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Thorne AH, Malo KN, Wong AJ, Nguyen TT, Cooch N, Reed C, Yan J, Broderick KE, Smith TRF, Masteller EL, Humeau L. Adjuvant Screen Identifies Synthetic DNA-Encoding Flt3L and CD80 Immunotherapeutics as Candidates for Enhancing Anti-tumor T Cell Responses. Front Immunol 2020; 11:327. [PMID: 32161596 PMCID: PMC7052369 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Overcoming tolerance to tumor-associated antigens remains a hurdle for cancer vaccine-based immunotherapy. A strategy to enhance the anti-tumor immune response is the inclusion of adjuvants to cancer vaccine protocols. In this report, we generated and systematically screened over twenty gene-based molecular adjuvants composed of cytokines, chemokines, and T cell co-stimulators for the ability to increase anti-tumor antigen T cell immunity. We identified several robust adjuvants whose addition to vaccine formulations resulted in enhanced T cell responses targeting the cancer antigens STEAP1 and TERT. We further characterized direct T cell stimulation through CD80-Fc and indirect T cell targeting via the dendritic cell activator Flt3L-Fc. Mechanistically, intramuscular delivery of Flt3L-Fc into mice was associated with a significant increase in infiltration of dendritic cells at the site of administration and trafficking of activated dendritic cells to the draining lymph node. Gene expression analysis of the muscle tissue confirmed a significant up-regulation in genes associated with dendritic cell signaling. Addition of CD80-Fc to STEAP1 vaccine formulation mimicked the engagement provided by DCs and increased T cell responses to STEAP1 by 8-fold, significantly increasing the frequency of antigen-specific cells expressing IFNγ, TNFα, and CD107a for both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. CD80-Fc enhanced T cell responses to multiple tumor-associated antigens including Survivin and HPV, indicating its potential as a universal adjuvant for cancer vaccines. Together, the results of our study highlight the adjuvanting effect of T cell engagement either directly, CD80-Fc, or indirectly, Flt3L-Fc, for cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashley J. Wong
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Neil Cooch
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | - Charles Reed
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | - Jian Yan
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Laurent Humeau
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Diego, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Laurent Humeau
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Enhanced efficacy of DNA vaccination against botulinum neurotoxin serotype A by co-administration of plasmids encoding DC-stimulating Flt3L and MIP-3α cytokines. Biologicals 2016; 44:441-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2016.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
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Gusella GL, Teixeira A, Aberg J, Uversky VN, Mosoian A. Prothymosin-α Variants Elicit Anti-HIV-1 Response via TLR4 Dependent and Independent Pathways. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156486. [PMID: 27310139 PMCID: PMC4910978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prothymosin α (ProTα) (isoform 2: iso2) is a widely distributed, small acidic protein with intracellular and extracellular-associated functions. Recently, we identified two new ProTα variants with potent anti-HIV activity from CD8+ T cells and cervicovaginal lavage. The first is a splice variant of the ProTα gene known as isoB and the second is the product of ProTα pseudogene 7 (p7). Similarly to iso2, the anti-HIV activity of both variants is mediated by type I IFN. Here we tested whether the immunomodulatory activity of isoB and p7 are also TLR4 dependent and determined their kinetic of release in response to HIV-1 infection. METHODS Type I, type III, TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA inducing activity was determined in macrophages from wild type and TLR4 knockout mice treated with recombinant ProTα variants. Supernatants from mock and HIV infected cells were analyzed by mass spectrometry in positive and negative modes for the presence of ProTα variants. In silico structural and functional analysis of ProTα variants were performed. RESULTS We show that both isoB and p7 upregulate IFN-β, IFN-λ1, IL-6, TNF-α and RANTES mRNAs in primary human macrophages. The potent stimulation of IFN-β by the recombinant ProTα variants in human macrophages is dependent on the TLR4 pathway, whereas the induction of TNF-α and IL-6 may also occur independently of TLR4, suggesting the interaction of ProTα variants with other signaling molecules/receptors. In silico analyses confirmed that the novel isoB and p7 variants are intrinsically disordered proteins, which lack the NLS and mass spectrometry showed release of ProTα variants within minutes post HIV-1 infection. These features are consistent with the function of ProTα variants as damage associate molecular patterns (DAMPs). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that ProTα variants strongly inhibit viral replication mainly, but not exclusively, through TLR4 signaling and that they are released within minutes of viral infection suggesting that they may function as DAMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Luca Gusella
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Avelino Teixeira
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Judith Aberg
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States of America
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Arevik Mosoian
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
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CCL4 as an adjuvant for DNA vaccination in a Her2/neu mouse tumor model. Cancer Gene Ther 2016; 23:162-7. [PMID: 27056671 DOI: 10.1038/cgt.2016.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Chemokines are key regulators of both innate and adaptive immune responses. CCL4 (macrophage inflammatory protein-1β, MIP-1β) is a CC chemokine that has a broad spectrum of target cells including immature dendritic cells, which express the cognate receptor CCR5. We asked whether a plasmid encoding CCL4 is able to improve tumor protection and immune responses in a Her2/neu+ mouse tumor model. Balb/c mice were immunized twice intramuscularly with plasmid DNA on days 1 and 15. On day 25, a tumor challenge was performed with 2 × 10(5) syngeneic Her2/neu+ D2F2/E2 tumor cells. Different groups of mice were vaccinated with pDNA(Her2/neu) plus pDNA(CCL4), pDNA(Her2/neu), pDNA(CCL4) or mock vector alone. Our results show that CCL4 is able to (i) improve tumor protection and (ii) augment a TH1-polarized immune response against Her2/neu. Although Her2/neu-specific humoral and T-cell immune responses were comparable with that induced in previous studies using CCL19 or CCL21 as adjuvants, tumor protection conferred by CCL4 was inferior. Whether this is due to a different spectrum of (innate) immune cells, remains to be clarified. However, combination of CCL19/21 with CCL4 might be a reasonable approach in the future, particularly for DNA vaccination in Her2/neu+ breast cancer in the situation of minimal residual disease.
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Ranasinghe C, Ramshaw IA. Genetic heterologous prime–boost vaccination strategies for improved systemic and mucosal immunity. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 8:1171-81. [DOI: 10.1586/erv.09.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Mutwiri G, Gerdts V, van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk S, Auray G, Eng N, Garlapati S, Babiuk LA, Potter A. Combination adjuvants: the next generation of adjuvants? Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 10:95-107. [DOI: 10.1586/erv.10.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Mohit E, Rafati S. Chemokine-based immunotherapy: delivery systems and combination therapies. Immunotherapy 2013; 4:807-40. [PMID: 22947009 DOI: 10.2217/imt.12.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A major role of chemokines is to mediate leukocyte migration through interaction with G-protein-coupled receptors. Various delivery systems have been developed to utilize the chemokine properties for combating disease. Viral and mutant viral vectors expressing chemokines, genetically modified dendritic cells with chemokine or chemokine receptors, engineered chemokine-expressing tumor cells and pDNA encoding chemokines are among these methods. Another approach for inducing a targeted immune response is fusion of a targeting antibody or antibody fragment to a chemokine. In addition, chemokines induce more effective antitumor immunity when used as adjuvants. In this regard, chemokines are codelivered along with antigens or fused as a targeting unit with antigenic moieties. In this review, several chemokines with their role in inducing immune response against different diseases are discussed, with a major emphasis on cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Mohit
- Molecular Immunology & Vaccine Research Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 13164, Iran
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Barnard Z, Wakimoto H, Zaupa C, Patel AP, Klehm J, Martuza RL, Rabkin SD, Curry WT. Expression of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand by oncolytic herpes simplex virus type I prolongs survival in mice bearing established syngeneic intracranial malignant glioma. Neurosurgery 2013; 71:741-8; discussion 748. [PMID: 22653387 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0b013e318260fd73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma is a fatal brain tumor in needing urgent effective therapy. Treatments with both oncolytic viruses and immunotherapy have shown preclinical efficacy and clinical promise. We sought to exploit possible synergies between oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (oHSV-1) infection of intracranial gliomas and delivery of immune-stimulating fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) by engineering a herpes vector to express the cytokine. OBJECTIVE To construct an oHSV-1 vector that expresses high levels of Flt3L and examine its antiglioma efficacy in an immunocompetent murine model. METHODS G47Δ and a bacterial artificial chromosome system were used to generate a novel oHSV-1, termed G47Δ-Flt3L, expressing Flt3L. Cytokine expression was confirmed, and G47Δ-Flt3L was injected intratumorally into established intracranial CT-2A gliomas in syngeneic C57/Bl6 mice. Animals were followed for survival and assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS G47Δ-Flt3L expressed high levels of Flt3L in culture. Expression of Flt3L affected neither viral replication nor had a cytotoxic effect on CT2A glioma cells. Direct inoculation into intracerebral CT2A glioma cells resulted in high levels of detectable Flt3L in mouse blood and was superior to parental G47Δ in prolonging survival in glioma-bearing animals. CONCLUSION Treatment with G47Δ-Flt3L improves survival of glioma-bearing mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Barnard
- Simches Brain Tumor Research Laboratories, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE To identify and quantify angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines in aqueous and vitreous humor in eyes with untreated uveal melanoma and to analyze clinicopathologic correlations. METHODS Intraocular fluid samples of patients (uveal melanoma aqueous n = 21, vitreous n = 34) and controls (cataract aqueous n = 41, vitreomacular traction aqueous n = 35, vitreous n = 36) were taken intraoperatively and analyzed using Luminex xMAP suspension array technology. Beadlyte kits were used for detection of 28 different cytokines. RESULTS Flt-3 ligand, interleukin (IL) 1α, IL-6, IL-8, interferon-γ inducible protein (IP)-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein 1α, platelet-derived growth factor AA, and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly elevated in aqueous and vitreous of melanoma eyes when compared with controls. Eotaxin was significantly elevated in aqueous, and IL-7 and RANTES were significantly elevated in vitreous samples of melanoma eyes. Interferon-γ inducible protein 10, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (aqueous and vitreous), Flt-3 ligand, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 (vitreous) correlated with tumor dimensions. Further correlations were found between infiltration of Bruch membrane and Flt-3 ligand, MCP-1 (aqueous and vitreous), IL-8, interferon-γ inducible protein 10, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α, and platelet-derived growth factor AA (vitreous). Analyzing 16 paired aqueous and vitreous melanoma samples, Flt-3 ligand, IL-7, interferon-γ inducible protein 10, MCP-1, and platelet-derived growth factor AA were significantly elevated in vitreous, and IL-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor in aqueous samples. CONCLUSION A range of significantly elevated angiogenic, inflammatory, and chemotactic cytokines in eyes with uveal melanoma supports the link between inflammation and tumorigenesis.
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Lechner MG, Russell SM, Bass RS, Epstein AL. Chemokines, costimulatory molecules and fusion proteins for the immunotherapy of solid tumors. Immunotherapy 2012; 3:1317-40. [PMID: 22053884 DOI: 10.2217/imt.11.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, the role of chemokines and costimulatory molecules in the immunotherapy of experimental murine solid tumors and immunotherapy used in ongoing clinical trials are presented. Chemokine networks regulate physiologic cell migration that may be disrupted to inhibit antitumor immune responses or co-opted to promote tumor growth and metastasis in cancer. Recent studies highlight the potential use of chemokines in cancer immunotherapy to improve innate and adaptive cell interactions and to recruit immune effector cells into the tumor microenvironment. Another critical component of antitumor immune responses is antigen priming and activation of effector cells. Reciprocal expression and binding of costimulatory molecules and their ligands by antigen-presenting cells and naive lymphocytes ensures robust expansion, activity and survival of tumor-specific effector cells in vivo. Immunotherapy approaches using agonist antibodies or fusion proteins of immunomodulatory molecules significantly inhibit tumor growth and boost cell-mediated immunity. To localize immune stimulation to the tumor site, a series of fusion proteins consisting of a tumor-targeting monoclonal antibody directed against tumor necrosis and chemokines or costimulatory molecules were generated and tested in tumor-bearing mice. While several of these reagents were initially shown to have therapeutic value, combination therapies with methods to delete suppressor cells had the greatest effect on tumor growth. In conclusion, a key conclusion that has emerged from these studies is that successful immunotherapy will require both advanced methods of immunostimulation and the removal of immunosuppression in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa G Lechner
- Department of Pathology, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Li J, Diao H, Zhao D, Zhang J. Reduced tumourigenicity of EG7 after RANTES gene transfer and the underlying mechanism. Arch Med Sci 2010; 6:829-36. [PMID: 22427753 PMCID: PMC3302691 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2010.19287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2010] [Revised: 07/28/2010] [Accepted: 08/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chemokine ligand 5, also known as CCL5 or regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), is a chemokine expressed in inflamed tissue and capable of inducing migration of immature dendritic cells (DCs) or Langerhans cells. In this study, we explored the effect of RANTES on EG7 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS In vivo, RANTES gene transfer reduced the tumourigenic capacity of EG7 and prolonged the survival of tumour-bearing mice. To reveal the underlying mechanism, we performed the following experiments and provided evidence to support our hypothesis of RANTES gene therapy for EG7. Higher natural killer (NK) cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity was induced after RANTES gene transfer, accompanied by higher levels of Th1 type cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ). RESULTS Tumour necrosis was also markedly observed in the tumour tissues after RANTES gene transfer, which was attributed to reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2). CONCLUSIONS We draw the conclusion that reduced tumourigenicity of EG7 after RANTES gene transfer can be attributed to higher NK cell and CTL activity, anti-angiogenesis and higher levels of Th1 type cytokines induced by RANTES. These results support the notion that higher chemokine expression in tumour tissue elicits potent anti-tumour immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuzhou Li
- People’s Hospital of Binzhou City, Binzhou, China
| | - Huiling Diao
- Department of Physiology, Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China
| | - Dongmei Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Binzhou, China
| | - Jianbin Zhang
- The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD To date cancer immunotherapy has only achieved limited clinical efficacy, thus more efficient immunotherapeutic approaches need to be explored. The CC chemokine CCL5 plays a role in chemoattraction and activation of immune cells implying its potential clinical application as an adjuvant for boosting anti-tumor immunity, although an effect on carcinogenesis and tumor cell invasiveness is also reported to be associated with CCL5. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW Recent progress in exploiting CCL5 as an adjuvant for cancer prevention and treatment, and updated understanding on how CCL5 is involved in tumor invasiveness and carcinogenesis. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN CCL5 represents a natural adjuvant for enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. However, animal experiments and clinical reports suggest that CCL5 plays a role in carcinogenesis and invasiveness of tumor cells. Therefore, a CCL5-based cancer therapeutic approach needs to avoid the CCL5-associated potential detrimental effects. TAKE HOME MESSAGE CCL5 has a pre-eminent role in chemotaxis and activation of a wide spectrum of immune cells. CCL5 functions as an adjuvant to boost anti-tumor immunity by diverse protocols such as co-immunization of recombinant CCL5 protein with tumor-associated antigen, vaccination with CCL-5-expressing tumor cells, or viral vector delivery of CCL5 cDNA into growing tumor. CCL5 may also promote tumor cell survival, proliferation and invasion by different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Lapteva
- Department Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, 1450 Biggy Street, NRT 7506, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Combination of intensive chemotherapy and anticancer vaccines in the treatment of human malignancies: the hematological experience. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010; 2010:692097. [PMID: 20625438 PMCID: PMC2896720 DOI: 10.1155/2010/692097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2009] [Accepted: 03/20/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro studies have demonstrated that cancer-specific T cell cytotoxicity can be induced both ex vivo and in vivo, but this therapeutic strategy should probably be used as an integrated part of a cancer treatment regimen. Initial chemotherapy should be administered to reduce the cancer cell burden and disease-induced immune defects. This could be followed by autologous stem cell transplantation that is a safe procedure including both high-dose disease-directed chemotherapy and the possibility for ex vivo enrichment of the immunocompetent graft cells. The most intensive conventional chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation are used especially in the treatment of aggressive hematologic malignancies; both strategies induce T cell defects that may last for several months but cancer-specific T cell reactivity is maintained after both procedures. Enhancement of anticancer T cell cytotoxicity is possible but posttransplant vaccination therapy should probably be combined with optimalisation of immunoregulatory networks. Such combinatory regimens should be suitable for patients with aggressive hematological malignancies and probably also for other cancer patients.
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