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Santiago-Sánchez GS, Fabian KP, Hodge JW. A landscape of checkpoint blockade resistance in cancer: underlying mechanisms and current strategies to overcome resistance. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2308097. [PMID: 38306161 PMCID: PMC10841019 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2308097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of immune checkpoints and the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have achieved a durable response in advanced-stage cancer patients. However, there is still a high proportion of patients who do not benefit from ICI therapy due to a lack of response when first treated (primary resistance) or detection of disease progression months after objective response is observed (acquired resistance). Here, we review the current FDA-approved ICI for the treatment of certain solid malignancies, evaluate the contrasting responses to checkpoint blockade in different cancer types, explore the known mechanisms associated with checkpoint blockade resistance (CBR), and assess current strategies in the field that seek to overcome these mechanisms. In order to improve current therapies and develop new ones, the immunotherapy field still has an unmet need in identifying other molecules that act as immune checkpoints, and uncovering other mechanisms that promote CBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ginette S. Santiago-Sánchez
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kellsye P. Fabian
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - James W. Hodge
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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2
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Chen Y, Che X, Rong Y, Zhu J, Yu Y, Xu H, Sun Y, Chen H, Yan L, Chen L, Xu Y, Zhang J. Immunomodulation in Endometriosis: Investigating the interrelationship between VISTA expression and Escherichia.Shigella-Associated metabolites. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 137:112366. [PMID: 38852526 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Endometriosis is characterized by an abnormal immune microenvironment. Despite the extensive use of immune therapies, the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in endometriosis lacks confidence due to the instability of preclinical research data. This study aims to elucidate the regulation of the immune inhibitory checkpoint VISTA and its effects on T cells from the perspective of microbiota and metabolism. MAIN METHODS We divided endometriosis patients into high and low groups based on the expression levels of VISTA in lesion tissues. We collected peritoneal fluid samples from these two groups and performed 16 s RNA sequencing and metabolomics analysis to investigate microbial diversity and differential metabolites. Through combined analysis, we identified microbial-associated metabolites and validated their correlation with VISTA and CD8 + T cells using ELISA and immunofluorescence. In vitro experiments were conducted to confirm the regulatory relationship among these factors. KEY FINDINGS Our findings revealed a distinct correlation between VISTA expression and the microbial colony Escherichia.Shigella. Moreover, we identified the metabolites LTD4-d5 and 2-n-Propylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid as being associated with both Escherichia.Shigella and VISTA expression. In vitro experiments confirmed the inhibitory effects of these metabolites on VISTA expression, while they demonstrated a positive regulation of CD8 + T cell infiltration into endometriotic lesions. SIGNIFICANCE This study reveals the connection between microbial diversity, metabolites, and VISTA expression in the immune microenvironment of endometriosis, providing potential targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Chen
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xuan Che
- Jiaxing University Affiliated Women and Children Hospital, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yishen Rong
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jue Zhu
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yayuan Yu
- Jiaxing University Affiliated Women and Children Hospital, Jiaxing, China
| | - Hong Xu
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhui Sun
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Lifeng Yan
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanan Xu
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
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3
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Liu S, Ji F, Ding Y, Ding B, Feng S, Brennick C, Lin H, Zhang T, Shen Y. VISTA: A promising target for overcoming immune evasion in gynecologic cancers. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 138:112655. [PMID: 38986302 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment but has shown limited efficacy in gynecologic cancers. VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation), a member of the B7 family, is emerging as another checkpoint that regulates the anti-tumor immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. This paper reviews the structure, expression, and mechanism of action of VISTA. Furthermore, it highlights recent advances in VISTA-blocking therapies and their potential in improving outcomes for patients with gynecologic cancers. By understanding the role of VISTA in mediating the immune evasion of gynecologic tumors, we can develop more effective combinatory treatment strategies that could overcome resistance to current ICB therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sicong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Feng Ji
- Department of Clinical Science and Research, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Bo Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Songwei Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Cory Brennick
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Hao Lin
- Department of Clinical Science and Research, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Tianxiang Zhang
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Yang Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China.
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4
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Gao Y, He Y, Tang Y, Chen ZS, Qu M. VISTA: A Novel Checkpoint for Cancer Immunotherapy. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104045. [PMID: 38797321 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a recently identified member of the B7 family of immunoregulatory proteins. It is pivotal for maintaining T cell quiescence and exerts a significant regulatory influence on the immune response to tumors. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests that the influence of VISTA on tumor immunity is more nuanced than initially postulated. Although these revelations add layers of complexity to our understanding of the function of VISTA, they also offer novel avenues for scientific inquiry and potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we scrutinize the current literature pertaining to the expression of VISTA in various of malignancies, aiming to elucidate its intricate roles within the tumor microenvironment and in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gao
- Translational Medical Center, Weifang Second People's Hospital, Weifang 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Yanting He
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Pingdu 266700, Shandong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Tang
- Translational Medical Center, Weifang Second People's Hospital, Weifang 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY 11439, USA.
| | - Meihua Qu
- Translational Medical Center, Weifang Second People's Hospital, Weifang 261041, Shandong, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, Shandon, China.
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5
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Guo X, Yang Y, Qian Z, Chang M, Zhao Y, Ma W, Wang Y, Xing B. Immune landscape and progress in immunotherapy for pituitary neuroendocrine tumors. Cancer Lett 2024; 592:216908. [PMID: 38677640 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (pitNETs) are the second most common primary brain tumors. Despite their prevalence, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and its clinical implications remain largely unexplored. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on the immune landscape and advancements in targeted immunotherapy for pitNETs. Macrophages and T cells are principal immune infiltrates within the TIME. Different subtypes of pitNETs display distinct immune patterns, influencing tumor progressive behaviors. PD-L1, the most extensively studied immune checkpoint, is prominently expressed in hormonal pitNETs and correlates with tumor growth and invasion. Cytokines and chemokines including interleukins, CCLs, and CXCLs have complex correlations with tumor subtypes and immune cell infiltration. Crosstalk between macrophages and pitNET cells highlights bidirectional regulatory roles, suggesting potential macrophage-targeted strategies. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy in a mouse model of corticotroph pitNET. Moreover, anti-PD-1 and/or anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapy has been applied globally in 28 cases of refractory pitNETs, showing more favorable responses in pituitary carcinomas than aggressive pitNETs. In conclusion, the TIME of pitNETs represents a promising avenue for targeted immunotherapy and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yiying Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Eight-Year Program of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihong Qian
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengqi Chang
- Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanli Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbin Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Bing Xing
- Department of Neurosurgery, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Ministry of Health, China Pituitary Adenoma Specialist Council, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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Vilela T, Valente S, Correia J, Ferreira F. Advances in immunotherapy for breast cancer and feline mammary carcinoma: From molecular basis to novel therapeutic targets. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189144. [PMID: 38914239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The role of inflammation in cancer is a topic that has been investigated for many years. As established, inflammation emerges as a defining characteristic of cancer, presenting itself as a compelling target for therapeutic interventions in the realm of oncology. Controlling the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained paramount significance, modifying not only the effectiveness of immunotherapy but also modulating the outcomes and prognoses of standard chemotherapy and other anticancer treatments. Immunotherapy has surfaced as a central focus within the domain of tumor treatments, using immune checkpoint inhibitors as cancer therapy. Immune checkpoints and their influence on the tumor microenvironment dynamic are presently under investigation, aiming to ascertain their viability as therapeutic interventions across several cancer types. Cancer presents a significant challenge in humans and cats, where female breast cancer ranks as the most prevalent malignancy and feline mammary carcinoma stands as the third most frequent. This review seeks to summarize the data about the immune checkpoints cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) respective ongoing investigations as prospective targets for therapy for human breast cancer, while also outlining findings from studies reported on feline mammary carcinoma (FMC), strengthening the rationale for employing FMC as a representative model in the exploration of human breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Vilela
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Valente
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge Correia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; CIISA-Center of Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fernando Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; CIISA-Center of Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Arslan-Kahraman DI, Ogut B, Inan MA, Kazanci F, Onan MA, Erdem M, Erdem O. Comparison of PD-L1, VISTA, LAG-3, and GAL-3 Expressions and Their Relationships to Mismatch Repair Protein and p53 Expression in 529 Cases of Endometrial Carcinoma. Int J Gynecol Pathol 2024:00004347-990000000-00175. [PMID: 38914021 DOI: 10.1097/pgp.0000000000001049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the expressions of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), and galectin-3 (GAL-3), in mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd)/MMR-proficient and abnormal p53 expressing endometrial carcinomas and their relationship with clinical-histopathological features. Patients who underwent surgery for endometrial carcinoma between January 2008 and December 2018 were included in the study. Immunohistochemical analysis of MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, MSH6, p53, PD-L1, VISTA, LAG-3, and GAL-3 was performed on the tissue samples of microarray. A total of 529 patients were included. MMRd and p53-mutant tumors accounted for 31.5% and 11.5% of cases, respectively. PD-L1 and LAG-3 expressions in the MMRd and p53-mutant groups were higher than in the MMR-proficient group (P < 0.001). GAL-3 expression in the MMR-proficient group was statistically higher than in the MMRd and p53-mutant groups (P < 0.001). Mean age, grade, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph node metastasis were significantly higher in the p53-mutant group (P < 0.001). In the group with PD-L1 expression, nonendometrioid histologic type, tumor grade, and lymphovascular invasion were significantly higher (P < 0.001). Tumor grade, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, and microcystic, elongated and fragmented pattern of invasion were significantly higher in the group with high VISTA expression (P < 0.05). Tumor grade was significantly higher in the group with LAG-3 expression (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemically determined subgroups and PD-L1, VISTA, LAG-3, and GAL-3 expression levels may be useful indicators of molecular features, and clinical outcomes also may have important implications for the development of targeted therapies in endometrial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Betul Ogut
- Department of Pathology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Arda Inan
- Department of Pathology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ferah Kazanci
- Department of Pathology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Anil Onan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Erdem
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozlem Erdem
- Department of Pathology, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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Chen H, Molberg K, Carrick K, Niu S, Rivera Colon G, Gwin K, Lewis C, Lea J, Panwar V, Zheng W, Castrillon DH, Lucas E. Expression and Prognostic Significance of LAG-3, TIGIT, VISTA, and IDO1 in Endometrial Serous Carcinoma. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100532. [PMID: 38848896 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Endometrial serous carcinoma (ESC) is an uncommon, aggressive type of endometrial cancer. While immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a promising treatment option for endometrial carcinomas, research on the expression of immune checkpoints that could serve as prospective immunotherapy targets in ESC is limited. We examined the prevalence and prognostic value of lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), T-cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), V-domain immunoglobulin (Ig) suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 in 94 cases of ESC and correlated their expression with CD8+ and FOXP3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We observed a positive correlation among LAG-3, TIGIT, and VISTA expressed on immune cells, and among these markers and CD8+ and FOXP3+ TIL densities. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, tumors with high levels of LAG-3 and TIGIT expression had better progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than those with lower levels of expression (LAG-3: PFS, P = .03, OS, P = .04; TIGIT: PFS, P = .01, OS, P = .009). In multivariate analysis, only high TIGIT expression was of independent prognostic value for better OS. VISTA expression in immune or tumor cells, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 expression in tumor cells, did not show a significant association with survival. Our data indicate that LAG-3, TIGIT, and VISTA immune checkpoints have roles in the microenvironment of ESC, and their expression patterns highlight the complex interactions among the different components of this system. High levels of these markers, together with high CD8+ TIL, suggest the potential immunogenicity of a subset of these tumors. Further studies are needed to elucidate the roles of various immune components in the ESC microenvironment and their association with intrinsic tumor properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Kyle Molberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Kelley Carrick
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Shuang Niu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Glorimar Rivera Colon
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Katja Gwin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Cheryl Lewis
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jayanthi Lea
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Vandana Panwar
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas
| | - Wenxin Zheng
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Diego H Castrillon
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Elena Lucas
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas.
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Pan J, Mahsud I, Ul Haq M, Khan S, Alhomrani M, Alamri AS, Alghamdi SA, ALSuhaymi N, Baothman BK, Almaghrabi S, Ullah S, Jamil M. Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis reveals VSIR as a candidate immunologic, diagnostic, and prognostic biomarker. Am J Transl Res 2024; 16:1630-1642. [PMID: 38883368 PMCID: PMC11170614 DOI: 10.62347/jmbz8836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Being a checkpoint, the expression level of V-set immunoregulatory receptor (VSIR) serves as an indicator of the extent of immunosuppression. Our objective was to undertake a pan-cancer analysis to examine the expression, genetic alterations, prognosis, and immunologic features associated with VSIR. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), GEPIA2, UALCAN, OncoDB, Human Protein Atlas (HPA), STRING, DAVID, cell culture, clinical sample collection, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used. RESULTS This study comprehensively assessed VSIR across 33 cancers using TCGA and GTEx databases. Differential expression analysis revealed elevated VSIR in several cancers, notably in cholangiocarcinoma, esophageal carcinoma, kidney renal cell carcinoma, and liver hepatocellular carcinoma, while decreased expression was observed in various others. Prognostic analysis highlighted its significant association with reduced overall survival (OS) in ESCA and LIHC. Investigation into cancer stages demonstrated a correlation between VSIR expression and stage in ESCA and LIHC. Promoter methylation analysis indicated decreased VSIR methylation levels in tumors, implicating a role in oncogenesis. Furthermore, subcellular localization predictions, Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB), and Microsatellite Instability (MSI) correlations revealed intriguing insight into VSIR's function. Notably, a positive correlation was identified between VSIR expression and various immune cells in both cancers. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction and gene enrichment analysis elucidated VSIR-associated dysregulated pathways, emphasizing its possible involvement in diverse pathways. Finally, experimental validation using LIHC clinical samples and cell lines confirmed elevated VSIR expression, supporting its oncogenic role. CONCLUSION Collectively, these findings present a comprehensive understanding of VSIR's diverse roles and potential clinical implications in ESCA and LIHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Pan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery/Cardiovascular Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Xiaoshan Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Hangzhou 311200, Zhejiang, China
| | | | - Moeen Ul Haq
- Gastroenterology Department, Gomal Medical College/MTI D.I.Khan Pakistan
| | | | - Majid Alhomrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University Taif, Saudi Arabia
- Research Centre for Health Sciences, Taif University Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulhakeem S Alamri
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University Taif, Saudi Arabia
- Research Centre for Health Sciences, Taif University Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naif ALSuhaymi
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Faculty of Health Sciences - AlQunfudah, Umm Al-Qura University Mekkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bandar K Baothman
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Almaghrabi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Innovations in Personalized Medicine (CIPM), King Abdulaziz University 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Muhammad Jamil
- PARC Arid Zone Research Center Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
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Jlassi A, Rejaibi R, Manai M, Sahraoui G, Guerfali FZ, Charfi L, Mezlini A, Manai M, Mrad K, Doghri R. VISTA/CTLA4/PD1 coexpression on tumor cells confers a favorable immune microenvironment and better prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1352053. [PMID: 38634058 PMCID: PMC11022690 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1352053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Immunotherapy by blocking immune checkpoints programmed death/ligand (PD1/PDL1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4(CTLA4) has emerged as new therapeutic targets in cancer. However, their efficacy has been limited due to resistance. A new- checkpoint V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) has appeared, but the use of its inhibition effect in combination with antibodies targeting PDL1/PD1and CTLA4 has not been reported in ovarian cancer. Methods In this study, we investigated the expressions of VISTA, CTLA4, and PDL1 using immunohistochemistry (IHC)on 135 Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE)tissue samples of High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSOC). VISTA, CTLA4, PDL1, PD1, CD8, CD4, and FOXP3 mRNA extracted from 429 patients with ovarian cancer in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was included as a validation cohort. Correlations between these checkpoints, tumor-infiltrating- lymphocytes (TILs), and survival were analyzed. Results and discussion CTLA4 was detectable in 87.3% of samples, VISTA in 64.7%, PD1 in 56.7%, and PDL1 in 48.1%. PDL1 was the only tested protein associated with an advanced stage (p=0.05). VISTA was associated with PDL1, PD1, and CTLA4 expressions (p=0.005, p=0.001, p=0.008, respectively), consistent with mRNA level analysis from the TCGA database. Univariate analyses showed only VISTA expression (p=0.04) correlated with overall survival (OS). Multivariate analyses showed that VISTA expression (p=0.01) and the coexpression of VISTA+/CTLA4+/PD1+ (p=0.05) were associated with better OS independently of the clinicopathological features. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the coexpression of the VISTA+/CTLA4+/PDL1+ and VISTA+/CTLA4+/PD1+ checkpoints on tumor cells (TCs)were associated with OS (p=0.02 and p<0.001; respectively). VISTA+/CTLA4+/PD1+ in TCs and CD4+/CD8+TILswere associated with better 2-yer OS. This correlation may refer to the role of VISTA as a receptor in the TCs and not in the immune cells. Thus, targeting combination therapy blocking VISTA, CTLA4, and PD1 could be a novel and attractive strategy for HGSOC treatment, considering the ambivalent role of VISTA in the HGSOC tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Jlassi
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Rim Rejaibi
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Maroua Manai
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ghada Sahraoui
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fatma Zahra Guerfali
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lamia Charfi
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Amel Mezlini
- Medical Oncology Department, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Manai
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Karima Mrad
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Raoudha Doghri
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation Salah Azaiz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
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11
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Lin Y, Choukrani G, Dubbel L, Rockstein L, Freile JA, Qi Y, Wiersma V, Zhang H, Koch KW, Ammatuna E, Schuringa JJ, van Meerten T, Huls G, Bremer E. VISTA drives macrophages towards a pro-tumoral phenotype that promotes cancer cell phagocytosis yet down-regulates T cell responses. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:35. [PMID: 38553748 PMCID: PMC10979580 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00501-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND VISTA is a well-known immune checkpoint in T cell biology, but its role in innate immunity is less established. Here, we investigated the role of VISTA on anticancer macrophage immunity, with a focus on phagocytosis, macrophage polarization and concomitant T cell activation. METHODS Macrophages, differentiated from VISTA overexpressed THP-1 cells and cord blood CD34+ cell-derived monocytes, were used in phagocytosis assay using B lymphoma target cells opsonized with Rituximab. PBMC-derived macrophages were used to assess the correlation between phagocytosis and VISTA expression. qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to analyze the impact of VISTA on other checkpoints and M1/M2-like macrophage biology. Additionally, flow cytometry was used to assess the frequency of CD14+ monocytes expressing VISTA in PBMCs from 65 lymphoma patients and 37 healthy donors. RESULTS Ectopic expression of VISTA in the monocytic model cell line THP-1 or in primary monocytes triggered differentiation towards the macrophage lineage, with a marked increase in M2-like macrophage-related gene expression and decrease in M1-like macrophage-related gene expression. VISTA expression in THP-1 and monocyte-derived macrophages strongly downregulated expression of SIRPα, a prominent 'don't eat me' signal, and augmented phagocytic activity of macrophages against cancer cells. Intriguingly, expression of VISTA's extracellular domain alone sufficed to trigger phagocytosis in ∼ 50% of cell lines, with those cell lines also directly binding to recombinant human VISTA, indicating ligand-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Endogenous VISTA expression was predominantly higher in M2-like macrophages compared to M0- or M1-like macrophages, with a positive correlation observed between VISTA expression in M2c macrophages and their phagocytic activity. VISTA-expressing macrophages demonstrated a unique cytokine profile, characterized by reduced IL-1β and elevated IL-10 secretion. Furthermore, VISTA interacted with MHC-I and downregulated its surface expression, leading to diminished T cell activation. Notably, VISTA surface expression was identified in monocytes from all lymphoma patients but was less prevalent in healthy donors. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, VISTA expression associates with and drives M2-like activation of macrophages with a high phagocytic capacity yet a decrease in antigen presentation capability to T cells. Therefore, VISTA is a negative immune checkpoint regulator in macrophage-mediated immune suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Lin
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Ghizlane Choukrani
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Lena Dubbel
- Faculty VI, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department for human Medicine, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, University Clinic for Gynecology, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Lena Rockstein
- Faculty VI, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department for human Medicine, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, University Clinic for Gynecology, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jimena Alvarez Freile
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Yuzhu Qi
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Valerie Wiersma
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute of Precision Cancer Medicine and Pathology, Jinan University Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Karl-Wilhelm Koch
- Faculty VI, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dept. of Neuroscience, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Emanuele Ammatuna
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Tom van Meerten
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Gerwin Huls
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin Bremer
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 EZ, The Netherlands.
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12
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Hazrati A, Malekpour K, Khorramdelazad H, Rajaei S, Hashemi SM. Therapeutic and immunomodulatory potentials of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells and immune checkpoints related molecules. Biomark Res 2024; 12:35. [PMID: 38515166 PMCID: PMC10958918 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00580-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are used in many studies due to their therapeutic potential, including their differentiative ability and immunomodulatory properties. These cells perform their therapeutic functions by using various mechanisms, such as the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, direct cell-to-cell contact, extracellular vesicles (EVs) production, and mitochondrial transfer. However, mechanisms related to immune checkpoints (ICPs) and their effect on the immunomodulatory ability of MSCs are less discussed. The main function of ICPs is to prevent the initiation of unwanted responses and to regulate the immune system responses to maintain the homeostasis of these responses. ICPs are produced by various types of immune system regulatory cells, and defects in their expression and function may be associated with excessive responses that can ultimately lead to autoimmunity. Also, by expressing different types of ICPs and their ligands (ICPLs), tumor cells prevent the formation and durability of immune responses, which leads to tumors' immune escape. ICPs and ICPLs can be produced by MSCs and affect immune cell responses both through their secretion into the microenvironment or direct cell-to-cell interaction. Pre-treatment of MSCs in inflammatory conditions leads to an increase in their therapeutic potential. In addition to the effect that inflammatory environments have on the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines by MSCs, they can increase the expression of various types of ICPLs. In this review, we discuss different types of ICPLs and ICPs expressed by MSCs and their effect on their immunomodulatory and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Hazrati
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kosar Malekpour
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Khorramdelazad
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Samira Rajaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Sun C, He Y, Wang G, Zhang G, Zhang Y, Shen H, Hu L, Sun Y, Jiang B, Wang X, Yuan K, Min W, Wang L, Sun H, Xiao Y, Yang P. Design, Synthesis, and Antitumor Activity Evaluation of Novel VISTA Small Molecule Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3590-3605. [PMID: 38412237 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) is a novel immune checkpoint protein and represents a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a series of methoxy-pyrimidine-based VISTA small molecule inhibitors with potent antitumor activity. By employing molecular docking and microscale thermophoresis (MST) assay, we identified a lead compound A1 that binds to VISTA protein with high affinity and optimized its structure. A4 was then obtained, which exhibited the strongest binding ability to VISTA protein, with a KD value of 0.49 ± 0.20 μM. In vitro, A4 significantly activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) induced the release of cytokines such as IFN-γ and enhanced the cytotoxicity of PBMCs against tumor cells. In vivo, A4 displayed potent antitumor activity and synergized with PD-L1 antibody to enhance the therapeutic effect against cancer. These results suggest that compound A4 is an effective VISTA small molecule inhibitor, providing a basis for the future development of VISTA-targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengliang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yuling He
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Gefei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Guoyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Hao Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Lingrong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yanze Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Binjian Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Wenjian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Liping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Haopeng Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Peng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery and Development, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
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14
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Hosseinkhani N, Hemmat N, Baghbani E, Baghbanzadeh A, Kazemi T, Mokhtarzadeh A, Jafarlou M, Amin Doustvandi M, Baradaran B. Dual silencing of tumor-intrinsic VISTA and CTLA-4 stimulates T-cell mediated immune responses and inhibits MCF7 breast cancer development. Gene 2024; 896:148043. [PMID: 38042220 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) can be expressed in tumoral cells and facilitate immune evasion of tumoral cells. Herein, we studied the significance of tumor-intrinsic CTLA-4 and VISTA silencing in tumor development and inflammatory factors expression in a co-culture system with MCF7 and T-cells. METHODS MCF7 cells were transfected with 60 pmol of CTLA-siRNA, VISTA-siRNA, and dual VISTA-/CTLA-4-siRNA. The MTT assay was performed to study the effect of CTLA-4 and VISTA knockdown on the viability of MCF7 cells. Colony formation and wound-healing assays were performed to investigate the effect of CTLA-4 and VISTA silencing on the clonogenicity and migration of MCF7 cells. Flow cytometry was used to study the significance of CTLA-4 and VISTA knockdown on the apoptosis and cell cycle of MCF7 cells. Also, a co-culture system with MCF7 and T-cells was developed to study the expression levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TGF-β, and IL-10 following CTLA-4 and VISTA knockdown. The expression levels of caspase3, Bax, Bcl2, and MMP-9 were also investigated using quantitative real-time PCR. Finally, the TCGA Breast Cancer and GSE45827 datasets were analyzed to study the potential prognostic values of VISTA and CTLA-4, their expression difference in luminal A breast cancer and non-tumoral tissues, and their correlation in luminal A breast cancer tissues. RESULTS Combined knockdown of tumor-intrinsic VISTA and CTLA-4 is superior in upregulating IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α, downregulating TGF-β and IL-10 in T lymphocytes. Also, the combined silencing arrests the cell cycle at the sub-G1 phase, decreases migration, inhibits clonogenicity, and reduces cell viability of MCF7 cells. This combined treatment upregulates caspase 9 and BAX and downregulates MMP-9 in MCF7 cells. Our in-silico results have demonstrated a significant positive correlation between CTLA-4 and VISTA in luminal A breast cancer. CONCLUSION The additive effect of the combined knockdown of tumor-intrinsic VISTA and CTLA-4 can substantially upregulate pro-inflammatory factors, downregulate anti-inflammatory factors, and inhibit tumor development in MCF7 cells. The significant positive correlation between VISTA and CTLA-4 in luminal A breast cancer might support the idea that a network of inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules regulates anti-tumoral immune responses; thus, combinational immune checkpoint molecules blockade can be suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Hosseinkhani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nima Hemmat
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Elham Baghbani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Baghbanzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tohid Kazemi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Jafarlou
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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15
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Rezagholizadeh F, Tajik F, Talebi M, Taha SR, Shariat Zadeh M, Farhangnia P, Hosseini HS, Nazari A, Mollazadeh Ghomi S, Kamrani Mousavi SM, Haeri Moghaddam N, Khorramdelazad H, Joghataei MT, Safari E. Unraveling the potential of CD8, CD68, and VISTA as diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1283364. [PMID: 38357542 PMCID: PMC10865497 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1283364] [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: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pancreatic cancer is a truculent disease with limited treatment options and a grim prognosis. Immunotherapy has shown promise in treating various types of cancer, but its effectiveness in pancreatic cancer has been lacking. As a result, it is crucial to identify markers associated with immunological pathways in order to improve the treatment outcomes for this deadly cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of three markers, CD8, CD68, and VISTA, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common subtype of pancreatic cancer. Methods We analyzed gene expression data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database using bioinformatics tools. We also utilized the STRING online tool and Funrich software to study the protein-protein interactions and transcription factors associated with CD8, CD68, and VISTA. In addition, tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were performed on 228 samples of PDAC tissue and 10 samples of normal pancreatic tissue to assess the expression levels of the markers. We then correlated these expression levels with the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients and evaluated their survival rates. Results The analysis of the GEO data revealed slightly elevated levels of VISTA in PDAC samples compared to normal tissues. However, there was a significant increase in CD68 expression and a notable reduction in CD8A expression in pancreatic cancer. Further investigation identified potential protein-protein interactions and transcription factors associated with these markers. The IHC staining of PDAC tissue samples showed an increased expression of VISTA, CD68, and CD8A in pancreatic cancer tissues. Moreover, we found correlations between the expression levels of these markers and certain clinicopathological features of the patients. Additionally, the survival analysis revealed that high expression of CD8 was associated with better disease-specific survival and progression-free survival in PDAC patients. Conclusion These findings highlight the potential of CD8, CD68, and VISTA as diagnostic and prognostic indicators in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Rezagholizadeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Tajik
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Talebi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Taha
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Pooya Farhangnia
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamideh Sadat Hosseini
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aram Nazari
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shabnam Mollazadeh Ghomi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Board for Transplantation and Cell-Based Therapeutics (ImmunoTACT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyede Mahtab Kamrani Mousavi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloofar Haeri Moghaddam
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Khorramdelazad
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taghi Joghataei
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Safari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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16
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Calabrò L, Bronte G, Grosso F, Cerbone L, Delmonte A, Nicolini F, Mazza M, Di Giacomo AM, Covre A, Lofiego MF, Crinò L, Maio M. Immunotherapy of mesothelioma: the evolving change of a long-standing therapeutic dream. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1333661. [PMID: 38259475 PMCID: PMC10800748 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1333661] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is an aggressive and rare disease, characterized by a very poor prognosis. For almost two decades, the world standard treatment regimen for unresectable PM has consisted of a platinum-based drug plus pemetrexed, leading to an overall survival of approximately 12 months. The dramatic therapeutic scenario of PM has recently changed with the entry into the clinic of immune checkpoint inhibition, which has proven to be an effective approach to improve the survival of PM patients. The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the most promising immunotherapeutic-based strategies currently under investigation for advanced PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Calabrò
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bronte
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences (DISCLIMO), Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Clinic of Laboratory and Precision Medicine, National Institute of Health and Sciences On Ageing (IRCCS INRCA), Ancona, Italy
| | - Federica Grosso
- Mesothelioma, Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Luigi Cerbone
- Mesothelioma, Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Angelo Delmonte
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Fabio Nicolini
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Mazza
- IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Di Giacomo
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessia Covre
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- EPigenetic Immune-Oncology Consortium Airc (EPICA), Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Fortunata Lofiego
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- EPigenetic Immune-Oncology Consortium Airc (EPICA), Siena, Italy
| | - Lucio Crinò
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Michele Maio
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Center for Immuno-Oncology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- EPigenetic Immune-Oncology Consortium Airc (EPICA), Siena, Italy
- Fondazione Network Italiano per la Bioterapia dei Tumori (NIBIT) Onlus, Siena, Italy
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17
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Ren R, Chang X, Chen C, Yu H, Han L. VISTA as a prospective immune checkpoint in gynecological malignant tumors: A review of the literature. Open Med (Wars) 2023; 18:20230866. [PMID: 38152334 PMCID: PMC10751886 DOI: 10.1515/med-2023-0866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), encoded by the human VSIR gene, is a B7 family checkpoint homologous to the programmed death-Ligand 1 sequence. In gynecologic malignancies, VISTA is abnormally expressed and regulates the tumor immune microenvironment, causing a high upregulation of VISTA expression in T-cells and myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment and promoting tumor proliferation, progression, and immune tolerance. Here, we review the research progress of VISTA in ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers through its structure and immunomodulatory mechanism. The comprehensive study of VISTA is expected to improve the current problem of poor immunotherapeutic effects and provide new ideas for immune therapy in patients with gynecologic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Ren
- Department of Gynecology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, 116033, China
- Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Biotherapy of Malignant Tumors in Children and Women in Liaoning Province, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Xin Chang
- Department of Graduate, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
- Department of Gynecology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, 116033, China
- Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Biotherapy of Malignant Tumors in Children and Women in Liaoning Province, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Cong Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, 116033, China
- Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Biotherapy of Malignant Tumors in Children and Women in Liaoning Province, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Gynecology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, 116033, China
- Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Biotherapy of Malignant Tumors in Children and Women in Liaoning Province, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Lu Han
- Department of Gynecology, Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, 116033, China
- Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Biotherapy of Malignant Tumors in Children and Women in Liaoning Province, Dalian, 116011, China
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Chen Y, Sun J, Liu J, Wei Y, Wang X, Fang H, Du H, Huang J, Li Q, Ren G, Wang X, Li H. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2-mediated aldehyde metabolism promotes tumor immune evasion by regulating the NOD/VISTA axis. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007487. [PMID: 38088186 PMCID: PMC10711917 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a crucial enzyme involved in endogenous aldehyde detoxification and has been implicated in tumor progression. However, its role in tumor immune evasion remains unclear. METHODS Here, we analyzed the relationship between ALDH2 expression and antitumor immune features in multiple cancers. ALDH2 knockout tumor cells were then established using CRISPR/Cas9 system. In immunocompetent breast cancer EMT6 and melanoma B16-F10 mouse models, we investigated the impact of ALDH2 blockade on cytotoxic T lymphocyte function and tumor immune microenvironment by flow cytometry, mass cytometry, Luminex liquid suspension chip detection, and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, western blot, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, and luciferase reporter assays were employed to explore the detailed mechanism of ALDH2 involved in tumor immune evasion. Lastly, the synergistic therapeutic efficacy of blocking ALDH2 by genetic depletion or its inhibitor disulfiram in combination with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) was investigated in mouse models. RESULTS In our study, we uncovered a positive correlation between the expression level of ALDH2 and T-cell dysfunction in multiple cancers. Furthermore, blocking ALDH2 significantly suppressed tumor growth by enhancing cytotoxic activity of CD8+ T cells and reshaping the immune landscape and cytokine milieu of tumors in vivo. Mechanistically, inhibiting ALDH2-mediated metabolism of aldehyde downregulated the expression of V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) via inactivating the nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. As a result, the cytotoxic function of CD8+ T cells was revitalized. Importantly, ALDH2 blockade markedly reinforced the efficacy of ICB treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our data delineate that ALDH2-mediated aldehyde metabolism drives tumor immune evasion by activating the NOD/NF-κB/VISTA axis. Targeting ALDH2 provides an effective combinatorial therapeutic strategy for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuru Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiazheng Sun
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiazhou Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuxian Wei
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiying Fang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Breast Disease, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Huimin Du
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qin Li
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guosheng Ren
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongzhong Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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19
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Vryza P, Fischer T, Mistakidi E, Zaravinos A. Tumor mutation burden in the prognosis and response of lung cancer patients to immune-checkpoint inhibition therapies. Transl Oncol 2023; 38:101788. [PMID: 37776617 PMCID: PMC10542015 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapies have reshaped the therapeutic landscape in lung cancer management, providing first-time improvements in patient response, prognosis, and overall survival. Despite their clinical effectiveness, variability in treatment responsiveness, as well as drug resistance, have led to a compelling need for predictive biomarkers facilitating the individualized selection of the most efficient therapeutic approach. Significant progress has been made in the identification of such biomarkers, with tumor mutation burden (ΤΜΒ) appearing as the leading and most promising predictive biomarker for the efficacy of ICIs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among other tumors. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies have been extensively studied and clinically utilized. However, the overall efficiency of these drugs remains unsatisfactory, urging for the investigation of novel inhibitors, such as those targeting LAG-3, TIM-3, TIGIT and VISTA, which could be used either as a monotherapy or synergistically with the PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 blockers. Here, we investigate the role of TMB and cancer neoantigens as predictive biomarkers in the response of lung cancer patients to different ICI therapies, specifically focusing on the most recent immune checkpoint inhibitors, against LAG-3, TIM-3, TIGIT and VISTA. We further discuss the new trends in immunotherapies, including CAR T-cell therapy and personalized tumor vaccines. We also review further potential biomarkers that could be used in lung cancer response to immunotherapy, such as PD-L1+ IHC, MSI/dMMR, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), as well as the role of the microbiome and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Finally, we discuss the limitations and challenges of each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Vryza
- School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus; Cancer Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), Nicosia 1516, Cyprus
| | - Timo Fischer
- School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus; Cancer Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), Nicosia 1516, Cyprus
| | - Elena Mistakidi
- School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus; Cancer Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), Nicosia 1516, Cyprus
| | - Apostolos Zaravinos
- Cancer Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology Laboratory, Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center (BTCRC), Nicosia 1516, Cyprus; Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus.
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20
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Yang L, Zhang T, Wang P, Chen W, Liu W, He X, Zhang Y, Jin S, Luo Z, Zhang Z, Wang X, Liu J. Imatinib and M351-0056 enhance the function of VISTA and ameliorate the development of SLE via IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:3287-3304. [PMID: 37804401 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-023-09833-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), an important negative checkpoint protein, participates in immunoregulation. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which patients exhibit high levels of autoantibodies and multi-organ tissue injury, primarily involving the kidney and skin. In wild-type (WT) mice and Vsir-/- mice with pristane-induced lupus-like disease, we found that VISTA deficiency exacerbated the lupus-like disease in mice, possibly through aberrant activation of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling, CD4+ T cell, and noncanonical nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Surface plasmon resonance results showed that imatinib, an FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may have a high affinity for human VISTA-ECD with a KD value of 0.2009 μM. The biological activities of imatinib and VISTA agonist M351-0056 were studied in monocytes and T cells and in lupus-like disease murine model of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. VISTA small-molecule agonist reduced the cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Jurkat cells and inhibited PBMCs proliferation. Moreover, they attenuated the levels of autoantibodies, renal injury, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and immune cell expansion in the cGVHD mouse model and MRL/lpr mice. Our findings also demonstrated that VISTA small-molecule agonist ameliorated the development of SLE through improving aberrantly activated IFN-I signaling and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, VISTA has a protective effect on the development and progression of SLE. VISTA agonist M351-0056 and imatinib have been firstly demonstrated to attenuate SLE, suggesting interventions to enhance VISTA function may be effective in treating SLE. VISTA deficiency exacerbates pristane-induced lupus-like disease in mice by promoting activation of the IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Imatinib was screened as a small-molecule VISTA agonist by molecular docking, SPR, and cellular level experiments. VISTA agonists (M351-0056 and imatinib) alleviated lupus-like disease progression in the cGVHD mouse model and MRL/lpr mice by inhibiting activation of IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Penglu Wang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wenting Chen
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wanmei Liu
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaoyu He
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shasha Jin
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhijie Luo
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zunjian Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xinzhi Wang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Jun Liu
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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21
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Yang Y, Ma S, Ye Z, Zheng Y, Zheng Z, Liu X, Zhou X. Oncogenic DNA methyltransferase 1 activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling by blocking the binding of HSPB8 and BAG3 in melanoma. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2239607. [PMID: 37523636 PMCID: PMC10392740 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2239607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal DNA methylation has been observed in multiple malignancies, including melanoma. In this study, we initially noticed the overexpression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in melanoma samples in bioinformatics analysis and, subsequently, validated it in the purchased melanoma cell lines. After treatment with short-hairpin RNAs or Decitabine (a DNA methylation inhibitor), silencing of DNMT1 was demonstrated to suppress cell viability and invasive and migratory potentials as well as to augment apoptosis and autophagy in melanoma cells. To further explore the downstream mechanisms, we revealed that DNMT1 inhibited HSPB8 expression through augmenting HSPB8 methylation, thereby suppressing the binding between HSPB8 and BAG3. Then, we elucidated through a series of gain- and loss- of function assays that the interplay of HSPB8 and BAG3 blocked the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, thereby repressing the malignant phenotypes of melanoma cells and contributing to melanoma cell apoptosis and autophagy. We further established a mouse model of melanoma and substantiated that DNMT1 enhanced the in vivo tumorigenesis of melanoma cells via activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway through repressing the binding between HSPB8 and BAG3. Taken together, our data supported that DNMT1 repressed the binding between HSPB8 and BAG3 and activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, thus playing a tumour-promoting role in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yemei Yang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Shengfang Ma
- Department of Dermatology, Baoshihua Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zi Ye
- College of Information and Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Yushi Zheng
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhenjiong Zheng
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiongshan Liu
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xianyi Zhou
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
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22
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Wang B, Ou Z, Zhong W, Huang L, Liao W, Sheng Y, Guo Z, Chen J, Yang W, Chen K, Huang X, Yang T, Lin T, Huang J. Effective Antitumor Immunity Can Be Triggered by Targeting VISTA in Combination with a TLR3-Specific Adjuvant. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1656-1670. [PMID: 37847894 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0117] [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] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment is often associated with accumulation of intratumoral inhibitory macrophages. V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) is a nonredundant immune checkpoint that can induce both T-cell and myeloid-cell immunosuppression. In this study, we found that high levels of VISTA+ immune cells were associated with advanced stage bladder cancer and predicted poor survival in patients. A combination of high infiltration of VISTA+ immune cells and PD-L1+ immune cells or PD-1+ T cells predicted the worst survival. Flow cytometry and multiplex immunofluorescence analyses confirmed that VISTA expression was higher in macrophages than in T cells or neutrophils, and only VISTA+CD163+ macrophage density predicted poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists are known to trigger the innate immune response in macrophages. We found that the VISTA-specific mAb 13F3 augmented the ability of a TLR3-specific adjuvant to induce macrophage activation in vitro. In the MB49 syngeneic mouse model of bladder cancer, treatment with 13F3 curbed tumor growth and prolonged survival when combined with a TLR3-specific adjuvant. The combination treatment reduced the intratumoral frequency of CD206+ anti-inflammatory macrophages and levels of the immunosuppressive molecule TGFβ1, but it upregulated expression of immunostimulatory molecules (Ifna, Ifnb, and Trail) and increased the CD8+ T cell/regulatory T-cell ratio. These findings indicate that elevated VISTA expression in immune cells, particularly macrophages, is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with bladder cancer and suggest that targeting VISTA in combination with a TLR3-specific adjuvant has translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Ziwei Ou
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Wenlong Zhong
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Lin Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Wenjian Liao
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yiyu Sheng
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhixing Guo
- Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Junyu Chen
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Wenjuan Yang
- Department of Hematology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Ke Chen
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodong Huang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Tenghao Yang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Tianxin Lin
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
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23
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J. Alternative immune checkpoints in immunoregulatory profile of cancer stem cells. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23171. [PMID: 38144305 PMCID: PMC10746460 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-mediated bypass of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, also called B7-H1 or CD274) or anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a challenge of current years in the area of cancer immunotherapy. Alternative immune checkpoints (AICs) are molecules beyond the common PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, and are upregulated in patients who show low/no ICI responses. These are members of B7 family including B7-H2 (ICOS-L), B7-H3 (CD276), B7-H4 (B7x), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), B7-H6, HHLA2 (B7-H5/B7-H7) and catabolic enzymes like indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), and others that are also contributed to the regulation of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). There is also strong evidence supporting the implication of AICs in regulation of cancer stemness and expanding the population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs display immunoregulatory capacity and represent multiple immune checkpoints either on their surface or inside. Besides, they are active promoters of resistance to the common ICIs. The aim of this review is to investigate interrelations between AICs with stemness and differentiation profile of cancer. The key message of this paper is that targeted checkpoints can be selected based on their impact on CSCs along with their effect on immune cells. Studies published so far mainly focused on immune cells as a target for anti-checkpoints. Ex vivo engineering of extracellular vesicles (EVs) equipped with CSC-targeted anti-checkpoint antibodies is without a doubt a key therapeutic target that can be under consideration in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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24
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Borgeaud M, Sandoval J, Obeid M, Banna G, Michielin O, Addeo A, Friedlaender A. Novel targets for immune-checkpoint inhibition in cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 120:102614. [PMID: 37603905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer therapy, yet many patients either do not derive any benefit from treatment or develop a resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. Intrinsic resistance can result from neoantigen depletion, defective antigen presentation, PD-L1 downregulation, immune-checkpoint ligand upregulation, immunosuppression, and tumor cell phenotypic changes. On the other hand, extrinsic resistance involves acquired upregulation of inhibitory immune-checkpoints, leading to T-cell exhaustion. Current data suggest that PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 upregulation limits the efficacy of single-agent immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating novel immune-checkpoint targets to avoid or overcome resistance. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of potentially targetable immune-checkpoints in cancer. We highlight their biology, emphasizing the current understanding of resistance mechanisms and focusing on promising strategies that are under investigation. We also summarize current results and ongoing clinical trials in this crucial field that could once again revolutionize outcomes for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michel Obeid
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Banna
- Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK
| | | | | | - Alex Friedlaender
- Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland; Clinique Générale Beaulieu, Geneva, Switzerland.
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25
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Luk SJ, Schoppmeyer R, Ijsselsteijn ME, Somarakis A, Acem I, Remst DFG, Cox DT, van Bergen CAM, Briaire-de Bruijn I, Grönloh MLB, van der Meer WJ, Hawinkels LJAC, Koning RI, Bos E, Bovée JVMG, de Miranda NFCC, Szuhai K, van Buul JD, Falkenburg JHF, Heemskerk MHM. VISTA Expression on Cancer-Associated Endothelium Selectively Prevents T-cell Extravasation. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1480-1492. [PMID: 37695550 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancers evade T-cell immunity by several mechanisms such as secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, down regulation of antigen presentation machinery, upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules, and exclusion of T cells from tumor tissues. The distribution and function of immune checkpoint molecules on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating leukocytes is well established, but less is known about their impact on intratumoral endothelial cells. Here, we demonstrated that V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), a PD-L1 homolog, was highly expressed on endothelial cells in synovial sarcoma, subsets of different carcinomas, and immune-privileged tissues. We created an ex vivo model of the human vasculature and demonstrated that expression of VISTA on endothelial cells selectively prevented T-cell transmigration over endothelial layers under physiologic flow conditions, whereas it does not affect migration of other immune cell types. Furthermore, endothelial VISTA correlated with reduced infiltration of T cells and poor prognosis in metastatic synovial sarcoma. In endothelial cells, we detected VISTA on the plasma membrane and in recycling endosomes, and its expression was upregulated by cancer cell-secreted factors in a VEGF-A-dependent manner. Our study reveals that endothelial VISTA is upregulated by cancer-secreted factors and that it regulates T-cell accessibility to cancer and healthy tissues. This newly identified mechanism should be considered when using immunotherapeutic approaches aimed at unleashing T cell-mediated cancer immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sietse J Luk
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rouven Schoppmeyer
- Molecular Cell Biology Lab, Department of Molecular Hematology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Leeuwenhoek Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Antonios Somarakis
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ibtissam Acem
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Oncological and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis F G Remst
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daan T Cox
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Max L B Grönloh
- Molecular Cell Biology Lab, Department of Molecular Hematology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Leeuwenhoek Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Werner J van der Meer
- Molecular Cell Biology Lab, Department of Molecular Hematology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Leeuwenhoek Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lukas J A C Hawinkels
- Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Roman I Koning
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Erik Bos
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Judith V M G Bovée
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Karoly Szuhai
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap D van Buul
- Molecular Cell Biology Lab, Department of Molecular Hematology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Leeuwenhoek Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Molecular Cytology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mirjam H M Heemskerk
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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26
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Giordano Attianese GMP, Ash S, Irving M. Coengineering specificity, safety, and function into T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:166-198. [PMID: 37548063 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive T-cell transfer (ACT) therapies, including of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and T cells gene-modified to express either a T cell receptor (TCR) or a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), have demonstrated clinical efficacy for a proportion of patients and cancer-types. The field of ACT has been driven forward by the clinical success of CD19-CAR therapy against various advanced B-cell malignancies, including curative responses for some leukemia patients. However, relapse remains problematic, in particular for lymphoma. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, relative limited efficacy has been demonstrated for ACT of non-hematological solid tumors. Indeed, in addition to pre-infusion challenges including lymphocyte collection and manufacturing, ACT failure can be attributed to several biological processes post-transfer including, (i) inefficient tumor trafficking, infiltration, expansion and retention, (ii) chronic antigen exposure coupled with insufficient costimulation resulting in T-cell exhaustion, (iii) a range of barriers in the tumor microenvironment (TME) mediated by both tumor cells and suppressive immune infiltrate, (iv) tumor antigen heterogeneity and loss, or down-regulation of antigen presentation machinery, (v) gain of tumor intrinsic mechanisms of resistance such as to apoptosis, and (vi) various forms of toxicity and other adverse events in patients. Affinity-optimized TCRs can improve T-cell function and innovative CAR designs as well as gene-modification strategies can be used to coengineer specificity, safety, and function into T cells. Coengineering strategies can be designed not only to directly support the transferred T cells, but also to block suppressive barriers in the TME and harness endogenous innate and adaptive immunity. Here, we review a selection of the remarkable T-cell coengineering strategies, including of tools, receptors, and gene-cargo, that have been developed in recent years to augment tumor control by ACT, more and more of which are advancing to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Maria Paola Giordano Attianese
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Ash
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melita Irving
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Sun Z, Zhou R, Dai J, Chen J, Liu Y, Wang M, Zhou R, Liu F, Zhang Q, Xu Y, Zhang T. KRT19 is a Promising Prognostic Biomarker and Associates with Immune Infiltrates in Serous Ovarian Cystadenocarcinoma. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:4849-4862. [PMID: 37916194 PMCID: PMC10616674 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s419235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ovarian cancer (OV) is the highest prevalent gynecologic tumor with complicated pathogenesis; high-grade serous ovarian cystadenocarcinoma (HGSOC) is the most epidemiological and malignant subtype of OV. Keratin type I cytoskeleton 19 (KRT19) is an intermediate filament protein which plays essential roles in the maintenance of epithelial cells. However, its role in OV remains largely unknown. Methods Bioinformatic analysis with various databases was conducted in this study. In details, KRT19 expression was assessed using databases including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Human Protein Atlas (HPA). GO-KEGG and GSEA analysis were performed by R packages. The biological function of KRT19 was analyzed based on the single-cell sequencing information from CancerSEA database. The association of KRT19 expression with immunomodulator and chemokine was predicted via the TISIDB database. Results The expression of KRT19 was significantly upregulated in ovarian samples compared with normal controls. KRT19 expression was negatively associated with prognosis in OV, and further analysis revealed that KRT19 had promising diagnostic significance in distinguishing OV cancer from normal samples. GO-KEGG and GSEA analysis indicated that KRT19 was associated with multiple biological functions and pathways including epidermis development, apical junction, inflammatory response, and epithelial mesenchymal transition. By using different GEO series, we found that KRT19 was differentially expressed in OV-associated tissues. Furthermore, the increased KRT19 expression was positively correlated with the immune infiltration levels of the most immune cells in OV. Conclusion This study demonstrated that KRT19 is a promising prognosis and diagnosis biomarker that determines cancer progression and is correlated with tumor immune cells infiltration in OV, suggesting being a molecular target for immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sun
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruijie Zhou
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinjin Dai
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jihua Chen
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengyi Wang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Runlong Zhou
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengchen Liu
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qinxing Zhang
- Wuhan Bio-Raid Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao Xu
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tongcun Zhang
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
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28
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Duval KEA, Tavakkoli AD, Kheirollah A, Soderholm HE, Demidenko E, Lines JL, Croteau W, Zhang SC, Wagner RJ, Aulwes E, Noelle RJ, Hoopes PJ. Enhancement of Radiation Therapy through Blockade of the Immune Checkpoint, V-domain Ig Suppressor of T Cell Activation (VISTA), in Melanoma and Adenocarcinoma Murine Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13742. [PMID: 37762046 PMCID: PMC10530750 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813742] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) has recently demonstrated promise at stimulating an enhanced immune response. The recent success of immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, CART cells, and other immune modulators, affords new opportunities for combination with radiation. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether and to what extent blockade of VISTA, an immune checkpoint, can potentiate the tumor control ability of radiation therapy. Our study is novel in that it is the first comparison of two VISTA-blocking methods (antibody inhibition and genetic knockout) in combination with RT. VISTA was blocked either through genetic knockout (KO) or an inhibitory antibody and combined with RT in two syngeneic murine flank tumor models (B16 and MC38). Selected mRNA, immune cell infiltration, and tumor growth delay were used to assess the biological effects. When combined with a single 15Gy radiation dose, VISTA blockade via genetic knockout in the B16 model and via anti-VISTA antibodies in the MC38 model significantly improved survival compared to RT alone by an average of 5.5 days and 6.3 days, respectively (p < 0.05). The gene expression data suggest that the mechanism behind the enhanced tumor control is primarily a result of increased apoptosis and immune-mediated cytotoxicity. VISTA blockade significantly enhances the anti-tumor effect of a single dose of 15Gy radiation through increased expression and stimulation of cell-mediated apoptosis pathways. These results suggest that VISTA is a biologically relevant immune promoter that has the potential to enhance the efficacy of a large single radiation dose in a synergic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla E. A. Duval
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Armin D. Tavakkoli
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Alireza Kheirollah
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Haille E. Soderholm
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Eugene Demidenko
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA;
| | - Janet L. Lines
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (J.L.L.); (R.J.N.)
| | - Walburga Croteau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (J.L.L.); (R.J.N.)
| | - Samuel C. Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Robert J. Wagner
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Ethan Aulwes
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
| | - Randolph J. Noelle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (J.L.L.); (R.J.N.)
| | - P. Jack Hoopes
- Department of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (K.E.A.D.); (A.D.T.); (A.K.); (H.E.S.); (S.C.Z.); (E.A.)
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29
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Zheng M, Zhang Z, Yu L, Wang Z, Dong Y, Tong A, Yang H. Immune-checkpoint protein VISTA in allergic, autoimmune disease and transplant rejection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1194421. [PMID: 37435070 PMCID: PMC10330820 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1194421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative checkpoint regulators (NCRs) reduce the T cell immune response against self-antigens and limit autoimmune disease development. V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), a novel immune checkpoint in the B7 family, has recently been identified as one of the NCRs. VISTA maintains T cell quiescence and peripheral tolerance. VISTA targeting has shown promising results in treating immune-related diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disease. In this review, we summarize and discuss the immunomodulatory role of VISTA, its therapeutic potential in allergic, autoimmune disease, and transplant rejection, as well as the current therapeutic antibodies, to present a new method for regulating immune responses and achieving durable tolerance for the treatment of autoimmune disease and transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijun Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zongliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yijun Dong
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Aiping Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Digomann D, Strack J, Heiduk M, Plesca I, Rupp L, Reiche C, Nicolaus S, Beer C, Sommer U, Schmitz M, Distler M, Weitz J, Seifert AM, Seifert L. VISTA Ligation Reduces Antitumor T-Cell Activity in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15082326. [PMID: 37190254 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15082326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has shown promising results in multiple solid tumors and hematological malignancies. However, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been largely refractory to current clinical immunotherapies. The V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) inhibits T-cell effector function and maintains peripheral tolerance. Here, we determine VISTA expression in nontumorous pancreatic (n = 5) and PDAC tissue using immunohistochemistry (n = 76) and multiplex immunofluorescence staining (n = 67). Additionally, VISTA expression on tumor-infiltrating immune cells and matched blood samples (n = 13) was measured with multicolor flow cytometry. Further, the effect of recombinant VISTA on T-cell activation was investigated in vitro, and VISTA blockade was tested in an orthotopic PDAC mouse model in vivo. PDAC showed significantly higher VISTA expression compared to that of a nontumorous pancreas. Patients with a high density of VISTA-expressing tumor cells had reduced overall survival. The VISTA expression of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was increased after stimulation and particularly after a coculture with tumor cells. We detected a higher level of proinflammatory cytokine (TNFα and IFNγ) expression by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which was reversed with the addition of recombinant VISTA. A VISTA blockade reduced tumor weights in vivo. The VISTA expression of tumor cells has clinical relevance, and its blockade may be a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Digomann
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Johannes Strack
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Max Heiduk
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ioana Plesca
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Luise Rupp
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Charlotte Reiche
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Simone Nicolaus
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Carolin Beer
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sommer
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marius Distler
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Weitz
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adrian M Seifert
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lena Seifert
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professor for "Translational Tumor Immunological Research", 01307 Dresden, Germany
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31
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Najjary S, Kros JM, de Koning W, Vadgama D, Lila K, Wolf J, Mustafa DAM. Tumor lineage-specific immune response in brain metastatic disease: opportunities for targeted immunotherapy regimen? Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:64. [PMID: 37061716 PMCID: PMC10105417 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01542-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastases in the brain are the most severe and devastating complication of cancer. The incidence of brain metastasis is increasing. Therefore, the need of finding specific druggable targets for brain metastasis is demanding. The aim of this study was to compare the brain (immune) response to brain metastases of the most common tumor lineages, viz., lung adenocarcinoma and breast cancer. Targeted gene expression profiles of 11 brain metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma (BM-LUAD) were compared to 11 brain metastasis of breast cancer (BCBM) using NanoString nCounter PanCancer IO 360™ Panel. The most promising results were validated spatially using the novel GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) Technology. Additionally, Immune cell profiles and expression of drug targets were validated by multiplex immunohistochemistry. We found a more active immune response in BM-LUAD as compared to BCBM. In the BM-LUAD, 138 genes were upregulated as compared to BCBM (adj. p ≤ 0.05). Conversely, in BCBM 28 genes were upregulated (adj. p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, genes related to CD45 + cells, T cells, and cytotoxic T cells showed to be expressed higher in BM-LUAD compared to BCBM (adj. p = 0.01, adj. p = 0.023, adj. p = 0.023, respectively). The spatial quantification of the immune cells using the GeoMx DSP technique revealed the significantly higher quantification of CD14 and CD163 in tumor regions of BM-LUAD as compared to BCBM. Importantly, the immune checkpoint VISTA and IDO1 were identified as highly expressed in the BM-LUAD. Multiplex immunohistochemistry confirmed the finding and showed that VISTA is expressed mainly in BM-LUAD tumor cells, CD3 + cells, and to fewer levels in some microglial cells in BM-LUAD. This is the first report on differences in the brain immune response between metastatic tumors of different lineages. We found a far more extensive infiltration of immune cells in BM-LUAD as compared to BCBM. In addition, we found higher expression of VISTA and IDO1 in BM-LUAD. Taken together, targeted immune therapy should be considered to treat patients with BM-LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Najjary
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, The Tumor Immuno-Pathology Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan M Kros
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, The Tumor Immuno-Pathology Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem de Koning
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, The Tumor Immuno-Pathology Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Disha Vadgama
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, The Tumor Immuno-Pathology Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karishma Lila
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janina Wolf
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Institute of Tissue Medicine and Pathology, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 31, 3008, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dana A M Mustafa
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, The Tumor Immuno-Pathology Laboratory, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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32
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Sadeghirad H, Liu N, Monkman J, Ma N, Cheikh BB, Jhaveri N, Tan CW, Warkiani ME, Adams MN, Nguyen Q, Ladwa R, Braubach O, O’Byrne K, Davis M, Hughes BGM, Kulasinghe A. Compartmentalized spatial profiling of the tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma identifies immune checkpoint molecules and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily members as biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1135489. [PMID: 37153589 PMCID: PMC10154785 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are the seventh most common cancer, with approximately 50% of patients living beyond 5 years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promising results in patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) disease, however, only a subset of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Studies have implicated the tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCC as a major factor in therapy response, highlighting the need to better understand the TME, particularly by spatially resolved means to determine cellular and molecular components. Here, we employed targeted spatial profiling of proteins on a cohort of pre-treatment tissues from patients with R/M disease to identify novel biomarkers of response within the tumor and stromal margins. By grouping patient outcome categories into response or non-response, we show that immune checkpoint molecules, including PD-L1, B7-H3, and VISTA, were differentially expressed. Patient responders possessed significantly higher tumor expression of PD-L1 and B7-H3, but lower expression of VISTA. Analysis of response subgroups by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria indicated that tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily members including OX40L, CD27, 4-1BB, CD40, and CD95/Fas, were associated with immunotherapy outcome. OX40L expression in tumor regions was higher in patient-responders than those with progressive disease (PD), while other TNFR members, CD27 and CD95/Fas were lower expressed in patients with a partial response (PR) compared to those with PD. Furthermore, we found that high 4-1BB expression in the tumor compartment, but not in the stroma, was associated with better overall survival (OS) (HR= 0.28, p-adjusted= 0.040). Moreover, high CD40 expression in tumor regions (HR= 0.27, p-adjusted= 0.035), and high CD27 expression in the stroma (HR= 0.2, p-adjusted=0.032) were associated with better survival outcomes. Taken together, this study supports the role of immune checkpoint molecules and implicates the TNFR superfamily as key players in immunotherapy response in our cohort of HNSCC. Validation of these findings in a prospective study is required to determine the robustness of these tissue signatures.
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Zhu W, Li Y, Han M, Jiang J. Regulatory Mechanisms and Reversal of CD8+T Cell Exhaustion: A Literature Review. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040541. [PMID: 37106742 PMCID: PMC10135681 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
CD8+T cell exhaustion is a state of T cell dysfunction during chronic infection and tumor progression. Exhausted CD8+T cells are characterized by low effector function, high expression of inhibitory receptors, unique metabolic patterns, and altered transcriptional profiles. Recently, advances in understanding and interfering with the regulatory mechanisms associated with T cell exhaustion in tumor immunotherapy have brought greater attention to the field. Therefore, we emphasize the typical features and related mechanisms of CD8+T cell exhaustion and particularly the potential for its reversal, which has clinical implications for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanwan Zhu
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710000, China
| | - Yiming Li
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710000, China
| | - Mingwei Han
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710000, China
| | - Jianli Jiang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710000, China
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34
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Li N, Yang S, Ren Y, Tai R, Liu H, Wang Y, Li J, Wang F, Xing J, Zhang Y, Zhu X, Xu S, Hou X, Wang G. Chemotherapy induces immune checkpoint VISTA expression in tumor cells via HIF-2alpha. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115492. [PMID: 36898416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cells can evade the innate and adaptive immune systems, which play important roles in tumor recurrence and metastasis. Malignant tumors that recur after chemotherapy are more aggressiveciscis, suggesting an increased ability of the surviving tumor cells to evade innate and adaptive immunity. Therefore, in order to reduce patient mortality, it is important to discover the mechanisms by which tumor cells develop resistance to chemotherapeutics. In the present study we focused on the tumor cells that survived chemotherapy. We found that chemotherapy could promote the expression of VISTA in tumor cells, and that this change was mediated by HIF-2α. In addition, VISTA overexpression on melanoma cells promoted immune evasion, and the application of the VISTA-blocking antibody 13F3 enhanced the therapeutic effect of carboplatin. These results offer an insight into the immune evasion of chemotherapy-resistant tumors, and provide a theoretical basis for the combined application of chemotherapy drugs and VISTA inhibitors to treat tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanru Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Pathology, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Ren
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Risheng Tai
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; The First Psychiatric Hospital of Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hua Liu
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jianing Li
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Fuyan Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jingjun Xing
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanru Zhang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaoxia Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Suling Xu
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xin Hou
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
| | - Geng Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
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35
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Martin AS, Molloy M, Ugolkov A, von Roemeling RW, Noelle RJ, Lewis LD, Johnson M, Radvanyi L, Martell RE. VISTA expression and patient selection for immune-based anticancer therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1086102. [PMID: 36891296 PMCID: PMC9986543 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1086102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) is a B7 family member that plays key roles in maintaining T cell quiescence and regulation of myeloid cell populations, which together establish it as a novel immunotherapy target for solid tumors. Here we review the growing literature on VISTA expression in relation to various malignancies to better understand the role of VISTA and its interactions with both tumor cells and immune cells expressing other checkpoint molecules within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The biology of VISTA creates several mechanisms to maintain the TME, including supporting the function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, regulating natural killer cell activation, supporting the survival of regulatory T cells, limiting antigen presentation on antigen-presenting cells and maintaining T cells in a quiescent state. Understanding these mechanisms is an important foundation of rational patient selection for anti-VISTA therapy. We provide a general framework to describe distinct patterns of VISTA expression in correlation with other known predictive immunotherapy biomarkers (programmed cell death ligand 1 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) across solid tumors to facilitate investigation of the most efficacious TMEs for VISTA-targeted treatment as a single agent and/or in combination with anti-programmed death 1/anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S. Martin
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Randolph J. Noelle
- ImmuNext Inc., Lebanon, NH, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Lionel D. Lewis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Melissa Johnson
- Sarah Cannon at Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN, United States
| | | | - Robert E. Martell
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Curis Inc., Lexington, MA, United States
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36
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VISTA H-Score Is Significantly Associated with a 5-Year DFS Rate in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12041619. [PMID: 36836154 PMCID: PMC9967884 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12041619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer in the world. Despite its prevalence, it is often recognized in advanced stages (III or IV) when it has already spread to local lymph nodes. In this study, we investigate the V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) as a potential prognostic factor in OSCC. Tissue samples were collected from 71 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients to determine protein expression levels (using immunochemistry and the semi-quantitative H-score method). Moreover, RT-qPCR was additionally performed in 35 patients. Clinical factors in our cohort study had no impact on VISTA expression. However, VISTA expression is largely correlated with Il-33 levels in tumor cells and lymphocytes and with PD-L1 in tumor cells. The impact of VISTA expression on overall survival (OS) is rather limited, but in the case of a 5-year survival rate, a significant association has been proven. VISTA seems to be a rather weak clinicopathological marker but needs further evaluation in the context of survival. In addition, the potential of VISTA combination with Il-33 or PD-L1 should be further investigated in OSCC.
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37
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Abiko K, Hamanishi J, Matsumura N, Mandai M. Dynamic host immunity and PD-L1/PD-1 blockade efficacy: developments after "IFN-γ from lymphocytes induces PD-L1 expression and promotes progression of ovarian cancer". Br J Cancer 2023; 128:461-467. [PMID: 36068276 PMCID: PMC9938281 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01960-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the article titled "IFN-γ from lymphocytes induces PD-L1 expression and promotes progression of ovarian cancer" in 2015, we showed that PD-L1 expression is induced by IFN-γ from lymphocytes in the tumour microenvironment. This article proposed that PD-L1 expression in cancer cells is not stable but varies among cases, or even within a case, which is influenced by the stromal infiltration of cytotoxic lymphocytes. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors, especially anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies, are now widely used to treat various types of cancer. Predictive biomarkers for the efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors include PD-L1 expression, MSI/mismatch repair deficiency and high tumour mutation burden. However, clinical trials have proven that their use in ovarian cancer is still challenging. Reliable biomarkers and new treatment strategies may be sought by elucidating the complex immune microenvironment of ovarian cancer. Although the interaction between cytotoxic lymphocytes and PD-1/PD-L1 on tumour cells is at the centre of therapeutic targets, other immune checkpoints and various immunosuppressive cells also play important roles in ovarian cancer. Targeting these role players in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade may be a promising therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Abiko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Junzo Hamanishi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Noriomi Matsumura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-sayama, Osaka prefecture, Japan
| | - Masaki Mandai
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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38
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Dutta S, Ganguly A, Chatterjee K, Spada S, Mukherjee S. Targets of Immune Escape Mechanisms in Cancer: Basis for Development and Evolution of Cancer Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020218. [PMID: 36829496 PMCID: PMC9952779 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has emerged as a novel therapeutic tool for cancer therapy in the last decade. Unfortunately, a small number of patients benefit from approved immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Therefore, multiple studies are being conducted to find new ICIs and combination strategies to improve the current ICIs. In this review, we discuss some approved immune checkpoints, such as PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4, and also highlight newer emerging ICIs. For instance, HLA-E, overexpressed by tumor cells, represents an immune-suppressive feature by binding CD94/NKG2A, on NK and T cells. NKG2A blockade recruits CD8+ T cells and activates NK cells to decrease the tumor burden. NKG2D acts as an NK cell activating receptor that can also be a potential ICI. The adenosine A2A and A2B receptors, CD47-SIRPα, TIM-3, LAG-3, TIGIT, and VISTA are targets that also contribute to cancer immunoresistance and have been considered for clinical trials. Their antitumor immunosuppressive functions can be used to develop blocking antibodies. PARPs, mARTs, and B7-H3 are also other potential targets for immunosuppression. Additionally, miRNA, mRNA, and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated immunotherapeutic approaches are being investigated with great interest. Pre-clinical and clinical studies project these targets as potential immunotherapeutic candidates in different cancer types for their robust antitumor modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Dutta
- The Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology (CITI), Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Anirban Ganguly
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar 814152, India
| | | | - Sheila Spada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Sumit Mukherjee
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (S.M.)
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39
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Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy or combined with other small molecule-targeted agents in ovarian cancer. Expert Rev Mol Med 2023; 25:e6. [PMID: 36691778 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2023.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal female reproductive system tumour. Despite the great advances in surgery and systemic chemotherapy over the past two decades, almost all patients in stages III and IV relapse and develop resistance to chemotherapy after first-line treatment. Ovarian cancer has an extraordinarily complex immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in which immune checkpoints negatively regulate T cells activation and weaken antitumour immune responses by delivering immunosuppressive signals. Therefore, inhibition of immune checkpoints can break down the state of immunosuppression. Indeed, Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionised the therapeutic landscape of many solid tumours. However, ICIs have yielded modest benefits in ovarian cancer. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanistic basis of the immune checkpoints is needed to improve the efficacy of ICIs in ovarian cancer. In this review, we systematically introduce the mechanisms and expression of immune checkpoints in ovarian cancer. Moreover, this review summarises recent updates regarding ICI monotherapy or combined with other small-molecule-targeted agents in ovarian cancer.
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40
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Loch FN, Kamphues C, Beyer K, Schineis C, Rayya W, Lauscher JC, Horst D, Dragomir MP, Schallenberg S. The Immune Checkpoint Landscape in Tumor Cells of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032160. [PMID: 36768480 PMCID: PMC9917344 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032160] [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: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) has shown promising potential in the treatment of multiple solid tumors. However, the role of ICT in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains limited. Patterns of immune checkpoints (ICs) in PDAC represent the basis for establishing a potent ICT. The aim of this study is to create a profile of IC expression and its prognostic relevance in cancer cells of PDAC. Therefore, tumor cells from peripheral and central tissue microarray (TMA) spots from histologically confirmed PDAC of 68 patients after tumor resection were investigated in terms of expressions of TIM3, IDO, B7H4, LAG3, VISTA, and PD-L1 using immunohistochemistry. The presence of the respective ICs was compared to overall survival (OS). The presence of VISTA and PD-L1 significantly correlates with shorter OS (median OS: 22 months vs. 7 months and 22 months vs. 11 months, respectively, p < 0.05). For the presence of TIM3, IDO, B7H4, and LAG3, no difference in OS was observed (p > 0.05). The analysis of OS of combined subgroups for VISTA and PD-L1 (VISTA and PD-L1 neg., VISTA pos. and PD-L1 neg., VISTA neg. and PD-L1 pos., and VISTA and PD-L1 pos.) yielded overall statistical significance difference (p = 0.02). These results suggest that the presence of VISTA and PD-L1 is of prognostic relevance and potentially qualifies them as targets for ICT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian N. Loch
- Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)30-450552722
| | - Carsten Kamphues
- Department of Surgery, Park-Klinik Weißensee, 13086 Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Beyer
- Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Schineis
- Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Wael Rayya
- Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes C. Lauscher
- Department of Surgery, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horst
- Institute of Pathology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mihnea P. Dragomir
- Institute of Pathology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, 69210 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simon Schallenberg
- Institute of Pathology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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41
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Guo Z, Zhang R, Yang AG, Zheng G. Diversity of immune checkpoints in cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1121285. [PMID: 36960057 PMCID: PMC10027905 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1121285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Finding effective treatments for cancer remains a challenge. Recent studies have found that the mechanisms of tumor evasion are becoming increasingly diverse, including abnormal expression of immune checkpoint molecules on different immune cells, in particular T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and others. In this review, we discuss the checkpoint molecules with enhanced expression on these lymphocytes and their consequences on immune effector functions. Dissecting the diverse roles of immune checkpoints in different immune cells is crucial for a full understanding of immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangyan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - An-Gang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Guoxu Zheng, ; An-Gang Yang,
| | - Guoxu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Immunology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Guoxu Zheng, ; An-Gang Yang,
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42
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Jlassi A, Manai M, Morjen M, Sahraoui G, Elasmi Allal M, ELBini-Dhouib I, Naija L, Charfi L, Rejaibi R, Ben Ahmed M, Marrakchi N, Srairi-Abid N, Mezlini A, Manai M, Mrad K, Doghri R. VISTA+/CD8+ status correlates with favorable prognosis in Epithelial ovarian cancer. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0278849. [PMID: 36952478 PMCID: PMC10035885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy by blocking immune checkpoint regulators has emerged as a new targeted therapy for some cancers. Among them V-domain Ig suppressor of Tcell activation (VISTA) which is identified as a novel checkpoint regulator in ovarian cancer. This study aimed to investigate the VISTA role in Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) markers and its prognostic value. The expression of VISTA, CD3, CD8, CD4, FOXP3, and CD56 was assessed in 168 EOC tissue microarrays (TMA) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, associations between VISTA, TILs, clinicopathological variables, and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. VISTA expression in IGRov1 cells, as well as in PBMC of EOC patient, was evaluated by western blot. VISTA expression was detected in 64,28% of tissues, among which 42.3% were positive for tumor cells (TCs), and 47,9% were positive for immune cells (ICs). In univariate analysis, VISTA expression was significantly associated with a high density of TILs:CD3+ (p = 0,001), CD4+ (p = 0,002) and CD8+ (p≤0,001), in ICs but not in TCs. In terms of OS, multivariate analysis showed a significant association between the high density of CD8+ TILs and VISTA positive staining in ICs (p = 0,044), but not in TCs (p = 0,108). Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated no correlation between VISTA expression and prolonged OS in both ICs (p = 0,841) and TCs (p = 0,090). Classification of EOC tumor microenvironment based on VISTA and CD8+TILs expression, demonstrated four immune subtypes: VISTA+/CD8+, VISTA+/CD8-, VISTA-/CD8+ and VISTA-/CD8-. The dual positive VISTA+/CD8+ subtype was significantly associated with prolonged OS in both TCs and ICs (p = 0,012 and p≤0,01, respectively), whereas patients with VISTA+/CD8- had the worst OS. Our results showed that VISTA is highly expressed in the IGRov1 cell line and LT-CD8 from a patient with EOC. Our results highlighted the association of VISTA expression and CD8+ TILs in EOC, with prolonged OS in patients with VISTA+/CD8+ and proposed VISTA as a potential immunotherapeutic target in EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Jlassi
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory (LR16ES05), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Maroua Manai
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory (LR16ES05), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
- Human Genetics Laboratory (LR99ES10), Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-oncology, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Maram Morjen
- Laboratory of Biomolecules, Venoms and Theranostic Applications (LR20IPT01), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ghada Sahraoui
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | - Ines ELBini-Dhouib
- Laboratory of Biomolecules, Venoms and Theranostic Applications (LR20IPT01), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lamia Naija
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Salah Aziz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lamia Charfi
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Rim Rejaibi
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory (LR16ES05), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Melika Ben Ahmed
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections - LR16IPT02, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Naziha Marrakchi
- Laboratory of Biomolecules, Venoms and Theranostic Applications (LR20IPT01), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Najet Srairi-Abid
- Laboratory of Biomolecules, Venoms and Theranostic Applications (LR20IPT01), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Amel Mezlini
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Salah Aziz Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Manai
- Department of Biology, Mycology, Pathologies and Biomarkers Laboratory (LR16ES05), Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Karima Mrad
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Raoudha Doghri
- Research Laboratory of Precision Medicine/Personalized Medicine and Oncology Investigation (LR21SP01), Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis, El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
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Rezouki I, Zohair B, Ssi SA, Karkouri M, Razzouki I, Elkarroumi M, Badou A. High VISTA expression is linked to a potent epithelial-mesenchymal transition and is positively correlated with PD1 in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1154631. [PMID: 37152039 PMCID: PMC10157209 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1154631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common type of tumor in women worldwide. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly anti-PDL1, have shown promise as a therapeutic approach for managing this disease. However, this type of immunotherapy still fails to work for some patients, leading researchers to explore alternative immune checkpoint targets. The Ig suppressor of T cell activation domain V (VISTA) has emerged as a novel immune checkpoint that delivers inhibitory signals to T cells and has demonstrated encouraging results in various cancers. Our study investigated the association of VISTA expression with clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer patients, its involvement in the Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) process, and its correlation with PD1 expression. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that VISTA was associated with lobular and metaplastic histological type, tumor size, lymph node status, ER and PR negative status, and the TNBC molecular subtype. Furthermore, VISTA expression was strongly associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Immunohistochemistry analysis corroborated the transcriptomic results, indicating that VISTA was expressed in most immune cells (94%) and was significantly expressed in breast cancer tumor cells compared to matched adjacent tissues. Our study also showed for the first time that VISTA overexpression in breast cancer cells could be associated with the EMT process. Additionally, we identified a positive correlation between VISTA and PD-1 expression. Together, these results highlight the immunosuppressive effect of VISTA in breast cancer patients and suggest that bi-specific targeting of VISTA and PD-1 in combination therapy could be beneficial for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtissam Rezouki
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Basma Zohair
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ait Ssi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mehdi Karkouri
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Ibtissam Razzouki
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Elkarroumi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Center (CHU) Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
- Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco, and Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco
- *Correspondence: Abdallah Badou, ; ;
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Wakiyama H, Furusawa A, Okada R, Inagaki F, Kato T, Furumoto H, Fukushima H, Okuyama S, Choyke PL, Kobayashi H. Opening up new VISTAs: V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) targeted near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) for enhancing host immunity against cancers. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:2869-2879. [PMID: 35445836 PMCID: PMC10673684 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03205-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is an inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule that is broadly expressed on lymphoid and myeloid cells, including regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a cancer treatment that utilizes an antibody-photoabsorber (IRDye 700DX NHS ester) conjugate to selectively kill target cells after the local application of NIR light. Depletion of VISTA-expressing cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) using NIR-PIT could enhance anti-tumor immune responses by removing immune suppressive cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of VISTA-targeted NIR-PIT using two murine tumor models, MC38-luc and LL2-luc. VISTA was expressed on T cells including Tregs and MDSCs in the TME of these tumors. In contrast, CD45 - cells, including cancer cells, did not express VISTA. VISTA-targeted NIR-PIT depleted VISTA-expressing cells ex vivo. In vivo VISTA-targeted NIR-PIT inhibited tumor progression and prolonged survival in both models. After VISTA-targeted NIR-PIT, augmented CD8 + T cell and dendritic cell activation were observed in regional lymph nodes. In conclusion, VISTA-targeted NIR-PIT can effectively treat tumors by decreasing VISTA-expressing immune suppressor cells in the TME. Local depletion of VISTA-expressing cells in the tumor bed using NIR-PIT is a promising new cancer immunotherapy for treating various types of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Wakiyama
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Aki Furusawa
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ryuhei Okada
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Fuyuki Inagaki
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Takuya Kato
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hideyuki Furumoto
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hiroshi Fukushima
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Shuhei Okuyama
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Peter L Choyke
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Hisataka Kobayashi
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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45
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The Roles and Mechanisms of TRAT1 in the Progression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Curr Med Sci 2022; 42:1186-1200. [PMID: 36184729 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-022-2625-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE T cell receptor-associated transmembrane adaptor 1 (TRAT1) is one of the hub genes regulating T cell receptors (TCRs). Herein, the roles of TRAT1 in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were investigated. METHODS The expression and prognosis values of TRAT1 in NSCLC, and the relationship between TRAT1 expression levels and cancer immune cell infiltration was identified via the TIMER, UALCAN, TISIDB, and other databases. The mechanism of TRAT1 in NSCLC was analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RESULTS The expression level of TRAT1 was decreased in NSCLC tissues. Low TRAT1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival of patients with NSCLC and was related to gender, smoking, and tumor grade. TRAT1 was involved in regulating immune response, TCR signaling pathway, PI3K/AKT, and other processes. TRAT1 expression levels were positively correlated with immune cell infiltration in NSCLC. CONCLUSION Down-regulation of TRAT1 expression was associated with an unfavorable prognosis and immune infiltration of NSCLC.
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46
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The Dual Blockade of the TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway as a New Hope for Ovarian Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235757. [PMID: 36497240 PMCID: PMC9740841 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis for ovarian cancer (OC) patients is poor and the five-year survival rate is only 47%. Immune checkpoints (ICPs) appear to be the potential targets in up-and-coming OC treatment. However, the response of OC patients to immunotherapy based on programmed cell death pathway (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors totals only 6-15%. The promising approach is a combined therapy, including other ICPs such as the T-cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain/CD155/DNAX accessory molecule-1 (TIGIT/CD155/DNAM-1) axis. Preclinical studies in a murine model of colorectal cancer showed that the dual blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 and TIGIT led to remission in the whole studied group vs. the regression of the tumors with the blockade of a single pathway. The approach stimulates the effector activity of T cells and NK cells, and redirects the immune system activity against the tumor. The understanding of the synergistic action of the TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade is, however, poor. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about the mode of action of the dual TIGIT and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade and its potential benefits for OC patients. Considering the positive impact of this combined therapy in malignancies, including lung and colorectal cancer, it appears to be a promising approach in OC treatment.
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47
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Anderson TS, Wooster AL, Piersall SL, Okpalanwaka IF, Lowe DB. Disrupting cancer angiogenesis and immune checkpoint networks for improved tumor immunity. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:981-996. [PMID: 35149179 PMCID: PMC9357867 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have advanced the field of cancer immunotherapy in patients by sustaining effector immune cell activity within the tumor microenvironment. However, the approach in general is still faced with issues related to ICI response duration/resistance, treatment eligibility, and safety, which indicates a need for further refinements. As immune checkpoint upregulation is inextricably linked to cancer-induced angiogenesis, newer clinical efforts have demonstrated the feasibility of disrupting both tumor-promoting networks to mediate enhanced immune-driven protection. This review focuses on such key evidence stipulating the necessity of co-applying ICI and anti-angiogenic strategies in cancer patients, with particular interest in highlighting newer engineered antibody approaches that may provide theoretically superior multi-pronged and safe therapeutic combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor S Anderson
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, 79601, United States
| | - Amanda L Wooster
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, 79601, United States
| | - Savanna L Piersall
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, 79601, United States
| | - Izuchukwu F Okpalanwaka
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, 79601, United States
| | - Devin B Lowe
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX, 79601, United States.
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48
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Yenyuwadee S, Aliazis K, Wang Q, Christofides A, Shah R, Patsoukis N, Boussiotis VA. Immune cellular components and signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:187-201. [PMID: 35985559 PMCID: PMC10735089 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
During the past decade there has been a revolution in cancer therapeutics by the emergence of antibody-based and cell-based immunotherapies that modulate immune responses against tumors. These new therapies have extended and improved the therapeutic efficacy of chemo-radiotherapy and have offered treatment options to patients who are no longer responding to these classic anti-cancer treatments. Unfortunately, tumor eradication and long-lasting responses are observed in a small fraction of patients, whereas the majority of patients respond only transiently. These outcomes indicate that the maximum potential of immunotherapy has not been reached due to incomplete knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that guide the development of successful anti-tumor immunity and its failure. In this review, we discuss recent discoveries about the immune cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the role of key signaling mechanisms that compromise the function of immune cells leading to cancer immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasitorn Yenyuwadee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Konstantinos Aliazis
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
| | - Qi Wang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
| | - Anthos Christofides
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
| | - Rushil Shah
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
| | - Nikolaos Patsoukis
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Vassiliki A Boussiotis
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Department of Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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49
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Zheng S, Zhang K, Zhang X, Xiao Y, Wang T, Jiang S. Development of Inhibitors Targeting the V-Domain Ig Suppressor of T Cell Activation Signal Pathway. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11900-11912. [PMID: 36083840 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Blockade of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) has produced considerable therapeutic effect, but only in a fraction of patients, so more targets are being investigated. VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) is a novel immune checkpoint that is broadly expressed within hematopoietic cells and multiple cancers (low expressing frequency on solid tumors), particularly those with a poor immunotherapy response rate. As a result, VISTA has been identified as an appealing target for immunotherapy, and several VISTA inhibitors are currently in clinical and preclinical trials. In this review, the structural features and binding partners of VISTA are summarized, and we describe the latest developments of monoclonal antibodies and small molecules targeting VISTA as well as possible future directions for development of therapies targeting VISTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kuojun Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Sheng Jiang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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50
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Karami Fath M, Babakhaniyan K, Anjomrooz M, Jalalifar M, Alizadeh SD, Pourghasem Z, Abbasi Oshagh P, Azargoonjahromi A, Almasi F, Manzoor HZ, Khalesi B, Pourzardosht N, Khalili S, Payandeh Z. Recent Advances in Glioma Cancer Treatment: Conventional and Epigenetic Realms. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091448. [PMID: 36146527 PMCID: PMC9501259 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091448] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most typical and aggressive form of primary brain tumor in adults, with a poor prognosis. Successful glioma treatment is hampered by ineffective medication distribution across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the emergence of drug resistance. Although a few FDA-approved multimodal treatments are available for glioblastoma, most patients still have poor prognoses. Targeting epigenetic variables, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and different vaccine- and peptide-based treatments are some innovative approaches to improve anti-glioma treatment efficacy. Following the identification of lymphatics in the central nervous system, immunotherapy offers a potential method with the potency to permeate the blood-brain barrier. This review will discuss the rationale, tactics, benefits, and drawbacks of current glioma therapy options in clinical and preclinical investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Karami Fath
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran 1571914911, Iran
| | - Kimiya Babakhaniyan
- Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1996713883, Iran
| | - Mehran Anjomrooz
- Department of Radiology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1411713135, Iran
| | | | | | - Zeinab Pourghasem
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Gilan 4416939515, Iran
| | - Parisa Abbasi Oshagh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Malayer University, Malayer 6571995863, Iran
| | - Ali Azargoonjahromi
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7417773539, Iran
| | - Faezeh Almasi
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Lab, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1411734115, Iran
| | - Hafza Zahira Manzoor
- Experimental and Translational Medicine, University of Insubria, Via jean Henry Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Bahman Khalesi
- Department of Research and Production of Poultry Viral Vaccine, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj 3197619751, Iran
| | - Navid Pourzardosht
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht 4193713111, Iran
| | - Saeed Khalili
- Department of Biology Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 1678815811, Iran
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (Z.P.)
| | - Zahra Payandeh
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division Medical Inflammation Research, Karolinska Institute, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (Z.P.)
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