CD8+ T cells in the cancer-immunity cycle

Role of tumor-derived exosomes mediated immune cell reprograming in cancer

Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs), as topologies of tumor cells, not only carry biological information from the mother, but also act as messengers for cellular communication. It has been demonstrated that TDEs play a key role in inducing an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). They can reprogram immune cells indirectly or directly by delivering inhibitory proteins, cytokines, RNA and other substances. They not only inhibit the maturation and function of dendritic cells (DCs) and natural killer (NK) cells, but also remodel M2 macrophages and inhibit T cell infiltration to promote immunosuppression and create a favorable ecological niche for tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Based on the specificity of TDEs, targeting TDEs has become a new strategy to monitor tumor progression and enhance treatment efficacy. This paper reviews the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the immunosuppressive effects induced by TDEs to establish a theoretical foundation for cancer therapy. Additionally, the challenges of TDEs as a novel approach to tumor treatment are discussed.

Multi-omics study on the molecular mechanism of anlotinib in regulating tumor metabolism

Anlotinib, an orally administered small molecule inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), exerts significant anti-angiogenic and vascular normalization effects. However, the mechanisms underlying its involvement in tumor metabolic reprogramming are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the distribution and expression levels of metabolites within tumors after anlotinib treatment using spatial metabolomics analysis. Subsequently, by integrating the transcriptomics and proteomics analyses, we identified that anlotinib treatment primarily modulated four metabolic pathways, including taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, steroid synthesis, pentose phosphate pathway, and lipid biosynthesis. This regulation significantly influenced the metabolic levels of compounds such as sulfonic acids, cholesterol, inositol phosphate pyrophosphate, and palmitoyl-CoA in the tumor, thereby impacting tumor initiation and progression. This study provides potential metabolic biomarkers for anlotinib treatment in tumors.

The opportunities and challenges of using PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for leukemia treatment

Leukemia poses a significant clinical challenge due to its swift onset, rapid progression, and treatment-related complications. Tumor immune evasion, facilitated by immune checkpoints like programmed death receptor 1/programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1), plays a critical role in leukemia pathogenesis and progression. In this review, we summarized the research progress and therapeutic potential of PD-L1 in leukemia, focusing on targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated promising outcomes with PD-L1 inhibitors, highlighting their role in enhancing treatment efficacy. This review discusses the implications of PD-L1 expression levels on treatment response and long-term survival rates in leukemia patients. Furthermore, we address the challenges and opportunities in immunotherapy, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches and combination therapies to optimize PD-L1 inhibition in leukemia management. Future research prospects include exploring novel treatment strategies and addressing immune-related adverse events to improve clinical outcomes in leukemia. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the role of PD-L1 in leukemia and its potential as a therapeutic target in the evolving landscape of leukemia treatment.

Decoding changes in tumor-infiltrating leukocytes through dynamic experimental models and single-cell technologies

The ability to characterize immune cells and explore the molecular interactions that govern their functions has never been greater, fueled in recent years by the revolutionary advance of single-cell analysis platforms. However, precisely how immune cells respond to different stimuli and where differentiation processes and effector functions operate remain incompletely understood. Inferring cellular fate within single-cell transcriptomic analyses is now omnipresent, despite the assumptions typically required in such analyses. Recently developed experimental models support dynamic analyses of the immune response, providing insights into the temporal changes that occur within cells and the tissues in which such transitions occur. Here we will review these approaches and discuss how these can be combined with single-cell technologies to develop a deeper understanding of the immune responses that should support the development of better therapeutic options for patients.

The neoantigens derived from transposable elements - A hidden treasure for cancer immunotherapy

Neoantigen-based therapy is a promising approach that selectively activates the immune system of the host to recognize and eradicate cancer cells. Preliminary clinical trials have validated the feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of personalized neoantigen-directed vaccines, enhancing their effectiveness and broad applicability in immunotherapy. While many ongoing oncological trials concentrate on neoantigens derived from mutations, these targets do not consistently provoke an immune response in all patients harboring the mutations. Additionally, tumors like ovarian cancer, which have a low tumor mutational burden (TMB), may be less amenable to mutation-based neoantigen therapies. Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics have uncovered a rich source of neoantigens from non-canonical RNAs associated with transposable elements (TEs). Considering the substantial presence of TEs in the human genome and the proven immunogenicity of TE-derived neoantigens in various tumor types, this review investigates the latest findings on TE-derived neoantigens, examining their clinical implications, challenges, and unique advantages in enhancing tumor immunotherapy.

Enzyme-Instructed Photoactivatable Supramolecular Antigens on Cancer Cell Membranes for Precision-Controlled T-Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapies based on cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTLs) are highly promising for cancer treatment. The specific interaction between T-cell receptors and peptide-MHC-I complexes (pMHC-I) on cancer cell membranes critically determines their therapeutic outcomes. However, the lack of appropriate endogenous antigens for MHC-I presentation disables tumor recognition by CTLs. By devising three antigen-loaded self-assembling peptides of pY-K(Ag)-ERGD, pY-K(Ag)-E, and Y-K(Ag)-ERGD to noncovalently generate light-activatable supramolecular antigens at tumor sites in different manners, we report pY-K(Ag)-ERGD as a promising candidate to endow tumor cells with pMHC-I targets on demand. Specifically, pY-K(Ag)-ERGD first generates low-antigenic supramolecular antigens on cancer cell membranes, and a successive light pulse allows antigen payloads to efficiently release from the supramolecular scaffold, directly producing antigenic pMHC-I. Intravenous administration of pY-K(Ag)-ERGD enables light-controlled tumor inhibition when combined with adoptively transferred antigen-specific CTLs. Our strategy is feasible for broadening tumor antigen repertoires for T-cell immunotherapies and advancing precision-controlled T-cell immunotherapies.

Histone Lactylation Drives CD8 T Cell Metabolism and Function

The activation and functional differentiation of CD8 T cells are linked to metabolic pathways that result in the production of lactate. Lactylation is a lactate-derived histone post-translational modification (hPTM); however, the relevance of histone lactylation in the context of CD8 T cell activation and function is not known. Here, we show the enrichment of H3K18-lactylation (H3K18la) and H3K9-lactylation (H3K9la) in human and murine CD8 T cells which act as transcription initiators of key genes regulating CD8 T cell phenotype and function. Further, we note distinct impacts of H3K18la and H3K9la on CD8 T cell subsets linked to their specific metabolic profiles. Importantly, we demonstrate that modulation of H3K18la and H3K9la by targeting metabolic and epigenetic pathways regulates CD8 T cell effector function including anti-tumor immunity in preclinical models. Overall, our study uncovers the unique contributions of H3K18la and H3K9la in modulating CD8 T cell phenotype and function intricately associated with metabolic state.

Stem-like T cells in cancer and autoimmunity

Stem-like T cells are characterized by their ability to self-renew, survive long-term, and give rise to a heterogeneous pool of effector and memory T cells. Recent advances in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and lineage tracing technologies revealed an important role for stem-like T cells in both autoimmunity and cancer. In cancer, stem-like T cells constitute an important arm of the anti-tumor immune response by giving rise to effector T cells that mediate tumor control. In contrast, in autoimmunity stem-like T cells perform an unfavorable role by forming a reservoir of long-lived autoreactive cells that replenish the pathogenic, effector T-cell pool and thereby driving disease pathology. This review provides background on the discovery of stem-like T cells and their function in cancer and autoimmunity. Moreover, the influence of the microbiota and metabolism on the stem-like T-cell pool is summarized. Lastly, the implications of our knowledge about stem-like T cells for clinical treatment strategies for cancer and autoimmunity will be discussed.

Role of Exosomes in Cancer and Aptamer-Modified Exosomes as a Promising Platform for Cancer Targeted Therapy

Exosomes are increasingly recognized as important mediators of intercellular communication in cancer biology. Exosomes can be derived from cancer cells as well as cellular components in tumor microenvironment. After secretion, the exosomes carrying a wide range of bioactive cargos can be ingested by local or distant recipient cells. The released cargos act through a variety of mechanisms to elicit multiple biological effects and impact most if not all hallmarks of cancer. Moreover, owing to their excellent biocompatibility and capability of being easily engineered or modified, exosomes are currently exploited as a promising platform for cancer targeted therapy. In this review, we first summarize the current knowledge of roles of exosomes in risk and etiology, initiation and progression of cancer, as well as their underlying molecular mechanisms. The aptamer-modified exosome as a promising platform for cancer targeted therapy is then briefly introduced. We also discuss the future directions for emerging roles of exosome in tumor biology and perspective of aptamer-modified exosomes in cancer therapy.

Unveiling YWHAH: A potential therapeutic target for overcoming CD8+ T cell exhaustion in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health challenge, with increasing rates of incidence and mortality. Despite advancements in immunotherapy, resistance, particularly due to T cell exhaustion, remains a major hurdle. This study explores the role of YWHAH, mediated by N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification, in CRC progression and its impact on CD8+ T cell exhaustion. Analysis of five paired CRC patient tissue samples using acetylated RNA immunoprecipitation and sequencing (acRIP-seq)identified ac4C-modified mRNAs. Functional assays, including cell culture, transfection, qRT-PCR, and immune assays, investigated the influence of YWHAH expression on CRC advancement. Bioinformatics analysis of TCGA data assessed the correlation between YWHAH and immune responses, as well as checkpoint inhibitors. Flow cytometry and Immunohistochemistry validated these findings, complemented by a co-culture experiment involving CD8+ T cells and CRC cell lines (LOVO and HCT116). acRIP-seq revealed YWHAH as a potential driver of CRC progression, exhibiting ac4C modification-mediated stability and upregulation. High YWHAH levels correlated with adverse outcomes and immune evasion in CRC patients, showing strong associations with immune checkpoint proteins and modest correlations with CD8+ T cell infiltration. Co-culture experiments demonstrated YWHAH-induced CD8+ T cell exhaustion, characterized by decreased proliferation and increased exhaustion markers. NAT10-mediated ac4C modification enhanced YWHAH stability in CRC. The involvement of YWHAH in CD8 + T cell exhaustion suggests its potential as a therapeutic target and prognostic marker in CRC immunotherapy, highlighting the intricate interplay between epitranscriptomic modifications, the tumor microenvironment, and immune responses in CRC progression.

VISTA: A Novel Checkpoint for Cancer Immunotherapy

V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a recently identified member of the B7 family of immunoregulatory proteins. It is pivotal for maintaining T cell quiescence and exerts a significant regulatory influence on the immune response to tumors. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests that the influence of VISTA on tumor immunity is more nuanced than initially postulated. Although these revelations add layers of complexity to our understanding of the function of VISTA, they also offer novel avenues for scientific inquiry and potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we scrutinize the current literature pertaining to the expression of VISTA in various of malignancies, aiming to elucidate its intricate roles within the tumor microenvironment and in cancer immunotherapy.

The Clinical Association Between the Inflammation-Nutritional Condition and Prognosis of Locally Advanced Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After R0 Resection: Evidence from Competing Risk and Propensity Matching Analysis

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) correlates with poor outcomes, necessitating the identification of prognostic factors from an inflammation-nutritional perspective in locally advanced ICC patients after R0 resection.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 159 locally advanced ICC patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, as well as competing risk analysis, were conducted to explore prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC following surgery. To validate the robustness of our findings, we performed propensity score matching (PSM) analyses to evaluate survival differences based on inflammation-nutritional indexes.

Results

Considering non-cancer-specific death as competing risk factors, both systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, HR: 1.934) and prognostic nutrition index (PNI, HR: 0.604) emerged as significant prognostic variables for locally advanced ICC after R0 resection (P < 0.05). After PSM, the survival benefit between the low and high PNI sets remained clear (median survival time: 15.7 months vs 35.1 months, P = 0.002). Although the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of the low SII group was higher than that of the high SII group, the difference was not statistically significant (17.5% VS 27.4%, P = 0.112). Other influencing factors included tumor number, tumor diameter, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels, and postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Conclusion

Individual inflammatory and nutritional status significantly impact the prognosis of locally advanced ICC undergoing R0 hapectomy. Oncologists should consider incorporating inflammation-nutritional conditions into the decision-making process for this subset of advanced ICC.

Immunometabolism of CD8+ T cell differentiation in cancer

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are central mediators of tumor immunity and immunotherapies. Upon tumor antigen recognition, CTLs differentiate from naive/memory-like toward terminally exhausted populations with more limited function against tumors. Such differentiation is regulated by both immune signals, including T cell receptors (TCRs), co-stimulation, and cytokines, and metabolism-associated processes. These immune signals shape the metabolic landscape via signaling, transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, while metabolic processes in turn exert spatiotemporal effects to modulate the strength and duration of immune signaling. Here, we review the bidirectional regulation between immune signals and metabolic processes, including nutrient uptake and intracellular metabolic pathways, in shaping CTL differentiation and exhaustion. We also discuss the mechanisms underlying how specific nutrient sources and metabolite-mediated signaling events orchestrate CTL biology. Understanding how metabolic programs and their interplay with immune signals instruct CTL differentiation and exhaustion is crucial to uncover tumor-immune interactions and design novel immunotherapies.

CD8+ T cell-based cancer immunotherapy

The immune system in humans is a defense department against both exogenous and endogenous hazards, where CD8+ T cells play a crucial role in opposing pathological threats. Various immunotherapies based on CD8+ T cells have emerged in recent decades, showing their promising results in treating intractable diseases. However, in the fight against the constantly changing and evolving cancers, the formation and function of CD8+ T cells can be challenged by tumors that might train a group of accomplices to resist the T cell killing. As cancer therapy stepped into the era of immunotherapy, understanding the physiological role of CD8+ T cells, studying the machinery of tumor immune escape, and thereby formulating different therapeutic strategies become the imperative missions for clinical and translational researchers to fulfill. After brief basics of CD8+ T cell-based biology is covered, this review delineates the mechanisms of tumor immune escape and discusses different cancer immunotherapy regimens with their own advantages and setbacks, embracing challenges and perspectives in near future.

Current Landscape of Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Immune Arsenal to Overcome Immune Evasion

Cancer immune evasion represents a leading hallmark of cancer, posing a significant obstacle to the development of successful anticancer therapies. However, the landscape of cancer treatment has significantly evolved, transitioning into the era of immunotherapy from conventional methods such as surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Immunotherapy has emerged as a pivotal component in cancer treatment, harnessing the body's immune system to combat cancer and offering improved prognostic outcomes for numerous patients. The remarkable success of immunotherapy has spurred significant efforts to enhance the clinical efficacy of existing agents and strategies. Several immunotherapeutic approaches have received approval for targeted cancer treatments, while others are currently in preclinical and clinical trials. This review explores recent progress in unraveling the mechanisms of cancer immune evasion and evaluates the clinical effectiveness of diverse immunotherapy strategies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and antibody-based treatments. It encompasses both established treatments and those currently under investigation, providing a comprehensive overview of efforts to combat cancer through immunological approaches. Additionally, the article emphasizes the current developments, limitations, and challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, by integrating analyses of cancer immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and exploring combination strategies and personalized approaches, it offers valuable insights crucial for the development of novel anticancer immunotherapeutic strategies.

Principles and therapeutic applications of adaptive immunity

Adaptive immunity provides protection against infectious and malignant diseases. These effects are mediated by lymphocytes that sense and respond with targeted precision to perturbations induced by pathogens and tissue damage. Here, we review key principles underlying adaptive immunity orchestrated by distinct T cell and B cell populations and their extensions to disease therapies. We discuss the intracellular and intercellular processes shaping antigen specificity and recognition in immune activation and lymphocyte functions in mediating effector and memory responses. We also describe how lymphocytes balance protective immunity against autoimmunity and immunopathology, including during immune tolerance, response to chronic antigen stimulation, and adaptation to non-lymphoid tissues in coordinating tissue immunity and homeostasis. Finally, we discuss extracellular signals and cell-intrinsic programs underpinning adaptive immunity and conclude by summarizing key advances in vaccination and engineering adaptive immune responses for therapeutic interventions. A deeper understanding of these principles holds promise for uncovering new means to improve human health.

ITPRIPL1 binds CD3ε to impede T cell activation and enable tumor immune evasion

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed treatment possibilities, but its effectiveness differs significantly among patients, indicating the presence of alternative pathways for immune evasion. Here, we show that ITPRIPL1 functions as an inhibitory ligand of CD3ε, and its expression inhibits T cells in the tumor microenvironment. The binding of ITPRIPL1 extracellular domain to CD3ε on T cells significantly decreased calcium influx and ZAP70 phosphorylation, impeding initial T cell activation. Treatment with a neutralizing antibody against ITPRIPL1 restrained tumor growth and promoted T cell infiltration in mouse models across various solid tumor types. The antibody targeting canine ITPRIPL1 exhibited notable therapeutic efficacy against naturally occurring tumors in pet clinics. These findings highlight the role of ITPRIPL1 (or CD3L1, CD3ε ligand 1) in impeding T cell activation during the critical "signal one" phase. This discovery positions ITPRIPL1 as a promising therapeutic target against multiple tumor types.

Cancer immunometabolism: advent, challenges, and perspective

For decades, great strides have been made in the field of immunometabolism. A plethora of evidence ranging from basic mechanisms to clinical transformation has gradually embarked on immunometabolism to the center stage of innate and adaptive immunomodulation. Given this, we focus on changes in immunometabolism, a converging series of biochemical events that alters immune cell function, propose the immune roles played by diversified metabolic derivatives and enzymes, emphasize the key metabolism-related checkpoints in distinct immune cell types, and discuss the ongoing and upcoming realities of clinical treatment. It is expected that future research will reduce the current limitations of immunotherapy and provide a positive hand in immune responses to exert a broader therapeutic role.

Regulation and impact of tumor-specific CD4+ T cells in cancer and immunotherapy

CD4+ T cells are crucial in generating and sustaining immune responses. They orchestrate and fine-tune mammalian innate and adaptive immunity through cell-based interactions and the release of cytokines. The role of these cells in contributing to the efficacy of antitumor immunity and immunotherapy has just started to be uncovered. Yet, many aspects of the CD4+ T cell response are still unclear, including the differentiation pathways controlling such cells during cancer progression, the external signals that program them, and how the combination of these factors direct ensuing immune responses or immune-restorative therapies. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding CD4+ T cell regulation during cancer progression and the importance of CD4+ T cells in immunotherapies.

Extracellular cancer‑associated fibroblasts: A novel subgroup in the cervical cancer microenvironment that exhibits tumor‑promoting roles and prognosis biomarker functions

Tumor invasion and metastasis are the processes that primarily cause adverse outcomes in patients with cervical cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which participate in cancer progression and metastasis, are novel targets for the treatment of tumors. The present study aimed to assess the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment through single-cell RNA sequencing. After collecting five cervical cancer samples and obtaining the CAF-associated gene sets, the CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment were divided into myofibroblastic CAFs and extracellular (ec)CAFs. The ecCAFs appeared with more robust pro-tumorigenic effects than myCAFs according to enrichment analysis. Subsequently, through combining the ecCAF hub genes and bulk gene expression data for cervical cancer obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Ontology databases, univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were performed to establish a CAF-associated risk signature for patients with cancer. The established risk signature demonstrated a stable and strong prognostic capability in both the training and validation cohorts. Subsequently, the association between the risk signature and clinical data was evaluated, and a nomogram to facilitate clinical application was established. The risk score was demonstrated to be associated with both the tumor immune microenvironment and the therapeutic responses. Moreover, the signature also has predictive value for the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and bladder urothelial carcinoma, which were also associated with human papillomavirus infection. In conclusion, the present study assessed the heterogeneity of CAFs in the cervical cancer microenvironment, and a subgroup of CAFs that may be closely associated with tumor progression was defined. Moreover, a signature based on the hub genes of ecCAFs was shown to have biomarker functionality in terms of predicting survival rates, and therefore this CAF subgroup may become a therapeutic target for cervical cancer in the future.

Stimulus-Responsive Copper Complex Nanoparticles Induce Cuproptosis for Augmented Cancer Immunotherapy

Cuproptosis, an emerging form of programmed cell death, has received tremendous attention in cancer therapy. However, the efficacy of cuproptosis remains limited by the poor delivery efficiency of copper ion carriers. Herein, copper complex nanoparticles (denoted as Cu(I) NP) are developed that can efficiently deliver copper complex into cancer cells to induce cuproptosis. Cu(I) NP demonstrate stimulus-responsive release of copper complexes, which results in mitochondrial dysfunction and promotes the aggregation of lipoylated dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase (DLAT), leading to cuproptosis. Notably, Cu(I) NP not only induce cuproptosis, but also elicit robust immune responses to suppress tumor growth. Overall, this study provides a promising strategy for cuproptosis-based cancer therapy.

Nutrients: Signal 4 in T cell immunity

T cells are integral in mediating adaptive immunity to infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Upon immune challenge, T cells exit from a quiescent state, followed by clonal expansion and effector differentiation. These processes are shaped by three established immune signals, namely antigen stimulation (Signal 1), costimulation (Signal 2), and cytokines (Signal 3). Emerging findings reveal that nutrients, including glucose, amino acids, and lipids, are crucial regulators of T cell responses and interplay with Signals 1-3, highlighting nutrients as Signal 4 to license T cell immunity. Here, we first summarize the functional importance of Signal 4 and the underlying mechanisms of nutrient transport, sensing, and signaling in orchestrating T cell activation and quiescence exit. We also discuss the roles of nutrients in programming T cell differentiation and functional fitness and how nutrients can be targeted to improve disease therapy. Understanding how T cells respond to Signal 4 nutrients in microenvironments will provide insights into context-dependent functions of adaptive immunity and therapeutic interventions.

TIM-3, LAG-3, or 2B4 gene disruptions increase the anti-tumor response of engineered T cells

Background

In adoptive T cell therapy, the long term therapeutic benefits in patients treated with engineered tumor specific T cells are limited by the lack of long term persistence of the infused cellular products and by the immunosuppressive mechanisms active in the tumor microenvironment. Exhausted T cells infiltrating the tumor are characterized by loss of effector functions triggered by multiple inhibitory receptors (IRs). In patients, IR blockade reverts T cell exhaustion but has low selectivity, potentially unleashing autoreactive clones and resulting in clinical autoimmune side effects. Furthermore, loss of long term protective immunity in cell therapy has been ascribed to the effector memory phenotype of the infused cells.

Methods

We simultaneously redirected T cell specificity towards the NY-ESO-1 antigen via TCR gene editing (TCRED) and permanently disrupted LAG3, TIM-3 or 2B4 genes (IRKO) via CRISPR/Cas9 in a protocol to expand early differentiated long-living memory stem T cells. The effector functions of the TCRED-IRKO and IR competent (TCRED-IRCOMP) cells were tested in short-term co-culture assays and under a chronic stimulation setting in vitro. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy of the developed cellular products were evaluated in multiple myeloma xenograft models.

Results

We show that upon chronic stimulation, TCRED-IRKO cells are superior to TCRED-IRCOMP cells in resisting functional exhaustion through different mechanisms and efficiently eliminate cancer cells upon tumor re-challenge in vivo. Our data indicate that TIM-3 and 2B4-disruption preserve T-cell degranulation capacity, while LAG-3 disruption prevents the upregulation of additional inhibitory receptors in T cells.

Conclusion

These results highlight that TIM-3, LAG-3, and 2B4 disruptions increase the therapeutic benefit of tumor specific cellular products and suggest distinct, non-redundant roles for IRs in anti-tumor responses.

Metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment of liver cancer

The liver is essential for metabolic homeostasis. The onset of liver cancer is often accompanied by dysregulated liver function, leading to metabolic rearrangements. Overwhelming evidence has illustrated that dysregulated cellular metabolism can, in turn, promote anabolic growth and tumor propagation in a hostile microenvironment. In addition to supporting continuous tumor growth and survival, disrupted metabolic process also creates obstacles for the anticancer immune response and restrains durable clinical remission following immunotherapy. In this review, we elucidate the metabolic communication between liver cancer cells and their surrounding immune cells and discuss how metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer impacts the immune microenvironment and the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy. We also describe the crucial role of the gut-liver axis in remodeling the metabolic crosstalk of immune surveillance and escape, highlighting novel therapeutic opportunities.

Osteoclasts and Probiotics Mediate Significant Expansion, Functional Activation and Supercharging in NK, γδ T, and CD3+ T Cells: Use in Cancer Immunotherapy

Our previous studies have introduced osteoclasts (OCs) as major activators of NK cells. It was found that OCs exhibit the capabilities of inducing cell expansion as well as increasing the cytotoxic activity of NK cells by granule release and increasing the secretion of TNF-α and TRAIL, leading to increased lysis of tumors in short-term as well as long-term periods, respectively. OC- induced expanded NK cells were named supercharged NK cells (sNK) due to their significantly high functional activity as well as their significantly higher cell expansion rate. It is, however, unclear whether the OC-mediated effect in NK cells is specific or whether other cytotoxic immune cells can also be expanded and activated by OCs. We chose to focus on γδ T cells and pan T cells, which also include CD8+ T cells. In this paper, we report that OCs are capable of expanding and functionally activating both γδ T cells and pan T cells. Expanded γδ T and pan T cells were capable of secreting high levels of INF-γ, albeit with different dynamics to those of NK cells, and, moreover, they are unable to kill NK-specific targets. Since we used humanized-BLT (hu-BLT) mice as a model of human disease, we next determined whether NK and T cell activation through OCs is also evident in cells obtained from hu-BLT mice. Similar to humans, OCs were capable of increasing the cell expansion and secretion of IFN-γ in the culture of either NK or T cells from hu-BLT mice, providing yet further evidence that these mice are appropriate models to study human disease. Therefore, these studies indicated that CD3+ T or γδ T cells can proliferate and be supercharged by OCs similar to the NK cells; thus, they can be used individually or in combination in the cell therapy of cancers.

Non-Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Immune Cell Infiltration Heterogeneity and Prognostic Ability in Patients Following Surgery

Predicting which patients will progress to metastatic disease after surgery for non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is difficult; however, recent data suggest that tumor immune cell infiltration could be used as a biomarker. We evaluated the quantity and type of immune cells infiltrating ccRCC tumors for associations with metastatic progression following attempted curative surgery. We quantified immune cell densities in the tumor microenvironment and validated our findings in two independent patient cohorts with multi-region sampling to investigate the impact of heterogeneity on prognostic accuracy. For non-metastatic ccRCC, increased CD8+ T cell infiltration was associated with a reduced likelihood of progression to metastatic disease. Interestingly, patients who progressed to metastatic disease also had increased percentages of exhausted CD8+ T cells. Finally, we evaluated the spatial heterogeneity of the immune infiltration and demonstrated that patients without metastatic progression had CD8+ T cells in closer proximity to ccRCC cells. These data strengthen the evidence for CD8+ T cell infiltration as a prognostic biomarker in non-metastatic ccRCC and demonstrate that multi-region sampling may be necessary to fully characterize immune infiltration within heterogeneous tumors. Tumor CD8+ T cell infiltration should be investigated as a biomarker in adjuvant systemic therapy clinical trials for high-risk non-metastatic RCC.

An innovative gene expression modulating strategy by converting nucleic acids into HNC therapeutics using carrier-free nanoparticles

Background

Cell fate and microenvironmental changes resulting from aberrant expression of specific proteins in tumors are one of the major causes of inadequate anti-tumor immune response and poor prognosis in head and neck cancer (HNC). Eukaryotic initiation factor 3C (eIF3c) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for HNC due to its ability to regulate protein expression levels in tumor cells, but its drug development is difficult to achieve by targeting traditional protein-protein interactions. siRNA has emerged as a highly promising modality for drug development targeting eIF3c, while its application is hindered by challenges pertaining to inadequate stability and insufficient concentration specifically within tumor sites.

Method

We employed a method to convert flexible siRNAs into stable and biologically active infinite Auric-sulfhydryl coordination supramolecular siRNAs (IacsRNAs). Through coordinated self-assembly, we successfully transformed eIF3C siRNAs into the carrier-free HNC nanotherapeutic agent Iacs-eif3c-RNA. The efficacy of this agent was evaluated in vivo using HNC xenograft models, demonstrating promising antitumor effects.

Results

Iacs-eif3c-RNA demonstrated the ability to overcome the pharmacological obstacle associated with targeting eIF3C, resulting in a significant reduction in eIF3C expression within tumor tissues, as well as effective tumor cell proliferating suppression and apoptosis promotion. In comparison to monotherapy utilizing the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin, Iacs-eif3c-RNA exhibited superior anti-tumor efficacy and favorable biosafety.

Conclusion

The utilization of Iacs-eif3c-RNA as a carrier-free nanotherapeutic agent presents a promising and innovative approach for addressing HNC treating challenges. Moreover, this strategy demonstrates potential for the translation of therapeutic siRNAs into clinical drugs, extending its applicability to the treatment of other cancers and various diseases.

Lrp10 suppresses IL7R limiting CD8 T cell homeostatic expansion and anti-tumor immunity

Signals emanating from the T cell receptor (TCR), co-stimulatory receptors, and cytokine receptors each influence CD8 T cell fate. Understanding how these signals respond to homeostatic and microenvironmental cues can reveal new ways to therapeutically direct T cell function. Through forward genetic screening in mice, we discovered that loss-of-function mutations in LDL receptor related protein 10 ( Lrp10 ) caused naïve and central memory CD8 T cells to accumulate in peripheral lymphoid organs. Lrp10 encodes a conserved cell surface protein of unknown immunological function. Lrp10 was induced with T cell activation and its expression post-translationally suppressed IL7 receptor (IL7R) levels. Accordingly, Lrp10 deletion enhanced T cell homeostatic expansion through IL7R signaling. Lrp10 -deficient mice were also intrinsically resistant to syngeneic tumors. This phenotype depended on dense tumor infiltration of CD8 T cells that displayed increased memory cell characteristics, reduced terminal exhaustion, and augmented responses to immune checkpoint inhibition. Here, we present Lrp10 as a new negative regulator of CD8 T cell homeostasis and a host factor that controls tumor resistance with implications for immunotherapy.

The cancer-immunity cycle: Indication, genotype, and immunotype

The cancer-immunity cycle provides a framework to understand the series of events that generate anti-cancer immune responses. It emphasizes the iterative nature of the response where the killing of tumor cells by T cells initiates subsequent rounds of antigen presentation and T cell stimulation, maintaining active immunity and adapting it to tumor evolution. Any step of the cycle can become rate-limiting, rendering the immune system unable to control tumor growth. Here, we update the cancer-immunity cycle based on the remarkable progress of the past decade. Understanding the mechanism of checkpoint inhibition has evolved, as has our view of dendritic cells in sustaining anti-tumor immunity. We additionally account for the role of the tumor microenvironment in facilitating, not just suppressing, the anti-cancer response, and discuss the importance of considering a tumor's immunological phenotype, the "immunotype". While these new insights add some complexity to the cycle, they also provide new targets for research and therapeutic intervention.