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Zhong L, Li Y, Muluh TA, Wang Y. Combination of CAR‑T cell therapy and radiotherapy: Opportunities and challenges in solid tumors (Review). Oncol Lett 2023; 26:281. [PMID: 37274466 PMCID: PMC10236127 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a new and breakthrough cancer immunotherapy. Although CAR-T cell therapy has made significant progress clinically in patients with refractory or drug-resistant hematological malignancies, there are numerous challenges in its application to solid tumor therapy, including antigen escape, severe toxic reactions, abnormal vascularization, tumor hypoxia, insufficient infiltration of CAR-T cells and immunosuppression. As a conventional mode of anti-tumor therapy, radiotherapy has shown promising effects in combination with CAR-T cell therapy by enhancing the specific immunity of endogenous target antigens, which promoted the infiltration and expansion of CAR-T cells and improved the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. This review focuses on the obstacles to the application of CAR-T technology in solid tumor therapy, the potential opportunities and challenges of combined radiotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy, and the review of recent literature to evaluate the best combination for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiang Zhong
- Thoracic Oncology Ward, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, Sichuan 644000, P.R. China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, Sichuan 644000, P.R. China
| | - Tobias Achu Muluh
- Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, P.R. China
| | - Yongsheng Wang
- Thoracic Oncology Ward, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P.R. China
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Raftery MJ, Franzén AS, Radecke C, Boulifa A, Schönrich G, Stintzing S, Blohmer JU, Pecher G. Next Generation CD44v6-Specific CAR-NK Cells Effective against Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24109038. [PMID: 37240385 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a medical need to develop new and effective therapies against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cells are a promising alternative to CAR-T cell therapy for cancer. A search for a suitable target in TNBC identified CD44v6, an adhesion molecule expressed in lymphomas, leukemias and solid tumors that is implicated in tumorigenesis and metastases. We have developed a next-generation CAR targeting CD44v6 that incorporates IL-15 superagonist and checkpoint inhibitor molecules. We could show that CD44v6 CAR-NK cells demonstrated effective cytotoxicity against TNBC in 3D spheroid models. The IL-15 superagonist was specifically released upon recognition of CD44v6 on TNBC and contributed to the cytotoxic attack. PD1 ligands are upregulated in TNBC and contribute to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Competitive inhibition of PD1 neutralized inhibition by PD1 ligands expressed on TNBC. In total, CD44v6 CAR-NK cells are resistant to TME immunosuppression and offer a new therapeutic option for the treatment of BC, including TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Raftery
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Clarissa Radecke
- Onkologie und Tumorimmunologie, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Medizinische Klinik m. S. Hämatologie, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Abdelhadi Boulifa
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Günther Schönrich
- Institute of Virology, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Stintzing
- Onkologie und Tumorimmunologie, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Medizinische Klinik m. S. Hämatologie, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens-Uwe Blohmer
- Department of Gynecology and Breast Cancer Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriele Pecher
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Onkologie und Tumorimmunologie, CCM, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Medizinische Klinik m. S. Hämatologie, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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Zinzi A, Gaio M, Liguori V, Cagnotta C, Paolino D, Paolisso G, Castaldo G, Nicoletti G, Rossi F, Capuano A, Rafaniello C. Late relapse after CAR-T cell therapy for adult patients with hematologic malignancies: a definite evidence from Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on individual data. Pharmacol Res 2023; 190:106742. [PMID: 36963592 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-modified T lymphocytes represent one of the most innovative and promising approaches to treating hematologic malignancies. CAR-T cell therapy is currently being used for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell malignancies including Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma and Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Despite the unprecedented clinical success, one of the major issues of the approved CAR-T cell therapy - tisagenlecleucel, axicabtagene, lisocabtagene, idecabtagene, ciltacabtagene and brexucabtagene - is the uncertainty about its persistence which in turn could lead to weak or no response to therapy with malignancy recurrence. Here we show that the prognosis of patients who do not respond to CAR-T cell therapy is still an unmet medical need. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis collecting individual data on Duration of Response from at least 12-month follow-up studies. We found that the pooled prevalence of relapse within the first 12 months after CAR-T infusion was 61% (95% CI, 43%-78%); moreover, one year after the infusion, the analysis highlighted a pooled prevalence of relapse of 24% (95% CI, 11%-42%). Our results suggest that identifying potential predictive biomarkers of response to CAR-T therapy, especially for patients affected by the advanced stage of blood malignancies, could lead to stratification of the eligible population to that therapy, recognizing which patients will benefit and which will not, helping regulators to make decision in that way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Zinzi
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Gaio
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Valerio Liguori
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Cecilia Cagnotta
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Donatella Paolino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro "Magna Graecia", Viale Europa s.n.c., I-88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Paolisso
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Piazza Miraglia 2, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Nicoletti
- Department of Imaging, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Breast Unit, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Specialties, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Rossi
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Capuano
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Rafaniello
- Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, 80138 Naples, Italy; Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy.
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4
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Zhang Y, Xu Y, Dang X, Zhu Z, Qian W, Liang A, Han W. Challenges and optimal strategies of CAR T therapy for hematological malignancies. Chin Med J (Engl) 2023; 136:269-279. [PMID: 36848181 PMCID: PMC10106177 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002476] [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: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Remarkable improvement relative to traditional approaches in the treatment of hematological malignancies by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has promoted sequential approvals of eight commercial CAR T products within last 5 years. Although CAR T cells' productization is now rapidly boosting their extensive clinical application in real-world patients, the limitation of their clinical efficacy and related toxicities inspire further optimization of CAR structure and substantial development of innovative trials in various scenarios. Herein, we first summarized the current status and major progress in CAR T therapy for hematological malignancies, then described crucial factors which possibly compromise the clinical efficacies of CAR T cells, such as CAR T cell exhaustion and loss of antigen, and finally, we discussed the potential optimization strategies to tackle the challenges in the field of CAR T therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Zhang
- Department of Bio-Therapeutics, The First Medical Centre, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Xiuyong Dang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Zeyu Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Wenbin Qian
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Aibin Liang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Bio-Therapeutics, The First Medical Centre, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China
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5
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Chen Q, Lu L, Ma W. Efficacy, Safety, and Challenges of CAR T-Cells in the Treatment of Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235983. [PMID: 36497465 PMCID: PMC9739567 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has been the fifth pillar of cancer treatment in the past decade. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a newly designed adoptive immunotherapy that is able to target and further eliminate cancer cells by engaging with MHC-independent tumor-antigens. CAR T-cell therapy has exhibited conspicuous clinical efficacy in hematological malignancies, but more than half of patients will relapse. Of note, the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy has been even more disappointing in solid tumors. These challenges mainly include (1) the failures of CAR T-cells to treat highly heterogeneous solid tumors due to the difficulty in identifying unique tumor antigen targets, (2) the expression of target antigens in non-cancer cells, (3) the inability of CAR T-cells to effectively infiltrate solid tumors, (4) the short lifespan and lack of persistence of CAR T-cells, and (5) cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. In combination with these characteristics, the ideal CAR T-cell therapy for solid tumors should maintain adequate T-cell response over a long term while sparing healthy tissues. This article reviewed the status, clinical application, efficacy, safety, and challenges of CAR T-cell therapies, as well as the latest progress of CAR T-cell therapies for solid tumors. In addition, the potential strategies to improve the efficacy of CAR T-cells and prevent side effects in solid tumors were also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Huzhou University School of Medicine, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Lingeng Lu
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cancer Center and Center for Biomedical Data Science, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Wenxue Ma
- Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center, Moores Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-858-246-1477
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Cassioli C, Patrussi L, Valitutti S, Baldari CT. Learning from TCR Signaling and Immunological Synapse Assembly to Build New Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:14255. [PMID: 36430728 PMCID: PMC9694822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy is a revolutionary pillar in cancer treatment. Clinical experience has shown remarkable successes in the treatment of certain hematological malignancies but only limited efficacy against B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other cancer types, especially solid tumors. A wide range of engineering strategies have been employed to overcome the limitations of CAR T cell therapy. However, it has become increasingly clear that CARs have unique, unexpected features; hence, a deep understanding of how CARs signal and trigger the formation of a non-conventional immunological synapse (IS), the signaling platform required for T cell activation and execution of effector functions, would lead a shift from empirical testing to the rational design of new CAR constructs. Here, we review current knowledge of CARs, focusing on their structure, signaling and role in CAR T cell IS assembly. We, moreover, discuss the molecular features accounting for poor responses in CLL patients treated with anti-CD19 CAR T cells and propose CLL as a paradigm for diseases connected to IS dysfunctions that could significantly benefit from the development of novel CARs to generate a productive anti-tumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cassioli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Laura Patrussi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Salvatore Valitutti
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1037, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Toulouse (CRCT), Université de Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, 31037 Toulouse, France
- Department of Pathology, Institut Universitaire du Cancer-Oncopole de Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Cosima T. Baldari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Tomasik J, Jasiński M, Basak GW. Next generations of CAR-T cells - new therapeutic opportunities in hematology? Front Immunol 2022; 13:1034707. [PMID: 36389658 PMCID: PMC9650233 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the introduction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies into clinics has been a breakthrough in treating relapsed or refractory malignancies in hematology and oncology. To date, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six CAR-T therapies for specific non-Hodgkin lymphomas, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and multiple myeloma. All registered treatments and most clinical trials are based on so-called 2nd generation CARs, which consist of an extracellular antigen-binding region, one costimulatory domain, and a CD3z signaling domain. Unfortunately, despite remarkable overall treatment outcomes, a relatively high percentage of patients do not benefit from CAR-T therapy (overall response rate varies between 50 and 100%, with following relapse rates as high as 66% due to limited durability of the response). Moreover, it is associated with adverse effects such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. Advances in immunology and molecular engineering have facilitated the construction of the next generation of CAR-T cells equipped with various molecular mechanisms. These include additional costimulatory domains (3rd generation), safety switches, immune-checkpoint modulation, cytokine expression, or knockout of therapy-interfering molecules, to name just a few. Implementation of next-generation CAR T-cells may allow overcoming current limitations of CAR-T therapies, decreasing unwanted side effects, and targeting other hematological malignancies. Accordingly, some clinical trials are currently evaluating the safety and efficacy of novel CAR-T therapies. This review describes the CAR-T cell constructs concerning the clinical application, summarizes completed and ongoing clinical trials of next-generation CAR-T therapies, and presents future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaromir Tomasik
- Department of Hematology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Jasiński
- Department of Hematology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- *Correspondence: Marcin Jasiński,
| | - Grzegorz W. Basak
- Department of Hematology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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