CAR T cells: continuation in a revolution of immunotherapy

Molecular mechanism of co-stimulatory domains in promoting CAR-T cell anti-tumor efficacy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells have been defined as 'living drug'. Adding a co-stimulatory domain (CSD) has enhanced the anti-hematological effects of CAR-T cells, thereby elevating their viability for medicinal applications. Various CSDs have helped prepare CAR-T cells to study anti-tumor efficacy. Previous studies have described and summarized the anti-tumor efficacy of CAR-T cells obtained from different CSDs. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which different CSDs affect CAR-T function have been rarely reported. The role of CSDs in T cells has been significantly studied, but whether they can play a unique role as a part of the CAR structure remains undetermined. Here, we summarized the effects of CSDs on CAR-T signaling pathways based on the limited references and speculated the possible mechanism depending on the specific characteristics of CAR-T cells. This review will help understand the molecular mechanism of CSDs in CAR-T cells that exert different anti-tumor effects while providing potential guidance for further interventions to enhance anti-tumor efficacy in immunotherapy.

Harmonizing the symphony of chimeric antigen receptor T cell immunotherapy with the elegance of biomaterials

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy has become a heated field of cancer research, demonstrating revolutionary efficacy in refractory and relapsed hematologic malignancies. However, CAR-T therapy has still encountered tough challenges, including complicated and lengthy manufacturing procedures, mediocre targeted delivery, limited therapeutic effect against solid tumors and difficulties in real-time in vivo monitoring. To overcome these limitations, various versatile biomaterials have been used in the above aspects and have improved CAR-T therapy impressively. This review mainly summarizes the latest research progress of biomaterials promoting CAR-T therapy in manufacturing, enhancing targeted delivery and tumor infiltration, and dramatic in vivo tracking to provide new insights and inspiration for clinical treatment.

Circular RNAs in tumor immunity and immunotherapy

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are unique noncoding RNAs that have a closed and stable loop structure generated through backsplicing. Due to their conservation, stability and tissue specificity, circRNAs can potentially be used as diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets for certain tumors. Many studies have shown that circRNAs can act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges, and engage in interactions with proteins and translation templates to regulate gene expression and signal transduction, thereby participating in the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors. Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Early researches have indicated that circRNAs are involved in regulating tumor immune microenvironment and antitumor immunity. CircRNAs may have the potential to be important targets for increasing sensitivity to immunotherapy and expanding the population of patients who benefit from cancer immunotherapy. However, few studies have investigated the correlation between circRNAs and tumor immunity. In this review, we summarize the current researches on circRNAs involved in antitumor immune regulation through different mechanisms and their potential value in increasing immunotherapy efficacy with the goal of providing new targets for cancer immunotherapy.

Five-Year Follow-Up of Standard-of-Care Axicabtagene Ciloleucel for Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results From the US Lymphoma CAR T Consortium

PURPOSE

Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) is an autologous CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that is approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. Little is known about the long-term survivorship after CAR T-cell therapy.

METHODS

We previously reported the results of 298 patients who were leukapheresed with the intent to receive standard-of-care axi-cel (n = 275 infused) after two or more previous lines of therapy at a median follow-up of 12.9 months. Here, we report extended follow-up of this cohort to a median of 58 months, with a focus on late survivorship events.

RESULTS

Among axi-cel-infused patients, progression-free survival at 5 years was 29% and overall survival (OS) at 5 years was 40%. The 5-year lymphoma-specific survival was 53% with infrequent late relapses. However, the 5-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 16.2%, with over half of NRM events occurring beyond 2 years. Patients who were 60 years and older had a lower risk of relapse (P = .02), but a higher risk of NRM compared with patients younger than 60 years (NRM odds ratio, 4.5 [95% CI, 2.1 to 10.8]; P < .001). Late NRM was mainly due to infections and subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs). In total, SMNs occurred in 24 patients (9%), including therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (n = 15), solid tumors (n = 7), and unrelated lymphoid malignancies (n = 2).

CONCLUSION

In the standard-of-care setting, axi-cel exhibits outcomes consistent with those reported in clinical trials, with sustained, durable responses observed at the 5-year time point. However, late infections and the development of SMN are key survivorship issues that reduce long-term survival after CAR T-cell therapy, particularly in the elderly.

Primary vs. pre-emptive anti-seizure medication prophylaxis in anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy

INTRODUCTION

Seizures may occur in up to 30% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients who received anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, yet the optimal anti-seizure medication (ASM) prevention strategy has not been thoroughly investigated.

METHODS

Consecutive patients affected by refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma who received anti-CD19 CAR T-cells were included. Patients were selected and assessed using similar internal protocols. ASM was started either as a primary prophylaxis (PP-group) before CAR T-cells infusion or as a pre-emptive therapy (PET-group) only upon the onset of neurotoxicity development.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-six patients were included (PP-group = 88, PET-group = 66). Overall, neurotoxicity and severe neurotoxicity occurred in 45 (29%) and 20 (13%) patients, respectively, equally distributed between the two groups. Five patients experienced epileptic events (PET-group = 3 [4%]; PP-group = 2 [2%]). For all the PET-group patients, seizure/status epilepticus occurred in the absence of overt CAR-T-related neurotoxicity, whereas patients in the PP-group experienced brief seizures only in the context of critical neurotoxicity with progressive severe encephalopathy. ASMs were well-tolerated by all patients, even without titration. No patients developed epilepsy or required long-term ASMs.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that both primary and pre-emptive anti-seizure prophylaxis are safe and effective in anti-CD19 CAR T-cell recipients. Clinical rationale suggests a possible more favourable profile of primary prophylaxis, yet no definitive conclusion of superiority between the two ASM strategies can be drawn from our study.

Mapping the Human Cell Surface Interactome: A Key to Decode Cell-to-Cell Communication

Proteins on the surfaces of cells serve as physical connection points to bridge one cell with another, enabling direct communication between cells and cohesive structure. As biomedical research makes the leap from characterizing individual cells toward understanding the multicellular organization of the human body, the binding interactions between molecules on the surfaces of cells are foundational both for computational models and for clinical efforts to exploit these influential receptor pathways. To achieve this grander vision, we must assemble the full interactome of ways surface proteins can link together. This review investigates how close we are to knowing the human cell surface protein interactome. We summarize the current state of databases and systematic technologies to assemble surface protein interactomes, while highlighting substantial gaps that remain. We aim for this to serve as a road map for eventually building a more robust picture of the human cell surface protein interactome.

The role of CD8 PET imaging in guiding cancer immunotherapy

Currently, immunotherapy is being widely used for treating cancers. However, the significant heterogeneity in patient responses is a major challenge for its successful application. CD8-positive T cells (CD8+ T cells) play a critical role in immunotherapy. Both their infiltration and functional status in tumors contribute to treatment outcomes. Therefore, accurate monitoring of CD8+ T cells, a potential biomarker, may improve therapeutic strategy. Positron emission tomography (PET) is an optimal option which can provide molecular imaging with enhanced specificity. This review summarizes the mechanism of action of CD8+ T cells in immunotherapy, and highlights the recent advancements in PET-based tracers that can visualize CD8+ T cells and discusses their clinical applications to elucidate their potential role in cancer immunotherapy.

Advances in engineered nanosystems: immunomodulatory interactions for therapeutic applications

Advances in nanotechnology have led to significant progress in the design and fabrication of nanoparticles (NPs) with improved therapeutic properties. NPs have been explored for modulating the immune system, serving as carriers for drug delivery or vaccine adjuvants, or acting as therapeutics themselves against a wide range of deadly diseases. The combination of NPs with immune system-targeting moieties has facilitated the development of improved targeted immune therapies. Targeted delivery of therapeutic agents using NPs specifically to the disease-affected cells, distinguishing them from other host cells, offers the major advantage of concentrating the therapeutic effect and reducing systemic side effects. Furthermore, the properties of NPs, including size, shape, surface charge, and surface modifications, influence their interactions with the targeted biological components. This review aims to provide insights into these diverse emerging and innovative approaches that are being developed and utilized for modulating the immune system using NPs. We reviewed various types of NPs composed of different materials and their specific application for modulating the immune system. Furthermore, we focused on the mechanistic effects of these therapeutic NPs on primary immune components, including T cells, B cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and complement systems. Additionally, a recent overview of clinically approved immunomodulatory nanomedicines and potential future perspectives, offering new paradigms of this field, is also highlighted.

CD87-targeted BiTE and CAR-T cells potently inhibit invasive nonfunctional pituitary adenomas

Recently, bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) and chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-Ts) have been shown to have high therapeutic efficacy in hematological tumors. CD87 is highly expressed in solid tumors with an oncogenic function. To assess their cytotoxic effects on invasive nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (iNFPAs), we first examined CD87 expression and its effects on the metabolism of iNFPA cells. We generated CD87-specific BiTE and CAR/IL-12 T cells, and their cytotoxic effects on iNFPAs cells and in mouse models were determined. CD87 had high expression in iNFPA tissue and cell samples but was undetected in noncancerous brain samples. CD87×CD3 BiTE and CD87 CAR/IL-12 T-cells showed antigenic specificity and exerted satisfactory cytotoxic effects, decreasing tumor cell proliferation in vitro and reducing existing tumors in experimental mice. Overall, the above findings suggest that CD87 is a promising target for the immunotherapeutic management of iNFPAs using anti-CD87 BiTE and CD87-specific CAR/IL-12 T cells.

A pan-cancer analysis of EphA family gene expression and its association with prognosis, tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic targets

Background

Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular (Eph) receptors stand out as the most expansive group of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Accumulating evidence suggests that within this expansive family, the EphA subset is implicated in driving cancer cell progression, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, making it a promising target for anticancer treatment. Nonetheless, the extent of EphA family involvement across diverse cancers, along with its intricate interplay with immunity and the tumor microenvironment (TME), remains to be fully illuminated.

Methods

The relationships between EphA gene expression and patient survival, immunological subtypes, and TME characteristics were investigated based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The analyses employed various R packages.

Results

A significant difference in expression was identified for most EphA genes when comparing cancer tissues and non-cancer tissues. These genes independently functioned as prognostic factors spanning multiple cancer types. Moreover, a significant correlation surfaced between EphA gene expression and immune subtypes, except for EphA5, EphA6, and EphA8. EphA3 independently influenced the prognosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma (KIRP). This particular gene exhibited links with immune infiltration subtypes and clinicopathologic parameters, holding promise as a valuable biomarker for predicting prognosis and responsiveness to immunotherapy in patients with KIRP.

Conclusion

By meticulously scrutinizing the panorama of EphA genes in a spectrum of cancers, this study supplemented a complete map of the effect of EphA family in Pan-cancer and suggested that EphA family may be a potential target for cancer therapy.

The enchanting canvas of CAR technology: Unveiling its wonders in non-neoplastic diseases

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have made a groundbreaking advancement in personalized immunotherapy and achieved widespread success in hematological malignancies. As CAR technology continues to evolve, numerous studies have unveiled its potential far beyond the realm of oncology. This review focuses on the current applications of CAR-based cellular platforms in non-neoplastic indications, such as autoimmune, infectious, fibrotic, and cellular senescence-associated diseases. Furthermore, we delve into the utilization of CARs in non-T cell populations such as natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, highlighting their therapeutic potential in non-neoplastic conditions and offering the potential for targeted, personalized therapies to improve patient outcomes and enhanced quality of life.

Emerging Targets and Therapeutics in Immuno-Oncology: Insights from Landscape Analysis

In the ever-evolving landscape of cancer research, immuno-oncology stands as a beacon of hope, offering novel avenues for treatment. This study capitalizes on the vast repository of immuno-oncology-related scientific documents within the CAS Content Collection, totaling over 350,000, encompassing journals and patents. Through a pioneering approach melding natural language processing with the CAS indexing system, we unveil over 300 emerging concepts, depicted in a comprehensive "Trend Landscape Map". These concepts, spanning therapeutic targets, biomarkers, and types of cancers among others, are hierarchically organized into eight major categories. Delving deeper, our analysis furnishes detailed quantitative metrics showcasing growth trends over the past three years. Our findings not only provide valuable insights for guiding future research endeavors but also underscore the merit of tapping the vast and unparalleled breadth of existing scientific information to derive profound insights.

NK cells as powerful therapeutic tool in cancer immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Natural killer (NK) cells have gained considerable attention and hold great potential for their application in tumor immunotherapy. This is mainly due to their MHC-unrestricted and pan-specific recognition capabilities, as well as their ability to rapidly respond to and eliminate target cells. To artificially generate therapeutic NK cells, various materials can be utilized, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), umbilical cord blood (UCB), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and NK cell lines. Exploiting the therapeutic potential of NK cells to treat tumors through in vivo and in vitro therapeutic modalities has yielded positive therapeutic results.

CONCLUSION

This review provides a comprehensive description of NK cell therapeutic approaches for tumors and discusses the current problems associated with these therapeutic approaches and the prospects of NK cell therapy for tumors.

Recent insights into the therapeutic strategies targeting the pseudokinase PTK7 in cancer

The generation of drugs counteracting deregulated protein kinases has been a major focus in cancer therapy development. Breakthroughs in this effort have produced many therapeutic agents to the benefit of patients, mostly through the development of chemical or antibody-based drugs targeting active kinases. These strategies are challenged when considering catalytically inactive protein kinases (or pseudokinases), which represent 10% of the human kinome with many of relevance in cancer. Among the so-called pseudotyrosine kinases, the PTK7 receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) stands as a bona fide target overexpressed in several solid tumors and hematological malignancies and linked to metastasis, poor prognosis, and resistance to treatment. Despite the lack of catalytic activity, PTK7 has signaling capacities through heterodimerization with active RTKs and offers pharmacological targeting opportunities through its inactive kinase domain. Moreover, PTK7-targeting strategies based on antibody-drug conjugates, aptamers, and CAR-T cell-based therapies have demonstrated encouraging results in preclinical and clinical settings. We review the most recent data assigning to PTK7 a prominent role in cancer progression as well as current preclinical and clinical targeting strategies against RTK family pseudokinases including PTK7.

Current and Future Trends of Colorectal Cancer Treatment: Exploring Advances in Immunotherapy

Cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC) has been identified among the three most prevalent types of cancer and cancer-related deaths for both sexes. Even though significant progress in surgical and chemotherapeutic techniques has markedly improved disease-free and overall survival rates in contrast to those three decades ago, recent years have seen a stagnation in these improvements. This underscores the need for new therapies aiming to augment patient outcomes. A number of emerging strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), have exhibited promising outcomes not only in preclinical but also in clinical settings. Additionally, a thorough appreciation of the underlying biology has expanded the scope of research into potential therapeutic interventions. For instance, the pivotal role of altered telomere length in early CRC carcinogenesis, leading to chromosomal instability and telomere dysfunction, presents a promising avenue for future treatments. Thus, this review explores the advancements in CRC immunotherapy and telomere-targeted therapies, examining potential synergies and how these novel treatment modalities intersect to potentially enhance each other's efficacy, paving the way for promising future therapeutic advancements.

Non-viral delivery of RNA for therapeutic T cell engineering

Adoptive T cell transfer has shown great success in treating blood cancers, resulting in a growing number of FDA-approved therapies using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells. However, the effectiveness of this treatment for solid tumors is still not satisfactory, emphasizing the need for improved T cell engineering strategies and combination approaches. Currently, CAR T cells are mainly manufactured using gammaretroviral and lentiviral vectors due to their high transduction efficiency. However, there are concerns about their safety, the high cost of producing them in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), regulatory obstacles, and limited cargo capacity, which limit the broader use of engineered T cell therapies. To overcome these limitations, researchers have explored non-viral approaches, such as membrane permeabilization and carrier-mediated methods, as more versatile and sustainable alternatives for next-generation T cell engineering. Non-viral delivery methods can be designed to transport a wide range of molecules, including RNA, which allows for more controlled and safe modulation of T cell phenotype and function. In this review, we provide an overview of non-viral RNA delivery in adoptive T cell therapy. We first define the different types of RNA therapeutics, highlighting recent advancements in manufacturing for their therapeutic use. We then discuss the challenges associated with achieving effective RNA delivery in T cells. Next, we provide an overview of current and emerging technologies for delivering RNA into T cells. Finally, we discuss ongoing preclinical and clinical studies involving RNA-modified T cells.

Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: current status and prospectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health concern worldwide, with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. In recent years, immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made great progress in the systemic treatment of HCC. The combination treatments based on ICIs have been the major trend in this area. Recently, dual immune checkpoint blockade with durvalumab plus tremelimumab has also emerged as an effective treatment for advanced HCC. However, the majority of HCC patients obtain limited benefits. Understanding the immunological rationale and exploring novel ways to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy has drawn much attention. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in this area, the ongoing clinical trials of immune-based combination therapies, as well as novel immunotherapy strategies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells, personalized neoantigen vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and bispecific antibodies.

Adoptive cell immunotherapy for breast cancer: harnessing the power of immune cells

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm worldwide, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies owing to the limitations posed by conventional treatment modalities. Immunotherapy is an innovative approach that has demonstrated significant efficacy in modulating a patient's innate immune system to combat tumor cells. In the era of precision medicine, adoptive immunotherapy for breast cancer has garnered widespread attention as an emerging treatment strategy, primarily encompassing cellular therapies such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, chimeric antigen receptor T/natural killer/M cell therapy, T cell receptor gene-engineered T cell therapy, lymphokine-activated killer cell therapy, cytokine-induced killer cell therapy, natural killer cell therapy, and γδ T cell therapy, among others. This treatment paradigm is based on the principles of immune memory and antigen specificity, involving the collection, processing, and expansion of the patient's immune cells, followed by their reintroduction into the patient's body to activate the immune system and prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Currently, multiple clinical trials are assessing the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of adoptive immunotherapy in breast cancer. However, this therapeutic approach faces challenges associated with tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, and treatment safety. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest advancements in adoptive immunotherapy for breast cancer and discusses future research directions and prospects, offering valuable guidance and insights into breast cancer immunotherapy.

Nanodrug Delivery Systems in Antitumor Immunotherapy

Cancer has become one of the most important factors threatening human health, and the global cancer burden has been increasing rapidly. Immunotherapy has become another clinical research hotspot after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy because of its high efficiency and tumor metastasis prevention. However, problems such as lower immune response rate and immune-related adverse reaction in the clinical application of immunotherapy need to be urgently solved. With the development of nanodrug delivery systems, various nanocarrier materials have been used in the research of antitumor immunotherapy with encouraging therapeutic results. In this review, we mainly summarized the combination of nanodrug delivery systems and immunotherapy from the following 4 aspects: (a) nanodrug delivery systems combined with cytokine therapy to improve cytokines delivery in vivo; (b) nanodrug delivery systems provided a suitable platform for the combination of immune checkpoint blockade therapy with other tumor treatments; (c) nanodrug delivery systems helped deliver antigens and adjuvants for tumor vaccines to enhance immune effects; and (d) nanodrug delivery systems improved tumor treatment efficiency and reduced toxicity for adoptive cell therapy. Nanomaterials chosen by researchers to construct nanodrug delivery systems and their function were also introduced in detail. Finally, we discussed the current challenges and future prospects in combining nanodrug delivery systems with immunotherapy.

STING agonist diABZI enhances the cytotoxicity of T cell towards cancer cells

Antigen-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cell (TCR-T) based immunotherapy has proven to be an effective method to combat cancer. In recent years, cross-talk between the innate and adaptive immune systems may be requisite to optimize sustained antigen-specific immunity, and the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a promising therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. The level of expression or presentation of antigen in tumor cells affects the recognition and killing of tumor cells by TCR-T. This study aimed at investigating the potential of innate immune stimulation of T cells and engineered T cells to enhance immunotherapy for low-expression antigen cancer cells. We systematically investigated the function and mechanism of cross-talk between STING agonist diABZI and adaptive immune systems. We established NY-ESO-1 full knockout Mel526 cells for this research and found that diABZI activated STING media and TCR signaling pathways. In addition, the results of flow cytometry showed that antigens presentation from cancer cells induced by STING agonist diABZI also improved the affinity of TCR-T cells function against tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Our findings revealed that diABZI enhanced the immunotherapy efficacy of TCR-T by activating STING media and TCR signaling pathways, improving interferon-γ expression, and increasing antigens presentation of tumor cells. This indicates that STING agonist could be used as a strategy to promote TCR-T cancer immunotherapy.

Combination of theoretical analysis and experiments: Exploring the role of PLA2G7 in human cancers, including renal cancer

Background

The pivotal role of phospholipase A2 group VII (PLA2G7) has been identified in specific human cancers, such as prostate cancer, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and melanoma. Given PLA2G7's significant involvement in established tumors, exploring its role in other cancers is highly relevant.

Methods

In this study, we acquired and analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, the UCSC XENA website, and other online platforms including Gene Set Cancer Analysis, cBioPortal, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, and TISIDB to investigate PLA2G7's role in human cancers, including renal cancer. Furthermore, in vitro experiments, including immunofluorescence, western blotting, and CCK-8 assays, were conducted to elucidate PLA2G7's role in renal cancer. Finally, the relationship between PLA2G7 and various drug sensitivity was explored.

Results

Our findings demonstrate that PLA2G7 is highly expressed and may serve as a valuable candidate biomarker in pan-cancer. PLA2G7 exhibits distinct alteration frequencies across human cancers and is correlated with tumor mutation burden, tumor microenvironment, DNA stemness score, RNA stemness score, tumorigenesis, tumor immunity, and microsatellite instability in pan-cancer. Immunofluorescence and western blotting revealed a relative high level of PLA2G7 protein in renal cancer cell lines (ACHN and 786-O), predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Treatment with a PLA2G7 gene inhibitor (darapladib) significantly decreased the viability of ACHN and 786-O cell lines. Additionally, we observed an association between PLA2G7 mRNA levels and various drug sensitivity.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that PLA2G7 has the potential to serve as a valuable biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer, particularly in the context of renal cancer.

Coactosin-Like Protein 1 (COTL1) Could Be an Immunological and Prognostic Biomarker: From Pan-Cancer Analysis to Low-Grade Glioma Validation

Background

Cancer represents a widespread global health challenge impacting millions of individuals worldwide. Identifying new targets for cancer treatment is a crucial step in developing more effective therapies. Among these potential targets, Coactosin-like protein 1 (COTL1), a cytoskeleton-associated protein with critical roles in cell migration, adhesion, and signaling, has shown involvement in tumor progression.

Methods

GSCA, TIMER, SangerBox database were used to explore the COTL1 expression across different tumor types. We employed the TCGA Pan-Atlas Cancer Genomics Dataset, which is available through the cBioportal platform, to explore genetic alterations in COTL1. We conduct a comprehensive analysis of COTL1, encompassing gene expression, clinical prognosis, RNA modification, immunotherapy, and cancer stemness through SangerBox database. Clinical samples were validated using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Our analysis revealed that COTL1 is highly expressed in most cancers and correlates with decreased survival in Glioma, Glioblastoma multiforme, and pan-kidney cohorts. Furthermore, COTL1 was found to be associated with DNA and RNA stemness in 20 and 22 different tumor types, respectively. Additionally, COTL1 showed positive correlations with immunological checkpoints and immune infiltration cells. It was also linked to tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), neoantigen (NEO), and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), all of which are potential targets for immunotherapies. Moreover, a favorable relationship was demonstrated between genomic-instability markers such as heterozygosity (LOH), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and mutant allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH) with COTL1. Furthermore, our findings confirmed a positive correlation between COTL1 expression, CD8, and PD-L1 in LGG, as well as an association of high COTL1 expression with decreased patient survival in LGG.

Conclusion

Based on these compelling findings, COTL1 may hold significant clinical implications for the development of novel cancer therapies and serve as a potential target for tumors associated with immunotherapy in the future.

Novel CAR-T cells targeting TRKB for the treatment of solid cancer

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is highly effective for treating blood cancers such as B-cell malignancies, however, its effectiveness as an approach to treat solid tumors remains to be further explored. Here, we focused on the development of CAR-T cell therapies targeting tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TRKB), a highly expressed protein that is significantly associated with tumor progression, malignancy, and drug resistance in multiple forms of aggressive solid tumors. To achieve this, we screened brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin 4 (NTF4) ligand-based CAR-T cells for their efficiency in targeting the TRKB receptor in the context of solid tumors, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. We demonstrated that TRKB is overexpressed not only in hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines but also in cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Notably, BDNF-CAR T and NTF4-CAR T cells could not only effectively target and kill TRKB-expressing pan-cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner but also effectively kill CSCs. We also performed in vivo studies to show that NTF4-CAR T cells have a better potential to inhibit the tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts in mice, compared with BDNF-CAR T cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that CAR-T targeting TRKB may be a promising approach for developing novel therapies to treat solid cancers.

PDCL3 is a prognostic biomarker associated with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Phosducin-like 3 (PDCL3) is a member of the photoreceptor family, characterized by a thioredoxin-like structural domain and evolutionary conservation. It plays roles in angiogenesis and apoptosis. Despite its significance, research on the biological role of PDCL3 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remains limited. This study aims to explore the prognostic value and potential mechanisms of PDCL3 in cancer, particularly in LIHC, through bioinformatics analysis.

METHODS

RNA-seq data and corresponding clinical information for pan-cancer and LIHC were extracted from the TCGA database to analyze PDCL3 expression and survival prognosis. Differential expression of PDCL3 was analyzed using the HPA database. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed for PDCL3-associated genes. The relationship between PDCL3 expression and various immune cell types was examined using the TIMER website. Clinical samples were collected, and immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to validate the differential expression of PDCL3 in LIHC and normal tissues. In vitro assays, including CCK-8, wound healing, Transwell, and colony formation experiments, were employed to determine the biological functions of PDCL3 in LIHC cells.

RESULTS

Analysis from TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, and HPA databases revealed differential expression of PDCL3 in various tumors. Prognostic analysis from GEPIA and TCGA databases indicated that high PDCL3 expression was associated with poorer clinical staging and prognosis in LIHC. Enrichment analysis of PDCL3-associated genes revealed its involvement in various immune responses. TCGA and TIMER databases showed that high PDCL3 expression in LIHC decreased tumor immune activity by reducing macrophage infiltration. PDCL3 exhibited positive correlations with multiple immune checkpoint genes. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments confirmed elevated PDCL3 expression in LIHC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PDCL3 promoted LIHC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony-forming ability.

CONCLUSION

PDCL3 is highly expressed in various cancer types. Our study suggests that elevated PDCL3 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with poorer prognosis and may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for LIHC. PDCL3 may regulate the biological functions of LIHC by modulating immune infiltration. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms of PDCL3 in cancer warrant further investigation.

Multi-omics analysis of TLCD1 as a promising biomarker in pan-cancer

Background: The TLC Domain Containing 1 (TLCD1) protein, a key regulator of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) composition, is distributed across several cellular membranes, including mitochondrial plasma membranes. Existing research has revealed the impact of TLCD1 on the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, there remains a gap in comprehensive pan-cancer analyses of TLCD1, and the precise role of TLCD1 in cancer patient prognosis and immunological responses remains elusive. This study aims to provide a comprehensive visualization of the prognostic landscape associated with TLCD1 across a spectrum of cancers, while shedding light on the potential links between TLCD1 expression within the tumor microenvironment and immune infiltration characteristics. Methods: TLCD1 expression data were obtained from GTEx, TCGA, and HPA data repositories. Multiple databases including TIMER, HPA, TISIDB, cBioPortal, GEPIA2, STRING, KEGG, GO, and CancerSEA were used to investigate the expression pattern, diagnostic and prognostic significance, mutation status, functional analysis, and functional status of TLCD1. In addition, we evaluated the relationship between TLCD1 expression and immune infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and immune-related genes in pan-cancer. Furthermore, the association of TLCD1 with drug sensitivity was analyzed using the CellMiner database. Results: We found that TLCD1 is generally highly expressed in pan-cancers and is significantly associated with the staging and prognosis of various cancers. Furthermore, our results also showed that TLCD1 was significantly associated with immune cell infiltration and immune regulatory factor expression. Using CellMiner database analysis, we then found a strong correlation between TLCD1 expression and sensitivity to anticancer drugs, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target. The most exciting finding is that high TLCD1 expression is associated with worse survival and prognosis in GBM and SKCM patients receiving anti-PD1 therapy. These findings highlight the potential of TLCD1 as a predictive biomarker for response to immunotherapy. Conclusion: TLCD1 plays a role in the regulation of immune infiltration and affects the prognosis of patients with various cancers. It serves as both a prognostic and immunologic biomarker in human cancer.

Adoptive transfer of CD49a+ Tissue resident memory cells reverses pulmonary fibrosis in mice

Pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease with no effective treatments to cure, stop or reverse the unremitting, fatal fibrosis. A critical barrier to treating this disease is the lack of understanding of the pathways leading to fibrosis as well as those regulating the resolution of fibrosis. Fibrosis is the pathologic side of normal tissue repair that results when the normal wound healing programs go awry. Successful resolution of tissue injury requires several highly coordinated pathways, and this research focuses on the interplay between these overlapping pathways: immune effectors, inflammatory mediators and fibroproliferation in the resolution of fibrosis. Previously we have successfully prevented, mitigated, and even reversed established fibrosis using vaccinia vaccination immunotherapy in two models of murine lung fibrosis. The mechanism by which vaccinia reverses fibrosis is by vaccine induced lung specific Th1 skewed tissue resident memory (TRMs) in the lung. In this study, we isolated a population of vaccine induced TRMs - CD49a+ CD4+ T cells - that are both necessary and sufficient to reverse established pulmonary fibrosis. Using adoptive cellular therapy, we demonstrate that intratracheal administration of CD49a+ CD4+ TRMs into established fibrosis, reverses the fibrosis histologically, by promoting a decrease in collagen, and functionally, by improving lung function, without the need for vaccination. Furthermore, co-culture of in vitro derived CD49+ CD4+ human TRMs with human fibroblasts from individuals with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) results in the down regulation of IPF fibroblast collagen production. Lastly, we demonstrate in human IPF lung histologic samples that CD49a+ CD4+ TRMs, which can down regulate human IPF fibroblast function, fail to increase in the IPF lungs, thus potentially failing to promote resolution. Thus, we define a novel unappreciated role for tissue resident memory T cells in regulating established lung fibrosis to promote resolution of fibrosis and re-establish lung homeostasis. We demonstrate that immunotherapy, in the form of adoptive transfer of CD49a+ CD4+ TRMs into the lungs of mice with established fibrosis, not only stops progression of the fibrosis but more importantly reverses the fibrosis. These studies provide the insight and preclinical rationale for a novel paradigm shifting approach of using cellular immunotherapy to treat lung fibrosis.

Immune modulation in malignant pleural effusion: from microenvironment to therapeutic implications

Immune microenvironment and immunotherapy have become the focus and frontier of tumor research, and the immune checkpoint inhibitors has provided novel strategies for tumor treatment. Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common end-stage manifestation of lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma and other thoracic malignancies, which is invasive and often accompanied by poor prognosis, affecting the quality of life of affected patients. Currently, clinical therapy for MPE is limited to pleural puncture, pleural fixation, catheter drainage, and other palliative therapies. Immunization is a new direction for rehabilitation and treatment of MPE. The effusion caused by cancer cells establishes its own immune microenvironment during its formation. Immune cells, cytokines, signal pathways of microenvironment affect the MPE progress and prognosis of patients. The interaction between them have been proved. The relevant studies were obtained through a systematic search of PubMed database according to keywords search method. Then through screening and sorting and reading full-text, 300 literatures were screened out. Exclude irrelevant and poor quality articles, 238 literatures were cited in the references. In this study, the mechanism of immune microenvironment affecting malignant pleural effusion was discussed from the perspectives of adaptive immune cells, innate immune cells, cytokines and molecular targets. Meanwhile, this study focused on the clinical value of microenvironmental components in the immunotherapy and prognosis of malignant pleural effusion.

SMAD7 expression in CAR-T cells improves persistence and safety for solid tumors

Despite the tremendous progress of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy in hematological malignancies, their application in solid tumors has been limited largely due to T-cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and systemic toxicity caused by excessive cytokine release. As a key regulator of the immunosuppressive TME, TGF-β promotes cytokine synthesis via the NF-κB pathway. Here, we coexpressed SMAD7, a suppressor of TGF-β signaling, with a HER2-targeted CAR in engineered T cells. These novel CAR-T cells displayed high cytolytic efficacy and were resistant to TGF-β-triggered exhaustion, which enabled sustained tumoricidal capacity after continuous antigen exposure. Moreover, SMAD7 substantially reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines by antigen-primed CAR-T cells. Mechanistically, SMAD7 downregulated TGF-β receptor I and abrogated the interplay between the TGF-β and NF-κB pathways in CAR-T cells. As a result, these CAR-T cells persistently inhibited tumor growth and promoted the survival of tumor-challenged mice regardless of the hostile tumor microenvironment caused by a high concentration of TGF-β. SMAD7 coexpression also enhanced CAR-T-cell infiltration and persistent activation in patient-derived tumor organoids. Therefore, our study demonstrated the feasibility of SMAD7 coexpression as a novel approach to improve the efficacy and safety of CAR-T-cell therapy for solid tumors.

New CEACAM-targeting 2A3 single-domain antibody-based chimeric antigen receptor T-cells produce anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo

Recently, a breakthrough immunotherapeutic strategy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells has been introduced to hematooncology. However, to apply this novel treatment in solid cancers, one must identify suitable molecular targets in the tumors of choice. CEACAM family proteins are involved in the progression of a range of malignancies, including pancreatic and breast cancers, and pose attractive targets for anticancer therapies. In this work, we used a new CEACAM-targeted 2A3 single-domain antibody-based chimeric antigen receptor T-cells to evaluate their antitumor properties in vitro and in animal models. Originally, 2A3 antibody was reported to target CEACAM6 molecule; however, our in vitro co-incubation experiments showed activation and high cytotoxicity of 2A3-CAR T-cells against CEACAM5 and/or CEACAM6 high human cell lines, suggesting cross-reactivity of this antibody. Moreover, 2A3-CAR T-cells tested in vivo in the BxPC-3 xenograft model demonstrated high efficacy against pancreatic cancer xenografts in both early and late intervention treatment regimens. Our results for the first time show an enhanced targeting toward CEACAM5 and CEACAM6 molecules by the new 2A3 sdAb-based CAR T-cells. The results strongly support the further development of 2A3-CAR T-cells as a potential treatment strategy against CEACAM5/6-overexpressing cancers.

Expression of Interleukin-13 Receptor Alpha 2 in Brainstem Gliomas

The objective of this study was to investigate IL13Ra2 expression in brainstem glioma (BSG) and its correlation with key markers, functions, and prognostic implications, evaluating its therapeutic potential. A total of 80 tumor samples from BSG patients were analyzed. Multiplex immunofluorescence was used to examine six markers-IL13Ra2, H3.3K27M, CD133, Ki67, HLA-1, and CD4-establishing relationships between IL13Ra2 and these markers. Survival analysis, employing Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression models, encompassed 66 patients with complete follow-up. RNA-Seq data from a previously published study involving 98 patients were analyzed using the DESeq2 library to determine differential gene expression between groups. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) via the clusterProfiler library were used to delineate the gene functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Nearly all the BSG patients displayed varying IL13Ra2 expression, with 45.0% (36/80) exhibiting over a 20% increase. Elevated IL13Ra2 levels were notably observed in pontine gliomas, diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), H3F3A-mutant gliomas, and WHO IV gliomas. IL13Ra2 expression was strongly correlated with H3.3K27M mutant protein, Ki67, and CD133. Patients with IL13Ra2 expression >20% showed shorter overall survival compared to those with ≤20% IL13Ra2 expression. The Cox proportional hazard regression model identified H3F3A mutations, rather than IL13Ra2 expression, as an independent prognostic factor. Analysis of RNA-Seq data from our prior cohort confirmed IL13Ra2's correlation with H3.3, CD133, and Ki67 levels. Widespread IL13Ra2 expression in BSG, particularly elevated in the H3F3A mutant group, was strongly correlated with H3F3A mutations, increased proliferation, and heightened tumor stemness. IL13Ra2 represents a promising therapeutic target for BSGs, potentially benefiting patients with H3K27M mutations, DIPGs, WHO Grade IV, and pontine location-specific BSGs, particularly those with H3K27M mutations.

Regulation of telomerase towards tumor therapy

Cancer is an aging-related disease, while aging plays an important role in the development process of tumor, thus the two are inextricably associated. Telomere attrition is one of the recognized hallmark events of senescence. Hence, targeting telomerase which could extends telomere sequences to treat tumors is widely favored. Cancer cells rely on high activity of telomerase to maintain a strong proliferative potential. By inhibiting the expression or protein function of telomerase, the growth of cancer cells can be significantly suppressed. In addition, the human immune system itself has a defense system against malignant tumors. However, excessive cell division results in dramatic shortening on telomeres and decline in the function of immune organs that facilitates cancer cell evasion. It has been shown that increasing telomerase activity or telomere length of these immune cells can attenuate senescence, improve cellular viability, and enhance the immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumor. In this paper, we review the telomerase-targeting progress using different anti-tumor strategies from the perspectives of cancer cells and immune cells, respectively, as well as tracking the preclinical and clinical studies of some representative drugs for the prevention or treatment of tumors.

Application of adoptive cell therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health challenge. Novel treatment modalities are urgently needed to extend the overall survival of patients. The liver plays an immunomodulatory function due to its unique physiological structural characteristics. Therefore, following surgical resection and radiotherapy, immunotherapy regimens have shown great potential in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adoptive cell immunotherapy is rapidly developing in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we summarize the latest research on adoptive immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. The focus is on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells. Then tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and macrophages are briefly discussed. The main overview of the application and challenges of adoptive immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. It aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the current status of HCC adoptive immunotherapy and offers some strategies. We hope to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Application of exosomes as nanocarriers in cancer therapy

Cancer remains the most common lethal disease in the world. Although the treatment choices for cancer are still limited, significant progress has been made over the past few years. By improving targeted drug therapy, drug delivery systems promoted the therapeutic effects of anti-cancer medications. Exosome is a kind of natural nanoscale delivery system with natural substance transport properties, good biocompatibility, and high tumor targeting, which shows great potential in drug carriers, thereby providing novel strategies for cancer therapy. In this review, we present the formation, distribution, and characteristics of exosomes. Besides, extraction and isolation techniques are discussed. We focus on the recent progress and application of exosomes in cancer therapy in four aspects: exosome-mediated gene therapy, chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, and combination therapy. The current challenges and future developments of exosome-mediated cancer therapy are also discussed. Finally, the latest advances in the application of exosomes as drug delivery carriers in cancer therapy are summarized, which provide practical value and guidance for the development of cancer therapy.

Phytochemical-Based Nanomedicine for Targeting Tumor Microenvironment and Inhibiting Cancer Chemoresistance: Recent Advances and Pharmacological Insights

Cancer remains the leading cause of death and rapidly evolving disease worldwide. The understanding of disease pathophysiology has improved through advanced research investigation, and several therapeutic strategies are being used for better cancer treatment. However, the increase in cancer relapse and metastatic-related deaths indicate that available therapies and clinically approved chemotherapy drugs are not sufficient to combat cancer. Further, the constant crosstalk between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for the development, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic response to tumors. In this regard, phytochemicals with multimodal targeting abilities can be used as an alternative to current cancer therapy by inhibiting cancer survival pathways or modulating TME. However, due to their poor pharmacokinetics and low bioavailability, the success of phytochemicals in clinical trials is limited. Therefore, developing phytochemical-based nanomedicine or phytonanomedicine can improve the pharmacokinetic profile of these phytochemicals. Herein, the molecular characteristics and pharmacological insights of the proposed phytonanomedicine in cancer therapy targeting tumor tissue and altering the characteristics of cancer stem cells, chemoresistance, TME, and cancer immunity are well discussed. Further, we have highlighted the clinical perspective and challenges of phytonanomedicine in filling the gap in potential cancer therapeutics using various nanoplatforms. Overall, we have discussed how clinical success and pharmacological insights could make it more beneficial to boost the concept of nanomedicine in the academic and pharmaceutical fields to counter cancer metastases and drug resistance.

Amino acid metabolism reprogramming: shedding new light on T cell anti-tumor immunity

Metabolic reprogramming of amino acids has been increasingly recognized to initiate and fuel tumorigenesis and survival. Therefore, there is emerging interest in the application of amino acid metabolic strategies in antitumor therapy. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop amino acid metabolic node interventions such as amino acid antagonists and targeting amino acid transporters, key enzymes of amino acid metabolism, and common downstream pathways of amino acid metabolism. In addition to playing an essential role in sustaining tumor growth, new technologies and studies has revealed amino acid metabolic reprograming to have wide implications in the regulation of antitumor immune responses. Specifically, extensive crosstalk between amino acid metabolism and T cell immunity has been reported. Tumor cells can inhibit T cell immunity by depleting amino acids in the microenvironment through nutrient competition, and toxic metabolites of amino acids can also inhibit T cell function. In addition, amino acids can interfere with T cells by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. This crucial crosstalk inspires the exploitation of novel strategies of immunotherapy enhancement and combination, owing to the unprecedented benefits of immunotherapy and the limited population it can benefit. Herein, we review recent findings related to the crosstalk between amino acid metabolism and T cell immunity. We also describe possible approaches to intervene in amino acid metabolic pathways by targeting various signaling nodes. Novel efforts to combine with and unleash potential immunotherapy are also discussed. Hopefully, some strategies that take the lead in the pipeline may soon be used for the common good.

Activation of autophagy by in situ Zn2+ chelation reaction for enhanced tumor chemoimmunotherapy

Chemotherapy can induce a robust T cell antitumor immune response by triggering immunogenic cell death (ICD), a process in which tumor cells convert from nonimmunogenic to immunogenic forms. However, the antitumor immune response of ICD remains limited due to the low immunogenicity of tumor cells and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Although autophagy is involved in activating tumor immunity, the synergistic role of autophagy in ICD remains elusive and challenging. Herein, we report an autophagy amplification strategy using an ion-chelation reaction to augment chemoimmunotherapy in cancer treatments based on zinc ion (Zn²⁺)-doped, disulfiram (DSF)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DSF@Zn-DMSNs). Upon pH-sensitive biodegradation of DSF@Zn-DMSNs, Zn²⁺ and DSF are coreleased in the mildly acidic tumor microenvironment, leading to the formation of toxic Zn²⁺ chelate through an in situ chelation reaction. Consequently, this chelate not only significantly stimulates cellular apoptosis and generates damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) but also activates autophagy, which mediates the amplified release of DAMPs to enhance ICD. In vivo results demonstrated that DSF@Zn-DMSNs exhibit strong therapeutic efficacy via in situ ion chelation and possess the ability to activate autophagy, thus enhancing immunotherapy by promoting the infiltration of T cells. This study provides a smart in situ chelation strategy with tumor microenvironment-responsive autophagy amplification to achieve high tumor chemoimmunotherapy efficacy and biosafety.

Targeting of tumor cells by custom antigen transfer: a novel approach for immunotherapy of cancer

In the early stages of carcinogenesis, the transformed cells become "invisible" to the immune system. From this moment on, the evolution of the tumor depends essentially on the genotype of the primitive cancer cells and their subsequent genetic drift. The role of the immune system in blocking tumor progression from the earliest stages is largely underestimated because by the time tumors are clinically detectable, the immune system has already completely failed its task. Therefore, a clinical treatment capable of restoring the natural anti-tumor role of the immune system could prove to be the "ultimate weapon" against cancer. Herein, we propose a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of solid cancer that exploits the capability of activated monocytes to transfer major histocompatibility complex I (MHC-I) molecules bound to antigenic peptides to cancer cells using microvesicles as cargo, making tumor cells target of a "natural" CD8+ T lymphocyte cytotoxic response.

Revealing the impact of CD70 expression on the manufacture and functions of CAR-70 T-cells based on single-cell transcriptomics

BACKGROUND

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR T-cells) have shown exhilarative clinical efficacy for hematological malignancies. However, a shared antigen pool between healthy and malignant T-cells remains a concept to be technically and clinically explored for CAR T-cell therapy in T-cell cancers. No guidelines for engineering CAR T-cells targeting self-expressed antigens are currently available.

METHOD

Based on anti-CD70 CAR (CAR-70) T-cells, we constructed CD70 knock-out and wild-type CAR (CAR-70KO and CAR-70WT) T-cells and evaluated their manufacturing and anti-tumor capability. Single-cell RNA sequencing and TCR sequencing were performed to further reveal the underlying differences between the two groups of CAR T-cells.

RESULTS

Our data showed that the disruption of target genes in T-cells before CAR transduction advantaged the expansion and cell viability of CAR T-cells during manufacturing periods, as well as the degranulation, anti-tumor efficacy, and proliferation potency in response to tumor cells. Meanwhile, more naïve and central memory phenotype CAR+ T-cells, with higher TCR clonal diversity, remained in the final products in KO samples. Gene expression profiles revealed a higher activation and exhaustion level of CAR-70WT T-cells, while signaling transduction pathway analysis identified a higher level of the phosphorylation-related pathway in CAR-70KO T-cells.

CONCLUSION

This study evidenced that CD70 stimulation during manufacturing process induced early exhaustion of CAR-70 T-cells. Knocking-out CD70 in T-cells prevented the exhaustion and led to a better-quality CAR-70 T-cell product. Our research will contribute to good engineering CAR T-cells targeting self-expressed antigens.

Incidence of CD19-negative relapse after CD19-targeted immunotherapy in R/R BCP acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a review

There are inconsistencies in the reporting of CD19 antigen status following treatment with CD19-targeted therapies. A majority of evidence comes from studies reporting small sample sizes. In this review, we systematically summarize published studies that have reported rates of CD19-negative relapse after treatment with either blinatumomab or CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy and report the rates of CD19-negative relapse when evaluated in a standardized way across trials. CD19-negative relapse appears to occur more commonly in relapses following CAR T-cell therapy compared with blinatumomab, whether proportions are calculated among all treated patients (8.7% vs 4.5%) or among patients who relapse (30% vs 22.5%). The median (range) duration of follow-up was 29.3 (17.4-50.8) and 20.4 (6.9-49.0) months for publications on blinatumomab (n = 10) and CAR T-cell therapies (n = 23), respectively. There is a need for standardized reporting of CD19 antigen status in the setting of relapse following novel immunotherapies to inform clinical practice.

Pan-cancer analysis: SPAG5 is an immunological and prognostic biomarker for multiple cancers

Sperm-associated antigen 5 (SPAG5) is a mitotic spindle protein that regulates the separation of sister chromatids into daughter cells. Recent studies have discovered its overexpression in various cancers, suggesting its oncogenic characteristics and functions. However, a comprehensive analysis of SPAG5 regarding its diagnostic, prognostic, and immune-related effects across different cancer types is lacking. In this study, we employed bioinformatics methods and integrated multiple public databases to explore the potential oncogenic role of SPAG5. We analyzed its expression, prognosis, related chemicals, enriched pathways, immune infiltration, and its impact on different tumor genetic alterations. The results revealed that SPAG5 is highly expressed in most cancers and significantly correlates with poor patient prognosis. Additionally, SPAG5 expression showed potential for early cancer diagnosis in 15 different cancer types. In terms of tumor immunity, high expression of SPAG5 was associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and immune therapy efficacy indicators. SPAG5 expression exhibited a negative correlation with most immune cell infiltrates but demonstrated a significant positive correlation with Th2 cells and MDSC cells. Multicolor fluorescence immunohistochemistry demonstrated that SPAG5 activates immune cell populations within tumors, indicating its significant role in the tumor microenvironment. Enrichment analysis indicated that SPAG5-related genes are mainly involved in cell cycle, cellular senescence, P53 signaling pathway, and FoxO signaling pathway. Furthermore, we confirmed the high expression of SPAG5 in cancer cells and observed that its knockdown upregulated the expression of the p53 protein. In conclusion, SPAG5 holds value as a diagnostic, prognostic, and immune biomarker in various cancers and may provide a novel target for tumor immunotherapy.

Effectiveness and safety of CD22 and CD19 dual-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of CD22 or CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells in the management of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was observed. Because antigen loss and lack of CAR-T-cell persistence are the leading causes of progressive disease following single-antigen targeting, we evaluated CD22/CD19 dual-targeting CAR-T-cell therapy efficacy and safety in relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies.

METHODS

The Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched until July 2022. Patients confirmed with any relapsed/refractory B-cell hematological malignancies were included regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity, receiving CD22 and CD19-dual-targeting CAR-T-cell therapy. The studies conducted on patients with coexisting other cancer were excluded. We used random-effect models to explore the outcome, and heterogeneity was investigated by subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies (405 patients) were included. The pooled overall response (OR) and complete remission (CR) were 97% and 93%, respectively, for ALL patients. The 1-year proportions of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 70% and 49%, respectively. For NHL, OR occurred in 85% of patients, and 57% experienced CR. The results illustrated that the 1-year OS and 1-year PFS were 77% and 65%, respectively. The subgroup analysis showed that the dual-targeting modality achieved higher CR in the following cases: coadministration of CD22/CD19-CAR-T cells and third-generation CAR-T cells combined with ASCT and BEAM pretreatment. The ALL and NHL groups seemed similar in treatment-related toxicity: all grade cytokine release syndrome (CRS), severe CRS, and neurotoxicity occurred in 86%, 7%, and 12% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the CD22/CD19 dual-targeting CAR-T-cell strategy has high efficiency with tolerable adverse effects in B-cell malignancies.

CAR-T in the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Barriers and How to Overcome Them

Conventional therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are characterized by high rates of relapse, severe toxicities, and poor overall survival rates. Thus, the development of new therapeutic strategies is crucial for improving the survival and quality of life of AML patients. CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy has been extremely successful in the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoid leukemia and several mature B-cell lymphomas. However, the use of CAR T-cell therapy for AML is currently prevented due to the lack of a myeloid equivalent to CD19, as currently known cell surface targets on leukemic blasts are also expressed on healthy hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells as well as their progeny. In addition, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has a dampening effect on the antitumor activity of CAR-T cells. Here, we review the therapeutic challenges limiting the use of CAR T-cell therapy for AML and discuss promising novel strategies to overcome them.

Pan-cancer analysis and experimental validation revealed the m6A methyltransferase KIAA1429 as a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

KIAA1429, also known as VIRMA (vir-like m6A methyltransferase associated), plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis by modulating the level of m6A methylation. Previous studies have reported the prevalent overexpression of KIAA1429 in multiple cancers, related to a poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the precise role of KIAA1429 in tumor progression and its impact on the immune response remains unclear.

METHODS

A differential analysis of KIAA1429 expression was performed across cancers using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. We evaluated the role of KIAA1429 in the diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy of tumor patients using bioinformatics methods. In addition, we also analyzed the associations between KIAA1429 and DNA methylation, immunotherapy. RT-qPCR was used to study the expression levels of KIAA1429 mRNA in 11 cell lines.

RESULTS

KIAA1429 is found to be overexpressed in 28 cancer types, but its expression is relatively low in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (LAML) and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV). Moreover, KIAA1429 demonstrates a positive correlation with advanced stages of multiple cancers. Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis suggested that patients with elevated KIAA1429 expression had shorter survival. Furthermore, KIAA1429 shows strong associations with DNA methylation, tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs), and the tumor microenvironment (TME). RT-qPCR results indicated significantly higher expression of KIAA1429 in tumor cells compared to matched-normal cells.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, our work illustrates that KIAA1429 expression is positively connected with poor prognosis in multiple cancers. Moreover, KIAA1429 could serve as a diagnostic factor and a predictor of immune response for specific tumor types.

Modulation of Radiation Doses and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells: A Promising New Weapon in Solid Tumors-A Narrative Review

Tumor behavior is determined by its interaction with the tumor microenvironment (TME). Chimeric antigen receptor (CART) cell therapy represents a new form of cellular immunotherapy (IT). Immune cells present a different sensitivity to radiation therapy (RT). RT can affect tumor cells both modifying the TME and inducing DNA damage, with different effects depending on the low and high doses delivered, and can favor the expression of CART cells. CART cells are patients' T cells genetically engineered to recognize surface structure and to eradicate cancer cells. High-dose radiation therapy (HDRT, >10-20 Gy/fractions) converts immunologically "cold" tumors into "hot" ones by inducing necrosis and massive inflammation and death. LDRT (low-dose radiation therapy, >5-10 Gy/fractions) increases the expansion of CART cells and leads to non-immunogenetic death. An innovative approach, defined as the LATTICE technique, combines a high dose in higher FDG- uptake areas and a low dose to the tumor periphery. The association of RT and immune checkpoint inhibitors increases tumor immunogenicity and immune response both in irradiated and non-irradiated sites. The aim of this narrative review is to clarify the knowledge, to date, on CART cell therapy and its possible association with radiation therapy in solid tumors.

Transformative Materials for Interfacial Drug Delivery

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are designed to temporally and spatially control drug availability and activity. They assist in improving the balance between on-target therapeutic efficacy and off-target toxic side effects. DDS aid in overcoming biological barriers encountered by drug molecules upon applying them via various routes of administration. They are furthermore increasingly explored for modulating the interface between implanted (bio)medical materials and host tissue. Herein, an overview of the biological barriers and host-material interfaces encountered by DDS upon oral, intravenous, and local administration is provided, and material engineering advances at different time and space scales to exemplify how current and future DDS can contribute to improved disease treatment are highlighted.

Feasibility of an acoustophoresis-based system for a high-throughput cell washing: application to bioproduction

BACKGROUND AIMS

These last decades have seen the emergence and development of cell-based therapies, notably those based on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). The advancement of these promising treatments requires increasing the throughput of processed cell for industrialization in order to reduce production costs. Among the various bioproduction challenges, downstream processing, including medium exchange, cell washing, cell harvesting and volume reduction, remains a critical step for which improvements are needed. Typically, these processes are performed by centrifugation. However, this approach limits the automation, especially in small batch productions where it is performed manually in open system.

METHODS

An acoustophoresis-based system was developed for cell washing. The cells were transferred from one stream to another via the acoustic forces and were collected in a different medium. The optimal flow rates of the different streams were assessed using red blood cells suspended in an albumin solution. Finally, the impact of acoustic washing on adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) transcriptome was investigated by RNA-sequencing.

RESULTS

With a single passage through the acoustic device at input flow rate of 45 mL/h, the albumin removal was up to 90% while recovering 99% of RBCs. To further increase the protein removal, a loop washing in two steps was performed and has allowed an albumin removal ≥99% and a red blood cell/AD-MSCs recovery of 99%. After loop washing of AD-MSCs, only two genes, HES4 and MIR-3648-1, were differently expressed compared with the input.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we developed a continuous cell-washing system based on acoustophoresis. The process allows a theoretically high cell throughput while inducing little gene expression changes. These results indicate that cell washing based on acoustophoresis is a relevant and promising solution for numerous applications in cell manufacturing.

Advancement and Applications of Nanotherapy for Cancer Immune Microenvironment

Cancer treatment has evolved rapidly due to major advances in tumor immunity research. However, due to the complexity, heterogeneity, and immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumors, the overall efficacy of immunotherapy is only 20%. In recent years, nanoparticles have attracted more attention in the field of cancer immunotherapy because of their remarkable advantages in biocompatibility, precise targeting, and controlled drug delivery. However, the clinical application of nanomedicine also faces many problems concerning biological safety, and the synergistic mechanism of nano-drugs with immunity remains to be elucidated. Our study summarizes the functional characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of nanoparticles in the cancer immune microenvironment and how nanoparticles activate and long-term stimulate innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Finally, the current problems and future development trends regarding the application of nanoparticles are fully discussed and prospected to promote the transformation and application of nanomedicine used in cancer treatment.

Exploration of cuprotosis-related genes for predicting prognosis and immunological characteristics in acute myeloid leukaemia based on genome and transcriptome

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common hematologic malignancy with a generally unfavorable prognosis. Cuprotosis as a new form of programmed cell death has been shown to play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression; However, the relationship between cuprotosis and the prognosis of AML patients remains unclear.

METHODS

Transcriptomic and genomics data, along with clinical information, were obtained from the TCGA and GEO databases. Especially, unsupervised clustering and machining learning were used to identify molecular subtypes and cuprotosis-related risk scores respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and Receiver Operator Characteristic curve (ROC) were performed to assess the prognosis based on cuprotosis-related genes (CRGs). Moreover, multiple algorithms were used to evaluate immunological heterogeneity among patients with different risk scores. For in vitro analysis, the expression of genes involved in CRGs was detected by Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase (qRT-PCR) in AML patients.

RESULTS

Transcriptomic and genome data indicated the immense heterogeneity in the CRGs landscape of normal and tumor samples. Cuprotosis subtype A and cuprotosis regulatory subtype B in the genomics map and biological characteristics were significantly different from the other groups. Furthermore, these two subtypes had lower risk scores and longer survival times compared to other groups. Cox analyses indicated that risk score was an independent prognostic factor for AML patients. In addition, our risk score could be an indicator of survival outcomes in immunotherapy datasets.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates the potential of CRGs in guiding the prognosis, treatment, and immunological characteristics of AML patients.

Harnessing the Immune System: Current and Emerging Immunotherapy Strategies for Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Treatment for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children and young adults continues to evolve. Despite optimization of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic approaches and risk-adapted therapy, about 12% of pediatric patients still relapse, and survival rates in this population remain poor. Salvage therapy for relapsed patients continues to be challenging as attempts to further intensify chemotherapy have resulted in excessive toxicity without improving outcomes. Immunotherapy has profoundly impacted the landscape of relapsed ALL by harnessing the patient's immune system to target and eliminate leukemia cells. In this review, we provide an overview and summary of immunotherapy agents that have been approved and remain under investigation for children, including blinatumomab, inotuzumab, daratumomab, and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. We discuss the landmark clinical trials that have revolutionized the field and provide an update on ongoing clinical trials involving these agents for children in the relapsed and upfront setting. The incorporation of these novel immunotherapies into ALL treatment, either as monotherapy or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy, has demonstrated promising potential to augment outcomes while decreasing toxicity. However, we also highlight the many challenges we still face and the research critically needed to achieve our goals for cure in children.

The long and winding road of faecal microbiota transplants to targeted intervention for improvement of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy

INTRODUCTION

Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Inhibitory molecules, either on the tumor or on cells of the immune system, are blocked, allowing the immune system of the patient to attack and eradicate the tumor. Not all patients respond to ICI therapy, and response or non-response has been associated with composition of gut microbiota.

AREA COVERED

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is used as adjunctive therapy in order to improve the outcome of ICI. ClinicalTrials.gov, and other databases were searched (October 2022) for studies dealing with gut microbiota modification and the outcome of ICI.

EXPERT OPINION

There is ample evidence for the beneficial effect of FMT on the outcome of ICI therapy for cancer, especially melanoma. Progress is being made in the unraveling of the mechanisms by which microbiota and their metabolites (butyrate and the tryptophan metabolite indole-3-aldehyde) interact with the mucosal immune system of the host. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved will allow the identification of key bacterial species which mediate the effect of FMT. Promising species are Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Eubacterium rectale, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, B. bifidum, and B. longum, because they are important direct and indirect butyrate producers.