Regulatory T cells control toxicity in a humanized model of IL-2 therapy

IL-2-mediated hepatotoxicity: knowledge gap identification based on the irAOP concept

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity constitutes a major reason for non-approval and post-marketing withdrawal of pharmaceuticals. In many cases, preclinical models lack predictive capacity for hepatic damage in humans. A vital concern is the integration of immune system effects in preclinical safety assessment. The immune-related Adverse Outcome Pathway (irAOP) approach, which is applied within the Immune Safety Avatar (imSAVAR) consortium, presents a novel method to understand and predict immune-mediated adverse events elicited by pharmaceuticals and thus targets this issue. It aims to dissect the molecular mechanisms involved and identify key players in drug-induced side effects. As irAOPs are still in their infancy, there is a need for a model irAOP to validate the suitability of this tool. For this purpose, we developed a hepatotoxicity-based model irAOP for recombinant human IL-2 (aldesleukin). Besides producing durable therapeutic responses against renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma, the boosted immune activation upon IL-2 treatment elicits liver damage. The availability of extensive data regarding IL-2 allows both the generation of a comprehensive putative irAOP and to validate the predictability of the irAOP with clinical data. Moreover, IL-2, as one of the first cancer immunotherapeutics on the market, is a blueprint for various biological and novel treatment regimens that are under investigation today. This review provides a guideline for further irAOP-directed research in immune-mediated hepatotoxicity.

A review on structure-function mechanism and signaling pathway of serine/threonine protein PIM kinases as a therapeutic target

The proviral integration for the Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases, belonging to serine/threonine kinase family, have been found to be overexpressed in various types of cancers, such as prostate, breast, colon, endometrial, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. The three isoforms PIM kinases i.e., PIM1, PIM2, and PIM3 share a high degree of sequence and structural similarity and phosphorylate substrates controlling tumorigenic phenotypes like proliferation and cell survival. Targeting short-lived PIM kinases presents an intriguing strategy as in vivo knock-down studies result in non-lethal phenotypes, indicating that clinical inhibition of PIM might have fewer adverse effects. The ATP binding site (hinge region) possesses distinctive attributes, which led to the development of novel small molecule scaffolds that target either one or all three PIM isoforms. Machine learning and structure-based approaches have been at the forefront of developing novel and effective chemical therapeutics against PIM in preclinical and clinical settings, and none have yet received approval for cancer treatment. The stability of PIM isoforms is maintained by PIM kinase activity, which leads to resistance against PIM inhibitors and chemotherapy; thus, to overcome such effects, PIM proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are now being developed that specifically degrade PIM proteins. In this review, we recapitulate an overview of the oncogenic functions of PIM kinases, their structure, function, and crucial signaling network in different types of cancer, and the potential of pharmacological small-molecule inhibitors. Further, our comprehensive review also provides valuable insights for developing novel antitumor drugs that specifically target PIM kinases in the future. In conclusion, we provide insights into the benefits of degrading PIM kinases as opposed to blocking their catalytic activity to address the oncogenic potential of PIM kinases.

Autologous human preclinical modeling of melanoma interpatient clinical responses to immunotherapeutics

BACKGROUND

Despite recent advances in immunotherapy, a substantial population of late-stage melanoma patients still fail to achieve sustained clinical benefit. Lack of translational preclinical models continues to be a major challenge in the field of immunotherapy; thus, more optimized translational models could strongly influence clinical trial development. To address this unmet need, we designed a preclinical model reflecting the heterogeneity in melanoma patients' clinical responses that can be used to evaluate novel immunotherapies and synergistic combinatorial treatment strategies. Using our all-autologous humanized melanoma mouse model, we examined the efficacy of a novel engineered interleukin 2 (IL-2)-based cytokine variant immunotherapy.

METHODS

To study immune responses and antitumor efficacy for human melanoma tumors, we developed an all-autologous humanized melanoma mouse model using clinically annotated, matched patient tumor cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). After inoculating immunodeficient NSG mice with patient tumors and an adoptive cell transfer of autologous PBMCs, mice were treated with anti-PD-1, a novel investigational engineered IL-2-based cytokine (nemvaleukin), or recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2). The pharmacodynamic effects and antitumor efficacy of these treatments were then evaluated. We used tumor cells and autologous PBMCs from patients with varying immunotherapy responses to both model the diversity of immunotherapy efficacy observed in the clinical setting and to recapitulate the heterogeneous nature of melanoma.

RESULTS

Our model exhibited long-term survival of engrafted human PBMCs without developing graft-versus-host disease. Administration of an anti-PD-1 or nemvaleukin elicited antitumor responses in our model that were patient-specific and were found to parallel clinical responsiveness to checkpoint inhibitors. An evaluation of nemvaleukin-treated mice demonstrated increased tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, preferential expansion of non-regulatory T cell subsets in the spleen, and significant delays in tumor growth compared with vehicle-treated controls or mice treated with rhIL-2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our model reproduces differential effects of immunotherapy in melanoma patients, capturing the inherent heterogeneity in clinical responses. Taken together, these data demonstrate our model's translatability for novel immunotherapies in melanoma patients. The data are also supportive for the continued clinical investigation of nemvaleukin as a novel immunotherapeutic for the treatment of melanoma.

A novel dual mechanism-of-action bispecific PD-1-IL-2v armed by a "βγ-only" interleukin-2 variant

Introduction

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is one of the first cytokines to be discovered as an immune agonist for cancer immunotherapy. Biased IL-2 variants had been discovered to eliminate Treg activation or enhance the tumor specific T cell cytotoxicity. However, all the biased IL-2 variants pose the risk to overstimulate immune response at a low-dose range. Here, we introduce a novel dual-MOA bispecific PD-1-IL-2v molecule with great anti-tumor efficacy in a high dosed manner.

Methods

The novel IL-2 variant was designed by structural truncation and shuffling. The single armed bispecific PD-1-IL-2v molecule and IL-2v were studied by immune cell activations in vitro and in vivo and anti-tumor efficacy in mouse model.

Results and discussion

The IL-2 variant in this bispecific antibody only binds to IL-2Rβγ complex in a fast-on/off manner without α, β or γ single receptor binding. This IL-2v mildly activates T and NK cells without over stimulation, meanwhile it diminishes Treg activation compared to the wild type IL-2. This unique bispecific molecule with "βγ-only" IL-2v can not only "in-cis" stimulate and expand CD8 T and NK cells moderately without Treg activation, but also block the PD-1/L1 interaction at a similar dose range with monoclonal antibody.

Optimising IL-2 for Cancer Immunotherapy

The key role of T cells in cancer immunotherapy is well established and is highlighted by the remarkable capacity of Ab-mediated checkpoint blockade to overcome T-cell exhaustion and amplify anti-tumor responses. However, total or partial tumor remission following checkpoint blockade is still limited to only a few types of tumors. Hence, concerted attempts are being made to devise new methods for improving tumor immunity. Currently, much attention is being focused on therapy with IL-2. This cytokine is a powerful growth factor for T cells and optimises their effector functions. When used at therapeutic doses for cancer treatment, however, IL-2 is highly toxic. Nevertheless, recent work has shown that modifying the structure or presentation of IL-2 can reduce toxicity and lead to effective anti-tumor responses in synergy with checkpoint blockade. Here, we review the complex interaction of IL-2 with T cells: first during normal homeostasis, then during responses to pathogens, and finally in anti-tumor responses.

Immuno-inflammatory in vitro hepatotoxicity models to assess side effects of biologicals exemplified by aldesleukin

Introduction

Hepatotoxicity induced by immunotherapeutics is an appearing cause for immune-mediated drug-induced liver injury. Such immuno-toxic mechanisms are difficult to assess using current preclinical models and the incidence is too low to detect in clinical trials. As hepatotoxicity is a frequent reason for post-authorisation drug withdrawal, there is an urgent need for immuno-inflammatory in vitro models to assess the hepatotoxic potential of immuno-modulatory drug candidates. We developed several immuno-inflammatory hepatotoxicity test systems based on recombinant human interleukin-2 (aldesleukin).

Methods

Co-culture models of primary human CD8+ T cells or NK cells with the hepatocyte cell line HepaRG were established and validated with primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). Subsequently, the HepaRG model was refined by increasing complexity by inclusion of monocyte-derived macrophages (MdMs). The main readouts were cytotoxicity, inflammatory mediator release, surface marker expression and specific hepatocyte functions.

Results

We identified CD8+ T cells as possible mediators of aldesleukin-mediated hepatotoxicity, with MdMs being implicated in increased aldesleukin-induced inflammatory effects. In co-cultures of CD8+ T cells with MdMs and HepaRG cells, cytotoxicity was induced at intermediate/high aldesleukin concentrations and perforin was upregulated. A pro-inflammatory milieu was created measured by interleukin-6 (IL-6), c-reactive protein (CRP), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) increase. NK cells responded to aldesleukin, however, only minor aldesleukin-induced cytotoxic effects were measured in co-cultures. Results obtained with HepaRG cells and with PHHs were comparable, especially regarding cytotoxicity, but high inter-donor variations limited meaningfulness of the PHH model.

Discussion

The in vitro test systems developed contribute to the understanding of potential key mechanisms in aldesleukin-mediated hepatotoxicity. In addition, they may aid assessment of immune-mediated hepatotoxicity during the development of novel immunotherapeutics.

IL-2Rα-biased agonist enhances antitumor immunity by invigorating tumor-infiltrating CD25+CD8+ T cells

To avoid regulatory T cell promotion and vascular toxicity, the interleukin-2 receptor-β/interleukin-2 receptor-γ (IL-2Rβγ)-biased approach is used by most IL-2 analogs in immuno-oncology. However, recent clinical disappointments in these IL-2 agonists have questioned this strategy. Here we show that both wild-type (IL-2wt) and IL-2Rβγ-attenuated (IL-2α-bias) agonists that preserve IL-2Rα (CD25) activities can effectively expand tumor-specific CD8+ T cells (TSTs) and exhibit better antitumor efficacy and safety than the 'non-α' counterpart (IL-2nα). Mechanistically, TSTs coexpress elevated CD25 and PD-1 and are more susceptible to stimulation by IL-2Rα-proficient agonists. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD-1 depends on activation of PD-1+CD25+ TSTs through autocrine IL-2-CD25 signaling. In individuals with cancer, a low IL-2 signature correlates with non-responsiveness to anti-PD-1 treatment. In mouse models, IL-2α-bias, but not IL-2nα, restores the IL-2 signature and synergizes with anti-PD-1 to eradicate large established tumors. These findings underscore the indispensable function of CD25 in IL-2-based immunotherapy and provide rationales for evaluating IL-2Rα-biased agonists in individuals with cancer.

CU06-1004 as a promising strategy to improve anti-cancer drug efficacy by preventing vascular leaky syndrome

Background: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is the first cancer therapeutic agent with an immunomodulatory function. Although it has been experimentally proven to be effective against metastatic renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma, the clinical application of high-dose IL-2 (HDIL-2) has been limited because of its short half-life and severe side effects, such as vascular leakage syndrome (VLS) or capillary leaky syndrome (CLS). However, methods for overcoming this issue have not yet been identified. Methods: We discovered CU06-1004, an endothelial dysfunction blocker, through a previous study, and co-treated with IL-2 immunotherapy to confirm its inhibitory effect on HDIL-2-induced endothelial permeability. CU06-1004 was co-administered with HDIL-2 for 4 days in an in vivo mouse model. After drug injection, the mice were sacrificed, and Evans blue staining was performed. Results: In vitro, HDIL-2 treatment decreased HUVEC stability, which was rescued by co-treatment with CU06-1004. In our mouse model, co-administration of CU06-1004 and HDIL-2 prevented HDIL-2-induced vascular leakage by normalizing endothelial cells. Notably, the HDIL-2 and CU06-1004 combination therapy considerably reduced tumor growth in the B16F10 melanoma mouse model. Conclusion: Our data suggest that CU06-1004 acts as a potential anticancer drug candidate, not only by preventing HDIL-2-induced VLS but also by enhancing the anticancer effects of HDIL-2 immunotherapy.

Current Situation and Prospect of Adoptive Cellular Immunotherapy for Malignancies

Adoptive cell immunotherapy (ACT) is an innovative promising treatment for tumors. ACT is characterized by the infusion of active anti-tumor immune cells (specific and non-specific) into patients to kill tumor cells either directly or indirectly by stimulating the body's immune system. The patient's (autologous) or a donor's (allogeneic) immune cells are used to improve immune function. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells (CAR-T) is a type of ACT that has gained attention. T cells from the peripheral blood are genetically engineered to express CARs that rapidly proliferate and specifically recognize target antigens to exert its anti-tumor effects. Clinical application of CAR-T therapy for hematological tumors has shown good results, but adverse reactions and recurrence limit its applicability. Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is effective for solid tumors. TIL therapy exhibits T cell receptor (TCR) clonality, superior tumor homing ability, and low targeted toxicity, but its successful application is limited to a number of tumors. Regardless, TIL and CAR-T therapies are effective for treating cancer. Additionally, CAR-natural killer (NK), CAR-macrophages (M), and TCR-T therapies are currently being researched. In this review, we highlight the current developments and limitations of several types of ACT.

Antitumor immunity induced by antibody-based natural killer cell engager therapeutics armed with not-alpha IL-2 variant

Harnessing innate immunity is emerging as a promising therapeutic approach in cancer. We report here the design of tetraspecific molecules engaging natural killer (NK) cell-activating receptors NKp46 and CD16a, the β-chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), and a tumor-associated antigen (TAA). In vitro, these tetraspecific antibody-based natural killer cell engager therapeutics (ANKETs) induce a preferential activation and proliferation of NK cells, and the binding to the targeted TAA triggers NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine and chemokine production. In vivo, tetraspecific ANKETs induce NK cell proliferation and their accumulation at the tumor bed, as well as the control of local and disseminated tumors. Treatment of non-human primates with CD20-directed tetraspecific ANKET leads to CD20⁺ circulating B cell depletion, with minimal systemic cytokine release and no sign of toxicity. Tetraspecific ANKETs, thus, constitute a technological platform for harnessing NK cells as next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

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Tetraspecific ANKETs constitute a technological platform to harness NK cells in cancer

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Tetraspecific ANKETs target NKp46, CD16a, IL-2Rβ, and a tumor antigen

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Tetraspecific ANKETs stimulate NK cell proliferation, activation, and antitumor functions

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In vivo, tetraspecific ANKETs promote NK cell tumor accumulation and antitumor activity

Vitiligo-specific soluble biomarkers as early indicators of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic melanoma patients

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) strongly improved the outcome of metastatic melanoma patients. However, not all the patients respond to treatment and identification of prognostic biomarkers able to select responding patients is currently of outmost importance. Considering that development of vitiligo-like depigmentation in melanoma patients represents both an adverse event of CPIs and a favorable prognostic factor, we analyzed soluble biomarkers of vitiligo to validate them as early indicators of response to CPIs. Fifty-seven metastatic melanoma patients receiving CPIs were enrolled and divided according to the best overall response to treatment. Patient sera were evaluated at pre-treatment and after 1 and 3 months of therapy. We found that basal CD25 serum levels were higher in stable and responding patients and remained higher during the first 3 months of CPI therapy compared to non-responders. CXCL9 was absent in non-responding patients before therapy beginning. Moreover, an increase of CXCL9 levels was observed at 1 and 3 months of therapy for all patients, although higher CXCL9 amounts were present in stable and responding compared to non-responding patients. Variations in circulating immune cell subsets was also analyzed, revealing a reduced number of regulatory T lymphocytes in responding patients. Altogether, our data indicate that a pre-existing and maintained activation of the immune system could be an indication of response to CPI treatment in melanoma patients.

Functional Diversities of Regulatory T Cells in the Context of Cancer Immunotherapy

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subset of CD4+ T cells with their immunosuppressive activities to block abnormal or excessive immune responses to self and non-autoantigens. Tregs express the transcription factor Foxp3, maintain the immune homeostasis, and prevent the initiation of anti-tumor immune effects in various ways as their mechanisms to modulate tumor development. Recognition of different phenotypes and functions of intratumoral Tregs has offered the possibilities to develop therapeutic strategies by selectively targeting Tregs in cancers with the aim of alleviating their immunosuppressive activities from anti-tumor immune responses. Several Treg-based immunotherapeutic approaches have emerged to target cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, CD25, indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase-1, and cytokines. These immunotherapies have yielded encouraging outcomes from preclinical studies and early-phase clinical trials. Further, dual therapy or combined therapy has been approved to be better choices than single immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. In this short review article, we discuss our current understanding of the immunologic characteristics of Tregs, including Treg differentiation, development, therapeutic efficacy, and future potential of Treg-related therapies among the general cancer therapy.

Modification of Intestinal Microbiota Dysbiosis by Low-Dose Interleukin-2 in Dermatomyositis: A Post Hoc Analysis From a Clinical Trial Study

The microbiota has been observed altered in autoimmune diseases, including idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), and associated with different treatments. Low-dose IL-2 treatment emerges as a new option for active IIMs. This study aims to explore the role of low-dose IL-2 in regulating intestinal dysbiosis involved in the IIMs. In this study, 13 patients with active IIMs were enrolled and received 1 ×10⁶ IU of IL-2 subcutaneously every other day for 12 weeks plus standard care. The clinical response and immune response were assessed. Stool samples were obtained to explore the structural and functional alterations of the fecal microbiota targeting the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and analyze their associations with clinical and immunological characteristics. Our study demonstrated that diversity of microbiota decreased remarkably in patients with IIMs, compared to healthy controls. The inflammatory-related bacteria, such as Prevotellaceae increased, while some butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Pseudobutyrivibrio, Lachnospiraceae, Roseburia, and Blautia, decreased significantly. The alteration associated with disease activities in patients with IIMs. After low-dose IL-2 treatment, 92.31% (12/13) of patients achieved IMACS DOI at week 12. Proportion of Treg cells significantly increased at week 12 compared with that in baseline (15.9% [7.73, 19.4%] vs. 9.89% [6.02, 11.8%], P = 0.015). Interestingly, certain butyrate-producing bacteria increase significantly after IL-2 treatment, like Lachnospiraceae, Pseudobutyrivibrio, etc., and are associated with a rise in L-Asparagine and L-Leucine. The effects of low-dose IL-2 on gut microbiota were more apparent in NOD mice. Together, the data presented demonstrated that low-dose IL-2 was effective in active IIMs and highlighted the potential for modifying the intestinal microbiomes of dysbiosis to treat IIMs.

Protocol for generating human immune system mice and hydrodynamic injection to analyze human hematopoiesis in vivo

Human immune system (HIS) mice provide a valuable platform to investigate and modulate human hematopoiesis development in vivo. Here, we describe detailed protocols for the construction of HIS mice, modulation of human hematopoiesis in vivo using hydrodynamic injection of plasmids encoding cytokines of interest, and flow cytometry analysis of humanization levels and human immune subsets. This approach can be easily applied to screen or verify factors that regulate human hematopoiesis and immune system.

For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cardoso et al. (2021) and Li et al. (2017).

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The protocol for construction of human immune system mice

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Detailed procedure for hydrodynamic injection

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Characterization of human immune subpopulations by flow cytometry

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In vivo modulation of human hematopoiesis

Selective delivery of low-affinity IL-2 to PD-1+ T cells rejuvenates antitumor immunity with reduced toxicity

PD-1 signaling on T cells is the major pathway that limits T cell immunity, but the efficacy of anti–PD-1 therapy has been limited to a small proportion of patients with advanced cancers. We fortuitously observed that anti–PD-1 therapy depends on IL-2 signaling, which raises the possibility that a lack of IL-2 limits anti–PD-1–induced effector T cell expansion. To selectively deliver IL-2 to PD-1⁺CD8⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we engineered a low-affinity IL-2 paired with anti–PD-1 (PD-1–laIL-2), which reduced affinity to peripheral Treg cells but enhanced avidity to PD-1⁺CD8⁺ TILs. PD-1–laIL-2 exerted better tumor control and lower toxicity than single or mixed treatments. Mechanistically, PD-1–laIL-2 could effectively expand dysfunctional and tumor-specific CD8⁺ T cells. Furthermore, we discovered that presumably dysfunctional PD-1⁺TIM3⁺ TILs are the dominant tumor-specific T cells responding to PD-1–laIL-2. Collectively, these results highlight that PD-1–laIL-2 can target and reactivate tumor-specific TILs for tumor regression as a unique strategy with stronger efficacy and lower toxicity.

Interleukin 2-Based Fusion Proteins for the Treatment of Cancer

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) plays a fundamental role in both immune activation and tolerance and has revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy since its discovery. The ability of IL-2 to mediate tumor regression in preclinical and clinical settings led to FDA approval for its use in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma in the 1990s. Although modest success is observed in the clinic, cancer patients receiving IL-2 therapy experience a wide array of side effects ranging from flu-like symptoms to life-threatening conditions such as vascular leak syndrome. Over the past three decades, efforts have focused on circumventing IL-2-related toxicities by engineering methods to localize IL-2 to the tumor or secondary lymphoid tissue, preferentially activate CD8⁺ T cells and NK cells, and alter pharmacokinetic properties to increase bioavailability. This review summarizes the various IL-2-based strategies that have emerged, with a focus on chimeric fusion methods.

Site-specific PEGylation of interleukin-2 enhances immunosuppression via the sustained activation of regulatory T cells

The preferential activation of regulatory T (T_reg) cells by interleukin-2 (IL-2), which selectively binds to the trimeric IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) on T_reg cells, makes this cytokine a promising therapeutic for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, IL-2 has a narrow therapeutic window and a short half-life. Here, we show that the pharmacokinetics and half-life of IL-2 can be substantially improved by orthogonally conjugating the cytokine to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties via a copper-free click reaction through the incorporation of azide-bearing amino acids at defined sites. Subcutaneous injection of a PEGylated IL-2 that optimally induced sustained T_reg-cell activation and expansion over a wide range of doses through highly selective binding to trimeric IL-2R led to enhanced therapeutic efficacy in mouse models of lupus, collagen-induced arthritis and graft-versus-host disease without compromising the immune defences of the host against viral infection. Site-specific PEGylation could be used more generally to engineer cytokines with improved therapeutic performance for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Interleukin-10 induces interferon-γ-dependent emergency myelopoiesis

In emergency myelopoiesis (EM), expansion of the myeloid progenitor compartment and increased myeloid cell production are observed and often mediated by the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Interleukin-10 (IL-10) inhibits IFN-γ secretion, but paradoxically, its therapeutic administration to humans causes hematologic changes similar to those observed in EM. In this work, we use different in vivo systems, including a humanized immune system mouse model, to show that IL-10 triggers EM, with a significant expansion of the myeloid progenitor compartment and production of myeloid cells. Hematopoietic progenitors display a prominent IFN-γ transcriptional signature, and we show that IFN-γ mediates IL-10-driven EM. We also find that IL-10, unexpectedly, reprograms CD4 and CD8 T cells toward an activation state that includes IFN-γ production by these T cell subsets in vivo. Therefore, in addition to its established anti-inflammatory properties, IL-10 can induce IFN-γ production and EM, opening additional perspectives for the design of IL-10-based immunotherapies.

Next-generation cytokines for cancer immunotherapy

Most studies focus on the first and second signals of T cell activation. However, the roles of cytokines in immunotherapy are not fully understood, and cytokines have not been widely used in patient care. Clinical application of cytokines is limited due to their short half-life in vivo, severe toxicity at therapeutic doses, and overall lack of efficacy. Several modifications have been engineered to extend their half-life and increase tumor targeting, including polyethylene glycol conjugation, fusion to tumor-targeting antibodies, and alteration of cytokine/cell receptor-binding affinity. These modifications demonstrate an improvement in either increased antitumor efficacy or reduced toxicity. However, these cytokine engineering strategies may still be improved further, as each strategy poses advantages and disadvantages in the delicate balance of targeting tumor cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and peripheral immune cells. This review focuses on selected cytokines, including interferon-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-15, IL-21, and IL-12, in both preclinical studies and clinical applications. We review next-generation designs of these cytokines that improve half-life, tumor targeting, and antitumor efficacy. We also present our perspectives on the development of new strategies to potentiate cytokine-based immunotherapy.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Ameliorates Sjögren's Syndrome in a Murine Model

SCOPE

This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Non-obese diabetic mice (the pSS model) are randomly divided into four groups: Low dose LBP (LBP.L, 5 mg kg-1  d-1 ), high dose LBP (10 mg kg-1  d-1 ), low dose interleukin (IL)-2 (25 000 IU/d), and control (saline water). Drugs were treated for 12 weeks. LBP.L significantly reduces the salivary gland inflammation compared with the control group (histological score p LBP.L vs Control  = 0.019; foci number: p LBP.L vs Control  = 0.038). LBP.L also remarkably reduces the effector follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and the CD4+ IL-17A+ helper T (Th17) cells in both spleen and cervical lymph node (cLN) cells. Additionally, the ratios of regulatory T cell (Treg)/Tfh cells and Treg/Th17 cells are substantially increased in mice treated with LBP.L in both spleen and cLNs. LBP also inhibits Th17 and Tfh cells and markedly increases the Treg/Tfh ratio in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

CONCLUSION

LBP.L inhibits the progression of pSS in mice, associated with modulation of T cell differentiation.

A cytokine receptor-masked IL2 prodrug selectively activates tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for potent antitumor therapy

As a potent lymphocyte activator, interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an FDA-approved treatment for multiple metastatic cancers. However, its clinical use is limited by short half-life, low potency, and severe in vivo toxicity. Current IL-2 engineering strategies exhibit evidence of peripheral cytotoxicity. Here, we address these issues by engineering an IL-2 prodrug (ProIL2). We mask the activity of a CD8 T cell-preferential IL-2 mutein/Fc fusion protein with IL2 receptor beta linked to a tumor-associated protease substrate. ProIL2 restores activity after cleavage by tumor-associated enzymes, and preferentially activates inside tumors, where it expands antigen-specific CD8 T cells. This significantly reduces IL-2 toxicity and mortality without compromising antitumor efficacy. ProIL2 also overcomes resistance of cancers to immune checkpoint blockade. Lastly, neoadjuvant ProIL2 treatment can eliminate metastatic cancer through an abscopal effect. Taken together, our approach presents an effective tumor targeting therapy with reduced toxicity.

Advances in Human Immune System Mouse Models for Personalized Treg-Based Immunotherapies

Immunodeficient mice engrafted with a functional human immune system [Human immune system (HIS) mice] have paved the way to major advances for personalized medicine and translation of immune-based therapies. One prerequisite for advancing personalized medicine is modeling the immune system of individuals or disease groups in a preclinical setting. HIS mice engrafted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells have provided fundamental insights in underlying mechanisms guiding immune activation vs. regulation in several diseases including cancer. However, the development of Graft-vs.-host disease restrains relevant long-term studies in HIS mice. Alternatively, engraftment with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) enables mimicking different disease stages, however, low frequencies of HSCs in peripheral blood of adults impede engraftment efficacy. One possibility to overcome those limitations is the use of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reprogrammed into HSCs, a challenging process which has recently seen major advances. Personalized HIS mice bridge research in mice and human diseases thereby facilitating the translation of immunomodulatory therapies. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important mediators of immune suppression and thereby contribute to tumor immune evasion, which has made them a central target for cancer immunotherapies. Importantly, studying Tregs in the human immune system in vivo in HIS mice will help to determine requirements for efficient Treg-targeting. In this review article, we discuss advances on personalized HIS models using reprogrammed iPSCs and review the use of HIS mice to study requirements for efficient targeting of human Tregs for personalized cancer immunotherapies.

Humanized Mouse as a Tool to Predict Immunotoxicity of Human Biologics

Advancements in science enable researchers to constantly innovate and create novel biologics. However, the use of non-human animal models during the development of biologics impedes identification of precise in vivo interactions between the human immune system and treatments. Due to lack of this understanding, adverse effects are frequently observed in healthy volunteers and patients exposed to potential biologics during clinical trials. In this study, we evaluated and compared the effects of known immunotoxic biologics, Proleukin^®/IL-2 and OKT3 in humanized mice (reconstituted with human fetal cells) to published clinical outcomes. We demonstrated that humanized mice were able to recapitulate in vivo pathological changes and human-specific immune responses, such as elevated cytokine levels and modulated lymphocytes and myeloid subsets. Given the high similarities of immunological side effects observed between humanized mice and clinical studies, this model could be used to assess immunotoxicity of biologics at a pre-clinical stage, without placing research participants and/or patients at risk.

Molecular Markers of Regulatory T Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy with Special Focus on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - A Systematic Review

The next-generation immunotherapy can only be effective if researchers have an in-depth understanding of the function and regulation of Treg cells in antitumor immunity combined with the discovery of new immunity targets. This can enhance clinical efficacy of future and novel therapies and reduces any adverse reactions arising from the latter. This review discusses tumor treatment strategies using regulatory T (Treg) cell therapy in a Tumor Microenvironment (TME). It also discusses factors affecting TME instability as well as relevant treatments to prevent future immune disorders. It is prognosticated that PD-1 inhibitors are risky and their adverse effects should be taken into account when they are administered to treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), lung adenocarcinoma, and prostate adenocarcinoma. In contrast, Treg molecular markers FoxP3 and CD25 analyzed here have stronger expression in almost all kinds of cancers compared with normal people. However, CD25 inhibitors are more effective compared to FoxP3 inhibitors, especially in combination with TGF-β blockade, in predicting patient survival. According to the data obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas, we then concentrate on AML immunotherapy and discuss different therapeutic strategies including anti-CD25/IL-2, anti-CTLA-4, anti-IDO, antityrosine kinase receptor, and anti-PI3K therapies and highlight the recent advances and clinical achievements in AML immunotherapy. In order to prognosticate the risk and adverse effects of key target inhibitors (namely against CTLA-4, FoxP3, CD25, and PD-1), we finally analyzed and compared the Cancer Genome Atlas derived from ten common cancers. This review shows that Treg cells are strongly increased in AML and the comparative review of key markers shows that Tregbased immunotherapy is not effective for all kinds of cancer. Therefore, blocking CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg cells is suggested in AML more than other kinds of cancer; meanwhile, Treg markers studied in other cancers have also great lessons for AML immunotherapy.

Key Role of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in the Toxic Effect of Fluoride on Hepa1-6 Cells

The role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the toxicity of fluoride to tumor cells was investigated by culturing Hepa1-6 cells in medium containing gradient concentrations of fluoride (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mmol/L). The viability of Hepa1-6 cells was detected via MTT assay. Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-1β levels in the supernatant were determined via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the protein expression levels of these enzymes in Hepa1-6 cells were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. Results showed that the viability of Hepa1-6 cells remarkably decreases after fluoride exposure, especially at concentration of 3, 4, and 5 mmol/L fluoride. Levels of IL-2, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the supernatant markedly decreased when cells were exposed to fluoride at concentrations of 1 mmol/L or higher. However, levels of TNF-α and IL-1β substantially increased and IL-2 showed no remarkable change when the fluoride concentration was 0.5 mmol/L. The content of IL-6 remarkably increased with increasing fluoride concentrations up to 2 mmol/L, and then markedly decreased at 3, 4, and 5 mmol/L fluoride; the decreasing trend of IL-6 content under high fluoride exposure is consistent with the decrease in Hepa1-6 cell viability observed at the same concentration. The protein expression levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β were in accordance with their contents in the supernatant. In summary, our study demonstrated that fluoride inhibits Hepa1-6 cell growth and results in disorders in the expression and secretion pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Immunotherapies and Metastatic Cancers: Understanding Utility and Predictivity of Human Immune Cell Engrafted Mice in Preclinical Drug Development

Metastases cause high mortality in several cancers and immunotherapies are expected to be effective in the prevention and treatment of metastatic disease. However, only a minority of patients benefit from immunotherapies. This creates a need for novel therapies that are efficacious regardless of the cancer types and metastatic environments they are growing in. Preclinical immuno-oncology models for studying metastases have long been limited to syngeneic or carcinogenesis-inducible models that have murine cancer and immune cells. However, the translational power of these models has been questioned. Interactions between tumor and immune cells are often species-specific and regulated by different cytokines in mice and humans. For increased translational power, mice engrafted with functional parts of human immune system have been developed. These humanized mice are utilized to advance understanding the role of immune cells in the metastatic process, but increasingly also to study the efficacy and safety of novel immunotherapies. From these aspects, this review will discuss the role of immune cells in the metastatic process and the utility of humanized mouse models in immuno-oncology research for metastatic cancers, covering several models from the perspective of efficacy and safety of immunotherapies.

Genetic Alterations and Checkpoint Expression: Mechanisms and Models for Drug Discovery

In this chapter, we will sketch a story that begins with the breakdown of chromosome homeostasis and genomic stability. Genomic alterations may render tumor cells eternal life at the expense of immunogenicity. Although antitumor immunity can be primed through neoantigens or inflammatory signals, tumor cells have evolved countermeasures to evade immune surveillance and strike back by modulating immune checkpoint related pathways. At present, monoclonal antibody drugs targeting checkpoints like PD-1 and CTLA-4 have significantly prolonged the survival of a variety of cancer patients, and thus have marked a great achievement in the history of antitumor therapy. Nevertheless, this is not the end of the story. As the relationship between genomic alteration and checkpoint expression is being delineated though the advances of preclinical animal models and emerging technologies, novel checkpoint targets are on the way to be discovered.

Specific stimulation of T lymphocytes with erythropoietin for adoptive immunotherapy

In adoptive T-cell immunotherapy of cancer, expansion and persistence of effector cells is a key determinant of response. We tested whether T lymphocytes could be rendered sensitive to erythropoietin (Epo) through ectopic expression of its wild-type receptor or a truncated form (EpoRm), which augments Epo signaling in erythrocyte progenitors. Both receptors could be expressed in human T lymphocytes; Epo ligation induced STAT5 phosphorylation, which was abrogated by nontoxic concentrations of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. EpoRm had higher expression and triggered more potent stimulation than its wild-type counterpart, including superior T-cell survival and proliferation. Using a bicistronic vector, we expressed EpoRm together with an anti-CD19-41BB-CD3ζ chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), while maintaining the functions of each receptor. In the presence of Epo, EpoRm-CAR T cells had greater ex vivo expansion than CAR T cells and killed CD19+ leukemic cells more effectively in long-term cultures. In immunodeficient mice, physiologic levels of murine Epo were sufficient to preferentially expand EpoRm-CAR T cells, yielding a significantly higher antileukemic activity. Thus, outfitting adoptive T cells with EpoRm should yield greater effector-to-target ratios with a smaller number of infused cells; Epo or ruxolitinib administration could be used to adjust their levels postinfusion, maximizing antitumor activity and minimizing toxicity.

PIM kinase inhibition: co-targeted therapeutic approaches in prostate cancer

PIM kinases have been shown to play a role in prostate cancer development and progression, as well as in some of the hallmarks of cancer, especially proliferation and apoptosis. Their upregulation in prostate cancer has been correlated with decreased patient overall survival and therapy resistance. Initial efforts to inhibit PIM with monotherapies have been hampered by compensatory upregulation of other pathways and drug toxicity, and as such, it has been suggested that co-targeting PIM with other treatment approaches may permit lower doses and be a more viable option in the clinic. Here, we present the rationale and basis for co-targeting PIM with inhibitors of PI3K/mTOR/AKT, JAK/STAT, MYC, stemness, and RNA Polymerase I transcription, along with other therapies, including androgen deprivation, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Such combined approaches could potentially be used as neoadjuvant therapies, limiting the development of resistance to treatments or sensitizing cells to other therapeutics. To determine which drugs should be combined with PIM inhibitors for each patient, it will be key to develop companion diagnostics that predict response to each co-targeted option, hopefully providing a personalized medicine pathway for subsets of prostate cancer patients in the future.

Targeting FOXP3 complex ensemble in drug discovery

Forkhead Box P3 (FOXP3) is a key transcriptional regulator of regulatory T cells (Tregs), especially for its function of immune suppression. The special immune suppression function of Tregs plays an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis, and is related to several diseases including cancer, and autoimmune diseases. At the same time, FOXP3 takes a place in a large transcriptional complex, whose stability and functions can be controlled by various post-translational modification. More and more researches have suggested that targeting FOXP3 or its partners might be a feasible solution to immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on the transcription factor FOXP3 in Tregs, Treg functions in diseases and the FOXP3 targets.

Modeling Infectious Diseases in Mice with a "Humanized" Immune System

Human immune system (HIS) mice are created by transplanting human immune cells or their progenitor cells into highly immunodeficient recipient mouse hosts, thereby "humanizing" their immune systems. Over past decades, the field of HIS mice has evolved rapidly, as modifications of existing immunodeficient mouse strains have been developed, resulting in increasing levels of human tissue engraftment as humanization is optimized. Current HIS mouse models not only permit elevated levels of human cell engraftment but also demonstrate graft stability. As such, HIS mice are being extensively used to study the human innate and adaptive immune response against microbial infections in vivo. Compared to nonhumanized animal models, which are frequently infected with surrogate or adapted microbes, the HIS mouse models allow the analysis of interactions between human immune cells and bona fide pathogenic microbes, making them a more clinically relevant model. This article reviews the development of HIS mice and covers the different strategies used to humanize mice, as well as discussing the use of HIS mice for studying bacterial infections that cause human disease.

IL-2 Inhibition of Th17 Generation Rather Than Induction of Treg Cells Is Impaired in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients

Objective

To investigate the role of IL-2 in the balance of Th17 and Tregs and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of enhanced Th17 differentiation in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients.

Methods

This study involved 31 pSS patients, 7 Sicca patients, and 31 healthy subjects. Th17 and Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry, and IL-17A was detected by immunohistochemistry. IL-2 and IL-6 levels were assessed by ELISA and qPCR. p-STAT5 and p-STAT3 in salivary glands (SGs) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The binding of STAT5 and STAT3 to the Il17a gene locus was measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation.

Results

We found that the percentage of Th17 cells was increased in the periphery and SG of pSS patients when compared with healthy subjects, but the Treg cells was unchanged. Meanwhile, the IL-2 level was reduced, and the IL-6 and IL-17A level was increased in the plasma of pSS patients. The ratio of IL-2 and IL-6 level was also decreased and IL-2 level was negatively correlated with the level of IL-17A. The expression of Il6 and Il17a mRNA was significantly increased, whereas Foxp3, Tgfb1, Tnfa, and Ifng mRNA were comparable. Furthermore, the level of STAT5 phosphorylation (p-STAT5) was reduced and p-STAT3 was enhanced in the SGs and in peripheral CD4⁺ T cells of pSS patients. In vitro IL-2 treatment-induced STAT5 competed with STAT3 binding in human Il17a locus, leading to decreased Th17 differentiation, which was associated with the reduced transcription activation marker H3K4me3.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated a Treg-independent upregulation of Th17 generation in pSS, which is likely due to a lack of IL-2-mediated suppression of Th17 differentiation. This study identified a novel mechanism of IL-2-mediated immune suppression in pSS.

Engineering Platforms for T Cell Modulation

T cells are crucial contributors to mounting an effective immune response and increasingly the focus of therapeutic interventions in cancer, infectious disease, and autoimmunity. Translation of current T cell immunotherapies has been hindered by off-target toxicities, limited efficacy, biological variability, and high costs. As T cell therapeutics continue to develop, the application of engineering concepts to control their delivery and presentation will be critical for their success. Here, we outline the engineer's toolbox and contextualize it with the biology of T cells. We focus on the design principles of T cell modulation platforms regarding size, shape, material, and ligand choice. Furthermore, we review how application of these design principles has already impacted T cell immunotherapies and our understanding of T cell biology. Recent, salient examples from protein engineering, synthetic particles, cellular and genetic engineering, and scaffolds and surfaces are provided to reinforce the importance of design considerations. Our aim is to provide a guide for immunologists, engineers, clinicians, and the pharmaceutical sector for the design of T cell-targeting platforms.

Site-Mutation of Hydrophobic Core Residues Synchronically Poise Super Interleukin 2 for Signaling: Identifying Distant Structural Effects through Affordable Computations

A superkine variant of interleukin-2 with six site mutations away from the binding interface developed from the yeast display technique has been previously characterized as undergoing a distal structure alteration which is responsible for its super-potency and provides an elegant case study with which to get insight about how to utilize allosteric effect to achieve desirable protein functions. By examining the dynamic network and the allosteric pathways related to those mutated residues using various computational approaches, we found that nanosecond time scale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations can identify the dynamic network as efficient as an ensemble algorithm. The differentiated pathways for the six core residues form a dynamic network that outlines the area of structure alteration. The results offer potentials of using affordable computing power to predict allosteric structure of mutants in knowledge-based mutagenesis.