1
|
Anurogo D, Chen CY, Lin CC, Pawitan JA, Qiu DW, Qiu JT. Codon optimized influenza H1 HA sequence but not CTLA-4 targeting of HA antigen to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines in an animal model. J Immunotoxicol 2024; 21:2400624. [PMID: 39319829 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2024.2400624] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by the influenza virus lead to both epidemic and pandemic outbreaks in humans and animals. Owing to their rapid production, safety, and stability, DNA vaccines represent a promising avenue for eliciting immunity and thwarting viral infections. While DNA vaccines have demonstrated substantial efficacy in murine models, their effectiveness in larger animals remains subdued. This limitation may be addressed by augmenting the immunogenicity of DNA-based vaccines. In the investigation here, protein expression was enhanced via codon optimization and then mouse cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) was harnessed as a modulatory adjunct to bind directly to antigen-presenting cells. Further, the study evaluated the immunogenicity of two variants of the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen, i.e. the full-length and the C-terminal deletion versions. The study findings revealed that the codon-optimized HA gene (pcHA) led to increased protein synthesis, as evidenced by elevated mRNA levels. Codon optimization also significantly bolstered both cellular and humoral immune responses. In cytokine assays, all plasmid constructs, particularly pCTLA4-cHA, induced robust interferon (IFN)-γ production, while interleukin (IL)-4 levels remained uniformly non-significant. Mice immunized with pcHA displayed an augmented presence of IFNγ+ T-cells, underscoring the enhanced potency of the codon-optimized HA vaccine. Contrarily, CTLA-4-fused DNA vaccines did not significantly amplify the immune response.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Mice
- CTLA-4 Antigen/genetics
- CTLA-4 Antigen/immunology
- Influenza Vaccines/immunology
- Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/immunology
- Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/genetics
- Codon/genetics
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections/immunology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections/prevention & control
- Humans
- Female
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Disease Models, Animal
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/immunology
- Influenza, Human/immunology
- Influenza, Human/prevention & control
- Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/immunology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dito Anurogo
- International Ph.D. Program in Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, Makassar City, Indonesia
| | - Chia-Yuan Chen
- Department of Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chu-Chi Lin
- Department of Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jeanne Adiwinata Pawitan
- Department of Histology, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Stem Cell Medical Technology Integrated Service Unit, Cipto Mangunkusumo Central Hospital, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Indonesia Medical Education and Research Institute (IMERI), Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Daniel W Qiu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - J Timothy Qiu
- International Ph.D. Program in Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sheikhlary S, Lopez DH, Moghimi S, Sun B. Recent Findings on Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines: An Updated Review. Biomolecules 2024; 14:503. [PMID: 38672519 PMCID: PMC11048403 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040503] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the global leading causes of death and various vaccines have been developed over the years against it, including cell-based, nucleic acid-based, and viral-based cancer vaccines. Although many vaccines have been effective in in vivo and clinical studies and some have been FDA-approved, there are major limitations to overcome: (1) developing one universal vaccine for a specific cancer is difficult, as tumors with different antigens are different for different individuals, (2) the tumor antigens may be similar to the body's own antigens, and (3) there is the possibility of cancer recurrence. Therefore, developing personalized cancer vaccines with the ability to distinguish between the tumor and the body's antigens is indispensable. This paper provides a comprehensive review of different types of cancer vaccines and highlights important factors necessary for developing efficient cancer vaccines. Moreover, the application of other technologies in cancer therapy is discussed. Finally, several insights and conclusions are presented, such as the possibility of using cold plasma and cancer stem cells in developing future cancer vaccines, to tackle the major limitations in the cancer vaccine developmental process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sheikhlary
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - David Humberto Lopez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (D.H.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Sophia Moghimi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (D.H.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Bo Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (D.H.L.); (S.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mohite P, Yadav V, Pandhare R, Maitra S, Saleh FM, Saleem RM, Al-malky HS, Kumarasamy V, Subramaniyan V, Abdel-Daim MM, Uti DE. Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment: Unleashing the Power of Viral Vaccines, Monoclonal Antibodies, and Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras in the New Era of Immunotherapy. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:7277-7295. [PMID: 38405458 PMCID: PMC10882662 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
In the realm of cancer immunotherapy, a profound evolution has ushered in sophisticated strategies that encompass both traditional cancer vaccines and emerging viral vaccines. This comprehensive Review offers an in-depth exploration of the methodologies, clinical applications, success stories, and future prospects of these approaches. Traditional cancer vaccines have undergone significant advancements utilizing diverse modalities such as proteins, peptides, and dendritic cells. More recent innovations have focused on the physiological mechanisms enabling the human body to recognize and combat precancerous and malignant cells, introducing specific markers like peptide-based anticancer vaccines targeting tumor-associated antigens. Moreover, cancer viral vaccines, leveraging engineered viruses to stimulate immune responses against specific antigens, exhibit substantial promise in inducing robust and enduring immunity. Integration with complementary therapeutic methods, including monoclonal antibodies, adjuvants, and radiation therapy, has not only improved survival rates but also deepened our understanding of viral virulence. Recent strides in vaccine design, encompassing oncolytic viruses, virus-like particles, and viral vectors, mark the frontier of innovation. While these advances hold immense potential, critical challenges must be addressed, such as strategies for immune evasion, potential off-target effects, and the optimization of viral genomes. In the landscape of immunotherapy, noteworthy innovations take the spotlight from the use of immunomodulatory agents for the enhancement of innate and adaptive immune collaboration. The emergence of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as precision tools for cancer therapy is particularly exciting. With a focus on various cancers, from melanoma to formidable solid tumors, this Review critically assesses types of cancer vaccines, mechanisms, barriers in vaccine therapy, vaccine efficacy, safety profiles, and immune-related adverse events, providing a nuanced perspective on the underlying mechanisms involving cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells. The Review also underscores the transformative potential of cutting-edge technologies such as clinical studies, molecular sequencing, and artificial intelligence in advancing the field of cancer vaccines. These tools not only expedite progress but also emphasize the multidimensional and rapidly evolving nature of this research, affirming its profound significance in the broader context of cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Popat Mohite
- AETs
St. John Institute of Pharmacy and Research, Palghar, Maharashtra 401404, India
| | - Vaishnavi Yadav
- AETs
St. John Institute of Pharmacy and Research, Palghar, Maharashtra 401404, India
| | - Ramdas Pandhare
- MESs
College of Pharmacy, Sonai Tal-Newasa, Maharashtra 414105, India
| | - Swastika Maitra
- Center
for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 600077, India
- Department
of Microbiology, Adamas University, Kolkata 700 126, West Bengal, India
| | - Fayez M. Saleh
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rasha Mohammed Saleem
- Department
of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha 65431, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamdan S. Al-malky
- Regional
Drug Information Center, Ministry of Health, Jeddah 11176, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vinoth Kumarasamy
- Department
of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vetriselvan Subramaniyan
- Pharmacology
Unit, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar
Sunway, 47500 Selangor
Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- Center
for Transdisciplinary Research, Department of Pharmacology, Savetha
Dental College, Savetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Savetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600077, India
| | - Mohamed M. Abdel-Daim
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Program, Batterjee Medical College, P.O. Box
6231, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacology
Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Daniel E. Uti
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State 970001, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Din SRU, Saeed S, Khan SU, Arbi FM, Xuefang G, Zhong M. Bacteria-driven cancer therapy: Exploring advancements and challenges. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 191:104141. [PMID: 37742883 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer, a serious fatal disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells, is the biggest challenge flagging around medicine and health fields. Conventionally, various treatments-based strategies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and alternative cancer therapies possess drugs that cannot reach the cancerous tissues and make them toxic to noncancerous cells. Cancer immunotherapy has made outstanding achievements in reducing the chances of cancer. Our considerable attention towards cancer-directed immune responses and the mechanisms behind which immune cells kill cancer cells have progressively been helpful in the advancement of new therapies. Among them, bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy has achieved much more attention due to smart and robust mechanisms in activating the host anti-tumor response. Moreover, bacterial-based therapy can be utilized as a single monotherapy or in combination with multiple anticancer immunotherapies to accelerate productive clinical results. Herein, we comprehensively reviewed recent advancements, challenges, and future perspectives in developing bacterial-based cancer immunotherapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Syed Riaz Ud Din
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Sumbul Saeed
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Shahid Ullah Khan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Women Medical and Dental College, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, KPK 22020, Pakistan
| | - Fawad Mueen Arbi
- Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, Punjab 63100, Pakistan
| | - Guo Xuefang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Mintao Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Joshi LR, Gálvez NM, Ghosh S, Weiner DB, Balazs AB. Delivery platforms for broadly neutralizing antibodies. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2023; 18:191-208. [PMID: 37265268 PMCID: PMC10247185 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Passive administration of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is being evaluated as a therapeutic approach to prevent or treat HIV infections. However, a number of challenges face the widespread implementation of passive transfer for HIV. To reduce the need of recurrent administrations of bNAbs, gene-based delivery approaches have been developed which overcome the limitations of passive transfer. RECENT FINDINGS The use of DNA and mRNA for the delivery of bNAbs has made significant progress. DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) have shown great promise in animal models of disease and the underlying DNA-based technology is now being tested in vaccine trials for a variety of indications. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly accelerated the development of mRNA-based technology to induce protective immunity. These advances are now being successfully applied to the delivery of monoclonal antibodies using mRNA in animal models. Delivery of bNAbs using viral vectors, primarily adeno-associated virus (AAV), has shown great promise in preclinical animal models and more recently in human studies. Most recently, advances in genome editing techniques have led to engineering of monoclonal antibody expression from B cells. These efforts aim to turn B cells into a source of evolving antibodies that can improve through repeated exposure to the respective antigen. SUMMARY The use of these different platforms for antibody delivery has been demonstrated across a wide range of animal models and disease indications, including HIV. Although each approach has unique strengths and weaknesses, additional advances in efficiency of gene delivery and reduced immunogenicity will be necessary to drive widespread implementation of these technologies. Considering the mounting clinical evidence of the potential of bNAbs for HIV treatment and prevention, overcoming the remaining technical challenges for gene-based bNAb delivery represents a relatively straightforward path towards practical interventions against HIV infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lok R. Joshi
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nicolás M.S. Gálvez
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sukanya Ghosh
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA 19104, USA
| | - David B. Weiner
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alejandro B. Balazs
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Liu X, Yang Y, Zheng X, Liu M, Wang G. Enhancedanti-tumor efficacy through a combination of intramuscularly expressed DNA vaccine and plasmid-encoded PD-1 antibody. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1169850. [PMID: 37138873 PMCID: PMC10150030 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1169850] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune check inhibitors (ICIs) have moderate response rates (~20%-30%) in some malignancies clinically, and, when used in combination with other immunotherapeutic strategies such as DNA tumor vaccines, there is evidence to suggest that they could optimize the efficacy of cancer treatment. In this study, we validated that intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding OVA combined with pDNA encoding α-PD-1 (abbreviated as α-PD-1 in the following treatment groups) may enhance therapeutic efficacy by means of in situ gene delivery and enhanced muscle-specific potent promoter. Mice treated with pDNA-OVA or pDNA-α-PD-1 alone showed weak tumor inhibition in the MC38-OVA-bearing model. In comparison, the combined treatment of pDNA-OVA and pDNA-α-PD-1 resulted in superior tumor growth inhibition and a significantly improved survival rate of over 60% on day 45. In the B16-F10-OVA metastasis model, the addition of the DNA vaccine enhanced resistance to tumor metastasis and increased the populations of CD8+ T cells in blood and spleen. In conclusion, the current research shows that a combination of pDNA-encoded PD-1 antibody and DNA vaccine expressed in vivo is an efficient, safe, and economical strategy for tumor therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xun Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yueyao Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiufeng Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology/Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology/Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Gang Wang, ; Ming Liu,
| | - Gang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Gang Wang, ; Ming Liu,
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Development of Cancer Immunotherapies. Cancer Treat Res 2022; 183:1-48. [PMID: 35551655 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-96376-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, or the utilization of components of the immune system to target and eliminate cancer, has become a highly active area of research in the past several decades and a common treatment strategy for several cancer types. The concept of harnessing the immune system for this purpose originated over 100 years ago when a physician by the name of William Coley successfully treated several of his cancer patients with a combination of live and attenuated bacteria, later known as "Coley's Toxins", after observing a subset of prior patients enter remission following their diagnosis with the common bacterial infection, erysipelas. However, it was not until late in the twentieth century that cancer immunotherapies were developed for widespread use, thereby transforming the treatment landscape of numerous cancer types. Pivotal studies elucidating molecular and cellular functions of immune cells, such as the discovery of IL-2 and production of monoclonal antibodies, fostered the development of novel techniques for studying the immune system and ultimately the development and approval of several cancer immunotherapies by the United States Food and Drug Association in the 1980s and 1990s, including the tuberculosis vaccine-Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, IL-2, and the CD20-targeting monoclonal antibody. Approval of the first therapeutic cancer vaccine, Sipuleucel-T, for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and the groundbreaking success and approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in the last decade, have driven an explosion of interest in and pursuit of novel cancer immunotherapy strategies. A broad range of modalities ranging from antibodies to adoptive T cell therapies is under investigation for the generalized treatment of a broad spectrum of cancers as well as personalized medicine. This chapter will focus on the recent advances, current strategies, and future outlook of immunotherapy development for the treatment of cancer.
Collapse
|
8
|
Yu J, Wang L, Kong X, Cao Y, Zhang M, Sun Z, Liu Y, Wang J, Shen B, Bo X, Feng J. CAD v1.0: Cancer Antigens Database Platform for Cancer Antigen Algorithm Development and Information Exploration. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:819583. [PMID: 35646870 PMCID: PMC9133807 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.819583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines have gradually attracted attention for their tremendous preclinical and clinical performance. With the development of next-generation sequencing technologies and related algorithms, pipelines based on sequencing and machine learning methods have become mainstream in cancer antigen prediction; of particular focus are neoantigens, mutation peptides that only exist in tumor cells that lack central tolerance and have fewer side effects. The rapid prediction and filtering of neoantigen peptides are crucial to the development of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines. However, due to the lack of verified neoantigen datasets and insufficient research on the properties of neoantigens, neoantigen prediction algorithms still need to be improved. Here, we recruited verified cancer antigen peptides and collected as much relevant peptide information as possible. Then, we discussed the role of each dataset for algorithm improvement in cancer antigen research, especially neoantigen prediction. A platform, Cancer Antigens Database (CAD, http://cad.bio-it.cn/), was designed to facilitate users to perform a complete exploration of cancer antigens online.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jijun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Luoxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangya Kong
- Beijing Geneworks Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Capital Agribusiness Future Biotechnology Co, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaolin Sun
- Beijing Capital Agribusiness Future Biotechnology Co, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Beifen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Bo
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaochen Bo, ; Jiannan Feng,
| | - Jiannan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaochen Bo, ; Jiannan Feng,
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Arakelian T, Oosterhuis K, Tondini E, Los M, Vree J, van Geldorp M, Camps M, Teunisse B, Zoutendijk I, Arens R, Zondag G, Ossendorp F, van Bergen J. Pyroptosis-inducing active caspase-1 as a genetic adjuvant in anti-cancer DNA vaccination. Vaccine 2022; 40:2087-2098. [PMID: 35177300 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a recently discovered form of inflammatory programmed necrosis characterized by caspase-1-mediated and gasdermin D-dependent cell death leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). Here, we evaluated whether pyroptosis could be exploited in DNA vaccination by incorporating a constitutively active variant of caspase-1 to the antigen-expressing DNA. In vitro, transfection with constitutively active caspase-1 DNA induced pro-IL-1β maturation and IL-1β release as well as gasdermin D-dependent cell death. To test active caspase-1 as a genetic adjuvant for the induction of antigen-specific T cell responses, mice were vaccinated intradermally with a DNA vaccine consisting of the active caspase-1 plasmid together with a plasmid encoding an ovalbumin-derived CD8 T cell epitope. Active caspase-1 accelerated and amplified antigen-specific CD8 T cell responses when administered simultaneously with the DNA vaccine at an equimolar dose. Moreover, upon challenge with melanoma cells expressing ovalbumin, mice vaccinated with the antigen vaccine adjuvanted with active caspase-1 showed significantly better survival compared to the non-adjuvanted group. In conclusion, we have developed a novel genetic adjuvant that for the first time employs the pyroptosis pathway to improve DNA vaccination against cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsolere Arakelian
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Koen Oosterhuis
- Immunetune BV, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elena Tondini
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mandy Los
- Immunetune BV, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jana Vree
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mariska van Geldorp
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel Camps
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Ramon Arens
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Gerben Zondag
- Immunetune BV, Leiden, the Netherlands; Synvolux Therapeutics BV, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ferry Ossendorp
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen van Bergen
- Immunetune BV, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu J, Fu M, Wang M, Wan D, Wei Y, Wei X. Cancer vaccines as promising immuno-therapeutics: platforms and current progress. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:28. [PMID: 35303904 PMCID: PMC8931585 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01247-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 124.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on tumor immunotherapy has made tremendous progress in the past decades, with numerous studies entering the clinical evaluation. The cancer vaccine is considered a promising therapeutic strategy in the immunotherapy of solid tumors. Cancer vaccine stimulates anti-tumor immunity with tumor antigens, which could be delivered in the form of whole cells, peptides, nucleic acids, etc. Ideal cancer vaccines could overcome the immune suppression in tumors and induce both humoral immunity and cellular immunity. In this review, we introduced the working mechanism of cancer vaccines and summarized four platforms for cancer vaccine development. We also highlighted the clinical research progress of the cancer vaccines, especially focusing on their clinical application and therapeutic efficacy, which might hopefully facilitate the future design of the cancer vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Liu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Minyang Fu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Manni Wang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Wan
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang Y, Li J, Zhang L, Sun HX, Zhang Z, Xu J, Xu Y, Lin Y, Zhu A, Luo Y, Zhou H, Wu Y, Lin S, Sun Y, Xiao F, Chen R, Wen L, Chen W, Li F, Ou R, Zhang Y, Kuo T, Li Y, Li L, Sun J, Sun K, Zhuang Z, Lu H, Chen Z, Mai G, Zhuo J, Qian P, Chen J, Yang H, Wang J, Xu X, Zhong N, Zhao J, Li J, Zhao J, Jin X. Plasma cell-free RNA characteristics in COVID-19 patients. Genome Res 2022; 32:228-241. [PMID: 35064006 PMCID: PMC8805721 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276175.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is still elusive, which impedes disease progression prediction, differential diagnosis, and targeted therapy. Plasma cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) carry unique information from human tissue and thus could point to resourceful solutions for pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of cfRNA profiles between COVID-19 patients and healthy donors using serial plasma. Analyses of the cfRNA landscape, potential gene regulatory mechanisms, dynamic changes in tRNA pools upon infection, and microbial communities were performed. A total of 380 cfRNA molecules were up-regulated in all COVID-19 patients, of which seven could serve as potential biomarkers (AUC > 0.85) with great sensitivity and specificity. Antiviral (NFKB1A, IFITM3, and IFI27) and neutrophil activation (S100A8, CD68, and CD63)–related genes exhibited decreased expression levels during treatment in COVID-19 patients, which is in accordance with the dynamically enhanced inflammatory response in COVID-19 patients. Noncoding RNAs, including some microRNAs (let 7 family) and long noncoding RNAs (GJA9-MYCBP) targeting interleukin (IL6/IL6R), were differentially expressed between COVID-19 patients and healthy donors, which accounts for the potential core mechanism of cytokine storm syndromes; the tRNA pools change significantly between the COVID-19 and healthy group, leading to the accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 biased codons, which facilitate SARS-CoV-2 replication. Finally, several pneumonia-related microorganisms were detected in the plasma of COVID-19 patients, raising the possibility of simultaneously monitoring immune response regulation and microbial communities using cfRNA analysis. This study fills the knowledge gap in the plasma cfRNA landscape of COVID-19 patients and offers insight into the potential mechanisms of cfRNAs to explain COVID-19 pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
12
|
Chiang CLL, Rovelli R, Sarivalasis A, Kandalaft LE. Integrating Cancer Vaccines in the Standard-of-Care of Ovarian Cancer: Translating Preclinical Models to Human. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184553. [PMID: 34572778 PMCID: PMC8469371 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The overall survival of ovarian cancer (OC) remains poor for most patients. Despite incorporation of novel therapeutic agents such as bevacizumab and PARP inhibitors to OC standard-of-care, efficacy is only observed in a subset of patients. Cancer vaccination has demonstrated effectiveness in OC patients and could be considered for potential incorporation into OC standard-of-care. This review provides an overview of the different types of cancer vaccination strategies and discusses the use of murine OC tumor models to evaluate combinatorial regimens comprising cancer vaccines and OC standard-of-care. Abstract As the majority of ovarian cancer (OC) patients are diagnosed with metastatic disease, less than 40% will survive past 5 years after diagnosis. OC is characterized by a succession of remissions and recurrences. The most promising time point for immunotherapeutic interventions in OC is following debulking surgery. Accumulating evidence shows that T cells are important in OC; thus, cancer vaccines capable of eliciting antitumor T cells will be effective in OC treatment. In this review, we discuss different cancer vaccines and propose strategies for their incorporation into the OC standard-of-care regimens. Using the murine ID8 ovarian tumor model, we provide evidence that a cancer vaccine can be effectively combined with OC standard-of-care to achieve greater overall efficacy. We demonstrate several important similarities between the ID8 model and OC patients, in terms of response to immunotherapies, and the ID8 model can be an important tool for evaluating combinatorial regimens and clinical trial designs in OC. Other emerging models, including patient-derived xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models, are continuing to improve and can be useful for evaluating cancer vaccination therapies in the near future. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the completed and current clinical trials evaluating cancer vaccines in OC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Lai-Lai Chiang
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (R.R.); (A.S.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (C.L.-L.C.); (L.E.K.)
| | - Raphaël Rovelli
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (R.R.); (A.S.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Apostolos Sarivalasis
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (R.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Lana E. Kandalaft
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (R.R.); (A.S.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (C.L.-L.C.); (L.E.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lopes A, Bastiancich C, Bausart M, Ligot S, Lambricht L, Vanvarenberg K, Ucakar B, Gallez B, Préat V, Vandermeulen G. New generation of DNA-based immunotherapy induces a potent immune response and increases the survival in different tumor models. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001243. [PMID: 33795383 PMCID: PMC8021892 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Strategies to increase nucleic acid vaccine immunogenicity are needed to move towards clinical applications in oncology. In this study, we designed a new generation of DNA vaccines, encoding an engineered vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein as a carrier of foreign T cell tumor epitopes (plasmid to deliver T cell epitopes, pTOP). We hypothesized that pTOP could activate a more potent response compared with the traditional DNA-based immunotherapies, due to both the innate immune properties of the viral protein and the specific induction of CD4 and CD8 T cells targeting tumor antigens. This could improve the outcome in different tumor models, especially when the DNA-based immunotherapy is combined with a rational therapeutic strategy. METHODS The ability of pTOP DNA vaccine to activate a specific CD4 and CD8 response and the antitumor efficacy were tested in a B16F10-OVA melanoma (subcutaneous model) and GL261 glioblastoma (subcutaneous and orthotopic models). RESULTS In B16F10-OVA melanoma, pTOP promoted immune recognition by adequate processing of both MHC-I and MHC-II epitopes and had a higher antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) killing activity. In a GL261 orthotopic glioblastoma, pTOP immunization prior to tumor debulking resulted in 78% durable remission and long-term survival and induced a decrease of the number of immunosuppressive cells and an increase of immunologically active CTLs in the brain. The combination of pTOP with immune checkpoint blockade or with tumor resection improved the survival of mice bearing, a subcutaneous melanoma or an orthotopic glioblastoma, respectively. CONCLUSIONS In this work, we showed that pTOP plasmids encoding an engineered vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein, and containing various foreign T cell tumor epitopes, successfully triggered innate immunity and effectively promoted immune recognition by adequate processing of both MHC-I and MHC-II epitopes. These results highlight the potential of DNA-based immunotherapies coding for viral proteins to induce potent and specific antitumor responses.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- Antigens, Neoplasm/metabolism
- Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Brain Neoplasms/immunology
- Brain Neoplasms/metabolism
- Brain Neoplasms/pathology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/pharmacology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Combined Modality Therapy
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/genetics
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/immunology
- Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte/pharmacology
- Glioblastoma/drug therapy
- Glioblastoma/immunology
- Glioblastoma/metabolism
- Glioblastoma/pathology
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/immunology
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/metabolism
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/immunology
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/metabolism
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Immunity, Innate/drug effects
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Immunotherapy
- Melanoma, Experimental/drug therapy
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/metabolism
- Melanoma, Experimental/pathology
- Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics
- Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology
- Membrane Glycoproteins/pharmacology
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Skin Neoplasms/immunology
- Skin Neoplasms/metabolism
- Skin Neoplasms/pathology
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/pharmacology
- Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
- Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
- Viral Envelope Proteins/pharmacology
- Mice
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Chiara Bastiancich
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, Marseille, France
| | - Mathilde Bausart
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Ligot
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laure Lambricht
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanvarenberg
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Ucakar
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Gallez
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hager S, Fittler FJ, Wagner E, Bros M. Nucleic Acid-Based Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:E2061. [PMID: 32917034 PMCID: PMC7564019 DOI: 10.3390/cells9092061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the last decade, the introduction of checkpoint inhibitors proposed to boost the patients' anti-tumor immune response has proven the efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches for tumor therapy. Furthermore, especially in the context of the development of biocompatible, cell type targeting nano-carriers, nucleic acid-based drugs aimed to initiate and to enhance anti-tumor responses have come of age. This review intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the therapeutic use of nucleic acids for cancer treatment on various levels, comprising (i) mRNA and DNA-based vaccines to be expressed by antigen presenting cells evoking sustained anti-tumor T cell responses, (ii) molecular adjuvants, (iii) strategies to inhibit/reprogram tumor-induced regulatory immune cells e.g., by RNA interference (RNAi), (iv) genetically tailored T cells and natural killer cells to directly recognize tumor antigens, and (v) killing of tumor cells, and reprograming of constituents of the tumor microenvironment by gene transfer and RNAi. Aside from further improvements of individual nucleic acid-based drugs, the major perspective for successful cancer therapy will be combination treatments employing conventional regimens as well as immunotherapeutics like checkpoint inhibitors and nucleic acid-based drugs, each acting on several levels to adequately counter-act tumor immune evasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Hager
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany;
| | | | - Ernst Wagner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany;
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bacteria and cancer: Different sides of the same coin. Life Sci 2020; 246:117398. [PMID: 32032647 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy due to the complexity of cancer have been unsuccessful in the complete eradication of tumor cells. Thus, there is a need for new therapeutic strategies toward cancer. Recently, the therapeutic role of bacteria in different fields of medicine and pharmaceutical research has attracted attention in recent decades. Although several bacteria are notorious as cancer-causing agents, recent research revealed intriguing results suggesting the bacterial potential in cancer therapy. Thus, bacterial cancer therapy is an alternative anticancer approach that has promising results on tumor cells in-vivo. Moreover, with the aid of genetic engineering, some natural or genetically modified bacterial strains can directly target hypoxic regions of tumors and secrete therapeutic molecules leading to cancer cell death. Additionally, stimulation of immune cells by bacteria, bacterial cancer DNA vaccine and antitumor bacterial metabolites are other therapeutic applications of bacteria in cancer therapy. The present study is a comprehensive review of different aspects of bacterial cancer therapy alone and in combination with conventional methods, for improving cancer therapy.
Collapse
|
16
|
Hollevoet K, De Vleeschauwer S, De Smidt E, Vermeire G, Geukens N, Declerck P. Bridging the Clinical Gap for DNA-Based Antibody Therapy Through Translational Studies in Sheep. Hum Gene Ther 2019; 30:1431-1443. [PMID: 31382777 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2019.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical translation of DNA-based administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is uncertain due to lack of large animal data. To bridge the clinical gap, we evaluated a panel of novel plasmid DNA (pDNA)-encoded mAbs in 40-70 kg sheep with a clinical intramuscular electroporation protocol. Injection of 4.8 mg of pDNA, encoding ovine anti-human CEA mAb (OVAC), led to peak plasma mAb titers of 300 ng/mL. OVAC remained detectable for 3 months and was boosted by a second pOVAC administration. Hyaluronidase muscle pretreatment increased OVAC concentrations up to 10-fold. These higher plasma titers, however, led to anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) toward the OVAC variable regions, resulting in loss of mAb detection and of adequate redosing. Transient immune suppression avoided ADA formation, with OVAC peaking at 3.5 μg/mL and remaining detectable for 11 months after pOVAC injection. DNA-based delivery of ovine anti-human EGFR mAb (OVAE), identical to OVAC except for the variable regions, preceded by hyaluronidase, allowed for at least three consecutive administrations in an immune-competent sheep, without ADA response. When tripling the pOVAE dose to 15 mg, transient ADAs of limited impact were observed; plasma OVAE peaked at 2.6 μg/mL and was detected up to 7 months. DNA-based anti-HER2 trastuzumab in sheep gave no detectable mAb concentrations despite previous validation in mice, highlighting the limitations of relying on small-rodent data only. In conclusion, our results highlight the potential and caveats of clinical DNA-based antibody therapy, can expedite preclinical and clinical development, and benefit the field of gene transfer as a whole.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Hollevoet
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Elien De Smidt
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giles Vermeire
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nick Geukens
- PharmAbs, the KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul Declerck
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Molouki A, Nagy A. Rescue of recombinant Newcastle disease virus: a promising vector with two decades of intensive vaccine research. Future Virol 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2019-0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Two decades have passed since the first reverse genetics system for the rescue of recombinant Newcastle disease virus was developed. Since then, the recombinant Newcastle disease virus vector has shown promising results as a safe and potent vector for development of many vaccines for both avian and human use. Herein, we review several technical topics that would be useful to further understanding of this technology. First, the effect of using helper plasmids encoding proteins belonging to strains other than the full-length cDNA and the possible incorporation of these expressed proteins into progeny virus will be discussed. Then, we will discuss the effect of removal of additional G residues from the T7 initiation sequence and finally, we will review different ways to improve rescue efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aidin Molouki
- Department of Avian Disease Research & Diagnostic, Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education & Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | - Abdou Nagy
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Ash Sharqyiah 44519, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kos S, Lopes A, Preat V, Cemazar M, Lampreht Tratar U, Ucakar B, Vanvarenberg K, Sersa G, Vandermeulen G. Intradermal DNA vaccination combined with dual CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade provides robust tumor immunity in murine melanoma. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217762. [PMID: 31150505 PMCID: PMC6544376 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to explore whether the combination of intradermal DNA vaccination, to boost immune response against melanoma antigens, and immune checkpoint blockade, to alleviate immunosuppression, improves antitumor effectiveness in a murine B16F10 melanoma tumor model. Compared to single treatments, a combination of intradermal DNA vaccination (ovalbumin or gp100 plasmid adjuvanted with IL12 plasmid) and immune checkpoint CTLA-4/PD-1 blockade resulted in a significant delay in tumor growth and prolonged survival of treated mice. Strong activation of the immune response induced by combined treatment resulted in a significant antigen-specific immune response, with elevated production of antigen-specific IgG antibodies and increased intratumoral CD8+ infiltration. These results indicate a potential application of the combined DNA vaccination and immune checkpoint blockade, specifically, to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines and to overcome the resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in certain cancer types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Spela Kos
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alessandra Lopes
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Veronique Preat
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail: (GS); (VP)
| | - Maja Cemazar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Ursa Lampreht Tratar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bernard Ucakar
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanvarenberg
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gregor Sersa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (GS); (VP)
| | - Gaelle Vandermeulen
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Enhancement of Immune Responses by Guanosine-Based Particles in DNA Plasmid Formulations against Infectious Diseases. J Immunol Res 2019; 2019:3409371. [PMID: 31240233 PMCID: PMC6556318 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3409371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunogenicity of DNA vaccines can be efficiently improved by adding adjuvants into their formulations. In this regard, the application of nano- and microparticles as vaccines adjuvants, or delivery systems, provides a powerful tool in designing modern vaccines. In the present study, we examined the role of “Supramolecular Hacky Sacks” (SHS) particles, made via the hierarchical self-assembly of a guanosine derivative, as a novel immunomodulator for DNA plasmid preparations. These plasmids code for the proteins HIV-1 Gag (pGag), the wild-type vaccinia virus Western Reserve A27 (pA27L), or a codon-optimized version of the latter (pOD1A27Lopt), which is also linked to the sequence of the outer domain-1 (OD1) from HIV-1 gp120 protein. We evaluated the enhancement of the immune responses generated by our DNA plasmid formulations in a murine model through ELISpot and ELISA assays. The SHS particles increased the frequencies of IFN-γ-producing cells in mice independently immunized with pGag and pA27L plasmids. Moreover, the addition of SHS to pGag and pA27L DNA plasmid formulations enhanced the production of IFN-γ (Th1-type) over IL-4 (Th2-type) cellular immune responses. Furthermore, pGag and pA27L plasmids formulated with SHS, triggered the production of antigen-specific IgG in mice, especially the IgG2a isotype. However, no improvement of either of those adaptive immune responses was observed in mice receiving pOD1A27Lopt+SHS. Here, we demonstrated that SHS particles have the ability to improve both arms of adaptive immunity of plasmid coding “wild-type” antigens without additional strategies to boost their immunogenicity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of SHS guanosine-based particles as DNA plasmid adjuvants.
Collapse
|
20
|
Immunization of mice by the co-administration of codon-optimized HPV16 E7 and lL12 genes against HPV16-associated cervical cancer. Microb Pathog 2019; 132:20-25. [PMID: 31004722 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various promising procedures have been used to improve the potency of DNA vaccines for the treatment of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) infections. Interleukin-12 (IL12) is a powerful adjuvant that can contribute to T cell-mediated protection against many pathogens, specifically viruses. Considering the important role of T cell-mediated immunity in tumor clearance, the induction of these responses can help control the progression of tumors in animal models. We have demonstrated that the co-administration of codon-optimized E7 (uE7) gene of HPV16 with interleukin-12 is effective in the development of antitumor responses. OBJECTIVES The present study examined the co-administration of codon-optimized HPV16 E7 gene with murine interleukin-12 gene (mIL-12) as a vaccine adjuvant in tumor mice model. MATERIALS AND METHODS C57BL/6 mice were studied for tumor progression after injection of recombinant DNA vaccines. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and IFN-γ were measured to evaluate the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Measurements of tumor volume and MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay were used for assessment of therapeutic antitumor effects of the vaccines. RESULTS Results showed that DNA vaccines, specifically codon-optimized E7/murine interleukin-12 (mIL-12), elicited significant differences in levels of IFN-γ and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTLs) responses compared to control groups. Furthermore, higher antitumor response and lower tumor size in the vaccine group was significantly evident compared to control group. CONCLUSION The co-administration of codon-optimized HPV16 E7 gene with IL12 significantly enhances the DNA vaccine potency against HPV16-associated cervical cancer.
Collapse
|
21
|
Lopes A, Vandermeulen G, Préat V. Cancer DNA vaccines: current preclinical and clinical developments and future perspectives. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2019; 38:146. [PMID: 30953535 PMCID: PMC6449928 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1154-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 230] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent developments in immuno-oncology have opened an unprecedented avenue for the emergence of vaccine strategies. Therapeutic DNA cancer vaccines are now considered a very promising strategy to activate the immune system against cancer. In the past, several clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines demonstrated a good safety profile and the activation of a broad and specific immune response. However, these vaccines often demonstrated only modest therapeutic effects in clinical trials due to the immunosuppressive mechanisms developed by the tumor. To enhance the vaccine-induced immune response and the treatment efficacy, DNA vaccines could be improved by using two different strategies. The first is to increase their immunogenicity by selecting and optimizing the best antigen(s) to be inserted into the plasmid DNA. The second strategy is to combine DNA vaccines with other complementary therapies that could improve their activity by attenuating immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment or by increasing the activity/number of immune cells. A growing number of preclinical and clinical studies are adopting these two strategies to better exploit the potential of DNA vaccination. In this review, we analyze the last 5-year preclinical studies and 10-year clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines for cancer therapy. We also investigate the strategies that are being developed to overcome the limitations in cancer DNA vaccination, revisiting the rationale for different combinations of therapy and the different possibilities in antigen choice. Finally, we highlight the most promising developments and critical points that need to be addressed to move towards the approval of therapeutic cancer DNA vaccines as part of the standard of cancer care in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hobernik D, Bros M. DNA Vaccines-How Far From Clinical Use? Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19113605. [PMID: 30445702 PMCID: PMC6274812 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 297] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Two decades ago successful transfection of antigen presenting cells (APC) in vivo was demonstrated which resulted in the induction of primary adaptive immune responses. Due to the good biocompatibility of plasmid DNA, their cost-efficient production and long shelf life, many researchers aimed to develop DNA vaccine-based immunotherapeutic strategies for treatment of infections and cancer, but also autoimmune diseases and allergies. This review aims to summarize our current knowledge on the course of action of DNA vaccines, and which factors are responsible for the poor immunogenicity in human so far. Important optimization steps that improve DNA transfection efficiency comprise the introduction of DNA-complexing nano-carriers aimed to prevent extracellular DNA degradation, enabling APC targeting, and enhanced endo/lysosomal escape of DNA. Attachment of virus-derived nuclear localization sequences facilitates nuclear entry of DNA. Improvements in DNA vaccine design include the use of APC-specific promotors for transcriptional targeting, the arrangement of multiple antigen sequences, the co-delivery of molecular adjuvants to prevent tolerance induction, and strategies to circumvent potential inhibitory effects of the vector backbone. Successful clinical use of DNA vaccines may require combined employment of all of these parameters, and combination treatment with additional drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Hobernik
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lopes A, Vanvarenberg K, Kos Š, Lucas S, Colau D, Van den Eynde B, Préat V, Vandermeulen G. Combination of immune checkpoint blockade with DNA cancer vaccine induces potent antitumor immunity against P815 mastocytoma. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15732. [PMID: 30356111 PMCID: PMC6200811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33933-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA vaccination against cancer has become a promising strategy for inducing a specific and long-lasting antitumor immunity. However, DNA vaccines fail to generate potent immune responses when used as a single therapy. To enhance their activity into the tumor, a DNA vaccine against murine P815 mastocytoma was combined with antibodies directed against the immune checkpoints CTLA4 and PD1. The combination of these two strategies delayed tumor growth and enhanced specific antitumor immune cell infiltration in comparison to the corresponding single therapies. The combination also promoted IFNg, IL12 and granzyme B production in the tumor microenvironment and decreased the formation of liver metastasis in a very early phase of tumor development, enabling 90% survival. These results underline the complementarity of DNA vaccination and immune checkpoint blockers in inducing a potent immune response, by exploiting the generation of antigen-specific T cells by the vaccine and the ability of immune checkpoint blockers to enhance T cell activity and infiltration in the tumor. These findings suggest how and why a rational combination therapy can overcome the limits of DNA vaccination but could also allow responses to immune checkpoint blockers in a larger proportion of subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanvarenberg
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| | - Špela Kos
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Department of Experimental Oncology, Zaloska 2, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sophie Lucas
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| | - Didier Colau
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| | - Benoît Van den Eynde
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium.
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Brussels, B-1200, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wang Y, Wang Z, Duo Y, Wang X, Chen J, Chen J. Gene cloning, expression, and reducing property enhancement of nitrous oxide reductase from Alcaligenes denitrificans strain TB. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 239:43-52. [PMID: 29649759 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and tends to accumulate as an intermediate in the process of bacteria denitrification. To achieve complete reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) in bacteria denitrification, the structural gene nosZ encoding nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR) was cloned from Alcaligenes denitrificans strain TB (GenBank JQ044686). The recombinant plasmid containing the nosZ gene was built, and the expression of nosZ gene in Escherichia coli was determined. Results show that the nosZ gene consisting of 1917 nucleotides achieves heterologous expression successfully by codon optimization strategy under optimal conditions (pre-induction inoculum OD600 of 0.67, final IPTG concentration of 0.5 mM, inducing time of 6 h, and inducing temperature of 28 °C). Determination result of gas chromatography confirms that N2O degradation efficiency of recombinant E. coli is strengthened by at least 1.92 times compared with that of original strain TB when treated with N2O as substrate. Moreover, N2OR activity in recombinant strain is 2.09 times higher than that in wild strain TB, which validates the aforementioned result and implies that the recombinant E. coli BL21 (DE3)-pET28b-nosZ is a potential candidate to control N2O accumulation and alleviate greenhouse effect. In addition, the N2OR structure and the possible N2O binding site in Alcaligenes sp. TB are predicted, which open an avenue for further research on the relationship between N2OR activity and its structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Yankai Duo
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Jianmeng Chen
- Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education for Bioconversion and Biopurification, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Jun Chen
- Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education for Bioconversion and Biopurification, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|