1
|
Kim M, Noh K, Kim P, Kim JH, Choi BW, Singh R, Choi JH, Han SB, Kim SS, Lee EY, Bae MA, Shin D, Kim M, Ahn JH. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New 2,6,7-Substituted Purine Derivatives as Toll-like Receptor 7 Agonists for Intranasal Vaccine Adjuvants. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9389-9405. [PMID: 38787938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
TLR7/8 agonists are versatile immune stimulators capable of treating various diseases such as viral infections, autoimmune, and cancer. Despite the structural similarity of TLR7/8, their immune stimulation mechanisms and time-course responses significantly differ. In this study, a new series of TLR7-selective agonists was synthesized utilizing the economical building block 2,6-dichloropurine. Compound 27b showed the most potent activity on hTLR7 with an EC50 of 17.53 nM and demonstrated high hTLR7 selectivity (224 folds against TLR8). 27b effectively stimulated the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in mouse macrophages and enhanced intranasal vaccine efficacy against influenza A virus in vivo. Assessment of humoral and mucosal antibody titers confirmed that 27b elevates IgG and IgA levels, protecting against both homologous and heterologous influenza viral infections. These findings suggest that 27b is a promising candidate as a vaccine adjuvant to prevent viral infections or as a robust immunomodulator with prolonged activity for treating immune-suppressed diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungseob Noh
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Pyeongkeun Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Ho Kim
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Wook Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Ravi Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Ho Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bong Han
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Soon Kim
- Bio and Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Young Lee
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Ae Bae
- Bio and Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Daeho Shin
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Meehyein Kim
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Ahn
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gu L, Kong X, Li M, Chen R, Xu K, Li G, Qin Y, Wu L. Molecule engineering strategy of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists designed for potentiating immune stimuli activation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:5474-5485. [PMID: 38712400 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00792a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR-7/8) agonists serve as a promising class of pattern recognition receptors that effectively evoke the innate immune response, making them promising immunomodulatory agents for tumor immunotherapy. However, the uncontrollable administration of TLR-7/8 agonists frequently leads to the occurrence of severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Thus, it is imperative to strategically design tumor-microenvironment-associated biomarkers or exogenous stimuli responsive TLR-7/8 agonists in order to accurately evaluate and activate innate immune responses. No comprehensive elucidation has been documented thus far regarding TLR-7/8 immune agonists that are specifically engineered to enhance immune activation. In this feature article, we provide an overview of the advancements in TLR-7/8 agonists, aiming to enhance the comprehension of their mechanisms and promote the clinical progression through nanomedicine strategies. The current challenges and future directions of cancer immunotherapy are also discussed, with the hope that this work will inspire researchers to explore innovative applications for triggering immune responses through TLR-7/8 agonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuwei Gu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaojie Kong
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Mengyan Li
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Rui Chen
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Ke Xu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Guo Li
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Yulin Qin
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Li Wu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ren SM, Chang JB, Liu RQ, Jin GY. The novel selective TLR7 agonist GY101 suppresses colon cancer growth by stimulating immune cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 967:176383. [PMID: 38311281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7, a transmembrane signal transduction receptor expressed on the surface of endosomes, has become an attractive target for antiviral and cancer immunotherapies. TLR7 can induce signal transduction by recognizing single-stranded RNA or its analogs, leading to the release of cytokines such as IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and type-I IFN. Activation of TLR7 helps to enhance immunogenicity and immune memory by stimulating immune cells. Herein, we identified a novel selective TLR7 agonist, GY101, and determined its ability to activate TLR7. In summary, in vitro, compound GY101 significantly induced the secretion of IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ in mouse splenic lymphocytes; in vivo, peritumoral injection of GY101 significantly suppressed colon cancer CT26, as well as poorly immunogenic B16-F10 and 4T1 cancer cell-derived tumor growth by activating the infiltration of lymphocytes and polarization of M2-like macrophages into M1-like macrophages. These results demonstrate that GY101, as a potent TLR7 agonist, holds great potential for cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Su-Mei Ren
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Jun-Biao Chang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Rui-Qi Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
| | - Guang-Yi Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Conjugenix Pharmaceutical Technology Company, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ou J, Zheng L, Chen Y, Fu Q, Tan L, Liang E, Huang L, Pan Y, Ke J, Chen Z, Cheng K. Heterocyclic-Modified Imidazoquinoline Derivatives: Selective TLR7 Agonist Regulates Tumor Microenvironment against Melanoma. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3321-3338. [PMID: 38363069 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy targeting the toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of imidazoquinoline-based TLR7 agonists and assess NF-κB pathway activation using HEK-Blue hTLR7 cells to identify the most potent small-molecule TLR7 agonist, SMU-L11 (EC50 = 0.024 ± 0.002 μM). In vitro experiments demonstrated that SMU-L11 specifically activated TLR7, resulting in recruitment of the MyD88 adaptor protein and activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Moreover, SMU-L11 was found to exert immune-enhancing effects by significantly inducing the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in murine dendritic cells, macrophages, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells while promoting M1 macrophage polarization. In vivo studies using a B16-F10 mouse tumor model showed that SMU-L11 significantly enhanced immune cell activation and augmented CD4+ T and CD8+ T-cell proliferation, directly killing tumor cells and inhibiting tumor growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Ou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lu Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yanlin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qiuyue Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Liyi Tan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - En Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yue Pan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jiahua Ke
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhipeng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Kui Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
He L, Zhang MY, Cox M, Zhang Q, Donnell AF, Zhang Y, Tarby C, Gill P, Subbaiah MAM, Ramar T, Reddy M, Puttapaka V, Li YX, Sivaprakasam P, Critton D, Mulligan D, Xie C, Ramakrishnan R, Nagar J, Dudhgaonkar S, Murtaza A, Oderinde MS, Schieven GL, Mathur A, Gavai AV, Vite G, Gangwar S, Poudel YB. Identification and Optimization of Small Molecule Pyrazolopyrimidine TLR7 Agonists for Applications in Immuno-oncology. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:189-196. [PMID: 38352849 PMCID: PMC10860188 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecule toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonists have gathered considerable interest as promising therapeutic agents for applications in cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we describe the development and optimization of a series of novel TLR7 agonists through systematic structure-activity relationship studies focusing on modification of the phenylpiperidine side chain. Additional refinement of ADME properties culminated in the discovery of compound 14, which displayed nanomolar reporter assay activity and favorable drug-like properties. Compound 14 demonstrated excellent in vivo pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles and synergistic antitumor activity when administered in combination with aPD1 antibody, suggesting opportunities of employing 14 in immuno-oncology therapies with immune checkpoint blockade agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liqi He
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Meng Yao Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Matthew Cox
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Qian Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Andrew F. Donnell
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Yong Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Christine Tarby
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Patrice Gill
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | | | | | - Maheswara Reddy
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Yi-Xin Li
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Prasanna Sivaprakasam
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - David Critton
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Dawn Mulligan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Chunshan Xie
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Radha Ramakrishnan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Jignesh Nagar
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Anwar Murtaza
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Martins S. Oderinde
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gary L. Schieven
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Arvind Mathur
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Ashvinikumar V. Gavai
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gregory Vite
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Sanjeev Gangwar
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Yam B. Poudel
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Strašek Benedik N, Dolšak A, Švajger U, Sosič I, Gobec S, Sova M. Structural Optimization and Biological Evaluation of Isoxazolo[5,4 -d]pyrimidines as Selective Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2362-2382. [PMID: 38250345 PMCID: PMC10795023 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are components of innate immunity that play a crucial role in several diseases, including chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In particular, TLR7 has been identified as a key player in the innate immune response against viral infections and small-molecule TLR7 agonists have shown potential for vaccine therapy, for treatment of asthma and allergies, and as anticancer drugs. Inspired by our previous discovery of selective TLR7 agonists, our goal was to develop and introduce a new chemotype of TLR7 agonists by replacing the quinazoline ring with a new heterocycle isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine. Here, we report design, optimized synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of a novel class of TLR7 agonists based on the 6-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-4-amine scaffold that demonstrate high selectivity and low micromolar potencies. The best-in-class agonist 21a, with an EC50 value of 7.8 μM, also proved to be noncytotoxic and induced secretion of cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-12p70, IL-8, and TNF-α, indicating its potential to modulate the immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nika Strašek Benedik
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ana Dolšak
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Urban Švajger
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Blood
Transfusion Centre of Slovenia, Šlajmerjeva 6, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Matej Sova
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang Z, Li H, Gou L, Li W, Wang Y. Antibody-drug conjugates: Recent advances in payloads. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4025-4059. [PMID: 37799390 PMCID: PMC10547921 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody‒drug conjugates (ADCs), which combine the advantages of monoclonal antibodies with precise targeting and payloads with efficient killing, show great clinical therapeutic value. The ADCs' payloads play a key role in determining the efficacy of ADC drugs and thus have attracted great attention in the field. An ideal ADC payload should possess sufficient toxicity, low immunogenicity, high stability, and modifiable functional groups. Common ADC payloads include tubulin inhibitors and DNA damaging agents, with tubulin inhibitors accounting for more than half of the ADC drugs in clinical development. However, due to clinical limitations of traditional ADC payloads, such as inadequate efficacy and the development of acquired drug resistance, novel highly efficient payloads with diverse targets and reduced side effects are being developed. This perspective summarizes the recent research advances of traditional and novel ADC payloads with main focuses on the structure-activity relationship studies, co-crystal structures, and designing strategies, and further discusses the future research directions of ADC payloads. This review also aims to provide valuable references and future directions for the development of novel ADC payloads that will have high efficacy, low toxicity, adequate stability, and abilities to overcome drug resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu 610212, China
| | - Hanxuan Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Lantu Gou
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu 610212, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhuo SH, Noda N, Hioki K, Jin S, Hayashi T, Hiraga K, Momose H, Li WH, Zhao L, Mizukami T, Ishii KJ, Li YM, Uesugi M. Identification of a Self-Assembling Small-Molecule Cancer Vaccine Adjuvant with an Improved Toxicity Profile. J Med Chem 2023; 66:13266-13279. [PMID: 37676021 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Protein or peptide cancer vaccines usually include immune potentiators, so-called adjuvants. However, it remains challenging to identify structurally simple, chemically accessible synthetic molecules that are effective and safe as vaccine adjuvant. Here, we present cholicamideβ (6), a self-assembling small-molecule vaccine adjuvant with an improved toxicity profile and proven efficacy in vivo. We demonstrate that cholicamideβ (6), which is less cytotoxic than its parent compound, forms virus-like particles to potently activate dendritic cells with the concomitant secretion of cytokines. When combined with a peptide antigen, cholicamideβ (6) potentiated the antigen presentation on dendritic cells to induce antigen-specific T cells. As a therapeutic cancer vaccine adjuvant in mice, a mixture of cholicamideβ (6) and a peptide antigen protected mice from the challenges of malignant cancer cells without overt toxicity. Cholicamideβ (6) may offer a translational opportunity as an unprecedented class of small-molecule cancer vaccine adjuvants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Hua Zhuo
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Naotaka Noda
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kou Hioki
- Division of Vaccine Science, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Shuyu Jin
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoya Hayashi
- Division of Vaccine Science, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Kou Hiraga
- Research Center for Biological Products in the Next Generation, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan
| | - Haruka Momose
- Research Center for Biological Products in the Next Generation, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan
| | - Wen-Hao Li
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lang Zhao
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Takuo Mizukami
- Research Center for Biological Products in the Next Generation, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan
| | - Ken J Ishii
- Division of Vaccine Science, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Yan-Mei Li
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Motonari Uesugi
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang J, Zhang J, Wang J, Hu X, Ouyang L, Wang Y. Small-Molecule Modulators Targeting Toll-like Receptors for Potential Anticancer Therapeutics. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6437-6462. [PMID: 37163340 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key components of the innate immune system and serve as a crucial link between innate and acquired immunity. In addition to immune function, TLRs are involved in other important pathological processes, including tumorigenesis. TLRs have dual regulatory effects on tumor immunity by activating nuclear factor κ-B signaling pathways, which induce tumor immune evasion or enhance the antitumor immune response. Therefore, TLRs have become a popular target for cancer prevention and treatment, and TLR agonists and antagonists offer considerable potential for drug development. The TLR7 agonist imiquimod (1) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for malignant skin cancer. Herein, the structure, signaling pathways, and function of the TLR family are summarized, and the structure-activity relationships associated with TLR selective and multitarget modulators and their potential application in tumor therapy are systematically discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Xinyue Hu
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Ouyang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rubatto M, Sciamarrelli N, Borriello S, Pala V, Mastorino L, Tonella L, Ribero S, Quaglino P. Classic and new strategies for the treatment of advanced melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:959289. [PMID: 36844955 PMCID: PMC9947410 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.959289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are burdened with a dismal prognosis. To improve the survival of these patients, studies on immunotherapy and target therapies in melanoma and NMSCs are rapidly increasing. BRAF and MEK inhibitors improve clinical outcomes, and anti-PD1 therapy demonstrates better results than chemotherapy or anti-CTLA4 therapy in terms of the survival of patients with advanced melanoma. In recent years, the combination therapy of nivolumab plus ipilimumab has gained ground in studies for its survival and response rate benefits in patients with advanced melanoma. In addition, neoadjuvant treatment for stages III and IV melanoma, either as monotherapy or combination therapy, has recently been discussed. Another promising strategy evaluated in recent studies is the triple combination of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy and anti-BRAF plus anti-MEK targeted therapy. On the contrary, in advanced and metastatic BCC, successful therapeutic strategies, such as vismodegib and sonidegib, are based on the inhibition of aberrant activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. In these patients, anti-PD-1 therapy with cemiplimab should be reserved as the second-line therapy in case of disease progression or poor response. In patients with locally advanced or metastatic SCC, who are not candidates for surgery or radiotherapy, anti-PD1 agents such as cemiplimab, pembrolizumab, and cosibelimab (CK-301) have shown significant results in terms of response rate. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, such as avelumab, have also been used in Merkel carcinoma, achieving responses in half of the patients with advanced disease. The latest prospect emerging for MCC is the locoregional approach involving the injection of drugs that can stimulate the immune system. Two of the most promising molecules used in combination with immunotherapy are cavrotolimod (a Toll-like receptor 9 agonist) and a Toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist. Another area of study is cellular immunotherapy with natural killer cells stimulated with an IL-15 analog or CD4/CD8 cells stimulated with tumor neoantigens. Neoadjuvant treatment with cemiplimab in CSCCs and nivolumab in MCCs has shown promising results. Despite the successes of these new drugs, the new challenges ahead will be to select patients who will benefit from these treatments based on biomarkers and parameters of the tumor microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Silvia Borriello
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Valentina Pala
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Luca Mastorino
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Luca Tonella
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Simone Ribero
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Pietro Quaglino
- Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Leśniak M, Lipniarska J, Majka P, Kopyt W, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J. The Role of TRL7/8 Agonists in Cancer Therapy, with Special Emphasis on Hematologic Malignancies. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020277. [PMID: 36851155 PMCID: PMC9967151 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLR) belong to the pattern recognition receptors (PRR). TLR7 and the closely correlated TLR8 affiliate with toll-like receptors family, are located in endosomes. They recognize single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules and synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/RNA analogs-oligoribonucleotides. TLRs are primarily expressed in hematopoietic cells. There is compiling evidence implying that TLRs also direct the formation of blood cellular components and make a contribution to the pathogenesis of certain hematopoietic malignancies. The latest research shows a positive effect of therapy with TRL agonists on the course of hemato-oncological diseases. Ligands impact activation of antigen-presenting cells which results in production of cytokines, transfer of mentioned cells to the lymphoid tissue and co-stimulatory surface molecules expression required for T-cell activation. Toll-like receptor agonists have already been used in oncology especially in the treatment of dermatological neoplastic lesions. The usage of these substances in the treatment of solid tumors is being investigated. The present review discusses the direct and indirect influence that TLR7/8 agonists, such as imiquimod, imidazoquinolines and resiquimod have on neoplastic cells and their promising role as adjuvants in anticancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Leśniak
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Justyna Lipniarska
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Patrycja Majka
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Weronika Kopyt
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Lejman
- Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sun H, Li Y, Zhang P, Xing H, Zhao S, Song Y, Wan D, Yu J. Targeting toll-like receptor 7/8 for immunotherapy: recent advances and prospectives. Biomark Res 2022; 10:89. [PMID: 36476317 PMCID: PMC9727882 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00436-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a large family of proteins that are expressed in immune cells and various tumor cells. TLR7/8 are located in the intracellular endosomes, participate in tumor immune surveillance and play different roles in tumor growth. Activation of TLRs 7 and 8 triggers induction of a Th1 type innate immune response in the highly sophisticated process of innate immunity signaling with the recent research advances involving the small molecule activation of TLR 7 and 8. The wide range of expression and clinical significance of TLR7/TLR8 in different kinds of cancers have been extensively explored. TLR7/TLR8 can be used as novel diagnostic biomarkers, progression and prognostic indicators, and immunotherapeutic targets for various tumors. Although the mechanism of action of TLR7/8 in cancer immunotherapy is still incomplete, TLRs on T cells are involved in the regulation of T cell function and serve as co-stimulatory molecules and activate T cell immunity. TLR agonists can activate T cell-mediated antitumor responses with both innate and adaptive immune responses to improve tumor therapy. Recently, novel drugs of TLR7 or TLR8 agonists with different scaffolds have been developed. These agonists lead to the induction of certain cytokines and chemokines that can be applied to the treatment of some diseases and can be used as good adjutants for vaccines. Furthermore, TLR7/8 agonists as potential therapeutics for tumor-targeted immunotherapy have been developed. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the development of immunotherapy strategies targeting TLR7/8 in patients with various cancers and chronic hepatitis B.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Sun
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Radiotherapy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Yingmei Li
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Peng Zhang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Haizhou Xing
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Song Zhao
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Yongping Song
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Dingming Wan
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Jifeng Yu
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,grid.256922.80000 0000 9139 560XHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Gene Regulation, Henan University College of Medicine, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wu Y, Yang Z, Cheng K, Bi H, Chen J. Small molecule-based immunomodulators for cancer therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:4287-4308. [PMID: 36562003 PMCID: PMC9764074 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has led to a paradigm shift in the treatment of cancer. Current cancer immunotherapies are mostly antibody-based, thus possessing advantages in regard to pharmacodynamics (e.g., specificity and efficacy). However, they have limitations in terms of pharmacokinetics including long half-lives, poor tissue/tumor penetration, and little/no oral bioavailability. In addition, therapeutic antibodies are immunogenic, thus may cause unwanted adverse effects. Therefore, researchers have shifted their efforts towards the development of small molecule-based cancer immunotherapy, as small molecules may overcome the above disadvantages associated with antibodies. Further, small molecule-based immunomodulators and therapeutic antibodies are complementary modalities for cancer treatment, and may be combined to elicit synergistic effects. Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of small molecule-based cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we describe the current progress in small molecule-based immunomodulators (inhibitors/agonists/degraders) for cancer therapy, including those targeting PD-1/PD-L1, chemokine receptors, stimulator of interferon genes (STING), Toll-like receptor (TLR), etc. The tumorigenesis mechanism of various targets and their respective modulators that have entered clinical trials are also summarized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kui Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Huichang Bi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
SnAr Reactions of 2,4-Diazidopyrido[3,2- d]pyrimidine and Azide-Tetrazole Equilibrium Studies of the Obtained 5-Substituted Tetrazolo[1,5- a]pyrido[2,3- e]pyrimidines. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27227675. [PMID: 36431776 PMCID: PMC9698326 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A straightforward method for the synthesis of 5-substituted tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrido[2,3-e]pyrimidines from 2,4-diazidopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine in SnAr reactions with N-, O-, and S- nucleophiles has been developed. The various N- and S-substituted products were obtained with yields from 47% to 98%, but the substitution with O-nucleophiles gave lower yields (20-32%). Furthermore, the fused tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives can be regarded as 2-azidopyrimidines and functionalized in copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC) and Staudinger reactions due to the presence of a sufficient concentration of the reactive azide tautomer in solution. In total, seven products were fully characterized by their single crystal X-ray studies, while five of them were representatives of the tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrido[2,3-e]pyrimidine heterocyclic system. Equilibrium constants and thermodynamic values were determined using variable temperature 1H NMR and are in agreement of favoring the tetrazole tautomeric form (ΔG298 = -3.33 to -7.52 (kJ/mol), ΔH = -19.92 to -48.02 (kJ/mol) and ΔS = -43.74 to -143.27 (J/mol·K)). The key starting material 2,4-diazidopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine presents a high degree of tautomerization in different solvents.
Collapse
|
15
|
Yu X, Long Y, Chen B, Tong Y, Shan M, Jia X, Hu C, Liu M, Zhou J, Tang F, Lu H, Chen R, Xu P, Huang W, Ren J, Wan Y, Sun J, Li J, Jin G, Gong L. PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting nanobody-drug conjugate mediates potent tumor regression via elevating tumor immunogenicity in a host-expressed PD-L1 bias-dependent way. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004590. [PMID: 36253000 PMCID: PMC9577932 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Various tumors are insensitive to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) establish the link between innate and adaptive immunity, which can assist T-cell activation and serve as promising targets for combination to enhance ICB therapy. Here, we aimed to improve efficacy for anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy by developing a PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting nanobody-drug conjugate (NDC), based on the PD-L1 nanobodies and TLR7 agonist we developed. Methods PD-L1 nanobodies were obtained by phage display screening and identified through T-cell activation bioassay, in vivo imaging and quantitative biodistribution study. Immune activation and PD-L1-inducing of TLR7 agonists were evaluated in diverse innate cell models. We constructed PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting NDCs by chemically coupling PD-L1 nanobodies and TLR7 agonists. The antitumor effect was evaluated via several murine or humanized solid tumor models. Immunophenotyping, immune cell depletion, tumor rechallenge, RNA sequencing and PD-L1-deficient models were combined to determine the mechanism for NDCs function. The dynamics of the in vivo behaviors of NDCs were assessed based on multiorgan changes in PD-L1 levels. Results The screened PD-L1 nanobodies were characterized as tumor-targeting and alleviated T-cell immunosuppression. The TLR7 agonists induced broad innate immune responses and intratumoral PD-L1 expression on antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and its antitumor effect was dependent on intratumoral delivery. The combination of TLR7 agonists and PD-L1 nanobodies activated both innate and adaptive immunity and upregulated PD-L1-related signaling pathways. After coupling to form dual-targeting NDCs, TLR7 agonists and PD-L1 nanobodies exerted synergistic antitumor effects and safety in either ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ tumor and early or advanced tumor models, reshaped the tumor immune microenvironment and induced antitumor immune memory. CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells were the main effector cells for NDCs to function. NDCs can promote PD-L1 expression on intratumoral APCs and tumor cells, and subsequently achieve targeted enrichment in tumors. Moreover, the efficacy of NDCs is biased toward dependence on host expression of PD-L1. Conclusions The novel PD-L1/TLR7 dual-targeting NDC exhibited potent efficacy against heterogeneous tumors through orchestrating innate and adaptive immunity, which could act as a promising strategy to improve ICB therapy and shows prospects for clinical development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiru Long
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Binfan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministries of Education and Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongliang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengwen Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaomin Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Meng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Zhou
- International Cancer Center, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Henglei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Runqiu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Pan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yakun Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guangyi Jin
- International Cancer Center, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Likun Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
The Critical Role of Toll-like Receptor-mediated Signaling in Cancer Immunotherapy. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2022.100122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
|
17
|
Ren S, Wang X, Jin G. Conjugate of ibrutinib with a TLR7 agonist suppresses melanoma progression and enhances antitumor immunity. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:166-179. [PMID: 34975325 PMCID: PMC8692160 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.64094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of large molecules for immunotherapy has led to exciting developments in cancer treatment, such as the development of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. However, small molecule targeted therapies still lack effective immune-functional classes. Ideal anticancer drugs should simultaneously generate immune memory when killing cancer cells to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis. To this end, we carried out a rationally designed strategy to develop novel classes of small molecule compounds with bifunctional targeting and immunostimulatory abilities by conjugating targeting compounds with TLR7 agonists, generating immune-targeting conjugates (ImmunTacs). GY161, as a representative ImmunTac, was synthesized via chemical conjugation of ibrutinib with a TLR7 agonist. In vitro, GY161 stimulated the production of cytokines by mouse spleen lymphocytes, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), and inhibited the growth and induced the apoptosis of B16 melanoma cells by regulating the c-Met/β-catenin pathway. In vivo, GY161 enhanced the frequency of CD8+ T cells in spleens and tumors, suppressed the growth of B16 melanoma cell-derived tumors and prolonged the survival time of mice. In summary, GY161 could prevent melanoma progression through direct tumor killing and by triggering specific immunity. These results strongly suggest that ImmunTacs are a reliable and promising strategy for developing small molecule immunogenic anticancer drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sumei Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.,Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Guangyi Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nation-Regional Engineering Lab for Synthetic Biology of Medicine, International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| |
Collapse
|