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Isvoranu G, Chiritoiu-Butnaru M. Therapeutic potential of interleukin-21 in cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1369743. [PMID: 38638431 PMCID: PMC11024325 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is an immunostimulatory cytokine which belongs to the common gamma-chain family of cytokines. It plays an import role in the development, differentiation, proliferation, and activation of immune cells, in particular T and natural killer (NK) cells. Since its discovery in 2000, IL-21 has been shown to regulate both adaptive and immune responses associates with key role in antiviral and antitumor responses. Recent advances indicate IL-21 as a promising target for cancer treatment and encouraging results were obtained in preclinical studies which investigated the potency of IL-21 alone or in combination with other therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitory molecules, oncolytic virotherapy, and adoptive cell transfer. Furthermore, IL-21 showed antitumor effects in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer, with minimal side effects in several clinical trials. In the present review, we will outline the recent progress in IL-21 research, highlighting the potential of IL-21 based therapy as single agent or in combination with other drugs to enhance cancer treatment efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gheorghita Isvoranu
- Department of Animal Husbandry,” Victor Babeș” National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marioara Chiritoiu-Butnaru
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
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2
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Li X, Wu M, Lu J, Yu J, Chen D. Interleukin-21 as an adjuvant in cancer immunotherapy: Current advances and future directions. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189084. [PMID: 38354828 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189084] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, it's well-recognized that a considerable proportion of patients fail to benefit from immunotherapy, and to improve immunotherapy response is clinically urgent. Insufficient immune infiltration and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TME) are main contributors to immunotherapy resistance. Thus sustaining functional self-renewal capacity for immune cells and subverting immune-suppressive signals are potential strategies for boosting the efficacy of immunotherapy. Interleukin-21 (IL-21), a crucial cytokine, which could enhance cytotoxic function of immune cells and reduces immunosuppressive cells enrichment in TME, shows promising orientations as an immunoadjuvant in tumor immunotherapy. This review focuses on IL-21 in cancer treatment, including function and mechanisms of IL-21, preclinical and clinical studies, and future directions for IL-21-assisted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China; Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Dawei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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3
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Shbeer AM, Ahmed Robadi I. The role of Interleukin-21 in autoimmune Diseases: Mechanisms, therapeutic Implications, and future directions. Cytokine 2024; 173:156437. [PMID: 37972478 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156437] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
IL-21 is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates the functional activity of various immune cells. Initial studies have shown that IL-21 can influence the differentiation, proliferation and function of T and B cells, as well as promote the maturation and increase the cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells and NK cells. During humoral immune responses, IL-21 has significant effects on B cell activation, differentiation and apoptosis. In addition, IL-21 promotes the differentiation of both naive and memory B cells, ultimately leading to the activation of plasma cells. The function of IL-21 in the immune system is complex, as it has the ability to either stimulate or inhibit immune responses. in addition, IL-21 facilitates the differentiation of naive and memory B cells into plasma cells. The functionality of IL-21 in the immune system is diverse, as it has the ability to stimulate or inhibit immune responses. This cytokine has been implicated in several diseases including cancer, allergies and autoimmune diseases. Research has suggested that this cytokine is involved in the development of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Several studies have suggested that inhibition of IL-21 has a therapeutic effect on autoimmune diseases. Therefore, targeting both the cytokine's receptor and IL-21 in autoimmune diseases may be an effective approach to reduce the severity of the disease or to treat it. This review will examine the biological effects of IL-21 on various immune cells and the role of the cytokine in autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah M Shbeer
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ibrahim Ahmed Robadi
- Department of pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Gu X, Chu Q, Ma X, Wang J, Chen C, Guan J, Ren Y, Wu S, Zhu H. New insights into iNKT cells and their roles in liver diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1035950. [PMID: 36389715 PMCID: PMC9643775 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1035950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer T cells (NKTs) are an important part of the immune system. Since their discovery in the 1990s, researchers have gained deeper insights into the physiology and functions of these cells in many liver diseases. NKT cells are divided into two subsets, type I and type II. Type I NKT cells are also named iNKT cells as they express a semi-invariant T cell-receptor (TCR) α chain. As part of the innate immune system, hepatic iNKT cells interact with hepatocytes, macrophages (Kupffer cells), T cells, and dendritic cells through direct cell-to-cell contact and cytokine secretion, bridging the innate and adaptive immune systems. A better understanding of hepatic iNKT cells is necessary for finding new methods of treating liver disease including autoimmune liver diseases, alcoholic liver diseases (ALDs), non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLDs), and liver tumors. Here we summarize how iNKT cells are activated, how they interact with other cells, and how they function in the presence of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingfei Chu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Guan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanli Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haihong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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5
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Krieg C, Weber LM, Fosso B, Marzano M, Hardiman G, Olcina MM, Domingo E, El Aidy S, Mallah K, Robinson MD, Guglietta S. Complement downregulation promotes an inflammatory signature that renders colorectal cancer susceptible to immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e004717. [PMID: 36137652 PMCID: PMC9511657 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The role of inflammatory immune responses in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and response to therapy is a matter of intense debate. While inflammation is a known driver of CRC, inflammatory immune infiltrates are a positive prognostic factor in CRC and predispose to response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Unfortunately, over 85% of CRC cases are primarily unresponsive to ICB due to the absence of an immune infiltrate, and even the cases that show an initial immune infiltration can become refractory to ICB. The identification of therapy supportive immune responses in the field has been partially hindered by the sparsity of suitable mouse models to recapitulate the human disease. In this study, we aimed to understand how the dysregulation of the complement anaphylatoxin C3a receptor (C3aR), observed in subsets of patients with CRC, affects the immune responses, the development of CRC, and response to ICB therapy. METHODS We use a comprehensive approach encompassing analysis of publicly available human CRC datasets, inflammation-driven and newly generated spontaneous mouse models of CRC, and multiplatform high-dimensional analysis of immune responses using microbiota sequencing, RNA sequencing, and mass cytometry. RESULTS We found that patients' regulation of the complement C3aR is associated with epigenetic modifications. Specifically, downregulation of C3ar1 in human CRC promotes a tumor microenvironment characterized by the accumulation of innate and adaptive immune cells that support antitumor immunity. In addition, in vivo studies in our newly generated mouse model revealed that the lack of C3a in the colon activates a microbiota-mediated proinflammatory program which promotes the development of tumors with an immune signature that renders them responsive to the ICB therapy. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that C3aR may act as a previously unrecognized checkpoint to enhance antitumor immunity in CRC. C3aR can thus be exploited to overcome ICB resistance in a larger group of patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Krieg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Hollings Cancer Center Charleston, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lukas M Weber
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Fosso
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Marinella Marzano
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Gary Hardiman
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Monica M Olcina
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford, UK
| | - Enric Domingo
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford, UK
| | - Sahar El Aidy
- Host-microbe Metabolic Interactions, Microbiology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Khalil Mallah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Mark D Robinson
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Guglietta
- Hollings Cancer Center Charleston, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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6
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Valeri A, García-Ortiz A, Castellano E, Córdoba L, Maroto-Martín E, Encinas J, Leivas A, Río P, Martínez-López J. Overcoming tumor resistance mechanisms in CAR-NK cell therapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:953849. [PMID: 35990652 PMCID: PMC9381932 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.953849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the impressive results of autologous CAR-T cell therapy in refractory B lymphoproliferative diseases, CAR-NK immunotherapy emerges as a safer, faster, and cost-effective approach with no signs of severe toxicities as described for CAR-T cells. Permanently scrutinized for its efficacy, recent promising data in CAR-NK clinical trials point out the achievement of deep, high-quality responses, thus confirming its potential clinical use. Although CAR-NK cell therapy is not significantly affected by the loss or downregulation of its CAR tumor target, as in the case of CAR-T cell, a plethora of common additional tumor intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms that could also disable NK cell function have been described. Therefore, considering lessons learned from CAR-T cell therapy, the emergence of CAR-NK cell therapy resistance can also be envisioned. In this review we highlight the processes that could be involved in its development, focusing on cytokine addiction and potential fratricide during manufacturing, poor tumor trafficking, exhaustion within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and NK cell short in vivo persistence on account of the limited expansion, replicative senescence, and rejection by patient’s immune system after lymphodepletion recovery. Finally, we outline new actively explored alternatives to overcome these resistance mechanisms, with a special emphasis on CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genetic engineering approaches, a promising platform to optimize CAR-NK cell function to eradicate refractory cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Valeri
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena García-Ortiz
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Castellano
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Córdoba
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Maroto-Martín
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jessica Encinas
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandra Leivas
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Río
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Biomedical Innovation Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Martínez-López
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (H12O-CNIO) Haematological Malignancies Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre-Universidad Complutense, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Joaquín Martínez-López,
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Regulation and Functions of Protumoral Unconventional T Cells in Solid Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143578. [PMID: 34298791 PMCID: PMC8304984 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of studies on T cell biology in tumor immunity have focused on peptide-reactive conventional T cells that are restricted to polymorphic major histocompatibility complex molecules. However, emerging evidence indicated that unconventional T cells, including γδ T cells, natural killer T (NKT) cells and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are also involved in tumor immunity. Unconventional T cells span the innate-adaptive continuum and possess the unique ability to rapidly react to nonpeptide antigens via their conserved T cell receptors (TCRs) and/or to activating cytokines to orchestrate many aspects of the immune response. Since unconventional T cell lineages comprise discrete functional subsets, they can mediate both anti- and protumoral activities. Here, we review the current understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of protumoral unconventional T cell subsets in the tumor environment. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of these deleterious subsets in solid cancers and why further feasibility studies are warranted.
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8
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Chulpanova DS, Kitaeva KV, Green AR, Rizvanov AA, Solovyeva VV. Molecular Aspects and Future Perspectives of Cytokine-Based Anti-cancer Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:402. [PMID: 32582698 PMCID: PMC7283917 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytokine-based immunotherapy is a promising field in the cancer treatment, since cytokines, as proteins of the immune system, are able to modulate the host immune response toward cancer cell, as well as directly induce tumor cell death. Since a low dose monotherapy with some cytokines has no significant therapeutic results and a high dose treatment leads to a number of side effects caused by the pleiotropic effect of cytokines, the problem of understanding the influence of cytokines on the immune cells involved in the pro- and anti-tumor immune response remains a pressing one. Immune system cells carry CD makers on their surface which can be used to identify various populations of cells of the immune system that play different roles in pro- and anti-tumor immune responses. This review discusses the functions and specific CD markers of various immune cell populations which are reported to participate in the regulation of the immune response against the tumor. The results of research studies and clinical trials investigating the effect of cytokine therapy on the regulation of immune cell populations and their surface markers are also discussed. Current trends in the development of cancer immunotherapy, as well as the role of cytokines in combination with other therapeutic agents, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria S Chulpanova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Kristina V Kitaeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Andrew R Green
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.,Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Valeriya V Solovyeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
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9
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Sun L, Xi S, He G, Li Z, Gang X, Sun C, Guo W, Wang G. Two to Tango: Dialogue between Adaptive and Innate Immunity in Type 1 Diabetes. J Diabetes Res 2020; 2020:4106518. [PMID: 32802890 PMCID: PMC7415089 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4106518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a long-term and chronic autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks the pancreatic β-cells. Both adaptive and innate immune systems are involved in T1DM development. Both B-cells and T-cells, including CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells, as well as other T-cell subsets, could affect onset of autoimmunity. Furthermore, cells involved in innate immunity, including the macrophages, dendritic cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, could also accelerate or decelerate T1DM development. In this review, the crosstalk and function of immune cells in the pathogenesis of T1DM, as well as the corresponding therapeutic interventions, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Sun
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Shugang Xi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Guangyu He
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Xiaokun Gang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Chenglin Sun
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Weiying Guo
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
| | - Guixia Wang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 Jilin, China
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10
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Impairment of Vα24-Jα18+Vβ11+ natural killer T cells in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Exp Cell Res 2019; 374:69-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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11
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Xu M, Jiang Y, Zhang J, Zheng Y, Liu D, Guo L, Yang S. Variation in IL-21-secreting circulating follicular helper T cells in Kawasaki disease. BMC Immunol 2018; 19:43. [PMID: 30587125 PMCID: PMC6307283 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-018-0282-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Circulating follicular helper T (cTfh) cells are a specialized subset of CD4+ T cells that express the CXC-chemokine receptor 5 (CXCR5). These cells exhibit immune activities by inducing B cell differentiation and proliferation via the secretion of interleukin (IL)-21. Multiple studies have demonstrated that cTfh cells are associated with the progression and severity of numerous diseases. To investigate the role of cTfh cells in the development of Kawasaki disease (KD), we analyzed the distinct subpopulations of cTfh cells and serum IL-21 levels in different phases of KD. Methods According to the differential expression of inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), cTfh cells were divided into distinct subsets. We used flow cytometry and flow cytometric bead arrays (CBA) to analyze subsets of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells and serum IL-21 levels. The samples were collected from control subjects and Kawasaki disease patients in the acute and remission phases. Results In the acute phase (AP), the percentages of ICOShighPD-1high, ICOS+PD-1+, ICOS−PD-1+, CD45RA−IL-21+ cTfh cells and serum IL-21 levels significantly increased. Furthermore, the percentages of ICOShighPD-1high and ICOS+PD-1+ cTfh cells positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values, whereas the percentage of ICOS−PD-1+ cTfh cells indicated negative correlations. The percentages of ICOS+PD-1+, ICOShighPD-1high and CD45RA−IL-21+ cTfh cells correlated positively with serum IL-21 levels. In the remission phase (RP), the percentages of ICOS−PD-1+, CD45RA−IL-21+ cTfh cells and serum IL-21 levels were significantly decreased. In contrast, the percentages of ICOS+PD-1+, ICOShighPD-1high, and ICOS+PD-1− cTfh cells were further increased. Among these subsets, only CD45RA−IL-21+ cTfh cells correlated positively with serum IL-21 levels. Conclusions The present study is the first investigation that examined the distribution of circulating cTfh cell subsets in Kawasaki disease. Both cTfh cells and serum IL-21 are essential to the pathogenesis of KD. Our study provides further understanding of the immune response involved in KD and offers novel insights in the pathogenetic mechanism of this disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12865-018-0282-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Department of Pediatric Rheumatology and Allergy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yanfang Jiang
- Genetic Diagnosis Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.,Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Pediatric, Children's Hospital, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Department of Pediatric, Children's Hospital, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Deying Liu
- Department of Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology, Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, 430000, China
| | - Lishuang Guo
- Department of Pediatric Rheumatology and Allergy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Sirui Yang
- Department of Pediatric Rheumatology and Allergy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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12
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Ngai H, Tian G, Courtney AN, Ravari SB, Guo L, Liu B, Jin J, Shen ET, Di Pierro EJ, Metelitsa LS. IL-21 Selectively Protects CD62L + NKT Cells and Enhances Their Effector Functions for Adoptive Immunotherapy. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:2141-2153. [PMID: 30111631 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
T cells expressing CD19-specific chimeric Ag receptors (CARs) produce high remission rates in B cell lymphoma, but frequent disease recurrence and challenges in generating sufficient numbers of autologous CAR T cells necessitate the development of alternative therapeutic effectors. Vα24-invariant NKTs have intrinsic antitumor properties and are not alloreactive, allowing for off-the-shelf use of CAR-NKTs from healthy donors. We recently reported that CD62L+ NKTs persist longer and have more potent antilymphoma activity than CD62L- cells. However, the conditions governing preservation of CD62L+ cells during NKT cell expansion remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-21 preserves this crucial central memory-like NKT subset and enhances its antitumor effector functionality. We found that following antigenic stimulation with α-galactosylceramide, CD62L+ NKTs both expressed IL-21R and secreted IL-21, each at significantly higher levels than CD62L- cells. Although IL-21 alone failed to expand stimulated NKTs, combined IL-2/IL-21 treatment produced more NKTs and increased the frequency of CD62L+ cells versus IL-2 alone. Gene expression analysis comparing CD62L+ and CD62L- cells treated with IL-2 alone or IL-2/IL-21 revealed that the latter condition downregulated the proapoptotic protein BIM selectively in CD62L+ NKTs, protecting them from activation-induced cell death. Moreover, IL-2/IL-21-expanded NKTs upregulated granzyme B expression and produced more TH1 cytokines, leading to enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity of nontransduced and anti-CD19-CAR-transduced NKTs against CD1d+ and CD19+ lymphoma cells, respectively. Further, IL-2/IL-21-expanded CAR-NKTs dramatically increased the survival of lymphoma-bearing NSG mice compared with IL-2-expanded CAR-NKTs. These findings have immediate translational implications for the development of NKT cell-based immunotherapies targeting lymphoma and other malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Ngai
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; and
| | - Gengwen Tian
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; and
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Soodeh B Ravari
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Linjie Guo
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Bin Liu
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jingling Jin
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Elise T Shen
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Erica J Di Pierro
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; .,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; and.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
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13
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Exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) induced macrophage-dependent inflammation, characterized by increased Th1/Th17 cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity. Int Immunopharmacol 2017; 50:139-145. [PMID: 28654841 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2017.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter PM2.5 is a class of airborne particles and droplets with sustained high levels in many developing countries. Epidemiological studies have shown the association between sustained high level of PM2.5 and the risk of many diseases in the respiratory system, including lung cancer. However, the precise mechanisms through which PM2.5 induces respiratory diseases are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following PM2.5 treatment demonstrated significantly elevated mRNA and protein levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17, and IL-21 production. This increase in cytokines required the presence of macrophages, such that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells treated with PM2.5 in the absence of macrophages did not present higher IFN-γ, IL-10, or IL-21 expression. In contrast, PM2.5-treated macrophages could significantly upregulate T cell cytokine secretion, even when excess PM2.5 was removed from cell culture. We also observed a macrophage-dependent upregulation of granzyme A and granzyme B expression by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following PM2.5 treatment. These PM2.5-stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells potently induced the death of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. Interestingly, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells presented synergistic effects at inducing HBE cytotoxicity, such that CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells combined resulted in higher HBE cell death than the sum of the separate effects of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. While blocking cytotoxic molecule release significantly compromised the T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against HBE cells, blocking IFN-γ, but not IL-10, could also slightly but significantly reduce T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Together, these data demonstrated that PM2.5 could promote the inflammation of cytotoxicity of T cells in a macrophage-dependent manner. In addition, PM2.5-treated macrophages presented long-lasting proinflammatory effects on T cells.
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14
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Xu DH, Zhu Z, Xiao H, Wakefield MR, Bai Q, Nicholl MB, Ding VA, Fang Y. Unveil the mysterious mask of cytokine-based immunotherapy for melanoma. Cancer Lett 2017; 394:43-51. [PMID: 28254411 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the leading cause of death among all skin cancers and its incidence continues to rise rapidly worldwide in the past decades. The available treatment options for melanoma remain limited despite extensive clinical research. Melanoma is an immunogenic tumor and great advances in immunology in recent decades allow for the development of immunotherapeutic agents against melanoma. In recent years, immunotherapy utilizing cytokines has been particularly successful in certain cancers and holds promise for patients with advanced melanoma. In this review, an overview of the current status and emerging perspectives on cytokine immunotherapy for melanoma are discussed in details. Such a study will be helpful to unveil the mysterious mask of cytokine-based immunotherapy for melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dixon H Xu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA
| | - Ziwen Zhu
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Huaping Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA; The Affiliated Hospital of Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Mark R Wakefield
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Qian Bai
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | | | - Vivi A Ding
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA
| | - Yujiang Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
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15
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Mittal D, Caramia F, Michiels S, Joensuu H, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen PL, Sotiriou C, Loi S, Smyth MJ. Improved Treatment of Breast Cancer with Anti-HER2 Therapy Requires Interleukin-21 Signaling in CD8+ T Cells. Cancer Res 2016; 76:264-74. [PMID: 26744522 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-1567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The HER2/ErbB2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) trastuzumab is combined with chemotherapy as a standard-of-care for newly diagnosed HER2(+) breast cancer patients, but some patients treated with this combination therapy experience early relapse. Our analysis of data from a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy plus/minus trastuzumab suggested that the magnitude of trastuzumab benefit on distant disease-free survival was higher for increasing expression of the IL21 receptor (IL21R). Therefore, we investigated a possible role for IL21 signaling in promoting HER2 mAb therapeutic efficacy. We found that IL21R-deficient mice and wild-type mice treated with a neutralizing anti-IL21 mAb were less susceptible to trastuzumab-like anti-ErbB2 therapy. Furthermore, IL21R expression on CD8(+) T cells, but not on natural killer cells, was required for optimal anti-ErbB2 mAb efficacy, and IL21 expression was enhanced in tumor-infiltrating CD4(+) T lymphocytes after anti-ErbB2 therapy. Finally, we found that administering recombinant IL21 in combination with anti-ErbB2 therapy was therapeutic against primary tumors and experimental metastases in mice. Collectively, our findings suggest that elevating IL21 signaling may enhance trastuzumab efficacy, thus constituting a novel candidate strategy to overcome trastuzumab resistance and improve patient survival. Cancer
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Mittal
- Immunology in Cancer and Infection Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia. School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Franco Caramia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Michiels
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Epidemiologie, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France. INSERM U1018, CESP, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Heikki Joensuu
- Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Christos Sotiriou
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sherene Loi
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark J Smyth
- Immunology in Cancer and Infection Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia. School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
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16
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Pulliam SR, Uzhachenko RV, Adunyah SE, Shanker A. Common gamma chain cytokines in combinatorial immune strategies against cancer. Immunol Lett 2015; 169:61-72. [PMID: 26597610 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Common γ chain (γC) cytokines, namely IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21 are important for the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of lymphocytes that display antitumor activity, thus stimulating considerable interest for the use of cytokines in cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we will focus on the γC cytokines that demonstrate the greatest potential for immunotherapy, IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, and IL-21. We will briefly cover their biological function, potential applications in cancer therapy, and update on their use in combinatorial immune strategies for eradicating tumors and hematopoietic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie R Pulliam
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; School of Graduate Studies and Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Roman V Uzhachenko
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Samuel E Adunyah
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; School of Graduate Studies and Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA.
| | - Anil Shanker
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; School of Graduate Studies and Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; Host-Tumor Interactions Research Program, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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17
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Coquet JM, Schuijs MJ, Smyth MJ, Deswarte K, Beyaert R, Braun H, Boon L, Karlsson Hedestam GB, Nutt SL, Hammad H, Lambrecht BN. Interleukin-21-Producing CD4(+) T Cells Promote Type 2 Immunity to House Dust Mites. Immunity 2015; 43:318-30. [PMID: 26287681 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is a T helper 2 (Th2)-cell-mediated disease; however, recent findings implicate Th17 and innate lymphoid cells also in regulating airway inflammation. Herein, we have demonstrated profound interleukin-21 (IL-21) production after house dust mite (HDM)-driven asthma by using T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice reactive to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1 and an IL-21GFP reporter mouse. IL-21-producing cells in the mediastinal lymph node (mLN) bore characteristics of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, whereas IL-21(+) cells in the lung did not express CXCR5 (a chemokine receptor expressed by Tfh cells) and were distinct from effector Th2 or Th17 cells. Il21r(-/-) mice developed reduced type 2 responses and the IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) enhanced Th2 cell function in a cell-intrinsic manner. Finally, administration of recombinant IL-21 and IL-25 synergistically promoted airway eosinophilia primarily via effects on CD4(+) lymphocytes. This highlights an important Th2-cell-amplifying function of IL-21-producing CD4(+) T cells in allergic airway inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Coquet
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium; Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden.
| | - Martijn J Schuijs
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium
| | - Mark J Smyth
- Immunology in Cancer and Infection Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Kim Deswarte
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium
| | - Rudi Beyaert
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Gent University, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Harald Braun
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Gent University, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Louis Boon
- Bioceros, Utrecht 3584CM, the Netherlands
| | | | - Steven L Nutt
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; The Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Hamida Hammad
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gent University Hospital, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Bart N Lambrecht
- VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Gent University, Zwijnaarde 9052B, Belgium; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gent University Hospital, Gent 9000, Belgium; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam 3015CD, the Netherlands
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18
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Tangye SG. Advances in IL-21 biology - enhancing our understanding of human disease. Curr Opin Immunol 2015; 34:107-15. [PMID: 25801685 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2015.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cytokines play critical roles in regulating the development and function of immune cells. Cytokines function by binding specific multimeric receptor complexes and activating intracellular signaling pathways that often involve JAKs and STATs. In addition to contributing to immunity, when production of cytokines is perturbed, they can contribute to disease. IL-21 is a pleiotropic cytokine produced predominantly by CD4(+) T cells and NKT cells. Gene-targeting studies in mice and in vitro analyses of human and murine lymphocytes have revealed central roles of IL-21 in regulating effector functions of T cells, NK cells and B cells. However, recent discoveries of loss-of function mutations in IL21 or IL21R in humans have unveiled unexpected roles for IL-21 in immune regulation. This review will focus on recent advances in IL-21 biology that have highlighted its critical role in normal immunity and how dysregulated IL-21 production can lead to immunodeficiency and autoimmune conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart G Tangye
- Immunology and Immunodeficiency Group, Immunology Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Australia, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.
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19
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Abstract
The use of cytokines from the IL-2 family (also called the common γ chain cytokine family) such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-7, IL-15, and IL-21 to activate the immune system of cancer patients is one of the most important areas of current cancer immunotherapy research. The infusion of IL-2 at low or high doses for multiple cycles in patients with metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma was the first successful immunotherapy for cancer proving that the immune system could completely eradicate tumor cells under certain conditions. The initial clinical success observed in some IL-2-treated patients encouraged further efforts focused on developing and improving the application of other IL-2 family cytokines (IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21) that have unique biological effects playing important roles in the development, proliferation, and function of specific subsets of lymphocytes at different stages of differentiation with some overlapping effects with IL-2. IL-7, IL-15, and IL-21, as well as mutant forms or variants of IL-2, are now also being actively pursued in the clinic with some measured early successes. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the biology of the IL-2 cytokine family focusing on IL-2, IL-15 and IL-21. We discuss the similarities and differences between the signaling pathways mediated by these cytokines and their immunomodulatory effects on different subsets of immune cells. Current clinical application of IL-2, IL-15 and IL-21 either as single agents or in combination with other biological agents and the limitation and potential drawbacks of these cytokines for cancer immunotherapy are also described. Lastly, we discuss the future direction of research on these cytokines, such as the development of new cytokine mutants and variants for improving cytokine-based immunotherapy through differential binding to specific receptor subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geok Choo Sim
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Laszlo Radvanyi
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Lion Biotechnologies, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, USA.
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