1
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Zhu L, Wang H. Cholesterol-regulated cellular stiffness may enhance evasion of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in gastric cancer stem cells. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:855-866. [PMID: 38494433 PMCID: PMC11073496 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13793] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer has a high rate of recurrence, and as such, immunotherapy strategies are being investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy. Although the involvement of immune checkpoints in immunotherapy is well studied, biomechanical cues, such as target cell stiffness, have not yet been subject to the same level of investigation. Changes in the cholesterol content of the cell membrane directly influence tumor cell stiffness. Here, we investigated the effect of cholesterol on NK cell-mediated killing of gastric cancer stem-like cells. We report that surviving tumor cells with stem-like properties elevated cholesterol metabolism to evade NK cell cytotoxicity. Inhibition of cholesterol metabolism enhances NK cell-mediated killing of gastric cancer stem-like cells, highlighting a potential avenue for improving immunotherapy efficacy. This study suggests a possible effect of cancer cell stiffness on immune evasion and offers insights into enhancing immunotherapeutic strategies against tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology (II)The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical UniversityChina
| | - Hongjin Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical UniversityChina
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2
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Tang L, Xu H, Wu T, Wu W, Lu Y, Gu J, Wang X, Zhou M, Chen Q, Sun X, Cai H. Advances in tumor microenvironment and underlying molecular mechanisms of bladder cancer: a systematic review. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:111. [PMID: 38602556 PMCID: PMC11009183 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00902-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumors of the urinary system. The prevalence of bladder cancer among men and women is roughly 5:2, and both its incidence and death have been rising steadily over the past few years. At the moment, metastasis and recurrence of advanced bladder cancer-which are believed to be connected to the malfunction of multigene and multilevel cell signaling network-remain the leading causes of bladder cancer-related death. The therapeutic treatment of bladder cancer will be greatly aided by the elucidation of these mechanisms. New concepts for the treatment of bladder cancer have been made possible by the advancement of research technologies and a number of new treatment options, including immunotherapy and targeted therapy. In this paper, we will extensively review the development of the tumor microenvironment and the possible molecular mechanisms of bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Tang
- Department of Nursing, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haifei Xu
- Department of Urology, Nantong Tumor Hospital and Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuhao Lu
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jijia Gu
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoling Wang
- Department of Urology, Nantong Tumor Hospital and Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Mei Zhou
- Department of Nursing, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Qiuyang Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xuan Sun
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing Medical University The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Hongzhou Cai
- Department of Urology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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3
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Valerio TI, Furrer CL, Sadeghipour N, Patrock SJX, Tillery SA, Hoover AR, Liu K, Chen WR. Immune modulations of the tumor microenvironment in response to phototherapy. JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE OPTICAL HEALTH SCIENCES 2023; 16:2330007. [PMID: 38550850 PMCID: PMC10976517 DOI: 10.1142/s1793545823300070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes pro-tumor and anti-inflammatory metabolisms and suppresses the host immune system. It prevents immune cells from fighting against cancer effectively, resulting in limited efficacy of many current cancer treatment modalities. Different therapies aim to overcome the immunosuppressive TME by combining various approaches to synergize their effects for enhanced anti-tumor activity and augmented stimulation of the immune system. Immunotherapy has become a major therapeutic strategy because it unleashes the power of the immune system by activating, enhancing, and directing immune responses to prevent, control, and eliminate cancer. Phototherapy uses light irradiation to induce tumor cell death through photothermal, photochemical, and photo-immunological interactions. Phototherapy induces tumor immunogenic cell death, which is a precursor and enhancer for anti-tumor immunity. However, phototherapy alone has limited effects on long-term and systemic anti-tumor immune responses. Phototherapy can be combined with immunotherapy to improve the tumoricidal effect by killing target tumor cells, enhancing immune cell infiltration in tumors, and rewiring pathways in the TME from anti-inflammatory to pro-inflammatory. Phototherapy-enhanced immunotherapy triggers effective cooperation between innate and adaptive immunities, specifically targeting the tumor cells, whether they are localized or distant. Herein, the successes and limitations of phototherapy combined with other cancer treatment modalities will be discussed. Specifically, we will review the synergistic effects of phototherapy combined with different cancer therapies on tumor elimination and remodeling of the immunosuppressive TME. Overall, phototherapy, in combination with other therapeutic modalities, can establish anti-tumor pro-inflammatory phenotypes in activated tumor-infiltrating T cells and B cells and activate systemic anti-tumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trisha I. Valerio
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Coline L. Furrer
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Negar Sadeghipour
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Sophia-Joy X. Patrock
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Sayre A. Tillery
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Ashley R. Hoover
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Kaili Liu
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
| | - Wei R. Chen
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA
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4
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Bound NT, Vandenberg CJ, Kartikasari AER, Plebanski M, Scott CL. Improving PARP inhibitor efficacy in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: A focus on the immune system. Front Genet 2022; 13:886170. [PMID: 36159999 PMCID: PMC9505691 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.886170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is a genomically unstable malignancy responsible for over 70% of all deaths due to ovarian cancer. With roughly 50% of all HGSOC harboring defects in the homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway (e.g., BRCA1/2 mutations), the introduction of poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) has dramatically improved outcomes for women with HR defective HGSOC. By blocking the repair of single-stranded DNA damage in cancer cells already lacking high-fidelity HR pathways, PARPi causes the accumulation of double-stranded DNA breaks, leading to cell death. Thus, this synthetic lethality results in PARPi selectively targeting cancer cells, resulting in impressive efficacy. Despite this, resistance to PARPi commonly develops through diverse mechanisms, such as the acquisition of secondary BRCA1/2 mutations. Perhaps less well documented is that PARPi can impact both the tumour microenvironment and the immune response, through upregulation of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, upregulation of immune checkpoints such as PD-L1, and by stimulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Whilst targeted immunotherapies have not yet found their place in the clinic for HGSOC, the evidence above, as well as ongoing studies exploring the synergistic effects of PARPi with immune agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, suggests potential for targeting the immune response in HGSOC. Additionally, combining PARPi with epigenetic-modulating drugs may improve PARPi efficacy, by inducing a BRCA-defective phenotype to sensitise resistant cancer cells to PARPi. Finally, invigorating an immune response during PARPi therapy may engage anti-cancer immune responses that potentiate efficacy and mitigate the development of PARPi resistance. Here, we will review the emerging PARPi literature with a focus on PARPi effects on the immune response in HGSOC, as well as the potential of epigenetic combination therapies. We highlight the potential of transforming HGSOC from a lethal to a chronic disease and increasing the likelihood of cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirashaa T. Bound
- Cancer Biology and Stem Cells, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Cancer Ageing and Vaccines (CAVA), Translational Immunology & Nanotechnology Research Program, School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Cassandra J. Vandenberg
- Cancer Biology and Stem Cells, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Apriliana E. R. Kartikasari
- Cancer Ageing and Vaccines (CAVA), Translational Immunology & Nanotechnology Research Program, School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Magdalena Plebanski
- Cancer Ageing and Vaccines (CAVA), Translational Immunology & Nanotechnology Research Program, School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Clare L. Scott
- Cancer Biology and Stem Cells, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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5
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Chang A, Wang P, Ren J. LINC00963 May Be Associated with a Poor Prognosis in Patients with Cervical Cancer. MEDICAL SCIENCE MONITOR : INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2022; 28:e935070. [PMID: 35818328 PMCID: PMC9288127 DOI: 10.12659/msm.935070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Background Recently, the upregulation of LINC00963 expression has been reported in various cancer subtypes. LINC00963 expression can promote cancer cell invasion and metastasis. However, the clinical significance of LINC00963 in cervical and endocervical cancer (CESC) has remained relatively unexamined. Material/Methods We assessed the mRNA expression of LINC00963 in patients with CESC based on data acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to determine pathways involved in CESC pathogenesis with respect to LINC00963. We included 3 normal and 304 tumor samples in this study. Results The scatter plot and paired plot showed differences in LINC00963 expression between normal and tumor samples (P<0.01). Overall survival (OS) analysis revealed that CESC patients with high expression of LINC00963 demonstrated worse prognosis than CESC patients with low expression of LINC00963 (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model indicated that the expression of LINC00963 (HR 0.297; 95% CI 0.115–0.776; P=0.012) and primary therapy outcome (HR 0.162; 95% CI 0.059–0.446; P=0.001) were independent prognostic factors for patients with CESC. GSEA results showed that reactome biological oxidations, inflammasomes, apoptosis, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and NF-κB activation were differentially enriched in CESC samples with the high LINC00963 expression phenotype. Conclusions Our results confirmed the association of significantly high levels of LINC00963 expression in CESC with several observed clinical features. LINC00963 may be a potentially useful prognostic molecular biomarker associated with poor survival in patients with CESC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimin Chang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China (mainland)
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China (mainland)
| | - Jingjing Ren
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China (mainland)
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Brauning A, Rae M, Zhu G, Fulton E, Admasu TD, Stolzing A, Sharma A. Aging of the Immune System: Focus on Natural Killer Cells Phenotype and Functions. Cells 2022; 11:cells11061017. [PMID: 35326467 PMCID: PMC8947539 DOI: 10.3390/cells11061017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is the greatest risk factor for nearly all major chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases of aging. Age-related impairment of immune function (immunosenescence) is one important cause of age-related morbidity and mortality, which may extend beyond its role in infectious disease. One aspect of immunosenescence that has received less attention is age-related natural killer (NK) cell dysfunction, characterized by reduced cytokine secretion and decreased target cell cytotoxicity, accompanied by and despite an increase in NK cell numbers with age. Moreover, recent studies have revealed that NK cells are the central actors in the immunosurveillance of senescent cells, whose age-related accumulation is itself a probable contributor to the chronic sterile low-grade inflammation developed with aging (“inflammaging”). NK cell dysfunction is therefore implicated in the increasing burden of infection, malignancy, inflammatory disorders, and senescent cells with age. This review will focus on recent advances and open questions in understanding the interplay between systemic inflammation, senescence burden, and NK cell dysfunction in the context of aging. Understanding the factors driving and enforcing NK cell aging may potentially lead to therapies countering age-related diseases and underlying drivers of the biological aging process itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Brauning
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
| | - Michael Rae
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
| | - Gina Zhu
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
| | - Elena Fulton
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
| | - Tesfahun Dessale Admasu
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
| | - Alexandra Stolzing
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
- Centre for Biological Engineering, Wolfson School of Electrical, Material and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Amit Sharma
- SENS Research Foundation, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; (A.B.); (M.R.); (G.Z.); (E.F.); (T.D.A.)
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (A.S.)
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7
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Sun Y, Sedgwick AJ, Khan MAAK, Palarasah Y, Mangiola S, Barrow AD. A Transcriptional Signature of IL-2 Expanded Natural Killer Cells Predicts More Favorable Prognosis in Bladder Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:724107. [PMID: 34858395 PMCID: PMC8631443 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.724107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of natural killer (NK) cell function is regulated by cytokines, such as IL-2, and secreted factors upregulated in the tumor microenvironment, such as platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGF-DD). In order to elucidate a clinical role for these important regulators of NK cell function in antitumor immunity, we generated transcriptional signatures representing resting, IL-2-expanded, and PDGF-DD-activated, NK cell phenotypes and established their abundance in The Cancer Genome Atlas bladder cancer (BLCA) dataset using CIBERSORT. The IL-2-expanded NK cell phenotype was the most abundant in low and high grades of BLCA tumors and was associated with improved prognosis. In contrast, PDGFD expression was associated with numerous cancer hallmark pathways in BLCA tumors compared with normal bladder tissue, and a high tumor abundance of PDGFD transcripts and the PDGF-DD-activated NK cell phenotype were associated with a poor BLCA prognosis. Finally, high tumor expression of transcripts encoding the activating NK cell receptors, KLRK1 and the CD160-TNFRSF14 receptor-ligand pair, was strongly correlated with the IL-2-expanded NK cell phenotype and improved BLCA prognosis. The transcriptional parameters we describe may be optimized to improve BLCA patient prognosis and risk stratification in the clinic and potentially provide gene targets of therapeutic significance for enhancing NK cell antitumor immunity in BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander James Sedgwick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Md Abdullah-Al-Kamran Khan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yaseelan Palarasah
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Stefano Mangiola
- Division of Bioinformatics, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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8
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Fincham REA, Delvecchio FR, Goulart MR, Yeong JPS, Kocher HM. Natural killer cells in pancreatic cancer stroma. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:3483-3501. [PMID: 34239264 PMCID: PMC8240050 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i24.3483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of medicine's largest areas of unmet need. With five-year survival rates of < 8%, little improvement has been made in the last 50 years. Typically presenting with advance stage disease, treatment options are limited. To date, surgery remains the only potentially curative option, however, with such late disease presentation, the majority of patients are unresectable. Thus, new therapeutic options and a greater understanding of the complex stromal interactions within the tumour microenvironment are sorely needed to revise the dismal outlook for pancreatic cancer patients. Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial effector units in cancer immunosurveillance. Often used as a prognostic biomarker in a range of malignancies, NK cells have received much attention as an attractive target for immunotherapies, both as cell therapy and as a pharmaceutical target. Despite this interest, the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer remains poorly defined. Nevertheless, increasing evidence of the importance of NK cells in this dismal prognosis disease is beginning to come to light. Here, we review the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer, examine the complex interactions of these crucial effector units within pancreatic cancer stroma and shed light on the increasingly attractive use of NK cells as therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Elizabeth Ann Fincham
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Romana Delvecchio
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle R Goulart
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Poe Sheng Yeong
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
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9
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Chen Z, Yang Y, Neo SY, Shi H, Chen Y, Wagner AK, Larsson K, Tong L, Jakobsson PJ, Alici E, Wu J, Cao Y, Wang K, Liu LL, Mao Y, Sarhan D, Lundqvist A. Phosphodiesterase 4A confers resistance to PGE2-mediated suppression in CD25 + /CD54 + NK cells. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e51329. [PMID: 33480074 PMCID: PMC7926252 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202051329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Inadequate persistence of tumor‐infiltrating natural killer (NK) cells is associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. The solid tumor microenvironment is characterized by the presence of immunosuppressive factors, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), that limit NK cell persistence. Here, we investigate if the modulation of the cytokine environment in lung cancer with IL‐2 or IL‐15 renders NK cells resistant to suppression by PGE2. Analyzing Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, we found that high NK cell gene signatures correlate with significantly improved overall survival in patients with high levels of the prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES). In vitro, IL‐15, in contrast to IL‐2, enriches for CD25+/CD54+ NK cells with superior mTOR activity and increased expression of the cAMP hydrolyzing enzyme phosphodiesterase 4A (PDE4A). Consequently, this distinct population of NK cells maintains their function in the presence of PGE2 and shows an increased ability to infiltrate lung adenocarcinoma tumors in vitro and in vivo. Thus, strategies to enrich CD25+/CD54+ NK cells for adoptive cell therapy should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing Chen
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China.,School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi Y Neo
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hao Shi
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arnika K Wagner
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Larsson
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Le Tong
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Johan Jakobsson
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evren Alici
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lisa L Liu
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yumeng Mao
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dhifaf Sarhan
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Lundqvist
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Abstract
Natural killer cells are powerful effectors of innate immunity that constitute a first line of defense against cancer. NK cells express an array of germline-encoded receptors which allow them to eliminate transformed cells and spare normal, healthy cells. Owing to their ability to kill circulating tumor cells, NK cells play a major role in the protection against cancer metastases. There is also convincing evidence that NK cells protect against some hematological cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia. However, the importance of NK cells for the control of established solid tumors is rather uncertain. Several mechanisms impede NK cell-mediated elimination of solid tumors, starting with the incapacity of NK cells to infiltrate the core of the tumor. In addition, immune escape mechanisms are at play in both solid and hematological cancers. These include the immunoediting of tumor cells and aberrant chronic inflammation that renders NK cells ineffective. In this chapter, I review the phenotypic characteristics of NK cells within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, I describe the mechanisms by which NK cells contribute to antitumor immunity. Finally, I review the different immune-evasion factors that impair NK cell activity against cancer.
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11
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Multidimensional molecular controls defining NK/ILC1 identity in cancers. Semin Immunol 2020; 52:101424. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2020.101424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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Lu T, Yang X, Shi Y, Zhao M, Bi G, Liang J, Chen Z, Huang Y, Jiang W, Lin Z, Xi J, Wang S, Yang Y, Zhan C, Wang Q, Tan L. Single-cell transcriptome atlas of lung adenocarcinoma featured with ground glass nodules. Cell Discov 2020; 6:69. [PMID: 33083004 PMCID: PMC7536439 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-020-00200-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As an early type of lung adenocarcinoma, ground glass nodule (GGN) has been detected increasingly and now accounts for most lung cancer outpatients. GGN has a satisfactory prognosis and its characteristics are quite different from solid adenocarcinoma (SADC). We compared the GGN adenocarcinoma (GGN-ADC) with SADC using the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to fully understand GGNs. The tumor samples of five patients with lung GGN-ADCs and five with SADCs underwent surgery were digested to a single-cell suspension and analyzed using 10× Genomic scRNA-seq techniques. We obtained 60,459 cells and then classified them as eight cell types, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, T cells, B cells, Nature killer cells, mast cells, and myeloid cells. We provided a comprehensive description of the cancer cells and stromal cells. We found that the signaling pathways related to cell proliferation were downregulated in GGN-ADC cancer cells, and stromal cells had different effects in GGN-ADC and SADC based on the analyses of scRNA-seq results. In GGN-ADC, the signaling pathways of angiogenesis were downregulated, fibroblasts expressed low levels of some collagens, and immune cells were more activated. Furthermore, we used flow cytometry to isolate the cancer cells and T cells in 12 GGN-ADC samples and in an equal number of SADC samples, including CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, and validated the expression of key molecules by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Through comprehensive analyses of cell phenotypes in GGNs, we provide deep insights into lung carcinogenesis that will be beneficial in lung cancer prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Mengnan Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Guoshu Bi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Jiaqi Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Zhencong Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yiwei Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Zongwu Lin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Junjie Xi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006 China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Suzhou Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215001 China
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Lijie Tan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
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13
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Sedgwick AJ, Ghazanfari N, Constantinescu P, Mantamadiotis T, Barrow AD. The Role of NK Cells and Innate Lymphoid Cells in Brain Cancer. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1549. [PMID: 32903717 PMCID: PMC7438769 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is considered an immune privileged site due to the high selectivity of the blood-brain barrier which restricts the passage of molecules and cells into the brain parenchyma. Recent studies have highlighted active immunosurveillance mechanisms in the brain. Here we review emerging evidence for the contribution of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) including natural killer (NK) cells to the immunosurveillance of brain cancers focusing on glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and most common malignant primary brain tumors diagnosed in adults. Moreover, we discuss how the local tissue microenvironment and unique cellular interactions influence ILC functions in the brain and how these interactions might be successfully harnessed for cancer immunotherapy using insights gained from the studies of autoimmunity, aging, and CNS injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander James Sedgwick
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nazanin Ghazanfari
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Patrick Constantinescu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Theo Mantamadiotis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne and The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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14
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Lee EK, Konstantinopoulos PA. PARP inhibition and immune modulation: scientific rationale and perspectives for the treatment of gynecologic cancers. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2020; 12:1758835920944116. [PMID: 32782491 PMCID: PMC7383615 DOI: 10.1177/1758835920944116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly[adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribose]polymerase (PARP) has multifaceted roles in the maintenance of genomic integrity, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair and replication, and the maintenance of immune-system homeostasis. PARP inhibitors are an attractive oncologic therapy, causing direct cancer cell cytotoxicity by propagating DNA damage and indirectly, by various mechanisms of immunostimulation, including activation of the cGAS/STING pathway, paracrine stimulation of dendritic cells, increased T-cell infiltration, and upregulation of death-ligand receptors to increase susceptibility to natural-killer-cell killing. However, these immunostimulatory effects are counterbalanced by PARPi-mediated upregulation of programmed cell-death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which leads to immunosuppression. Combining PARP inhibition with immune-checkpoint blockade seeks to exploit the immune stimulatory effects of PARP inhibition while negating the immunosuppressive effects of PD-L1 upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Lee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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15
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Checkpoint Inhibitors and Engineered Cells: New Weapons for Natural Killer Cell Arsenal Against Hematological Malignancies. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071578. [PMID: 32610578 PMCID: PMC7407972 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells represent one of the first lines of defense against malignant cells. NK cell activation and recognition are regulated by a balance between activating and inhibitory receptors, whose specific ligands can be upregulated on tumor cells surface and tumor microenvironment (TME). Hematological malignancies set up an extensive network of suppressive factors with the purpose to induce NK cell dysfunction and impaired immune-surveillance ability. Over the years, several strategies have been developed to enhance NK cells-mediated anti-tumor killing, while other approaches have arisen to restore the NK cell recognition impaired by tumor cells and other cellular components of the TME. In this review, we summarize and discuss the strategies applied in hematological malignancies to block the immune check-points and trigger NK cells anti-tumor effects through engineered chimeric antigen receptors.
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16
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Wu Y, Li J, Jabbarzadeh Kaboli P, Shen J, Wu X, Zhao Y, Ji H, Du F, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Zhang H, Yin J, Wen Q, Cho CH, Li M, Xiao Z. Natural killer cells as a double-edged sword in cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive review from cytokine therapy to adoptive cell immunotherapy. Pharmacol Res 2020; 155:104691. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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17
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Tang Y, Zhang YJ, Wu ZH. High GJB2 mRNA expression and its prognostic significance in lung adenocarcinoma: a study based on the TCGA database. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e19054. [PMID: 32243356 PMCID: PMC7220691 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000019054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a form of lung cancer, is reported to cause first and second-order cancer morbidity to men and women in China, respectively. We assessed the mRNA expression of GJB2 in LUAD patients in our study, based on data acquired from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and so as to increase further knowledge into the biological pathways involved in LUAD pathogenesis related to GJB2.Information on gene expression and comparing clinical data were recognized and downloaded from TCGA. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) created an arranged list of all genes is indicated by their connection with GJB2 expression.Our study cohort included 265 (54.5%) female and 221 (36.0%) male patients. The scatter plot and paired plot showed the difference of GJB2 expression between normal and tumor samples (P < .01). Overall survival (OS) analysis demonstrated that LUAD with GJB2 -high had a more terrible prognosis than that with GJB2 -low (P < .01). Multivariate analysis with the cox proportional hazards model indicated that the expression of Cx26 (HR: 1.00; 95%CI: 1.00-1.01; P = .041) and stage (HR: 1.95; 95%CI: 1.23-3.09; P = .003) were independent prognostic factors for patients with LUAD. The GSEA results showed that cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, apoptosis, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, small cell lung cancer and pathways in cancer are differentially enriched in GJB2 high expression phenotype.Our study confirmed the significantly high levels of Cx26 expression in LUAD patients with several observed clinical features. GJB2 may be a potentially useful prognostic molecular biomarker of bad survival in LUAD, while further experimental ought to be performed to demonstrate the biologic effect of GJB2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Tang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital
| | | | - Zeng-Hong Wu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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18
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Piñeiro Fernández J, Luddy KA, Harmon C, O'Farrelly C. Hepatic Tumor Microenvironments and Effects on NK Cell Phenotype and Function. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4131. [PMID: 31450598 PMCID: PMC6747260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is a complex organ with critical physiological functions including metabolism, glucose storage, and drug detoxification. Its unique immune profile with large numbers of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and significant innate lymphoid population, including natural killer cells, γ δ T cells, MAIT cells, and iNKTcells, suggests an important anti-tumor surveillance role. Despite significant immune surveillance in the liver, in particular large NK cell populations, hepatic cell carcinoma (HCC) is a relatively common outcome of chronic liver infection or inflammation. The liver is also the second most common site of metastatic disease. This discordance suggests immune suppression by the environments of primary and secondary liver cancers. Classic tumor microenvironments (TME) are poorly perfused, leading to accumulation of tumor cell metabolites, diminished O2, and decreased nutrient levels, all of which impact immune cell phenotype and function. Here, we focus on changes in the liver microenvironment associated with tumor presence and how they affect NK function and phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kimberly A Luddy
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland.
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33626, USA.
| | - Cathal Harmon
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02138, USA
| | - Cliona O'Farrelly
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland.
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland.
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19
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DNAM-1 and the TIGIT/PVRIG/TACTILE Axis: Novel Immune Checkpoints for Natural Killer Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11060877. [PMID: 31234588 PMCID: PMC6628015 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11060877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune response characterized by their role in the destruction of tumor cells. Activation of NK cells depend on a fine balance between activating and inhibitory signals mediated by different receptors. In recent years, a family of paired receptors that interact with ligands of the Nectin/Nectin-like (Necl) family has attracted great interest. Two of these ligands, Necl-5 (usually termed CD155 or PVR) and Nectin-2 (CD112), frequently expressed on different types of tumor cells, are recognized by a group of receptors expressed on T and NK cells that exert opposite functions after interacting with their ligands. These receptors include DNAM-1 (CD226), TIGIT, TACTILE (CD96) and the recently described PVRIG. Whereas activation through DNAM-1 after recognition of CD155 or CD112 enhances NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against a wide range of tumor cells, TIGIT recognition of these ligands exerts an inhibitory effect on NK cells by diminishing IFN-γ production, as well as NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. PVRIG has also been identified as an inhibitory receptor that recognizes CD112 but not CD155. However, little is known about the role of TACTILE as modulator of immune responses in humans. TACTILE control of tumor growth and metastases has been reported in murine models, and it has been suggested that it negatively regulates the anti-tumor functions mediated by DNAM-1. In NK cells from patients with solid cancer and leukemia, it has been observed a decreased expression of DNAM-1 that may shift the balance in favor to the inhibitory receptors TIGIT or PVRIG, further contributing to the diminished NK cell-mediated cytotoxic capacity observed in these patients. Analysis of DNAM-1, TIGIT, TACTILE and PVRIG on human NK cells from solid cancer or leukemia patients will clarify the role of these receptors in cancer surveillance. Overall, it can be speculated that in cancer patients the TIGIT/PVRIG pathways are upregulated and represent novel targets for checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.
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20
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Vitale M, Cantoni C, Della Chiesa M, Ferlazzo G, Carlomagno S, Pende D, Falco M, Pessino A, Muccio L, De Maria A, Marcenaro E, Moretta L, Sivori S. An Historical Overview: The Discovery of How NK Cells Can Kill Enemies, Recruit Defense Troops, and More. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1415. [PMID: 31316503 PMCID: PMC6611392 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells were originally defined as effector lymphocytes of innate immunity characterized by the unique ability of killing tumor and virally infected cells without any prior priming and expansion of specific clones. The "missing-self" theory, proposed by Klas Karre, the seminal discovery of the first prototypic HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors, and, later, of the Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors (NCRs) by Alessandro Moretta, provided the bases to understand the puzzling behavior of NK cells. Actually, those discoveries proved crucial also for many of the achievements that, along the years, have contributed to the modern view of these cells. Indeed, NK cells, besides killing susceptible targets, are now known to functionally interact with different immune cells, sense pathogens using TLR, adapt their responses to the local environment, and, even, mount a sort of immunological memory. In this review, we will specifically focus on the main activating NK receptors and on their crucial role in the ever-increasing number of functions assigned to NK cells and other innate lymphoid cells (ILCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Vitale
- U.O.C. Immunologia, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Claudia Cantoni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mariella Della Chiesa
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Guido Ferlazzo
- Laboratory of Immunology and Biotherapy, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Simona Carlomagno
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniela Pende
- U.O.C. Immunologia, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michela Falco
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annamaria Pessino
- Medical Oncology Unit 1, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Letizia Muccio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea De Maria
- Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Clinica Malattie Infettive, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuela Marcenaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Immunology, IRCCS Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Sivori
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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21
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Natural killer cells involved in tumour immune escape of hepatocellular carcinomar. Int Immunopharmacol 2019; 73:10-16. [PMID: 31078921 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.04.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer cells are the first line of host immune surveillance and play major roles in the defence against infection and tumours. Hepatic NK cells exhibit unique phenotypic and functional characteristics compared to circulating and spleen NK cells, such as higher levels of cytolytic activity and cytotoxicity mediators against tumour cells. However, the activities of NK cells may be reversed during tumour progression. Recent studies demonstrated that hepatic NK cells were exhausted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and exhibited impaired cytolytic activity and decreased production of effector cytokines. The present review discusses current knowledge on the role of exhausted NK cells in promoting HCC development and the mechanisms contributing to tumour immune escape, including an imbalance of activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells, abnormal receptor-ligand interaction, and cross-talk with immune cells and other stromal cells in the tumour environment. We provide a fundamental basis for further study of innate immunity in tumour progression and serve the purpose of exploring new HCC treatment strategies.
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22
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Barrow AD, Martin CJ, Colonna M. The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors in Health and Disease. Front Immunol 2019; 10:909. [PMID: 31134055 PMCID: PMC6514059 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors (NCRs), NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30, were some of the first human activating Natural Killer (NK) cell receptors involved in the non-MHC-restricted recognition of tumor cells to be cloned over 20 years ago. Since this time many host- and pathogen-encoded ligands have been proposed to bind the NCRs and regulate the cytotoxic and cytokine-secreting functions of tissue NK cells. This diverse set of NCR ligands can manifest on the surface of tumor or virus-infected cells or can be secreted extracellularly, suggesting a remarkable NCR polyfunctionality that regulates the activity of NK cells in different tissue compartments during steady state or inflammation. Moreover, the NCRs can also be expressed by other innate and adaptive immune cell subsets under certain tissue conditions potentially conferring NK recognition programs to these cells. Here we review NCR biology in health and disease with particular reference to how this important class of receptors regulates the functions of tissue NK cells as well as confer NK cell recognition patterns to other innate and adaptive lymphocyte subsets. Finally, we highlight how NCR biology is being harnessed for novel therapeutic interventions particularly for enhanced tumor surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Claudia Jane Martin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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23
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Mariotti FR, Quatrini L, Munari E, Vacca P, Moretta L. Innate Lymphoid Cells: Expression of PD-1 and Other Checkpoints in Normal and Pathological Conditions. Front Immunol 2019; 10:910. [PMID: 31105707 PMCID: PMC6498986 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) belong to a family of immune cells. Recently, ILCs have been classified into five different groups that mirror the function of adaptive T cell subsets counterparts. In particular, NK cells mirror CD8+ cytotoxic T cells while ILC1, ILC2, ILC3, and Lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi)-like cells reflect the function of CD4+T helper (Th) cells (Th1, Th2, and Th17 respectively). ILCs are involved in innate host defenses against pathogens and tumors, in lymphoid organogenesis, and in tissue remodeling/repair. In recent years, important molecular inducible checkpoints (PD-1, TIM3, and TIGIT) were shown to control/inactivate different immune cell types. The expression of many of these receptors has been detected on NK cells and subsets of tissue-resident ILCs in both physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer. In particular, it has been demonstrated that the interaction between PD-1+ immune cells and PD-L1/PD-L2+ tumor cells may compromise the anti-tumor effector function leading to tumor immune escape. However, while the effector function of NK cells in tumor is well-established, limited information exists on the other ILC subsets. We will summarize what is known to date on the expression and function of these checkpoint receptors on NK cells and ILCs, with a particular focus on the recent data that reveal an essential contribution of the blockade of PD-1 and TIGIT on NK cells to the immunotherapy of cancer. A better information regarding the presence and the function of different ILCs and of the inhibitory checkpoints in pathological conditions may offer important clues for the development of new immune therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Quatrini
- Department of Immunology, IRCSS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Munari
- Department of Pathology, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy
| | - Paola Vacca
- Department of Immunology, IRCSS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Department of Immunology, IRCSS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
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24
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Barrow AD, Colonna M. Exploiting NK Cell Surveillance Pathways for Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11010055. [PMID: 30626155 PMCID: PMC6356551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells can evoke potent anti-tumour activity. This function is largely mediated through a battery of specialised cell-surface receptors which probe the tissue microenvironment for changes in surface and secretory phenotypes that may alert to the presence of infection or malignancy. These receptors have the potential to arouse the robust cytotoxic and cytokine-secreting functions of NK cells and so must be tightly regulated to prevent autoimmunity. However, such functions also hold great promise for clinical intervention. In this review, we highlight some of the latest breakthroughs in fundamental NK cell receptor biology that have illuminated our understanding of the molecular strategies NK cells employ to perceive malignant cells from normal healthy cells. Moreover, we highlight how these sophisticated tumour recognition strategies are being harnessed for cancer immunotherapies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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25
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Kather JN, Suarez-Carmona M, Charoentong P, Weis CA, Hirsch D, Bankhead P, Horning M, Ferber D, Kel I, Herpel E, Schott S, Zörnig I, Utikal J, Marx A, Gaiser T, Brenner H, Chang-Claude J, Hoffmeister M, Jäger D, Halama N. Topography of cancer-associated immune cells in human solid tumors. eLife 2018; 7:36967. [PMID: 30179157 PMCID: PMC6133554 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphoid and myeloid cells are abundant in the tumor microenvironment, can be quantified by immunohistochemistry and shape the disease course of human solid tumors. Yet, there is no comprehensive understanding of spatial immune infiltration patterns (‘topography’) across cancer entities and across various immune cell types. In this study, we systematically measure the topography of multiple immune cell types in 965 histological tissue slides from N = 177 patients in a pan-cancer cohort. We provide a definition of inflamed (‘hot’), non-inflamed (‘cold’) and immune excluded patterns and investigate how these patterns differ between immune cell types and between cancer types. In an independent cohort of N = 287 colorectal cancer patients, we show that hot, cold and excluded topographies for effector lymphocytes (CD8) and tumor-associated macrophages (CD163) alone are not prognostic, but that a bivariate classification system can stratify patients. Our study adds evidence to consider immune topographies as biomarkers for patients with solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Hepatobiliary Oncology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Meggy Suarez-Carmona
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pornpimol Charoentong
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cleo-Aron Weis
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniela Hirsch
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Bankhead
- Northern Ireland Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Marcel Horning
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dyke Ferber
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivan Kel
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Esther Herpel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Schott
- Department of Gynecology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inka Zörnig
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Marx
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Timo Gaiser
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Herrmann Brenner
- German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Preventive Oncology, German Cancer Research Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jenny Chang-Claude
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Epidemiology Group, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hoffmeister
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Halama
- Department of Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine VI, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany.,Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Tian
- Institute of Immunology and The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
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27
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Neuss S, Bartel Y, Born C, Weil S, Koch J, Behrends C, Hoffmeister M, Steinle A. Cellular Mechanisms Controlling Surfacing of AICL Glycoproteins, Cognate Ligands of the Activating NK Receptor NKp80. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:1275-1286. [PMID: 29980609 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
AICL glycoproteins are cognate activation-induced ligands of the C-type lectin-like receptor NKp80, which is expressed on virtually all mature human NK cells, and NKp80-AICL interaction stimulates NK cell effector functions such as cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. Notably, AICL and NKp80 are encoded by adjacent genes in the NK gene complex and are coexpressed by human NK cells. Whereas AICL is intracellularly retained in resting NK cells, exposure of NK cells to proinflammatory cytokines results in AICL surfacing and susceptibility to NKp80-mediated NK fratricide. In this study, we characterize molecular determinants of AICL glycoproteins that cause intracellular retention, thereby controlling AICL surface expression. Cys87 residing within the C-type lectin-like domain not only ensures stable homodimerization of AICL glycoproteins by disulfide bonding, but Cys87 is also required for efficient cell surface expression of AICL homodimers and essential for AICL-NKp80 interaction. In contrast, cytoplasmic lysines act as negative regulators targeting AICL for proteasomal degradation. One atypical and three conventional N-linked glycosylation sites in the AICL C-type lectin-like domain critically impact maturation and surfacing of AICL, which is strictly dependent on glycosylation of at least one conventional glycosylation site. However, although the extent of conventional N-linked glycosylation positively correlates with AICL surface expression, the atypical glycosylation site impairs AICL surfacing. Stringent control of AICL surface expression by glycosylation is reflected by the pronounced interaction of AICL with calnexin and the impaired AICL expression in calnexin-deficient cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate that AICL expression and surfacing are tightly controlled by several independent cellular posttranslational mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Neuss
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yvonne Bartel
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christina Born
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sandra Weil
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Joachim Koch
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christian Behrends
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany; and
| | - Meike Hoffmeister
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, 16816 Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Alexander Steinle
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
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