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Rodgers LT, Schulz Pauly JA, Maloney BJ, Hartz AMS, Bauer B. Optimization, Characterization, and Comparison of Two Luciferase-Expressing Mouse Glioblastoma Models. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1997. [PMID: 38893116 PMCID: PMC11171217 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive brain cancer. To model GBM in research, orthotopic brain tumor models, including syngeneic models like GL261 and genetically engineered mouse models like TRP, are used. In longitudinal studies, tumor growth and the treatment response are typically tracked with in vivo imaging, including bioluminescence imaging (BLI), which is quick, cost-effective, and easily quantifiable. However, BLI requires luciferase-tagged cells, and recent studies indicate that the luciferase gene can elicit an immune response, leading to tumor rejection and experimental variation. We sought to optimize the engraftment of two luciferase-expressing GBM models, GL261 Red-FLuc and TRP-mCherry-FLuc, showing differences in tumor take, with GL261 Red-FLuc cells requiring immunocompromised mice for 100% engraftment. Immunohistochemistry and MRI revealed distinct tumor characteristics: GL261 Red-FLuc tumors were well-demarcated with densely packed cells, high mitotic activity, and vascularization. In contrast, TRP-mCherry-FLuc tumors were large, invasive, and necrotic, with perivascular invasion. Quantifying the tumor volume using the HALO® AI analysis platform yielded results comparable to manual measurements, providing a standardized and efficient approach for the reliable, high-throughput analysis of luciferase-expressing tumors. Our study highlights the importance of considering tumor engraftment when using luciferase-expressing GBM models, providing insights for preclinical research design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis T. Rodgers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Julia A. Schulz Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Bryan J. Maloney
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Anika M. S. Hartz
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Björn Bauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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Wang S, Li L, Zuo S, Kong L, Wei J, Dong J. Metabolic-related gene pairs signature analysis identifies ABCA1 expression levels on tumor-associated macrophages as a prognostic biomarker in primary IDHWT glioblastoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869061. [PMID: 36248907 PMCID: PMC9561761 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation serves as a prognostic signature for routine clinical management of glioma, nearly 90% of glioblastomas (GBM) patients have a wild-type IDH genotype (IDHWT) and lack reliable signatures to identify distinct entities. Methods To develop a robust prognostic signature for IDHWT GBM patients, we retrospectively analyzed 4 public datasets of 377 primary frozen tumor tissue transcriptome profiling and clinical follow-up data. Samples were divided into a training dataset (204 samples) and a validation (173 samples) dataset. A prognostic signature consisting of 21 metabolism-related gene pairs (MRGPs) was developed based on the relative ranking of single-sample gene expression levels. GSEA and immune subtype analyses were performed to reveal differences in biological processes between MRGP risk groups. The single-cell RNA-seq dataset was used to examine the expression distribution of each MRG constituting the signature in tumor tissue subsets. Finally, the association of MRGs with tumor progression was biologically validated in orthotopic GBM models. Results The metabolic signature remained an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 5.71 [3.542-9.218], P < 0.001) for stratifying patients into high- and low-risk levels in terms of overall survival across subgroups with MGMTp methylation statuses, expression subtypes, and chemo/ratio therapies. Immune-related biological processes were significantly different between MRGP risk groups. Compared with the low-risk group, the high-risk group was significantly enriched in humoral immune responses and phagocytosis processes, and had more monocyte infiltration and less activated DC, NK, and γδ T cell infiltration. scRNA-seq dataset analysis identified that the expression levels of 5 MRGs (ABCA1, HMOX1, MTHFD2, PIM1, and PTPRE) in TAMs increased with metabolic risk. With tumor progression, the expression level of ABCA1 in TAMs was positively correlated with the population of TAMs in tumor tissue. Downregulation of ABCA1 levels can promote TAM polarization towards an inflammatory phenotype and control tumor growth. Conclusions The metabolic signature is expected to be used in the individualized management of primary IDHWT GBM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqun Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuguang Zuo
- Liuzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis and Application, Affiliated Liutie Central Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Lingkai Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiwu Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Jie Dong, ; Jiwu Wei,
| | - Jie Dong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Jie Dong, ; Jiwu Wei,
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Haydar D, Houke H, Chiang J, Yi Z, Odé Z, Caldwell K, Zhu X, Mercer KS, Stripay JL, Shaw TI, Vogel P, DeRenzo C, Baker SJ, Roussel MF, Gottschalk S, Krenciute G. Cell-surface antigen profiling of pediatric brain tumors: B7-H3 is consistently expressed and can be targeted via local or systemic CAR T-cell delivery. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:999-1011. [PMID: 33320196 PMCID: PMC8168826 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noaa278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells is actively being explored for pediatric brain tumors in preclinical models and early phase clinical studies. At present, it is unclear which CAR target antigens are consistently expressed across different pediatric brain tumor types. In addition, the extent of HLA class I expression is unknown, which is critical for tumor recognition by conventional αβTCR T cells. METHODS We profiled 49 low- and high-grade pediatric brain tumor patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) by flow analysis for the expression of 5 CAR targets (B7-H3, GD2, IL-13Rα2, EphA2, and HER2), and HLA class I. In addition, we generated B7-H3-CAR T cells and evaluated their antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We established an expression hierarchy for the analyzed antigens (B7-H3 = GD2 >> IL-13Rα2 > HER2 = EphA2) and demonstrated that antigen expression is heterogenous. All high-grade gliomas expressed HLA class I, but only 57.1% of other tumor subtypes had detectable expression. We then selected B7-H3 as a target for CAR T-cell therapy. B7-H3-CAR T cells recognized tumor cells in an antigen-dependent fashion. Local or systemic administration of B7-H3-CAR T cells induced tumor regression in PDOX and immunocompetent murine glioma models resulting in a significant survival advantage. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the importance of studying target antigen and HLA class I expression in PDOX samples for the future design of immunotherapies. In addition, our results support active preclinical and clinical exploration of B7-H3-targeted CAR T-cell therapies for a broad spectrum of pediatric brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Haydar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Haley Houke
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jason Chiang
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Zhongzhen Yi
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Zelda Odé
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kenneth Caldwell
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kimberly S Mercer
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jennifer L Stripay
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Timothy I Shaw
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Peter Vogel
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Christopher DeRenzo
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Suzanne J Baker
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Martine F Roussel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Giedre Krenciute
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
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Delivery of oncolytic vaccinia virus by matched allogeneic stem cells overcomes critical innate and adaptive immune barriers. J Transl Med 2019; 17:100. [PMID: 30917829 PMCID: PMC6437877 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-1829-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies have identified IFNγ as an important early barrier to oncolytic viruses including vaccinia. The existing innate and adaptive immune barriers restricting oncolytic virotherapy, however, can be overcome using autologous or allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells as carrier cells with unique immunosuppressive properties. Methods To test the ability of mesenchymal stem cells to overcome innate and adaptive immune barriers and to successfully deliver oncolytic vaccinia virus to tumor cells, we performed flow cytometry and virus plaque assay analysis of ex vivo co-cultures of stem cells infected with vaccinia virus in the presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors. Comparative analysis was performed to establish statistically significant correlations and to evaluate the effect of stem cells on the activity of key immune cell populations. Results Here, we demonstrate that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have the potential to eradicate resistant tumor cells through a combination of potent virus amplification and sensitization of the tumor cells to virus infection. Moreover, the ADSCs demonstrate ability to function as a virus-amplifying Trojan horse in the presence of both autologous and allogeneic human PBMCs, which can be linked to the intrinsic immunosuppressive properties of stem cells and their unique potential to overcome innate and adaptive immune barriers. The clinical application of ready-to-use ex vivo expanded allogeneic stem cell lines, however, appears significantly restricted by patient-specific allogeneic differences associated with the induction of potent anti-stem cell cytotoxic and IFNγ responses. These allogeneic responses originate from both innate (NK)- and adaptive (T)- immune cells and might compromise therapeutic efficacy through direct elimination of the stem cells or the induction of an anti-viral state, which can block the potential of the Trojan horse to amplify and deliver vaccinia virus to the tumor. Conclusions Overall, our findings and data indicate the feasibility to establish simple and informative assays that capture critically important patient-specific differences in the immune responses to the virus and stem cells, which allows for proper patient-stem cell matching and enables the effective use of off-the-shelf allogeneic cell-based delivery platforms, thus providing a more practical and commercially viable alternative to the autologous stem cell approach. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-019-1829-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Tsoneva D, Minev B, Frentzen A, Zhang Q, Wege AK, Szalay AA. Humanized Mice with Subcutaneous Human Solid Tumors for Immune Response Analysis of Vaccinia Virus-Mediated Oncolysis. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2017; 5:41-61. [PMID: 28480327 PMCID: PMC5415323 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV) therapy is an alternative cancer treatment modality that mediates targeted tumor destruction through a tumor-selective replication and an induction of anti-tumor immunity. We developed a humanized tumor mouse model with subcutaneous human tumors to analyze the interactions of VACV with the developing tumors and human immune system. A successful systemic reconstitution with human immune cells including functional T cells as well as development of tumors infiltrated with human T and natural killer (NK) cells was observed. We also demonstrated successful in vivo colonization of such tumors with systemically administered VACVs. Further, a new recombinant GLV-1h376 VACV encoding for a secreted human CTLA4-blocking single-chain antibody (CTLA4 scAb) was tested. Surprisingly, although proving CTLA4 scAb's in vitro binding ability and functionality in cell culture, beside the significant increase of CD56bright NK cell subset, GLV-1h376 was not able to increase cytotoxic T or overall NK cell levels at the tumor site. Importantly, the virus-encoded β-glucuronidase as a measure of viral titer and CTLA4 scAb amount was demonstrated. Therefore, studies in our "patient-like" humanized tumor mouse model allow the exploration of newly designed therapy strategies considering the complex relationships between the developing tumor, the oncolytic virus, and the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desislava Tsoneva
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Boris Minev
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Rebecca & John Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.,Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
| | - Alexa Frentzen
- Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
| | - Anja K Wege
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Aladar A Szalay
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany.,Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Rebecca & John Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.,Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, San Diego, CA 92109, USA.,Rudolph Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
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Kober C, Rohn S, Weibel S, Geissinger U, Chen NG, Szalay AA. Microglia and astrocytes attenuate the replication of the oncolytic vaccinia virus LIVP 1.1.1 in murine GL261 gliomas by acting as vaccinia virus traps. J Transl Med 2015; 13:216. [PMID: 26149494 PMCID: PMC4492094 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-015-0586-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Oncolytic virotherapy is a novel approach for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) which is still a fatal disease. Pathologic features of GBM are characterized by the infiltration with microglia/macrophages and a strong interaction between immune- and glioma cells. The aim of this study was to determine the role of microglia and astrocytes for oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV) therapy of GBM. Methods VACV LIVP 1.1.1 replication in C57BL/6 and Foxn1nu/nu mice with and without GL261 gliomas was analyzed. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of microglia and astrocytes was investigated in non-, mock-, and LIVP 1.1.1-infected orthotopic GL261 gliomas in C57BL/6 mice. In cell culture studies virus replication and virus-mediated cell death of GL261 glioma cells was examined, as well as in BV-2 microglia and IMA2.1 astrocytes with M1 or M2 phenotypes. Co-culture experiments between BV-2 and GL261 cells and apoptosis/necrosis studies were performed. Organotypic slice cultures with implanted GL261 tumor spheres were used as additional cell culture system. Results We discovered that orthotopic GL261 gliomas upon intracranial virus delivery did not support replication of LIVP 1.1.1, similar to VACV-infected brains without gliomas. In addition, recruitment of Iba1+ microglia and GFAP+ astrocytes to orthotopically implanted GL261 glioma sites occurred already without virus injection. GL261 cells in culture showed high virus replication, while replication in BV-2 and IMA2.1 cells was barely detectable. The reduced viral replication in BV-2 cells might be due to rapid VACV-induced apoptotic cell death. In BV-2 and IMA 2.1 cells with M1 phenotype a further reduction of virus progeny and virus-mediated cell death was detected. Application of BV-2 microglial cells with M1 phenotype onto organotypic slice cultures with implanted GL261 gliomas resulted in reduced infection of BV-2 cells, whereas GL261 cells were well infected. Conclusion Our results indicate that microglia and astrocytes, dependent on their activation state, may preferentially clear viral particles by immediate uptake after delivery. By acting as VACV traps they further reduce efficient virus infection of the tumor cells. These findings demonstrate that glia cells need to be taken into account for successful GBM therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Kober
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Susanne Rohn
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Stephanie Weibel
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany. .,Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Oberduerrbacher Str. 6, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Ulrike Geissinger
- Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, 3030 Bunker Hill Street, San Diego, CA, 92109, USA.
| | - Nanhai G Chen
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Rebecca and John Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA. .,Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, 3030 Bunker Hill Street, San Diego, CA, 92109, USA.
| | - Aladar A Szalay
- Department of Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany. .,Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine and Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Wuerzburg, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. .,Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Rebecca and John Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA. .,Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, 3030 Bunker Hill Street, San Diego, CA, 92109, USA.
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