific for antigens derived from the dying cells. The ability of ICD to elicit adaptive immunity heavily relies on the immunogenicity of dying cells, implying that such cells must encode and present antigens not covered by central tolerance (antigenicity), and deliver immunostimulatory molecules such as damage-associated molecular patterns and cytokines (adjuvanticity). Moreover, the host immune system must be equipped to detect the antigenicity and adjuvanticity of dying cells. As cancer (but not normal) cells express several antigens not covered by central tolerance, they can be driven into ICD by some therapeutic agents, including (but not limited to) chemotherapeutics of the anthracycline family, oxaliplatin and bortezomib, as well as radiation therapy. In this Trial Watch, we describe current trends in the preclinical and clinical development of ICD-eliciting chemotherapy as partner for immunotherapy, with a focus on trials assessing efficacy in the context of immunomonitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isaure Vanmeerbeek
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jenny Sprooten
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk De Ruysscher
- Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO Clinic), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Sabine Tejpar
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandenberghe
- Department of Haematology, UZ Leuven, and Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U1015, Villejuif, France.,Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France.,Université Paris Sud/Paris XI, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Suzhou Institute for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Abhishek D Garg
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) unit, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Walker R, Poleszczuk J, Pilon-Thomas S, Kim S, Anderson AARA, Czerniecki BJ, Harrison LB, Moros EG, Enderling H. Immune interconnectivity of anatomically distant tumors as a potential mediator of systemic responses to local therapy. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9474. [PMID: 29930290 PMCID: PMC6013469 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27718-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex interactions occur between tumor and host immune system at each site in the metastatic setting, the outcome of which can determine behavior ranging from dormancy to rapid growth. An additional layer of complexity arises from the understanding that cytotoxic T cells can traffic through the host circulatory system. Coupling mathematical models of local tumor-immune dynamics and systemic T cell trafficking allows us to simulate the evolution of tumor and immune cell populations in anatomically distant sites following local therapy and thus computationally evaluate immune interconnectivity. Results suggest that the presence of a secondary site may either inhibit or promote growth of the primary, depending on the capacity for immune recruitment of each tumor and the resulting systemic redistribution of T cells. Treatment such as surgical resection and radiotherapy can be simulated to estimate both the decrease in tumor volume at the local treatment-targeted site, and the change in overall tumor burden and tumor growth trajectories across all sites. Qualitatively similar responses of distant tumors to local therapy (positive and negative abscopal effects) to those reported in the clinical setting were observed. Such findings may facilitate an improved understanding of general disease kinetics in the metastatic setting: if metastatic sites are interconnected through the immune system, truly local therapy does not exist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Walker
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jan Poleszczuk
- Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shari Pilon-Thomas
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sungjune Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alexander A R A Anderson
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Brian J Czerniecki
- Department of Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Louis B Harrison
- Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Eduardo G Moros
- Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Heiko Enderling
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA. .,Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Garg AD, Agostinis P. Cell death and immunity in cancer: From danger signals to mimicry of pathogen defense responses. Immunol Rev 2018; 280:126-148. [PMID: 29027218 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The immunogenicity of cancer cells is an emerging determinant of anti-cancer immunotherapy. Beyond developing immunostimulatory regimens like dendritic cell-based vaccines, immune-checkpoint blockers, and adoptive T-cell transfer, investigators are beginning to focus on the immunobiology of dying cancer cells and its relevance for the success of anticancer immunotherapies. It is currently accepted that cancer cells may die in response to anti-cancer therapies through regulated cell death programs, which may either repress or increase their immunogenic potential. In particular, the induction of immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD), which is hallmarked by the emission of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs); molecules analogous to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) acting as danger signals/alarmins, is of great relevance in cancer therapy. These ICD-associated danger signals favor immunomodulatory responses that lead to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs)-directed T-cell immunity, which paves way for the removal of residual, treatment-resistant cancer cells. It is also emerging that cancer cells succumbing to ICD can orchestrate "altered-self mimicry" i.e. mimicry of pathogen defense responses, on the levels of nucleic acids and/or chemokines (resulting in type I interferon/IFN responses or pathogen response-like neutrophil activity). In this review, we exhaustively describe the main molecular, immunological, preclinical, and clinical aspects of immunosuppressive cell death or ICD (with respect to apoptosis, necrosis and necroptosis). We also provide an extensive historical background of these fields, with special attention to the self/non-self and danger models, which have shaped the field of cell death immunology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek D Garg
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Laboratory, Department for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrizia Agostinis
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Laboratory, Department for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Garg AD, More S, Rufo N, Mece O, Sassano ML, Agostinis P, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Trial watch: Immunogenic cell death induction by anticancer chemotherapeutics. Oncoimmunology 2017; 6:e1386829. [PMID: 29209573 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2017.1386829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression "immunogenic cell death" (ICD) refers to a functionally unique form of cell death that facilitates (instead of suppressing) a T cell-dependent immune response specific for dead cell-derived antigens. ICD critically relies on the activation of adaptive responses in dying cells, culminating with the exposure or secretion of immunostimulatory molecules commonly referred to as "damage-associated molecular patterns". Only a few agents can elicit bona fide ICD, including some clinically established chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone, bleomycin, bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and oxaliplatin. In this Trial Watch, we discuss recent progress on the development of ICD-inducing chemotherapeutic regimens, focusing on studies that evaluate clinical efficacy in conjunction with immunological biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek D Garg
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sanket More
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicole Rufo
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Odeta Mece
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria Livia Sassano
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrizia Agostinis
- Cell Death Research & Therapy (CDRT) Lab, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, Villejuif, France.,Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France.,Université Paris Sud/Paris XI, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Paris, France.,Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France.,Equipe 11 labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.,INSERM, Paris, France.,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France.,Karolinska Institute, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Pôle de Biologie, Hopitâl Européen George Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Paris, France.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gao D, Li S. Biological resonance for cancer metastasis, a new hypothesis based on comparisons between primary cancers and metastases. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT SOCIETY 2013; 6:213-30. [PMID: 24214411 PMCID: PMC3855372 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-013-0138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many hypotheses have been proposed to try to explain cancer metastasis. However, they seem to be contradictory and have some limitations. Comparisons of primary tumors and matched metastases provide new insight into metastasis. The results show high concordances and minor differences at multiple scales from organic level to molecular level. The concordances reflect the commonality between primary cancer and metastasis, and also mean that metastatic cancer cells derived from primary cancer are quite conservative in distant sites. The differences reflect variation that cancer cells must acquire new traits to adapt to foreign milieu during the course of evolving into a new tumor in second organs. These comparisons also provided new information on understanding mechanism of vascular metastasis, organ-specific metastasis, and tumor dormancy. The collective results suggest a new hypothesis, biological resonance (bio-resonance) model. The hypothesis has two aspects. One is that primary cancer and matched metastasis have a common progenitor. The other is that both ancestors of primary cancer cells and metastatic cancer cells are under similar microenvironments and receive similar or same signals. When their interactions reach a status similar to primary cancer, metastasis will occur. Compared with previous hypotheses, the bio-resonance hypothesis seems to be more applicable for cancer metastasis to explain how, when and where metastasis occurs. Thus, it has important implications for individual prediction, prevention and treatment of cancer metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongwei Gao
- 536 Hospital of PLA, 29# Xiadu street, Xining, 810007, Qinghai Province, People's Republic of China,
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Garg AD, Dudek AM, Agostinis P. Cancer immunogenicity, danger signals, and DAMPs: what, when, and how? Biofactors 2013; 39:355-67. [PMID: 23900966 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunosurvelliance usually leads to formation of cancer cells that have been "immunoedited" to resist anti-tumor immunity. One of the consequences of immunoediting that is, reduced immunogenicity, is an important roadblock in revival of stable and long-lasting anti-tumor immune responses. Research done during the last decade has shown that emission by the dying cancer cells of immunomodulatory factors or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can act as danger signals, is a critical event in accentuating the immunogenicity of cancer cells, in response to a subset of anticancer treatments. Recent evidence has defined that an apoptotic cell death subroutine and its underlying biochemistry, which has been termed as "immunogenic cell death (ICD)" or "immunogenic apoptosis," is required for the efficient emission of DAMPs and inciting anti-tumor immunity. Here, we review the basic concepts of ICD, like cancer immunogenicity, danger signals, and DAMPs. Moreover, we discuss the emerging molecular links between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, induction of a viral response-like gene expression, danger signals, and anti-tumor immunity. We envisage that along with ER stress-based trafficking of DAMPs (which is a "short-range communicator" of danger), the accompanying induction of a viral response-like gene expression and the secretion of anti-tumorigenic cytokines may become a crucial signature of ICD induction by anticancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek D Garg
- Department for Molecular Cell Biology, Cell Death Research and Therapy (CDRT) Unit, University of Leuven (KULeuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sorensen EW, Gerber SA, Frelinger JG, Lord EM. IL-12 suppresses vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 expression on tumor vessels by two distinct IFN-gamma-dependent mechanisms. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2010; 184:1858-66. [PMID: 20061409 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.0903210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
IL-12 has been shown to be effective in enhancing antitumor responses. However, how IL-12 exerts its antiangiogenic effect is largely unknown. In this study, we elucidate this mechanism using B16 transfected to express IL-12 (B16/IL-12), a system that provides constant, local production of IL-12 within the tumor microenvironment. Intratumoral IL-12 resulted in a significant delay in tumor growth and phenotypic changes in the vasculature. Vessels found within B16 tumors are chaotic and poorly formed and express vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3), a growth factor receptor not expressed on normal adult vessels. However, the vessels within B16/IL-12 tumors have a more normal morphology and do not express VEGFR3. We have shown that IFN-gamma is required for IL-12 to suppress the aberrant expression of VEGFR3. Indeed, the presence of intratumoral IL-12 stimulates the immune system resulting in more IFN-gamma-producing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes per tumor when compared with parental B16 tumors, which may have a marked effect on control of tumor growth. Interestingly, within B16/IL-12 tumors, T cells are necessary to suppress VEGFR3 expression on tumor vessels. Finally, using IFN-gamma receptor knockout mice in a bone marrow chimera system, we show that the IFN-gamma produced within the tumor suppresses VEGFR3 expression in two ways: 1) acting directly on tumor vessel endothelial cells, and 2) acting on the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to indirectly alter endothelial cells' VEGFR3 expression. Our data indicate a mechanism in which tumor-infiltrating immune cells regulate tumor vessel phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Sorensen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|