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Emilius L, Bremm F, Binder AK, Schaft N, Dörrie J. Tumor Antigens beyond the Human Exome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4673. [PMID: 38731892 PMCID: PMC11083240 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
With the advent of immunotherapeutics, a new era in the combat against cancer has begun. Particularly promising are neo-epitope-targeted therapies as the expression of neo-antigens is tumor-specific. In turn, this allows the selective targeting and killing of cancer cells whilst healthy cells remain largely unaffected. So far, many advances have been made in the development of treatment options which are tailored to the individual neo-epitope repertoire. The next big step is the achievement of efficacious "off-the-shelf" immunotherapies. For this, shared neo-epitopes propose an optimal target. Given the tremendous potential, a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms which lead to the formation of neo-antigens is of fundamental importance. Here, we review the various processes which result in the formation of neo-epitopes. Broadly, the origin of neo-epitopes can be categorized into three groups: canonical, noncanonical, and viral neo-epitopes. For the canonical neo-antigens that arise in direct consequence of somatic mutations, we summarize past and recent findings. Beyond that, our main focus is put on the discussion of noncanonical and viral neo-epitopes as we believe that targeting those provides an encouraging perspective to shape the future of cancer immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisabeth Emilius
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Franziska Bremm
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Amanda Katharina Binder
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (L.E.); (F.B.); (A.K.B.); (J.D.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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2
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Cherkasova EA, Chen L, Childs RW. Mechanistic regulation of HERV activation in tumors and implications for translational research in oncology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1358470. [PMID: 38379771 PMCID: PMC10877039 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1358470] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription of distinct loci of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and in some cases, translation of these transcripts have been consistently observed in many types of cancer. It is still debated whether HERV activation serves as a trigger for carcinogenesis or rather occurs as a consequence of epigenetic alterations and other molecular sequelae that characterize cellular transformation. Here we review the known molecular and epigenetic mechanisms of HERV activation in cancer cells as well as its potential contribution to carcinogenesis. Further, we describe the use of HERV expression in cancer diagnostic and characterize the potential of HERV-derived antigens to serve as novel targets for cancer immunotherapy. We believe this review, which summarizes both what is known as well as unknown in this rapidly developing field, will boost interest in research on the therapeutic potential of targeting HERV elements in tumors and the impact of HERV activation in oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard W. Childs
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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3
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Dopkins N, Singh B, Michael S, Zhang P, Marston JL, Fei T, Singh M, Feschotte C, Collins N, Bendall ML, Nixon DF. Ribosomal profiling of human endogenous retroviruses in healthy tissues. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:5. [PMID: 38166631 PMCID: PMC10759522 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09909-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the germline embedded proviral fragments of ancient retroviral infections that make up roughly 8% of the human genome. Our understanding of HERVs in physiology primarily surrounds their non-coding functions, while their protein coding capacity remains virtually uncharacterized. Therefore, we applied the bioinformatic pipeline "hervQuant" to high-resolution ribosomal profiling of healthy tissues to provide a comprehensive overview of translationally active HERVs. We find that HERVs account for 0.1-0.4% of all translation in distinct tissue-specific profiles. Collectively, our study further supports claims that HERVs are actively translated throughout healthy tissues to provide sequences of retroviral origin to the human proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Dopkins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
| | - Bhavya Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Stephanie Michael
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Panpan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Jez L Marston
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Tongyi Fei
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Manvendra Singh
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Nicholas Collins
- Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Matthew L Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Douglas F Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
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4
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Schindler NR, Braun DA. Antigenic targets in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. KIDNEY CANCER 2023; 7:81-91. [PMID: 38014393 PMCID: PMC10475986 DOI: 10.3233/kca-230006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the management of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but most patients still do not receive a long-term benefit from these therapies, and many experience off-target, immune-related adverse effects. RCC is also different from many other ICI-responsive tumors, as it has only a modest mutation burden, and total neoantigen load does not correlate with ICI response. In order to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapies for RCC, it is therefore critical to identify the antigens that are targeted in effective anti-tumor immunity. In this review, we describe the potential classes of target antigens, and provide examples of previous and ongoing efforts to investigate and target antigens in RCC, with a focus on clear cell histology. Ultimately, we believe that a concerted antigen discovery effort in RCC will enable an improved understanding of response and resistance to current therapies, and lay a foundation for the future development of "precision" antigen-directed immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R. Schindler
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David A. Braun
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Wolf MM, Rathmell WK, de Cubas AA. Immunogenicity in renal cell carcinoma: shifting focus to alternative sources of tumour-specific antigens. Nat Rev Nephrol 2023; 19:440-450. [PMID: 36973495 PMCID: PMC10801831 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00700-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) comprises a group of malignancies arising from the kidney with unique tumour-specific antigen (TSA) signatures that can trigger cytotoxic immunity. Two classes of TSAs are now considered potential drivers of immunogenicity in RCC: small-scale insertions and deletions (INDELs) that result in coding frameshift mutations, and activation of human endogenous retroviruses. The presence of neoantigen-specific T cells is a hallmark of solid tumours with a high mutagenic burden, which typically have abundant TSAs owing to non-synonymous single nucleotide variations within the genome. However, RCC exhibits high cytotoxic T cell reactivity despite only having an intermediate non-synonymous single nucleotide variation mutational burden. Instead, RCC tumours have a high pan-cancer proportion of INDEL frameshift mutations, and coding frameshift INDELs are associated with high immunogenicity. Moreover, cytotoxic T cells in RCC subtypes seem to recognize tumour-specific endogenous retrovirus epitopes, whose presence is associated with clinical responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Here, we review the distinct molecular landscapes in RCC that promote immunogenic responses, discuss clinical opportunities for discovery of biomarkers that can inform therapeutic immune checkpoint blockade strategies, and identify gaps in knowledge for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Wolf
- Department of Medicine, Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - W Kimryn Rathmell
- Department of Medicine, Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Aguirre A de Cubas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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6
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. CancerHERVdb: Human Endogenous Retrovirus (HERV) Expression Database for Human Cancer Accelerates Studies of the Retrovirome and Predictions for HERV-Based Therapies. J Virol 2023; 97:e0005923. [PMID: 37255431 PMCID: PMC10308937 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00059-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we sought to create a database summarizing the expression of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in various human cancers. HERVs are suitable therapeutic targets due to their abundance in the human genome, overexpression in various malignancies, and involvement in various cancer pathways. We identified articles on HERVs from PubMed and then prescreened and automatically categorized them using the portable document format (PDF) data extractor (PDE) R package. We discovered 196 primary research articles with HERV expression data from cancer tissues or cancer cell lines. HERV RNA and protein expression was reported in brain, breast, cervical, colorectal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, kidney/renal/pelvis, liver, lung, genital, oral cavity, pharynx, ovary, pancreas, prostate, skin, testicular, urinary/bladder, and uterus cancers, leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. Additionally, we discovered reports of HERV RNA-only overexpression in soft tissue cancers including heart, thyroid, bone, and joint cancers. The CancerHERVdb database is hosted in the form of interactive visualizations of the expression data and a summary data table at https://erikstricker.shinyapps.io/cancerHERVdb/. The user can filter the findings according to cancer type, HERV family, HERV gene, or a combination thereof and easily export the results with the corresponding reference list. In our report, we provide examples of potential uses of the CancerHERVdb, such as identification of cancers suitable for off-target treatment with the multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV)-Env-targeting antibody GNbAC1 (now named temelimab) currently in phase 2b clinical trials for multiple sclerosis or the discovery of cancers overexpressing HERV-H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2), a newly emerging immune checkpoint. In summary, the CancerHERVdb allows cross-study comparisons, encourages data exploration, and informs about potential off-target effects of HERV-targeting treatments. IMPORTANCE Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which in the past have inserted themselves in various regions of the human genome, are to various degrees activated in virtually every cancer type. While a centralized naming system and resources summarizing HERV levels in cancers are lacking, the CancerHERVdb database provides a consolidated resource for cross-study comparisons, data exploration, and targeted searches of HERV activation. The user can access data extracted from hundreds of articles spanning 25 human cancer categories. Therefore, the CancerHERVdb database can aid in the identification of prognostic and risk markers, drivers of cancer, tumor-specific targets, multicancer spanning signals, and targets for immune therapies. Consequently, the CancerHERVdb database is of direct relevance for clinical as well as basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Houston, Texas, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Houston, Texas, USA
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. HERVs and Cancer-A Comprehensive Review of the Relationship of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Human Cancers. Biomedicines 2023; 11:936. [PMID: 36979914 PMCID: PMC10046157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability and genetic mutations can lead to exhibition of several cancer hallmarks in affected cells such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppression, activated invasion, deregulation of cellular energetics, and avoidance of immune destruction. Similar biological changes have been observed to be a result of pathogenic viruses and, in some cases, have been linked to virus-induced cancers. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), once external pathogens, now occupy more than 8% of the human genome, representing the merge of genomic and external factors. In this review, we outline all reported effects of HERVs on cancer development and discuss the HERV targets most suitable for cancer treatments as well as ongoing clinical trials for HERV-targeting drugs. We reviewed all currently available reports of the effects of HERVs on human cancers including solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Our review highlights the central roles of HERV genes, such as gag, env, pol, np9, and rec in immune regulation, checkpoint blockade, cell differentiation, cell fusion, proliferation, metastasis, and cell transformation. In addition, we summarize the involvement of HERV long terminal repeat (LTR) regions in transcriptional regulation, creation of fusion proteins, expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and promotion of genome instability through recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
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8
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Langbein LE, El Hajjar R, Kim WY, Yang H. The convergence of tumor suppressors on the type I interferon pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and its therapeutic implications. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C1417-C1429. [PMID: 36154696 PMCID: PMC9662805 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00255.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene/hypoxia inducible factor (VHL/HIF) axis lays the groundwork for tumorigenesis and is the target of many therapeutic agents. HIF activation alone, however, is largely insufficient for kidney tumor development, and secondary mutations in PBRM1, BAP1, SETD2, KDM5C, or other tumor suppressor genes are strong enablers of tumorigenesis. Interestingly, it has been discovered that VHL loss and subsequent HIF activation results in upregulation of a negative feedback loop mediated by ISGF3, a transcription factor activated by type I interferon (IFN). Secondary mutations in the aforementioned tumor suppressor genes all partially disable this negative feedback loop to facilitate tumor growth. The convergence of several cancer genes on this pathway suggests that it plays an important role in ccRCC development and maintenance. Tumors with secondary mutations that dampen the negative feedback loop may be exquisitely sensitive to its reactivation, and pharmacological activation of ISGF3 either alone or in combination with other therapies could be an effective method to treat patients with ccRCC. In this review, we examine the relevance of the type I IFN pathway to ccRCC, synthesize our current knowledge of the ccRCC tumor suppressors in its regulation, and explore how this may impact the future treatment of patients with ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Langbein
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Rayan El Hajjar
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - William Y Kim
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Haifeng Yang
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Nagel R, Pataskar A, Champagne J, Agami R. Boosting Antitumor Immunity with an Expanded Neoepitope Landscape. Cancer Res 2022; 82:3637-3649. [PMID: 35904353 PMCID: PMC9574376 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-1525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint blockade therapy has been successfully applied to many cancers, particularly tumors that harbor a high mutational burden and consequently express a high abundance of neoantigens. However, novel approaches are needed to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for treating tumors that lack a high load of classic genetically derived neoantigens. Recent discoveries of broad classes of nongenetically encoded and inducible neoepitopes open up new avenues for therapeutic development to enhance sensitivity to immunotherapies. In this review, we discuss recent work on neoantigen discovery, with an emphasis on novel classes of noncanonical neoepitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco Nagel
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Abhijeet Pataskar
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Julien Champagne
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Reuven Agami
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Erasmus MC, Rotterdam University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Corresponding Author: Reuven Agami, Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Phone: 3102-0512-2079; E-mail:
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Abstract
Germline loss-of-function mutations of the VHL tumor suppressor gene cause von Hippel–Lindau disease, which is associated with an increased risk of hemangioblastomas, clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs), and paragangliomas. This Review describes mechanisms involving the VHL gene product in oxygen sensing, protein degradation, and tumor development and current therapeutic strategies targeting these mechanisms. The VHL gene product is the substrate recognition subunit of a ubiquitin ligase that targets the α subunit of the heterodimeric hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription factor for proteasomal degradation when oxygen is present. This oxygen dependence stems from the requirement that HIFα be prolyl-hydroxylated on one (or both) of two conserved prolyl residues by members of the EglN (also called PHD) prolyl hydroxylase family. Deregulation of HIF, and particularly HIF2, drives the growth of VHL-defective ccRCCs. Drugs that inhibit the HIF-responsive gene product VEGF are now mainstays of ccRCC treatment. An allosteric HIF2 inhibitor was recently approved for the treatment of ccRCCs arising in the setting of VHL disease and has advanced to phase III testing for sporadic ccRCCs based on promising phase I/II data. Orally available EglN inhibitors are being tested for the treatment of anemia and ischemia. Five of these agents have been approved for the treatment of anemia in the setting of chronic kidney disease in various countries around the world.
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Zhang M, Zheng S, Liang JQ. Transcriptional and reverse transcriptional regulation of host genes by human endogenous retroviruses in cancers. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:946296. [PMID: 35928153 PMCID: PMC9343867 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.946296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) originated from ancient retroviral infections of germline cells millions of years ago and have evolved as part of the host genome. HERVs not only retain the capacity as retroelements but also regulate host genes. The expansion of HERVs involves transcription by RNA polymerase II, reverse transcription, and re-integration into the host genome. Fast progress in deep sequencing and functional analysis has revealed the importance of domesticated copies of HERVs, including their regulatory sequences, transcripts, and proteins in normal cells. However, evidence also suggests the involvement of HERVs in the development and progression of many types of cancer. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge about the expression of HERVs, transcriptional regulation of host genes by HERVs, and the functions of HERVs in reverse transcription and gene editing with their reverse transcriptase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shu Zheng,
| | - Jessie Qiaoyi Liang
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Center for Gut Microbiota Research, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Jessie Qiaoyi Liang,
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12
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Barisic S, Childs RW. Graft-Versus-Solid-Tumor Effect: From Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation to Adoptive Cell Therapies. Stem Cells 2022; 40:556-563. [PMID: 35325242 PMCID: PMC9216497 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
After allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), donor lymphocytes may contribute to the regression of hematological malignancies and select solid tumors, a phenomenon referred to as the graft-versus-tumor effect (GVT). However, this immunologic reaction is frequently limited by either poor specificity resulting in graft-versus-host disease or the frequency of tumor-specific T cells being too low to induce a complete and sustained anti-tumor response. Over the past 2 decades, it has become clear that the driver of GVT following allogeneic HSCT is T-cell-mediated recognition of antigens presented on tumor cells. With that regard, even though the excitement for using HSCT in solid tumors has declined, clinical trials of HSCT in solid tumors provided proof of concept and valuable insights leading to the discovery of tumor antigens and the development of targeted adoptive cell therapies for cancer. In this article, we review the results of clinical trials of allogeneic HSCT in solid tumors. We focus on lessons learned from correlative studies of these trials that hold the potential for the creation of tumor-specific immunotherapies with greater efficacy and safety for the treatment of malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Barisic
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Richard W Childs
- Laboratory of Transplantation Immunotherapy, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Corresponding author: Richard W. Childs, MD, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Room 3-5330, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Tel: +1 301 451 7128;
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13
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Bendall ML, Francis JH, Shoushtari AN, Nixon DF. Specific human endogenous retroviruses predict metastatic potential in uveal melanoma. JCI Insight 2022; 7:e147172. [PMID: 35349481 PMCID: PMC9090245 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.147172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is a unique disease in that patients with primary UM are well stratified based on their risk of developing metastasis, yet there are limited effective treatments once metastases occur. There is an urgent need to better understand the distinct molecular pathogenesis of UM and the characteristics of patients at high risk for metastasis to identify neoantigenic targets that can be used in immunotherapy and to develop novel therapeutic strategies that may effectively target this lethal transition. An important and overlooked area of molecular pathogenesis and neoantigenic targets in UM comes from human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). We investigated the HERV expression landscape in primary UM and found that tumors were stratified into 4 HERV-based subsets that provide clear delineation of risk outcome and support subtypes identified by other molecular indicators. Specific HERV loci are associated with the risk of uveal melanoma metastasis and may offer mechanistic insights into this process, including dysregulation of HERVs on chromosomes 3 and 8. A HERV signature composed of 17 loci was sufficient to classify tumors according to subtype with greater than 95% accuracy, including at least 1 intergenic HERV with coding potential (HERVE_Xp11.23) that could represent a potential HERV E target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Bendall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Alexander N. Shoushtari
- Melanoma Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Douglas F. Nixon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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14
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Müller MD, Holst PJ, Nielsen KN. A Systematic Review of Expression and Immunogenicity of Human Endogenous Retroviral Proteins in Cancer and Discussion of Therapeutic Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031330. [PMID: 35163254 PMCID: PMC8836156 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are remnants of ancient retroviral infections that have become fixed in the human genome. While HERV genes are typically silenced in healthy somatic cells, there are numerous reports of HERV transcription and translation across a wide spectrum of cancers, while T and B cell responses against HERV proteins have been detected in cancer patients. This review systematically categorizes the published evidence on the expression of and adaptive immune response against specific HERVs in distinct cancer types. A systematic literature search was performed using Medical Search Headings (MeSH) in the PubMed/Medline database. Papers were included if they described the translational activity of HERVs. We present multiple tables that pair the protein expression of specific HERVs and cancer types with information on the quality of the evidence. We find that HERV-K is the most investigated HERV. HERV-W (syncytin-1) is the second-most investigated, while other HERVs have received less attention. From a therapeutic perspective, HERV-K and HERV-E are the only HERVs with experimental demonstration of effective targeted therapies, but unspecific approaches using antiviral and demethylating agents in combination with chemo- and immunotherapies have also been investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikkel Dons Müller
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark;
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15
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Durnaoglu S, Lee SK, Ahnn J. Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Gene Expression Regulators: Insights from Animal Models into Human Diseases. Mol Cells 2021; 44:861-878. [PMID: 34963103 PMCID: PMC8718366 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.5016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome contains many retroviral elements called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), resulting from the integration of retroviruses throughout evolution. HERVs once were considered inactive junk because they are not replication-competent, primarily localized in the heterochromatin, and silenced by methylation. But HERVs are now clearly shown to actively regulate gene expression in various physiological and pathological conditions such as developmental processes, immune regulation, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. Recent studies report that HERVs are activated in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection. In this review, we describe internal and external factors that influence HERV activities. We also present evidence showing the gene regulatory activity of HERV LTRs (long terminal repeats) in model organisms such as mice, rats, zebrafish, and invertebrate models of worms and flies. Finally, we discuss several molecular and cellular pathways involving various transcription factors and receptors, through which HERVs affect downstream cellular and physiological events such as epigenetic modifications, calcium influx, protein phosphorylation, and cytokine release. Understanding how HERVs participate in various physiological and pathological processes will help develop a strategy to generate effective therapeutic approaches targeting HERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serpen Durnaoglu
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Sun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Joohong Ahnn
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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16
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Vitiello GAF, Ferreira WAS, Cordeiro de Lima VC, Medina TDS. Antiviral Responses in Cancer: Boosting Antitumor Immunity Through Activation of Interferon Pathway in the Tumor Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2021; 12:782852. [PMID: 34925363 PMCID: PMC8674309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.782852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, it became apparent that cancers either associated with viral infections or aberrantly expressing endogenous retroviral elements (EREs) are more immunogenic, exhibiting an intense intra-tumor immune cell infiltration characterized by a robust cytolytic apparatus. On the other hand, epigenetic regulation of EREs is crucial to maintain steady-state conditions and cell homeostasis. In line with this, epigenetic disruptions within steady-state cells can lead to cancer development and trigger the release of EREs into the cytoplasmic compartment. As such, detection of viral molecules by intracellular innate immune sensors leads to the production of type I and type III interferons that act to induce an antiviral state, thus restraining viral replication. This knowledge has recently gained momentum due to the possibility of triggering intratumoral activation of interferon responses, which could be used as an adjuvant to elicit strong anti-tumor immune responses that ultimately lead to a cascade of cytokine production. Accordingly, several therapeutic approaches are currently being tested using this rationale to improve responses to cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we discuss the immune mechanisms operating in viral infections, show evidence that exogenous viruses and endogenous retroviruses in cancer may enhance tumor immunogenicity, dissect the epigenetic control of EREs, and point to interferon pathway activation in the tumor milieu as a promising molecular predictive marker and immunotherapy target. Finally, we briefly discuss current strategies to modulate these responses within tumor tissues, including the clinical use of innate immune receptor agonists and DNA demethylating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wallax Augusto Silva Ferreira
- Translational Immuno-Oncology Group, International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Environmental Mutagenesis, Environment Section (SAMAM), Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | | | - Tiago da Silva Medina
- Translational Immuno-Oncology Group, International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, São Paulo, Brazil
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17
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Maze EA, Agit B, Reeves S, Hilton DA, Parkinson DB, Laraba L, Ercolano E, Kurian KM, Hanemann CO, Belshaw RD, Ammoun S. Human endogenous retrovirus type K promotes proliferation and confers sensitivity to anti-retroviral drugs in Merlin-negative schwannoma and meningioma. Cancer Res 2021; 82:235-247. [PMID: 34853069 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Deficiency of the tumour suppressor Merlin causes development of schwannoma, meningioma, and ependymoma tumours, which can occur spontaneously or in the hereditary disease neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Merlin mutations are also relevant in a variety of other tumours. Surgery and radiotherapy are current first-line treatments; however, tumours frequently recur with limited treatment options. Here, we use human Merlin-negative schwannoma and meningioma primary cells to investigate the involvement of the endogenous retrovirus HERV-K in tumour development. HERV-K proteins previously implicated in tumorigenesis were overexpressed in schwannoma and all meningioma grades, and disease-associated CRL4DCAF1 and YAP/TEAD pathways were implicated in this overexpression. In normal Schwann cells, ectopic overexpression of HERV-K Env increased proliferation and upregulated expression of c-Jun and pERK1/2, which are key components of known tumorigenic pathways in schwannoma, JNK/c-Jun and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK. Furthermore, FDA-approved retroviral protease inhibitors ritonavir, atazanavir, and lopinavir reduced proliferation of schwannoma and grade I meningioma cells. These results identify HERV-K as a critical regulator of progression in Merlin-deficient tumours and offer potential strategies for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel A Maze
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, Plymouth University
| | - Bora Agit
- Faculty of Health Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, Plymouth University
| | - Shona Reeves
- Faculty of Health Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, Plymouth University
| | - David A Hilton
- Faculty of Health Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, Plymouth University
| | - David B Parkinson
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
| | - Liyam Laraba
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
| | | | - Kathreena M Kurian
- Department of Neuropathology, Brain Tumour Research Group, Frenchay Hospital, University of Bristol
| | - C Oliver Hanemann
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
| | | | - Sylwia Ammoun
- Faculty of Health Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, Plymouth University
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18
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Chen R, Ishak CA, De Carvalho DD. Endogenous Retroelements and the Viral Mimicry Response in Cancer Therapy and Cellular Homeostasis. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:2707-2725. [PMID: 34649957 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-0506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Features of the cancer epigenome distinguish cancers from their respective cell of origin and establish therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be exploited through pharmacologic inhibition of DNA- or histone-modifying enzymes. Epigenetic therapies converge with cancer immunotherapies through "viral mimicry," a cellular state of active antiviral response triggered by endogenous nucleic acids often derived from aberrantly transcribed endogenous retrotransposons. This review describes the initial characterization and expansion of viral mimicry-inducing approaches as well as features that "prime" cancers for viral mimicry induction. Increased understanding of viral mimicry in therapeutic contexts suggests potential physiologic roles in cellular homeostasis. SIGNIFICANCE: Recent literature establishes elevated cytosolic double strand RNA (dsRNA) levels as a cancer-specific therapeutic vulnerability that can be elevated by viral mimicry-inducing therapies beyond tolerable thresholds to induce antiviral signaling and increase dependence on dsRNA stress responses mediated by ADAR1. Improved understanding of viral mimicry signaling and tolerance mechanisms reveals synergistic treatment combinations with epigenetic therapies that include inhibition of BCL2, ADAR1, and immune checkpoint blockade. Further characterization of viral mimicry tolerance may identify contexts that maximize efficacy of conventional cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Chen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles A Ishak
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Xu Y, Miller CP, Warren EH, Tykodi SS. Current status of antigen-specific T-cell immunotherapy for advanced renal-cell carcinoma. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17:1882-1896. [PMID: 33667140 PMCID: PMC8189101 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1870846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In renal-cell carcinoma (RCC), tumor-reactive T-cell responses can occur spontaneously or in response to systemic immunotherapy with cytokines and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cancer vaccines and engineered T-cell therapies are designed to selectively augment tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses with the goal to elicit tumor regression and avoid toxicities associated with nonspecific immunotherapies. In this review, we provide an overview of the central role of T-cell immunity in the treatment of advanced RCC. Clinical outcomes for antigen-targeted vaccines or other T-cell-engaging therapies for RCC are summarized and evaluated, and emerging new strategies to enhance the effectiveness of antigen-specific therapy for RCC are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexin Xu
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chris P Miller
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Edus H Warren
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Scott S Tykodi
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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20
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Ficial M, Jegede OA, Sant'Angelo M, Hou Y, Flaifel A, Pignon JC, Braun DA, Wind-Rotolo M, Sticco-Ivins MA, Catalano PJ, Freeman GJ, Sharpe AH, Hodi FS, Motzer RJ, Wu CJ, Atkins MB, McDermott DF, Shukla SA, Choueiri TK, Signoretti S. Expression of T-Cell Exhaustion Molecules and Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Predictive Biomarkers for Response to Nivolumab in Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 27:1371-1380. [PMID: 33219016 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-3084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We sought to validate levels of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating cells (TIC) expressing PD-1 but not TIM-3 and LAG-3 (IF biomarker; Pignon and colleagues, 2019) and to investigate human endogenous retroviruses (hERV) as predictors of response to anti-PD-1 in a randomized trial of nivolumab (nivo) versus everolimus (evero) in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC; CheckMate-025). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Tumor tissues (nivo: n = 116, evero: n = 107) were analyzed by multiparametric immunofluorescence (IF) and qRT-PCR. Genomic/transcriptomic analyses were performed in a subset of samples. Clinical endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and durable response rate (DRR, defined as complete response or partial response with a PFS ≥ 12 months). RESULTS In the nivo (but not evero) arm, patients with high-IF biomarker density (24/116, 20.7%) had higher ORR (45.8% vs. 19.6%, P = 0.01) and DRR (33.3% vs. 14.1%, P = 0.03) and longer median PFS (9.6 vs. 3.7 months, P = 0.03) than patients with low-IF biomarker. By RNA sequencing, several inflammatory pathways (q < 0.1) and immune-related gene signature scores (q < 0.05) were enriched in the high-IF biomarker group. When combined with the IF biomarker, tumor cell (TC) PD-L1 expression (≥1%) further separated clinical outcomes in the nivo arm. ERVE-4 expression was associated with increased DRR and longer PFS in nivo-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS High levels of CD8+ TIC expressing PD-1 but not TIM-3 and LAG-3 and ERVE-4 expression predicted response to nivo (but not to evero) in patients with mccRCC. Combination of the IF biomarker with TC PD-L1 improved its predictive value, confirming our previous findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Ficial
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Opeyemi A Jegede
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Miriam Sant'Angelo
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yue Hou
- Translational Immunogenomics Laboratory, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Abdallah Flaifel
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jean-Christophe Pignon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David A Braun
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Paul J Catalano
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gordon J Freeman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Arlene H Sharpe
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - F Stephen Hodi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Immune-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert J Motzer
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Catherine J Wu
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - David F McDermott
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Medical Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sachet A Shukla
- Translational Immunogenomics Laboratory, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Toni K Choueiri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sabina Signoretti
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
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21
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Choueiri TK, Kaelin WG. Targeting the HIF2-VEGF axis in renal cell carcinoma. Nat Med 2020; 26:1519-1530. [PMID: 33020645 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1093-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Insights into the role of the tumor suppressor pVHL in oxygen sensing motivated the testing of drugs that target the transcription factor HIF or HIF-responsive growth factors, such as VEGF, for the treatment of cancers caused by VHL inactivation, such as clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Multiple VEGF inhibitors are now approved for the treatment of ccRCC, and a HIF2α inhibitor has advanced to phase 3 development for this disease. These inhibitors are now also increasingly combined with immune-checkpoint blockers. In this Perspective, we describe the understanding of the mechanisms of oxygen sensing and hypoxia signaling that resulted in the development of HIF2α-targeted therapies for patients with VHL-associated tumors. We also present future directions for extending the use of these therapies to other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni K Choueiri
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - William G Kaelin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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22
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Zhuang X, Pedroza-Pacheco I, Nawroth I, Kliszczak AE, Magri A, Paes W, Rubio CO, Yang H, Ashcroft M, Mole D, Balfe P, Borrow P, McKeating JA. Hypoxic microenvironment shapes HIV-1 replication and latency. Commun Biol 2020; 3:376. [PMID: 32665623 PMCID: PMC7360605 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1103-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral replication is defined by the cellular microenvironment and one key factor is local oxygen tension, where hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) regulate the cellular response to oxygen. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected cells within secondary lymphoid tissues exist in a low-oxygen or hypoxic environment in vivo. However, the majority of studies on HIV replication and latency are performed under laboratory conditions where HIFs are inactive. We show a role for HIF-2α in restricting HIV transcription via direct binding to the viral promoter. Hypoxia reduced tumor necrosis factor or histone deacetylase inhibitor, Romidepsin, mediated reactivation of HIV and inhibiting HIF signaling-pathways reversed this phenotype. Our data support a model where the low-oxygen environment of the lymph node may suppress HIV replication and promote latency. We identify a mechanism that may contribute to the limited efficacy of latency reversing agents in reactivating HIV and suggest new strategies to control latent HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhuang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | | | - Isabel Nawroth
- Institute of Immunity and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Anna E Kliszczak
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Andrea Magri
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Wayne Paes
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | | | - Hongbing Yang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Margaret Ashcroft
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - David Mole
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Peter Balfe
- Institute of Immunity and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Persephone Borrow
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Jane A McKeating
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK.
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23
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de Cubas AA, Dunker W, Zaninovich A, Hongo RA, Bhatia A, Panda A, Beckermann KE, Bhanot G, Ganesan S, Karijolich J, Rathmell WK. DNA hypomethylation promotes transposable element expression and activation of immune signaling in renal cell cancer. JCI Insight 2020; 5:137569. [PMID: 32493845 PMCID: PMC7308050 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.137569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, we reported that expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) is associated with response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We show that decitabine, a DNA hypomethylating agent, activates transposable element (TE) expression (LINE1 and ERVs ERV3-2 and ERV4700) and antiviral signaling to potentially enhance response to ICB in kidney cancer cell lines and primary cells. KO of RIGI and MDA5 dsRNA sensors attenuated activation of antiviral signaling associated with DNA hypomethylation, and RIGI and MDA5 IPs showed increased ERV binding with decitabine treatment. Bioinformatic analyses showed the decitabine-induced signature could be associated with increased immune infiltration and response to ICB. Cytokine secretion induced by decitabine could modestly improve T cell activation and robustly enhanced T cell migration. In a small retrospective cohort of metastatic clear cell RCC (ccRCC) patients treated with anti-PD1/PDL1 blockade, activation of some antiviral genes was significantly higher in responders. Thus, we identified a potential strategy to induce TE expression through inhibition of DNA methylation in modulating T cell action via regulation of the innate antiviral pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aguirre A. de Cubas
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
| | - William Dunker
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew Zaninovich
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
| | - Rachel A. Hongo
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
| | - Anuj Bhatia
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
| | - Anshuman Panda
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Beckermann
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
| | - Gyan Bhanot
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Moores Cancer Center at UCSD Health, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Shridar Ganesan
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - John Karijolich
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - W. Kimryn Rathmell
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and
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24
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Choueiri TK, Atkins MB, Bakouny Z, Carlo MI, Drake CG, Jonasch E, Kapur P, Lewis B, Linehan WM, Mitchell MJ, Pal SK, Pels K, Poteat S, Rathmell WK, Rini BI, Signoretti S, Tannir N, Uzzo R, Wood CG, Hammers HJ. Summary From the First Kidney Cancer Research Summit, September 12-13, 2019: A Focus on Translational Research. J Natl Cancer Inst 2020; 113:234-243. [PMID: 32359162 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers both in the United States and worldwide. Until this year, there had not previously been a conference focused on translational studies in the broad and heterogeneous group of kidney cancers. Therefore, a group of researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates dedicated to renal cell carcinoma launched the Kidney Cancer Research Summit (KCRS) to spur collaboration and further therapeutic advances in these tumors. This commentary aims to summarize the oral presentations and serve as a record for future iterations of this meeting. The KCRS sessions addressed the tumor microenvironment, novel methods of drug delivery, single cell sequencing strategies, novel immune checkpoint blockade and cellular therapies, predictive biomarkers, and rare variants of kidney cancers. In addition, the meeting included 2 sessions to promote scientific mentoring and kidney cancer research collaborations. A subsequent KCRS will be planned for the fall of 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni K Choueiri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael B Atkins
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC
| | - Ziad Bakouny
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maria I Carlo
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles G Drake
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric Jonasch
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Payal Kapur
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - W Marston Linehan
- Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael J Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sumanta K Pal
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Pels
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - W Kimryn Rathmell
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Brian I Rini
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sabina Signoretti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nizar Tannir
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert Uzzo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christopher G Wood
- Department of Urology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hans J Hammers
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Ishak CA, De Carvalho DD. Reactivation of Endogenous Retroelements in Cancer Development and Therapy. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY-SERIES 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-030419-033525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Domesticated retroelements contribute extensively as regulatory elements within host gene networks. Upon germline integration, retroelement mobilization is restricted through epigenetic silencing, mutational degradation, and innate immune defenses described as the viral mimicry response. Recent discoveries reveal how early events in tumorigenesis reactivate retroelements to facilitate onco-exaptation, replication stress, retrotransposition, mitotic errors, and sterile inflammation, which collectively disrupt genome integrity. The characterization of altered epigenetic homeostasis at retroelements in cancer cells also reveals new epigenetic targets whose inactivation can bolster responses to cancer therapies. Recent discoveries reviewed here frame reactivated retroelements as both drivers of tumorigenesis and therapy responses, where their reactivation by emerging epigenetic therapies can potentiate immune checkpoint blockade, cancer vaccines, and other standard therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A. Ishak
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Daniel D. De Carvalho
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada
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26
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Yakirevich E, Patel NR. Tumor mutational burden and immune signatures interplay in renal cell carcinoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:269. [PMID: 32355713 PMCID: PMC7186632 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.02.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Yakirevich
- Department of Pathology, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nimesh R Patel
- Department of Pathology, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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27
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Kudryavtseva AV, Lukyanova EN, Kharitonov SL, Nyushko KM, Krasheninnikov AA, Pudova EA, Guvatova ZG, Alekseev BY, Kiseleva MV, Kaprin AD, Dmitriev AA, Snezhkina AV, Krasnov GS. Bioinformatic identification of differentially expressed genes associated with prognosis of locally advanced lymph node-positive prostate cancer. J Bioinform Comput Biol 2020; 17:1950003. [PMID: 30866732 DOI: 10.1142/s0219720019500033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the primary causes of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. Patients with locally advanced PCa with metastases in regional lymph nodes are usually marked as a high-risk group. One of the chief concerns for this group is to make an informed decision about the necessity of conducting adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy after radical surgical treatment. During the oncogenic transformation and progression of the disease, the expression of many genes is altered. Some of these genes can serve as markers for diagnosis, predicting the prognosis or effectiveness of drug therapy, as well as possible therapeutic targets. We undertook bioinformatic analysis of the RNA-seq data deposited in The Cancer Genome Atlas consortium database to identify possible prognostic markers. We compared the groups with favorable and unfavorable prognosis for the cohort of patients with PCa showing lymph node metastasis (pT2N1M0, pT3N1M0, and pT4N1M0) and for the most common molecular type carrying the fusion transcript TMPRSS2-ERG. For the entire cohort, we revealed at least six potential markers (IDO1, UGT2B15, IFNG, MUC6, CXCL11, and GBP1). Most of these genes are involved in the positive regulation of immune response. For the TMPRSS2-ERG subtype, we also identified six genes, the expression of which may be associated with prognosis: TOB1, GALNT7, INAFM1, APELA, RAC3, and NNMT. The identified genes, after additional studies and validation in the extended cohort, could serve as a prognostic marker of locally advanced lymph node-positive PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V Kudryavtseva
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Elena N Lukyanova
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Sergey L Kharitonov
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Kirill M Nyushko
- † Federal State Budgetary Institution, National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Korolev Str., Obninsk 249036, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey A Krasheninnikov
- † Federal State Budgetary Institution, National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Korolev Str., Obninsk 249036, Russian Federation
| | - Elena A Pudova
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Zulfiya G Guvatova
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Boris Y Alekseev
- † Federal State Budgetary Institution, National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Korolev Str., Obninsk 249036, Russian Federation
| | - Marina V Kiseleva
- † Federal State Budgetary Institution, National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Korolev Str., Obninsk 249036, Russian Federation
| | - Andrey D Kaprin
- † Federal State Budgetary Institution, National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 4 Korolev Str., Obninsk 249036, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey A Dmitriev
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Anastasiya V Snezhkina
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - George S Krasnov
- * Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 32, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
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Pudova EA, Lukyanova EN, Nyushko KM, Mikhaylenko DS, Zaretsky AR, Snezhkina AV, Savvateeva MV, Kobelyatskaya AA, Melnikova NV, Volchenko NN, Efremov GD, Klimina KM, Belova AA, Kiseleva MV, Kaprin AD, Alekseev BY, Krasnov GS, Kudryavtseva AV. Differentially Expressed Genes Associated With Prognosis in Locally Advanced Lymph Node-Negative Prostate Cancer. Front Genet 2019; 10:730. [PMID: 31447885 PMCID: PMC6697060 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Older age is one of the main risk factors for cancer development. The incidence of prostate cancer, as a multifactorial disease, also depends upon demographic factors, race, and genetic predisposition. Prostate cancer most frequently occurs in men over 60 years of age, indicating a clear association between older age and disease onset. Carcinogenesis is followed by the deregulation of many genes, and some of these changes could serve as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of drug therapy efficacy, as well as possible therapeutic targets. We have performed a bioinformatic analysis of a The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and RNA-Seq profiling of a Russian patient cohort to reveal prognostic markers of locally advanced lymph node-negative prostate cancer (lymph node-negative LAPC). We also aimed to identify markers of the most common molecular subtype of prostate cancer carrying a fusion transcript TMPRSS2-ERG. We have found several genes that were differently expressed between the favorable and unfavorable prognosis groups and involved in the enriched KEGG pathways based on the TCGA (B4GALNT4, PTK6, and CHAT) and Russian patient cohort data (AKR1C1 and AKR1C3). Additionally, we revealed such genes for the TMPRSS2-ERG prostate cancer molecular subtype (B4GALNT4, ASRGL1, MYBPC1, RGS11, SLC6A14, GALNT13, and ST6GALNAC1). Obtained results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind prostate cancer progression and could be used for further development of the LAPC prognosis marker panel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A. Pudova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena N. Lukyanova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill M. Nyushko
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry S. Mikhaylenko
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrew R. Zaretsky
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Maria V. Savvateeva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Nataliya V. Melnikova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda N. Volchenko
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Gennady D. Efremov
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kseniya M. Klimina
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiya A. Belova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina V. Kiseleva
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey D. Kaprin
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Boris Y. Alekseev
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - George S. Krasnov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna V. Kudryavtseva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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29
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Smith CC, Selitsky SR, Chai S, Armistead PM, Vincent BG, Serody JS. Alternative tumour-specific antigens. Nat Rev Cancer 2019; 19:465-478. [PMID: 31278396 PMCID: PMC6874891 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-019-0162-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The study of tumour-specific antigens (TSAs) as targets for antitumour therapies has accelerated within the past decade. The most commonly studied class of TSAs are those derived from non-synonymous single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), or SNV neoantigens. However, to increase the repertoire of available therapeutic TSA targets, 'alternative TSAs', defined here as high-specificity tumour antigens arising from non-SNV genomic sources, have recently been evaluated. Among these alternative TSAs are antigens derived from mutational frameshifts, splice variants, gene fusions, endogenous retroelements and other processes. Unlike the patient-specific nature of SNV neoantigens, some alternative TSAs may have the advantage of being widely shared by multiple tumours, allowing for universal, off-the-shelf therapies. In this Opinion article, we will outline the biology, available computational tools, preclinical and/or clinical studies and relevant cancers for each alternative TSA class, as well as discuss both current challenges preventing the therapeutic application of alternative TSAs and potential solutions to aid in their clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof C Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara R Selitsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Bioinformatics Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shengjie Chai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paul M Armistead
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin G Vincent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Program in Computational Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Program in Computational Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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30
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Close to the Bedside: A Systematic Review of Endogenous Retroviruses and Their Impact in Oncology. J Surg Res 2019; 240:145-155. [PMID: 30933828 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are genetic elements in the human genome, which resulted from ancient retroviral germline infections. HERVs have strong transcriptional promoters and enhancers that affect a cell's transcriptome. They also encode proteins that can exert effects in human cells. This review examines how our increased understanding of HERVs have led to their potential use as biomarkers and immunologic targets. MATERIAL AND METHODS PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were used in a systematic search to identify all articles studying the potential impact of HERVs on surgical diseases. The search included studies that involved clinical patient samples in diseases including cancer, inflammatory conditions, and autoimmune disease. Articles focused on conditions not routinely managed by surgeons were excluded. RESULTS Eighty six articles met inclusion and quality criteria for this review and were included. Breast cancer and melanoma have robust evidence regarding the use of HERVs as potential tumor markers and immunologic targets. Reported evidence of the activity of HERVs in colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular cancer, prostate and ovarian cancer, germ cell tumors as well as idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, and the inflammatory response in burns was also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS Increasingly convincing evidence indicates that HERVs may play a role in solid organ malignancy and present important biomarkers or immunologic targets in multiple cancers. Innovative investigation of HERVs is a valuable focus of translational research and can deepen our understanding of cellular physiology and the effects of endogenous retroviruses on human biology. As strategies for treatment continue to focus on genome-based interventions, understanding the impact of endogenous retroviruses on human disease will be critical.
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31
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Attermann A, Bjerregaard AM, Saini S, Grønbæk K, Hadrup S. Human endogenous retroviruses and their implication for immunotherapeutics of cancer. Ann Oncol 2018; 29:2183-2191. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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32
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Smith CC, Beckermann KE, Bortone DS, De Cubas AA, Bixby LM, Lee SJ, Panda A, Ganesan S, Bhanot G, Wallen EM, Milowsky MI, Kim WY, Rathmell WK, Swanstrom R, Parker JS, Serody JS, Selitsky SR, Vincent BG. Endogenous retroviral signatures predict immunotherapy response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:4804-4820. [PMID: 30137025 PMCID: PMC6205406 DOI: 10.1172/jci121476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (hERVs) are remnants of exogenous retroviruses that have integrated into the genome throughout evolution. We developed a computational workflow, hervQuant, which identified more than 3,000 transcriptionally active hERVs within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pan-cancer RNA-Seq database. hERV expression was associated with clinical prognosis in several tumor types, most significantly clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We explored two mechanisms by which hERV expression may influence the tumor immune microenvironment in ccRCC: (i) RIG-I-like signaling and (ii) retroviral antigen activation of adaptive immunity. We demonstrated the ability of hERV signatures associated with these immune mechanisms to predict patient survival in ccRCC, independent of clinical staging and molecular subtyping. We identified potential tumor-specific hERV epitopes with evidence of translational activity through the use of a ccRCC ribosome profiling (Ribo-Seq) dataset, validated their ability to bind HLA in vitro, and identified the presence of MHC tetramer-positive T cells against predicted epitopes. hERV sequences identified through this screening approach were significantly more highly expressed in ccRCC tumors responsive to treatment with programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) inhibition. hervQuant provides insights into the role of hERVs within the tumor immune microenvironment, as well as evidence that hERV expression could serve as a biomarker for patient prognosis and response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof C. Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Beckermann
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dante S. Bortone
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aguirre A. De Cubas
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lisa M. Bixby
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Samuel J. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anshuman Panda
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Shridar Ganesan
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gyan Bhanot
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Eric M. Wallen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Urology
| | - Matthew I. Milowsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine
| | - William Y. Kim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Urology,,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine,,Department of Genetics
| | - W. Kimryn Rathmell
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ronald Swanstrom
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and
| | - Joel S. Parker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Genetics
| | - Jonathan S. Serody
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine
| | - Sara R. Selitsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Benjamin G. Vincent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine,,Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Ishak CA, Classon M, De Carvalho DD. Deregulation of Retroelements as an Emerging Therapeutic Opportunity in Cancer. Trends Cancer 2018; 4:583-597. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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34
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Snezhkina AV, Nyushko KM, Zaretsky AR, Shagin DA, Sadritdinova AF, Fedorova MS, Guvatova ZG, Abramov IS, Pudova EA, Alekseev BY, Dmitriev AA, Kudryavtseva AV. Transcription Factor SAP30 Is Involved in the Activation of NETO2 Gene Expression in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Mol Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893318020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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35
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Giebler M, Staege MS, Blauschmidt S, Ohm LI, Kraus M, Würl P, Taubert H, Greither T. Elevated HERV-K Expression in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Is Associated with Worsened Relapse-Free Survival. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:211. [PMID: 29487589 PMCID: PMC5816752 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of endogenous retroviral sequences has been demonstrated in the human genome so far, divided into several different families according to the sequence homology to viral strains. While increased expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) elements has already been linked to unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and ovarian carcinoma yet less is known about the impact of the expression of different HERV elements on sarcomagenesis in general as well as the outcome of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. Therefore, in this study the association between expression of HERV-K and HERV-F and the clinicopathological characteristics in a cohort of STSs as well as the patients’ prognosis was evaluated. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in 120 patient specimens. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was significantly correlated (rS = 0.5; p = 6.4 × 10-9; Spearman’s rank bivariate correlation). Also, tumor diameter exhibited a significant negative association to HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Levels of several hypoxia-related RNAs like HIF-1α and miR-210 showed a significant positive correlation with both HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Although in survival analyses no impact of HERV expression on disease-specific survival could be detected, patients with elevated HERV-K expression had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival (p = 0.014, log-rank analysis). In conclusion, we provide evidence for the first time that the increased expression of HERV-K in tumors is associated with STS patients’ prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giebler
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Martin S Staege
- Department of Pediatrics I, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Sindy Blauschmidt
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Lea I Ohm
- Department of Pediatrics I, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Matthias Kraus
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Peter Würl
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, Städtische Klinikum Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Helge Taubert
- Division Molecular Urology, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Greither
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Wong YNS, Joshi K, Pule M, Peggs KS, Swanton C, Quezada SA, Linch M. Evolving adoptive cellular therapies in urological malignancies. Lancet Oncol 2017; 18:e341-e353. [PMID: 28593860 DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(17)30327-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies have long been used to treat urological cancers but rarely lead to cure. In the past 5 years, success of immune checkpoint inhibition has led to a resurgence of enthusiasm for immunotherapy in the treatment of solid tumours. Increased understanding of tumour immune biology, technological advancements of gene transfer and cell culture, and improved clinical infrastructures for routine delivery of cell products, has made cell-based immunotherapeutics a real prospect for cancer therapy. These scientific and clinical activities, attempting to exploit the innate and adaptive immune systems for therapeutic gain, are well exemplified by the urological malignancies of renal, bladder, prostate, and penile cancer, a group of anatomically localised diseases, each with a distinct biology and different immunotherapeutic challenges. In this Review, we present the results of clinical studies investigating autologous cellular therapies in urological malignancies. Specifically, we discuss the rationale for upcoming studies, and how novel therapies and adoptive cell combinations can be used for personalised cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yien Ning Sophia Wong
- Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Kroopa Joshi
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
| | - Martin Pule
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Karl S Peggs
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Haematology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Charles Swanton
- Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Sergio A Quezada
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Mark Linch
- Department of Oncology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK; Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
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Zhikrivetskaya SO, Snezhkina AV, Zaretsky AR, Alekseev BY, Pokrovsky AV, Golovyuk AL, Melnikova NV, Stepanov OA, Kalinin DV, Moskalev AA, Krasnov GS, Dmitriev AA, Kudryavtseva AV. Molecular markers of paragangliomas/pheochromocytomas. Oncotarget 2017; 8:25756-25782. [PMID: 28187001 PMCID: PMC5421967 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Paragangliomas/pheochromocytomas comprise rare tumors that arise from the extra-adrenal paraganglia, with an incidence of about 2 to 8 per million people each year. Approximately 40% of cases are due to genetic mutations in at least one out of more than 30 causative genes. About 25-30% of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas develop under the conditions of a hereditary tumor syndrome a third of which are caused by mutations in the VHL gene. Together, the gene mutations in this disorder have implicated multiple processes including signaling pathways, translation initiation, hypoxia regulation, protein synthesis, differentiation, survival, proliferation, and cell growth. The present review contemplates the mutations associated with the development of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas and their potential to serve as specific markers of these tumors and their progression. These data will improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of these tumors and likely reveal certain features that may be useful for early diagnostics, malignancy prognostics, and the determination of new targets for disease therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew R Zaretsky
- M.M. Shemyakin - Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Boris Y Alekseev
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Nataliya V Melnikova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg A Stepanov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Alexey A Moskalev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - George S Krasnov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A Dmitriev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna V Kudryavtseva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- National Medical Research Radiological Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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Cherkasova E, Scrivani C, Doh S, Weisman Q, Takahashi Y, Harashima N, Yokoyama H, Srinivasan R, Linehan WM, Lerman MI, Childs RW. Detection of an Immunogenic HERV-E Envelope with Selective Expression in Clear Cell Kidney Cancer. Cancer Res 2016; 76:2177-85. [PMID: 26862115 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-3139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
VHL-deficient clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC), the most common form of kidney cancer, express transcripts derived from the novel human endogenous retrovirus HERV-E (named CT-RCC HERV-E). In this study, we define a transcript encoding the entire envelope gene of HERV-E as expressed selectively in ccRCC tumors, as distinct from normal kidney tissues or other tumor types. Sequence analysis of this envelope transcript revealed long open reading frames encoding putative surface and transmembrane envelope proteins. Retroviral envelopes are known to be capable of eliciting immunity in humans. Accordingly, we found that HLA-A*0201-restricted peptides predicted to be products of the CT-RCC HERV-E envelope transcript-stimulated CD8(+) T cells, which could recognize HLA-A*0201-positive HERV-E-expressing kidney tumor cells. Overall, our results offer evidence of unique HERV-E envelope peptides presented on the surface of ccRCC cells, offering potentially useful tumor-restricted targets for T-cell-based immunotherapy of kidney cancer. Cancer Res; 76(8); 2177-85. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cherkasova
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Claire Scrivani
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Susan Doh
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Quinn Weisman
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yoshiyuki Takahashi
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nanae Harashima
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hisayuki Yokoyama
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | - Michael I Lerman
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Richard W Childs
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
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Ullah F, Khan T, Ali N, Malik FA, Kayani MA, Shah STA, Saeed M. Promoter Methylation Status Modulate the Expression of Tumor Suppressor (RbL2/p130) Gene in Breast Cancer. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134687. [PMID: 26271034 PMCID: PMC4536218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant expression of tumor suppressor genes may correspond to the abnormal cell development and tumorigenesis. Rbl2/p130, a member of retinoblastoma family of proteins, has growth suppressive properties. Numerous studies reported de-regulation of Rbl2/p130 in various types of cancer as a consequence of a number of genetic alterations. However, role of epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation in Rbl2/p130 expression remains elusive. Methods In the current study, 76 breast cancer tumors along with normal tissues (n = 76), blood (n = 76) of respective individuals and control blood (n = 50) were analyzed. Rbl2/p130 expression was analyzed by quantitative real time PCR (syber green method). Promoter methylation status was studied through methylation specific PCR of bisulfite converted genomic DNA. Data was analyzed using various statistical tests. Results We report significantly reduced Rbl2/p130 expression (P = 0.001) in tumors tissues as compared to control samples. Similarly, Rbl2/p130 expression varies with age and disease stages (P = 0.022), which suggest its involvement in tumor progression. Aberrant promoter methylation (Δmeth) was found in almost all the diseased samples and that was significantly different (P<0.001) with control samples. Similarly, methylation status varies significantly with tumor progression stages (P = 0.022). Hyper-methylation was observed at -1, +3, +15 and +75 of Rbl2/p130 promoter flanking around the TSS. Statistical analysis revealed that Rbl2/p130 expression negatively correlates to its promoter methylation (r = -0.412) in tumor tissues. Our results reflect an epigenetic regulation of Rbl2/p130 expression in breast cancer. This highlights the importance of Rbl2/p130 promoter methylation in breast cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farman Ullah
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Taimoor Khan
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nawab Ali
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Faraz Arshad Malik
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mahmood Akhtar Kayani
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Syed Tahir Abbas Shah
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saeed
- Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
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Human endogenous retrovirus group E and its involvement in diseases. Viruses 2015; 7:1238-57. [PMID: 25785516 PMCID: PMC4379568 DOI: 10.3390/v7031238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus group E (HERV-E) elements are stably integrated into the human genome, transmitted vertically in a Mendelian manner, and are endowed with transcriptional activity as alternative promoters or enhancers. Such effects are under the control of the proviral long terminal repeats (LTR) that are organized into three HERV-E phylogenetic subgroups, namely LTR2, LTR2B, and LTR2C. Moreover, HERV-E expression is tissue-specific, and silenced by epigenetic constraints that may be disrupted in cancer, autoimmunity, and human placentation. Interest in HERV-E with regard to these conditions has been stimulated further by concerns regarding the capacity of HERV-E elements to modify the expression of neighboring genes and/or to produce retroviral proteins, including immunosuppressive env peptides, which in turn may induce (auto)-antibody (Ab) production. Finally, better understanding of HERV-E elements may have clinical applications for prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.
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Pavlicev M, Hiratsuka K, Swaggart KA, Dunn C, Muglia L. Detecting endogenous retrovirus-driven tissue-specific gene transcription. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 7:1082-97. [PMID: 25767249 PMCID: PMC4419796 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise approximately half of the human genome, and several independent lines of investigation have demonstrated their role in rewiring gene expression during development, evolution, and oncogenesis. The identification of their regulatory effects has largely been idiosyncratic, by linking activity with isolated genes. Their distribution throughout the genome raises critical questions—do these elements contribute to broad tissue- and lineage-specific regulation? If so, in what manner, as enhancers, promoters, RNAs? Here, we devise a novel approach to systematically dissect the genome-wide consequences of TE insertion on gene expression, and test the hypothesis that classes of endogenous retrovirus long terminal repeats (LTRs) exert tissue-specific regulation of adjacent genes. Using correlation of expression patterns across 18 tissue types, we reveal the tissue-specific uncoupling of gene expression due to 62 different LTR classes. These patterns are specific to the retroviral insertion, as the same genes in species without the LTRs do not exhibit the same effect. Although the LTRs can be transcribed themselves, the most highly transcribed TEs do not have the largest effects on adjacent regulation of coding genes, suggesting they function predominantly as enhancers. Moreover, the tissue-specific patterns of gene expression that are detected by our method arise from a limited number of genes, rather than as a general consequence of LTR integration. These findings identify basic principles of co-opting LTRs for genome evolution, and support the utility of our method for the analysis of TE, or other specific gene sets, in relation to the rest of the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Pavlicev
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Kaori Hiratsuka
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Kayleigh A Swaggart
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Caitlin Dunn
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Louis Muglia
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
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Cherkasova E, Weisman Q, Childs RW. Endogenous retroviruses as targets for antitumor immunity in renal cell cancer and other tumors. Front Oncol 2013; 3:243. [PMID: 24062992 PMCID: PMC3775266 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), remnants of ancient germ-line infections with exogenous retroviruses, are estimated to comprise up to 8% of human genome. Most HERVs have accumulated mutations and deletions that prevent their expression as an infectious virus. Nevertheless, a growing number of HERV genes and proteins have been found to be expressed in different cancers, raising the possibility that HERV-derived antigens might represent excellent targets for tumor immunotherapy. Here, we review data showing HERV-encoded antigens are capable of eliciting humoral and T-cells specific antitumor immunity. We also describe a novel HERV-E that was recently found to be selectively expressed in over 80% of clear cell kidney cancer but not in normal tissues. Remarkably, the restricted expression of HERV-E in kidney tumors was found to occur as a consequence of inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor. Importantly, antigens derived from this provirus are immunogenic, stimulating cytotoxic T-cells that kill kidney cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Taken altogether, these data suggest efforts aimed at boosting human immunity against HERV-derived antigens could be used as a strategy to treat advanced tumors including kidney cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cherkasova
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD , USA
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Katoh I, Kurata SI. Association of endogenous retroviruses and long terminal repeats with human disorders. Front Oncol 2013; 3:234. [PMID: 24062987 PMCID: PMC3769647 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the human genome sequences became available in 2001, our knowledge about the human transposable elements which comprise ∼40% of the total nucleotides has been expanding. Non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons are actively transposing in the present-day human genome, and have been found to cause ∼100 identified clinical cases of varied disorders. In contrast, almost all of the human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) originating from ancient infectious retroviruses lost their infectivity and transposing activity at various times before the human-chimpanzee speciation (∼6 million years ago), and no known HERV is presently infectious. Insertion of HERVs and mammalian apparent LTR retrotransposons (MaLRs) into the chromosomal DNA influenced a number of host genes in various modes during human evolution. Apart from the aspect of genome evolution, HERVs and solitary LTRs being suppressed in normal biological processes can potentially act as extra transcriptional apparatuses of cellular genes by re-activation in individuals. There has been a reasonable prediction that aberrant LTR activation could trigger malignant disorders and autoimmune responses if epigenetic changes including DNA hypomethylation occur in somatic cells. Evidence supporting this hypothesis has begun to emerge only recently: a MaLR family LTR activation in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a HERV-E antigen expression in an anti-renal cell carcinoma immune response. This mini review addresses the impacts of the remnant-form LTR retrotransposons on human pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyoko Katoh
- Department of Microbiology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi , Chuo, Yamanashi , Japan
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Han B, Ziober A, Lu S, Bing Z. The expression of heterochromatin protein 1α/β in the kidney tumors: a microarray immunohistochemical study. Ann Diagn Pathol 2013; 17:172-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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HERV-E-mediated modulation of PLA2G4A transcription in urothelial carcinoma. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49341. [PMID: 23145155 PMCID: PMC3492278 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) and related elements account for more than 8% of the human genome and significantly contribute to the human transcriptome by long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter activity. In this context, HERVs are thought to intervene in the expression of adjacent genes by providing regulatory sequences (cis-effect) or via noncoding RNA including natural antisense transcripts. To address the potential impact of HERV activity in urothelial carcinoma, we comparatively analyzed the HERV transcription profiles in paired samples of non-malignant urothelium and urothelial carcinoma derived from 13 patients with bladder cancer by means of a retrovirus-specific microarray (RetroArray). We established a characteristic HERV signature consisting of six ubiquitously active HERV subgroups (E4-1, HERV-Rb, ERV9, HERV-K-T47D, NMWV3, HERV-KC4). The transcription pattern is largely identical in human urothelial carcinoma, non-malignant urothelial tissue, four tumor-derived cell lines and in a non-malignant urothelial cell line (UROtsa). Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) of HERV-E4-1, HERV-K(HML-6) and HERV-T(S71-TK1) revealed a bias to lower HERV activity in carcinoma samples compared to non-malignant tissue. Determination of active HERV-E4-1 loci by cloning and sequencing revealed six HERV-E4-1 proviral loci that are differentially regulated in urothelial carcinoma cells and normal tissue. Two full-length HERV-E4-1 proviruses, HERV-Ec1 and HERV-Ec6, are located in antisense orientation in introns of the genes PLA2G4A and RNGTT, respectively. PLA2G4A encodes a cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) that is dysregulated in many human tumors. PLA2G4A and HERV-Ec1 displayed reciprocal transcript levels in 7 of 11 urothelial carcinoma patients. Moreover, reciprocal shifts were observed after treatment of UROtsa cells with HERV-Ec1 and PLA2G4A-directed siRNAs or 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (aza-dC) pointing to an antagonistic regulation of PLA2G4A and HERV-Ec1 transcription in human urothelial cells. We suggest that transcription of HERV-Ec1 contributes to fine tuning of cPLA2 expression, thereby facilitating tumorigenesis.
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