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Nie S, Song Y, Hu K, Zu W, Zhang F, Chen L, Ma Q, Zhou Z, Jiao S. CXCL10 and IL15 co-expressing chimeric antigen receptor T cells enhance anti-tumor effects in gastric cancer by increasing cytotoxic effector cell accumulation and survival. Oncoimmunology 2024; 13:2358590. [PMID: 38812569 PMCID: PMC11135867 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2024.2358590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have demonstrated outstanding therapeutic success in hematological malignancies. Yet, their efficacy against solid tumors remains constrained due to inadequate infiltration of cytotoxic T and CAR-T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), a factor correlated with poor prognosis in patients with solid tumors. To overcome this limitation, we engineered CAR-T cells to secrete CXCL10 and IL15 (10 × 15 CAR-T), which sustain T cell viability and enhance their recruitment, thereby amplifying the long-term cytotoxic capacity of CAR-T cells in vitro. In a xenograft model employing NUGC4-T21 cells, mice receiving 10 × 15 CAR-T cells showed superior tumor reduction and extended survival rates compared to those treated with second-generation CAR-T cells. Histopathological evaluations indicated a pronounced increase in cytotoxic T cell accumulation in the TME post 10 × 15 CAR-T cell treatment. Therefore, the synergistic secretion of CXCL10 and IL15 in these CAR-T cells enhances T cell recruitment and adaptability within tumor tissues, improving tumor control. This approach may offer a promising strategy for advancing CAR-T therapies in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyue Nie
- PLA Medical School, Beijing, China
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
- Department of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Song
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Hu
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zu
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Fengjiao Zhang
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Lixia Chen
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Ma
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Zishan Zhou
- Research and Development Department, Beijing DCTY Biotech Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Shunchang Jiao
- Department of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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2
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Pawlowski KD, Duffy JT, Gottschalk S, Balyasnikova IV. Cytokine Modification of Adoptive Chimeric Antigen Receptor Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5852. [PMID: 38136398 PMCID: PMC10741789 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cell-based therapies have demonstrated limited success in solid tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM). GBMs exhibit high heterogeneity and create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In addition, other challenges exist for CAR therapy, including trafficking and infiltration into the tumor site, proliferation, persistence of CARs once in the tumor, and reduced functionality, such as suboptimal cytokine production. Cytokine modification is of interest, as one can enhance therapy efficacy and minimize off-target toxicity by directly combining CAR therapy with cytokines, antibodies, or oncolytic viruses that alter cytokine response pathways. Alternatively, one can genetically modify CAR T-cells or CAR NK-cells to secrete cytokines or express cytokines or cytokine receptors. Finally, CARs can be genetically altered to augment or suppress intracellular cytokine signaling pathways for a more direct approach. Codelivery of cytokines with CARs is the most straightforward method, but it has associated toxicity. Alternatively, combining CAR therapy with antibodies (e.g., anti-IL-6, anti-PD1, and anti-VEGF) or oncolytic viruses has enhanced CAR cell infiltration into GBM tumors and provided proinflammatory signals to the TME. CAR T- or NK-cells secreting cytokines (e.g., IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18) have shown improved efficacy within multiple GBM subtypes. Likewise, expressing cytokine-modulating receptors in CAR cells that promote or inhibit cytokine signaling has enhanced their activity. Finally, gene editing approaches are actively being pursued to directly influence immune signaling pathways in CAR cells. In this review, we summarize these cytokine modification methods and highlight any existing gaps in the hope of catalyzing an improved generation of CAR-based therapies for glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen D. Pawlowski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA;
| | - Joseph T. Duffy
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA;
- Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute, Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA;
| | - Irina V. Balyasnikova
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA;
- Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute, Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
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3
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Shakiba Y, Vorobyev PO, Yusubalieva GM, Kochetkov DV, Zajtseva KV, Valikhov MP, Kalsin VA, Zabozlaev FG, Semkina AS, Troitskiy AV, Baklaushev VP, Chumakov PM, Lipatova AV. Oncolytic therapy with recombinant vaccinia viruses targeting the interleukin-15 pathway elicits a synergistic response. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2023; 29:158-168. [PMID: 37387795 PMCID: PMC10300409 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We developed recombinant variants of oncolytic vaccinia virus LIVP strain expressing interleukin-15 (IL-15) or its receptor subunit alpha (IL-15Rα) to stimulate IL-15-dependent immune cells. We evaluated their oncolytic activity either alone or in combination with each other in vitro and in vivo using the murine CT26 colon carcinoma and 4T1 breast carcinoma models. We demonstrated that the admixture of these recombinant variants could promote the generation of the IL-15/IL-15Rα complex. In vitro studies indicated that 4T1 breast cancer cells were more susceptible to the developed recombinant viruses. In vivo studies showed significant survival benefits and tumor regression in 4T1 breast cancer syngeneic mice that received a combination of LIVP-IL15-RFP with LIVP-IL15Ra-RFP. Histological analysis showed recruited lymphocytes at the tumor region, while no harmful effects to the liver or spleen of the animals were detected. Evaluating tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes represented profound activation of cytotoxic T cells and macrophages in mice receiving combination therapy. Thus, our experiments showed superior oncolytic effectiveness of simultaneous injection of LIVP-IL15-RFP and LIVP-IL15Ra-RFP in breast cancer-bearing mice. The combined therapy by these recombinant variants represents a potent and versatile approach for developing new immunotherapies for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Shakiba
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Pavel O. Vorobyev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gaukhar M. Yusubalieva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies, FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, FMBA of Russia, 117513 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry V. Kochetkov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ksenia V. Zajtseva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marat P. Valikhov
- Department of Neurobiology, Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 119034 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir A. Kalsin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies, FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Fedor G. Zabozlaev
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies, FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alevtina S. Semkina
- Department of Neurobiology, Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 119034 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Troitskiy
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies, FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir P. Baklaushev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Research and Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Medical Care and Medical Technologies, FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, FMBA of Russia, 117513 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Peter M. Chumakov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia V. Lipatova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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4
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Shakiba Y, Vorobyev PO, Mahmoud M, Hamad A, Kochetkov DV, Yusubalieva GM, Baklaushev VP, Chumakov PM, Lipatova AV. Recombinant Strains of Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus for Cancer Immunotherapy. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:823-841. [PMID: 37748878 DOI: 10.1134/s000629792306010x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Cancer virotherapy is an alternative therapeutic approach based on the viruses that selectively infect and kill tumor cells. Vaccinia virus (VV) is a member of the Poxviridae, a family of enveloped viruses with a large linear double-stranded DNA genome. The proven safety of the VV strains as well as considerable transgene capacity of the viral genome, make VV an excellent platform for creating recombinant oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy. Furthermore, various genetic modifications can increase tumor selectivity and therapeutic efficacy of VV by arming it with the immune-modulatory genes or proapoptotic molecules, boosting the host immune system, and increasing cross-priming recognition of the tumor cells by T-cells or NK cells. In this review, we summarized the data on bioengineering approaches to develop recombinant VV strains for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Shakiba
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia.
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Pavel O Vorobyev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Marah Mahmoud
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Azzam Hamad
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Dmitriy V Kochetkov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Gaukhar M Yusubalieva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
- Federal Research Clinical Center for Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies, Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Moscow, 115682, Russia
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the FMBA of Russia, Moscow, 117513, Russia
| | - Vladimir P Baklaushev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
- Federal Research Clinical Center for Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies, Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Moscow, 115682, Russia
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the FMBA of Russia, Moscow, 117513, Russia
| | - Peter M Chumakov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Anastasia V Lipatova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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5
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Cai M, Huang X, Huang X, Ju D, Zhu YZ, Ye L. Research progress of interleukin-15 in cancer immunotherapy. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1184703. [PMID: 37251333 PMCID: PMC10213988 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1184703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a cytokine that belongs to the interleukin-2 (IL-2) family and is essential for the development, proliferation, and activation of immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, T cells and B cells. Recent studies have revealed that interleukin-15 also plays a critical role in cancer immunotherapy. Interleukin-15 agonist molecules have shown that interleukin-15 agonists are effective in inhibiting tumor growth and preventing metastasis, and some are undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress in interleukin-15 research over the past 5 years, highlighting its potential applications in cancer immunotherapy and the progress of interleukin-15 agonist development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghan Cai
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiting Huang
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dianwen Ju
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Zhun Zhu
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Li Ye
- School of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Minhang Hospital and Department of Biological Medicines at School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Zhou Z, Li J, Hong J, Chen S, Chen M, Wang L, Lin W, Ye Y. Interleukin-15 and chemokine ligand 19 enhance cytotoxic effects of chimeric antigen receptor T cells using zebrafish xenograft model of gastric cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1002361. [PMID: 36618357 PMCID: PMC9816141 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1002361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been proven effective for the treatment of B-cell-mediated malignancies. Currently, the development of efficient tools that supply CAR T cells for the treatment of other malignancies would have great impact. In this study, interleukin (IL)-15 and C-C motif chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) were introduced into natural killer group 2D (NKG2D)-based CARs to generate 15×19 CAR T cells, which remarkably increased T-cell expansion and promoted the production of central memory T (Tcm) cells. 15×19 CAR T cells showed greater cytotoxicity to gastric cell lines than conventional CAR T cells and produced higher levels of IL-15 and CCL-19, which resulted in increased responder T cell chemotaxis and reduced expression of T cell exhaustion markers. A live zebrafish model was used for single-cell visualization of local cytotoxicity and metastatic cancers. Administration of 15×19 CAR T cells resulted in significant shrinking of gastric cancer xenograft tumors and expansion of 15×19 CAR T cells in zebrafish models. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that 15×19 CAR T cells are highly efficient in killing gastric cancer cells, are effective to avoid off-target effects, and migrate to local and metastatic sites for long-term surveillance of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifeng Zhou
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Jieyu Li
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Jingwen Hong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Shuping Chen
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Mingshui Chen
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wansong Lin
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yunbin Ye, ; Wansong Lin,
| | - Yunbin Ye
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhu, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yunbin Ye, ; Wansong Lin,
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7
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Hong Z, Zan X, Yu T, Hu Y, Gou H, Zheng S, Gao X, Zhou P. Local delivery of superagonist gene based on polymer nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Ma R, Lu T, Li Z, Teng KY, Mansour AG, Yu M, Tian L, Xu B, Ma S, Zhang J, Barr T, Peng Y, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. An Oncolytic Virus Expressing IL15/IL15Rα Combined with Off-the-Shelf EGFR-CAR NK Cells Targets Glioblastoma. Cancer Res 2021; 81:3635-3648. [PMID: 34006525 PMCID: PMC8562586 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
IL15 is a pleiotropic cytokine with multiple roles that improve immune responses to tumor cells. Oncolytic viruses (OV) specifically lyse tumors and activate immune responses. Systemic administration of IL15 or its complex with the IL15Rα and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cells are currently being tested in the clinic. Here, we generated a herpes simplex 1-based OV-expressing human IL15/IL15Rα sushi domain fusion protein (named OV-IL15C), as well as off-the-shelf EGFR-CAR NK cells, and studied their monotherapy and combination efficacy in vitro and in multiple glioblastoma (GBM) mouse models. In vitro, soluble IL15/IL15Rα complex was secreted from OV-IL15C-infected GBM cells, which promoted GBM cytotoxicity and improved survival of NK and CD8+ T cells. Frozen, readily available off-the-shelf EGFR-CAR NK cells showed enhanced killing of tumor cells compared with empty vector-transduced NK cells. In vivo, OV-IL15C significantly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival of GBM-bearing mice in the presence of CD8+ T cells compared with parental OV. OV-IL15C plus EGFR-CAR NK cells synergistically suppressed tumor growth and significantly improved survival compared with either monotherapy, correlating with increased intracranial infiltration and activation of NK and CD8+ T cells and elevated persistence of CAR NK cells in an immunocompetent model. Collectively, OV-IL15C and off-the-shelf EGFR-CAR NK cells represent promising therapeutic strategies for GBM treatment to improve the clinical management of this devastating disease. SIGNIFICANCE: The combination of an oncolytic virus expressing the IL15/IL15Rα complex and frozen, ready-to-use EGFR-CAR NK cells elicits strong antitumor responses in glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Zhenlong Li
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kun-Yu Teng
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Anthony G Mansour
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Melissa Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Lei Tian
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Bo Xu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shoubao Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Tasha Barr
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Yong Peng
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Chengdu, P.R. China.
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Los Angeles, California
- Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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9
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IL15RA and SMAD3 Genetic Variants Predict Overall Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients Treated with FOLFIRI Therapy: A New Paradigm. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13071705. [PMID: 33916844 PMCID: PMC8038482 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary There is an increasing scientific interest in the study of the interaction between the immune system and drugs in cancer that can affect the efficacy of an anti-cancer treatment. This study was undertaken to better understand if the genetic characteristic of a cancer patient’s immune system can predict the tumor response to the treatment and the duration of survival. The topic was studied on 335 metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with a first-line chemotherapy (FOLFIRI regimen, irinotecan-5-fluorouracil-leucovorin). The research highlighted two markers, IL15RA-rs7910212 and SMAD3-rs7179840, significantly associated with the patient’s survival. When considering IL15RA-rs7910212 and SMAD3-rs7179840 in combination with other two genetic markers previously investigated (NR1I2-rs1054190, VDR-rs7299460), we built up a highly predictive genetic score of survival. The herein identified markers must be further validated, but still represent good candidates to understand how much a patient with a metastatic colorectal cancer can benefit from a chemotherapy with FOLFIRI regimen. Abstract A new paradigm in cancer chemotherapy derives from the interaction between chemotherapeutics, including irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the immune system. The patient’s immune response can modulate chemotherapy effectiveness, and, on the other hand, chemotherapeutic agents can foster tumor cell immunogenicity. On these grounds, the analysis of the cancer patients’ immunogenetic characteristics and their effect on survival after chemotherapy represent a new frontier. This study aims to identify genetic determinants in the immuno-related pathways predictive of overall survival (OS) after FOLFIRI (irinotecan, 5-FU, leucovorin) therapy. Two independent cohorts comprising a total of 335 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) homogeneously treated with first-line FOLFIRI were included in the study. The prognostic effect of 192 tagging genetic polymorphisms in 34 immune-related genes was evaluated using the bead array technology. The IL15RA rs7910212-C allele was associated with worse OS in both discovery (HR: 1.57, p = 0.0327, Bootstrap p-value = 0.0280) and replication (HR: 1.71, p = 0.0411) cohorts. Conversely, SMAD3 rs7179840-C allele was associated with better OS in both discovery (HR: 0.65, p = 0.0202, Bootstrap p-value = 0.0203) and replication (HR: 0.61, p = 0.0216) cohorts. A genetic prognostic score was generated integrating IL15RA-rs7910212 and SMAD3-rs7179840 markers with inflammation-related prognostic polymorphisms we previously identified in the same study population (i.e., PXR [NR1I2]-rs1054190, VDR-rs7299460). The calculated genetic score successfully discriminated patients with different survival probabilities (p < 0.0001 log-rank test). These findings provide new insight on the prognostic value of genetic determinants, such as IL15RA and SMAD3 markers, and could offer a new decision tool to improve the clinical management of patients with mCRC receiving FOLFIRI.
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10
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Guo S, Smeltz RB, Nanajian A, Heller R. IL-15/IL-15Rα Heterodimeric Complex as Cancer Immunotherapy in Murine Breast Cancer Models. Front Immunol 2021; 11:614667. [PMID: 33628206 PMCID: PMC7897681 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.614667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin 15 (IL-15) has been evaluated as a potential treatment for solid tumors in clinical trials, but the effectiveness of systemic IL-15 administration as a monotherapy has not been realized. IL-15 receptor alpha (IL-15Rα) can stabilize IL-15 and enhance its bioactivity. The goal of this study was to examine the activity of IL-15/IL-15Rα complex (IL-15cx) to CD8+ T cells and evaluate its potential efficacy in murine breast cancer models. The antitumor efficacy was studied in mouse mammary carcinoma models (Her2/neu transgenic and 4T1-luc mammary cancers) treated with systemic recombinant protein with/without the depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells or intra-tumoral gene electrotransfer (GET). IL-15cx shows superior in vivo bioactivity to expand CD8 T cells in comparison to an equimolar single chain IL-15. T-bet is partially involved in CD8 T cell expansion ex vivo and in vivo due to IL-15 or IL-15cx. Intraperitoneal administration of IL-15cx results in a moderate inhibition of breast cancer growth that is associated with an increase in the frequency of cytotoxic CD8 T cells and the improvement of their function. The depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has no impact on mouse breast cancer growth. IL-15cx treatment diminishes MDSCs in murine tumors. However, it also antagonizes the effects of anti-Gr-1 depleting antibodies. Intratumoral GET with plasmid IL-15/IL-15Rα leads to a long-term survival benefit in 4T1 mammary carcinoma model. An early increase of local cytotoxic cells correlates with GET treatment and an increase of long-term memory T cells results from animals with complete tumor regression. Systemic and local administration of IL-15cx shows two distinct therapeutic responses, a moderate tumor growth inhibition or heterogeneous tumor regressions with survival improvement. Further studies are warranted to improve the efficacy of IL-15cx as an immunotherapy for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Guo
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Ronald B Smeltz
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Anthony Nanajian
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Richard Heller
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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11
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Berger A, Colpitts SJ, Seabrook MSS, Furlonger CL, Bendix MB, Moreau JM, McKillop WM, Medin JA, Paige CJ. Interleukin-15 in cancer immunotherapy: IL-15 receptor complex versus soluble IL-15 in a cancer cell-delivered murine leukemia model. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:355. [PMID: 31856922 PMCID: PMC6924073 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0777-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytokines of the common γ-chain receptor family such as IL-15 are vital with respect to activating immune cells, sustaining healthy immune functions, and augmenting the anti-tumor activity of effector cells, making them ideal candidates for cancer immunotherapy. IL-15, either in its soluble form (IL-15sol) or complexed with IL-15Rα (IL-15Rc), has been shown to exhibit potent anti-tumor activities in various experimental cancer studies. Here we describe the impact of intraperitoneal IL-15 in a cancer cell-delivered IL-15 immunotherapy approach using the 70Z/3-L leukemia mouse model. Whereas both forms of IL-15 led to significantly improved survival rates compared to the parent cell line, there were striking differences in the extent of the improved survival: mice receiving cancer cells secreting IL-15sol showed significantly longer survival and protective long-term immunity compared to those producing IL-15Rc. Interestingly, injection of leukemia cells secreting IL-15sol lead to heightened expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell populations in the peritoneum compared to IL-15Rc. Cell-secreted IL-15Rc resulted in an influx and/or expansion of NK1.1+ cells in the peritoneum which was much less pronounced in the IL-15sol model. Furthermore, IL-15Rc but not IL-15sol lead to T-cell exhaustion and disease progression. To our knowledge, this is the first study detailing a significantly different biological effect of cell-delivered IL-15sol versus IL-15Rc in a mouse cancer immunotherapy study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Berger
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.
| | - Sarah J Colpitts
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Melanie S S Seabrook
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Caren L Furlonger
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Maura B Bendix
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Joshua M Moreau
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - William M McKillop
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Medin
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christopher J Paige
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Room 8-105, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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12
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Truxova I, Kasikova L, Salek C, Hensler M, Lysak D, Holicek P, Bilkova P, Holubova M, Chen X, Mikyskova R, Reinis M, Kovar M, Tomalova B, Kline JP, Galluzzi L, Spisek R, Fucikova J. Calreticulin exposure on malignant blasts correlates with improved natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity in acute myeloid leukemia patients. Haematologica 2019; 105:1868-1878. [PMID: 31582537 PMCID: PMC7327638 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2019.223933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In some settings, cancer cells responding to treatment undergo an immunogenic form of cell death that is associated with the abundant emission of danger signals in the form of damage-associated molecular patterns. Accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that danger signals play a crucial role in the (re-)activation of antitumor immune responses in vivo, thus having a major impact on patient prognosis. We have previously demonstrated that the presence of calreticulin on the surface of malignant blasts is a positive prognostic biomarker for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Calreticulin exposure not only correlated with enhanced T-cell-dependent antitumor immunity in this setting but also affected the number of circulating natural killer (NK) cells upon restoration of normal hematopoiesis. Here, we report that calreticulin exposure on malignant blasts is associated with enhanced NK cell cytotoxic and secretory functions, both in AML patients and in vivo in mice. The ability of calreticulin to stimulate NK-cells relies on CD11c+CD14high cells that, upon exposure to CRT, express higher levels of IL-15Rα, maturation markers (CD86 and HLA-DR) and CCR7. CRT exposure on malignant blasts also correlates with the upregulation of genes coding for type I interferon. This suggests that CD11c+CD14high cells have increased capacity to migrate to secondary lymphoid organs, where can efficiently deliver stimulatory signals (IL-15Rα/IL-15) to NK cells. These findings delineate a multipronged, clinically relevant mechanism whereby surface-exposed calreticulin favors NK-cell activation in AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lenka Kasikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cyril Salek
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Clinical and Experimental Hematology, 1 Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Daniel Lysak
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital in Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Holicek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Monika Holubova
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology and Immunotherapy, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Xiufen Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Romana Mikyskova
- Laboratory of Immunological and Tumour models, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Reinis
- Laboratory of Immunological and Tumour models, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Kovar
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Tomalova
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Justin P Kline
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Universite de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic .,Department of Immunology, Charles University, 2 Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
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13
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Doo DW, Norian LA, Arend RC. Checkpoint inhibitors in ovarian cancer: A review of preclinical data. Gynecol Oncol Rep 2019; 29:48-54. [PMID: 31312712 PMCID: PMC6609798 DOI: 10.1016/j.gore.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy, and relapse after initial treatment is frequently fatal. Although ovarian cancer typically has an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a strong intratumoral T cell presence is associated with an improved response to chemotherapy and better overall prognosis. Given the success of checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of other malignancies, there has been an attempt to replicate these results in ovarian cancer clinical trials. Preclincal studies in ovarian cancer have also been conducted over the past decade, and most of the focus has been on the use of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Several other checkpoint inhibitors have also been investigated in various combinations with chemotherapy, oncolytic vaccines, co-stimulatory molecules, poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, and other checkpoint inhibitors. Unfortunately, these successes have yet to translate to the clinical realm. Whether this is because the drug class is truly ineffective in ovarian cancer, or simply because the research is lacking is unclear. Either way, it is evident that preclinical data on the use of checkpoint inhibitors is woefully deficient in ovarian cancer and more research is urgently needed to inform the translation of immune checkpoint blockade into successful clinical use. In this review, we discuss the results from preclinical studies using checkpoint inhibitors to treat ovarian cancer, with a focus on strategies that show potential for clinical use. Checkpoint inhibitors have activity in ovarian cancer in the preclinical setting. PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has the most preclinical data in ovarian cancer. Basic science research in this field is sparse. More work is required to inform the design of clinical trials for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Doo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Lyse A Norian
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Rebecca C Arend
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
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14
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Kowalsky SJ, Liu Z, Feist M, Berkey SE, Ma C, Ravindranathan R, Dai E, Roy EJ, Guo ZS, Bartlett DL. Superagonist IL-15-Armed Oncolytic Virus Elicits Potent Antitumor Immunity and Therapy That Are Enhanced with PD-1 Blockade. Mol Ther 2018; 26:2476-2486. [PMID: 30064894 PMCID: PMC6171074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic immunotherapy is a promising novel therapeutic for cancer, and further preclinical studies may maximize its therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we construct a novel oncolytic vaccinia virus (VV) expressing a superagoinst IL-15, a fusion protein of IL-15 and IL-15Ralpha. This virus, named vvDD-IL15-Rα, possesses similar replication efficiency as the parental virus vvDD yet leads to significantly more regression of the disease and extends the survival of mice bearing MC38 colon or ID8 ovarian cancer. This novel virus elicits potent adaptive antitumor immunity as shown by ELISPOT assays for interferon-gamma-secreting CD8+ T cells and by the rejection of tumor implants upon re-challenge in the mice, which were previously cured by vvDD-IL15-Rα treatment. In vivo cell depletion assays with antibodies showed that this antitumor activity is highly dependent on CD8+ T cells but much less so on CD4+ T cells and NK cells. Finally, the combination of the oncolytic immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 antibody dramatically improves the therapeutic outcome compared to either anti-PD-1 alone or vvDD-IL15-Rα alone. These results demonstrate that the IL-15-IL-15Rα fusion protein-expressing OV elicits potent antitumor immunity, and rational combination with PD-1 blockade leads to dramatic tumor regression and prolongs the survival of mice bearing colon or ovarian cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy J Kowalsky
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zuqiang Liu
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mathilde Feist
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Surgery, CCM/CVK, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sara E Berkey
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Congrong Ma
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Roshni Ravindranathan
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Enyong Dai
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Edward J Roy
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zong Sheng Guo
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - David L Bartlett
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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15
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Sun L, Wang Q, Chen B, Zhao Y, Shen B, Wang X, Zhu M, Li Z, Zhao X, Xu C, Chen Z, Wang M, Xu W, Zhu W. Human Gastric Cancer Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived IL15 Contributes to Tumor Cell Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Upregulation Tregs Ratio and PD-1 Expression in CD4 +T Cell. Stem Cells Dev 2018; 27:1203-1214. [PMID: 29901436 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2018.0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies show that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) homing to tumors not only provide the microenvironment for tumor cells but also promote tumor growth and metastasis. However, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Our study aims to investigate the role of gastric cancer MSCs (GCMSCs)-derived IL15 during GC progression. The effects of IL15 secreted by GCMSCs on GC development were evaluated by detecting the stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and migration abilities of GC cell lines. The expression of IL15 in serum and tissues of GC patients was also assessed. We found that IL15 derived from GCMSCs enhanced stemness, induced EMT and promoted migration of GC cell lines. The level of IL15 was higher in GC patients both in serum and tissues compared with that in healthy donors, which was associated with lymph node metastasis. In addition, the results have shown that IL15 in GC microenvironment was mainly produced by GCMSCs. Moreover, IL15 upregulated Tregs ratio through activation of STAT5 in CD4+T cells was accompanied by elevated expression of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1). Our data proved that the high concentration of IL15 in tumor microenvironment, which was mainly secreted by GCMSCs, may contribute to tumor cell metastasis and offer a new opportunity to develop effective therapeutics for intercepting tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Bin Chen
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Bo Shen
- 2 Department of Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China
| | - Xinlong Wang
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Miaolin Zhu
- 2 Department of Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, China
| | - Zhuqian Li
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | | | - Changgen Xu
- 3 Zhenjiang Provincial Blood Center , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhihong Chen
- 4 Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Mei Wang
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wenrong Xu
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University , Zhenjiang, China
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16
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Wagstaffe HR, Nielsen CM, Riley EM, Goodier MR. IL-15 Promotes Polyfunctional NK Cell Responses to Influenza by Boosting IL-12 Production. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 200:2738-2747. [PMID: 29491009 PMCID: PMC5890538 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
IL-15 is a key regulator of NK cell maintenance and proliferation and synergizes with other myeloid cell–derived cytokines to enhance NK cell effector function. At low concentrations, trans-presentation of IL-15 by dendritic cells can activate NK cells, whereas at higher concentrations it can act directly on NK cells, independently of accessory cells. In this study, we investigate the potential for IL-15 to boost responses to influenza virus by promoting accessory cell function. We find that coculture of human PBMCs with inactivated whole influenza virus (A/Victoria/361/2011) in the presence of very low concentrations of IL-15 results in increased production of myeloid cell–derived cytokines, including IL-12, IFN-α2, GM-CSF, and IL-1β, and an increased frequency of polyfunctional NK cells (defined by the expression of two or more of CD107a, IFN-γ, and CD25). Neutralization experiments demonstrate that IL-15–mediated enhancement of NK cell responses is primarily dependent on IL-12 and partially dependent on IFN-αβR1 signaling. Critically, IL-15 boosted the production of IL-12 in influenza-stimulated blood myeloid dendritic cells. IL-15 costimulation also restored the ability of less-differentiated NK cells from human CMV-seropositive individuals to respond to influenza virus. These data suggest that very low concentrations of IL-15 play an important role in boosting accessory cell function to support NK cell effector functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen R Wagstaffe
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Carolyn M Nielsen
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.,Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom; and
| | - Eleanor M Riley
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.,The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom
| | - Martin R Goodier
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom;
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17
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Van den Bergh JMJ, Smits ELJM, Berneman ZN, Hutten TJA, De Reu H, Van Tendeloo VFI, Dolstra H, Lion E, Hobo W. Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells with Silenced PD-1 Ligands and Transpresenting Interleukin-15 Stimulate Strong Tumor-Reactive T-cell Expansion. Cancer Immunol Res 2017. [PMID: 28637876 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-16-0336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) can elicit graft-versus-tumor (GVT) immunity, patients often relapse due to residual tumor cells. As essential orchestrators of the immune system, vaccination with dendritic cells (DC) is an appealing strategy to boost the GVT response. Nevertheless, durable clinical responses after DC vaccination are still limited, stressing the need to improve current DC vaccines. Aiming to empower DC potency, we engineered monocyte-derived DCs to deprive them of ligands for the immune checkpoint regulated by programmed death 1 (PD-1). We also equipped them with interleukin (IL)-15 "transpresentation" skills. Transfection with short interfering (si)RNA targeting the PD-1 ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, in combination with IL15 and IL15Rα mRNA, preserved their mature DC profile and rendered the DCs superior in inducing T-cell proliferation and IFNγ and TNFα production. Translated into an ex vivo hematological disease setting, DCs deprived of PD-1 ligands (PD-L), equipped with IL15/IL15Rα expression, or most effectively, both, induced superior expansion of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific CD8+ T cells from transplanted cancer patients. These data support the combinatorial approach of in situ suppression of the PD-L inhibitory checkpoints with DC-mediated IL15 transpresentation to promote antigen-specific T-cell responses and, ultimately, contribute to GVT immunity. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8); 710-5. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan M J Van den Bergh
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Evelien L J M Smits
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Center for Oncological Research Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zwi N Berneman
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tim J A Hutten
- Laboratory of Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans De Reu
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Viggo F I Van Tendeloo
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Harry Dolstra
- Laboratory of Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eva Lion
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Willemijn Hobo
- Laboratory of Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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18
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Sun L, Yuan Q, Xu T, Yao L, Feng J, Ma J, Wang L, Lv C, Wang D. Novel adjuvant for immunization against tuberculosis: DNA vaccine expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 85A and interleukin-15 fusion product elicits strong immune responses in mice. Biotechnol Lett 2017; 39:1159-1166. [PMID: 28470626 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-017-2342-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the potential of interleukin (IL)-15 as a novel adjuvant for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigen 85A (Ag85A) vaccine. RESULTS C57BL/6 mice were intramuscularly immunized three times with a plasmid expressing the Ag85A-IL-15 fusion protein (pcDNA3.1-Ag85A-IL-15), with the empty pcDNA3.1 vector and the pcDNA3.1-Ag85A as control. Mice vaccinated with pcDNA3.1-Ag85A-IL-15 generated more secretory IgA (sIgA) into their lung (209 ± 21 μg/ml) and acquired an enhanced serum IgG response to Ag85A. IgG2a/IgG1 ratios were upregulated, natural killer cell activity was augmented and Ag85A-specific splenic T cell proliferation was enhanced in these mice as well. Vaccination with pcDNA3.1-Ag85A-IL-15 promoted the polarization of CD4+ T cells towards a Th1 type in the spleen, and significantly upregulated the serum level of interferon (IFN)-γ (458 ± 98 pg/ml), a typical Th1 cytokine. IFN-γ-expressing CD8+ cells were also increased in the spleen after pcDNA3.1-Ag85A-IL-15 immunization. CONCLUSIONS A superior immune type I response in mice vaccinated with plasmid Ag85A-IL-15 has been achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianhua Xu
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Yao
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangmin Feng
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianfei Ma
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Lining Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Changlong Lv
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China
| | - Danan Wang
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110013, People's Republic of China.
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Chen H, Li N, Xie Y, Jiang H, Yang X, Cagliero C, Shi S, Zhu C, Luo H, Chen J, Zhang L, Zhao M, Feng L, Lu H, Zhu J. Purification of inclusion bodies using PEG precipitation under denaturing conditions to produce recombinant therapeutic proteins from Escherichia coli. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:5267-5278. [PMID: 28391504 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8265-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It has been documented that the purification of inclusion bodies from Escherichia coli by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) may benefit subsequent refolding and recovery of recombinant proteins. However, loading volume and the high cost of the column limits its application in large-scale manufacturing of biopharmaceutical proteins. We report a novel process using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation under denaturing conditions to replace SEC for rapid purification of inclusion bodies containing recombinant therapeutic proteins. Using recombinant human interleukin 15 (rhIL-15) as an example, inclusion bodies of rhIL-15 were solubilized in 7 M guanidine hydrochloride, and rhIL-15 was precipitated by the addition of PEG 6000. A final concentration of 5% (w/v) PEG 6000 was found to be optimal to precipitate target proteins and enhance recovery and purity. Compared to the previously reported S-200 size exclusion purification method, PEG precipitation was easier to scale up and achieved the same protein yields and quality of the product. PEG precipitation also reduced manufacturing time by about 50 and 95% of material costs. After refolding and further purification, the rhIL-15 product was highly pure and demonstrated a comparable bioactivity with a rhIL-15 reference standard. Our studies demonstrated that PEG precipitation of inclusion bodies under denaturing conditions holds significant potential as a manufacturing process for biopharmaceuticals from E. coli protein expression systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ninghuan Li
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yueqing Xie
- Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
| | - Hua Jiang
- Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
| | - Xiaoyi Yang
- Biopharmaceutical Development Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | | | - Siwei Shi
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Chencen Zhu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Han Luo
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Junsheng Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Menglin Zhao
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lei Feng
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Huili Lu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. .,Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21704, USA.
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