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Tao H, Zhong X, Zeng A, Song L. Unveiling the veil of lactate in tumor-associated macrophages: a successful strategy for immunometabolic therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1208870. [PMID: 37564659 PMCID: PMC10411982 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1208870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactate, traditionally regarded as a metabolic waste product at the terminal of the glycolysis process, has recently been found to have multifaceted functional roles in metabolism and beyond. A metabolic reprogramming phenomenon commonly seen in tumor cells, known as the "Warburg effect," sees high levels of aerobic glycolysis result in an excessive production of lactate. This lactate serves as a substrate that sustains not only the survival of cancer cells but also immune cells. However, it also inhibits the function of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), a group of innate immune cells ubiquitously present in solid tumors, thereby facilitating the immune evasion of malignant tumor cells. Characterized by their high plasticity, TAMs are generally divided into the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and the pro-tumour M2 phenotype. Through a process of 'education' by lactate, TAMs tend to adopt an immunosuppressive phenotype and collaborate with tumor cells to promote angiogenesis. Additionally, there is growing evidence linking metabolic reprogramming with epigenetic modifications, suggesting the participation of histone modification in diverse cellular events within the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review, we delve into recent discoveries concerning lactate metabolism in tumors, with a particular focus on the impact of lactate on the function of TAMs. We aim to consolidate the molecular mechanisms underlying lactate-induced TAM polarization and angiogenesis and explore the lactate-mediated crosstalk between TAMs and tumor cells. Finally, we also touch upon the latest progress in immunometabolic therapies and drug delivery strategies targeting glycolysis and lactate production, offering new perspectives for future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Tao
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuansheng Zhong
- Clinical Medicine Department, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Anqi Zeng
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology and Clinical Application, Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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2
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Le TM, Lee HR, Abt ER, Rashid K, Creech AL, Liang K, Cui J, Cho A, Wei L, Labora A, Chan C, Sanchez E, Kriti K, Karin D, Li L, Wu N, Mona C, Carlucci G, Hugo W, Wu TT, Donahue TR, Czernin J, Radu CG. 18F-FDG PET Visualizes Systemic STING Agonist-Induced Lymphocyte Activation in Preclinical Models. J Nucl Med 2023; 64:117-123. [PMID: 35738905 PMCID: PMC9841248 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.122.264121] [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: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a mediator of immune recognition of cytosolic DNA, which plays important roles in cancer, cytotoxic therapies, and infections with certain pathogens. Although pharmacologic STING activation stimulates potent antitumor immune responses in animal models, clinically applicable pharmacodynamic biomarkers that inform of the magnitude, duration, and location of immune activation elicited by systemic STING agonists are yet to be described. We investigated whether systemic STING activation induces metabolic alterations in immune cells that can be visualized by PET imaging. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were treated with systemic STING agonists and imaged with 18F-FDG PET after 24 h. Splenocytes were harvested 6 h after STING agonist administration and analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. 18F-FDG uptake in total splenocytes and immunomagnetically enriched splenic B and T lymphocytes from STING agonist-treated mice was measured by γ-counting. In mice bearing prostate or pancreas cancer tumors, the effects of STING agonist treatment on 18F-FDG uptake, T-lymphocyte activation marker levels, and tumor growth were evaluated. Results: Systemic delivery of structurally distinct STING agonists in mice significantly increased 18F-FDG uptake in the spleen. The average spleen SUVmax in control mice was 1.90 (range, 1.56-2.34), compared with 4.55 (range, 3.35-6.20) in STING agonist-treated mice (P < 0.0001). Single-cell transcriptional and flow cytometry analyses of immune cells from systemic STING agonist-treated mice revealed enrichment of a glycolytic transcriptional signature in both T and B lymphocytes that correlated with the induction of immune cell activation markers. In tumor-bearing mice, STING agonist administration significantly delayed tumor growth and increased 18F-FDG uptake in secondary lymphoid organs. Conclusion: These findings reveal hitherto unknown functional links between STING signaling and immunometabolism and suggest that 18F-FDG PET may provide a widely applicable approach toward measuring the pharmacodynamic effects of systemic STING agonists at a whole-body level and guiding their clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuc M Le
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Hailey R Lee
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Evan R Abt
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Khalid Rashid
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Amanda L Creech
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Keke Liang
- Department of Pancreatic and Thyroidal Surgery, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jing Cui
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, China
| | - Arthur Cho
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Liu Wei
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Amanda Labora
- Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Eric Sanchez
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kriti Kriti
- Elucidata Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Karin
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Luyi Li
- Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Nanping Wu
- Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christine Mona
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Giuseppe Carlucci
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Willy Hugo
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California; and
| | - Ting-Ting Wu
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Timothy R Donahue
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Johannes Czernin
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Caius G Radu
- Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California;
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
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3
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Heuser C, Renner K, Kreutz M, Gattinoni L. Targeting lactate metabolism for cancer immunotherapy - a matter of precision. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 88:32-45. [PMID: 36496155 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T cell therapies have been valuable additions to the toolbox in the fight against cancer. These treatments have profoundly increased the number of patients with a realistic perspective toward a return to a cancer-free life. Yet, in a number of patients and tumor entities, cancer immunotherapies have been ineffective so far. In solid tumors, immune exclusion and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment represent substantial roadblocks to successful therapeutic outcomes. A major contributing factor to the depressed anti-tumor activity of immune cells in tumors is the harsh metabolic environment. Hypoxia, nutrient competition with tumor and stromal cells, and accumulating noxious waste products, including lactic acid, pose massive constraints to anti-tumor immune cells. Numerous strategies are being developed to exploit the metabolic vulnerabilities of tumor cells in the hope that these would also alleviate metabolism-inflicted immune suppression. While promising in principle, especially in combination with immunotherapies, these strategies need to be scrutinized for their effect on tumor-fighting immune cells, which share some of their key metabolic properties with tumor cells. Here, we provide an overview of strategies that seek to tackle lactate metabolism in tumor or immune cells to unleash anti-tumor immune responses, thereby opening therapeutic options for patients whose tumors are currently not treatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Heuser
- Division of Functional Immune Cell Modulation, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Renner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Kreutz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Group Immunometabolomics, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Center for Immunomedicine in Transplantation and Oncology (CITO), University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Luca Gattinoni
- Division of Functional Immune Cell Modulation, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Center for Immunomedicine in Transplantation and Oncology (CITO), University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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4
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Early Post-ischemic Brain Glucose Metabolism Is Dependent on Function of TLR2: a Study Using [ 18F]F-FDG PET-CT in a Mouse Model of Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Mol Imaging Biol 2021; 24:466-478. [PMID: 34779968 PMCID: PMC8592082 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01677-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The mammalian brain glucose metabolism is tightly and sensitively regulated. An ischemic brain injury caused by cardiac arrest (CA) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) affects cerebral function and presumably also glucose metabolism. The majority of patients who survive CA suffer from cognitive deficits and physical disabilities. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) plays a crucial role in inflammatory response in ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Since deficiency of TLR2 was associated with increased survival after CA-CPR, in this study, glucose metabolism was measured using non-invasive [18F]F-FDG PET-CT imaging before and early after CA-CPR in a mouse model comparing wild-type (WT) and TLR2-deficient (TLR2−/−) mice. The investigation will evaluate whether FDG-PET could be useful as an additional methodology in assessing prognosis. Procedures Two PET-CT scans using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]F-FDG) tracer were carried out to measure dynamic glucose metabolism before and early after CPR. To achieve this, anesthetized and ventilated adult female WT and TLR2−/− mice were scanned in PET-CT. After recovery from the baseline scan, the same animals underwent 10-min KCL-induced CA followed by CPR. Approximately 90 min after CA, measurements of [18F]F-FDG uptake for 60 min were started. The [18F]F-FDG standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated using PMOD-Software on fused FDG-PET-CT images with the included 3D Mirrione-Mouse-Brain-Atlas. Results The absolute SUVmean of glucose in the whole brain of WT mice was increased about 25.6% after CA-CPR. In contrast, the absolute glucose SUV in the whole brain of TLR2−/− mice was not significantly different between baseline and measurements post CA-CPR. In comparison, baseline measurements of both mouse strains show a highly significant difference with regard to the absolute glucose SUV in the whole brain. Values of TLR2−/− mice revealed a 34.6% higher glucose uptake. Conclusions The altered mouse strains presented a different pattern in glucose uptake under normal and ischemic conditions, whereby the post-ischemic differences in glucose metabolism were associated with the function of key immune factor TLR2. There is evidence for using early FDG-PET-CT as an additional diagnostic tool after resuscitation. Further studies are needed to use PET-CT in predicting neurological outcomes.
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5
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Quantitative Dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT in Survival Prediction of Metastatic Melanoma under PD-1 Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051019. [PMID: 33804417 PMCID: PMC7957728 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The reliable and early during-the-course-of-treatment assessment of tumor response to the novel immunotherapeutic agents is a matter of debate, posing relevant challenges to conventional imaging modalities. In this prospective study, including 25 metastatic melanoma patients, we explored the prognostic significance of quantitative, dynamic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) performed early during programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade. At a median follow-up of 24.2 months, several semiquantitative and quantitative PET/CT parameters derived from tumor lesions and reference tissues had an impact on progression-free survival (PFS). In particular, 18F-FDG standardized uptake value (SUVmean, SUVmax) and fractal dimension (FD) of melanoma lesions adversely affected PFS, while FD of the thyroid, as well as SUVmax and k3 of the bone marrow, positively affected PFS. These findings underline the potential predictive role of quantitative, dynamic, interim PET/CT—performed in combination with conventional, static, whole-body PET/CT—in metastatic melanoma patients under PD-1 blockade. Abstract The advent of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to unprecedented survival rates in advanced melanoma. At the same time, it has raised relevant challenges in the interpretation of treatment response by conventional imaging approaches. In the present prospective study, we explored the predictive role of quantitative, dynamic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) performed early during immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma patients receiving treatment with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. Twenty-five patients under PD-1 blockade underwent dynamic and static 18F-FDG PET/CT before the start of treatment (baseline PET/CT) and after the initial two cycles of therapy (interim PET/CT). The impact of semiquantitatively (standardized uptake value, SUV) and quantitatively (based on compartment modeling and fractal analysis) derived PET/CT parameters, both from melanoma lesions and different reference tissues, on progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed. At a median follow-up of 24.2 months, survival analysis revealed that the interim PET/CT parameters SUVmean, SUVmax and fractal dimension (FD) of the hottest melanoma lesions adversely affected PFS, while the parameters FD of the thyroid, as well as SUVmax and k3 of the bone marrow positively affected PFS. The herein presented findings highlight the potential predictive role of quantitative, dynamic, interim PET/CT in metastatic melanoma under PD-1 blockade. Therefore, dynamic PET/CT could be performed in selected oncological cases in combination with static, whole-body PET/CT in order to enhance the diagnostic certainty offered by conventional imaging and yield additional information regarding specific molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in tumor biology and response to treatment.
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6
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Pektor S, Lawaczeck L, Tenzer S, Bausbacher N, Hoffmann MA, Schreckenberger M, Miederer M. Characterization of activation induced [18]F-FDG uptake in Dendritic Cells. Nuklearmedizin 2020; 60:90-98. [PMID: 33327008 DOI: 10.1055/a-1308-0589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM Activation of immune cells leads to enhanced glucose uptake that can be visualized by [18]F-Fluorodeoxyglucose ([18]F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Dendritic cells (DC) are essential for the function of the adaptive immune system. In contrast to other immune cells metabolic changes leading to an increase of [18]F-FDG uptake are poorly investigated. Here, we analysed the impact of different DC activation pathways on their [18]F-FDG uptake. This effect was then used to radiolabel DC with [18]F-FDG and track their migration in vivo. METHODS DC were generated from bone marrow progenitors (BMDC) or isolated from spleens (SPDC) of C57BL/6 mice. After stimulation with the TLR ligands LPS and CpG or anti-CD40 antibody for up to 72 hours activation markers and glucose transporters (GLUTs) were measured by flow cytometry. Uptake of [18]F-FDG was measured by gamma-counting. DC lysates were analysed for expression of glycolysis relevant proteins by mass spectrometry (MS). [18]F-FDG-labeled DC were injected into footpads of mice to image DC migration. RESULTS BMDC and SPDC showed strong upregulation of activation markers predominantly 24 hours after TLR stimulation followed by higher uptake of [18]F-FDG. In line with this, the expression of GLUTs was upregulated during the course of activation. Furthermore, MS analyses of DC lysates revealed differential regulation of glycolysis relevant proteins according to the stimulatory pathway. As a proof of principle, DC were labeled with [18]F-FDG upon activation to follow their migration in vivo via PET/MRI. CONCLUSION Immune stimulation of DC leads to enhanced [18]F-FDG uptake into DC, representing the typical shift to aerobic glycolysis in immune cells after activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Pektor
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany
| | - Laura Lawaczeck
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany
| | - Stephan Tenzer
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicole Bausbacher
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany
| | - Manuela Andrea Hoffmann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany.,Federal Ministry of Defense, Department of Occupational Health & Safety, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Miederer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany
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7
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An RNA vaccine drives immunity in checkpoint-inhibitor-treated melanoma. Nature 2020; 585:107-112. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2537-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 261] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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8
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Siska PJ, Singer K, Evert K, Renner K, Kreutz M. The immunological Warburg effect: Can a metabolic-tumor-stroma score (MeTS) guide cancer immunotherapy? Immunol Rev 2020; 295:187-202. [PMID: 32157706 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The "glycolytic switch" also known as the "Warburg effect" is a key feature of tumor cells and leads to the accumulation of lactate and protons in the tumor environment. Intriguingly, non-malignant lymphocytes or stromal cells such as tumor-associated macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts contribute to the lactate accumulation in the tumor environment, a phenomenon described as the "Reverse Warburg effect." Localized lactic acidosis has a strong immunosuppressive effect and mediates an immune escape of tumors. However, some tumors do not display the Warburg phenotype and either rely on respiration or appear as a mosaic of cells with different metabolic properties. Based on these findings and on the knowledge that T cell infiltration is predictive for patient outcome, we suggest a metabolic-tumor-stroma score to determine the likelihood of a successful anti-tumor immune response: (a) a respiring tumor with high T cell infiltration ("hot"); (b) a reverse Warburg type with respiring tumor cells but glycolytic stromal cells; (c) a mixed type with glycolytic and respiring compartments; and (d) a glycolytic (Warburg) tumor with low T cell infiltration ("cold"). Here, we provide evidence that these types can be independent of the organ of origin, prognostically relevant and might help select the appropriate immunotherapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Siska
- Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Singer
- Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katja Evert
- Institute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Renner
- Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Kreutz
- Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), Regensburg, Germany
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9
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Using immuno-PET imaging to monitor kinetics of T cell-mediated inflammation and treatment efficiency in a humanized mouse model for GvHD. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2019; 47:1314-1325. [DOI: 10.1007/s00259-019-04507-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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10
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Van der Jeught K, De Koker S, Bialkowski L, Heirman C, Tjok Joe P, Perche F, Maenhout S, Bevers S, Broos K, Deswarte K, Malard V, Hammad H, Baril P, Benvegnu T, Jaffrès PA, Kooijmans SAA, Schiffelers R, Lienenklaus S, Midoux P, Pichon C, Breckpot K, Thielemans K. Dendritic Cell Targeting mRNA Lipopolyplexes Combine Strong Antitumor T-Cell Immunity with Improved Inflammatory Safety. ACS NANO 2018; 12:9815-9829. [PMID: 30256609 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b00966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In vitro transcribed mRNA constitutes a versatile platform to encode antigens and to evoke CD8 T-cell responses. Systemic delivery of mRNA packaged into cationic liposomes (lipoplexes) has proven particularly powerful in achieving effective antitumor immunity in animal models. Yet, T-cell responses to mRNA lipoplexes critically depend on the induction of type I interferons (IFN), potent pro-inflammatory cytokines, which inflict dose-limiting toxicities. Here, we explored an advanced hybrid lipid polymer shell mRNA nanoparticle (lipopolyplex) endowed with a trimannose sugar tree as an alternative delivery vehicle for systemic mRNA vaccination. Like mRNA lipoplexes, mRNA lipopolyplexes were extremely effective in conferring antitumor T-cell immunity upon systemic administration. Conversely to mRNA lipoplexes, mRNA lipopolyplexes did not rely on type I IFN for effective T-cell immunity. This differential mode of action of mRNA lipopolyplexes enabled the incorporation of N1 methyl pseudouridine nucleoside modified mRNA to reduce inflammatory responses without hampering T-cell immunity. This feature was attributed to mRNA lipopolyplexes, as the incorporation of thus modified mRNA into lipoplexes resulted in strongly weakened T-cell immunity. Taken together, we have identified lipopolyplexes containing N1 methyl pseudouridine nucleoside modified mRNA as potent yet low-inflammatory alternatives to the mRNA lipoplexes currently explored in early phase clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Van der Jeught
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | | | - Lukasz Bialkowski
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | - Carlo Heirman
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | - Patrick Tjok Joe
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | - Federico Perche
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, University and Inserm , Orléans 45071 , France
| | | | - Sanne Bevers
- eTheRNA Immunotherapies NV , Niel 2845 , Belgium
| | - Katrijn Broos
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | - Kim Deswarte
- VIB Inflammation Research Center , UGent , Ghent 9052 , Belgium
| | - Virginie Malard
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, University and Inserm , Orléans 45071 , France
| | - Hamida Hammad
- VIB Inflammation Research Center , UGent , Ghent 9052 , Belgium
| | - Patrick Baril
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, University and Inserm , Orléans 45071 , France
| | - Thierry Benvegnu
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS UMR6226 , Rennes 35708 , France
| | - Paul-Alain Jaffrès
- CEMA, CNRS UMR 6521, SFR148 ScInBioS , Université de Brest , Brest 29238 , France
| | - Sander A A Kooijmans
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteit Utrecht , Utrecht 3584 , Netherlands
| | - Raymond Schiffelers
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteit Utrecht , Utrecht 3584 , Netherlands
| | | | - Patrick Midoux
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, University and Inserm , Orléans 45071 , France
| | - Chantal Pichon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, University and Inserm , Orléans 45071 , France
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
| | - Kris Thielemans
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Brussels 1090 , Belgium
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Pektor S, Hilscher L, Walzer KC, Miederer I, Bausbacher N, Loquai C, Schreckenberger M, Sahin U, Diken M, Miederer M. In vivo imaging of the immune response upon systemic RNA cancer vaccination by FDG-PET. EJNMMI Res 2018; 8:80. [PMID: 30112704 PMCID: PMC6093825 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-018-0435-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND [18F]Fluoro-2-deoxy-2-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is commonly used in the clinic for diagnosis of cancer and for follow-up of therapy outcome. Additional to the well-established value in tumor imaging, it bears potential to depict immune processes in modern immunotherapies. T cells enhance their glucose consumption upon activation and are crucial effectors for the success of such novel therapies. In this study, we analyzed the T cell immunity in spleen after antigen-specific stimulation of T cells via highly innovative RNA-based vaccines using FDG-PET/MRI. For this purpose, we employed systemic administration of RNA-lipoplexes encoding the endogenous antigen of Moloney murine leukemia virus (gp70) which have been previously shown to induce potent innate as well as adaptive immune mechanisms for cancer immunotherapy. Feasibility of clinical imaging of increased splenic FDG uptake was demonstrated in a melanoma patient participating in a clinical phase 1 trial of a tetravalent RNA-lipoplex cancer vaccine. RESULTS We observed exclusive increase of glucose uptake in spleen compared to other organs thanks to liposome-mediated RNA targeting to this immune-relevant organ. In vivo and ex vivo FDG uptake analysis in the spleen of vaccinated mice correlated well with antigen-specific T cell activation. Moreover, the use of an irrelevant (antigen non-specific) RNA also resulted in enhanced FDG uptake early after vaccination through the activation of several other splenic cell populations. The glucose uptake was also dependent on the dose of RNA administered in line with the activation and frequencies of proliferating antigen-specific T cells as well as the general activation pattern of splenic cell populations. CONCLUSIONS Our preclinical results show rapid and transient vaccination-induced increase of FDG uptake within the spleen reflecting immune activation preceding T cell proliferation. FDG-PET/CT in patients is also capable to image this immune activation resulting in a new potential application of FDG-PET/CT to image immune processes in new immunological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Pektor
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lina Hilscher
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kerstin C. Walzer
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
| | - Isabelle Miederer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicole Bausbacher
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Carmen Loquai
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mathias Schreckenberger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ugur Sahin
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
- Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) Corporation, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mustafa Diken
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Miederer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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