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Volpe A, Lyashchenko SK, Ponomarev V. Nuclear-Based Labeling of Cellular Immunotherapies: A Simple Protocol for Preclinical Use. Mol Imaging Biol 2024; 26:555-568. [PMID: 38958882 PMCID: PMC11281953 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-024-01923-z] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Labeling and tracking existing and emerging cell-based immunotherapies using nuclear imaging is widely used to guide the preclinical phases of development and testing of existing and new emerging off-the-shelf cell-based immunotherapies. In fact, advancing our knowledge about their mechanism of action and limitations could provide preclinical support and justification for moving towards clinical experimentation of newly generated products and expedite their approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Here we provide the reader with a ready to use protocol describing the labeling methodologies and practical procedures to render different candidate cell therapies in vivo traceable by nuclear-based imaging. The protocol includes sufficient practical details to aid researchers at all career stages and from different fields in familiarizing with the described concepts and incorporating them into their work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Serge K Lyashchenko
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Vladimir Ponomarev
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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2
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Mashayekhi K, Khazaie K, Faubion WA, Kim GB. Biomaterial-enhanced treg cell immunotherapy: A promising approach for transplant medicine and autoimmune disease treatment. Bioact Mater 2024; 37:269-298. [PMID: 38694761 PMCID: PMC11061617 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2024.03.030] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial for preserving tolerance in the body, rendering Treg immunotherapy a promising treatment option for both organ transplants and autoimmune diseases. Presently, organ transplant recipients must undergo lifelong immunosuppression to prevent allograft rejection, while autoimmune disorders lack definitive cures. In the last years, there has been notable advancement in comprehending the biology of both antigen-specific and polyclonal Tregs. Clinical trials involving Tregs have demonstrated their safety and effectiveness. To maximize the efficacy of Treg immunotherapy, it is essential for these cells to migrate to specific target tissues, maintain stability within local organs, bolster their suppressive capabilities, and ensure their intended function's longevity. In pursuit of these goals, the utilization of biomaterials emerges as an attractive supportive strategy for Treg immunotherapy in addressing these challenges. As a result, the prospect of employing biomaterial-enhanced Treg immunotherapy holds tremendous promise as a treatment option for organ transplant recipients and individuals grappling with autoimmune diseases in the near future. This paper introduces strategies based on biomaterial-assisted Treg immunotherapy to enhance transplant medicine and autoimmune treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazem Mashayekhi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | | | - William A. Faubion
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Gloria B. Kim
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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3
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Cawthorne CJ, Volpe A, Fruhwirth GO. The Basics of Visualizing, Analyzing, and Reporting Preclinical PET/CT Imaging Data. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2729:195-220. [PMID: 38006498 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3499-8_12] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) has transformed medical imaging, and while first developed and applied to the human setting, it has found widespread application at the preclinical level over the past two decades. Its strength is that it offers noninvasive 3D tomographic imaging in a quantitative manner at very high sensitivity. Paired with the right molecular probes, invaluable insights into physiology and pathophysiology have been accessible and therapeutic development has been enhanced through preclinical PET imaging. PET imaging is now often routinely combined with either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to provide additional anatomical context. All these developments were accompanied by the provision of ever more complex and powerful analysis software enabling users to visualize and quantify signals from PET imaging data. Aside from experimental complexities, there are also various pitfalls in PET image data analysis, which can negatively impact on reporting and reproducibility.Here, we provide a protocol intended to guide the inexperienced user through PET/CT data analysis. We describe the general principles and workflows required for PET/CT image data visualization and quantitative analysis using various software packages popular in the field. Moreover, we present recommendations for reporting of preclinical PET/CT data including examples of good and poor practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Cawthorne
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Molecular Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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4
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Grimsdell B, Saleem A, Volpe A, Fruhwirth GO. Genetic Engineering of Therapeutic Cells with the Sodium Iodide Symporter (NIS) to Enable Noninvasive In Vivo Therapy Tracking. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2729:303-330. [PMID: 38006504 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3499-8_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Noninvasive long-term imaging of therapeutic cells in preclinical models can be achieved through introducing a reporter gene into the cells of interest. Despite important recent developments such as gene editing, cell engineering based on lentiviruses remains a mainstream tool for gene transfer applicable to a variety of different cell types.In this chapter, we describe how to use lentivirus-based genetic engineering to render different candidate cell therapies in vivo traceable by radionuclide imaging. We illustrate this reporter gene technology using the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), which is compatible with both positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). For preclinical experimentation, we fused NIS with a suitable fluorescent protein such as monomeric GFP or RFP to streamline cell line generation and downstream analyses of ex vivo tissue samples. We present protocols for reporter gene engineering of human cardiac progenitor cells, regulatory T cells, and effector T cells as well as for the characterization experiments required to validate NIS-fluorescent protein reporter function in these candidate therapeutic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Grimsdell
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Adeel Saleem
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Molecular Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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5
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Liu Z, Zhou J, Wu S, Chen Z, Wu S, Chen L, Zhu X, Li Z. Why Treg should be the focus of cancer immunotherapy: The latest thought. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115142. [PMID: 37806087 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells are a subgroup of T cells with immunomodulatory functions. Different from most cytotoxic T cells and helper T cells, they play a supporting role in the immune system. What's more, regulatory T cells often play an immunosuppressive role, which mainly plays a role in maintaining the stability of the immune system and regulating the immune response in the body. However, recent studies have shown that not only playing a role in autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, and other aspects, regulatory T cells can also play a role in the immune escape of tumors in the body, through various mechanisms to help tumor cells escape from the demic immune system, weakening the anti-cancer effect in the body. For a better understanding of the role that regulatory T cells can play in cancer, and to be able to use regulatory T cells for tumor immunotherapy more quickly. This review focuses on the research progress of various mechanisms of regulatory T cells in the tumor environment, the related research of tumor cells acting on regulatory T cells, and the existing various therapeutic methods acting on regulatory T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Liu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jiajun Zhou
- Kidney Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Shihui Wu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhihong Chen
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shuhong Wu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Ling Chen
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Zesong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Tumor, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Shenzhen, China.
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Bi Y, Kong R, Peng Y, Yu H, Zhou Z. Umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood-derived regulatory T cells therapy: Progress in type 1 diabetes. Clin Immunol 2023; 255:109716. [PMID: 37544491 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109716] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key regulators for the inflammatory response and play a role in maintaining the immune tolerance. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a relatively common autoimmune disease that results from the loss of immune tolerance to β-cell-associated antigens. Preclinical models have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Tregs given in transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases such as T1D. Adoptive transfer of Tregs has been utilized in clinical trials for over a decade. However, the achievement of the adoptive transfer of Tregs therapy in clinical application remains challenging. In this review, we highlight the characterization of Tregs and compare the differences between umbilical cord blood and adult peripheral blood-derived Tregs. Additionally, we summarize conditional modifications in the expansion of Tregs in clinical trials, especially for the treatment of T1D. Finally, we discuss the existing technical challenges for Tregs in clinical trials for the treatment of T1D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjie Bi
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Cell Therapy for Diabetes, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ran Kong
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Cell Therapy for Diabetes, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yani Peng
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Cell Therapy for Diabetes, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haibo Yu
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Cell Therapy for Diabetes, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Zhiguang Zhou
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Cell Therapy for Diabetes, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
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Cassano A, Chong AS, Alegre ML. Tregs in transplantation tolerance: role and therapeutic potential. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2023; 2:1217065. [PMID: 38993904 PMCID: PMC11235334 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2023.1217065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are indispensable for preventing autoimmunity, and they play a role in cancer and transplantation settings by restraining immune responses. In this review, we describe evidence for the importance of Tregs in the induction versus maintenance of transplantation tolerance, discussing insights into mechanisms of Treg control of the alloimmune response. Further, we address the therapeutic potential of Tregs as a clinical intervention after transplantation, highlighting engineered CAR-Tregs as well as expansion of donor and host Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Cassano
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anita S. Chong
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maria-Luisa Alegre
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Niu H, Zhao P, Sun W. Biomaterials for chimeric antigen receptor T cell engineering. Acta Biomater 2023; 166:1-13. [PMID: 37137403 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells have achieved breakthrough efficacies against hematological malignancies, but their unsatisfactory efficacies in solid tumors limit their applications. The prohibitively high prices further restrict their access to broader populations. Novel strategies are urgently needed to address these challenges, and engineering biomaterials can be one promising approach. The established process for manufacturing CAR-T cells involves multiple steps, and biomaterials can help simplify or improve several of them. In this review, we cover recent progress in engineering biomaterials for producing or stimulating CAR-T cells. We focus on the engineering of non-viral gene delivery nanoparticles for transducing CAR into T cells ex vivo/in vitro or in vivo. We also dive into the engineering of nano-/microparticles or implantable scaffolds for local delivery or stimulation of CAR-T cells. These biomaterial-based strategies can potentially change the way CAR-T cells are manufactured, significantly reducing their cost. Modulating the tumor microenvironment with the biomaterials can also considerably enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cells in solid tumors. We pay special attention to progress made in the past five years, and perspectives on future challenges and opportunities are also discussed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy with genetically engineered tumor recognition. They are also promising for treating many other diseases. However, the widespread application of CAR-T cell therapy has been hampered by the high manufacturing cost. Poor penetration of CAR-T cells into solid tissues further restricted their use. While biological strategies have been explored to improve CAR-T cell therapies, such as identifying new cancer targets or integrating smart CARs, biomaterial engineering provides alternative strategies toward better CAR-T cells. In this review, we summarize recent advances in engineering biomaterials for CAR-T cell improvement. Biomaterials ranging from nano-, micro-, and macro-scales have been developed to assist CAR-T cell manufacturing and formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanqing Niu
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211816, China
| | - Penghui Zhao
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Wujin Sun
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-Born Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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9
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Jacob J, Volpe A, Peng Q, Lechler RI, Smyth LA, Lombardi G, Fruhwirth GO. Radiolabelling of Polyclonally Expanded Human Regulatory T Cells (Treg) with 89Zr-oxine for Medium-Term In Vivo Cell Tracking. Molecules 2023; 28:1482. [PMID: 36771148 PMCID: PMC9920634 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031482] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a promising candidate cell therapy to treat autoimmune diseases and aid the longevity of transplanted solid organs. Despite increasing numbers of clinical trials using human Treg therapy, important questions pertaining to their in vivo fate, distribution, and function remain unanswered. Treg accumulation in relevant tissues was found to be crucial for Treg therapy efficacy, but existing blood-borne biomarkers are unlikely to accurately reflect the tissue state. Non-invasive Treg tracking by whole-body imaging is a promising alternative and can be achieved by direct radiolabelling of Tregs and following the radiolabelled cells with positron emission tomography (PET). Our goal was to evaluate the radiolabelling of polyclonal Tregs with 89Zr to permit their in vivo tracking by PET/CT for longer than one week with current preclinical PET instrumentation. We used [89Zr]Zr(oxinate)4 as the cell-labelling agent and achieved successful radiolabelling efficiency of human Tregs spanning 0.1-11.1 Bq 89Zr/Treg cell, which would be compatible with PET tracking beyond one week. We characterized the 89Zr-Tregs, assessing their phenotypes, and found that they were not tolerating these intracellular 89Zr amounts, as they failed to survive or expand in a 89Zr-dose-dependent manner. Even at 0.1 Bq 89Zr per Treg cell, while 89Zr-Tregs remained functional as determined by a five-day-long effector T cell suppression assay, they failed to expand beyond day 3 in vitro. Moreover, PET imaging revealed signs of 89Zr-Treg death after adoptive transfer in vivo. In summary, 89Zr labelling of Tregs at intracellular radioisotope amounts compatible with cell tracking over several weeks did not achieve the desired outcomes, as 89Zr-Tregs failed to expand and survive. Consequently, we conclude that indirect Treg labelling is likely to be the most effective alternative method to satisfy the requirements of this cell tracking scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta Jacob
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Qi Peng
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Robert I. Lechler
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Lesley A. Smyth
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, Stratford Campus, University of East London, London E15 4LZ, UK
| | - Giovanna Lombardi
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
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Faridar A, Vasquez M, Thome AD, Yin Z, Xuan H, Wang JH, Wen S, Li X, Thonhoff JR, Zhao W, Zhao H, Beers DR, Wong STC, Masdeu JC, Appel SH. Ex vivo expanded human regulatory T cells modify neuroinflammation in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:144. [PMID: 36180898 PMCID: PMC9524037 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01447-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a neuroprotective role by suppressing microglia and macrophage-mediated inflammation and modulating adaptive immune reactions. We previously documented that Treg immunomodulatory mechanisms are compromised in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Ex vivo expansion of Tregs restores and amplifies their immunosuppressive functions in vitro. A key question is whether adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded human Tregs can suppress neuroinflammation and amyloid pathology in a preclinical mouse model. Methods An immunodeficient mouse model of AD was generated by backcrossing the 5xFAD onto Rag2 knockout mice (5xFAD-Rag2KO). Human Tregs were expanded ex vivo for 24 days and administered to 5xFAD-Rag2KO. Changes in amyloid burden, microglia characteristics and reactive astrocytes were evaluated using ELISA and confocal microscopy. NanoString Mouse AD multiplex gene expression analysis was applied to explore the impact of ex vivo expanded Tregs on the neuroinflammation transcriptome. Results Elimination of mature B and T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in 5xFAD-Rag2KO mice was associated with upregulation of 95 inflammation genes and amplified number of reactive microglia within the dentate gyrus. Administration of ex vivo expanded Tregs reduced amyloid burden and reactive glial cells in the dentate gyrus and frontal cortex of 5xFAD-Rag2KO mice. Interrogation of inflammation gene expression documented down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1A&B, IL6), complement cascade (C1qa, C1qb, C1qc, C4a/b), toll-like receptors (Tlr3, Tlr4 and Tlr7) and microglial activations markers (CD14, Tyrobp,Trem2) following Treg administration. Conclusions Ex vivo expanded Tregs with amplified immunomodulatory function, suppressed neuroinflammation and alleviated AD pathology in vivo. Our results provide preclinical evidences for Treg cell therapy as a potential treatment strategy in AD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40478-022-01447-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Faridar
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Matthew Vasquez
- Systems Medicine and Bioengineering Department, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Aaron D Thome
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Zheng Yin
- Systems Medicine and Bioengineering Department, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hui Xuan
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jing Hong Wang
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shixiang Wen
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xuping Li
- T. T. and W. F. Chao Center for BRAIN, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason R Thonhoff
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Weihua Zhao
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hong Zhao
- Systems Medicine and Bioengineering Department, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David R Beers
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Stephen T C Wong
- Systems Medicine and Bioengineering Department, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joseph C Masdeu
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Stanley H Appel
- Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6560 Fannin Street, Suite ST-802, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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11
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Volpe A, Adusumilli PS, Schöder H, Ponomarev V. Imaging cellular immunotherapies and immune cell biomarkers: from preclinical studies to patients. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004902. [PMID: 36137649 PMCID: PMC9511655 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapies have emerged as a successful therapeutic approach to fight a wide range of human diseases, including cancer. However, responses are limited to few patients and tumor types. An in-depth understanding of the complexity and dynamics of cellular immunotherapeutics, including what is behind their success and failure in a patient, the role of other immune cell types and molecular biomarkers in determining a response, is now paramount. As the cellular immunotherapy arsenal expands, whole-body non-invasive molecular imaging can shed a light on their in vivo fate and contribute to the reliable assessment of treatment outcome and prediction of therapeutic response. In this review, we outline the non-invasive strategies that can be tailored toward the molecular imaging of cellular immunotherapies and immune-related components, with a focus on those that have been extensively tested preclinically and are currently under clinical development or have already entered the clinical trial phase. We also provide a critical appraisal on the current role and consolidation of molecular imaging into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Prasad S Adusumilli
- Thoracic Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Cellular Therapeutics Center, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heiko Schöder
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vladimir Ponomarev
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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Dubois VP, Sehl OC, Foster PJ, Ronald JA. Visualizing CAR-T cell Immunotherapy Using 3 Tesla Fluorine-19 MRI. Mol Imaging Biol 2022; 24:298-308. [PMID: 34786668 PMCID: PMC8983548 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01672-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell cancer immunotherapies have shown remarkable results in patients with hematological malignancies and represent the first approved genetically modified cellular therapies. However, not all blood cancer patients respond favorably, serious side effects have been reported, and the treatment of solid tumors has been a challenge. An imaging tool for visualizing the variety of CAR-T cell products in use and being explored could provide important patient-specific data on CAR-T cell location to inform on potential success or failure of treatment as well as off-target toxicities. Fluorine-19 (19F) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for the noninvasive detection of 19F perfluorocarbon (PFC) labeled cells. Our objective was to visualize PFC-labeled (PFC +) CAR-T cells in a mouse model of leukemia using clinical field strength (3 Tesla) 19F MRI and compare the cytotoxicity of PFC + versus unlabeled CAR-T cells. PROCEDURES NSG mice (n = 17) received subcutaneous injections of CD19 + human B cell leukemia cells (NALM6) expressing firefly luciferase in their left hind flank (1 × 106). Twenty-one days later, each mouse received an intratumoral injection of 10 × 106 PFC + CD19-targeted CAR-T cells (n = 6), unlabeled CD19-targeted CAR-T cells (n = 3), PFC + untransduced T cells (n = 5), or an equivalent volume of saline (n = 3). 19F MRI was performed on mice treated with PFC + CAR-T cells days 1, 3, and 7 post-treatment. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was performed on all mice days - 1, 5, 10, and 14 post-treatment to monitor tumor response. RESULTS PFC + CAR-T cells were successfully detected in tumors using 19F MRI on days 1, 3, and 7 post-injection. In vivo BLI data revealed that mice treated with PFC + or PFC - CAR-T cells had significantly lower tumor burden by day 14 compared to untreated mice and mice treated with PFC + untransduced T cells (p < 0.05). Importantly, mice treated with PFC + CAR-T cells showed equivalent cytotoxicity compared to mice receiving PFC - CAR-T cells. CONCLUSIONS Our studies demonstrate that clinical field strength 19F MRI can be used to visualize PFC + CAR-T cells for up to 7 days post-intratumoral injection. Importantly, PFC labeling did not significantly affect in vivo CAR-T cell cytotoxicity. These imaging tools may have broad applications for tracking emerging CAR-T cell therapies in preclinical models and may eventually be useful for the detection of CAR-T cells in patients where localized injection of CAR-T cells is being pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica P Dubois
- Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- The Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Olivia C Sehl
- Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- The Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Paula J Foster
- Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- The Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - John A Ronald
- Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
- The Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
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Costa IM, Siksek N, Volpe A, Man F, Osytek KM, Verger E, Schettino G, Fruhwirth GO, Terry SYA. Relationship of In Vitro Toxicity of Technetium-99m to Subcellular Localisation and Absorbed Dose. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13466. [PMID: 34948266 PMCID: PMC8703725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Auger electron-emitters increasingly attract attention as potential radionuclides for molecular radionuclide therapy in oncology. The radionuclide technetium-99m is widely used for imaging; however, its potential as a therapeutic radionuclide has not yet been fully assessed. We used MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells engineered to express the human sodium iodide symporter-green fluorescent protein fusion reporter (hNIS-GFP; MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP) as a model for controlled cellular radionuclide uptake. Uptake, efflux, and subcellular location of the NIS radiotracer [99mTc]TcO4- were characterised to calculate the nuclear-absorbed dose using Medical Internal Radiation Dose formalism. Radiotoxicity was determined using clonogenic and γ-H2AX assays. The daughter radionuclide technetium-99 or external beam irradiation therapy (EBRT) served as controls. [99mTc]TcO4- in vivo biodistribution in MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP tumour-bearing mice was determined by imaging and complemented by ex vivo tissue radioactivity analysis. [99mTc]TcO4- resulted in substantial DNA damage and reduction in the survival fraction (SF) following 24 h incubation in hNIS-expressing cells only. We found that 24,430 decays/cell (30 mBq/cell) were required to achieve SF0.37 (95%-confidence interval = [SF0.31; SF0.43]). Different approaches for determining the subcellular localisation of [99mTc]TcO4- led to SF0.37 nuclear-absorbed doses ranging from 0.33 to 11.7 Gy. In comparison, EBRT of MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP cells resulted in an SF0.37 of 2.59 Gy. In vivo retention of [99mTc]TcO4- after 24 h remained high at 28.0% ± 4.5% of the administered activity/gram tissue in MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP tumours. [99mTc]TcO4- caused DNA damage and reduced clonogenicity in this model, but only when the radioisotope was taken up into the cells. This data guides the safe use of technetium-99m during imaging and potential future therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines M. Costa
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Noor Siksek
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Molecular Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Francis Man
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Katarzyna M. Osytek
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Elise Verger
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Giuseppe Schettino
- National Physical Laboratory, Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK;
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guilford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, UK;
| | - Samantha Y. A. Terry
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
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