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Duan Z, Kong C, Fan S, Wu C. Triscysteine disulfide-directing motifs enabling design and discovery of multicyclic peptide binders. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7799. [PMID: 39242578 PMCID: PMC11379947 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51723-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptides are valuable for therapeutic development, with multicyclic peptides showing promise in mimicking antigen-binding potency of antibodies. However, our capability to engineer multicyclic peptide scaffolds, particularly for the construction of large combinatorial libraries, is still limited. Here, we study the interplay of disulfide pairing between three biscysteine motifs, and designed a range of triscysteine motifs with unique disulfide-directing capability for regulating the oxidative folding of multicyclic peptides. We demonstrate that incorporating these motifs into random sequences allows the design of disulfide-directed multicyclic peptide (DDMP) libraries with up to four disulfide bonds, which have been applied for the successful discovery of peptide binders with nanomolar affinity to several challenging targets. This study encourages the use of more diverse disulfide-directing motifs for creating multicyclic peptide libraries and opens an avenue for discovering functional peptides in sequence and structural space beyond existing peptide scaffolds, potentially advancing the field of peptide drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengping Duan
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, P.R. China.
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2
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Rojas-Diaz JM, Solorzano-Ibarra F, Garcia-Barrientos NT, Klimov-Kravtchenko K, Guitron-Aviña MS, Cruz-Ramos JA, Ortiz-Lazareno PC, Urciaga-Gutierrez PI, Bueno-Topete MR, Garcia-Chagollan M, Haramati J, del Toro-Arreola S. Uncovering the Expression Pattern of the Costimulatory Receptors ICOS, 4-1BB, and OX-40 in Exhausted Peripheral and Tumor-Infiltrating Natural Killer Cells from Patients with Cervical Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8775. [PMID: 39201462 PMCID: PMC11354483 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) poses a significant health burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. NK cells play a crucial role against CC; however, they can become exhausted and lose their cytotoxic capacity. This work explores the expression of costimulatory receptors (ICOS, 4-1BB, OX-40) in exhausted NK cells from CC patients. Peripheral blood and tumor biopsies were collected, and flow cytometry was used to evaluate the expression of costimulatory receptors in exhausted NK cells. There is an increase of peripheral exhausted NK cells (PD-1+TIGIT+) in CC patients; this subpopulation has a selectively increased expression of the costimulatory receptors ICOS and 4-1BB. An exhausted population is also highly increased in tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and it shows a dramatically increased expression of the costimulatory receptors ICOS (>15×) and 4-1BB (>10×) compared to peripheral NK cells. The exhausted cells, both in the periphery and in the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), are also more likely than non-exhausted NK cell populations (PD-1-TIGIT-) to express these costimulatory receptors; increases ranging from 2.0× ICOS, 2.4× 4-1BB, and 2.6× OX-40 in CD56dim PBMCs to 1.5× ICOS, 5× 4-1BB, and 10× OX-40 in TILs were found. Our study demonstrates for the first time the increased expression of the costimulatory receptors ICOS, 4-1BB, and OX-40 in peripheral CD56dim, CD56bright, and tumor-infiltrating NK cells in CC. Targeting these receptors for stimulation could reverse exhaustion and be a promising immunotherapy strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Manuel Rojas-Diaz
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Fabiola Solorzano-Ibarra
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Nadia Tatiana Garcia-Barrientos
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Ksenia Klimov-Kravtchenko
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Marcela Sofia Guitron-Aviña
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Traslacional, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez # 2100, Zapopan 45200, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Jose Alfonso Cruz-Ramos
- Coordinación de Investigación, Subdirección de Desarrollo Institucional, Instituto Jalisciense de Cancerología, Guadalajara 44200, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Pablo Cesar Ortiz-Lazareno
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, División de Inmunología, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Pedro Ivan Urciaga-Gutierrez
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Miriam Ruth Bueno-Topete
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Mariel Garcia-Chagollan
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Jesse Haramati
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Traslacional, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez # 2100, Zapopan 45200, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Susana del Toro-Arreola
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Sierra Mojada # 950, Colonia Independencia, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Departamento de Fisiología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
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3
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He S, Gubin MM, Rafei H, Basar R, Dede M, Jiang X, Liang Q, Tan Y, Kim K, Gillison ML, Rezvani K, Peng W, Haymaker C, Hernandez S, Solis LM, Mohanty V, Chen K. Elucidating immune-related gene transcriptional programs via factorization of large-scale RNA-profiles. iScience 2024; 27:110096. [PMID: 38957791 PMCID: PMC11217617 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110096] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), have encountered challenges such as immune-related adverse events and resistance, especially in solid tumors. To advance the field, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment responses and resistance is essential. However, the lack of functionally characterized immune-related gene sets has limited data-driven immunological research. To address this gap, we adopted non-negative matrix factorization on 83 human bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets and constructed 28 immune-specific gene sets. After rigorous immunologist-led manual annotations and orthogonal validations across immunological contexts and functional omics data, we demonstrated that these gene sets can be applied to refine pan-cancer immune subtypes, improve ICB response prediction and functionally annotate spatial transcriptomic data. These functional gene sets, informing diverse immune states, will advance our understanding of immunology and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Matthew M. Gubin
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hind Rafei
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rafet Basar
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Merve Dede
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xianli Jiang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qingnan Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yukun Tan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kunhee Kim
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maura L. Gillison
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weiyi Peng
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, The University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cara Haymaker
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sharia Hernandez
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luisa M. Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vakul Mohanty
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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4
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He S, Gubin MM, Rafei H, Basar R, Dede M, Jiang X, Liang Q, Tan Y, Kim K, Gillison ML, Rezvani K, Peng W, Haymaker C, Hernandez S, Solis LM, Mohanty V, Chen K. Elucidating immune-related gene transcriptional programs via factorization of large-scale RNA-profiles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.10.593433. [PMID: 38798470 PMCID: PMC11118452 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.10.593433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Recent developments in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy, have encountered challenges such as immune-related adverse events and resistance, especially in solid tumors. To advance the field, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment responses and resistance is essential. However, the lack of functionally characterized immune-related gene sets has limited data-driven immunological research. To address this gap, we adopted non-negative matrix factorization on 83 human bulk RNA-seq datasets and constructed 28 immune-specific gene sets. After rigorous immunologist-led manual annotations and orthogonal validations across immunological contexts and functional omics data, we demonstrated that these gene sets can be applied to refine pan-cancer immune subtypes, improve ICB response prediction and functionally annotate spatial transcriptomic data. These functional gene sets, informing diverse immune states, will advance our understanding of immunology and cancer research.
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5
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Chen M, Yan X, Hong B, Xiao Y, Qian Y. The Expression and Prognostic Significance of ICOS in NSCLC Integrated Pan-Cancer and Multi-Omics Analyses. Int J Med Sci 2024; 21:795-808. [PMID: 38616999 PMCID: PMC11008490 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.93262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) shows great potential in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity. However, previous studies of ICOS have often been limited to one or two levels. Methods: Using the data from the online database, the immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we investigated the role of ICOS / PD-L1 on patients with NSCLC at the mRNA, protein, and serum levels. Results: Our data revealed that unlike most solid tumors, the mRNA expression of ICOS was down-regulated in NSCLC. In addition, our data also showed that mRNA expression levels in ICOS are negatively associated with poor clinicopathologic grading but positively associated with better prognostic outcomes and higher Tregs infiltration level. Immunohistochemistry showed that ICOS correlated negatively with the T stage; while PD-L1 levels correlated positively with the N stage and FOXP3 levels. Serological biomarker analysis showed that patients with NSCLC had lower sICOS levels, which increased significantly post-surgery, and combined sICOS and sPD-L1 diagnosis improved efficacy and accuracy of disease diagnosis. Conclusion: Our findings support that ICOS suggests lower pathological staging and better prognosis. ICOS is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiaotian Yan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Bo Hong
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yufei Xiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yun Qian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
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6
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Lippert AH, Paluch C, Gaglioni M, Vuong MT, McColl J, Jenkins E, Fellermeyer M, Clarke J, Sharma S, Moreira da Silva S, Akkaya B, Anzilotti C, Morgan SH, Jessup CF, Körbel M, Gileadi U, Leitner J, Knox R, Chirifu M, Huo J, Yu S, Ashman N, Lui Y, Wilkinson I, Attfield KE, Fugger L, Robertson NJ, Lynch CJ, Murray L, Steinberger P, Santos AM, Lee SF, Cornall RJ, Klenerman D, Davis SJ. Antibody agonists trigger immune receptor signaling through local exclusion of receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases. Immunity 2024; 57:256-270.e10. [PMID: 38354703 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Antibodies can block immune receptor engagement or trigger the receptor machinery to initiate signaling. We hypothesized that antibody agonists trigger signaling by sterically excluding large receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) such as CD45 from sites of receptor engagement. An agonist targeting the costimulatory receptor CD28 produced signals that depended on antibody immobilization and were sensitive to the sizes of the receptor, the RPTPs, and the antibody itself. Although both the agonist and a non-agonistic anti-CD28 antibody locally excluded CD45, the agonistic antibody was more effective. An anti-PD-1 antibody that bound membrane proximally excluded CD45, triggered Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 recruitment, and suppressed systemic lupus erythematosus and delayed-type hypersensitivity in experimental models. Paradoxically, nivolumab and pembrolizumab, anti-PD-1-blocking antibodies used clinically, also excluded CD45 and were agonistic in certain settings. Reducing these agonistic effects using antibody engineering improved PD-1 blockade. These findings establish a framework for developing new and improved therapies for autoimmunity and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Lippert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christopher Paluch
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; MiroBio Ltd, Winchester House, Oxford Science Park, Oxford, UK
| | - Meike Gaglioni
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mai T Vuong
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - James McColl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Edward Jenkins
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Martin Fellermeyer
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joseph Clarke
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sumana Sharma
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Billur Akkaya
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Consuelo Anzilotti
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sara H Morgan
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Claire F Jessup
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Markus Körbel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Uzi Gileadi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Judith Leitner
- Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rachel Knox
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mami Chirifu
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jiandong Huo
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susan Yu
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicole Ashman
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yuan Lui
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Kathrine E Attfield
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lars Fugger
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Lynne Murray
- MiroBio Ltd, Winchester House, Oxford Science Park, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ana Mafalda Santos
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Steven F Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Richard J Cornall
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - David Klenerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Simon J Davis
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Abdel-Rahman SA, Santini BL, Calvo-Barreiro L, Zacharias M, Gabr M. Design of cyclic peptides as novel inhibitors of ICOS/ICOSL interaction. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 99:129599. [PMID: 38185345 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129599] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Compared to small molecules and antibodies, cyclic peptides exhibit unique biochemical and therapeutic attributes in the realm of pharmaceutical applications. The interaction between the inducible costimulator (ICOS) and its ligand (ICOSL) plays a key role in T-cell differentiation and activation. ICOS/ICOSL inhibition results in a reduction in the promotion of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Herein, we implement the computational cPEPmatch approach to design the first examples of cyclic peptides that inhibit ICOS/ICOSL interaction. The top cyclic peptide from our approach possessed an IC50 value of 1.87 ± 0.15 μM as an ICOS/ICOSL inhibitor and exhibited excellent in vitro pharmacokinetic properties as a drug candidate. Our work will lay the groundwork for future endeavors in cancer drug discovery, with the goal of developing cyclic peptides that target the ICOS/ICOSL interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya A Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Brianda L Santini
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße 8, Garching, Germany
| | - Laura Calvo-Barreiro
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, Technical University of Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße 8, Garching, Germany
| | - Moustafa Gabr
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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8
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Ciesielska-Figlon K, Lisowska KA. The Role of the CD28 Family Receptors in T-Cell Immunomodulation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1274. [PMID: 38279272 PMCID: PMC10816057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021274] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The CD28 family receptors include the CD28, ICOS (inducible co-stimulator), CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4), PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1), and BTLA (B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator) molecules. They characterize a group of molecules similar to immunoglobulins that control the immune response through modulating T-cell activity. Among the family members, CD28 and ICOS act as enhancers of T-cell activity, while three others-BTLA, CTLA-4, and PD-1-function as suppressors. The receptors of the CD28 family interact with the B7 family of ligands. The cooperation between these molecules is essential for controlling the course of the adaptive response, but it also significantly impacts the development of immune-related diseases. This review introduces the reader to the molecular basis of the functioning of CD28 family receptors and their impact on T-cell activity.
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9
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Meng X, Xu H, Liang Y, Liang M, Song W, Zhou B, Shi J, Du M, Gao Y. Enhanced CT-based radiomics model to predict natural killer cell infiltration and clinical prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1334886. [PMID: 38283362 PMCID: PMC10811188 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1334886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for tumor prognosis; however, their role in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. The current detection methods for NSCLC are inefficient and costly. Therefore, radiomics represent a promising alternative. Methods We analyzed the radiogenomics datasets to extract clinical, radiological, and transcriptome data. The effect of NK cells on the prognosis of NSCLC was assessed. Tumors were delineated using a 3D Slicer, and features were extracted using pyradiomics. A radiomics model was developed and validated using five-fold cross-validation. A nomogram model was constructed using the selected clinical variables and a radiomic score (RS). The CIBERSORTx database and gene set enrichment analysis were used to explore the correlations of NK cell infiltration and molecular mechanisms. Results Higher infiltration of NK cells was correlated with better overall survival (OS) (P = 0.002). The radiomic model showed an area under the curve of 0.731, with 0.726 post-validation. The RS differed significantly between high and low infiltration of NK cells (P < 0.01). The nomogram, using RS and clinical variables, effectively predicted 3-year OS. NK cell infiltration was correlated with the ICOS and BTLA genes (P < 0.001) and macrophage M0/M2 levels. The key pathways included TNF-α signaling via NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Conclusions Our radiomic model accurately predicted NK cell infiltration in NSCLC. Combined with clinical characteristics, it can predict the prognosis of patients with NSCLC. Bioinformatic analysis revealed the gene expression and pathways underlying NK cell infiltration in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangzhi Meng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haijun Xu
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yicheng Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Weijian Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Boxuan Zhou
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianwei Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Minjun Du
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yushun Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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10
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Cheng X, Shen J, Xu J, Zhu J, Xu P, Wang Y, Gao M. In vivo clinical molecular imaging of T cell activity. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:1031-1045. [PMID: 37932176 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy is refashioning traditional treatments in the clinic for certain tumors, especially by relying on the activation of T cells. However, the safety and effectiveness of many antitumor immunotherapeutic agents are suboptimal due to difficulties encountered in assessing T cell responses and adjusting treatment regimens accordingly. Here, we review advances in the clinical visualization of T cell activity in vivo, and focus particularly on molecular imaging probes and biomarkers of T cell activation. Current challenges and prospects are also discussed that aim to achieve a better strategy for real-time monitoring of T cell activity, predicting prognoses and responses to tumor immunotherapy, and assessing disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaju Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Jiahao Shen
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Jingwei Xu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Suzhou Municipal Hospital Institution, Suzhou 215000, PR China.
| | - Jinfeng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Pei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Yong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.
| | - Mingyuan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.
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11
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Calvo-Barreiro L, Talagayev V, Pach S, Abdel-Rahman SA, Wolber G, Gabr MT. Discovery of ICOS-Targeted Small Molecules Using Pharmacophore-Based Screening. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300305. [PMID: 37845178 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
There are currently no small molecules clinically approved as immune checkpoint modulators. Besides possessing oral bioavailability, cell-penetrating capabilities and enhanced tumor penetration compared to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), small molecules are amenable to pharmacokinetic optimization, which allows adopting flexible dosage regimens that may avoid immune-related adverse events associated with mAbs. The interaction of inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) with its ligand (ICOS-L) plays key roles in T-cell differentiation and activation of T-cell to B-cell functions. This study represents the development and validation of a virtual screening strategy to identify small molecules that bind a novel druggable binding pocket in human ICOS. We used a lipophilic canyon in the apo-structure of ICOS and the ICOS/ICOS-L interface individually as templates for molecular dynamics simulation to generate 3D pharmacophores subsequently used for virtual screening campaigns. Our strategy was successful finding a first-in-class small molecule ICOS binder (5P, KD value=108.08±26.76 μM) and validating biophysical screening platforms for ICOS-targeted small molecules. We anticipate that future structural optimization of 5P will result in the discovery of high affinity chemical ligands for ICOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Calvo-Barreiro
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY-10065, USA
| | - Valerij Talagayev
- Molecular Design Lab, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luisestr. 2+4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Szymon Pach
- Molecular Design Lab, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luisestr. 2+4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Somaya A Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY-10065, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Gerhard Wolber
- Molecular Design Lab, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luisestr. 2+4, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moustafa T Gabr
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY-10065, USA
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12
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Chou CY, Li ZQ, Huang HC, Hung CH, Weng SL, Tzou SC. Development of an Albumin-Masked mutPD-1Ig as a Tumor Lesion-Selective Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:40911-40920. [PMID: 37929112 PMCID: PMC10621011 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The antitumor effects elicited by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer treatments. However, severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs) resulting from these treatments have restricted the application of ICIs. To overcome the adverse events, we developed a tumor lesion-selective pro-PD-1Ig that is activated by proteases overexpressed in tumors. We genetically linked albumin to the N-terminus of a modified PD-1Ig (termed mutPD-1Ig hereafter) via an MMP substrate sequence to form Alb-hinge-mutPD-1Ig. We demonstrate that the binding activity of nondigested Alb-hinge-mutPD-1Ig is approximately 11-folds lower than mutPD-1Ig. However, digestion by type IV collagenase restored the binding activity of Alb-hinge-mutPD-1Ig to a level comparable to that of native mutPD-1Ig. In order to enhance the masking efficiency of Alb-mutPD-1Ig, we simulated the effects of diverse MMP substrate linkers for connecting albumin and PD-1 at various starting positions by bioinformatics tools. Our validation experiments indicate Alb-hinge-mutPD-1Ig displayed the best masking efficiency among all simulated constructs. Our study suggests that albumin may be best applicable to mask a target protein whose binding motif is centralized and in the proximity of the N-terminus of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Yu Chou
- Institute
of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 75 Bo-Ai Street, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
| | - Zhi-Qin Li
- Department
of Biological Science and Technology, National
Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
| | - Hsiao-Chen Huang
- Department
of Biological Science and Technology, National
Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
| | - Chung-Heng Hung
- Institute
of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 75 Bo-Ai Street, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
| | - Shun-Long Weng
- Department
of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 207, Taiwan, Republic
Of China
- MacKay
Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and
Management, Taipei City 100-116, Taiwan, Republic Of China
- Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hsinchu MacKay
Memorial Hospital, 690
Section 2, Guan-Fu Road, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
| | - Shey-Cherng Tzou
- Institute
of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 75 Bo-Ai Street, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
- Department
of Biological Science and Technology, National
Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic Of China
- Drug Development
and Value Creation Research Center, and Department of Biomedical Science
and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical
University, Kaohsiung 800-852, Taiwan, Republic Of China
- Center
for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsin-Chu 300, Taiwan, Republic
Of China
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13
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Rocamora F, Peralta AG, Shin S, Sorrentino J, Wu MYM, Toth EA, Fuerst TR, Lewis NE. Glycosylation shapes the efficacy and safety of diverse protein, gene and cell therapies. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 67:108206. [PMID: 37354999 PMCID: PMC11168894 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Over recent decades, therapeutic proteins have had widespread success in treating a myriad of diseases. Glycosylation, a near universal feature of this class of drugs, is a critical quality attribute that significantly influences the physical properties, safety profile and biological activity of therapeutic proteins. Optimizing protein glycosylation, therefore, offers an important avenue to developing more efficacious therapies. In this review, we discuss specific examples of how variations in glycan structure and glycoengineering impacts the stability, safety, and clinical efficacy of protein-based drugs that are already in the market as well as those that are still in preclinical development. We also highlight the impact of glycosylation on next generation biologics such as T cell-based cancer therapy and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Rocamora
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Angelo G Peralta
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Seunghyeon Shin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - James Sorrentino
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mina Ying Min Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eric A Toth
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Thomas R Fuerst
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Nathan E Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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14
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Zhan X, Liu X, Zhang S, Chen H. Expression and prognosis of inducible T-cell co-stimulator and its ligand in Chinese stage I-III lung adenocarcinoma patients. Animal Model Exp Med 2023; 6:464-473. [PMID: 37850501 PMCID: PMC10614122 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy has become the fastest-adopting treatment paradigm for lung cancer with improved survival. By binding with its ligand (inducible T-cell co-stimulator and its ligand [ICOSL]), an inducible T-cell co-stimulator (ICOS) could contribute to reversing immunosuppression and improving immune response and thus be a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. METHODS We selected 54 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from cases with stage I-III lung adenocarcinoma cancer. Immunohistochemical expression of ICOS and ICOSL was evaluated. The correlation with clinical parameters in Chinese patients was also compared with TCGA results. RESULTS The positive rates of ICOS and ICOSL were 68% and 81.5%, respectively, in lung tumor tissues. Of these, 9 cases had a low expression of ICOS, and 22 cases had a high expression of ICOS; ICOSL expression was low in 20 cases and high in 24 cases. According to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (8th edition), phase I lesions were detected in 21 cases, phase II lesions in 15 cases, and phase III lesions in 18 cases. The median survival time of all patients was 44.5 months, and the median disease-free survival was 32 months. Univariate analysis showed that the factors significantly associated with overall survival were tumor size, regional lymph node involvement, stage, and expression level of ICOS/ICOSL. Survival analysis using log-rank test indicated that the lower ICOS+ cell infiltration may predict poor prognosis, whereas lower ICOSL protein expression may be associated with better prognosis, but ICOSL data need further validation in larger samples due to inconsistency in TCGA mRNA prediction. CONCLUSION ICOS/ICOSL might be associated with prognosis of lung cancer, and ICOS and its ligand may be potential therapeutic targets in non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao‐Kai Zhan
- Division of Oncology and HematologyBeijing Chao‐Yang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingP.R. China
| | - Xi‐Kun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingP.R. China
| | - Sen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia MedicaChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingP.R. China
| | - Hong Chen
- Pathology DepartmentBeijing Chao‐Yang Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingP.R. China
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15
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Abdel-Rahman SA, Świderek K, Gabr MT. First-in-class small molecule inhibitors of ICOS/ICOSL interaction as a novel class of immunomodulators. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:1767-1777. [PMID: 37731692 PMCID: PMC10507805 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00150d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction of the inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) with its ligand (ICOSL) plays key roles in T-cell differentiation and activation of T-cell to B-cell functions. The ICOS/ICOSL pathway is a validated target for T-cell lymphomas induced by the proliferation of T-follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Moreover, the inhibition of ICOS/ICOSL interaction can decrease the enhancement of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. However, targeting ICOS/ICOSL interaction is currently restricted to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and there are no small molecules in existence that can block ICOS/ICOSL. To fill this gap, we report herein the first time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay to evaluate the ability of small molecules to inhibit ICOS/ICOSL interaction. Implementation of the developed TR-FRET assay in high-throughput screening (HTS) of a focused chemical library resulted in the identification of AG-120 as a first-in-class inhibitor of ICOS/ICOSL interaction. We further employed docking studies and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to identify the plausible mechanism of blocking ICOS/ICOSL complex formation by AG-120. Using the structure-activity relationship (SAR) by catalog approach, we identified AG-120-X with an IC50 value of 4.68 ± 0.47 μM in the ICOS/ICOSL TR-FRET assay. Remarkably, AG-120-X revealed a dose-dependent ability to block ICOS/ICOSL interaction in a bioluminescent cellular assay based on co-culturing Jurkat T cells expressing ICOS and CHO-K1 cells expressing ICOSL. This work will pave the way for future drug discovery efforts aiming at the development of small molecule inhibitors of ICOS/ICOSL interaction as potential therapeutics for cancer as well as other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya A Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine New York NY 10065 USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University Mansoura 35516 Egypt
| | - Katarzyna Świderek
- BioComp Group, Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I 12071 Castellon Spain
| | - Moustafa T Gabr
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute (MI3), Weill Cornell Medicine New York NY 10065 USA
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16
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Richardson E, Binter Š, Kosmac M, Ghraichy M, von Niederhäusern V, Kovaltsuk A, Galson JD, Trück J, Kelly DF, Deane CM, Kellam P, Watson SJ. Characterisation of the immune repertoire of a humanised transgenic mouse through immunophenotyping and high-throughput sequencing. eLife 2023; 12:e81629. [PMID: 36971345 PMCID: PMC10115447 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunoglobulin loci-transgenic animals are widely used in antibody discovery and increasingly in vaccine response modelling. In this study, we phenotypically characterised B-cell populations from the Intelliselect Transgenic mouse (Kymouse) demonstrating full B-cell development competence. Comparison of the naïve B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoires of Kymice BCRs, naïve human, and murine BCR repertoires revealed key differences in germline gene usage and junctional diversification. These differences result in Kymice having CDRH3 length and diversity intermediate between mice and humans. To compare the structural space explored by CDRH3s in each species' repertoire, we used computational structure prediction to show that Kymouse naïve BCR repertoires are more human-like than mouse-like in their predicted distribution of CDRH3 shape. Our combined sequence and structural analysis indicates that the naïve Kymouse BCR repertoire is diverse with key similarities to human repertoires, while immunophenotyping confirms that selected naïve B cells are able to go through complete development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Richardson
- Kymab, a Sanofi Company, Babraham Research CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Department of Statistics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Špela Binter
- Kymab, a Sanofi Company, Babraham Research CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Miha Kosmac
- Kymab, a Sanofi Company, Babraham Research CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Marie Ghraichy
- Division of Immunology, University Children's Hospital, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Children's Research Center, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Valentin von Niederhäusern
- Division of Immunology, University Children's Hospital, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Children's Research Center, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Jacob D Galson
- Alchemab Therapeutics Ltd, Kings CrossLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Johannes Trück
- Division of Immunology, University Children's Hospital, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Children's Research Center, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Dominic F Kelly
- Department of Paediatrics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Paul Kellam
- Kymab, a Sanofi Company, Babraham Research CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon J Watson
- Kymab, a Sanofi Company, Babraham Research CampusCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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17
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都 昌, 王 瑜, 付 计, 曹 冬, 梅 仁, 张 奇. [Inducible co-stimulatory molecules participate in mesenteric vascular endothelial-mesenchymal transition and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2023; 43:308-316. [PMID: 36946053 PMCID: PMC10034542 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2023.02.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation of inducible co-stimulatory molecules (ICOS) with mesenteric vascular endothelial- mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and sclerosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS Twenty 4-week-old WKY rats and 20 SHRs of the same strain were both randomly divided into 4 groups for observation at 4, 6, 10 and 30 weeks of age. ICOS expression frequency in rat spleen CD4+T cells was analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expressions of ICOS, VE-cad, α-SMA and Col3 mRNA in rat mesentery were detected by RT-PCR. The distributions of ICOS, IL-17A and TGF-β in rat mesentery were detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of IL-17A and TGF-β in rat plasma were measured using ELISA. The morphological changes of rat mesenteric vessels were observed with Masson staining. Spearman or Pearson correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between ICOS expression and the expressions of the markers of vascular EndMT and sclerosis. RESULTS Compared with the control WKY rats, the SHRs began to show significantly increased systolic blood pressure and ICOS expression frequency on CD4+T cells at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05). In the SHRs, the mRNA and protein expressions of ICOS, α-SMA, Col3, IL-17A and TGF-β in the mesentery were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), while the mRNA and protein expressions of VE-cad started to reduce significantly at 10 weeks of age (P < 0.05). The plasma levels of IL-17A and TGF-β were significantly increased in SHRs since 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) with progressive worsening of mesenteric vascular sclerosis (P < 0.05). ICOS mRNA and protein expression levels in the mesenteric tissues of SHRs began to show positive correlations with α-SMA and Col3 expression levels and the severity of vascular sclerosis at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) and a negative correlation with VE-cad expression level at 10 weeks (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION ICOS play an important pathogenic role in EndMT and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in essential hypertension by mediating related immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- 昌乐 都
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
| | - 瑜 王
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
| | - 计锋 付
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
| | - 冬黎 曹
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
| | - 仁彪 梅
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
| | - 奇 张
- />安徽理工大学医学院机能学教研室,安徽 淮南 232001Department of Medical Functional Sciences, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
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18
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Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome: Microenvironment and Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030746. [PMID: 36765704 PMCID: PMC9913729 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are epidermotropic cutaneous lymphomas, and both of them are rare diseases. Mycosis fungoides is the most frequent primary cutaneous lymphoma. In about 25% of patients with mycosis fungoides, the disease may progress to higher stages. The pathogenesis and risk factors of progression in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are not yet fully understood. Previous works have investigated inter- and intrapatient tumor cell heterogeneity. Here, we overview the role of the tumor microenvironment of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome by describing its key components and functions. Emphasis is put on the role of the microenvironment in promoting tumor growth or antitumor immune response, as well as possible therapeutic targets. We focus on recent advances in the field and point out treatment-related alterations of the microenvironment. Deciphering the tumor microenvironment may help to develop strategies that lead to long-term disease control and cure.
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19
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Zheng L, Yang Q, Li F, Zhu M, Yang H, Tan T, Wu B, Liu M, Xu C, Yin J, Cao C. The Glycosylation of Immune Checkpoints and Their Applications in Oncology. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15121451. [PMID: 36558902 PMCID: PMC9783268 DOI: 10.3390/ph15121451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor therapies have entered the immunotherapy era. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have achieved tremendous success, with some patients achieving long-term tumor control. Tumors, on the other hand, can still accomplish immune evasion, which is aided by immune checkpoints. The majority of immune checkpoints are membrane glycoproteins, and abnormal tumor glycosylation may alter how the immune system perceives tumors, affecting the body's anti-tumor immunity. Furthermore, RNA can also be glycosylated, and GlycoRNA is important to the immune system. Glycosylation has emerged as a new hallmark of tumors, with glycosylation being considered a potential therapeutic approach. The glycosylation modification of immune checkpoints and the most recent advances in glycosylation-targeted immunotherapy are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zheng
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Biotherapy Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Feifei Li
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical BioResource Development and Application Co-constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Min Zhu
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Haochi Yang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Tian Tan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Binghuo Wu
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Mingxin Liu
- School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Chuan Xu
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (C.C.)
| | - Chenhui Cao
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (C.C.)
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20
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Gaikwad S, Agrawal MY, Kaushik I, Ramachandran S, Srivastava SK. Immune checkpoint proteins: Signaling mechanisms and molecular interactions in cancer immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:137-150. [PMID: 35341913 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint proteins (ICP) are currently one of the most novel and promising areas of immune-oncology research. This novel way of targeting tumor cells has shown favorable success over the past few years with some FDA approvals such as Ipilimumab, Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab etc. Currently, more than 3000 clinical trials of immunotherapeutic agents are ongoing with majority being ICPs. However, as the number of trials increase so do the challenges. Some challenges such as adverse side effects, non-specific binding on healthy tissues and absence of response in some subset populations are critical obstacles. For a safe and effective further therapeutic development of molecules targeting ICPs, understanding their mechanism at molecular level is crucial. Since ICPs are mostly membrane bound receptors, a number of downstream signaling pathways divaricate following ligand-receptor binding. Most ICPs are expressed on more than one type of immune cell populations. Further, the expression varies within a cell type. This naturally varied expression pattern adds to the difficulty of targeting specific effector immune cell types against cancer. Hence, understanding the expression pattern and cellular mechanism helps lay out the possible effect of any immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the signaling mechanism, expression pattern among various immune cells and molecular interactions derived using interaction database analysis (BioGRID).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Gaikwad
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Manas Yogendra Agrawal
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Itishree Kaushik
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sharavan Ramachandran
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sanjay K Srivastava
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA.
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21
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Unraveling the Expression Patterns of Immune Checkpoints Identifies New Subtypes and Emerging Therapeutic Indicators in Lung Adenocarcinoma. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:3583985. [PMID: 35178154 PMCID: PMC8843963 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3583985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) play pivotal roles in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and thus, targeting them represents a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. However, the genetic landscape of ICGs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unknown. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated the ICG expression profiles of 1439 LUAD samples and linked ICG expression patterns with infiltration of immune cells, clinical features, and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). The ICGscore was developed to quantify ICG expression patterns of individual patient by principal component analysis algorithms. Three distinct ICG expression patterns and three ICG-related genomic clusters were determined, which were implicated in different clinical outcomes, level of immune infiltrates, and biological process. LUAD patients were subdivided into high- and low-ICGscore subgroups. Patients with higher ICGscore were characterized by favorable survival outcomes, increased immune cell infiltration, and enhanced expression of ICGs. Further analysis revealed that lower ICGscore was associated with greater tumor mutation loads and higher mutation rates of TTN, KEAP1, and ZFHX4. High ICGscore has the potential to be a robust indicator in clinical benefit of immunotherapy. Taken together, unraveling the ICG expression patterns will advance our understanding of heterogeneity of TIME and guides more effective immunotherapeutic strategies in LUAD.
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22
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Sun R, Kim AMJ, Murray AA, Lim SO. N-Glycosylation Facilitates 4-1BB Membrane Localization by Avoiding Its Multimerization. Cells 2022; 11:cells11010162. [PMID: 35011724 PMCID: PMC8750214 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Leveraging the T cell immunity against tumors represents a revolutionary type of cancer therapy. 4-1BB is a well-characterized costimulatory immune receptor existing on activated T cells and mediating their proliferation and cytotoxicity under infectious diseases and cancers. Despite the accumulating interest in implementing 4-1BB as a therapeutic target for immune-related disorders, less is known about the pattern of its intracellular behaviors and regulations. It has been previously demonstrated that 4-1BB is heavily modified by N-glycosylation; however, the biological importance of this modification lacks detailed elucidation. Through biochemical, biophysical, and cell-biological approaches, we systematically evaluated the impact of N-glycosylation on the ligand interaction, stability, and localization of 4-1BB. We hereby highlighted that N-glycan functions by preventing the oligomerization of 4-1BB, thus permitting its membrane transportation and fast turn-over. Without N-glycosylation, 4-1BB could be aberrantly accumulated intracellularly and fail to be sufficiently inserted in the membrane. The N-glycosylation-guided intracellular processing of 4-1BB serves as the potential mechanism explicitly modulating the “on” and “off” of 4-1BB through the control of protein abundance. Our study will further solidify the understanding of the biological properties of 4-1BB and facilitate the clinical practice against this promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoxuan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (R.S.); (A.M.J.K.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Alyssa Min Jung Kim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (R.S.); (A.M.J.K.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Allison A. Murray
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (R.S.); (A.M.J.K.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Seung-Oe Lim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (R.S.); (A.M.J.K.); (A.A.M.)
- Purdue Institute of Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Correspondence:
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23
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Okamoto R, Iritani K, Amazaki Y, Zhao D, Chandrashekar C, Maki Y, Kanemitsu Y, Kaino T, Kajihara Y. Semisynthesis of a Homogeneous Glycoprotein Using Chemical Transformation of Peptides to Thioester Surrogates. J Org Chem 2021; 87:114-124. [PMID: 34889597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c02031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Semisynthesis using recombinant polypeptides as building blocks is a powerful approach for the preparation of proteins with a variety of modifications such as glycosylation. The activation of the C terminus of recombinant peptides is a key step for coupling peptide building blocks and preparing a full-length polypeptide of a target protein. This article reports two chemical approaches for transformation of the C terminus of recombinant polypeptides to thioester surrogates. The first approach relies on efficient substitution of the C-terminal Cys residue with bis(2-sulfanylethyl)amine (SEA) to yield peptide-thioester surrogates. The second approach employs a native tripeptide, cysteinyl-glycyl-cysteine (CGC), to yield peptide-thioesters via a process mediated by a thioester surrogate. Both chemical transformation methods employ native peptide sequences and were thereby successfully applied to recombinant polypeptides. As a consequence, we succeeded in the semisynthesis of a glycosylated form of inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS) for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Okamoto
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.,Project Research Center for Fundamental Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Kento Iritani
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yoko Amazaki
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Donglin Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Chaitra Chandrashekar
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yuta Maki
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.,Project Research Center for Fundamental Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yurie Kanemitsu
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Tomoka Kaino
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kajihara
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.,Project Research Center for Fundamental Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
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24
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Targeted Therapy for Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: Where are We Now? BioDrugs 2021; 35:593-610. [PMID: 34731460 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-021-00505-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune exocrinopathy characterized by dryness symptoms. This review briefly describes recent advances in the targeted therapies for pSS. Biologics evaluated for pSS treatment mainly include B cell-depleting agents, inhibitors of B cell activation, and agents that target co-signaling molecules or proinflammatory cytokines. Small molecule inhibitors that target signaling pathways have also been evaluated. However, current evidence for the efficacy of targeted therapies in pSS is still sparse. Although ianalumab (an anti-B cell-activating factor [BAFF]-receptor antibody) and iscalimab (an anti-CD40 antibody) are promising biologics for pSS, their efficacy still needs to be evaluated in larger clinical trials. For other biologics, clinical trials have found no differences versus placebo in the change from baseline in European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) score and fatigue score. Possible causes of the disappointing outcomes mainly include the inefficacy of those evaluated biologics in treating pSS, the high heterogeneous nature of pSS, irreversible exocrine glandular failure at advanced disease stages, inappropriate recruitment strategy in clinical trials, and outcome measures. Early diagnosis and glandular function-centered outcome measures may help to improve the current situation in the systemic therapy of pSS.
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25
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Jarahian M, Marofi F, Maashi MS, Ghaebi M, Khezri A, Berger MR. Re-Expression of Poly/Oligo-Sialylated Adhesion Molecules on the Surface of Tumor Cells Disrupts Their Interaction with Immune-Effector Cells and Contributes to Pathophysiological Immune Escape. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5203. [PMID: 34680351 PMCID: PMC8534074 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycans linked to surface proteins are the most complex biological macromolecules that play an active role in various cellular mechanisms. This diversity is the basis of cell-cell interaction and communication, cell growth, cell migration, as well as co-stimulatory or inhibitory signaling. Our review describes the importance of neuraminic acid and its derivatives as recognition elements, which are located at the outermost positions of carbohydrate chains linked to specific glycoproteins or glycolipids. Tumor cells, especially from solid tumors, mask themselves by re-expression of hypersialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), neuropilin-2 (NRP-2), or synaptic cell adhesion molecule 1 (SynCAM 1) in order to protect themselves against the cytotoxic attack of the also highly sialylated immune effector cells. More particularly, we focus on α-2,8-linked polysialic acid chains, which characterize carrier glycoproteins such as NCAM, NRP-2, or SynCam-1. This characteristic property correlates with an aggressive clinical phenotype and endows them with multiple roles in biological processes that underlie all steps of cancer progression, including regulation of cell-cell and/or cell-extracellular matrix interactions, as well as increased proliferation, migration, reduced apoptosis rate of tumor cells, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Specifically, re-expression of poly/oligo-sialylated adhesion molecules on the surface of tumor cells disrupts their interaction with immune-effector cells and contributes to pathophysiological immune escape. Further, sialylated glycoproteins induce immunoregulatory cytokines and growth factors through interactions with sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins. We describe the processes, which modulate the interaction between sialylated carrier glycoproteins and their ligands, and illustrate that sialic acids could be targets of novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of cancer and immune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Jarahian
- German Cancer Research Center, Toxicology and Chemotherapy Unit Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Faroogh Marofi
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5165665931, Iran;
| | - Marwah Suliman Maashi
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Unit at King Fahad Medical Research Centre, Jeddah 11211, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mahnaz Ghaebi
- Cancer Gene Therapy Research Center (CGRC), Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan 4513956184, Iran;
| | - Abdolrahman Khezri
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Hamar, Norway;
| | - Martin R. Berger
- German Cancer Research Center, Toxicology and Chemotherapy Unit Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
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26
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Malogolovkin A, Gasanov N, Egorov A, Weener M, Ivanov R, Karabelsky A. Combinatorial Approaches for Cancer Treatment Using Oncolytic Viruses: Projecting the Perspectives through Clinical Trials Outcomes. Viruses 2021; 13:1271. [PMID: 34209981 PMCID: PMC8309967 DOI: 10.3390/v13071271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent cancer immunotherapy breakthroughs have fundamentally changed oncology and revived the fading hope for a cancer cure. The immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) became an indispensable tool for the treatment of many malignant tumors. Alongside ICI, the application of oncolytic viruses in clinical trials is demonstrating encouraging outcomes. Dozens of combinations of oncolytic viruses with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy are widely used or studied, but it seems quite complicated to highlight the most effective combinations. Our review summarizes the results of clinical trials evaluating oncolytic viruses with or without genetic alterations in combination with immune checkpoint blockade, cytokines, antigens and other oncolytic viruses as well. This review is focused on the efficacy and safety of virotherapy and the most promising combinations based on the published clinical data, rather than presenting all oncolytic virus variations, which are discussed in comprehensive literature reviews. We briefly revise the research landscape of oncolytic viruses and discuss future perspectives in virus immunotherapy, in order to provide an insight for novel strategies of cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Malogolovkin
- Gene Therapy Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Olympic Avenue, 1, 354340 Sochi, Russia; (N.G.); (A.E.); (M.W.); (R.I.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alexander Karabelsky
- Gene Therapy Department, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Olympic Avenue, 1, 354340 Sochi, Russia; (N.G.); (A.E.); (M.W.); (R.I.)
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27
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Glycosylation of Immune Receptors in Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051100. [PMID: 34064396 PMCID: PMC8147841 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Evading host immune surveillance is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Immune checkpoint therapy, which aims to eliminate cancer progression by reprogramming the antitumor immune response, currently occupies a solid position in the rapidly expanding arsenal of cancer therapy. As most immune checkpoints are membrane glycoproteins, mounting attention is drawn to asking how protein glycosylation affects immune function. The answers to this fundamental question will stimulate the rational development of future cancer diagnostics and therapeutic strategies.
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