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Dehghankhold M, Nezafat N, Farahmandnejad M, Abolmaali SS, Tamaddon AM. Immunoinformatic approach to design an efficient multi-epitope peptide vaccine against melanoma. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2024. [PMID: 39245893 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2654] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
Melanoma is known to be the most hazardous and life-threatening type of skin cancer. Although numerous treatments have been authorized in recent years, they often result in severe side effects and may not fully cure the disease. To combat this issue, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of melanoma. Specifically, the use of epitope melanoma vaccine, a subset of immunotherapy, has recently gained attention. The aim of this study was to create a multi-epitope melanoma vaccine using immunoinformatic methods. Two well-known antigens, NYESO-1 and MAGE-C2, were selected due to their strong immunogenicity and high expression in melanoma. To enhance the immunogenicity of the peptide vaccine, Brucella cell-surface protein 31 (BCSP31), the G5 domain of resuscitation-promoting factor B (RpfB) adjuvants, and the helper epitope of pan HLADR-binding epitope (PADRE) were incorporated to vaccine construct. These different segments were connected with suitable linkers and the resulting vaccine structure was evaluated for its physicochemical, structural, and immunological properties using computational tools. The designed vaccine was found to have satisfactory allergenicity, antigenicity, and physicochemical parameters. Additionally, a high-quality tertiary structure of the vaccine was achieved through modeling, refinement, and validation. Docking and molecular dynamics studies showed that the vaccine had a stable and appropriate interaction with the cognate TLR2 and TLR4 receptors during the simulation period. Finally, in silico immune simulation analysis revealed a significant increase in the levels of helper and cytotoxic T cells, as well as the cytokines interferon-gamma and interleukin-2, after repeated exposure to the melanoma vaccine. These results suggest that the designed vaccine has the potential to be an effective therapeutic option for melanoma. However, additional in vitro and in vivo validations are crucial to assess real-world efficacy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahvash Dehghankhold
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Navid Nezafat
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Computational Vaccine and Drug Design Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mitra Farahmandnejad
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Samira Sadat Abolmaali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Mohammad Tamaddon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Almutairi MH, Alrubie TM, Alshareeda AT, Albarakati N, Almotiri A, Alamri AM, Almutairi BO, Alanazi M. Differential expression and regulation of ADAD1, DMRTC2, PRSS54, SYCE1, SYCP1, TEX101, TEX48, and TMPRSS12 gene profiles in colon cancer tissues and their in vitro response to epigenetic drugs. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307724. [PMID: 39208330 PMCID: PMC11361649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer (CC) is a significant cause of death worldwide, particularly in Saudi Arabia. To increase the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, it is important to discover new specific biomarkers for CC. The main objectives of this research are to identify potential specific biomarkers for the early diagnosis of CC by analyzing the expressions of eight cancer testis (CT) genes, as well as to analyze how epigenetic mechanisms control the expression of these genes in CC cell lines. Tissue samples were collected from 15 male patients with CC tissues and matched NC tissues for gene expression analysis. The expression levels of specific CT genes, including ADAD1, DMRTC2, PRSS54, SYCE1, SYCP1, TEX101, TEX48, and TMPRSS12, were assessed using quantitative techniques. To validate the gene expression patterns, we used publicly available CC statistics. To investigate the effect of inhibition of DNA methylation and histone deacetylation on CT gene expression, in vitro experiments were performed using HCT116 and Caco-2 cell lines. There was no detected expression of the genes neither in the patient samples nor in NC tissues, except for TEX48, which exhibited upregulation in CC samples compared to NC tissues in online datasets. Notably, CT genes showed expression in testis samples. In vitro, experiments demonstrated significant enhancement in mRNA expression levels of ADAD1, DMRTC2, PRSS54, SYCE1, SYCP1, TEX101, TEX48, and TMPRSS12 following treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and trichostatin A in HCT116 and Caco-2 cell lines. Epigenetic treatments modify the expression of CT genes, indicating that these genes can potentially be used as biomarkers for CC. The importance of conducting further research to understand and target epigenetic mechanisms to improve CC treatment cannot be overemphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhlid H. Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Turki M. Alrubie
- Laboratories Directorate, General Directorate of Animal Health, Ministry Deputyship for Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa T. Alshareeda
- Blood and Cancer Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada Albarakati
- Blood and Cancer Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alhomidi Almotiri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Ad Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah M. Alamri
- Department of Biochemistry, Genome Research Chair, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader O. Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Alanazi
- Department of Biochemistry, Genome Research Chair, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Kalvapudi S, Pachimatla AG, Seager RJ, Conroy J, Pabla S, Mukherjee S. Cancer/testis antigen expression and co-expression patterns in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Med Oncol 2024; 41:227. [PMID: 39143271 PMCID: PMC11324668 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02475-6] [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: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEAC) poses a significant challenge due to its poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Recently, Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) have emerged as potential therapy targets due to their high expression in tumor cells and their immunogenic nature. We aimed to explore the expression and co-expression of CTAs in GEAC. We analyzed 63 GEAC patients initially and validated our findings in 329 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. CTA expression was measured after RNA sequencing, while clinical information, including survival outcomes and treatment details, was collected from an institutional database. Co-expression patterns among CTAs were determined using Spearman correlation analysis. The majority of the study cohort were male (87%), Caucasian (94%), and had stage IV disease (64%). CTAs were highly prevalent, ranging from 58 to 19%. The MAGE gene family showed the highest expression, consistent across both cohorts. The correlation matrix revealed a distinct cluster of significantly co-expressed genes, including MAGEA3, NY-ESO-1, and others (0.27 ≤ r ≤ 0.73). Survival analysis revealed that individual CTAs were associated with poorer survival outcomes in patients not receiving immunotherapy while showing potential for improved survival in those undergoing immunotherapy, although these findings lacked robust reliability. Our study provides a comprehensive characterization of CTA expression and co-expression in GEAC. The strong correlation among CTAs like MAGE, NY-ESO-1, and GAGE suggests a potential for therapies targeting multiple CTAs simultaneously. Further research, including prospective trials, is warranted to assess the prognostic value of CTAs and their suitability as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukumar Kalvapudi
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14206, USA
| | - Akhil Goud Pachimatla
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14206, USA
| | - R J Seager
- Labcorp Oncology, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Jeffrey Conroy
- Labcorp Oncology, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Sarabjot Pabla
- Labcorp Oncology, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Sarbajit Mukherjee
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14206, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA.
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Huang KCY, Ke TW, Lai CY, Hong WZ, Chang HY, Lee CY, Wu CH, Chiang SF, Liang JA, Chen JY, Yang PC, Chen WTL, Chuang EY, Chao KSC. Inhibition of DNMTs increases neoantigen-reactive T-cell toxicity against microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer in combination with radiotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:116958. [PMID: 38917760 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116958] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy is limited in the majority of colorectal cancer patients due to the low mutational and neoantigen burdens in this immunogenically "cold" microsatellite stability-colorectal cancer (MSS-CRC) cohort. Here, we showed that DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibition upregulated neoantigen-bearing gene expression in MSS-CRC, resulting in increased neoantigen presentation by MHC class I in tumor cells and leading to increased neoantigen-specific T-cell activation in combination with radiotherapy. The cytotoxicity of neoantigen-reactive T cells (NRTs) to DNMTi-treated cancer cells was highly cytotoxic, and these cells secreted high IFNγ levels targeting MSS-CRC cells after ex vivo expansion of NRTs with DNMTi-treated tumor antigens. Moreover, the therapeutic efficacy of NRTs further increased when NRTs were combined with radiotherapy in vivo. Administration of DNMTi-augmented NRTs and radiotherapy achieved an ∼50 % complete response and extended survival time in an immunocompetent MSS-CRC animal model. Moreover, remarkably, splenocytes from these mice exhibited neoantigen-specific T-cell responses, indicating that radiotherapy in combination with DNMTi-augmented NRTs prolonged and increased neoantigen-specific T-cell toxicity in MSS-CRC patients. In addition, these DNMTi-augmented NRTs markedly increase the therapeutic efficacy of cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These data suggest that a combination of radiotherapy and epi-immunotherapeutic agents improves the function of ex vivo-expanded neoantigen-reactive T cells and increases the tumor-specific cytotoxic effector population to enhance therapeutic efficacy in MSS-CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chih-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taiwan; Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
| | - Tao-Wei Ke
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ying Lai
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ze Hong
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Chang
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yueh Lee
- Innovation Frontier Institute of Research for Science and Technology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 106344, Taiwan; Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 106344, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsin Wu
- Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Fen Chiang
- Lab of Precision Medicine, Feng-Yuan Hospital, Taichung 42055, Taiwan
| | - Ji-An Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Yu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taiwan; Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chen Yang
- Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University HsinChu Hospital, China Medical University, Hsinchu 302, Taiwan
| | - Eric Y Chuang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - K S Clifford Chao
- Center of Proton therapy and Science, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Almatrafi AM, Alamery S, Almutairi MH. Expression pattern analysis of the MAGE family genes in breast cancer patients and hypomethylation activation in the MCF-7 cells. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34506. [PMID: 39082035 PMCID: PMC11284374 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34506] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma antigen gene (MAGE) families are cancer-testis genes that normally show expression in the testes. However, their expressions have been linked with various types of human cancers, including BC. Therefore, the primary purposes of the present research were to assess the expression of MAGE-A, -B, and -C genes in Saudi female patients with BC and determine their regulation via the epigenetic mechanism. Ten BC samples were analyzed for the expression levels of nine MAGE-A genes, six MAGE-B genes, and three MAGE-C genes using the RT-PCR technique. All 18 evaluated genes except for MAGE-A1, -A3, -A4, and -B5 showed weak band expressions in some BC specimens. MAGE-A6 and -B2 were expressed in 40 % of the BC tissue samples, and MAGE-A9, -A10, and -B6 were expressed in 30 %. The lowest expression levels were found for MAGE-A11, -B1, -B3, -B4, -C1, and -C2 in 10 % of the BC specimens and for MAGE-A9,--B2, and --C3 in 20 % of the samples. The most frequently expressed gene was MAGE-A8 (found in 70 % of the BC samples), which suggests that it may serve as - a marker for screening of BC. In vitro treatment, the 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine agent led to a significant rise in mRNA expressions for all tested genes related to the MAGE-A family, except for MAGE-A10. By contrast, among the genes in the MAGE-B and -C families, only MAGE-B1 and -C2 exhibited detectable mRNA expression levels after treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad M. Almatrafi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salman Alamery
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mikhlid H. Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
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De Cock L, Paternostro F, Vanleeuw U, Wyns K, Laenen A, Lee CJ, Sciot R, Wozniak A, Schöffski P. Potentially actionable targets in synovial sarcoma: A tissue microarray study. Transl Oncol 2024; 48:102057. [PMID: 39029378 PMCID: PMC11305002 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102057] [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: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synovial sarcoma (SynSa) is one of the most common translocation-related soft tissue sarcomas. Patients with metastatic SynSa have limited treatment options and a very poor prognosis. Several novel experimental therapies are currently being explored in clinical trials, including T cell-based therapies targeting cancer testis antigens such as New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) or melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4), and degraders targeting bromodomain-containing protein 9 (BRD9). Preclinical studies investigate inhibitors of Yes associated protein 1 (YAP1), transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) and inhibitors of chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). METHODS We explored the immunohistochemical expression of these targets using a tissue microarray (TMA) constructed from 91 clinical SynSa samples and correlated these findings with corresponding clinicopathological data. RESULTS Expression of MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 was found in 69 % and 56 % of the samples, respectively. NY-ESO-1 was statistically higher expressed in samples from metastatic lesions as compared to samples from primary tumors. Nuclear expression of YAP1 and TAZ was observed in 92 % and 51 % of the samples, respectively. CXCR4 was expressed in the majority of the samples (82 %). BRD9 was highly expressed in all specimens. No prognostic role could be identified for any of the investigated proteins. CONCLUSION This study is a comprehensive study providing real-world data on the expression of several actionable proteins in a large proportion of SynSa samples. All evaluated markers were expressed in a clinically meaningful proportion of cases represented in our TMA, supporting the relevance of ongoing preclinical and clinical research with novel agents directed against these targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore De Cock
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium; Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Flavia Paternostro
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ulla Vanleeuw
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karo Wyns
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annouschka Laenen
- Department of Biostatistics, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Che-Jui Lee
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raf Sciot
- Department of Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Agnieszka Wozniak
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Schöffski
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium; Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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Zhu S, Jin Y, Zhou M, Li L, Song X, Su X, Liu B, Shen J. KK-LC-1, a biomarker for prognosis of immunotherapy for primary liver cancer. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:811. [PMID: 38972967 PMCID: PMC11229184 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12586-y] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE There is mounting evidence that patients with liver cancer can benefit from Immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, due to the high cost and low efficacy, we aimed to explore new biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy. METHODS Specimens and medical records of liver cancer patients treated at Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University were collected, and the expression of Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen-1 (KK-LC-1) in tissues as well as the corresponding antibodies in serum were examined to find biomarkers related to the prognosis of immunotherapy and to explore its mechanism in the development of liver cancer. RESULTS KK-LC-1 expression was found to be 34.4% in histopathological specimens from 131 patients and was significantly correlated with Foxp3 expression (P = 0.0356). The expression of Foxp3 in the tissues of 24 patients who received immunotherapy was significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) (P = 0.0247), and there was also a tendency for prolonged OS in patients with high expression of KK-LC-1. In addition, the expression of KK-LC-1 antibody in the serum of patients who received immunotherapy with a first efficacy evaluation of stable disease (SD) was significantly higher than those with partial response (PR) (P = 0.0413). CONCLUSIONS Expression of KK-LC-1 in both tissues and serum has been shown to correlate with the prognosis of patients treated with immunotherapy, and KK-LC-1 is a potential therapeutic target for oncological immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihui Zhu
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Nanjing international Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuncheng Jin
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingzhen Zhou
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Pathologyof Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueru Song
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyu Su
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China.
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jie Shen
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China.
- Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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Molnar C, Heinen JP, Reina J, Llamazares S, Palumbo E, Pollarolo G, Gonzalez C. TrxT and dhd are dispensable for Drosophila brain development but essential for l(3)mbt brain tumour growth. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:2842-2860. [PMID: 38750349 PMCID: PMC11239866 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00154-1] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Expression of the Drosophila cancer-germline (CG), X-linked, head-to-head gene pair TrxT and dhd is normally germline-specific but becomes upregulated in brain tumours caused by mutation in l(3)mbt. Here, we show that TrxT and dhd play a major synergistic role in the emergence of l(3)mbt tumour-linked transcriptomic signatures and tumour development, which is remarkable, taking into account that these two genes are never expressed together under normal conditions. We also show that TrxT, but not dhd, is crucial for the growth of l(3)mbt allografts, hence suggesting that the initial stages of tumour development and long-term tumour growth may depend on different molecular pathways. In humans, head-to-head inverted gene pairs are abundant among CG genes that map to the X chromosome. Our results identify a first example of an X-linked, head-to-head CG gene pair in Drosophila, underpinning the potential of such CG genes, dispensable for normal development and homoeostasis of somatic tissue, as targets to curtail malignant growth with minimal impact on overall health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Molnar
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jan Peter Heinen
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Reina
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salud Llamazares
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emilio Palumbo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giulia Pollarolo
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- ISGlobal, Carrer del Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cayetano Gonzalez
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Carrer Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg Lluis Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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Xagara A, Goulielmaki M, Fortis SP, Kokkalis A, Chantzara E, Christodoulopoulos G, Samaras I, Saloustros E, Tsapakidis K, Papadopoulos V, Pateras IS, Georgoulias V, Baxevanis CN, Kotsakis A. Pre-Existing Immunity Predicts Response to First-Line Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2393. [PMID: 39001455 PMCID: PMC11240823 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132393] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
T-cell-mediated anti-tumoral responses may have significant clinical relevance as a biomarker for response to immunotherapy. The value of peripheral blood pre-existing tumor antigen-specific T cells (PreI+) as a predictive immunotherapy biomarker in NSCLC patients was investigated, along with the frequency of various circulating immune cells. Fifty-two treatment-naïve, stage III/IV NSCLC patients, treated with front-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)-containing regimens were enrolled. PreI was calculated as the percentages of CD3+IFNγ+ cells after in vitro co-cultures of PBMCs with peptides against four different Tumor-Associated Antigens (TAA). Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood immune cells was performed using multicolor flow cytometry. PreI+ T cells were detected in 44% of patients. Median overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in PreI+ patients compared to PreI- patients (not reached vs. 321 days, respectively; p = 0.014). PreI+ patients had significantly higher numbers of possible exhausted CD3+CD8+PD-1+ cells and lower percentages of immunosuppressive Tregs compared to PreI- patients. Additionally, patients with PreI+ and low numbers of peripheral blood M-MDSCs had a significant survival advantage compared to the rest of the patients. Thus, combining pre-existing tumor antigen-specific immunity before initiation of ICI in NSCLC patients with selected immune-suppressive cells could identify patients who have a favorable clinical outcome when treated with ICI-containing regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Xagara
- Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece;
| | - Maria Goulielmaki
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Center, Saint Savas Cancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras Ave., 11522 Athens, Greece; (M.G.); (S.P.F.); (C.N.B.)
| | - Sotirios P. Fortis
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Center, Saint Savas Cancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras Ave., 11522 Athens, Greece; (M.G.); (S.P.F.); (C.N.B.)
| | - Alexandros Kokkalis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Evangelia Chantzara
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - George Christodoulopoulos
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Ioannis Samaras
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Emmanouil Saloustros
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Konstantinos Tsapakidis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Vasileios Papadopoulos
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
| | - Ioannis S. Pateras
- Second Department of Pathology, “Attikon” University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece;
| | - Vasilis Georgoulias
- First Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan General Hospital, 15562 Athens, Greece;
| | - Constantin N. Baxevanis
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Center, Saint Savas Cancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras Ave., 11522 Athens, Greece; (M.G.); (S.P.F.); (C.N.B.)
| | - Athanasios Kotsakis
- Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece;
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece; (A.K.); (E.C.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (E.S.); (K.T.); (V.P.)
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Li J, Zhong J, Tang A, Yin J, Li S. PRAMEF12, a novel cancer/testis gene, regulates proliferation and apoptosis to promote progression of glioma. Biomark Med 2024; 18:385-397. [PMID: 38913622 PMCID: PMC11285353 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2023-0219] [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: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate whether PRAMEF12 can serve as a diagnostic biomarker for glioma. Methods: We examined PRAMEF12 expression in multiple normal and glioma tissues. The diagnostic value of PRAMEF12 was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The effect of PRAMEF12 ablation on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis was investigated. Database analyses were utilized for functional enrichment analysis. Results: PRAMEF12 expression in normal tissue was restricted to the human testis. PRAMEF12 displayed significant diagnostic value in glioma. PRAMEF12 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and resulted in induction of S-phase cell cycle arrest. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that PRAMEF12 may participate in cancer. Conclusion: PRAMEF12, a novel cancer/testis gene, may be a potential new diagnostic biomarker for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Li
- Department of Pediatric Urology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518026, China
| | - Jianhua Zhong
- Department of Science & Education, The Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China
| | - Aifa Tang
- Department of Science & Education, The Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518035, China
| | - Jianchun Yin
- Department of Pediatric Urology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518026, China
| | - Shoulin Li
- Department of Pediatric Urology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518026, China
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11
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Kalvapudi S, Pachimatla AG, Seager RJ, Conroy J, Pabla S, Mukherjee S. Cancer/testis antigen expression and co-expression patterns in Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4499622. [PMID: 38947068 PMCID: PMC11213187 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4499622/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEAC) poses a significant challenge due to its poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Recently, Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) have emerged as potential therapy targets due to their high expression in tumor cells and their immunogenic nature. We aimed to explore the expression and co-expression of CTAs in GEAC. We analyzed 63 GEAC patients initially and validated our findings in 329 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. CTA expression was measured after RNA sequencing, while clinical information, including survival outcomes and treatment details, was collected from an institutional database. Co-expression patterns among CTAs were determined using Pearson correlation analysis. The majority of the study cohort were male (87%), Caucasian (94%), and had stage IV disease (64%). CTAs were highly prevalent, ranging from 58-19%. The MAGE gene family showed the highest expression, consistent across both cohorts. The correlation matrix revealed a distinct cluster of significantly co-expressed genes, including MAGEA3, NY-ESO-1, and others (0.27 ≤ r ≤ 0.73). Survival analysis revealed that individual CTAs were associated with poorer survival outcomes in patients not receiving immunotherapy while showing potential for improved survival in those undergoing immunotherapy, although these findings lacked robust reliability. Our study provides a comprehensive characterization of CTA expression and co-expression in GEAC. The strong correlation among CTAs like MAGE, NY-ESO-1, and GAGE suggests a potential for therapies targeting multiple CTAs simultaneously. Further research, including prospective trials, is warranted to assess the prognostic value of CTAs and their suitability as therapeutic targets.
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12
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Alrohaibani A, Yu Y, Gao L, McLean KM, Hetts J, Saglam O. PReferentially Expressed Antigen in MElanoma Expression in Uterine and Ovarian Carcinosarcomas. Int J Gynecol Pathol 2024; 43:284-289. [PMID: 38085958 DOI: 10.1097/pgp.0000000000000959] [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: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Carcinosarcoma (CS) is an aggressive form of gynecologic malignancy that accounts for ~5% of carcinomas in the endometrium and ovaries. There has been no significant improvement in survival over the last decades despite additional treatment options. PReferentially Expressed Antigen in MElanoma (PRAME) is an immunotherapy target used for the treatment of several solid tumors. We explored the PRAME protein expression levels in ovarian and uterine CS (n = 29). The expression levels were recorded by H-score (percentage of positively stained cells multiplied by staining intensity) in carcinomatous and sarcomatous components separately and compared by paired t-test. The marker expression levels of ovarian and uterine CS were tested against each other in the CS group. Sarcoma-predominant samples (>50% of the sampled tissue) were compared with samples without predominant sarcomatous components by a 2-sample pooled t-test. In addition, high-grade carcinomatous components of CS samples were tested against low-grade endometrioid carcinoma (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics grades 1 and 2; n = 13), and sarcomatous components against uterine leiomyosarcoma (n = 14). There was no significant difference between any subgroups except for sarcomatous elements of CS and leiomyosarcoma ( P < 0.001). A weak positive correlation was found between H-scores of carcinomatous and sarcomatous components ( P = 0.062, r = 0.36). In the ovarian CS group, there was a moderate inverse correlation between age and the mean H-score of the carcinomatous component ( r = -0.683, P = 0.02). Our results further support PRAME overexpression in gynecologic cancers, including CS with similar expression levels in epithelial and mesenchymal components. PRAME might have a role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in this group of cancers.
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13
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Seager RJ, Ko H, Pabla S, Senosain MF, Kalinski P, Van Roey E, Gao S, Strickland KC, Previs RA, Nesline MK, Hastings S, Zhang S, Conroy JM, Jensen TJ, Eisenberg M, Caveney B, Severson EA, Ramkissoon S, Gandhi S. Immunologic Factors Associated with Differential Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. J Pers Med 2024; 14:481. [PMID: 38793063 PMCID: PMC11122407 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14050481] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: KEYNOTE-522 resulted in FDA approval of the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with early-stage, high-risk, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Unfortunately, pembrolizumab is associated with several immune-related adverse events (irAEs). We aimed to identify potential tumor microenvironment (TME) biomarkers which could predict patients who may attain pathological complete response (pCR) with chemotherapy alone and be spared the use of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Methods: Comprehensive immune profiling, including RNA-seq gene expression assessment of 395 immune genes, was performed on matched FFPE tumor samples from 22 stage I-III TNBC patients (14 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (NAC) and 8 treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with pembrolizumab (NAC+I)). Results: Differential gene expression analysis revealed that in the NAC group, IL12B and IL13 were both significantly associated with pCR. In the NAC+I group, LCK and TP63 were significantly associated with pCR. Patients in both treatment groups exhibiting pCR tended to have greater tumor inflammation than non-pCR patients. In the NAC+I group, patients with pCR tended to have greater cell proliferation and higher PD-L1 expression, while in the NAC group, patients with pCR tended to have lower cancer testis antigen expression. Additionally, the NAC+I group trended toward a lower relative dose intensity averaged across all chemotherapy drugs, suggesting that more dose reductions or treatment delays occurred in the NAC+I group than the NAC group. Conclusions: A comprehensive understanding of immunologic factors could potentially predict pCR to chemotherapy alone, enabling the avoidance of the unnecessary treatment of these patients with checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Seager
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Heidi Ko
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Sarabjot Pabla
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Maria-Fernanda Senosain
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Pawel Kalinski
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA;
| | - Erik Van Roey
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Shuang Gao
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Kyle C. Strickland
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rebecca Ann Previs
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Cancer Institute, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mary K. Nesline
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Stephanie Hastings
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Shengle Zhang
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Jeffrey M. Conroy
- Labcorp Oncology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA; (S.P.); (M.-F.S.); (E.V.R.); (S.G.); (S.Z.); (J.M.C.)
| | - Taylor J. Jensen
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | | | | | - Eric A. Severson
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Shakti Ramkissoon
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (H.K.); (K.C.S.); (R.A.P.); (M.K.N.); (S.H.); (T.J.J.); (E.A.S.); (S.R.)
- Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27710, USA
| | - Shipra Gandhi
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA;
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14
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Shireman JM, White Q, Ni Z, Mohanty C, Cai Y, Zhao L, Agrawal N, Gonugunta N, Wang X, Mccarthy L, Kasulabada V, Pattnaik A, Ahmed AU, Miller J, Kulwin C, Cohen-Gadol A, Payner T, Lin CT, Savage JJ, Lane B, Shiue K, Kamer A, Shah M, Iyer G, Watson G, Kendziorski C, Dey M. Genomic analysis of human brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery reveals unique signature based on treatment failure. iScience 2024; 27:109601. [PMID: 38623341 PMCID: PMC11016778 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of limited brain metastasis (BM); however, the effects of SRS on human brain metastases have yet to be studied. We performed genomic analysis on resected brain metastases from patients whose resected lesion was previously treated with SRS. Our analyses demonstrated for the first time that patients possess a distinct genomic signature based on type of treatment failure including local failure, leptomeningeal spread, and radio-necrosis. Examination of the center and peripheral edge of the tumors treated with SRS indicated differential DNA damage distribution and an enrichment for tumor suppressor mutations and DNA damage repair pathways along the peripheral edge. Furthermore, the two clinical modalities used to deliver SRS, LINAC and GK, demonstrated differential effects on the tumor landscape even between controlled primary sites. Our study provides, in human, biological evidence of differential effects of SRS across BM's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack M. Shireman
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Quinn White
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Zijian Ni
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Chitrasen Mohanty
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yujia Cai
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Nikita Gonugunta
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xiaohu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Liam Mccarthy
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Varshitha Kasulabada
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Akshita Pattnaik
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Atique U. Ahmed
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James Miller
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Charles Kulwin
- Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine Neurological Surgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Cohen-Gadol
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Troy Payner
- Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine Neurological Surgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Chih-Ta Lin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jesse J. Savage
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Brandon Lane
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kevin Shiue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Kamer
- Department of Clinical Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Mitesh Shah
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gopal Iyer
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gordon Watson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Christina Kendziorski
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mahua Dey
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
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15
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Kembuan GJ, Kim JY, Maus MV, Jan M. Targeting solid tumor antigens with chimeric receptors: cancer biology meets synthetic immunology. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:312-331. [PMID: 38355356 PMCID: PMC11006585 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.01.003] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a medical breakthrough in the treatment of B cell malignancies. There is intensive focus on developing solid tumor-targeted CAR-T cell therapies. Although clinically approved CAR-T cell therapies target B cell lineage antigens, solid tumor targets include neoantigens and tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) with diverse roles in tumor biology. Multiple early-stage clinical trials now report encouraging signs of efficacy for CAR-T cell therapies that target solid tumors. We review the landscape of solid tumor target antigens from the perspective of cancer biology and gene regulation, together with emerging clinical data for CAR-T cells targeting these antigens. We then discuss emerging synthetic biology strategies and their application in the clinical development of novel cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele J Kembuan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joanna Y Kim
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marcela V Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Max Jan
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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16
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Passaro A, Al Bakir M, Hamilton EG, Diehn M, André F, Roy-Chowdhuri S, Mountzios G, Wistuba II, Swanton C, Peters S. Cancer biomarkers: Emerging trends and clinical implications for personalized treatment. Cell 2024; 187:1617-1635. [PMID: 38552610 PMCID: PMC7616034 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.041] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The integration of cancer biomarkers into oncology has revolutionized cancer treatment, yielding remarkable advancements in cancer therapeutics and the prognosis of cancer patients. The development of personalized medicine represents a turning point and a new paradigm in cancer management, as biomarkers enable oncologists to tailor treatments based on the unique molecular profile of each patient's tumor. In this review, we discuss the scientific milestones of cancer biomarkers and explore future possibilities to improve the management of patients with solid tumors. This progress is primarily attributed to the biological characterization of cancers, advancements in testing methodologies, elucidation of the immune microenvironment, and the ability to profile circulating tumor fractions. Integrating these insights promises to continually advance the precision oncology field, fostering better patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Passaro
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Maise Al Bakir
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Emily G Hamilton
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maximilian Diehn
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Fabrice André
- Gustave-Roussy Cancer Center, Paris Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri
- Department of Anatomic Pathology and Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Giannis Mountzios
- Fourth Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Trials Unit, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, Athens, Greece
| | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Charles Swanton
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Solange Peters
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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17
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Naik A, Lattab B, Qasem H, Decock J. Cancer testis antigens: Emerging therapeutic targets leveraging genomic instability in cancer. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200768. [PMID: 38596293 PMCID: PMC10876628 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Cancer care has witnessed remarkable progress in recent decades, with a wide array of targeted therapies and immune-based interventions being added to the traditional treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, despite these advancements, the challenge of achieving high tumor specificity while minimizing adverse side effects continues to dictate the benefit-risk balance of cancer therapy, guiding clinical decision making. As such, the targeting of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) offers exciting new opportunities for therapeutic intervention of cancer since they display highly tumor specific expression patterns, natural immunogenicity and play pivotal roles in various biological processes that are critical for tumor cellular fitness. In this review, we delve deeper into how CTAs contribute to the regulation and maintenance of genomic integrity in cancer, and how these mechanisms can be exploited to specifically target and eradicate tumor cells. We review the current clinical trials targeting aforementioned CTAs, highlight promising pre-clinical data and discuss current challenges and future perspectives for future development of CTA-based strategies that exploit tumor genomic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adviti Naik
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Boucif Lattab
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hanan Qasem
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Julie Decock
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
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18
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Angeloni A, Fissette S, Kaya D, Hammond JM, Gamaarachchi H, Deveson IW, Klose RJ, Li W, Zhang X, Bogdanovic O. Extensive DNA methylome rearrangement during early lamprey embryogenesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1977. [PMID: 38438347 PMCID: PMC10912607 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46085-2] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (5mC) is a repressive gene regulatory mark widespread in vertebrate genomes, yet the developmental dynamics in which 5mC patterns are established vary across species. While mammals undergo two rounds of global 5mC erasure, teleosts, for example, exhibit localized maternal-to-paternal 5mC remodeling. Here, we studied 5mC dynamics during the embryonic development of sea lamprey, a jawless vertebrate which occupies a critical phylogenetic position as the sister group of the jawed vertebrates. We employed 5mC quantification in lamprey embryos and tissues, and discovered large-scale maternal-to-paternal epigenome remodeling that affects ~30% of the embryonic genome and is predominantly associated with partially methylated domains. We further demonstrate that sequences eliminated during programmed genome rearrangement (PGR), are hypermethylated in sperm prior to the onset of PGR. Our study thus unveils important insights into the evolutionary origins of vertebrate 5mC reprogramming, and how this process might participate in diverse developmental strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allegra Angeloni
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Skye Fissette
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Deniz Kaya
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jillian M Hammond
- Genomics Pillar, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Hasindu Gamaarachchi
- Genomics Pillar, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ira W Deveson
- Genomics Pillar, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert J Klose
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, USA
- University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ozren Bogdanovic
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, CSIC-Universidad Pablo de Olavide-Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain.
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19
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Maimela PWM, Smith M, Nel AJM, Bernam SDP, Jonas EG, Blackburn JM. Humoral immunoprofiling identifies novel biomarkers and an immune suppressive autoantibody phenotype at the site of disease in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1330419. [PMID: 38450186 PMCID: PMC10917065 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1330419] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a heterogeneous cancer, with minimal response to therapeutic intervention and with 85% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage due to lack of early symptoms, highlighting the importance of understanding PDAC immunology in greater detail. Here, we applied an immunoproteomic approach to investigate autoantibody responses against cancer-testis and tumor-associated antigens in PDAC using a high-throughput multiplexed protein microarray platform, comparing humoral immune responses in serum and at the site of disease in order to shed new light on immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. We simultaneously quantified serum or tissue IgG and IgA antibody isotypes and subclasses in a cohort of PDAC, disease control and healthy patients, observing inter alia that subclass utilization in tumor tissue samples was predominantly immune suppressive IgG4 and inflammatory IgA2, contrasting with predominant IgG3 and IgA1 subclass utilization in matched sera and implying local autoantibody production at the site of disease in an immune-tolerant environment. By comparison, serum autoantibody subclass profiling for the disease controls identified IgG4, IgG1, and IgA1 as the abundant subclasses. Combinatorial analysis of serum autoantibody responses identified panels of candidate biomarkers. The top IgG panel included ACVR2B, GAGE1, LEMD1, MAGEB1 and PAGE1 (sensitivity, specificity and AUC values of 0.933, 0.767 and 0.906). Conversely, the top IgA panel included AURKA, GAGE1, MAGEA10, PLEKHA5 and XAGE3aV1 (sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of 1.000, 0.800, and 0.954). Assessment of antigen-specific serum autoantibody glycoforms revealed abundant sialylation on IgA in PDAC, consistent with an immune suppressive IgA response to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Winnie M. Maimela
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Muneerah Smith
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrew J. M. Nel
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Eduard G. Jonas
- Department of Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan M. Blackburn
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Sengenics Corporation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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20
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Hernandez-Corbacho M, Canals D. Drug Targeting of Acyltransferases in the Triacylglyceride and 1-O-AcylCeramide Biosynthetic Pathways. Mol Pharmacol 2024; 105:166-178. [PMID: 38164582 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.123.000763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Acyltransferase enzymes (EC 2.3.) are a large group of enzymes that transfer acyl groups to a variety of substrates. This review focuses on fatty acyltransferases involved in the biosynthetic pathways of glycerolipids and sphingolipids and how these enzymes have been pharmacologically targeted in their biologic context. Glycerolipids and sphingolipids, commonly treated independently in their regulation and biologic functions, are put together to emphasize the parallelism in their metabolism and bioactive roles. Furthermore, a newly considered signaling molecule, 1-O-acylceramide, resulting from the acylation of ceramide by DGAT2 enzyme, is discussed. Finally, the implications of DGAT2 as a putative ceramide acyltransferase (CAT) enzyme, with a putative dual role in TAG and 1-O-acylceramide generation, are explored. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This manuscript reviews the current status of drug development in lipid acyltransferases. These are current targets in metabolic syndrome and other diseases, including cancer. A novel function for a member in this group of lipids has been recently reported in cancer cells. The responsible enzyme and biological implications of this added member are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Canals
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
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21
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Seager RJ, Senosain MF, Van Roey E, Gao S, DePietro P, Nesline MK, Dash DP, Zhang S, Ko H, Hastings SB, Strickland KC, Previs RA, Jensen TJ, Eisenberg M, Caveney BJ, Severson EA, Ramkissoon S, Conroy JM, Pabla S. Cancer testis antigen burden (CTAB): a novel biomarker of tumor-associated antigens in lung cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:141. [PMID: 38326843 PMCID: PMC10851610 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04918-0] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are tumor antigens that are normally expressed in the testes but are aberrantly expressed in several cancers. CTA overexpression drives the metastasis and progression of lung cancer, and is associated with poor prognosis. To improve lung cancer diagnosis, prognostic prediction, and drug discovery, robust CTA identification and quantitation is needed. In this study, we examined and quantified the co-expression of CTAs in lung cancer to derive cancer testis antigen burden (CTAB), a novel biomarker of immunotherapy response. METHODS Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor samples in discovery cohort (n = 5250) and immunotherapy and combination therapy treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) retrospective (n = 250) cohorts were tested by comprehensive genomic and immune profiling (CGIP), including tumor mutational burden (TMB) and the mRNA expression of 17 CTAs. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by IHC. CTA expression was summed to derive the CTAB score. The median CTAB score for the discovery cohort of 170 was applied to the retrospective cohort as cutoff for CTAB "high" and "low". Biomarker and gene expression correlation was measured by Spearman correlation. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to detect overall survival (OS) differences, and objective response rate (ORR) based on RECIST criteria was compared using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS The CTAs were highly co-expressed (p < 0.05) in the discovery cohort. There was no correlation between CTAB and PD-L1 expression (R = 0.011, p = 0.45) but some correlation with TMB (R = 0.11, p = 9.2 × 10-14). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the immunotherapy-treated NSCLC cohort revealed better OS for the pembrolizumab monotherapy treated patients with high CTAB (p = 0.027). The combination group demonstrated improved OS compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy group (p = 0.04). The pembrolizumab monotherapy patients with high CTAB had a greater ORR than the combination therapy group (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS CTA co-expression can be reliably measured using CGIP in solid tumors. As a biomarker, CTAB appears to be independent from PD-L1 expression, suggesting that CTAB represents aspects of tumor immunogenicity not measured by current standard of care testing. Improved OS and ORR for high CTAB NSCLC patients treated with pembrolizumab monotherapy suggests a unique underlying aspect of immune response to these tumor antigens that needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Seager
- OmniSeq (Labcorp Oncology), Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Shuang Gao
- OmniSeq (Labcorp Oncology), Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Heidi Ko
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Kyle C Strickland
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca A Previs
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Shakti Ramkissoon
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC, USA
- Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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22
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Misir Z, Glavčić G, Janković S, Kruljac I, Čugura-Filipović J, Čimić K, Ulamec M. The role of the NY-ESO-1 in the prognosis of gastric cancer. BIOMOLECULES & BIOMEDICINE 2023; 24:813-820. [PMID: 38153439 PMCID: PMC11293239 DOI: 10.17305/bb.2023.9937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. GC is a multifactorial disease influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. Its most critical features include invasiveness and high metastatic potential. Metastasis is a complex process, and our understanding of the mechanisms involved remains incomplete. Growing evidence suggests that cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) play a crucial role in the metastatic potential of various tumors. Several studies have linked CTA expression with lower tumor differentiation, higher metastatic potential, and poor chemotherapy response. New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-1 (NY-ESO-1) antigen, part of the CTA group, is expressed in tumor tissues, while its expression in normal tissues is restricted to spermatogonia. This study aimed to determine the expression of NY-ESO-1 in primary adenocarcinoma of the stomach, both with and without metastasis in regional lymph nodes, and to compare it with TNM stage, age, gender, and survival. We analyzed GC tissue from 53 node-negative and 55 node-positive primary gastric carcinoma patients for NY-ESO-1 expression using immunohistochemical assay. The results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and survival. Patients with positive NY-ESO-1 expression in primary tumors had a median survival of 19.0 months (range 14.1-24.0), in contrast to those with negative expression, who had a median survival of 52.0 months (range 0.0-133.3) (chi-square 7.99, P=0.005). T status, N status, and NY-ESO-1 expression were all independently associated with shorter survival. No significant difference in NY-ESO-1 expression in primary tumors was observed concerning lymph node metastasis status. In summary, our findings suggest that increased expression of NY-ESO-1 could potentially serve as a prognostic biomarker for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zvonimir Misir
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Goran Glavčić
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Suzana Janković
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Kruljac
- Department of Clinical Research and Biostatistics, Poliklinika Solmed d.o.o., Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Kristina Čimić
- Department of Gynecology, General Hospital “Dr Ivo Pedišić”, Sisak, Croatia
| | - Monika Ulamec
- Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology “Ljudevit Jurak”, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Pathology and Center of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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23
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Julve M, Kennedy O, Frampton AE, Bagwan I, Lythgoe MP. Gene of the month: cancer testis antigen gene 1b (NY-ESO-1). J Clin Pathol 2023; 77:1-7. [PMID: 37857483 DOI: 10.1136/jcp-2023-209053] [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] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Cancer testis antigen gene 1B (CTAG1B) and its associated gene product; New York oesophageal squamous carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1), represent a unique and promising target for cancer immunotherapy. As a member of the cancer testis antigen family (CTA), the protein's restricted expression pattern and ability to elicit spontaneous humoural and cellular immune responses has resulted in a plethora of novel modalities and approaches attempting to harness its immunotherapeutic anti-cancer potential. Here, we discuss the structure and function of CTAG1B/NY-ESO-1 in both health and disease, immunohistochemical detection, as well as the most promising advances in the development of associated anti-cancer therapies. From cancer vaccines to engineered cellular therapy approaches, a multitude of immunotherapies targeting CTA's are coming to the forefront of oncology. Although the efficacy of such approaches have yet to provide convincing evidence of durable response, early phase clinical trial data has resulted in some exciting findings which will have significant potential to act as a platform for future practice changing technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Julve
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver Kennedy
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Adam Enver Frampton
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Section of Oncology, Deptartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Izhar Bagwan
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford, UK
| | - Mark P Lythgoe
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
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24
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Hikmet F, Rassy M, Backman M, Méar L, Mattsson JSM, Djureinovic D, Botling J, Brunnström H, Micke P, Lindskog C. Expression of cancer-testis antigens in the immune microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:2603-2617. [PMID: 37341056 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The antigenic repertoire of tumors is critical for successful anti-cancer immune response and the efficacy of immunotherapy. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are targets of humoral and cellular immune reactions. We aimed to characterize CTA expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the context of the immune microenvironment. Of 90 CTAs validated by RNA sequencing, eight CTAs (DPEP3, EZHIP, MAGEA4, MAGEB2, MAGEC2, PAGE1, PRAME, and TKTL1) were selected for immunohistochemical profiling in cancer tissues from 328 NSCLC patients. CTA expression was compared with immune cell densities in the tumor environment and with genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical data. Most NSCLC cases (79%) expressed at least one of the analyzed CTAs, and CTA protein expression correlated generally with RNA expression. CTA profiles were associated with immune profiles: high MAGEA4 expression was related to M2 macrophages (CD163) and regulatory T cells (FOXP3), low MAGEA4 was associated with T cells (CD3), and high EZHIP was associated with plasma cell infiltration (adj. P-value < 0.05). None of the CTAs correlated with clinical outcomes. The current study provides a comprehensive evaluation of CTAs and suggests that their association with immune cells may indicate in situ immunogenic effects. The findings support the rationale to harness CTAs as targets for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feria Hikmet
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Marc Rassy
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Max Backman
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Loren Méar
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | | | - Dijana Djureinovic
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
- Department of Medicine (Medical Oncology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Johan Botling
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Hans Brunnström
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Patrick Micke
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Lindskog
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
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25
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Gelmi MC, Gezgin G, van der Velden PA, Luyten GPM, Luk SJ, Heemskerk MHM, Jager MJ. PRAME Expression: A Target for Cancer Immunotherapy and a Prognostic Factor in Uveal Melanoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:36. [PMID: 38149971 PMCID: PMC10755595 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.15.36] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare disease with a high mortality, and new therapeutic options are being investigated. Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer testis antigen, expressed in the testis, but also in cancers, including uveal melanoma. PRAME is considered a target for immune therapy in several cancers, and PRAME-specific T cell clones have been shown to kill UM cells. Methods We studied the literature on PRAME expression in hematological and solid malignancies, including UM, and its role as a target for immunotherapy. The distribution of tumor features was compared between PRAME-high and PRAME-low UM in a 64-patient cohort from the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort of 80 cases and differential gene expression analysis was performed in the LUMC cohort. Results PRAME is expressed in many malignancies, it is frequently associated with a negative prognosis, and can be the target of T cell receptor (TCR)-transduced T cells, a promising treatment option with high avidity and safety. In UM, PRAME is expressed in 26% to 45% of cases and is correlated with a worse prognosis. In the LUMC and the TCGA cohorts, high PRAME expression was associated with larger diameter, higher Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage, more frequent gain of chromosome 8q, and an inflammatory phenotype. Conclusions We confirm that PRAME is associated with poor prognosis in UM and has a strong connection with extra copies of 8q. We show that PRAME-specific immunotherapy in an adjuvant setting is promising in treatment of malignancies, including UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Gelmi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gulçin Gezgin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Sietse J. Luk
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martine J. Jager
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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26
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Hor YZ, Salvamani S, Gunasekaran B, Yian KR. CRNDE: A Pivotal Oncogenic Long Non-Coding RNA in Cancers. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2023; 96:511-526. [PMID: 38161583 PMCID: PMC10751873 DOI: 10.59249/vhye2306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal Neoplasia Differentially Expressed (CRNDE), a long non-coding RNA that was initially identified as aberrantly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) has also been observed to exhibit elevated expression in various other human malignancies. Recent research has accumulated substantial evidence implicating CRNDE as an oncogenic player, exerting influence over critical cellular processes linked to cancer progression. Particularly, its regulatory interactions with microRNAs and proteins have been shown to modulate pathways that contribute to carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis. This review will comprehensively outline the roles of CRNDE in colorectal, liver, glioma, lung, cervical, gastric and prostate cancer, elucidating the mechanisms involved in modulating proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and radio/chemoresistance. Furthermore, the review highlights CRNDE's potential as a multifaceted biomarker, owing to its presence in diverse biological samples and stable properties, thereby underscoring its diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic applications. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights of CRNDE-mediated oncogenesis and identify CRNDE as a promising target for future clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhen Hor
- Division of Applied Biomedical Sciences and
Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shamala Salvamani
- Division of Applied Biomedical Sciences and
Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Baskaran Gunasekaran
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied
Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Koh Rhun Yian
- Division of Applied Biomedical Sciences and
Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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27
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Rocha GIY, Gomes JEM, Leite ML, da Cunha NB, Costa FF. Epigenome-Driven Strategies for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Manag Res 2023; 15:1351-1367. [PMID: 38058537 PMCID: PMC10697012 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s272031] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fighting cancer remains one of the greatest challenges for science in the 21st century. Advances in immunotherapy against different types of cancer have greatly contributed to the treatment, remission, and cure of patients. In this context, knowledge of epigenetic phenomena, their relationship with tumor cells and how the immune system can be epigenetically modulated represent some of the greatest advances in the development of anticancer therapies. Epigenetics is a rapidly growing field that studies how environmental factors can affect gene expression without altering DNA sequence. Epigenomic changes include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation, which impact cellular function. Epigenetics has shown promise in developing cancer therapies, such as immunotherapy, which aims to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells. For example, PD-1 and PD-L1 are biomarkers that regulate the immune response to cancer cells and recent studies have shown that epigenetic modifications can affect their expression, potentially influencing the efficacy of immunotherapy. New therapies targeting epigenetic modifications, such as histone deacetylases and DNA methyltransferases, are being developed for cancer treatment, and some have shown promise in preclinical studies and clinical trials. With growing understanding of epigenetic regulation, we can expect more personalized and effective cancer immunotherapies in the future. This review highlights key advances in the use of epigenetic and epigenomic tools and modern immuno-oncology strategies to treat several types of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michel Lopes Leite
- Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Program, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Nicolau B da Cunha
- Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Program, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAV), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Agronomy, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Fabricio F Costa
- Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Program, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Genomic Enterprise, San FranciscoCA, USA
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28
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Go S, Jung M, Lee S, Moon S, Hong J, Kim C, Chung Y, Kim BS. A Personalized Cancer Nanovaccine that Enhances T-Cell Responses and Efficacy Through Dual Interactions with Dendritic Cells and T Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2303979. [PMID: 37515819 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Conventional approaches to developing therapeutic cancer vaccines that primarily activate tumor-specific T cells via dendritic cells (DCs) often demonstrate limited efficacy due to the suboptimal activation of these T cells. To address this limitation, here a therapeutic cancer nanovaccine is developed that enhances T cell responses by interacting with both DCs and T cells. The nanovaccine is based on a cancer cell membrane nanoparticle (CCM-MPLA) that utilizes monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) as an adjuvant. To allow direct interaction between the nanovaccine and tumor-specific T cells, anti-CD28 antibodies (aCD28) are conjugated onto CCM-MPLA, resulting in CCM-MPLA-aCD28. This nanovaccine activates tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in both the presence and absence of DCs. Compared with nanovaccines that interact with either DCs (CCM-MPLA) or T cells (CCM-aCD28), CCM-MPLA-aCD28 induces more potent responses of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells and exhibits a higher antitumor efficacy in tumor-bearing mice. No differences in T cell activation efficiency and therapeutic efficacy are observed between CCM-MPLA and CCM-aCD28. This approach may lead to the development of effective personalized therapeutic cancer vaccines prepared from autologous cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokhyeong Go
- Interdisciplinary Program for Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Mungyo Jung
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Engineering Research, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Suyoung Lee
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangjun Moon
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Hong
- Interdisciplinary Program for Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheesue Kim
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonseok Chung
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Soo Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program for Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Engineering Research, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Chemical Processes and BioMAX, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
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Schindler NR, Braun DA. Antigenic targets in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. KIDNEY CANCER 2023; 7:81-91. [PMID: 38014393 PMCID: PMC10475986 DOI: 10.3233/kca-230006] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but most patients still do not receive a long-term benefit from these therapies, and many experience off-target, immune-related adverse effects. RCC is also different from many other ICI-responsive tumors, as it has only a modest mutation burden, and total neoantigen load does not correlate with ICI response. In order to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapies for RCC, it is therefore critical to identify the antigens that are targeted in effective anti-tumor immunity. In this review, we describe the potential classes of target antigens, and provide examples of previous and ongoing efforts to investigate and target antigens in RCC, with a focus on clear cell histology. Ultimately, we believe that a concerted antigen discovery effort in RCC will enable an improved understanding of response and resistance to current therapies, and lay a foundation for the future development of "precision" antigen-directed immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R. Schindler
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David A. Braun
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Li Y, Yang Q, Liu Y, Yi H, Ju Y, Qi G. POTEE mutation as a potential predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma. Invest New Drugs 2023; 41:556-563. [PMID: 37318657 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-023-01375-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Precise selection of patients who could benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is an important challenge for immunotherapy in lung cancer. POTEE (POTE Ankyrin Domain Family Member E) is a member of one primate-specific gene family which have been identified as cancer-related antigens and potential target for immunotherapy of cancer. Here, we investigated the correlation between POTEE mutation and the clinical outcome of ICIs treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We merged three NSCLC cohorts (n = 165) to assess predictive value of POTEE mutation of immunotherapy efficacy in NSCLC. The prognostic analysis and the potential molecular mechanism exploration were conducted based on the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In the merged cohort, patients with POTEE-mutation (POTEE-Mut) had a significantly higher objective response rate (ORR) (100% vs 27.7%; P < 0.001) and longer progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.001; HR 0.08; 95% CI 0.01 - 0.54) compared to patients with POTEE wild-type (POTEE-WT) in NSCLC. Also, patients with POTEE-Mut showed higher ORR (100% vs 27.2%; P < 0.001) and longer PFS (P = 0.001; HR 0.07; 95% CI 0.01 - 0.52) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). POTEE mutation was significantly associated with higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) and higher neoantigen load (NAL), but not with PD-L1 expression in LUAD. Gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA) analysis revealed prominent enrichment of signatures related to DNA repair in POTEE-Mut group (P < 0.001) in LUAD. Our results indicate that POTEE mutation could serve as a potential predictive biomarker for ICIs in LUAD. However, prospective cohort studies are still needed for further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhao Li
- Center of Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis, Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Myasthenia Gravis, Hebei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Myasthenia gravis, People's Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Hebei, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Qidong Yang
- The Medical Department, The State Key Lab of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd; Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd, Jiangsu, 210002, Nanjing, China
| | - Yaqin Liu
- The Medical Department, The State Key Lab of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd; Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd, Jiangsu, 210002, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan Yi
- The Medical Department, The State Key Lab of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd; Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd, Jiangsu, 210002, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongzhi Ju
- The Medical Department, The State Key Lab of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Jiangsu Simcere Diagnostics Co., Ltd; Nanjing Simcere Medical Laboratory Science Co., Ltd, Jiangsu, 210002, Nanjing, China
| | - Guoyan Qi
- Center of Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis, People's Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Hebei, 050000, Shijiazhuang, China.
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Llano E, Pendás AM. Synaptonemal Complex in Human Biology and Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1718. [PMID: 37443752 PMCID: PMC10341275 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131718] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a meiosis-specific multiprotein complex that forms between homologous chromosomes during prophase of meiosis I. Upon assembly, the SC mediates the synapses of the homologous chromosomes, leading to the formation of bivalents, and physically supports the formation of programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their subsequent repair and maturation into crossovers (COs), which are essential for genome haploidization. Defects in the assembly of the SC or in the function of the associated meiotic recombination machinery can lead to meiotic arrest and human infertility. The majority of proteins and complexes involved in these processes are exclusively expressed during meiosis or harbor meiosis-specific subunits, although some have dual functions in somatic DNA repair and meiosis. Consistent with their functions, aberrant expression and malfunctioning of these genes have been associated with cancer development. In this review, we focus on the significance of the SC and their meiotic-associated proteins in human fertility, as well as how human genetic variants encoding for these proteins affect the meiotic process and contribute to infertility and cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Llano
- Departamento Fisiología y Farmacología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biologıía Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
| | - Alberto M. Pendás
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biologıía Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain;
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Shireman JM, White Q, Agrawal N, Ni Z, Chen G, Zhao L, Gonugunta N, Wang X, Mccarthy L, Kasulabada V, Pattnaik A, Ahmed AU, Miller J, Kulwin C, Cohen-Gadol A, Payner T, Lin CT, Savage JJ, Lane B, Shiue K, Kamer A, Shah M, Iyer G, Watson G, Kendziorski C, Dey M. Genomic Analysis of Human Brain Metastases Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery Under the Phase-II Clinical Trial (NCT03398694) Reveals DNA Damage Repair at the Peripheral Tumor Edge. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.15.23288491. [PMID: 37131583 PMCID: PMC10153341 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.15.23288491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is one of the leading treatment modalities for oligo brain metastasis (BM), however no comprehensive genomic data assessing the effect of radiation on BM in humans exist. Leveraging a unique opportunity, as part of the clinical trial (NCT03398694), we collected post-SRS, delivered via Gamma-knife or LINAC, tumor samples from core and peripheral-edges of the resected tumor to characterize the genomic effects of overall SRS as well as the SRS delivery modality. Using these rare patient samples, we show that SRS results in significant genomic changes at DNA and RNA levels throughout the tumor. Mutations and expression profiles of peripheral tumor samples indicated interaction with surrounding brain tissue as well as elevated DNA damage repair. Central samples show GSEA enrichment for cellular apoptosis while peripheral samples carried an increase in tumor suppressor mutations. There are significant differences in the transcriptomic profile at the periphery between Gamma-knife vs LINAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack M. Shireman
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Quinn White
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Namita Agrawal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Zijian Ni
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Grace Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nikita Gonugunta
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xiaohu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Liam Mccarthy
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Varshitha Kasulabada
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Akshita Pattnaik
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Atique U. Ahmed
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James Miller
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Charles Kulwin
- Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine Neurological Surgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Cohen-Gadol
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Troy Payner
- Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine Neurological Surgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Chih-Ta Lin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jesse J. Savage
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Brandon Lane
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kevin Shiue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Kamer
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Mitesh Shah
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gopal Iyer
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gordon Watson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Christina Kendziorski
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mahua Dey
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
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Seong G, D’Angelo SP. New therapeutics for soft tissue sarcomas: Overview of current immunotherapy and future directions of soft tissue sarcomas. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1150765. [PMID: 37007160 PMCID: PMC10052453 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1150765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare and aggressive disease with a 40 to 50% metastasis rate. The limited efficacy of traditional approaches with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy has prompted research in novel immunotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma. Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-CTLA-4 and PD-1 therapies in STS have demonstrated histologic-specific responses. Some combinations of immunotherapy with chemotherapy, TKI, and radiation were effective. STS is considered a ‘cold’, non-inflamed tumor. Adoptive cell therapies are actively investigated in STS to enhance immune response. Genetically modified T-cell receptor therapy targeting cancer testis antigens such as NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4 demonstrated durable responses, especially in synovial sarcoma. Two early HER2-CAR T-cell trials have achieved stable disease in some patients. In the future, CAR-T cell therapies will find more specific targets in STS with a reliable response. Early recognition of T-cell induced cytokine release syndrome is crucial, which can be alleviated by immunosuppression such as steroids. Further understanding of the immune subtypes and biomarkers will promote the advancement of soft tissue sarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyuhee Seong
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Sandra P. D’Angelo
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Sandra P. D’Angelo,
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Ahn R, Cui Y, White FM. Antigen discovery for the development of cancer immunotherapy. Semin Immunol 2023; 66:101733. [PMID: 36841147 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Central to successful cancer immunotherapy is effective T cell antitumor immunity. Multiple targeted immunotherapies engineered to invigorate T cell-driven antitumor immunity rely on identifying the repertoire of T cell antigens expressed on the tumor cell surface. Mass spectrometry-based survey of such antigens ("immunopeptidomics") combined with other omics platforms and computational algorithms has been instrumental in identifying and quantifying tumor-derived T cell antigens. In this review, we discuss the types of tumor antigens that have emerged for targeted cancer immunotherapy and the immunopeptidomics methods that are central in MHC peptide identification and quantification. We provide an overview of the strength and limitations of mass spectrometry-driven approaches and how they have been integrated with other technologies to discover targetable T cell antigens for cancer immunotherapy. We highlight some of the emerging cancer immunotherapies that successfully capitalized on immunopeptidomics, their challenges, and mass spectrometry-based strategies that can support their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuhjin Ahn
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yufei Cui
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Forest M White
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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Sharif FA, Abuwarda HN. Autoimmunity and re-expression of cancer/testis antigens: Numerous disorders one mechanism hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2023.111019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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36
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Inkster AM, Wong MT, Matthews AM, Brown CJ, Robinson WP. Who's afraid of the X? Incorporating the X and Y chromosomes into the analysis of DNA methylation array data. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:1. [PMID: 36609459 PMCID: PMC9825011 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many human disease phenotypes manifest differently by sex, making the development of methods for incorporating X and Y-chromosome data into analyses vital. Unfortunately, X and Y chromosome data are frequently excluded from large-scale analyses of the human genome and epigenome due to analytical complexity associated with sex chromosome dosage differences between XX and XY individuals, and the impact of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) on the epigenome. As such, little attention has been given to considering the methods by which sex chromosome data may be included in analyses of DNA methylation (DNAme) array data. RESULTS With Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 DNAme array data from 634 placental samples, we investigated the effects of probe filtering, normalization, and batch correction on DNAme data from the X and Y chromosomes. Processing steps were evaluated in both mixed-sex and sex-stratified subsets of the analysis cohort to identify whether including both sexes impacted processing results. We found that identification of probes that have a high detection p-value, or that are non-variable, should be performed in sex-stratified data subsets to avoid over- and under-estimation of the quantity of probes eligible for removal, respectively. All normalization techniques investigated returned X and Y DNAme data that were highly correlated with the raw data from the same samples. We found no difference in batch correction results after application to mixed-sex or sex-stratified cohorts. Additionally, we identify two analytical methods suitable for XY chromosome data, the choice between which should be guided by the research question of interest, and we performed a proof-of-concept analysis studying differential DNAme on the X and Y chromosome in the context of placental acute chorioamnionitis. Finally, we provide an annotation of probe types that may be desirable to filter in X and Y chromosome analyses, including probes in repetitive elements, the X-transposed region, and cancer-testis gene promoters. CONCLUSION While there may be no single "best" approach for analyzing DNAme array data from the X and Y chromosome, analysts must consider key factors during processing and analysis of sex chromosome data to accommodate the underlying biology of these chromosomes, and the technical limitations of DNA methylation arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Inkster
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada.
| | - Martin T Wong
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Allison M Matthews
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z7, Canada
| | - Carolyn J Brown
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Wendy P Robinson
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
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Zhao J, Wu Y, Yue Y, Chen M, Xu Y, Liu X, Liu X, Gao X, Wang H, Si X, Zhong W, Zhang X, Zhang L, Wang M. The development of a tumor-associated autoantibodies panel to predict clinical outcomes for immune checkpoint inhibitor-based treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Thorac Cancer 2023; 14:497-505. [PMID: 36594104 PMCID: PMC9925345 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.14772] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become one important therapeutic strategy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It remains imperative to identify reliable and convenient biomarkers to predict both the efficacy and toxicity of immunotherapy, and tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAAbs) are recognized as one of the promising candidates for this. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study enrolled 97 advanced NSCLC patients with ICI-based immunotherapy treatment, who were divided into a training cohort (n = 48) and a validation cohort (n = 49), and measured for the serum level of 35 TAAbs. According to the statistical association between the serum positivity and clinical outcome of each TAAb in the training cohort, a TAAb panel was developed to predict the progression-free survival (PFS), and further examined in the validation cohort and in different subgroups. Similarly, another TAAb panel was derived to predict the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). RESULTS In the training cohort, a 7-TAAb panel composed of p53, CAGE, MAGEA4, GAGE7, UTP14A, IMP2, and PSMC1 TAAbs was derived to predict PFS (median PFS [mPFS] 9.9 vs. 4.3 months, p = 0.043). The statistical association between the panel positivity and longer PFS was confirmed in the validation cohort (mPFS 11.1 vs. 4.8 months, p = 0.015) and in different subgroups of patients. Moreover, another 4-TAAb panel of BRCA2, MAGEA4, ZNF768, and PARP TAAbs was developed to predict the occurrence of irAEs, showing higher risk in panel-positive patients (71.43% vs. 28.91%, p = 0.0046). CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our study developed and validated two TAAb panels as valuable prognostic biomarkers for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yang Wu
- School of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yuan Yue
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Minjiang Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiangning Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoxing Gao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Hanping Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoyan Si
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Wei Zhong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiaotong Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Mengzhao Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicinePeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
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Wirsching HG, Weller M. Immunotherapy for Meningiomas. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1416:225-234. [PMID: 37432631 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-29750-2_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Systemic treatment approaches are urgently needed for a subset of meningioma patients who do not achieve local tumor control with surgery and radiotherapy. Classical chemotherapy or anti-angiogenic agents exert only very limited activity in these tumors. Long-term survival of patients with advanced metastatic cancer following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, i.e., monoclonal antibodies designed to unleash suppressed anticancer immune responses, has fostered hopes for benefit from similar approaches in patients with meningiomas that recur after standard local therapy. Moreover, a plethora of immunotherapy approaches beyond these drugs have entered clinical development or clinical practice for other cancer entities, including (i) novel immune checkpoint inhibitors that may act independently of T cell activity, (ii) cancer peptide or dendritic cell vaccines to induce anticancer immunity utilizing cancer-associated antigens, (iii) cellular therapies utilizing genetically modified peripheral blood cells to directly target cancer cells, (iv) T cell engaging recombinant proteins that link tumor antigen-binding sites to effector cell activating or recognition domains, or to immunogenic cytokines, and (v) oncolytic virotherapy utilizing attenuated viral vectors designed to specifically infect cancer cells, seeking to elicit systemic anticancer immunity. This chapter provides an overview of the principles of immunotherapy, summarizes ongoing immunotherapy clinical trials in meningioma patients, and discusses the applicability of established and emerging immunotherapy concepts to meningioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Georg Wirsching
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Weller
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Tan K, Wang K, Zhao A, Liu Z, Song W, Cheng Q, Li X, Chen Z, Yuan Y, Yang Z. Meiotic nuclear divisions 1 promotes proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma and is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target gene. Med Oncol 2023; 40:14. [PMID: 36352167 PMCID: PMC9646579 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-022-01875-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the cancer with the highest incidence among liver cancers and how to treat this cancer effectively is still a difficult problem we must face. We selected meiotic nuclear divisions 1 (MND1) as the study object by combining data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database with prognostic survival analysis. We validated the value of MND1 in evaluating the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma through a diagnostic and prognostic model. At the same time, cellular experiments were used to demonstrate the effect of MND1 on hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation and migration. We used short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to knock down MND1 in Hun7 and HCCLM3 cell lines. Through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assays, we found that knocking down MND1 reduced the proliferation of cells. Through wound healing and Transwell assays, we found that knocking down MND1 reduced cell migration and invasion. Moreover, we found that MND1 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of Hep3B cells by overexpressing MND1. Therefore, in general, MND1 is expected to be a gene that can effectively diagnose and treat hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Tan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Kunlei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Anbang Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Zhicheng Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Wenjing Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Qian Cheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Xinyin Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Zhinan Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Yufeng Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhiyong Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
- Pancreatic Surgery Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
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Tumor immunology. Clin Immunol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-818006-8.00003-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Li F, Liu C, Nong W, Lin L, Ge Y, Luo B, Xiao S, Zhang Q, Xie X. Identification of potential biomarkers in cancer testis antigens for glioblastoma. Am J Transl Res 2023; 15:799-816. [PMID: 36915736 PMCID: PMC10006807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To screen and validate cancer testis antigens (CTAs) as potential biomarkers and explore their molecular mechanisms in glioblastoma (GBM). METHODS Ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq) and bioinformatics analyses were utilized to screen the highly expressed CTAs in GBM. Correlation analysis was used to identify potential biomarkers associated with tumor purity and prognosis. Immunohistochemistry was applied for detection of protein expression. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, functional enrichment analysis, and binding domain prediction were performed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of GBM. RESULTS A total of 8 highly expressed CTAs were identified in GBM. One of them was PDZ-binding kinase (PBK). PBK messenger RNA (mRNA) was most highly expressed in GBM and associated with tumor purity and prognosis, PBK protein expression was also significantly increased in GBM tissues and correlated with p53 expression. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the PBK related genes were predominantly enriched in cell cycle pathway with 38 genes enriched. The proteins encoding by these 38 genes were performed by binding domain prediction analysis, which demonstrated 15 proteins interacting with PBK. Most of these proteins were up regulated in GBM. CONCLUSION PBK is highly expressed in GBM. It may serve as a potential biomarker for GBM targeting therapy and the cell cycle modulator by interacting with certain key molecules of cell cycle in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Postdoctoral Research Station, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Weixia Nong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Lina Lin
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yingying Ge
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shaowen Xiao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qingmei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoxun Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Ma R, Rei M, Woodhouse I, Ferris K, Kirschner S, Chandran A, Gileadi U, Chen JL, Pereira Pinho M, Ariosa-Morejon Y, Kriaucionis S, Ternette N, Koohy H, Ansorge O, Ogg G, Plaha P, Cerundolo V. Decitabine increases neoantigen and cancer testis antigen expression to enhance T-cell-mediated toxicity against glioblastoma. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:2093-2106. [PMID: 35468205 PMCID: PMC9713507 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Despite maximal treatment, median survival remains dismal at 14-24 months. Immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibition, have revolutionized management of some cancers but have little benefit for GBM patients. This is, in part, due to the low mutational and neoantigen burden in this immunogenically "cold" tumor. METHODS U87MG and patient-derived cell lines were treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC) and underwent whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. Cell lines were then subjected to cellular assays with neoantigen and cancer testis antigen (CTA) specific T cells. RESULTS We demonstrate that DAC increases neoantigen and CTA mRNA expression through DNA hypomethylation. This results in increased neoantigen presentation by MHC class I in tumor cells, leading to increased neoantigen- and CTA-specific T-cell activation and killing of DAC-treated cancer cells. In addition, we show that patients have endogenous cancer-specific T cells in both tumor and blood, which show increased tumor-specific activation in the presence of DAC-treated cells. CONCLUSIONS Our work shows that DAC increases GBM immunogenicity and consequent susceptibility to T-cell responses in vitro. Our results support a potential use of DAC as a sensitizing agent for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruichong Ma
- Corresponding Authors: Ruichong Ma, DPhil, Department of neurosurgery, Level 3 West wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK ()
| | - Margarida Rei
- Margarida Rei, PhD, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK ()
| | - Isaac Woodhouse
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Katherine Ferris
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sophie Kirschner
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anandhakumar Chandran
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Uzi Gileadi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ji-Li Chen
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mariana Pereira Pinho
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yoanna Ariosa-Morejon
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Skirmantas Kriaucionis
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola Ternette
- Centre for Cellular and Medical Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (Y.A-M., N.T.)
| | - Hashem Koohy
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Olaf Ansorge
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University ofOxford, UK
| | - Graham Ogg
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Puneet Plaha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University ofOxford, UK
| | - Vincenzo Cerundolo
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Almutairi MH, Alrubie TM, Almutairi BO, Alamri AM, Alrefaei AF, Arafah MM, Alanazi M, Semlali A. The Expression Patterns of Human Cancer-Testis Genes Are Induced through Epigenetic Drugs in Colon Cancer Cells. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1319. [PMID: 36355490 PMCID: PMC9692864 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The expression of human germline genes is restricted to the germ cells of the gonads, which produce sperm and eggs. The germline genes involved in testis development and potentially activated in cancer cells are known as cancer-testis (CT) genes. These genes are potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers, as well as drivers of the oncogenic process. CT genes can be reactivated by treatment with drugs that demethylate DNA. The majority of the existing literature on CT gene activation focuses on X-chromosome-produced CT genes. We tested the hypothesis that epigenetic landscape changes, such as DNA methylation, can alter several CT gene expression profiles in cancer and germ cells. METHODS Colon cancer (CC) cell lines were treated with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor (DNMTi) 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, or with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) trichostatin A (TSA). The effects of these epigenetic treatments on the transcriptional activation of previously published CT genes (CTAG1A, SCP2D1, TKTL2, LYZL6, TEX33, and ACTRT1) and testis-specific genes (NUTM1, ASB17, ZSWIM2, ADAM2, and C10orf82) were investigated. RESULTS We found that treatment of CC cell lines with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine or TSA correlated with activation of X-encoded CT genes and non-X-encoded CT genes in somatic (non-germline) cells. CONCLUSION These findings confirm that a subset of CT genes can be regulated by hypomethylating drugs and subsequently provide a potential therapeutic target for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhlid H. Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Turki M. Alrubie
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader O. Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah M. Alamri
- Genome Research Chair, Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahed F. Alrefaei
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha M. Arafah
- Pathology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Alanazi
- Genome Research Chair, Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelhabib Semlali
- Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, 2420 Rue de la Terrasse, Local 1758, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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Fang J, Zhen J, Gong Y, Ke Y, Fu B, Jiang Y, Xie J, Liu Y, Ding Y, Huang D, Xiao F. MND1 functions as a potential prognostic biomarker associated with cell cycle and immune infiltration in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:7416-7442. [PMID: 36098680 PMCID: PMC9550261 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is a common and invasive subtype of renal tumors, which has poor prognosis and high mortality. MND1 is a meiosis specific protein that participates in the progress of diverse cancers. Nonetheless, its function in KIRC was unclear. Here, TIMER, TCGA, GEO databases and IHC found MND1 expression is upregulated in KIRC, leading to poor overall survival, and MND1 can serve as an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, enrichment analysis revealed the functional relationship between MND1 and cell cycle, immune infiltration. EdU and transwell assays confirmed that MND1 knockdown surely prohibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of KIRC cells. Additionally, immune analysis showed that MND1 displayed a strong correlation with various immune cells. Interference with MND1 significantly reduces the expression of chemokines. TCGA and GEO databases indicated that MND1 expression is significantly related to two m6A modification related gene (METTL14, IGF2BP3). Finally, the drug sensitivity analysis revealed 7 potentially sensitive drugs for KIRC patients with high MND1 expression. In conclusion, MND1 can be used as a prognostic biomarker for KIRC and provides clues regarding cell cycle, immune infiltrates and m6A. Sensitive drugs may be an effective treatment strategy for KIRC patients with high expression of MND1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Fang
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Zhen
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yiyang Gong
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yun Ke
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bidong Fu
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yike Jiang
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Xie
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yongqi Ding
- Second College of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Da Huang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Fan Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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HPV-Positive and -Negative Cervical Cancers Are Immunologically Distinct. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11164825. [PMID: 36013065 PMCID: PMC9410291 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11164825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with nearly all cervical cancers (CC), a small proportion are HPV-negative. Recently, it has become clear that HPV-negative CC represent a distinct disease phenotype compared to HPV-positive disease and exhibit increased mortality. In addition, variations between different HPV types associated with CC have been linked to altered molecular pathology and prognosis. We compared the immune microenvironments of CC caused by HPV α9 species (HPV16-like), HPV α7 species (HPV18-like) and HPV-negative disease. HPV-negative CC appeared distinct from other subtypes, with greatly reduced levels of lymphocyte infiltration compared to either HPV α9 or α7 CC. Besides reduced levels of markers indicative of B, T, and NK lymphocytes, the expression of T-cell effector molecules, activation/exhaustion markers, and T-cell receptor diversity were also significantly lower in HPV-negative CC. Interestingly, HPV-negative CC expressed much higher levels of potential neoantigens than HPV-positive CC. These results identify profound differences between the immune landscape of HPV-positive and HPV-negative CC as well as modest differences between HPV α9 and α7 CC. These differences may contribute to altered patient outcomes between HPV-negative and HPV-positive CC and potentially between CC associated with different HPV types.
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Gupta R, Jit BP, Kumar S, Mittan S, Tanwer P, Ray MD, Mathur S, Perumal V, Kumar L, Rath GK, Sharma A. Leveraging epigenetics to enhance the efficacy of cancer-testis antigen: a potential candidate for immunotherapy. Epigenomics 2022; 14:865-886. [DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy in women. The phenotype is characterized by delayed diagnosis, recurrence and drug resistance. Inherent immunogenicity potential, oncogenic function and expression of cancer-testis/germline antigen (CTA) in ovarian cancer render them a potential candidate for immunotherapy. Revolutionary clinical findings indicate that tumor antigen-mediated T-cell and dendritic cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches provide an excellent strategy for targeting tumors. Currently, dendritic cell vaccination for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma and CTA-based T-cell receptor transduced T-cell therapy involving MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 are well documented and shown to be effective. This review highlighted the mechanical aspects of epigenetic drugs that can elicit a CTA-based humoral and cellular immune response and implicate T-cell and dendritic cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute – India, Jhajjar Campus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Bimal Prasad Jit
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute – India, Jhajjar Campus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute – India, Jhajjar Campus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Sandeep Mittan
- Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY 10467, USA
| | - Pranay Tanwer
- Laboratory Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - M D Ray
- Department of Surgical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Sandeep Mathur
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Vanamail Perumal
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Lalit Kumar
- Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - G K Rath
- Department of Radiotherapy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ashok Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute – India, Jhajjar Campus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India
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CRISPR/Cas9-medaited knockout of endogenous T-cell receptor in Jurkat cells and generation of NY-ESO-1-specific T cells: An in vitro study. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 110:109055. [PMID: 35853277 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells has been successful in mediating favorable clinical outcomes. TCR-engineered T cells can be applied for targeting cancers whose associated antigens are intracellular and presented through major histocompatibility complexes (MHC). The mispairing of the exogenous TCR chains with the endogenous TCR chains leads to functionally impaired TCR-engineered T cells. The CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system can be utilized for the knockout of the endogenous TCR in T cells before introducing the exogenous TCR chains. In this study, we used the lentiviral delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 for disrupting the expression of the endogenous TCR in the Jurkat cell line. Next, an exogenous TCR targeting human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201-restricted New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) peptide was transduced into the TCR-knockout (KO) Jurkat cells. Further, we assessed lentiviral transduction efficacy using tetramer assay and evaluated the functionality of the NY-ESO-1-specific TCR-engineered T cells by quantifying the cell surface expression of CD69 upon co-cultivation with peptide-pulsed T2 cells. We successfully knocked out the endogenous TCR in ∼40% of the Jurkat cells. TCR-KO cells were selected and subjected to express NY-ESO-1-specific TCRs using lentiviral vectors. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that up to 55% of the cells expressed the transgenic TCR on their surface. The functionality assay demonstrated that >90% of the engineered cells expressed CD69 when co-cultured with peptide-pulsed T2 cells. Conclusively, we developed a pipeline to engineer Jurkat cells using the state-of-the-art technique CRISPR/Cas9 and generated TCR-engineered cells that can become activated by a tumor-specific antigen.
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Bai R, Yuan C. Kita-Kyushu Lung Cancer Antigen-1 (KK-LC-1): A Promising Cancer Testis Antigen. Aging Dis 2022; 13:1267-1277. [PMID: 35855340 PMCID: PMC9286905 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.1207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has always been a huge problem in the field of human health, and its early diagnosis and treatment are the key to solving this problem. Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are a family of multifunctional proteins that are specifically expressed in male spermatozoa and tumor cells but not in healthy somatic cells. Studies have found that CTAs are involved in the occurrence and development of tumors, and some CTAs trigger immunogenicity, which suggests a possibility of tumor immunotherapy. The differential expression and function of CTAs in normal tissues and tumor cells can promote the screening of tumor markers and the development of new immunotherapies. This article introduces the expression of Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen-1 (KK-LC-1), a new member of the CTA family, in different types of tumors and its role in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Bai
- 1Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cheng Yuan
- 2Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Papadatos-Pastos D, Yuan W, Pal A, Crespo M, Ferreira A, Gurel B, Prout T, Ameratunga M, Chénard-Poirier M, Curcean A, Bertan C, Baker C, Miranda S, Masrour N, Chen W, Pereira R, Figueiredo I, Morilla R, Jenkins B, Zachariou A, Riisnaes R, Parmar M, Turner A, Carreira S, Yap C, Brown R, Tunariu N, Banerji U, Lopez J, de Bono J, Minchom A. Phase 1, dose-escalation study of guadecitabine (SGI-110) in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004495. [PMID: 35717027 PMCID: PMC9240883 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Data suggest that immunomodulation induced by DNA hypomethylating agents can sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We conducted a phase 1 dose-escalation trial (NCT02998567) of guadecitabine and pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. We hypothesized that guadecitabine will overcome pembrolizumab resistance. Methods Patients received guadecitabine (45 mg/m2 or 30 mg/m2, administered subcutaneously on days 1–4), with pembrolizumab (200 mg administered intravenously starting from cycle 2 onwards) every 3 weeks. Primary endpoints were safety, tolerability and maximum tolerated dose; secondary and exploratory endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), changes in methylome, transcriptome, immune contextures in pre-treatment and on-treatment tumor biopsies. Results Between January 2017 and January 2020, 34 patients were enrolled. The recommended phase II dose was guadecitabine 30 mg/m2, days 1–4, and pembrolizumab 200 mg on day 1 every 3 weeks. Two dose-limiting toxicities (neutropenia, febrile neutropenia) were reported at guadecitabine 45 mg/m2 with none reported at guadecitabine 30 mg/m2. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were neutropenia (58.8%), fatigue (17.6%), febrile neutropenia (11.8%) and nausea (11.8%). Common, grade 3+ TRAEs were neutropaenia (38.2%) and febrile neutropaenia (11.8%). There were no treatment-related deaths. Overall, 30 patients were evaluable for antitumor activity; ORR was 7% with 37% achieving disease control (progression-free survival) for ≥24 weeks. Of 12 evaluable patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 10 had been previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors with 5 (42%) having disease control ≥24 weeks (clinical benefit). Reduction in LINE-1 DNA methylation following treatment in blood (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and tissue samples was demonstrated and methylation at transcriptional start site and 5’ untranslated region gene regions showed enriched negative correlation with gene expression. Increases in intra-tumoural effector T-cells were seen in some responding patients. Patients having clinical benefit had high baseline inflammatory signature on RNAseq analyses. Conclusions Guadecitabine in combination with pembrolizumab is tolerable with biological and anticancer activity. Reversal of previous resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Yuan
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Abhijit Pal
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Mateus Crespo
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Ana Ferreira
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Bora Gurel
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Toby Prout
- Drug Development Unit - Investigator Initiated Trials Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Malaka Ameratunga
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | | | - Andra Curcean
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Claudia Bertan
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Chloe Baker
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Susana Miranda
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Nahal Masrour
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Wentin Chen
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rita Pereira
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Ines Figueiredo
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Ricardo Morilla
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Ben Jenkins
- Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Anna Zachariou
- Drug Development Unit - Investigator Initiated Trials Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Ruth Riisnaes
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Mona Parmar
- Drug Development Unit - Investigator Initiated Trials Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Alison Turner
- Drug Development Unit - Investigator Initiated Trials Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Suzanne Carreira
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Christina Yap
- Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Robert Brown
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nina Tunariu
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Udai Banerji
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Juanita Lopez
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Johann de Bono
- Cancer Biomarkers Team, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK.,Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Anna Minchom
- Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
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Zhao L, Guo H, Chen X, Zhang W, He Q, Ding L, Yang B. Tackling drug resistance in ovarian cancer with epigenetic targeted drugs. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 927:175071. [PMID: 35636522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic dysregulation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. Since the first experiment conducted on resistant ovarian cancer cells using demethylating drugs, multiple clinical trials have revealed that epigenetic targeted drugs combined with chemotherapy, molecular-targeted drugs, or even immunotherapy could enhance tumor sensitivity and reverse acquired resistances. Here, we summarized the combination strategies of epigenetic targeted drugs with other treatment strategies of ovarian cancer and discussed the principles of combination therapy. Finally, we enumerated several reasonable clinical trial designs as well as future drug development strategies, which may provide promising ideas for the application of epigenetic drugs to ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hongjie Guo
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ling Ding
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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