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Huang KCY, Chiang SF, Chang HY, Hong WZ, Chen JY, Lee PC, Liang JA, Ke TW, Peng SL, Shiau AC, Chen TW, Yang PC, Chen WTL, Chao KSC. Colorectal cancer-specific IFNβ delivery overcomes dysfunctional dsRNA-mediated type I interferon signaling to increase the abscopal effect of radiotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008515. [PMID: 38749537 PMCID: PMC11097864 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-intrinsic type I interferon (IFN-I) production triggered by radiotherapy (RT) is mainly dependent on cytosolic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-mediated cGAS/STING signaling and increases cancer immunogenicity and enhances the antitumor immune response to increase therapeutic efficacy. However, cGAS/STING deficiency in colorectal cancer (CRC) may suppress the RT-induced antitumor immunity. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the importance of the dsRNA-mediated antitumor immune response induced by RT in patients with CRC. METHODS Cytosolic dsRNA level and its sensors were evaluated via cell-based assays (co-culture assay, confocal microscopy, pharmacological inhibition and immunofluorescent staining) and in vivo experiments. Biopsies and surgical tissues from patients with CRC who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) were collected for multiplex cytokine assays, immunohistochemical analysis and SNP genotyping. We also generated a cancer-specific adenovirus-associated virus (AAV)-IFNβ1 construct to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in combination with RT, and the immune profiles were analyzed by flow cytometry and RNA-seq. RESULTS Our studies revealed that RT stimulates the autonomous release of dsRNA from cancer cells to activate TLR3-mediated IFN-I signatures to facilitate antitumor immune responses. Patients harboring a dysfunctional TLR3 variant had reduced serum levels of IFN-I-related cytokines and intratumoral CD8+ immune cells and shorter disease-free survival following neoCRT treatment. The engineered cancer-targeted construct AAV-IFNβ1 significantly improved the response to RT, leading to systematic eradication of distant tumors and prolonged survival in defective TLR3 preclinical models. CONCLUSION Our results support that increasing cancer-intrinsic IFNβ1 expression is an immunotherapeutic strategy that enhances the RT-induced antitumor immune response in locally patients with advanced CRC with dysfunctional TLR3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chih-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Fen Chiang
- Lab of Precision Medicine, Feng-Yuan Hospital Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Chang
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ze Hong
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Yu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chih Lee
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ji-An Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tao-Wei Ke
- Department of Colorectal Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Lei Peng
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - An-Cheng Shiau
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chen Yang
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Colorectal Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University HsinChu Hospital, China Medical University Hospital, HsinChu, Taiwan
| | - K S Clifford Chao
- Proton Cancer, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Kontomanolis E, Tsigalou C, Mitrakas A, Gkegka AG, Efraimidou E, Karamanidis D, Nikoletos K, Panagiotis T, Nikoletos N, Giatromanolaki A, Koukourakis MI. Cytokine Plasma Levels in Breast Cancer Patients, Before and After Surgery. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2024; 44:135-142. [PMID: 38386538 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2023.0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Studying the levels of cytokines in the plasma of patients could be valuable in guiding immunotherapy policies. We assessed the plasma levels of 4 major cytokines [interferon (IFN)-β, interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)] collected from 19 patients with ductal breast cancer (BCa), before surgery (BS) and 5 days after surgery (AS). The ratio AS/BS was also calculated and correlated with histopathological variables and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density. The IFN-β and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in BCa patients, BS and AS, than healthy controls (P < 0.02). High IL-2 levels BS were linked with node involvement (P = 0.02), and marginally with HER2 expression (P = 0.08), while high TNF-α levels were linked with high PgR expression (P = 0.02). Increasing IFN-β, IL-2, and TNF-α levels were noted AS, which was more evident in patients with larger tumors. The TGF-β levels were significantly lower in BCa patients (P < 0.007). Linear regression analysis showed a direct association of IFN-β levels AS (P = 0.02, r = 0.52) and of TNF-α AS/BS-ratio (P = 0.001, r = 0.72) with TIL-density. It is suggested that although effector immune response is evident in the majority of early stage BCa patients, removal of the primary tumor further unblocks such responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Kontomanolis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Christina Tsigalou
- Department of Microbiology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Achilleas Mitrakas
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Anastasia G Gkegka
- Department of Pathology, and Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Eleni Efraimidou
- Department of Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Konstantinos Nikoletos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Tsikouras Panagiotis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Nikoletos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Michael I Koukourakis
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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Gu C, Wang X, Wang K, Xie F, Chen L, Ji H, Sun J. Cryoablation triggers type I interferon-dependent antitumor immunity and potentiates immunotherapy efficacy in lung cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008386. [PMID: 38272564 PMCID: PMC10824009 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryoablation is a minimally invasive option for patients with medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and can trigger abscopal immune-regulatory effects. However, it remains unclear how cryoablation affects the host-level immune response in NSCLC. In this study, we investigated the local and systemic immunological effects of cryoablation and the potential of combining cryoablation with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade to boost immunotherapy efficacy in NSCLC. METHODS We first investigated systemic immunological effects induced by cryoablation in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Subsequently, we explored cryoablation-induced antitumor immunity and the underlying biological mechanisms using KP (Kras G12D/+, Tp53 -/-) mutant lung cancer cell allograft mouse models. Moreover, the synergistic efficacy of cryoablation and PD-1 blockade was explored in both mouse models and patients with unresectable NSCLC. RESULTS We found that cryoablation significantly increased circulating CD8+ T cell subpopulations and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with early-stage NSCLC. In lung cancer cell allograft mouse models, we demonstrated that cryoablation resulted in abscopal growth inhibition of contralateral, non-ablated tumors. Integrated analysis of bulk, single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing data revealed that cryoablation reprogrammed the intratumoral immune microenvironment and increased CD8+ T cell infiltration with higher effector signature, interferon (IFN) response, and cytolytic activity. Mechanistically, cryoablation promoted antitumor effect through the STING-dependent type I IFN signaling pathway, and type I IFN signaling blockade attenuated this antitumor effect. We also found that the combination of PD-1 blockade with cryoablation further inhibited tumor growth compared with either treatment alone in an allograft mouse model. Moreover, the combination therapy induced notable tumor suppression and CD8+ T cell infiltration in patients with unresectable NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide mechanistic insights into how cryoablation triggers the antitumor immune effect in lung cancer, thereby potentiating programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/PD-1 blockade efficacy in the clinical treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjia Gu
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fangfang Xie
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongbin Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiayuan Sun
- Department of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Respiratory Endoscopy, Shanghai, China
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Malatesta P, Kyriakidis K, Hada M, Ikeda H, Takahashi A, Saganti PB, Georgakilas AG, Michalopoulos I. Differential Gene Expression in Human Fibroblasts Simultaneously Exposed to Ionizing Radiation and Simulated Microgravity. Biomolecules 2024; 14:88. [PMID: 38254688 PMCID: PMC10812944 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
During future space missions, astronauts will be exposed to cosmic radiation and microgravity (μG), which are known to be health risk factors. To examine the differentially expressed genes (DEG) and their prevalent biological processes and pathways as a response to these two risk factors simultaneously, 1BR-hTERT human fibroblast cells were cultured under 1 gravity (1G) or simulated μG for 48 h in total and collected at 0 (sham irradiated), 3 or 24 h after 1 Gy of X-ray or Carbon-ion (C-ion) irradiation. A three-dimensional clinostat was used for the simulation of μG and the simultaneous radiation exposure of the samples. The RNA-seq method was used to produce lists of differentially expressed genes between different environmental conditions. Over-representation analyses were performed and the enriched biological pathways and targeting transcription factors were identified. Comparing sham-irradiated cells under simulated μG and 1G conditions, terms related to response to oxygen levels and muscle contraction were identified. After irradiation with X-rays or C-ions under 1G, identified DEGs were found to be involved in DNA damage repair, signal transduction by p53 class mediator, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis pathways. The same enriched pathways emerged when cells were irradiated under simulated μG condition. Nevertheless, the combined effect attenuated the transcriptional response to irradiation which may pose a subtle risk in space flights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Malatesta
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.M.); (K.K.)
- DNA Damage Laboratory, Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kyriakidis
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.M.); (K.K.)
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Megumi Hada
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA; (M.H.); (P.B.S.)
| | - Hiroko Ikeda
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, Higashiosaka 577-8502, Japan;
| | - Akihisa Takahashi
- Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi 371-8511, Japan;
| | - Premkumar B. Saganti
- Radiation Institute for Science & Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA; (M.H.); (P.B.S.)
| | - Alexandros G. Georgakilas
- DNA Damage Laboratory, Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Michalopoulos
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece; (P.M.); (K.K.)
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Song JY, Han MG, Kim Y, Kim MJ, Kang MH, Jeon SH, Kim IA. Combination of local radiotherapy and anti-glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) therapy augments PD-L1 blockade-mediated anti-tumor effects in murine breast cancer model. Radiother Oncol 2024; 190:109981. [PMID: 37925106 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In this study, we investigated whether local radiotherapy (RT) and an anti-glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) agonist could increase the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade. METHODS AND MATERIALS We analyzed a breast cancer dataset from the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) to determine the role of GITR in breast cancer. We used the 4T1 murine TNBC model (primary and secondary tumors) to investigate the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade, local RT, anti-GITR agonist, and their combinations. We assessed tumor growth by tumor volume measurements, in vivo bioluminescence imaging, and metastatic lung nodule counts to evaluate the effects of these treatments. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry determined the proportions and phenotypes of CD8+ T-cells and regulatory T-cells (Tregs) in the tumors and spleen. Plasma cytokine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS In the METABRIC cohort, patients with high expression of TNFRSF18, which encodes GITR, had significantly better survival than those with low expression. Adding local RT or anti-GITR agonist to PD-L1 blockade did not significantly augment efficacy compared to PD-L1 blockade alone; however, adding both to PD-L1 blockade significantly reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. The benefits of the triple combination were accompanied by increased CD8+ T-cells and decreased Tregs in the tumor microenvironment and spleen. CONCLUSIONS The combination of local RT and an anti-GITR agonist significantly enhanced the anti-tumor immune responses induced by PD-L1 blockade. These results provide the preclinical rationale for the combination of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yeong Song
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University School of Medicine, Republic of Korea.
| | - Min Guk Han
- Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoomin Kim
- Department of Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine & Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea; Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Ji Kim
- Department of Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine & Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Hyun Kang
- Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyuck Jeon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea; Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea
| | - In Ah Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University School of Medicine, Republic of Korea; Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea; Department of Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine & Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea; Medical Science Research Institute, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea.
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Huang X, Ren Q, Yang L, Cui D, Ma C, Zheng Y, Wu J. Immunogenic chemotherapy: great potential for improving response rates. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1308681. [PMID: 38125944 PMCID: PMC10732354 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1308681] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of anti-tumor immunity is critical in treating cancers. Recent studies indicate that several chemotherapy agents can stimulate anti-tumor immunity by inducing immunogenic cell death and durably eradicate tumors. This suggests that immunogenic chemotherapy holds great potential for improving response rates. However, chemotherapy in practice has only had limited success in inducing long-term survival or cure of cancers when used either alone or in combination with immunotherapy. We think that this is because the importance of dose, schedule, and tumor model dependence of chemotherapy-activated anti-tumor immunity is under-appreciated. Here, we review immune modulation function of representative chemotherapy agents and propose a model of immunogenic chemotherapy-induced long-lasting responses that rely on synergetic interaction between killing tumor cells and inducing anti-tumor immunity. We comb through several chemotherapy treatment schedules, and identify the needs for chemotherapy dose and schedule optimization and combination therapy with immunotherapy when chemotherapy dosage or immune responsiveness is too low. We further review tumor cell intrinsic factors that affect the optimal chemotherapy dose and schedule. Lastly, we review the biomarkers indicating responsiveness to chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy treatments. A deep understanding of how chemotherapy activates anti-tumor immunity and how to monitor its responsiveness can lead to the development of more effective chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy, thereby improving the efficacy of cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Huang
- Cancer Center, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qinghuan Ren
- Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Leixiang Yang
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Di Cui
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenyang Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second People’s Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yueliang Zheng
- Cancer Center, Emergency and Critical Care Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junjie Wu
- Cancer Center, The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Wang J, Wu M, Sun J, Chen M, Zhang Z, Yu J, Chen D. Pan-cancer analysis identifies protein arginine methyltransferases PRMT1 and PRMT5 and their related signatures as markers associated with prognosis, immune profile, and therapeutic response in lung adenocarcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22088. [PMID: 38125466 PMCID: PMC10731011 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22088] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) regulate several signal transduction pathways involved in cancer progression. Recently, it has been reported that PRMTs are closely related to anti-tumor immunity; however, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be studied in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we focused on PRMT1 and PRMT5, key members of the PRMT family. And their signatures in lung carcinoma associated with prognosis, immune profile, and therapeutic response including immunotherapy and radiotherapy were explored. Methods To understand the function of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in tumor cells, we examined the association between the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 and the clinical, genomic, and immune characteristics, as well as the sensitivity to immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Specifically, our investigation focused on the role of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in tumor progression, with particular emphasis on interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and the pathway of type I interferon. Furthermore, the influence of proliferation, migration, and invasion ability was investigated based on the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Results Through the examination of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and survival studies, PRMT1 and PRMT5 were identified as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, heightened expression of PRMT1 or PRMT5 was associated with immunosuppressive microenvironments. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the presence of PRMT1 or PRMT5 with microsatellite instability, tumor mutational burden, and neoantigens in the majority of cancers. Moreover, the predictive potential of PRMT1 or PRMT5 in individuals undergoing immunotherapy has been acknowledged. Our study ultimately revealed that the inhibition of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in lung adenocarcinoma resulted in the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, especially after radiation. Favorable prognosis was observed in lung adenocarcinoma patients receiving radiotherapy with reduced PRMT1 or PRMT5 expression. It was also found that the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 influenced proliferation, migration, and invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Conclusion The findings indicate that PRMT1 and PRMT5 exhibit potential as immune-related biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Furthermore, these biomarkers could be therapeutically targeted to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy and radiotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jujie Sun
- Department of Pathology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Minxin Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Zengfu Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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Zhang P, Wu Y, Piao C, Song Y, Zhao Y, Lyu Y, Sun Q, Liu J. DNA methylome profiling in occupational radon exposure miners using an Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2023; 12:943-953. [PMID: 37915496 PMCID: PMC10615836 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfad084] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A causal relationship between occupational radon exposure in underground miners and lung cancer risk has been demonstrated through large cohort epidemiological studies. However, the mechanisms by which radon exposure causes adverse effects on lung tissue remain unclear. Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation may provide new insights into interactions at molecular levels induced by prolonged radon exposure. Methods We used the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChip to detect and compare genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in peripheral blood samples from underground miners (n = 14) and aboveground workers (n = 9). Results The average concentration of radon in underground workplaces was significantly higher than that of aboveground places (1,198 Bq·m-3 vs 58 Bq·m-3, p < 0.001). A total of 191 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) corresponding to 104 hub genes were identified when |Δβ| ≥ 0.1 and p < 0.05, with 107 hypermethylated sites and 84 hypomethylated sites. GO and KEGG analysis revealed that differentially methylated genes between underground miners and aboveground workers were prominently enriched in pathways/networks involved in neurotransmitter regulation, immunomodulatory effects and cell adhesion ability. Furthermore, methylation changes of selected genes FERMT1, ALCAM, HLA-DPA1, PON1 and OR2L13 were validated by pyrosequencing, which may play vital roles in these biological processes induced by radon. Conclusion In summary, the DNA methylation pattern of the underground miners exposed to radon was distinct from that of the aboveground workers. Such abnormalities in the genomic DNA methylation profile associated with prolonged radon exposure are worth studying in terms of neuro- and immune-system regulation, as well as cell adhesion ability in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yunyun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Chunnan Piao
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yanchao Song
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yanfang Zhao
- The Third People’s Hospital of Henan Province, Henan Hospital for Occupational Diseases, 3 Kangfu Middle Street, Erqi District, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yumin Lyu
- The Third People’s Hospital of Henan Province, Henan Hospital for Occupational Diseases, 3 Kangfu Middle Street, Erqi District, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Quanfu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Jianxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Xinkang Street, Deshengmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 100088, China
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Xanthopoulou ET, Koukourakis IM, Kakouratos C, Nanos C, Kalaitzis C, Giatromanolaki A, Koukourakis MI. Irradiation-induced IFN-type-I pathway activation in prostate cancer cell lines. Cytokine 2023; 169:156252. [PMID: 37301190 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156252] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Interferon (ΙFN) Type-I pathway has an important role in the activation of an anti-tumor immune response. We investigated the effects of two different dose fractionations of radiation (3 daily 8 Gy fractions vs. one fraction of 20 Gy) on the activation of the Type-I IFN-pathway in three hormone-dependent (22Rv1) and independent (DU145, PC3), prostate cancer (PC) cell lines. Regardless of the dose schedules, radiation-induced the expression of IFN-stimulated genes in all PC cell lines, with a strong up-regulation of the IFI6v2 and IFI44 genes. In addition, strong up-regulation of the MX1 and MX2 genes was noted in the PC3 cell line. This effect was independent of the expression of IFNβ, cGAS, or TREX1 levels. It is suggested that the RT-induced IFN type-I response could be exploited for the development of immuno-RT policies for localized and metastatic PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erasmia T Xanthopoulou
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | | | - Christos Kakouratos
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | - Christos Nanos
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | - Christos Kalaitzis
- Department of Urology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece
| | | | - Michael I Koukourakis
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis 68100, Greece.
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10
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Rohila D, Park IH, Pham TV, Jones R, Tapia E, Liu KX, Tamayo P, Yu A, Sharabi AB, Joshi S. Targeting macrophage Syk enhances responses to immune checkpoint blockade and radiotherapy in high-risk neuroblastoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1148317. [PMID: 37350973 PMCID: PMC10283071 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1148317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroblastoma (NB) is considered an immunologically cold tumor and is usually less responsive to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are highly infiltrated in NB tumors and promote immune escape and resistance to ICB. Hence therapeutic strategies targeting immunosuppressive TAMs can improve responses to ICB in NB. We recently discovered that spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) reprograms TAMs toward an immunostimulatory phenotype and enhances T-cell responses in the lung adenocarcinoma model. Here we investigated if Syk is an immune-oncology target in NB and tested whether a novel immunotherapeutic approach utilizing Syk inhibitor together with radiation and ICB could provide a durable anti-tumor immune response in an MYCN amplified murine model of NB. Methods Myeloid Syk KO mice and syngeneic MYCN-amplified cell lines were used to elucidate the effect of myeloid Syk on the NB tumor microenvironment (TME). In addition, the effect of Syk inhibitor, R788, on anti-tumor immunity alone or in combination with anti-PDL1 mAb and radiation was also determined in murine NB models. The underlying mechanism of action of this novel therapeutic combination was also investigated. Results Herein, we report that Syk is a marker of NB-associated macrophages and plays a crucial role in promoting immunosuppression in the NB TME. We found that the blockade of Syk in NB-bearing mice markedly impairs tumor growth. This effect is facilitated by macrophages that become immunogenic in the absence of Syk, skewing the suppressive TME towards immunostimulation and activating anti-tumor immune responses. Moreover, combining FDA-approved Syk inhibitor, R788 (fostamatinib) along with anti-PDL1 mAb provides a synergistic effect leading to complete tumor regression and durable anti-tumor immunity in mice bearing small tumors (50 mm3) but not larger tumors (250 mm3). However, combining radiation to R788 and anti-PDL1 mAb prolongs the survival of mice bearing large NB9464 tumors. Conclusion Collectively, our findings demonstrate the central role of macrophage Syk in NB progression and demonstrate that Syk blockade can "reeducate" TAMs towards immunostimulatory phenotype, leading to enhanced T cell responses. These findings further support the clinical evaluation of fostamatinib alone or with radiation and ICB, as a novel therapeutic intervention in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Rohila
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - In Hwan Park
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Timothy V. Pham
- Office of Cancer Genomics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Riley Jones
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Elisabette Tapia
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kevin X. Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pablo Tamayo
- Office of Cancer Genomics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Alice Yu
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Andrew B. Sharabi
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Shweta Joshi
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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11
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Angelova A, Pierrard K, Detje CN, Santiago E, Grewenig A, Nüesch JPF, Kalinke U, Ungerechts G, Rommelaere J, Daeffler L. Oncolytic Rodent Protoparvoviruses Evade a TLR- and RLR-Independent Antiviral Response in Transformed Cells. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040607. [PMID: 37111493 PMCID: PMC10144674 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The oncolytic rodent protoparvoviruses (PVs) minute virus of mice (MVMp) and H-1 parvovirus (H-1PV) are promising cancer viro-immunotherapy candidates capable of both exhibiting direct oncolytic activities and inducing anticancer immune responses (AIRs). Type-I interferon (IFN) production is instrumental for the activation of an efficient AIR. The present study aims at characterizing the molecular mechanisms underlying PV modulation of IFN induction in host cells. MVMp and H-1PV triggered IFN production in semi-permissive normal mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), but not in permissive transformed/tumor cells. IFN production triggered by MVMp in primary MEFs required PV replication and was independent of the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) Toll-like (TLR) and RIG-like (RLR) receptors. PV infection of (semi-)permissive cells, whether transformed or not, led to nuclear translocation of the transcription factors NFĸB and IRF3, hallmarks of PRR signaling activation. Further evidence showed that PV replication in (semi-)permissive cells resulted in nuclear accumulation of dsRNAs capable of activating mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS)-dependent cytosolic RLR signaling upon transfection into naïve cells. This PRR signaling was aborted in PV-infected neoplastic cells, in which no IFN production was detected. Furthermore, MEF immortalization was sufficient to strongly reduce PV-induced IFN production. Pre-infection of transformed/tumor but not of normal cells with MVMp or H-1PV prevented IFN production by classical RLR ligands. Altogether, our data indicate that natural rodent PVs regulate the antiviral innate immune machinery in infected host cells through a complex mechanism. In particular, while rodent PV replication in (semi-)permissive cells engages a TLR-/RLR-independent PRR pathway, in transformed/tumor cells this process is arrested prior to IFN production. This virus-triggered evasion mechanism involves a viral factor(s), which exert(s) an inhibitory action on IFN production, particularly in transformed/tumor cells. These findings pave the way for the development of second-generation PVs that are defective in this evasion mechanism and therefore endowed with increased immunostimulatory potential through their ability to induce IFN production in infected tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assia Angelova
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (F230), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristina Pierrard
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Division Viral Transformation Mechanisms (F030), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia N Detje
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWICNORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a Joint Venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Estelle Santiago
- CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Annabel Grewenig
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Division DNA Vectors (F160), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürg P F Nüesch
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Division Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis (F170), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWICNORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a Joint Venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Guy Ungerechts
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (F230), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jean Rommelaere
- Program Infection, Inflammation and Cancer, Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy (F230), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laurent Daeffler
- CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
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12
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Hannon G, Lesch ML, Gerber SA. Harnessing the Immunological Effects of Radiation to Improve Immunotherapies in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7359. [PMID: 37108522 PMCID: PMC10138513 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) is used to treat 50% of cancers. While the cytotoxic effects related to DNA damage with IR have been known since the early 20th century, the role of the immune system in the treatment response is still yet to be fully determined. IR can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), which activates innate and adaptive immunity against the cancer. It has also been widely reported that an intact immune system is essential to IR efficacy. However, this response is typically transient, and wound healing processes also become upregulated, dampening early immunological efforts to overcome the disease. This immune suppression involves many complex cellular and molecular mechanisms that ultimately result in the generation of radioresistance in many cases. Understanding the mechanisms behind these responses is challenging as the effects are extensive and often occur simultaneously within the tumor. Here, we describe the effects of IR on the immune landscape of tumors. ICD, along with myeloid and lymphoid responses to IR, are discussed, with the hope of shedding light on the complex immune stimulatory and immunosuppressive responses involved with this cornerstone cancer treatment. Leveraging these immunological effects can provide a platform for improving immunotherapy efficacy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Hannon
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (G.H.); (M.L.L.)
- Center for Tumor Immunology Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Maggie L. Lesch
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (G.H.); (M.L.L.)
- Center for Tumor Immunology Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Scott A. Gerber
- Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (G.H.); (M.L.L.)
- Center for Tumor Immunology Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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13
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Photon- and Proton-Mediated Biological Effects: What Has Been Learned? LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 13:life13010030. [PMID: 36675979 PMCID: PMC9866122 DOI: 10.3390/life13010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current understanding of the effects of radiation is gradually becoming broader. However, it still remains unclear why some patients respond to radiation with a pronounced positive response, while in some cases the disease progresses. This is the motivation for studying the effects of radiation therapy not only on tumor cells, but also on the tumor microenvironment, as well as studying the systemic effects of radiation. In this framework, we review the biological effects of two types of radiotherapy: photon and proton irradiations. Photon therapy is a commonly used type of radiation therapy due to its wide availability and long-term history, with understandable and predictable outcomes. Proton therapy is an emerging technology, already regarded as the method of choice for many cancers in adults and children, both dosimetrically and biologically. This review, written after the analysis of more than 100 relevant literary sources, describes the local effects of photon and proton therapy and shows the mechanisms of tumor cell damage, interaction with tumor microenvironment cells and effects on angiogenesis. After systematic analysis of the literature, we can conclude that proton therapy has potentially favorable toxicological profiles compared to photon irradiation, explained mainly by physical but also biological properties of protons. Despite the fact that radiobiological effects of protons and photons are generally similar, protons inflict reduced damage to healthy tissues surrounding the tumor and hence promote fewer adverse events, not only local, but also systemic.
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14
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Tailor A, Estephan H, Parker R, Woodhouse I, Abdulghani M, Nicastri A, Jones K, Salatino S, Muschel R, Humphrey T, Giaccia A, Ternette N. Ionizing Radiation Drives Key Regulators of Antigen Presentation and a Global Expansion of the Immunopeptidome. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100410. [PMID: 36089194 PMCID: PMC9579046 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the pathways regulating MHC antigen presentation and the identity of treatment-specific T cell antigens induced by ionizing radiation. For this reason, we investigated the radiation-specific changes in the colorectal tumor cell proteome. We found an increase in DDX58 and ZBP1 protein expression, two nucleic acid sensing molecules likely involved in induction of the dominant interferon response signature observed after genotoxic insult. We further observed treatment-induced changes in key regulators and effector proteins of the antigen processing and presentation machinery. Differential regulation of MHC allele expression was further driving the presentation of a significantly broader MHC-associated peptidome postirradiation, defining a radiation-specific peptide repertoire. Interestingly, treatment-induced peptides originated predominantly from proteins involved in catecholamine synthesis and metabolic pathways. A nuanced relationship between protein expression and antigen presentation was observed where radiation-induced changes in proteins do not correlate with increased presentation of associated peptides. Finally, we detected an increase in the presentation of a tumor-specific neoantigen derived from Mtch1. This study provides new insights into how radiation enhances antigen processing and presentation that could be suitable for the development of combinatorial therapies. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD032003.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Tailor
- Oxford Cancer Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Hala Estephan
- Oxford Institute of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Parker
- Oxford Cancer Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Isaac Woodhouse
- Oxford Cancer Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Majd Abdulghani
- Oxford Institute of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Annalisa Nicastri
- Oxford Cancer Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Keaton Jones
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Salatino
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, Unitied Kingdom
| | - Ruth Muschel
- Oxford Institute of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Humphrey
- Oxford Institute of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Amato Giaccia
- Oxford Institute of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Ternette
- Oxford Cancer Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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15
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Mekers VE, Kho VM, Ansems M, Adema GJ. cGAS/cGAMP/STING signal propagation in the tumor microenvironment: key role for myeloid cells in antitumor immunity. Radiother Oncol 2022; 174:158-167. [PMID: 35870728 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), second messenger 2'3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) are fundamental for sensing cytoplasmic double stranded DNA. Radiotherapy treatment induces large amounts of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage and results in the presence of DNA fragments in the cytoplasm, activating the cGAS/STING pathway. Triggering of the cGAS/STING pathway in the tumor microenvironment (TME) results in the production of type I interferons (IFNs). Type I IFNs are crucial for an effective antitumor defense, with myeloid cells as key players. Many questions remain on how these myeloid cells are activated and in which cells (tumor versus myeloid) in the TME the signaling pathway is initiated. The significance of cGAS/STING signaling in the onco-immunology field is being recognized, emphasized by the frequent occurrence of mutations in or silencing of genes in this pathway. We here review several mechanisms of cGAS/STING signal propagation in the TME, focusing on tumor cells and myeloid cells. Cell-cell contact-dependent interactions facilitate the transfer of tumor-derived DNA and cGAMP. Alternatively, transport routes via the extracellular space such as extracellular vesicles, and channel-mediated cGAMP transfer to and from the extracellular space contribute to propagation of cGAS/STING signal mediators DNA and cGAMP. Finally, we discuss regulation of extracellular cGAMP. Altogether, we provide a comprehensive overview of cGAS/cGAMP/STING signal propagation from tumor to myeloid cells in the TME, revealing novel targets for combinatorial treatment approaches with conventional anticancer therapies like radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera E Mekers
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera M Kho
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Ansems
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gosse J Adema
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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16
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Prognostic and Predictive Relevance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Squamous Cell Head-Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Radiotherapy/Chemo-Radiotherapy. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:4274-4284. [PMID: 35735451 PMCID: PMC9222114 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29060342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microenvironmental conditions control the entrance and thriving of cytotoxic lymphocytes in tumors, allowing or preventing immune-mediated cancer cell death. We investigated the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density in the outcome of radiotherapy in a series of squamous cell head−neck tumors (HNSCC). Moreover, we assessed the link between markers of hypoxia and TIL density. One-hundred twenty-one patients with HNSCC treated prospectively with radical radiotherapy/chemo-radiotherapy were analyzed. The assessment of TIL density was performed on hematoxylin and eosin biopsy sections before radiotherapy. TIL density ranged from 0.8 to 150 lymphocytes per ×40 optical field (median 27.5). Using the median value, patients were grouped into two categories of low and high TIL density. Early T-stage tumors had a significantly higher TIL density (p < 0.003), but we found no association with N-stage. Overexpression of HIF1α, HIF2α, and CA9 was significantly linked with poor infiltration by TILs (p < 0.03). A significant association of high TIL density with better disease-specific overall survival and improved locoregional relapse-free survival was noted (p = 0.008 and 0.02, respectively), which was also confirmed in multivariate analysis. It is concluded that HNSCC phenotypes that allow for the intratumoral accumulation of lymphocytes have a better outcome following radical radiotherapy/chemo-radiotherapy. Intratumoral-activated HIF- and CA9-related pathways characterize immunologically cold tumors and may be used as targets for therapeutic interventions.
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17
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Liu C, Zhang X, Hu C, Liang X, Cao X, Wang D. Systematic Construction and Validation of a Novel Macrophage Differentiation–Associated Prognostic Model for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:877656. [PMID: 35774505 PMCID: PMC9237391 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.877656] [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: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a malignant tumor of the human urinary system. Macrophage differentiation is associated with tumorigenesis. Therefore, exploring the prognostic value of macrophage differentiation–associated genes (MDGs) may contribute to better clinical management of ccRCC patients.Methods: The RNA sequence data of ccRCC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed MDGs were unveiled in ccRCC and normal samples. The prognostic model was established according to the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. By combining clinico-pathological features and prognostic genes, a nomogram was established to predict individual survival probability. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database was utilized to analyze the correlation between prognostic genes and immune infiltrating cells. Eventually, the mRNA and protein expression levels of prognostic genes were verified.Results: A total of 52 differentially expressed prognosis-related MDGs were identified in ccRCC. Afterward, a six-gene prognostic model (ABCG1, KDF1, KITLG, TGFA, HAVCR2, and CD14) was constructed through the Cox analysis. The overall survival in the high-risk group was relatively poor. Moreover, the risk score was identified as an independent prognostic factor. We constructed a prognostic nomogram with a well-fitted calibration curve based on risk score and clinical data. Furthermore, the prognostic genes were significantly related to the level of immune cell infiltration including B cells, CD8+T cells, CD4+T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. Finally, the mRNA expression of prognostic genes in clinical ccRCC tissues showed that the ABCG1, HAVCR2, CD14, and TGFA mRNA in tumor samples were increased compared with the adjacent control tissue samples, while KDF1 and KITLG were decreased, which was consistent with the verification results in the GSE53757.Conclusion: In conclusion, this study identified and validated a macrophage differentiation–associated prognostic model for ccRCC that could be used to predict the outcomes of the ccRCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xuhui Zhang
- Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Caoyang Hu
- Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xuezhi Liang
- Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiaoming Cao
- Department of Urology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Dongwen Wang
- First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Dongwen Wang,
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18
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Jiang N, Xie B, Xiao W, Fan M, Xu S, Duan Y, Hamsafar Y, Evans AC, Huang J, Zhou W, Lin X, Ye N, Wanggou S, Chen W, Jing D, Fragoso RC, Dugger BN, Wilson PF, Coleman MA, Xia S, Li X, Sun LQ, Monjazeb AM, Wang A, Murphy WJ, Kung HJ, Lam KS, Chen HW, Li JJ. Fatty acid oxidation fuels glioblastoma radioresistance with CD47-mediated immune evasion. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1511. [PMID: 35314680 PMCID: PMC8938495 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains the top challenge to radiotherapy with only 25% one-year survival after diagnosis. Here, we reveal that co-enhancement of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) enzymes (CPT1A, CPT2 and ACAD9) and immune checkpoint CD47 is dominant in recurrent GBM patients with poor prognosis. A glycolysis-to-FAO metabolic rewiring is associated with CD47 anti-phagocytosis in radioresistant GBM cells and regrown GBM after radiation in syngeneic mice. Inhibition of FAO by CPT1 inhibitor etomoxir or CRISPR-generated CPT1A-/-, CPT2-/-, ACAD9-/- cells demonstrate that FAO-derived acetyl-CoA upregulates CD47 transcription via NF-κB/RelA acetylation. Blocking FAO impairs tumor growth and reduces CD47 anti-phagocytosis. Etomoxir combined with anti-CD47 antibody synergizes radiation control of regrown tumors with boosted macrophage phagocytosis. These results demonstrate that enhanced fat acid metabolism promotes aggressive growth of GBM with CD47-mediated immune evasion. The FAO-CD47 axis may be targeted to improve GBM control by eliminating the radioresistant phagocytosis-proofing tumor cells in GBM radioimmunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Jiang
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Neurosurgery, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Bowen Xie
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.12527.330000 0001 0662 3178Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 PR China
| | - Wenwu Xiao
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Ming Fan
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Shanxiu Xu
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Yixin Duan
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Yamah Hamsafar
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Angela C. Evans
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Jie Huang
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Weibing Zhou
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Radiation Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Xuelei Lin
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Neurosurgery, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Ningrong Ye
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Neurosurgery, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Siyi Wanggou
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Neurosurgery, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Wen Chen
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Radiation Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Di Jing
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Radiation Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Ruben C. Fragoso
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Brittany N. Dugger
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Paul F. Wilson
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Matthew A. Coleman
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Shuli Xia
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Xuejun Li
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Neurosurgery, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Brain Tumor Research, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Lun-Quan Sun
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 PR China
| | - Arta M. Monjazeb
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Aijun Wang
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - William J. Murphy
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Departments of Dermatology and Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Hsing-Jien Kung
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.412896.00000 0000 9337 0481TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110 Taiwan
| | - Kit S. Lam
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Hong-Wu Chen
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA ,grid.413933.f0000 0004 0419 2847Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA95655 USA
| | - Jian Jian Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. .,NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
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19
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Lombardo KA, Obradovic A, Singh AK, Liu JL, Joice G, Kates M, Bishai W, McConkey D, Chaux A, Eich ML, Rezaei MK, Netto GJ, Drake CG, Tran P, Matoso A, Bivalacqua TJ. BCG invokes superior STING-mediated innate immune response over radiotherapy in a carcinogen murine model of urothelial cancer. J Pathol 2022; 256:223-234. [PMID: 34731491 PMCID: PMC8738146 DOI: 10.1002/path.5830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Radiation and bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillations are used clinically for treatment of urothelial carcinoma, but the precise mechanisms by which they activate an immune response remain elusive. The role of the cGAS-STING pathway has been implicated in both BCG and radiation-induced immune response; however, comparison of STING pathway molecules and the immune landscape following treatment in urothelial carcinoma has not been performed. We therefore comprehensively analyzed the local immune response in the bladder tumor microenvironment following radiotherapy and BCG instillations in a well-established spontaneous murine model of urothelial carcinoma to provide insight into activation of STING-mediated immune response. Mice were exposed to the oral carcinogen, BBN, for 12 weeks prior to treatment with a single 15 Gy dose of radiation or three intravesical instillations of BCG (1 × 108 CFU). At sacrifice, tumors were staged by a urologic pathologist and effects of therapy on the immune microenvironment were measured using the NanoString Myeloid Innate Immunity Panel and immunohistochemistry. Clinical relevance was established by measuring immune biomarker expression of cGAS and STING on a human tissue microarray consisting of BCG-treated non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinomas. BCG instillations in the murine model elevated STING and downstream STING-induced interferon and pro-inflammatory molecules, intratumoral M1 macrophage and T-cell accumulation, and complete tumor eradication. In contrast, radiotherapy caused no changes in STING pathway or innate immune gene expression; rather, it induced M2 macrophage accumulation and elevated FoxP3 expression characteristic of immunosuppression. In human non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, STING protein expression was elevated at baseline in patients who responded to BCG therapy and increased further after BCG therapy. Overall, these results show that STING pathway activation plays a key role in effective BCG-induced immune response and strongly indicate that the effects of BCG on the bladder cancer immune microenvironment are more beneficial than those induced by radiation. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A Lombardo
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aleksandar Obradovic
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alok Kumar Singh
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James L Liu
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gregory Joice
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Max Kates
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William Bishai
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David McConkey
- Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alcides Chaux
- Department of Scientific Research, School of Postgraduate Studies, Norte University, 1614 Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Marie-Lisa Eich
- Department of Pathology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - M Katayoon Rezaei
- Department of Pathology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - George J Netto
- Department of Pathology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Charles G Drake
- Division of Urology, Oncology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division Hematology and Oncology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Phuoc Tran
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andres Matoso
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Trinity J Bivalacqua
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
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20
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Shi LZ, Bonner JA. Bridging Radiotherapy to Immunotherapy: The IFN-JAK-STAT Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12295. [PMID: 34830176 PMCID: PMC8619591 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The unprecedented successes of immunotherapies (IOs) including immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) and adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) in patients with late-stage cancer provide proof-of-principle evidence that harnessing the immune system, in particular T cells, can be an effective approach to eradicate cancer. This instills strong interests in understanding the immunomodulatory effects of radiotherapy (RT), an area that was actually investigated more than a century ago but had been largely ignored for many decades. With the "newly" discovered immunogenic responses from RT, numerous endeavors have been undertaken to combine RT with IOs, in order to bolster anti-tumor immunity. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well defined, which is a subject of much investigation. We therefore conducted a systematic literature search on the molecular underpinnings of RT-induced immunomodulation and IOs, which identified the IFN-JAK-STAT pathway as a major regulator. Our further analysis of relevant studies revealed that the signaling strength and duration of this pathway in response to RT and IOs may determine eventual immunological outcomes. We propose that strategic targeting of this axis can boost the immunostimulatory effects of RT and radiosensitizing effects of IOs, thereby promoting the efficacy of combination therapy of RT and IOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis Zhichang Shi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Programs in Immunology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - James A. Bonner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
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21
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Zhu S, Zhang T, Zheng L, Liu H, Song W, Liu D, Li Z, Pan CX. Combination strategies to maximize the benefits of cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:156. [PMID: 34579759 PMCID: PMC8475356 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) have revolutionized cancer treatment, especially in patients whose disease was otherwise considered incurable. However, primary and secondary resistance to single agent immunotherapy often results in treatment failure, and only a minority of patients experience long-term benefits. This review article will discuss the relationship between cancer immune response and mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy. It will also provide a comprehensive review on the latest clinical status of combination therapies (e.g., immunotherapy with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy), and discuss combination therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It will provide an overview of therapies targeting cytokines and other soluble immunoregulatory factors, ACT, virotherapy, innate immune modifiers and cancer vaccines, as well as combination therapies that exploit alternative immune targets and other therapeutic modalities. Finally, this review will include the stimulating insights from the 2020 China Immuno-Oncology Workshop co-organized by the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON), the China National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) and Tsinghua University School of Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoming Zhu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Urology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, DUMC 103861, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,The Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Hongtao Liu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Wenru Song
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,Kira Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Delong Liu
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA.,New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Zihai Li
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA. .,Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Chong-Xian Pan
- Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, New York, NY, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, USA.
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandan Guha
- Departments of Radiation Oncology, Pathology and Urology, and Institute of Onco-Physics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
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23
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Abstract
Radiotherapy delivered using photons induces an immune response that leads to modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Clinical studies are ongoing to evaluate immune checkpoint inhibitors in association with photon radiotherapy. At present, there is no publication on the radio-induced immune response after proton therapy. Balb/c mice bearing subcutaneous CT26 colon tumors were irradiated by a single fraction of 16.4 Gy using a proton beam extracted from a TR24 cyclotron. RNA sequencing analysis was assessed at 3 days post-treatment. Proton therapy immune response was monitored by flow cytometry using several panels (lymphoid, myeloid cells, lymphoid cytokines) at 7 and 14 days post-irradiation. RNA-Seq functional profiling identified a large number of GO categories linked to “immune response” and “interferon signaling”. Immunomonitoring evaluation showed induced tumor infiltration by immune cells. This is the first study showing the effect of proton therapy on immune response. These interesting results provide a sound basis to assess the efficacy of a combination of proton therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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24
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Lin CH, Lee HH, Chang WM, Lee FP, Chen LC, Lu LS, Lin YF. FOXD1 Repression Potentiates Radiation Effectiveness by Downregulating G3BP2 Expression and Promoting the Activation of TXNIP-Related Pathways in Oral Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092690. [PMID: 32967107 PMCID: PMC7563336 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Radioresistance remains a critical issue in treating oral cancer patients. This study was thus aimed to identify a potential drug target for enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of irradiation and uncover a possible mechanism for radioresistance in oral cancer. Here we show that FOXD1, a gene encoding forkhead box d1 (Foxd1), is significantly upregulated in primary tumors compared to normal tissues and serves as a poor prognostic marker in oral cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. FOXD1 repression by a gene knockdown experiment dramatically enhanced the cytotoxic efficacy of irradiation probably via activating the p53-related DNA repairing pathways and reinforcing the T cell-mediated immune responses in oral cancer cells. Our findings demonstrate that FOXD1 may play a pivotal role in conferring radioresistance, which might provide a new strategy to combat the irradiation-insensitive oral cancer cells via therapeutically targeting FOXD1 activity. Abstract Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat oral cancer patients in the current clinics; however, a subpopulation of patients shows poor radiosensitivity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify a biomarker or druggable target to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy on oral cancer patients. By performing an in silico analysis against public databases, we found that the upregulation of FOXD1, a gene encoding forkhead box d1 (Foxd1), is extensively detected in primary tumors compared to normal tissues and associated with a poor outcome in oral cancer patients receiving irradiation treatment. Moreover, our data showed that the level of FOXD1 transcript is causally relevant to the effective dosage of irradiation in a panel of oral cancer cell lines. The FOXD1 knockdown (FOXD1-KD) dramatically suppressed the colony-forming ability of oral cancer cells after irradiation treatment. Differentially expressed genes analysis showed that G3BP2, a negative regulator of p53, is predominantly repressed after FOXD1-KD and transcriptionally regulated by Foxd1, as judged by a luciferase-based promoter assay in oral cancer cells. Gene set enrichment analysis significantly predicted the inhibition of E2F-related signaling pathway but the activation of the interferons (IFNs) and p53-associated cellular functions, which were further validated by luciferase reporter assays in the FOXD1-KD oral cancer cells. Robustly, our data showed that FOXD1-KD fosters the expression of TXNIP, a downstream effector of IFN signaling and activator of p53, in oral cancer cells. These findings suggest that FOXD1 targeting might potentiate the anti-cancer effectiveness of radiotherapy and promote immune surveillance on oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (F.-P.L.); (L.-C.C.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsun-Hua Lee
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Vertigo and Balance Impairment Center, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Min Chang
- School of Oral Hygiene, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
| | - Fei-Peng Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (F.-P.L.); (L.-C.C.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Che Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (F.-P.L.); (L.-C.C.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Long-Sheng Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Feng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Image Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-2-2736-1661 (ext. 3106)
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25
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann H Klopp
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
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