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Bao R, Qu H, Li B, Cheng K, Miao Y, Wang J. The role of metabolic reprogramming in immune escape of triple-negative breast cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1424237. [PMID: 39192979 PMCID: PMC11347331 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1424237] [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: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has become a thorny problem in the treatment of breast cancer because of its high invasiveness, metastasis and recurrence. Although immunotherapy has made important progress in TNBC, immune escape caused by many factors, especially metabolic reprogramming, is still the bottleneck of TNBC immunotherapy. Regrettably, the mechanisms responsible for immune escape remain poorly understood. Exploring the mechanism of TNBC immune escape at the metabolic level provides a target and direction for follow-up targeting or immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on the mechanism that TNBC affects immune cells and interstitial cells through hypoxia, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, and changes tumor metabolism and tumor microenvironment. This will help to find new targets and strategies for TNBC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Bao
- Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The 2Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Hongtao Qu
- Emergency Department of Yantai Mountain Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Baifeng Li
- Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The 2Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Kai Cheng
- Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The 2Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yandong Miao
- Cancer Center, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The 2 Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Jiangtao Wang
- Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, The 2Medical College of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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2
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Wu S, Zhou Y, Asakawa N, Wen M, Sun Y, Ming Y, Song T, Chen W, Ma G, Xia Y. Engineering CaP-Pickering emulsion for enhanced mRNA cancer vaccines via dual DC and NK activations. J Control Release 2024; 373:837-852. [PMID: 39059499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.07.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
mRNA delivery systems, such as lipid nanoparticle (LNP), have made remarkable strides in improving mRNA expression, whereas immune system activation operates on a threshold. Maintaining a delicate balance between antigen expression and dendritic cell (DC) activation is vital for effective immune recognition. Here, a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) Pickering emulsion stabilized with calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP-PME) is developed for mRNA delivery in cancer vaccination. CaP-PME efficiently transports mRNA into the cytoplasm, induces pro-inflammatory responses and activates DCs by disrupting intracellular calcium/potassium ions balance. Unlike LNP, CaP-PME demonstrates a preference for DCs, enhancing their activation and migration to lymph nodes. It elicits interferon-γ-mediated CD8+ T cell responses and promotes NK cell proliferation and activation, leading to evident NK cells infiltration and ameliorated tumor microenvironment. The prepared w/o/w Pickering emulsion demonstrates superior anti-tumor effects in E.G7 and B16-OVA tumor models, offering promising prospects as an enhanced mRNA delivery vehicle for cancer vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; Division of Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1, Tenjin-cho, Kiryu 376-8515, Japan
| | - Yan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Naoki Asakawa
- Division of Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1, Tenjin-cho, Kiryu 376-8515, Japan
| | - Mei Wen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China, Changsha 410083, PR China
| | - Yu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China
| | - Yali Ming
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Tiantian Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Wansong Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China, Changsha 410083, PR China
| | - Guanghui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Yufei Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
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3
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Pesini C, Artal L, Paúl Bernal J, Sánchez Martinez D, Pardo J, Ramírez-Labrada A. In-depth analysis of the interplay between oncogenic mutations and NK cell-mediated cancer surveillance in solid tumors. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2379062. [PMID: 39036370 PMCID: PMC11259085 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2379062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in antitumoral and antiviral responses. Yet, cancer cells can alter themselves or the microenvironment through the secretion of cytokines or other factors, hindering NK cell activation and promoting a less cytotoxic phenotype. These resistance mechanisms, often referred to as the "hallmarks of cancer" are significantly influenced by the activation of oncogenes, impacting most, if not all, of the described hallmarks. Along with oncogenes, other types of genes, the tumor suppressor genes are frequently mutated or modified during cancer. Traditionally, these genes have been associated with uncontrollable tumor growth and apoptosis resistance. Recent evidence suggests oncogenic mutations extend beyond modulating cell death/proliferation programs, influencing cancer immunosurveillance. While T cells have been more studied, the results obtained highlight NK cells as emerging key protagonists for enhancing tumor cell elimination by modulating oncogenic activity. A few recent studies highlight the crucial role of oncogenic mutations in NK cell-mediated cancer recognition, impacting angiogenesis, stress ligands, and signaling balance within the tumor microenvironment. This review will critically examine recent discoveries correlating oncogenic mutations to NK cell-mediated cancer immunosurveillance, a relatively underexplored area, particularly in the era dominated by immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cells. Building on these insights, we will explore opportunities to improve NK cell-based immunotherapies, which are increasingly recognized as promising alternatives for treating low-antigenic tumors, offering significant advantages in terms of safety and manufacturing suitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Pesini
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network of Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III Health Institute, Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Radiology, Pediatry and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Laura Artal
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Institute of Carbochemistry (ICB-CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jorge Paúl Bernal
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Diego Sánchez Martinez
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón I + D Foundation (ARAID), Government of Aragon, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Julián Pardo
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network of Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III Health Institute, Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Radiology, Pediatry and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ariel Ramírez-Labrada
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Network of Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III Health Institute, Zaragoza, Spain
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4
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Cantoni C, Falco M, Vitale M, Pietra G, Munari E, Pende D, Mingari MC, Sivori S, Moretta L. Human NK cells and cancer. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2378520. [PMID: 39022338 PMCID: PMC11253890 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2378520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The long story of NK cells started about 50 y ago with the first demonstration of a natural cytotoxic activity within an undefined subset of circulating leukocytes, has involved an ever-growing number of researchers, fascinated by the apparently easy-to-reach aim of getting a "universal anti-tumor immune tool". In fact, in spite of the impressive progress obtained in the first decades, these cells proved far more complex than expected and, paradoxically, the accumulating findings have continuously moved forward the attainment of a complete control of their function for immunotherapy. The refined studies of these latter years have indicated that NK cells can epigenetically calibrate their functional potential, in response to specific environmental contexts, giving rise to extraordinarily variegated subpopulations, comprehensive of memory-like cells, tissue-resident cells, or cells in various differentiation stages, or distinct functional states. In addition, NK cells can adapt their activity in response to a complex body of signals, spanning from the interaction with either suppressive or stimulating cells (myeloid-derived suppressor cells or dendritic cells, respectively) to the engagement of various receptors (specific for immune checkpoints, cytokines, tumor/viral ligands, or mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity). According to this picture, the idea of an easy and generalized exploitation of NK cells is changing, and the way is opening toward new carefully designed, combined and personalized therapeutic strategies, also based on the use of genetically modified NK cells and stimuli capable of strengthening and redirecting their effector functions against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cantoni
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michela Falco
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Massimo Vitale
- UO Pathology and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pietra
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- UO Pathology and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Enrico Munari
- Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Daniela Pende
- UO Pathology and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Mingari
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- UO Pathology and Experimental Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Simona Sivori
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico, San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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5
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Chen C, Han P, Qing Y. Metabolic heterogeneity in tumor microenvironment - A novel landmark for immunotherapy. Autoimmun Rev 2024:103579. [PMID: 39004158 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2024.103579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The surrounding non-cancer cells and tumor cells that make up the tumor microenvironment (TME) have various metabolic rhythms. TME metabolic heterogeneity is influenced by the intricate network of metabolic control within and between cells. DNA, protein, transport, and microbial levels are important regulators of TME metabolic homeostasis. The effectiveness of immunotherapy is also closely correlated with alterations in TME metabolism. The response of a tumor patient to immunotherapy is influenced by a variety of variables, including intracellular metabolic reprogramming, metabolic interaction between cells, ecological changes within and between tumors, and general dietary preferences. Although immunotherapy and targeted therapy have made great strides, their use in the accurate identification and treatment of tumors still has several limitations. The function of TME metabolic heterogeneity in tumor immunotherapy is summarized in this article. It focuses on how metabolic heterogeneity develops and is regulated as a tumor progresses, the precise molecular mechanisms and potential clinical significance of imbalances in intracellular metabolic homeostasis and intercellular metabolic coupling and interaction, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of targeted metabolism used in conjunction with immunotherapy. This offers insightful knowledge and important implications for individualized tumor patient diagnosis and treatment plans in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
| | - Peng Han
- Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Yanping Qing
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, China.
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6
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Jeong M, Cortopassi F, See JX, De La Torre C, Cerwenka A, Stojanovic A. Vitamin A-treated natural killer cells reduce interferon-gamma production and support regulatory T-cell differentiation. Eur J Immunol 2024; 54:e2250342. [PMID: 38593338 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic lymphocytes that contribute to immune responses against stressed, transformed, or infected cells. NK cell effector functions are regulated by microenvironmental factors, including cytokines, metabolites, and nutrients. Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays an indispensable role in embryogenesis and development, but was also reported to regulate immune responses. However, the role of vitamin A in regulating NK cell functions remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the most prevalent vitamin A metabolite, all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), induces transcriptional and functional changes in NK cells leading to altered metabolism and reduced IFN-γ production in response to a wide range of stimuli. atRA-exposed NK cells display a reduced ability to support dendritic cell (DC) maturation and to eliminate immature DCs. Moreover, they support the polarization and proliferation of regulatory T cells. These results imply that in vitamin A-enriched environments, NK cells can acquire functions that might promote tolerogenic immunity and/or immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingeum Jeong
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Francesco Cortopassi
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jia-Xiang See
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolina De La Torre
- NGS Core Facility, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ana Stojanovic
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Sabag B, Puthenveetil A, Levy M, Joseph N, Doniger T, Yaron O, Karako-Lampert S, Lazar I, Awwad F, Ashkenazi S, Barda-Saad M. Dysfunctional natural killer cells can be reprogrammed to regain anti-tumor activity. EMBO J 2024; 43:2552-2581. [PMID: 38637625 PMCID: PMC11217363 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00094-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are critical to the innate immune system, as they recognize antigens without prior sensitization, and contribute to the control and clearance of viral infections and cancer. However, a significant proportion of NK cells in mice and humans do not express classical inhibitory receptors during their education process and are rendered naturally "anergic", i.e., exhibiting reduced effector functions. The molecular events leading to NK cell anergy as well as their relation to those underlying NK cell exhaustion that arises from overstimulation in chronic conditions, remain unknown. Here, we characterize the "anergic" phenotype and demonstrate functional, transcriptional, and phenotypic similarities to the "exhausted" state in tumor-infiltrating NK cells. Furthermore, we identify zinc finger transcription factor Egr2 and diacylglycerol kinase DGKα as common negative regulators controlling NK cell dysfunction. Finally, experiments in a 3D organotypic spheroid culture model and an in vivo tumor model suggest that a nanoparticle-based delivery platform can reprogram these dysfunctional natural killer cell populations in their native microenvironment. This approach may become clinically relevant for the development of novel anti-tumor immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batel Sabag
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Abhishek Puthenveetil
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Moria Levy
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Noah Joseph
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Tirtza Doniger
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Orly Yaron
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Sarit Karako-Lampert
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Itay Lazar
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Fatima Awwad
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Shahar Ashkenazi
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Mira Barda-Saad
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel.
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Jiao JZ, Zhang Y, Zhang WJ, He MD, Meng M, Liu T, Ma QL, Xu Y, Gao P, Chen CH, Zhang L, Pi HF, Deng P, Wu YZ, Zhou Z, Yu ZP, Deng YC, Lu YH. Radiofrequency radiation reshapes tumor immune microenvironment into antitumor phenotype in pulmonary metastatic melanoma by inducing active transformation of tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T and NK cells. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:1492-1505. [PMID: 38538718 PMCID: PMC11192955 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01260-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunosuppression by the tumor microenvironment is a pivotal factor contributing to tumor progression and immunotherapy resistance. Priming the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In this study we investigated the effects of noninvasive radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on tumor progression and TIME phenotype, as well as the antitumor potential of PD-1 blockage in a model of pulmonary metastatic melanoma (PMM). Mouse model of PMM was established by tail vein injection of B16F10 cells. From day 3 after injection, the mice were exposed to RFR at an average specific absorption rate of 9.7 W/kg for 1 h per day for 14 days. After RFR exposure, lung tissues were harvested and RNAs were extracted for transcriptome sequencing; PMM-infiltrating immune cells were isolated for single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We showed that RFR exposure significantly impeded PMM progression accompanied by remodeled TIME of PMM via altering the proportion and transcription profile of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. RFR exposure increased the activation and cytotoxicity signatures of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, particularly in the early activation subset with upregulated genes associated with T cell cytotoxicity. The PD-1 checkpoint pathway was upregulated by RFR exposure in CD8+ T cells. RFR exposure also augmented NK cell subsets with increased cytotoxic characteristics in PMM. RFR exposure enhanced the effector function of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and NK cells, evidenced by increased expression of cytotoxic molecules. RFR-induced inhibition of PMM growth was mediated by RFR-activated CD8+ T cells and NK cells. We conclude that noninvasive RFR exposure induces antitumor remodeling of the TIME, leading to inhibition of tumor progression, which provides a promising novel strategy for TIME priming and potential combination with cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Zheng Jiao
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Radiation Biology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, China
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Wen-Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Min-di He
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Meng Meng
- Department of Clinical Hematology, College of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Clinical Hematology, College of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Qin-Long Ma
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Ya Xu
- Radiation Biology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, China
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Chun-Hai Chen
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Hui-Feng Pi
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Ping Deng
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yong-Zhong Wu
- Radiation Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- Center for Neurointelligence, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Zheng-Ping Yu
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - You-Cai Deng
- Department of Clinical Hematology, College of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Yong-Hui Lu
- Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Radiation Medical Protection of Ministry of Education, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
- Department of Occupational Health, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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9
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Sun X, Nagahama Y, Singh SK, Kozakai Y, Nabeshima H, Fukushima K, Tanaka H, Motooka D, Fukui E, Vivier E, Diez D, Akira S. Deletion of the mRNA endonuclease Regnase-1 promotes NK cell anti-tumor activity via OCT2-dependent transcription of Ifng. Immunity 2024; 57:1360-1377.e13. [PMID: 38821052 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.05.006] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Limited infiltration and activity of natural killer (NK) and T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) correlate with poor immunotherapy responses. Here, we examined the role of the endonuclease Regnase-1 on NK cell anti-tumor activity. NK cell-specific deletion of Regnase-1 (Reg1ΔNK) augmented cytolytic activity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in vitro and increased intra-tumoral accumulation of Reg1ΔNK-NK cells in vivo, reducing tumor growth dependent on IFN-γ. Transcriptional changes in Reg1ΔNK-NK cells included elevated IFN-γ expression, cytolytic effectors, and the chemokine receptor CXCR6. IFN-γ induced expression of the CXCR6 ligand CXCL16 on myeloid cells, promoting further recruitment of Reg1ΔNK-NK cells. Mechanistically, Regnase-1 deletion increased its targets, the transcriptional regulators OCT2 and IκBζ, following interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 stimulation, and the resulting OCT2-IκBζ-NF-κB complex induced Ifng transcription. Silencing Regnase-1 in human NK cells increased the expression of IFNG and POU2F2. Our findings highlight NK cell dysfunction in the TME and propose that targeting Regnase-1 could augment active NK cell persistence for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sun
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Quantitative Immunology Unit, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuharu Nagahama
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Host Defense Laboratory, Immunology Unit, Department of Medical Innovations, Osaka Research Center for Drug Discovery, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 5-1-35 Saito-aokita, Minoh, Osaka 562-0029, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shailendra Kumar Singh
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuuki Kozakai
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nabeshima
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Host Defense Laboratory, Immunology Unit, Department of Medical Innovations, Osaka Research Center for Drug Discovery, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 5-1-35 Saito-aokita, Minoh, Osaka 562-0029, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kiyoharu Fukushima
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Host Defense, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tanaka
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- NGS Core Facility of the Genome Information Research Center, RIMD, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Eriko Fukui
- Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Eric Vivier
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France; Innate Pharma Research Laboratories, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille-Immunopole, Marseille, France
| | - Diego Diez
- Quantitative Immunology Unit, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shizuo Akira
- Laboratory of Host Defense, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center (WPI-IFReC), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Joint Research Chair of Innate Immunity for Drug Discovery, WPI-IFReC, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Host Defense, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Center for Advanced Modalities and Drug Delivery System (CAMaD), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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10
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Liu Y, Hao Y, Chen J, Chen M, Tian J, Lv X, Zhang Y, Ma X, Zhou Y, Feng L. An Injectable Puerarin Depot Can Potentiate Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer Cell Immunotherapy Against Targeted Solid Tumors by Reversing Tumor Immunosuppression. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2307521. [PMID: 38212279 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy represents a potent approach to suppressing tumor growth because it has simultaneously inherited the specificity of CAR and the intrinsic generality of NK cells in recognizing cancer cells. However, its therapeutic potency against solid tumors is still restricted by insufficient tumor infiltration, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and many other biological barriers. Motivated by the high potency of puerarin, a traditional Chinese medicine extract, in dilating tumor blood vessels, an injectable puerarin depot based on a hydrogen peroxide-responsive hydrogel comprising poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate and ferrous chloride is concisely developed. Upon intratumoral fixation, the as-prepared puerarin depot (abbreviated as puerarin@PEGel) can activate nitrogen oxide production inside endothelial cells and thus dilate tumor blood vessels to relieve tumor hypoxia and reverse tumor immunosuppression. Such treatment can thus promote tumor infiltration, survival, and effector functions of customized epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1)-targeted HER1-CAR-NK cells after intravenous administration. Consequently, such puerarin@PEGel-assisted HER1-CAR-NK cell treatment exhibits superior tumor suppression efficacy toward both HER1-overexpressing MDA-MB-468 and NCI-H23 human tumor xenografts in mice without inducing obvious side effects. This study highlights a potent strategy to activate CAR-NK cells for augmented treatment of targeted solid tumors through reprogramming tumor immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Cancer Institute, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yu Hao
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Cancer Institute, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Minming Chen
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Jia Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Cancer Institute, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Lv
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Cancer Institute, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yefei Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, Cancer Institute, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Xinxing Ma
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, P. R. China
| | - Yehui Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, P. R. China
| | - Liangzhu Feng
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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11
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Fan J, Zhu J, Zhu H, Xu H. Potential therapeutic targets in myeloid cell therapy for overcoming chemoresistance and immune suppression in gastrointestinal tumors. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 198:104362. [PMID: 38614267 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
In the tumor microenvironment (TME), myeloid cells play a pivotal role. Myeloid-derived immunosuppressive cells, including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are central components in shaping the immunosuppressive milieu of the tumor. Within the TME, a majority of TAMs assume an M2 phenotype, characterized by their pro-tumoral activity. These cells promote tumor cell growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and migration. In contrast, M1 macrophages, under appropriate activation conditions, exhibit cytotoxic capabilities against cancer cells. However, an excessive M1 response may lead to pro-tumoral inflammation. As a result, myeloid cells have emerged as crucial targets in cancer therapy. This review concentrates on gastrointestinal tumors, detailing methods for targeting macrophages to enhance tumor radiotherapy and immunotherapy sensitivity. We specifically delve into monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages' various functions, establishing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, promoting tumorigenic inflammation, and fostering neovascularization and stromal remodeling. Additionally, we examine combination therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Fan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Jianshu Zhu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - He Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Hong Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun 130021, PR China.
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12
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Huang M, Liu Y, Yan Q, Peng M, Ge J, Mo Y, Wang Y, Wang F, Zeng Z, Li Y, Fan C, Xiong W. NK cells as powerful therapeutic tool in cancer immunotherapy. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:733-757. [PMID: 38170381 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00909-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells have gained considerable attention and hold great potential for their application in tumor immunotherapy. This is mainly due to their MHC-unrestricted and pan-specific recognition capabilities, as well as their ability to rapidly respond to and eliminate target cells. To artificially generate therapeutic NK cells, various materials can be utilized, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), umbilical cord blood (UCB), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and NK cell lines. Exploiting the therapeutic potential of NK cells to treat tumors through in vivo and in vitro therapeutic modalities has yielded positive therapeutic results. CONCLUSION This review provides a comprehensive description of NK cell therapeutic approaches for tumors and discusses the current problems associated with these therapeutic approaches and the prospects of NK cell therapy for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Huang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yixuan Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qijia Yan
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Miao Peng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Junshang Ge
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yongzhen Mo
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yumin Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fuyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Alkek Building, RM N720, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunmei Fan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, 410013, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Wei Xiong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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13
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Lang Y, Huang H, Jiang H, Wu S, Chen Y, Xu B, Liu Y, Zhu D, Zheng X, Chen L, Jiang J. TIGIT Blockade Reshapes the Tumor Microenvironment Based on the Single-cell RNA-Sequencing Analysis. J Immunother 2024; 47:172-181. [PMID: 38545758 DOI: 10.1097/cji.0000000000000511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
SUMMARY Immune checkpoint blockade therapy is a pivotal approach in treating malignant tumors. TIGIT has emerged as a focal point of interest among the diverse targets for tumor immunotherapy. Nonetheless, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the immune microenvironment alterations following TIGIT blockade treatment. To bridge this knowledge gap, we performed single-cell sequencing on mice both before and after the administration of anti-TIGIT therapy. Our analysis revealed that TIGIT was predominantly expressed on T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. The blockade of TIGIT exhibited inhibitory effects on Treg cells by downregulating the expression of Foxp3 and reducing the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines. In addition, TIGIT blockade facilitated the activation of NK cells, leading to an increase in cell numbers, and promoted cDC1 maturation through the secretion of XCL1 and Flt3L. This activation, in turn, stimulated the TCR signaling of CD8 + T cells, thereby enhancing their antitumor effect. Consequently, anti-TIGIT therapy demonstrated substantial potential for cancer immunotherapy. Our research provided novel insights into future therapeutic strategies targeting TIGIT for patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Lang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Hongwei Jiang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Shaoxian Wu
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Yaping Chen
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Yingting Liu
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Dawei Zhu
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Lujun Chen
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
| | - Jingting Jiang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Changzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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14
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Nakazawa T, Morimoto T, Maeoka R, Yamada K, Matsuda R, Nakamura M, Nishimura F, Yamada S, Park YS, Tsujimura T, Nakagawa I. Characterization of HIF-1α Knockout Primary Human Natural Killer Cells Including Populations in Allogeneic Glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5896. [PMID: 38892084 PMCID: PMC11173110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhancing immune cell functions in tumors remains a major challenge in cancer immunotherapy. Natural killer cells (NK) are major innate effector cells with broad cytotoxicity against tumors. Accordingly, NK cells are ideal candidates for cancer immunotherapy, including glioblastoma (GBM). Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors, and tumor cells and normal cells adapt to the tumor microenvironment by upregulating the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, which can be detrimental to anti-tumor effector immune cell function, including that of NK cells. We knocked out HIF-1α in human primary NK cells using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9). Then, cellular characterizations were conducted in normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Electroporating two HIF-1α-targeting guide RNA-Cas9 protein complexes inhibited HIF-1α expression in expanded NK cells. HIF-1α knockout human NK cells, including populations in hypoxic conditions, enhanced the growth inhibition of allogeneic GBM cells and induced apoptosis in GBM-cell-derived spheroids. RNA-sequencing revealed that the cytotoxicity of HIF-1α knockout NK cells could be related to increased perforin and TNF expression. The results demonstrated that HIF-1α knockout human NK cells, including populations, enhanced cytotoxicity in an environment mimicking the hypoxic conditions of GBM. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated HIF-1α knockout NK cells, including populations, could be a promising immunotherapeutic alternative in patients with GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Nakazawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
- Clinic Grandsoul Nara, Uda 633-2221, Japan;
- Grandsoul Research Institute for Immunology, Inc., Uda 633-2221, Japan
| | - Takayuki Morimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Ryosuke Maeoka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Kengo Yamada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Ryosuke Matsuda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Mitsutoshi Nakamura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
- Clinic Grandsoul Nara, Uda 633-2221, Japan;
| | - Fumihiko Nishimura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Shuichi Yamada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Young-Soo Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
| | - Takahiro Tsujimura
- Clinic Grandsoul Nara, Uda 633-2221, Japan;
- Grandsoul Research Institute for Immunology, Inc., Uda 633-2221, Japan
| | - Ichiro Nakagawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan; (T.M.); (R.M.); (K.Y.); (R.M.); (M.N.); (F.N.); (S.Y.); (Y.-S.P.); (I.N.)
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15
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Huang Y, Liu X, Zhu J, Chen Z, Yu L, Huang X, Dong C, Li J, Zhou H, Yang Y, Tan W. Enzyme Core Spherical Nucleic Acid That Enables Enhanced Cuproptosis and Antitumor Immune Response through Alleviating Tumor Hypoxia. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:13805-13816. [PMID: 38552185 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c14247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Cuproptosis, a copper-dependent cell death process, has been confirmed to further activate the immune response and mediate the immune resistance. However, hypoxic tumor microenvironment hampers cuproptosis sensitivity and suppresses the body's antitumor immune response. Herein, we have successfully immobilized and functionalized catalase (CAT) with long single-stranded DNA containing polyvalent CpG sequences through rolling circle amplification (RCA) techniques, obtaining an enzyme-cored spherical nucleic acid nanoplatform (CAT-ecSNA-Cu) to deliver copper ions for cuproptosis. The presence of long-stranded DNA-protected CAT enhances mitochondrial respiration by catalyzing the conversion of H2O2 to O2, thereby sensitizing cuproptosis. Meanwhile, increased tumor oxygenation suppresses the expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) protein, resulting in the alleviation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Of note, cuproptosis induces immunogenic cell death (ICD), which facilitates dendritic cell (DC) maturation and enhances antigen presentation through polyCpG-supported Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) activation. Furthermore, cuproptosis-induced PD-L1 upregulation in tumor cells complements checkpoint blockers (αPD-L1), enhancing antitumor immunity. The strategy of enhancing cuproptosis-mediated antitumor immune responses by alleviating hypoxia effectively promotes the activation and proliferation of effector T cells, ultimately leading to long-term immunity against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Huang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xueliang Liu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiawei Zhu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhejie Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chuhuang Dong
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiabei Li
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Huayuan Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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16
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Zhang X, Zhou L, Qian X. The Mechanism of "Treating Different Diseases with the Same Treatment" by Qiangji Jianpi Decoction in Ankylosing Spondylitis Combined with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comprehensive Analysis of Multiple Methods. Gastroenterol Res Pract 2024; 2024:9709260. [PMID: 38808131 PMCID: PMC11132832 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9709260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are prevalent autoimmune disorders that often co-occur, posing significant treatment challenges. This investigation adopts a multidisciplinary strategy, integrating bioinformatics, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and Mendelian randomization, to elucidate the relationship between AS and IBD and to investigate the potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine formulations, represented by Qiangji Jianpi (QJJP) decoction, in treating these comorbid conditions. Methods We utilized databases to pinpoint common targets among AS, IBD, and QJJP decoction's active compounds through intersection analysis. Through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, we mapped a network in Cytoscape, isolating critical targets. Molecular docking with AutoDock validated the affinity between targets and compounds. ROC analysis and dataset validation assessed diagnostic performance, while Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) offered pathway insights. Mendelian randomization explored the AS-IBD causal relationship. Results Screening identified 105 targets for QJJP decoction, 414 for AS, and 2420 for IBD, with 85 overlapping. These targets predominantly participate in organismal responses and DNA transcription factor binding, with a significant cellular presence in the endoplasmic reticulum and vesicle lumen. Molecular docking, facilitated by Cytoscape, confirmed IL1A, IFNG, TGFB1, and EDN1 as critical targets, with IFNG demonstrating diagnostic potential through GEO dataset validation. The integration of GSEA with network pharmacology highlighted the therapeutic significance of the relaxin, osteoclast differentiation, HIF-1, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways in QJJP decoction's action. Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a positive causal relationship between IBD and AS, pinpointing rs2193041 as a key SNP influencing IFNG. Conclusion Based on the principle of "treating different diseases with the same method" in traditional Chinese medicine theory, we explored the intricate mechanisms through which QJJP decoction addresses AS and IBD comorbidity. Our research spotlighted the pivotal role of the IFNG gene. IFNG emerges not only as a key therapeutic target but also assumes significance as a potential diagnostic biomarker through its genetic underpinnings. This investigation establishes a solid base for subsequent experimental inquiries. Our findings introduce novel approaches for incorporating traditional Chinese medicine into the treatment of AS-IBD comorbidity, setting the stage for groundbreaking research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhong Zhang
- Wuxi Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Lamei Zhou
- Wuxi Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Xian Qian
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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17
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Moinuddin A, Poznanski SM, Portillo AL, Monteiro JK, Ashkar AA. Metabolic adaptations determine whether natural killer cells fail or thrive within the tumor microenvironment. Immunol Rev 2024; 323:19-39. [PMID: 38459782 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells are a top contender in the development of adoptive cell therapies for cancer due to their diverse antitumor functions and ability to restrict their activation against nonmalignant cells. Despite their success in hematologic malignancies, NK cell-based therapies have been limited in the context of solid tumors. Tumor cells undergo various metabolic adaptations to sustain the immense energy demands that are needed to support their rapid and uncontrolled proliferation. As a result, the tumor microenvironment (TME) is depleted of nutrients needed to fuel immune cell activity and contains several immunosuppressive metabolites that hinder NK cell antitumor functions. Further, we now know that NK cell metabolic status is a main determining factor of their effector functions. Hence, the ability of NK cells to withstand and adapt to these metabolically hostile conditions is imperative for effective and sustained antitumor activity in the TME. With this in mind, we review the consequences of metabolic hostility in the TME on NK cell metabolism and function. We also discuss tumor-like metabolic programs in NK cell induced by STAT3-mediated expansion that adapt NK cells to thrive in the TME. Finally, we examine how other approaches can be applied to enhance NK cell metabolism in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan Moinuddin
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sophie M Poznanski
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ana L Portillo
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Monteiro
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali A Ashkar
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Abstract
Cells of the mammalian innate immune system have evolved to protect the host from various environmental or internal insults and injuries which perturb the homeostatic state of the organism. Among the lymphocytes of the innate immune system are natural killer (NK) cells, which circulate and survey host tissues for signs of stress, including infection or transformation. NK cells rapidly eliminate damaged cells in the blood or within tissues through secretion of cytolytic machinery and production of proinflammatory cytokines. To perform these effector functions while traversing between the blood and tissues, patrolling NK cells require sufficient fuel to meet their energetic demands. Here, we highlight the ability of NK cells to metabolically adapt across tissues, during times of nutrient deprivation and within tumor microenvironments. Whether at steady state, or during viral infection and cancer, NK cells readily shift their nutrient uptake and usage in order to maintain metabolism, survival, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Delconte
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Joseph C. Sun
- Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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19
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Hassan SH, Alshahrani MY, Saleh RO, Mohammed BA, Kumar A, Almalki SG, Alkhafaji AT, Ghildiyal P, Al-Tameemi AR, Elawady A. A new vision of the efficacy of both CAR-NK and CAR-T cells in treating cancers and autoimmune diseases. Med Oncol 2024; 41:127. [PMID: 38656354 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02362-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) based therapies are becoming increasingly important in treating patients. CAR-T cells have been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, harmful therapeutic barriers have been identified, such as the potential for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), neurotoxicity, and cytokine release syndrome (CRS). As a result, CAR NK-cell therapy is expected to be a new therapeutic option. NK cells act as cytotoxic lymphocytes, supporting the innate immune response against autoimmune diseases and cancer cells by precisely detecting and eliminating malignant cells. Genetic modification of these cells provides a dual approach to the treatment of AD and cancer. It can be used through both CAR-independent and CAR-dependent mechanisms. The use of CAR-based cell therapies has been successful in treating cancer patients, leading to further investigation of this innovative treatment for alternative diseases, including AD. The complementary roles of CAR T and CAR NK cells have stimulated exploration in this area. Our study examines the latest research on the therapeutic effectiveness of these cells in treating both cancer and ADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Hussein Hassan
- Community Health Department, Technical Institute of Karbala, AL-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Najaf, Iraq.
| | - Mohammad Y Alshahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raed Obaid Saleh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, Al-Anbar, Iraq
| | | | - Abhinav Kumar
- Department of Nuclear and Renewable Energy, Ural Federal University Named After the First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia
| | - Sami G Almalki
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, 11952, Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Pallavi Ghildiyal
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Ahmed Elawady
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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20
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Du Q, An Q, Zhang J, Liu C, Hu Q. Unravelling immune microenvironment features underlying tumor progression in the single-cell era. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:143. [PMID: 38649887 PMCID: PMC11036673 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03335-z] [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] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationship between the immune cell and tumor occurrence and progression remains unclear. Profiling alterations in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) at high resolution is crucial to identify factors influencing cancer progression and enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. However, traditional sequencing methods, including bulk RNA sequencing, exhibit varying degrees of masking the cellular heterogeneity and immunophenotypic changes observed in early and late-stage tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has provided significant and precise TIME landscapes. Consequently, this review has highlighted TIME cellular and molecular changes in tumorigenesis and progression elucidated through recent scRNA-seq studies. Specifically, we have summarized the cellular heterogeneity of TIME at different stages, including early, late, and metastatic stages. Moreover, we have outlined the related variations that may promote tumor occurrence and metastasis in the single-cell era. The widespread applications of scRNA-seq in TIME will comprehensively redefine the understanding of tumor biology and furnish more effective immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilian Du
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qi An
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Qinyong Hu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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21
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Zhang T, Tai Z, Miao F, Zhang X, Li J, Zhu Q, Wei H, Chen Z. Adoptive cell therapy for solid tumors beyond CAR-T: Current challenges and emerging therapeutic advances. J Control Release 2024; 368:372-396. [PMID: 38408567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Adoptive cellular immunotherapy using immune cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is a highly specific anti-tumor immunotherapy that has shown promise in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, there has been a slow progress toward the treatment of solid tumors owing to the complex tumor microenvironment that affects the localization and killing ability of the CAR cells. Solid tumors with a strong immunosuppressive microenvironment and complex vascular system are unaffected by CAR cell infiltration and attack. To improve their efficacy toward solid tumors, CAR cells have been modified and upgraded by "decorating" and "pruning". This review focuses on the structure and function of CARs, the immune cells that can be engineered by CARs and the transformation strategies to overcome solid tumors, with a view to broadening ideas for the better application of CAR cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingrui Zhang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Medical Guarantee Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China; School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Zongguang Tai
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China; Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Fengze Miao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Jiadong Li
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Quangang Zhu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China
| | - Hua Wei
- Medical Guarantee Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
| | - Zhongjian Chen
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200443, China; School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200443, China.
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22
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Yang X, Li C, Yang H, Li T, Ling S, Zhang Y, Wu F, Liu X, Liu S, Fan C, Wang Q. Programmed Remodeling of the Tumor Milieu to Enhance NK Cell Immunotherapy Combined with Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:3421-3431. [PMID: 38377170 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-based adoptive immunotherapy has demonstrated encouraging therapeutic effects in clinical trials for hematological cancers. However, the effectiveness of treatment for solid tumors remains a challenge due to insufficient recruitment and infiltration of NK cells into tumor tissues. Herein, a programmed nanoremodeler (DAS@P/H/pp) is designed to remodel dense physical stromal barriers and for dysregulation of the chemokine of the tumor environment to enhance the recruitment and infiltration of NK cells in tumors. The DAS@P/H/pp is triggered by the acidic tumor environment, resulting in charge reversal and subsequent hyaluronidase (HAase) release. HAase effectively degrades the extracellular matrix, promoting the delivery of immunoregulatory molecules and chemotherapy drugs into deep tumor tissues. In mouse models of pancreatic cancer, this nanomediated strategy for the programmed remodeling of the tumor microenvironment significantly boosts the recruitment of NK92 cells and their tumor cell-killing capabilities under the supervision of multiplexed near-infrared-II fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hongchao Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Tuanwei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Sisi Ling
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yejun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Feng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiaoguo Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Centre for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Shaoqin Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Centre for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qiangbin Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
- College of Materials Sciences and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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23
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Wang X, Zhang W, Wang Y, Zhu X, Liu Z, Liu M, Wu Z, Li B, Liu S, Liao S, Zhu P, Liu B, Li C, Wang Y, Chen Z. Logic "AND Gate Circuit"-Based Gasdermin Protein Expressing Nanoplatform Induces Tumor-Specific Pyroptosis to Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy. ACS NANO 2024; 18:6946-6962. [PMID: 38377037 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Pyroptosis mediated by gasdermin protein has shown great potential in cancer immunotherapies. However, the low expression of gasdermin proteins and the systemic toxicity of nonspecific pyroptosis limit its clinical application. Here, we designed a synthetic biology strategy to construct a tumor-specific pyroptosis-inducing nanoplatform M-CNP/Mn@pPHS, in which a pyroptosis-inducing plasmid (pPHS) was loaded onto a manganese (Mn)-doped calcium carbonate nanoparticle and wrapped in a tumor-derived cell membrane. M-CNP/Mn@pPHS showed an efficient tumor targeting ability. After its internalization by tumor cells, the degradation of M-CNP/Mn@pPHS in the acidic endosomal environment allowed the efficient endosomal escape of plasmid pPHS. To trigger tumor-specific pyroptosis, pPHS was designed according to the logic "AND gate circuit" strategy, with Hif-1α and Sox4 as two input signals and gasdermin D induced pyroptosis as output signal. Only in cells with high expression of Hif-1α and Sox4 simultaneously will the output signal gasdermin D be expressed. Since Hif-1α and Sox4 are both specifically expressed in tumor cells, M-CNP/Mn@pPHS induces the tumor-specific expression of gasdermin D and thus pyroptosis, triggering an efficient immune response with little systemic toxicity. The Mn2+ released from the nanoplatform further enhanced the antitumor immune response by stimulating the cGAS-STING pathway. Thus, M-CNP/Mn@pPHS efficiently inhibited tumor growth with 79.8% tumor regression in vivo. We demonstrate that this logic "AND gate circuit"-based gasdermin nanoplatform is a promising strategy for inducing tumor-specific pyroptosis with little systemic toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenyan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xueqin Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zimai Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Meiyi Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zixian Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Bingyu Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Sijia Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shixin Liao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Pingping Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Benyu Liu
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Chong Li
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Zhongke Jianlan Medical Research Institute, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yongchao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhenzhen Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Bioactive Macromolecules, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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24
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Miao L, Lu C, Zhang B, Li H, Zhao X, Chen H, Liu Y, Cui X. Advances in metabolic reprogramming of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment on the impact of NK therapy. J Transl Med 2024; 22:229. [PMID: 38433193 PMCID: PMC10909296 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05033-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are unique from other immune cells in that they can rapidly kill multiple neighboring cells without the need for antigenic pre-sensitization once the cells display surface markers associated with oncogenic transformation. Given the dynamic role of NK cells in tumor surveillance, NK cell-based immunotherapy is rapidly becoming a "new force" in tumor immunotherapy. However, challenges remain in the use of NK cell immunotherapy in the treatment of solid tumors. Many metabolic features of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of solid tumors, including oxygen and nutrient (e.g., glucose, amino acids) deprivation, accumulation of specific metabolites (e.g., lactate, adenosine), and limited availability of signaling molecules that allow for metabolic reorganization, multifactorial shaping of the immune-suppressing TME impairs tumor-infiltrating NK cell function. This becomes a key barrier limiting the success of NK cell immunotherapy in solid tumors. Restoration of endogenous NK cells in the TME or overt transfer of functionally improved NK cells holds great promise in cancer therapy. In this paper, we summarize the metabolic biology of NK cells, discuss the effects of TME on NK cell metabolism and effector functions, and review emerging strategies for targeting metabolism-improved NK cell immunotherapy in the TME to circumvent these barriers to achieve superior efficacy of NK cell immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxuan Miao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenglin Lu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
| | - Huili Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Zhao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoran Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, 116001, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaonan Cui
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, People's Republic of China.
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25
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Li T, Niu M, Zhang W, Qin S, Zhou J, Yi M. CAR-NK cells for cancer immunotherapy: recent advances and future directions. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1361194. [PMID: 38404574 PMCID: PMC10884099 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1361194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells, intrinsic to the innate immune system, are pivotal in combating cancer due to their independent cytotoxic capabilities in antitumor immune response. Unlike predominant treatments that target T cell immunity, the limited success of T cell immunotherapy emphasizes the urgency for innovative approaches, with a spotlight on harnessing the potential of NK cells. Despite tumors adapting mechanisms to evade NK cell-induced cytotoxicity, there is optimism surrounding Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) NK cells. This comprehensive review delves into the foundational features and recent breakthroughs in comprehending the dynamics of NK cells within the tumor microenvironment. It critically evaluates the potential applications and challenges associated with emerging CAR-NK cell therapeutic strategies, positioning them as promising tools in the evolving landscape of precision medicine. As research progresses, the unique attributes of CAR-NK cells offer a new avenue for therapeutic interventions, paving the way for a more effective and precise approach to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Weijiang Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming Yi
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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26
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Deng K, Tian H, Zhang T, Gao Y, Nice EC, Huang C, Xie N, Ye G, Zhou Y. Chemo-photothermal nanoplatform with diselenide as the key for ferroptosis in colorectal cancer. J Control Release 2024; 366:684-693. [PMID: 38224739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.01.024] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent clinical malignancy of the gastrointestinal system, and its clinical drug resistance is the leading cause of poor prognosis. Mechanistically, CRC cells possess a specific oxidative stress defense mechanism composed of a significant number of endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione, to combat the damage produced by drug-induced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS). We report on a new anti-CRC nanoplatform, a multifunctional chemo-photothermal nanoplatform based on Camptothecin (CPT) and IR820, an indocyanine dye. The implementation of a GSH-triggered ferroptosis-integrated tumor chemo-photothermal nanoplatform successfully addressed the poor targeting ability of CPT and IR820 while exhibiting significant growth inhibitory effects on CRC cells. Mechanistically, to offset the oxidative stress created by the broken SeSe bonds, endogenous GSH was continuously depleted, which inactivated GPX4 to accumulate lipid peroxides and induce ferroptosis. Concurrently, exogenously administered linoleic acid was oxidized under photothermal conditions, resulting in an increase in LPO accumulation. With the breakdown of the oxidative stress defense system, chemotherapeutic efficacy could be effectively enhanced. In combination with photoacoustic imaging, the nanoplatform could eradicate solid tumors by means of ferroptosis-sensitized chemotherapy. This study indicates that chemotherapy involving a ferroptosis mechanism is a viable method for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China
| | - Hailong Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yajie Gao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China
| | - Edouard C Nice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Canhua Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Na Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Guoliang Ye
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China.
| | - Yuping Zhou
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, China.
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27
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Li Z, Wei R, Yao S, Meng F, Kong L. HIF-1A as a prognostic biomarker related to invasion, migration and immunosuppression of cervical cancer. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24664. [PMID: 38298716 PMCID: PMC10828096 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of cervical cancer ranks second among malignant tumors in women, exerting a significant impact on their quality of life and overall well-being. The hypoxic microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of tumorigenesis. The present study aims to investigate the fundamental genes and pathways associated with the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1A) in cervical cancer, aiming to identify potential downstream targets for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Methods We obtained dataset GSE63514 from the Comprehensive Gene Expression Database (GEO). The dataset comprised of 24 patients in the normal group and 28 patients in the tumor group. Gene set difference analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to identify the genes related to HIF-1A expression and the specific signaling pathways involved.The association between HIF-1A and tumor immune infiltration was examined in the TCGA dataset. The WGCAN network was constructed to identify key genes within the blue module, and subsequent gene ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted to determine the pathways and functional annotations associated with HIF-1A. The protein interaction network of the HIF-1A gene was obtained from the STRING database and visualized using Cytoscape in the meantime.The function of HIF-1A and its related gene expression were verified in vivo. Results HIF-1A was a risk factor in both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis of cervical cancer patients. A total of 344 genes significantly correlated with the expression of HIF-1A were identified through correlation analysis, and the genes exhibiting the strongest correlation were obtained. The major signaling pathways involved in HIF-1A encompass TNF-α/NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/MTOR, TGF-β, JAK-STAT, and various other signaling cascades. Reinforced by qRT-PCR, we identified Integrin beta-1 (ITGB1), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), striatin 3 (STRN3), and endothelin-1 (EDN1) as pivotal downstream genes influenced by HIF-1A. HIF-1A is associated with immune infiltration of natural killer (NK) cells, mast cells, CD4+T cells, M0 macrophages, neutrophils, follicular helper T cells, CD8+T cells, and regulatory T cells (Treg). HIF-1A is associated with sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. The identification of the HIF-1A pathway and its function primarily focuses on cytoplasmic translation, aerobic respiration, cellular respiration, oxidative phosphorylation, thermogenesis, among others. The results of in vivo experiments have confirmed that HIF-1A plays a crucial role in promoting the migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, the overexpression of HIF-1A led to an upregulation in the expressions of ITGB1, CCL2, STRN3, and EDN1. Conclusions The role of HIF-1A in cervical cancer was determined through a combination of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. The genes potentially implicated in the tumorigenesis mechanism of HIF-1A were identified. These findings has the potential to enhance our comprehension of the progression of cervical cancer and offer promising therapeutic targets for its clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ran Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shunyu Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Fang Meng
- Department of Oncology &Hematology, Xishan People's Hospital of Wuxi City, Wuxi, China
| | - Lingsuo Kong
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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28
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Dean I, Lee CYC, Tuong ZK, Li Z, Tibbitt CA, Willis C, Gaspal F, Kennedy BC, Matei-Rascu V, Fiancette R, Nordenvall C, Lindforss U, Baker SM, Stockmann C, Sexl V, Hammond SA, Dovedi SJ, Mjösberg J, Hepworth MR, Carlesso G, Clatworthy MR, Withers DR. Rapid functional impairment of natural killer cells following tumor entry limits anti-tumor immunity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:683. [PMID: 38267402 PMCID: PMC10808449 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune cell dysfunction within the tumor microenvironment (TME) undermines the control of cancer progression. Established tumors contain phenotypically distinct, tumor-specific natural killer (NK) cells; however, the temporal dynamics, mechanistic underpinning and functional significance of the NK cell compartment remains incompletely understood. Here, we use photo-labeling, combined with longitudinal transcriptomic and cellular analyses, to interrogate the fate of intratumoral NK cells. We reveal that NK cells rapidly lose effector functions and adopt a distinct phenotypic state with features associated with tissue residency. NK cell depletion from established tumors did not alter tumor growth, indicating that intratumoral NK cells cease to actively contribute to anti-tumor responses. IL-15 administration prevented loss of function and improved tumor control, generating intratumoral NK cells with both tissue-residency characteristics and enhanced effector function. Collectively, our data reveals the fate of NK cells after recruitment into tumors and provides insight into how their function may be revived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dean
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Colin Y C Lee
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Immunity Unit, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Zewen K Tuong
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Immunity Unit, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Zhi Li
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christopher A Tibbitt
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claire Willis
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Fabrina Gaspal
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Bethany C Kennedy
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Veronika Matei-Rascu
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rémi Fiancette
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Caroline Nordenvall
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Pelvic Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrik Lindforss
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Pelvic Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Syed Murtuza Baker
- Division of Informatics, Imaging & Data Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, the University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Veronika Sexl
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Jenny Mjösberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Clinical Lung and Allergy Research, Medical unit for Lung and Allergy Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthew R Hepworth
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, the University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Menna R Clatworthy
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Immunity Unit, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Cellular Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.
| | - David R Withers
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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29
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Loeuillard EJ, Li B, Stumpf HE, Yang J, Willhite JR, Tomlinson JL, Rohakhtar FR, Simon VA, Graham RP, Smoot RL, Dong H, Ilyas SI. Noncanonical TRAIL Signaling Promotes Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Abundance and Tumor Growth in Cholangiocarcinoma. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 17:853-876. [PMID: 38219900 PMCID: PMC10981132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Proapoptotic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) signaling as a cause of cancer cell death is a well-established mechanism. However, TRAIL-receptor (TRAIL-R) agonists have had very limited anticancer activity in human beings, challenging the concept of TRAIL as a potent anticancer agent. Herein, we aimed to define mechanisms by which TRAIL+ cancer cells can leverage noncanonical TRAIL signaling in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) promoting their abundance in murine cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). METHODS Multiple immunocompetent syngeneic, orthotopic models of CCA were used. Single-cell RNA sequencing and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing of CD45+ cells in murine tumors from the different CCA models was conducted. RESULTS In multiple immunocompetent murine models of CCA, implantation of TRAIL+ murine cancer cells into Trail-r-/- mice resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volumes compared with wild-type mice. Tumor-bearing Trail-r-/- mice had a significant decrease in the abundance of MDSCs owing to attenuation of MDSC proliferation. Noncanonical TRAIL signaling with consequent nuclear factor-κB activation in MDSCs facilitated enhanced MDSC proliferation. Single-cell RNA sequencing and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing of immune cells from murine tumors showed enrichment of a nuclear factor-κB activation signature in MDSCs. Moreover, MDSCs were resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis owing to enhanced expression of cellular FLICE inhibitory protein, an inhibitor of proapoptotic TRAIL signaling. Accordingly, cellular FLICE inhibitory protein knockdown sensitized murine MDSCs to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Finally, cancer cell-restricted deletion of Trail significantly reduced MDSC abundance and murine tumor burden. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting TRAIL+ cancer cells for treatment of a poorly immunogenic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilien J Loeuillard
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Binbin Li
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Hannah E Stumpf
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jingchun Yang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jessica R Willhite
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jennifer L Tomlinson
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | | | - Rondell P Graham
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Rory L Smoot
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Haidong Dong
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota; Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Sumera I Ilyas
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota.
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30
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Torcellan T, Friedrich C, Doucet-Ladevèze R, Ossner T, Solé VV, Riedmann S, Ugur M, Imdahl F, Rosshart SP, Arnold SJ, Gomez de Agüero M, Gagliani N, Flavell RA, Backes S, Kastenmüller W, Gasteiger G. Circulating NK cells establish tissue residency upon acute infection of skin and mediate accelerated effector responses to secondary infection. Immunity 2024; 57:124-140.e7. [PMID: 38157853 PMCID: PMC10783803 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are present in the circulation and can also be found residing in tissues, and these populations exhibit distinct developmental requirements and are thought to differ in terms of ontogeny. Here, we investigate whether circulating conventional NK (cNK) cells can develop into long-lived tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells following acute infections. We found that viral and bacterial infections of the skin triggered the recruitment of cNK cells and their differentiation into Tcf1hiCD69hi trNK cells that share transcriptional similarity with CD56brightTCF1hi NK cells in human tissues. Skin trNK cells arose from interferon (IFN)-γ-producing effector cells and required restricted expression of the transcriptional regulator Blimp1 to optimize Tcf1-dependent trNK cell formation. Upon secondary infection, trNK cells rapidly gained effector function and mediated an accelerated NK cell response. Thus, cNK cells redistribute and permanently position at sites of previous infection via a mechanism promoting tissue residency that is distinct from Hobit-dependent developmental paths of NK cells and ILC1 seeding tissues during ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Torcellan
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christin Friedrich
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rémi Doucet-Ladevèze
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Ossner
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Immunobiology, Epigenetics, and Metabolism (IMPRS-IEM), 79108 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Virgínia Visaconill Solé
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sofie Riedmann
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Milas Ugur
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Imdahl
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz-Center for Infection Research (HZI), 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stephan P Rosshart
- Department of Microbiome Research, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany; Department of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian J Arnold
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; Signaling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mercedes Gomez de Agüero
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nicola Gagliani
- Section of Molecular Immunology und Gastroenterology, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology (HCTI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richard A Flavell
- Department of Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Simone Backes
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Kastenmüller
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georg Gasteiger
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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31
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Koganemaru S, Fuchigami H, Yamashita H, Morizono C, Sunakawa H, Kawazoe A, Nakamura Y, Kuboki Y, Shitara K, Yano T, Doi T, Yasunaga M. Quantitative Analysis of the Concentration of Trifluridine in Tumor Hypoxic Regions Using a Novel Platform Combining Functional Endoscopy and Mass Spectrometry. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:62-70. [PMID: 37803526 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3066] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxic regions in solid tumors are highly resistant to drugs and thus represents an obstacle in drug discovery. Currently, however, there are technical barriers in sampling human hypoxic tumors and examining drug delivery with high sensitivity and accuracy. Herein, we present a new platform combining functional endoscopy and highly sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to assess drug delivery to hypoxic regions. Because oxygen saturation endoscopic imaging (OXEI), a functional endoscopy, can evaluate lesions and hypoxia in real-time by simultaneously acquiring a pseudocolor map of oxygen saturation and conventional endoscopic images, this platform can be used to evaluate drug delivery with human samples from hypoxic regions. As the first clinical application of this platform, the relationship between hypoxic regions and the concentration of trifluridine (FTD) incorporated into DNA was evaluated in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with FTD/tipiracil (FTD/TPI; n = 13) by obtaining and analysis of tissue samples by OXEI and LC-MS and vascular maturity index by CD31/α-SMA staining ex vivo. The results showed that the concentration of FTD was significantly higher in the normoxic region than in the hypoxic region (P < 0.05) and there were significantly more immature vessels in hypoxic regions than in normoxic regions (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the platform was sufficiently sensitive to evaluate differences in drug anabolism in different oxygenic regions of human tumor tissue. This new platform allows quantitative drug analysis in hypoxic regions and is expected to initiate a new era of drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigehiro Koganemaru
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hirobumi Fuchigami
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hiroki Yamashita
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Chihiro Morizono
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hironori Sunakawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Akihito Kawazoe
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yasutoshi Kuboki
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Kohei Shitara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Tomonori Yano
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Doi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yasunaga
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
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Pan W, Tao T, Qiu Y, Zhu X, Zhou X. Natural killer cells at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy with immune potency, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 193:104231. [PMID: 38070841 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104231] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are vital components of the human immune system, acting as innate lymphocytes and playing a crucial role in immune surveillance. Their unique ability to independently eliminate target cells without antigen contact or antibodies has sparked interest in immunological research. This review examines recent NK cell developments and applications, encompassing immune functions, interactions with target cells, genetic engineering techniques, pharmaceutical interventions, and implications in cancers. Insights into NK cell regulation emerge, with a focus on promising genetic engineering like CAR-engineered NK cells, enhancing specificity against tumors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors also enhance NK cells' potential in cancer therapy. Nanotechnology's emergence as a tool for targeted drug delivery to improve NK cell therapies is explored. In conclusion, NK cells are pivotal in immunity, holding exciting potential in cancer immunotherapy. Ongoing research promises novel therapeutic strategies, advancing immunotherapy and medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Pan
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China; School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Yishu Qiu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Xiao Zhu
- Computational Systems Biology Lab (CSBL), The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.
| | - Xiaorong Zhou
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
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Dallmann J, Freitag J, Jung C, Khinvasara K, Merz L, Peters D, Schork M, Beck J. CIMT 2023: report on the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy. IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY TECHNOLOGY 2023; 20:100397. [PMID: 37876518 PMCID: PMC10590812 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2023.100397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The Association for Cancer Immunotherapy (CIMT) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the CIMT Annual Meeting. CIMT2023 was held 3-5 May 2023 in Mainz, Germany. 1051 academic and clinical professionals from over 30 countries attended the meeting and discussed the latest advances in cancer immunology and immunotherapy research. This report summarizes the highlights of CIMT2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Dallmann
- Immunotherapies & Preclinical Research, BioNTech SE, Mainz
| | - J. Freitag
- TRON-Translational Oncology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - C. Jung
- BioNTech Cell & Gene Therapies GmbH, Mainz
| | - K. Khinvasara
- TRON-Translational Oncology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - L. Merz
- TRON-Translational Oncology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - D. Peters
- Immunotherapies & Preclinical Research, BioNTech SE, Mainz
| | - M. Schork
- TRON-Translational Oncology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - J.D. Beck
- Immunotherapies & Preclinical Research, BioNTech SE, Mainz
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Balzasch BM, Cerwenka A. Microenvironmental signals shaping NK-cell reactivity in cancer. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250103. [PMID: 37194594 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the postulation of the "missing-self" concept, much progress has been made in defining requirements for NK-cell activation. Unlike T lymphocytes that process signals from receptors in a hierarchic manner dominated by the T-cell receptors, NK cells integrate receptor signals more "democratically." Signals originate not only the downstream of cell-surface receptors triggered by membrane-bound ligands or cytokines, but are also mediated by specialized microenvironmental sensors that perceive the cellular surrounding by detecting metabolites or the availability of oxygen. Thus, NK-cell effector functions are driven in an organ and disease-dependent manner. Here, we review the latest findings on how NK-cell reactivity in cancer is determined by the reception and integration of complex signals. Finally, we discuss how this knowledge can be exploited to guide novel combinatorial approaches for NK-cell-based anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M Balzasch
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Yi M, Li T, Niu M, Mei Q, Zhao B, Chu Q, Dai Z, Wu K. Exploiting innate immunity for cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:187. [PMID: 38008741 PMCID: PMC10680233 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01885-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment paradigms of various types of cancers. However, most of these immunomodulatory strategies focus on harnessing adaptive immunity, mainly by inhibiting immunosuppressive signaling with immune checkpoint blockade, or enhancing immunostimulatory signaling with bispecific T cell engager and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell. Although these agents have already achieved great success, only a tiny percentage of patients could benefit from immunotherapies. Actually, immunotherapy efficacy is determined by multiple components in the tumor microenvironment beyond adaptive immunity. Cells from the innate arm of the immune system, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, neutrophils, natural killer cells, and unconventional T cells, also participate in cancer immune evasion and surveillance. Considering that the innate arm is the cornerstone of the antitumor immune response, utilizing innate immunity provides potential therapeutic options for cancer control. Up to now, strategies exploiting innate immunity, such as agonists of stimulator of interferon genes, CAR-macrophage or -natural killer cell therapies, metabolic regulators, and novel immune checkpoint blockade, have exhibited potent antitumor activities in preclinical and clinical studies. Here, we summarize the latest insights into the potential roles of innate cells in antitumor immunity and discuss the advances in innate arm-targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yi
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Mei
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Chu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhijun Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kongming Wu
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
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Ou Z, Lu Y, Xu D, Luo Z. Hypoxia mediates immune escape of pancreatic cancer cells by affecting miR-1275/AXIN2 in natural killer cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1271603. [PMID: 38035113 PMCID: PMC10684956 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1271603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the increasing incidence of pancreatic cancer and the low survival rate, the exploration of the complex tumor microenvironment and the development of novel treatment options is urgent. NK cells, known for their cytotoxic abilities and modulation of other immune cells, are vital in recognizing and killing cancer cells. However, hypoxic conditions in the tumor microenvironment have been found to impair NK cell functionality and contribute to tumor immune escape. Therefore, we aimed to uncover the mechanism through which hypoxia mediates the immune escape of pancreatic cancer cells, focusing on the influence of miR-1275/AXIN2 on NK cells. Using a combination of GEO dataset screening, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource 2.0 immunoscore screening, and the Cancer Genome Atlas data, we identified a correlation between miR-1275 and NK cells. The down-regulation of miR-1275 was associated with decreased NK cell activity and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Pathway analysis further linked miR-1275 expression with the hypoxic HIF1A pathway. In vitro experiments were conducted using the NK-92 cell, revealing that hypoxia significantly reduced miR-1275 expression and correspondingly decreased the cell-killing ability of NK cells. Upregulation of miR-1275 increased perforin, IFN-γ and TNF-α expression levels and enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity. Additionally, miR-1275 was found to bind to and inhibit AXIN2 expression, which when overexpressed, partially alleviated the promotive effect of upregulated miR-1275 on NK-92 cell killing ability. In conclusion, this research underscores the critical role of the miR-1275/AXIN2 axis in hypoxia-mediated immune escape in pancreatic cancer, thus opening new potential avenues for treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglin Ou
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yebin Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dayong Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhen Luo
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Zhang H, Wang J, Li F. Modulation of natural killer cell exhaustion in the lungs: the key components from lung microenvironment and lung tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1286986. [PMID: 38022613 PMCID: PMC10657845 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1286986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of tumor-induced death worldwide and remains a primary global health concern. In homeostasis, due to its unique structure and physiological function, the lung microenvironment is in a state of immune tolerance and suppression, which is beneficial to tumor development and metastasis. The lung tumor microenvironment is a more complex system that further enhances the immunosuppressive features in the lungs. NK cells are abundantly located in the lungs and play crucial roles in lung tumor surveillance and antitumor immunity. However, the immunosuppressive microenvironment promotes significant challenges to NK cell features, leading to their hypofunction, exhaustion, and compromised antitumor activity. Thus, understanding the complex interactions among the lung microenvironment, lung tumor microenvironment, and NK cell exhaustion is critical for the development of effective cancer immunotherapeutic strategies. The present review will discuss NK cell hypofunction and exhaustion within the lung microenvironment and lung tumor microenvironment, focusing on lung tissue-specific factors, including key cytokines and unique environmental components, that modulate NK cell activation and function. Understanding the functional mechanisms of key factors would help to design strategies to reverse NK cell exhaustion and restore their antitumor function within the lung tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Zhang
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Fengqi Li
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China
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38
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Borde S, Matosevic S. Metabolic adaptation of NK cell activity and behavior in tumors: challenges and therapeutic opportunities. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:832-848. [PMID: 37770314 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
The adaptation of natural killer (NK) cells to conditions in the microenvironment of tumors is deeply affected by their metabolic activity, itself a result of nutrient availability and the metabolism of the cancer cells themselves. Elevated rates of glycolysis and lipid metabolism in cancers not only lead to the accumulation of immunosuppressive byproducts but also contribute to an environment of elevated concentrations of extracellular metabolites. This results in altered NK cell bioenergetics through changes in transcriptional and translational profiles, ultimately affecting their pharmacology and impairing NK cell responses. However, understanding the metabolic processes that drive alterations in immunological signaling on NK cells remains both difficult and vastly underexplored. We discuss the varied and complex drivers of NK cell metabolism in homeostasis and the tumor microenvironment (TME), challenges associated with their targetability, and unexplored therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shambhavi Borde
- Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Sandro Matosevic
- Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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39
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Yue S, Wang Q, Zhang J, Hu Q, Liu C. Understanding cervical cancer at single-cell resolution. Cancer Lett 2023; 576:216408. [PMID: 37769795 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer is now the fourth most prevalent malignancy in women worldwide, representing a tremendous burden of cancer. The heterogeneity of complex tumor ecosystem impacts tumorigenesis, malignant progression, and response to treatment; thus, a thorough understanding of the tumor ecosystem is vital for enhancing the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. The rapid development and widespread use of single-cell sequencing have generated a new paradigm of cancer research, providing a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of cancers. In this review, we give an overview of the recent advances made by leveraging single-cell sequencing studies in the dissection of cervical cancer ecosystem heterogeneity. We highlight the evolution of the cervical cancer ecosystem during tumor initiation, progression, and treatment. High-resolution dissection of cervical cancer at the single-cell level has the potential to drive the development of targeted therapies and enable the realization of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengqin Yue
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Qinyong Hu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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40
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Santosa EK, Sun JC. Cardinal features of immune memory in innate lymphocytes. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1803-1812. [PMID: 37828377 PMCID: PMC10998651 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01607-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The ability of vertebrates to 'remember' previous infections had once been attributed exclusively to adaptive immunity. We now appreciate that innate lymphocytes also possess memory properties akin to those of adaptive immune cells. In this Review, we draw parallels from T cell biology to explore the key features of immune memory in innate lymphocytes, including quantity, quality, and location. We discuss the signals that trigger clonal or clonal-like expansion in innate lymphocytes, and highlight recent studies that shed light on the complex cellular and molecular crosstalk between metabolism, epigenetics, and transcription responsible for differentiating innate lymphocyte responses towards a memory fate. Additionally, we explore emerging evidence that activated innate lymphocytes relocate and establish themselves in specific peripheral tissues during infection, which may facilitate an accelerated response program akin to those of tissue-resident memory T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endi K Santosa
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph C Sun
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
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41
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Ma S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Harnessing Natural Killer Cells for Lung Cancer Therapy. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3327-3339. [PMID: 37531223 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although natural killer (NK) cells are garnering interest as a potential anticancer therapy because they selectively recognize and eliminate cancer cells, their use in treating solid tumors, including lung cancer, has been limited due to impediments to their efficacy, such as their limited ability to reach tumor tissues, the reduced antitumor activity of tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and the suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the cross-talk between the lung cancer TME and NK cells. We highlight the various mechanisms used by the TME to modulate NK-cell phenotypes and limit infiltration, explore the role of the TME in limiting the antitumor activity of NK cells, and discuss the current challenges and obstacles that hinder the success of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Potential opportunities and promising strategies to address these challenges have been implemented or are being developed to optimize NK-cell-based immunotherapy for lung cancer. Through critical evaluation of existing literature and emerging trends, this review provides a comprehensive outlook on the future of NK-cell-based immunotherapy for treating lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoubao Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Los Angeles, California
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42
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Wang P, Wang XY, Man CF, Gong DD, Fan Y. Advances in hyperbaric oxygen to promote immunotherapy through modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1200619. [PMID: 37790761 PMCID: PMC10543083 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1200619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a relatively safe treatment method that has been used for a long time in the clinic. It has been proven that it can enhance the sensitivity of radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy for cancer. However, there are few studies on hyperbaric oxygen and immunotherapy. In this article, we summarize that hyperbaric oxygen therapy regulates the tumor microenvironment through various pathways such as improving tumor hypoxia, targeting hypoxia-inducing factors, and generating reactive oxygen species. The change in the tumor microenvironment ultimately affects the curative effect of immunotherapy. Therefore, hyperbaric oxygen can influence immunotherapy by regulating the tumor microenvironment, providing a direction for the future development of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Suqian First People’s Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chang-Feng Man
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan-Dan Gong
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu Fan
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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43
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Zhao X, Lin M, Huang X. Current status and future perspective of natural killer cell therapy for cancer. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2023; 3:305-320. [PMID: 38235405 PMCID: PMC10790210 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2023-0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells possess innate abilities to effectively eliminate cancer cells. However, because of difficulties of proliferation and easy to be induced dysfunction in the setting of cancer post NK cell therapy, the curative effect of NK cell infusion has been constrained and not been widely applicable in clinical practice. The rapid development of biotechnology has promoted the development of NK cell therapy for cancer treatment. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current status and future prospects of NK cell therapy for cancer, focusing on the biological characteristics of NK cells, as well as strategies to enhance their targeting capabilities and overcome tumor immune suppression within the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Minghao Lin
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
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44
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Sun XX, Nosrati Z, Ko J, Lee CM, Bennewith KL, Bally MB. Induced Vascular Normalization-Can One Force Tumors to Surrender to a Better Microenvironment? Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2022. [PMID: 37631236 PMCID: PMC10458586 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has changed the way many cancers are being treated. Researchers in the field of immunotherapy and tumor immunology are investigating similar questions: How can the positive benefits achieved with immunotherapies be enhanced? Can this be achieved through combinations with other agents and if so, which ones? In our view, there is an urgent need to improve immunotherapy to make further gains in the overall survival for those patients that should benefit from immunotherapy. While numerous different approaches are being considered, our team believes that drug delivery methods along with appropriately selected small-molecule drugs and drug candidates could help reach the goal of doubling the overall survival rate that is seen in some patients that are given immunotherapeutics. This review article is prepared to address how immunotherapies should be combined with a second treatment using an approach that could realize therapeutic gains 10 years from now. For context, an overview of immunotherapy and cancer angiogenesis is provided. The major targets in angiogenesis that have modulatory effects on the tumor microenvironment and immune cells are highlighted. A combination approach that, for us, has the greatest potential for success involves treatments that will normalize the tumor's blood vessel structure and alter the immune microenvironment to support the action of immunotherapeutics. So, this is reviewed as well. Our focus is to provide an insight into some strategies that will engender vascular normalization that may be better than previously described approaches. The potential for drug delivery systems to promote tumor blood vessel normalization is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Xin Sun
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- NanoMedicines Innovation Network, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Cuprous Pharmaceuticals, Vancouver, BC V6N 3P8, Canada
| | - Zeynab Nosrati
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Cuprous Pharmaceuticals, Vancouver, BC V6N 3P8, Canada
| | - Janell Ko
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
| | - Che-Min Lee
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kevin L. Bennewith
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Marcel B. Bally
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (Z.N.); (J.K.); (C.-M.L.); (K.L.B.); (M.B.B.)
- Interdisciplinary Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- NanoMedicines Innovation Network, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Cuprous Pharmaceuticals, Vancouver, BC V6N 3P8, Canada
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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45
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Shin E, Bak SH, Park T, Kim JW, Yoon SR, Jung H, Noh JY. Understanding NK cell biology for harnessing NK cell therapies: targeting cancer and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192907. [PMID: 37539051 PMCID: PMC10395517 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-engineered immune cell therapies have partially transformed cancer treatment, as exemplified by the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells in certain hematologic malignancies. However, there are several limitations that need to be addressed to target more cancer types. Natural killer (NK) cells are a type of innate immune cells that represent a unique biology in cancer immune surveillance. In particular, NK cells obtained from heathy donors can serve as a source for genetically engineered immune cell therapies. Therefore, NK-based therapies, including NK cells, CAR-NK cells, and antibodies that induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of NK cells, have emerged. With recent advances in genetic engineering and cell biology techniques, NK cell-based therapies have become promising approaches for a wide range of cancers, viral infections, and senescence. This review provides a brief overview of NK cell characteristics and summarizes diseases that could benefit from NK-based therapies. In addition, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical investigations on the use of adoptive NK cell transfer and agents that can modulate NK cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunju Shin
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Ho Bak
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Park
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ran Yoon
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yoon Noh
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Loeuillard E, Li B, Stumpf HE, Yang J, Willhite J, Tomlinson JL, Wang J, Rohakhtar FR, Simon VA, Graham RP, Smoot RL, Dong H, Ilyas SI. Noncanonical TRAIL Signaling Promotes Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Abundance and Tumor Progression in Cholangiocarcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.24.541931. [PMID: 37293061 PMCID: PMC10245899 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.541931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Proapoptotic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) signaling as a cause of cancer cell death is a well-established mechanism. However, TRAIL-receptor (TRAIL-R) agonists have had very limited anticancer activity in humans, challenging the concept of TRAIL as a potent anticancer agent. Herein, we demonstrate that TRAIL + cancer cells can leverage noncanonical TRAIL signaling in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) promoting their abundance in murine cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). In multiple immunocompetent syngeneic, orthotopic murine models of CCA, implantation of TRAIL + murine cancer cells into Trail-r -/- mice resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volumes compared to wild type mice. Tumor bearing Trail-r -/- mice had a significant decrease in the abundance of MDSCs due to attenuation of MDSC proliferation. Noncanonical TRAIL signaling with consequent NF-κB activation in MDSCs facilitated enhanced MDSC proliferation. Single cell RNA sequencing and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-Seq) of CD45 + cells in murine tumors from three distinct immunocompetent CCA models demonstrated a significant enrichment of an NF-κB activation signature in MDSCs. Moreover, MDSCs were resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis due to enhanced expression of cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (cFLIP), an inhibitor of proapoptotic TRAIL signaling. Accordingly, cFLIP knockdown sensitized murine MDSCs to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Finally, cancer cell-restricted deletion of Trail significantly reduced MDSC abundance and murine tumor burden. In summary, our findings define a noncanonical TRAIL signal in MDSCs and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting TRAIL + cancer cells for the treatment of a poorly immunogenic cancer.
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Carannante V, Wiklund M, Önfelt B. In vitro models to study natural killer cell dynamics in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1135148. [PMID: 37457703 PMCID: PMC10338882 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer therapy. The rapid development of new immunotherapeutic strategies to treat solid tumors is posing new challenges for preclinical research, demanding novel in vitro methods to test treatments. Such methods should meet specific requirements, such as enabling the evaluation of immune cell responses like cytotoxicity or cytokine release, and infiltration into the tumor microenvironment using cancer models representative of the original disease. They should allow high-throughput and high-content analysis, to evaluate the efficacy of treatments and understand immune-evasion processes to facilitate development of new therapeutic targets. Ideally, they should be suitable for personalized immunotherapy testing, providing information for patient stratification. Consequently, the application of in vitro 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture models, such as tumor spheroids and organoids, is rapidly expanding in the immunotherapeutic field, coupled with the development of novel imaging-based techniques and -omic analysis. In this paper, we review the recent advances in the development of in vitro 3D platforms applied to natural killer (NK) cell-based cancer immunotherapy studies, highlighting the benefits and limitations of the current methods, and discuss new concepts and future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Carannante
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Wiklund
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn Önfelt
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Perez RC, Kim D, Maxwell AWP, Camacho JC. Functional Imaging of Hypoxia: PET and MRI. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3336. [PMID: 37444446 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular and functional imaging have critical roles in cancer care. Existing evidence suggests that noninvasive detection of hypoxia within a particular type of cancer can provide new information regarding the relationship between hypoxia, cancer aggressiveness and altered therapeutic responses. Following the identification of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), significant progress in understanding the regulation of hypoxia-induced genes has been made. These advances have provided the ability to therapeutically target HIF and tumor-associated hypoxia. Therefore, by utilizing the molecular basis of hypoxia, hypoxia-based theranostic strategies are in the process of being developed which will further personalize care for cancer patients. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the significance of tumor hypoxia and its relevance in cancer management as well as to lay out the role of imaging in detecting hypoxia within the context of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Perez
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - DaeHee Kim
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Aaron W P Maxwell
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Juan C Camacho
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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Yu W, Zhao X, Jalloh AS, Li Y, Zhao Y, Dinner B, Yang Y, Ouyang S, Tian T, Zhao Z, Yang R, Chen M, Lauvau G, Guo Z, Wu P, Li JP. Chemoenzymatic Measurement of LacNAc in Single-Cell Multiomics Reveals It as a Cell-Surface Indicator of Glycolytic Activity of CD8 + T Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:12701-12716. [PMID: 37276352 PMCID: PMC10733619 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the rich information about the physiological state of a cell encoded in the dynamic changes of cell-surface glycans, chemical methods to capture specific glycan epitopes at the single-cell level are quite limited. Here, we report a chemoenzymatic method for the single-cell detection of N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) by labeling LacNAc with a specific DNA barcode. The chemoenzymatic labeling does not alter the transcriptional status of immune cells and is compatible with multiple scRNA-seq platforms. Integrated analysis of LacNAc and the transcriptome of T cells at the single-cell level reveals that the amount of cell-surface LacNAc is significantly upregulated in activated CD8+ T cells but maintained at basal levels in resting CD8+ T cells (i.e., naive and central memory T cells). Further analysis confirms that LacNAc levels are positively correlated with the glycolytic activity of CD8+ T cells during differentiation. Taken together, our study demonstrates the feasibility of the chemoenzymatic detection of cell-surface glycan in single-cell RNA sequencing-based multiomics with TCR sequence and cell-surface epitope information (i.e., scTCR and CITE-seq), and provides a new way to characterize the biological role of glycan in diverse physiological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xinlu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Abubakar S Jalloh
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Yachao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yingying Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Brandon Dinner
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shian Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Tian Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zihan Zhao
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Institute of Urology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Institute of Urology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Mingkuan Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Gregoire Lauvau
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Zijian Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jie P Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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50
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Portale F, Di Mitri D. NK Cells in Cancer: Mechanisms of Dysfunction and Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119521. [PMID: 37298470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer cells (NK) are innate lymphocytes endowed with the ability to recognize and kill cancer cells. Consequently, adoptive transfer of autologous or allogeneic NK cells represents a novel opportunity in cancer treatment that is currently under clinical investigation. However, cancer renders NK cells dysfunctional, thus restraining the efficacy of cell therapies. Importantly, extensive effort has been employed to investigate the mechanisms that restrain NK cell anti-tumor function, and the results have offered forthcoming solutions to improve the efficiency of NK cell-based therapies. The present review will introduce the origin and features of NK cells, summarize the mechanisms of action and causes of dysfunction of NK cells in cancer, and frame NK cells in the tumoral microenvironment and in the context of immunotherapies. Finally, we will discuss therapeutic potential and current limitations of NK cell adoptive transfer in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Portale
- Tumor Microenviroment Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Diletta Di Mitri
- Tumor Microenviroment Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, 20072 Milan, Italy
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