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Alamdari-Palangi V, Jaberi KR, Shahverdi M, Naeimzadeh Y, Tajbakhsh A, Khajeh S, Razban V, Fallahi J. Recent advances and applications of peptide-agent conjugates for targeting tumor cells. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:15249-15273. [PMID: 37581648 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05144-9] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer, being a complex disease, presents a major challenge for the scientific and medical communities. Peptide therapeutics have played a significant role in different medical practices, including cancer treatment. METHOD This review provides an overview of the current situation and potential development prospects of anticancer peptides (ACPs), with a particular focus on peptide vaccines and peptide-drug conjugates for cancer treatment. RESULTS ACPs can be used directly as cytotoxic agents (molecularly targeted peptides) or can act as carriers (guiding missile) of chemotherapeutic agents and radionuclides by specifically targeting cancer cells. More than 60 natural and synthetic cationic peptides are approved in the USA and other major markets for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Compared to traditional cancer treatments, peptides exhibit anticancer activity with high specificity and the ability to rapidly kill target cancer cells. ACP's target and kill cancer cells via different mechanisms, including membrane disruption, pore formation, induction of apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and regulation of the immune system. Modified peptides have been developed as carriers for drugs, vaccines, and peptide-drug conjugates, which have been evaluated in various phases of clinical trials for the treatment of different types of solid and leukemia cancer. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights the potential of ACPs as a promising therapeutic option for cancer treatment, particularly through the use of peptide vaccines and peptide-drug conjugates. Despite the limitations of peptides, such as poor metabolic stability and low bioavailability, modified peptides show promise in addressing these challenges. Various mechanism of action of anticancer peptides. Modes of action against cancer cells including: inducing apoptosis by cytochrome c release, direct cell membrane lysis (necrosis), inhibiting angiogenesis, inducing autophagy-mediated cell death and immune cell regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahab Alamdari-Palangi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7133654361, Iran
| | - Khojaste Rahimi Jaberi
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahshid Shahverdi
- Medical Biotechnology Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Yasaman Naeimzadeh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7133654361, Iran
| | - Amir Tajbakhsh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7133654361, Iran
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sahar Khajeh
- Bone and Joint Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Vahid Razban
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7133654361, Iran.
| | - Jafar Fallahi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 7133654361, Iran.
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Qiu Y, Xu B, Feng J, Wang C, Chen Y, He Y, Xie X, Li Y. Loss of EPS8 sensitizes non-small-cell lung carcinoma to chemotherapy-induced DNA damage. Cancer Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41417-023-00606-1. [PMID: 36932195 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00606-1] [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] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate number 8 (EPS8) has been reported to be critical in mediating tumor progression. However, the molecular and biological consequences of EPS8 overexpression remain unclear. Here we evaluated whether EPS8 increased DNA damage repair in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells and the mechanism of EPS8-mediated DNA damage repair which influenced chemosensitivity. Serial studies of functional experiments revealed that EPS8 knockdown inhibited cell growth, induced cell-cycle arrest and increased cisplatin therapeutic effects on NSCLC. EPS8 was found to induce DNA damage repair via upregulation of phosphorylated-ATM and downregulation of the tumor suppressor p53 and G1 cell kinase inhibitor p21. Moreover, in conjunction with cisplatin, decreasing EPS8 protein levels further increased p53 protein level and inhibited ATM signaling. Transplanted tumor studies were also performed to demonstrate that EPS8 knockdown inhibited tumor growth and sensitized tumors to cisplatin treatment. In conclusion, we have described a novel molecular mechanism through which EPS8 is likely to be involved in cancer progression and chemoresistance via DNA damage repair, indicating that EPS8 expression may influence the response to chemotherapy. Therefore, targeting EPS8 may be a potential therapeutic approach for patients with NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Qiu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Binyan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Jianhua Feng
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Chunsheng Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China.
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510285, P. R. China. .,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510005, P. R. China.
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3
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Liu DL, Liu SJ, Hu SQ, Chen YC, Guo J. Probing the Potential Mechanism of Quercetin and Kaempferol against Heat Stress-Induced Sertoli Cell Injury: Through Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911163. [PMID: 36232461 PMCID: PMC9570440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Quercetin and kaempferol are flavonoids widely present in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. They have attracted much attention due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and neuroprotective properties. As the guarantee cells in direct contact with germ cells, Sertoli cells exert the role of support, nutrition, and protection in spermatogenesis. In the current study, network pharmacology was used to explore the targets and signaling pathways of quercetin and kaempferol in treating spermatogenic disorders. In vitro experiments were integrated to verify the results of quercetin and kaempferol against heat stress-induced Sertoli cell injury. The online platform was used to analyze the GO biological pathway and KEGG pathway. The results of the network pharmacology showed that quercetin and kaempferol intervention in spermatogenesis disorders were mostly targeting the oxidative response to oxidative stress, the ROS metabolic process and the NFκB pathway. The results of the cell experiment showed that Quercetin and kaempferol can prevent the decline of cell viability induced by heat stress, reduce the expression levels of HSP70 and ROS in Sertoli cells, reduce p-NF-κB-p65 and p-IκB levels, up-regulate the expression of occludin, vimentin and F-actin in Sertoli cells, and protect cell structure. Our research is the first to demonstrate that quercetin and kaempferol may exert effects in resisting the injury of cell viability and structure under heat stress.
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4
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Wang Z, Ran L, Chen C, Shi R, Dong Y, Li Y, Zhou X, Qi Y, Zhu P, Gao Y, Wu Y. Identification of HLA-A2-Restricted Mutant Epitopes from Neoantigens of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9101118. [PMID: 34696226 PMCID: PMC8541546 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101118] [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: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), one of the deadliest gastrointestinal cancers, has had limited effective therapeutic strategies up to now. Accumulating evidence suggests that effective immunotherapy in cancer patients has been associated with T cells responsive to mutant peptides derived from neoantigens. Here, we selected 35 human leukocyte antigen-A2 (HLA-A2)-restricted mutant (MUT) peptides stemmed from neoantigens of ESCC. Among them, seven mutant peptides had potent binding affinity to HLA-A*0201 molecules and could form a stable peptide/HLA-A*0201 complex. Three mutant peptides (TP53-R267P, NFE2L2-D13N, and PCLO-E4090Q) of those were immunogenic and could induce the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) recognizing mutant peptides presented on transfected cells in an HLA-A2-restricted and MUT peptide-specific manner. In addition, the CTL response in immunized HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic (Tg) mice was enhanced by coupling MUT peptides to peptide WH, a peptide delivery carrier targeting Clec9a+ DCs. Then, the possible binding model conversions between the WT and MUT candidate peptides were analyzed by docking with the pockets of HLA-A*0201 molecule. We therefore propose a novel strategy and epitopes for immunotherapy of ESCC based on neoantigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Ling Ran
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Chunxia Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Ranran Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Yu Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Yubing Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
| | - Yuanming Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Pingping Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510080, China
- Correspondence: (Y.G.); (Y.W.); Tel./Fax: +86-371-6778-3235 (Y.W.)
| | - Yahong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Z.W.); (L.R.); (C.C.); (R.S.); (Y.D.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); (Y.Q.); (P.Z.)
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Correspondence: (Y.G.); (Y.W.); Tel./Fax: +86-371-6778-3235 (Y.W.)
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5
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Xie X, Hu Y, Ye T, Chen Y, Zhou L, Li F, Xi X, Wang S, He Y, Gao X, Wei W, Ma G, Li Y. Therapeutic vaccination against leukaemia via the sustained release of co-encapsulated anti-PD-1 and a leukaemia-associated antigen. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:414-428. [PMID: 33046865 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-020-00624-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic leukaemia vaccines have shown modest potency. Here, we show that the co-encapsulation of a leukaemia-associated epitope peptide highly expressed in leukaemia patients and of the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-programmed-cell-death-protein-1 (anti-PD-1) in degradable poly(lactic acid) microcapsules resulted in the sustained release of the peptide and of the antibody, which led to the recruitment of activated antigen-presenting cells to the injection site, their uptake of the peptide and the transportation of the anti-PD-1 antibody to lymph nodes, enhancing the expansion of epitope-specific T cells and the activation of cytotoxic T cells. After single subcutaneous injections of vaccine formulations with different epitope peptides, mice bearing leukaemia xenografts derived from humanized cell lines or from primary cells from patients showed better therapeutic outcomes than mice receiving repeated injections of free antigen, antibody and a commercial adjuvant. The sustained release of a tumour-associated peptide and of anti-PD-1 may represent a generalizable strategy for boosting antitumour immune responses to leukaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China.,State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Yuxing Hu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China
| | - Tong Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China
| | - Lijuan Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China
| | - Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Xiaobo Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Shuang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China
| | - Xiaoyong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China.
| | - Guanghui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P R China.
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P R China. .,Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, P R China.
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6
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Luo K, Zhang L, Liao Y, Zhou H, Yang H, Luo M, Qing C. Effects and mechanisms of Eps8 on the biological behaviour of malignant tumours (Review). Oncol Rep 2021; 45:824-834. [PMID: 33432368 PMCID: PMC7859916 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.7927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (Eps8) was initially identified as the substrate for the kinase activity of EGFR, improving the responsiveness of EGF, which is involved in cell mitosis, differentiation and other physiological functions. Numerous studies over the last decade have demonstrated that Eps8 is overexpressed in most ubiquitous malignant tumours and subsequently binds with its receptor to activate multiple signalling pathways. Eps8 not only participates in the regulation of malignant phenotypes, such as tumour proliferation, invasion, metastasis and drug resistance, but is also related to the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients. Therefore, Eps8 is a potential tumour diagnosis and prognostic biomarker and even a therapeutic target. This review aimed to describe the structural characteristics, role and related molecular mechanism of Eps8 in malignant tumours. In addition, the prospect of Eps8 as a target for cancer therapy is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Yunnan Tumor Hospital and The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University; Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Liao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Hongyu Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Hongying Yang
- Department of Gynecology, Yunnan Tumor Hospital and The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University; Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Min Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Chen Qing
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
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7
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Chiangjong W, Chutipongtanate S, Hongeng S. Anticancer peptide: Physicochemical property, functional aspect and trend in clinical application (Review). Int J Oncol 2020; 57:678-696. [PMID: 32705178 PMCID: PMC7384845 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.5099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is currently ineffectively treated using therapeutic drugs, and is also able to resist drug action, resulting in increased side effects following drug treatment. A novel therapeutic strategy against cancer cells is the use of anticancer peptides (ACPs). The physicochemical properties, amino acid composition and the addition of chemical groups on the ACP sequence influences their conformation, net charge and orientation of the secondary structure, leading to an effect on targeting specificity and ACP-cell interaction, as well as peptide penetrating capability, stability and efficacy. ACPs have been developed from both naturally occurring and modified peptides by substituting neutral or anionic amino acid residues with cationic amino acid residues, or by adding a chemical group. The modified peptides lead to an increase in the effectiveness of cancer therapy. Due to this effectiveness, ACPs have recently been improved to form drugs and vaccines, which have sequentially been evaluated in various phases of clinical trials. The development of the ACPs remains focused on generating newly modified ACPs for clinical application in order to decrease the incidence of new cancer cases and decrease the mortality rate. The present review could further facilitate the design of ACPs and increase efficacious ACP therapy in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wararat Chiangjong
- Pediatric Translational Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Somchai Chutipongtanate
- Pediatric Translational Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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Zhang Y, Lin Z, Wan Y, Cai H, Deng L, Li R. The Immunogenicity and Anti-tumor Efficacy of a Rationally Designed Neoantigen Vaccine for B16F10 Mouse Melanoma. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2472. [PMID: 31749795 PMCID: PMC6848027 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor neoantigens are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy as they are recognized by host immune system as foreigners and can elicit tumor-specific immune responses. However, existing strategies utilizing RNA or long peptides for the neoantigen vaccines render limited immune responses since only 20–30% of neoantigens predicted in silico to bind MHC I molecules are capable of eliciting immune responses with the majority of responding T cells are CD4+. Therefore, it warrants further exploration to enhance neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells responses. Since neoantigens are naturally weak antigens, we asked whether foreign T help epitopes could enhance their immunogenicity. In present study, we chose 4 weak B16F10 neoantigens as vaccine targets, and fused them to the transmembrane domain of diphtheria toxin, namely DTT-neoAg. Strikingly, the vaccine elicited anti-tumor CD8+ T cells responses and enhanced tumor infiltration of both T cells and NK cells. Impressively, DTT-neoAg vaccine significantly deterred tumor growth with the inhibition rate reached 88% in the preventive model and 100% in the therapeutic model at low dose of tumor challenge. Furthermore, after second challenge with higher dose of tumor cells, 33.3% of the immunized mice remained tumor-free for 6 months in the therapeutic model. Because DTT is a non-toxic domain of diphtheria toxin, it may be not of great concern in terms of safety as a Th epitope provider. Thus, the fusion strategy employed by this study may become a feasible and powerful approach for development of personalized cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhibing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhua Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaman Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Deng
- Shanghai HyCharm Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Rongxiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai HyCharm Inc., Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
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9
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Xie X, Chen Y, Hu Y, He Y, Zhang H, Li Y. Lenalidomide Augments the Antitumor Activities of Eps8 Peptide-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes against Multiple Myeloma. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:2258-2269. [PMID: 31413179 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a promising new approach to cancer treatment. It has been demonstrated that a high number of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) is associated with increased survival in patients with multiple myeloma. Here, we focused on EGFR pathway substrate 8 (Eps8) as a candidate tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in multiple myeloma. Previous work has shown that Eps8-based immunotherapy in HLA-A2+ cancer patients may result in efficient antitumor immune responses against diverse tumor types. To improve immunotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma, we constructed a cocktail vaccine by combining several HLA-A2-restricted epitopes derived from Eps8 (Eps8cocktail), including Eps8101-2L (WLQDMILQV), Eps8276-1Y9V (YLDDIEFFV), and Eps8455-1Y (YLAESVANV). The CTLs induced by Eps8cocktail (Eps8cocktail-CTLs) showed highly effective anti-multiple myeloma activity, including Th1 cytokines production, cell proliferation, and cytotoxicity against HLA-A2+ multiple myeloma cells. This study highlights the importance of using a cocktail vaccine instead of a single-peptide vaccine to induce a robust response. Importantly, we revealed that lenalidomide effectively stimulated the antitumor activity of the Eps8cocktail-CTLs, with increasing expression trends for T-cell markers (CD28, CD40L, 41BB, and OX40). Compared with unstimulated CTLs and Eps8cocktail-CTLs, lenalidomide-treated Eps8cocktail-CTLs showed superior anti-multiple myeloma activity in humanized multiple myeloma models, including delaying tumor burden increases due to enhanced immune function. These results provide the framework for an Eps8 cocktail vaccination therapy to induce effective Eps8-specific CTLs in HLA-A2+ patients with multiple myeloma. Moreover, these studies further demonstrate that lenalidomide augments the immune response, providing a possibility for its use in combination with peptide vaccines to improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuxing Hu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Honghao Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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10
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Zhang H, Zhou L, Zhou W, Xie X, Wu M, Chen Y, Hu Y, Du J, He Y, Li Y. EPS8-mediated regulation of multiple myeloma cell growth and survival. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:1622-1634. [PMID: 31497346 PMCID: PMC6726976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (EPS8), which acts as an oncoprotein in various carcinomas, is associated with tumor progression. However, its impact on multiple myeloma (MM) has not been determined. Here, we investigate the role of EPS8 in MM and consider the potential of EPS8 as an anti-MM target. We confirmed overexpression of EPS8 in MM cells compared with plasma cells derived from healthy volunteers. Knockdown of EPS8 significantly abrogated MM cell survival, migration and invasion. Moreover, depletion of EPS8 overcomes drug resistance. TNFα or bone marrow stromal cell culture supernatants induce EPS8, which is blocked by the IKKβ inhibitor MLN120B, suggesting that EPS8 is regulated by NF-κB signaling in MM cells. Mithramycin (MTM), a selective EPS8 inhibitor, suppressed MM cell proliferation and exerted potent anti-MM activity in xenograft tumor models. A synergistic effect of MTM and bortezomib (BTZ) was also observed in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, treatment of MM cells with MTM reduced the expression of EPS8 and related pathways. Additionally, the EPS8-knockdown phenotype can be rescued by shRNA-resistant EPS8. Taken together, we describe overexpression of EPS8 in MM by highlighting its role as a potential target and reveal therapeutic targeting of EPS8 by MTM as a novel therapy for MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghao Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijun Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Meirong Wu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxing Hu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingwen Du
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University No. 253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
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Li M, Yang J, Zhang L, Tu S, Zhou X, Tan Z, Zhou W, He Y, Li Y. A low-molecular-weight compound exerts anticancer activity against breast and lung cancers by disrupting EGFR/Eps8 complex formation. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:211. [PMID: 31118055 PMCID: PMC6532146 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 (Eps8) have been widely reported to be expressed in various tumors. Eps8 is an important active kinase substrate of EGFR that directly binds to the juxtamembrane (JXM) domain of EGFR to form an EGFR/Eps8 complex. The EGFR/Eps8 complex is involved in regulating cancer progression and might be an ideal target for antitumor therapy. This study focused on the screening of small-molecule inhibitors that target the EGFR/Eps8 complex in breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS In silico virtual screening was used to identify small-molecule EGFR/Eps8 complex inhibitors. These compounds were screened for the inhibition of A549 and BT549 cell viability. The direct interaction between EGFR and Eps8 was measured using coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) and JXM domain replacement assays. The antitumor effects of the inhibitors were analyzed in cancer cells and xenograft models. An acute toxicity study of EE02 was performed in a mouse model. In addition, the effect of the EE02 inhibitor on the protein expression of elements downstream of the EGFR/Eps8 complex was determined by western blotting and protein chip assays. RESULTS In this study of nearly 390,000 compounds screened by virtual database screening, the top 29 compounds were identified as candidate small-molecule EGFR/Eps8 complex inhibitors and evaluated by using cell-based assays. The compound EE02 was identified as the best match to our selection criteria. Further investigation demonstrated that EE02 directly bound to the JXM domain of EGFR and disrupted EGFR/Eps8 complex formation. EE02 selectively suppressed growth and induced apoptosis in EGFR-positive and Eps8-positive breast cancer and NSCLC cells. More importantly, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/Erk pathways downstream of the EGFR/Eps8 complex were suppressed by EE02. In addition, the suppressive effect of EE02 on tumor growth in vivo was comparable to that of erlotinib at the same dose. CONCLUSIONS We identified EE02 as an EGFR/Eps8 complex inhibitor that demonstrated promising antitumor effects in breast cancer and NSCLC. Our data suggest that the EGFR/Eps8 complex offers a novel cancer drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meifang Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Jilong Yang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Lenghe Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Sanfang Tu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Ze Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijun Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 GongyeDadaoZhong, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510282, People's Republic of China.
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Wu M, Zhang L, Zhang H, Ning J, Tu S, He Y, Li Y. CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-redirected T cells combined with epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 8 peptide-derived dendritic cell vaccine in leukemia. Cytotherapy 2019; 21:659-670. [PMID: 31031152 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2019.03.313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy opens a new era for cancer treatment. However, in prolonged follow-up, relapse has emerged as one of the major obstacles. Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination is a promising treatment to eradicate tumor cells and prevent relapse. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway substrate 8 (Eps8) gene is involved in regulating cancer progression and is considered an attractive target for specific cancer immunotherapy. The purpose of this study was to explore a combinatorial therapy using CAR-T cells and a DC vaccine such as Eps8-DCs to increase leukemia treatment efficacy. METHODS We pulsed DCs with Eps8-derived peptides to generate Eps8-DCs, engineered T cells to express a second-generation CAR specific for CD19, and analyzed the effects of the Eps8-DCs on the in vitro expansion, phenotype and effector functions of the CD19 CAR-T cells. RESULTS The Eps8-DCs significantly reduced the activation-induced cell death and enhanced the proliferative potential of CAR-T cells during in vitro expansion. In addition, the expanded T cells co-cultured with the Eps8-DCs exhibited an increased percentage of central memory T cells (Tcms) and a decreased percentage of effector memory T cells (Tems). The Eps8-DCs enhanced CD19 CAR-T cell immune functions, including cytokine production, CD107a degranulation activity and cytotoxicity. DISCUSSION This study demonstrates that Eps8-DCs exert synergistic effect on CD19 targeting CAR-T cells and paves the way for clinical trials using the combination of DC vaccination and engineered T cells in relapsed leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirong Wu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Litian Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanzhen Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingxuan Ning
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Hematology, Yuncheng Central Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Yuncheng, China
| | - Sanfang Tu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjie He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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13
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Wang Q, Yong L. Eps8, a therapeutic potential target for cancer. Hum Pathol 2018; 82:300-301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2018.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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