1
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Rossi GR, Sun J, Lin CY, Wong JK, Alim L, Lam PY, Khosrotehrani K, Wolvetang E, Cheetham SW, Derrick EB, Amoako A, Lehner C, Brooks AJ, Beavis PA, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. A scalable, spin-free approach to generate enhanced induced pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy. Immunol Cell Biol 2024. [PMID: 39269338 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in innate immunity and show great promise in cancer immunotherapy. Traditional sources of NK cells, such as the peripheral blood, are limited by availability and donor variability. In addition, in vitro expansion can lead to functional exhaustion and gene editing challenges. This study aimed to harness induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to provide a consistent and scalable source of NK cells, overcoming the limitations of traditional sources and enhancing the potential for cancer immunotherapy applications. We developed human placental-derived iPSC lines using reprogramming techniques. Subsequently, an optimized two-step differentiation protocol was introduced to generate high-purity NK cells. Initially, iPSCs were differentiated into hematopoietic-like stem cells using spin-free embryoid bodies (EBs). Subsequently, the EBs were transferred to ultra-low attachment plates to induce NK cell differentiation. iPSC-derived NK (iNK) cells expressed common NK cell markers (NKp46, NKp30, NKp44, CD16 and eomesodermin) at both RNA and protein levels. iNK cells demonstrated significant resilience to cryopreservation and exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity. The incorporation of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) construct further augmented their cytotoxic potential. This study exemplifies the feasibility of generating iNK cells with high purity and enhanced functional capabilities, their improved resilience to cryopreservation and the potential to have augmented cytotoxicity through CAR expression. Our findings offer a promising pathway for the development of potential cellular immunotherapies, highlighting the critical role of iPSC technology in overcoming challenges associated with traditional NK cell sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo R Rossi
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Jane Sun
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Cheng-Yu Lin
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Joshua Km Wong
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Louisa Alim
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Pui Yeng Lam
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Kiarash Khosrotehrani
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Ernst Wolvetang
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Seth W Cheetham
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- BASE Facility, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Emily B Derrick
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Akwasi Amoako
- The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Christoph Lehner
- The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew J Brooks
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul A Beavis
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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2
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Duléry R, Piccinelli S, Beg MS, Jang JE, Romee R. Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation as a platform for natural killer cell immunotherapy. Am J Hematol 2024. [PMID: 39248561 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.27471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
An innovative approach is crucially needed to manage relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients with advanced hematological malignancies. This review explores key aspects of haploidentical HCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide, highlighting the potential and suitability of this platform for natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy. NK cells, known for their unique abilities to eliminate cancer cells, can also exhibit memory-like features and enhanced cytotoxicity when activated by cytokines. By discussing promising results from clinical trials, the review delves into the recent major advances: donor-derived NK cells can be expanded ex vivo in large numbers, cytokine activation may enhance NK cell persistence and efficacy in vivo, and post-HCT NK cell infusion can improve outcomes in high-risk and/or relapsed myeloid malignancies without increasing the risk of graft-versus-host disease, severe cytokine release syndrome, or neurotoxicity. Looking ahead, cytokine-activated NK cells can be synergized with immunomodulatory agents and/or genetically engineered to enhance their tumor-targeting specificity, cytotoxicity, and persistence while preventing exhaustion. The ongoing exploration of these strategies holds promising preliminary results and could be rapidly translated into clinical applications for the benefit of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémy Duléry
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara Piccinelli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Ji Eun Jang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Rizwan Romee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Hammer Q, Perica K, Mbofung RM, van Ooijen H, Martin KE, Momayyezi P, Varady E, Pan Y, Jelcic M, Groff B, Abujarour R, Krokeide SZ, Lee T, Williams A, Goodridge JP, Valamehr B, Önfelt B, Sadelain M, Malmberg KJ. Genetic ablation of adhesion ligands mitigates rejection of allogeneic cellular immunotherapies. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:1376-1386.e8. [PMID: 38981470 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.06.011] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Allogeneic cellular immunotherapies hold promise for broad clinical implementation but face limitations due to potential rejection of donor cells by the host immune system. Silencing of beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) expression is commonly employed to evade T cell-mediated rejection by the host, although the absence of B2M is expected to trigger missing-self responses by host natural killer (NK) cells. Here, we demonstrate that genetic deletion of the adhesion ligands CD54 and CD58 in B2M-deficient chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and multi-edited induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived CAR NK cells reduces their susceptibility to rejection by host NK cells in vitro and in vivo. The absence of adhesion ligands limits rejection in a unidirectional manner in B2M-deficient and B2M-sufficient settings without affecting the antitumor functionality of the engineered donor cells. Thus, these data suggest that genetic ablation of adhesion ligands effectively alleviates rejection by host immune cells, facilitating the implementation of universal immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quirin Hammer
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Karlo Perica
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Cell Therapy Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Hanna van Ooijen
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Karen E Martin
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pouria Momayyezi
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Yijia Pan
- Fate Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Silje Z Krokeide
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom Lee
- Fate Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Björn Önfelt
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Michel Sadelain
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karl-Johan Malmberg
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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4
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Wang K, Wang L, Wang Y, Xiao L, Wei J, Hu Y, Wang D, Huang H. Reprogramming natural killer cells for cancer therapy. Mol Ther 2024; 32:2835-2855. [PMID: 38273655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.027] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The last decade has seen rapid development in the field of cellular immunotherapy, particularly in regard to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells. However, challenges, such as severe treatment-related toxicities and inconsistent quality of autologous products, have hindered the broader use of CAR-T cell therapy, highlighting the need to explore alternative immune cells for cancer targeting. In this regard, natural killer (NK) cells have been extensively studied in cellular immunotherapy and were found to exert cytotoxic effects without being restricted by human leukocyte antigen and have a lower risk of causing graft-versus-host disease; making them favorable for the development of readily available "off-the-shelf" products. Clinical trials utilizing unedited NK cells or reprogrammed NK cells have shown early signs of their effectiveness against tumors. However, limitations, including limited in vivo persistence and expansion potential, remained. To enhance the antitumor function of NK cells, advanced gene-editing technologies and combination approaches have been explored. In this review, we summarize current clinical trials of antitumor NK cell therapy, provide an overview of innovative strategies for reprogramming NK cells, which include improvements in persistence, cytotoxicity, trafficking and the ability to counteract the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and also discuss some potential combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Linqin Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yiyun Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lu Xiao
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jieping Wei
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yongxian Hu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Dongrui Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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5
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Nguyen NTT, Müller R, Briukhovetska D, Weber J, Feucht J, Künkele A, Hudecek M, Kobold S. The Spectrum of CAR Cellular Effectors: Modes of Action in Anti-Tumor Immunity. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2608. [PMID: 39061247 PMCID: PMC11274444 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16142608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor-T cells have spearheaded the field of adoptive cell therapy and have shown remarkable results in treating hematological neoplasia. Because of the different biology of solid tumors compared to hematological tumors, response rates of CAR-T cells could not be transferred to solid entities yet. CAR engineering has added co-stimulatory domains, transgenic cytokines and switch receptors to improve performance and persistence in a hostile tumor microenvironment, but because of the inherent cell type limitations of CAR-T cells, including HLA incompatibility, toxicities (cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity) and high costs due to the logistically challenging preparation process for autologous cells, the use of alternative immune cells is gaining traction. NK cells and γδ T cells that do not need HLA compatibility or macrophages and dendritic cells with additional properties such as phagocytosis or antigen presentation are increasingly seen as cellular vehicles with potential for application. As these cells possess distinct properties, clinicians and researchers need a thorough understanding of their peculiarities and commonalities. This review will compare these different cell types and their specific modes of action seen upon CAR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Thien Thu Nguyen
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (N.T.T.N.); (R.M.); (D.B.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a Partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the University Hospital of the LMU, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Rasmus Müller
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (N.T.T.N.); (R.M.); (D.B.)
| | - Daria Briukhovetska
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (N.T.T.N.); (R.M.); (D.B.)
| | - Justus Weber
- Department of Medicine II, Chair in Cellular Immunotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (J.W.); (M.H.)
| | - Judith Feucht
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Tuebingen, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Hudecek
- Department of Medicine II, Chair in Cellular Immunotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (J.W.); (M.H.)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Cellular Immunotherapy Branch Site Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (N.T.T.N.); (R.M.); (D.B.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a Partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the University Hospital of the LMU, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health Neuherberg, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
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6
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Coënon L, Rigal E, Courot H, Multrier C, Zemiti S, Lambour J, Pugnière M, de Toledo M, Bossis G, Cartron G, Robert B, Martineau P, Fauvel B, Presumey J, Villalba M. Generation of non-genetically modified, CAR-like, NK cells. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e009070. [PMID: 39029925 PMCID: PMC11261687 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-009070] [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] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cell therapy is considered an attractive and safe strategy for anticancer therapy. Nevertheless, when autologous or allogenic NK cells are used alone, the clinical benefit has been disappointing. This is partially due to the lack of target specificity. Recently, CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cells have proven to be safe and potent in patients with B-cell tumors. However, the generation of CAR-NK cells is a complicated manufacturing process. We aim at developing a targeted NK cell therapy without the need for cellular genetic modifications. We took advantage of the natural expression of the IgG Fc receptor CD16a (FcγRIIIa) to induce strong antigen-specific effector functions through antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). We have generated the new technology "Pin", which enables the arming of modified monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) onto the CD16a of ex vivo expanded NK (eNK) cells. Methods Ex vivo eNK were prepared from umbilical cord blood cells and expanded using interleukin (IL)-2/IL-15 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B-lymphoblastoid feeder cells. mAbs were engineered with four substitutions called Pin mutations to increase their affinity to CD16a. eNK were incubated with anti-CD20 or anti-CD19 Pin-mAbs to generate "armed" eNK and were used to assess effector functions in vitro on cancer cell lines, lymphoma patient cells and in vivo. RESULTS CD16a/Pin-mAb interaction is stable for several days and Pin-mAb eNK inherit the mAb specificity and exclusively induce ADCC against targets expressing the cognate antigen. Hence, Pin-mAbs confer long-term selectivity to eNK, which allows specific elimination of the target cells in several in vivo mouse models. Finally, we showed that it is possible to arm eNK with at least two Pin-mAbs simultaneously, to increase efficacy against heterogenous cancer cell populations. CONCLUSIONS The Pin technology provides an off-the-shelf NK cell therapy platform to generate CAR-like NK cells, without genetic modifications, that easily target multiple tumor antigens.
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MESH Headings
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Humans
- Animals
- Mice
- Receptors, IgG/metabolism
- Receptors, IgG/immunology
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Antigens, CD19/immunology
- Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïs Coënon
- IRMB, INSERM U1183, University of Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Caroline Multrier
- IRMB, INSERM U1183, University of Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sara Zemiti
- IRMB, INSERM U1183, University of Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jennifer Lambour
- IRMB, INSERM U1183, University of Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Pugnière
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Guillaume Cartron
- Department of Clinical Hematology, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Bruno Robert
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Martineau
- IRCM, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Martin Villalba
- IRMB, INSERM U1183, University of Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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7
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Moles MW, Erdlei H, Menzel L, Massaro M, Fiori A, Bunse M, Schrimpf M, Gerlach K, Gudipati V, Reiser J, Mathavan K, Goodrich JP, Huppa JB, Krönke J, Valamehr B, Höpken UE, Rehm A. CXCR4 has a dual role in improving the efficacy of BCMA-redirected CAR-NK cells in multiple myeloma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1383136. [PMID: 38979422 PMCID: PMC11228140 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383136] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disease with a preferential bone marrow (BM) tropism. Enforced expression of tissue-specific chemokine receptors has been shown to successfully guide adoptively-transferred CAR NK cells towards the malignant milieu in solid cancers, but also to BM-resident AML and MM. For redirection towards BM-associated chemokine CXCL12, we armored BCMA CAR-NK-92 as well as primary NK cells with ectopic expression of either wildtype CXCR4 or a gain-of-function mutant CXCR4R334X. Our data showed that BCMA CAR-NK-92 and -primary NK cells equipped with CXCR4 gained an improved ability to migrate towards CXCL12 in vitro. Beyond its classical role coordinating chemotaxis, CXCR4 has been shown to participate in T cell co-stimulation, which prompted us to examine the functionality of CXCR4-cotransduced BCMA-CAR NK cells. Ectopic CXCR4 expression enhanced the cytotoxic capacity of BCMA CAR-NK cells, as evidenced by the ability to eliminate BCMA-expressing target cell lines and primary MM cells in vitro and through accelerated cytolytic granule release. We show that CXCR4 co-modification prolonged BCMA CAR surface deposition, augmented ZAP-70 recruitment following CAR-engagement, and accelerated distal signal transduction kinetics. BCMA CAR sensitivity towards antigen was enhanced by virtue of an enhanced ZAP-70 recruitment to the immunological synapse, revealing an increased propensity of CARs to become triggered upon CXCR4 overexpression. Unexpectedly, co-stimulation via CXCR4 occurred in the absence of CXCL12 ligand-stimulation. Collectively, our findings imply that co-modification of CAR-NK cells with tissue-relevant chemokine receptors affect adoptive NK cell therapy beyond improved trafficking and retention within tumor sites.
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MESH Headings
- Multiple Myeloma/immunology
- Multiple Myeloma/therapy
- Humans
- Receptors, CXCR4/metabolism
- Receptors, CXCR4/genetics
- B-Cell Maturation Antigen/immunology
- B-Cell Maturation Antigen/metabolism
- B-Cell Maturation Antigen/genetics
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Chemokine CXCL12/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Moles
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henry Erdlei
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lutz Menzel
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marialucia Massaro
- Microenvironmental Regulation in Autoimmunity and Cancer, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agnese Fiori
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mario Bunse
- Microenvironmental Regulation in Autoimmunity and Cancer, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Schrimpf
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Gerlach
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Venugopal Gudipati
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - John Reiser
- Fate Therapeutics, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Johannes B Huppa
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumorimmunology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Uta E Höpken
- Microenvironmental Regulation in Autoimmunity and Cancer, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Armin Rehm
- Translational Tumorimmunology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Miller JS, Rhein J, Davis ZB, Cooley S, McKenna D, Anderson J, Escandón K, Wieking G, Reichel J, Thorkelson A, Jorstad S, Safrit JT, Soon-Shiong P, Beilman GJ, Chipman JG, Schacker TW. Safety and Virologic Impact of Haploidentical NK Cells Plus Interleukin 2 or N-803 in HIV Infection. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1256-1265. [PMID: 38207119 PMCID: PMC11095546 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells are dysfunctional in chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection as they are not able to clear virus. We hypothesized that an infusion of NK cells, supported by interleukin 2 (IL-2) or IL-15, could decrease virus-producing cells in the lymphatic tissues. METHODS We conducted a phase 1 pilot study in 6 persons with HIV (PWH), where a single infusion of haploidentical related donor NK cells was given plus either IL-2 or N-803 (an IL-15 superagonist). RESULTS The approach was well tolerated with no unexpected adverse events. We did not pretreat recipients with cyclophosphamide or fludarabine to "make immunologic space," reasoning that PWH on stable antiretroviral treatment remain T-cell depleted in lymphatic tissues. We found donor cells remained detectable in blood for up to 8 days (similar to what is seen in cancer pretreatment with lymphodepleting chemotherapy) and in the lymph nodes and rectum up to 28 days. There was a moderate decrease in the frequency of viral RNA-positive cells in lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS There was a moderate decrease in HIV-producing cells in lymph nodes. Further studies are warranted to determine the impact of healthy NK cells on HIV reservoirs and if restoring NK-cell function could be part of an HIV cure strategy. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03346499 and NCT03899480.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Miller
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joshua Rhein
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zachary B Davis
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sarah Cooley
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - David McKenna
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jodi Anderson
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kevin Escandón
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Garritt Wieking
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jarrett Reichel
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ann Thorkelson
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Siri Jorstad
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | | | - Gregory J Beilman
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Chipman
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Timothy W Schacker
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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9
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Lv JT, Jiao YT, Han XL, Cao YJ, Lv XK, Du J, Hou J. Integrating p53-associated genes and infiltrating immune cell characterization as a prognostic biomarker in multiple myeloma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30123. [PMID: 38699735 PMCID: PMC11063508 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30123] [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: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor genetic anomalies and immune dysregulation are pivotal in the progression of multiple myeloma (MM). Accurate patient stratification is essential for effective MM management, yet current models fail to comprehensively incorporate both molecular and immune profiles. Methods We examined 776 samples from the MMRF CoMMpass database, employing univariate regression with LASSO and CIBERSORT algorithms to identify 15 p53-related genes and six immune cells with prognostic significance in MM. A p53-TIC (tumor-infiltrating immune cells) classifier was constructed by calculating scores using the bootstrap-multicox method, which was further validated externally (GSE136337) and through ten-fold internal cross-validation for its predictive reliability and robustness. Results The p53-TIC classifier demonstrated excellent performance in predicting the prognosis in MM. Specifically, patients in the p53low/TIChigh subgroup had the most favorable prognosis and the lowest tumor mutational burden (TMB). Conversely, those in the p53high/TIClow subgroup, with the least favorable prognosis and the highest TMB, were predicted to have the best anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 response rate (40 %), which can be explained by their higher expression of PD1 and CTLA4. The three-year area under the curve (AUC) was 0.80 in the total sample. Conclusions Our study highlights the potential of an integrated analysis of p53-associated genes and TIC in predicting prognosis and aiding clinical decision-making in MM patients. This finding underscores the significance of comprehending the intricate interplay between genetic abnormalities and immune dysfunction in MM. Further research into this area may lead to the development of more effective treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ting Lv
- Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, 519000, China
| | - Yu-Tian Jiao
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xin-Le Han
- Department of Pathology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yang-Jia Cao
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Xu-Kun Lv
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jun Du
- Department of Hematology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Department of Hematology, Punan Hospital, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jian Hou
- Department of Hematology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
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10
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Kong JC, Sa’ad MA, Vijayan HM, Ravichandran M, Balakrishnan V, Tham SK, Tye GJ. Chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer cell therapy: current advancements and strategies to overcome challenges. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1384039. [PMID: 38726000 PMCID: PMC11079817 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384039] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy is a novel immunotherapy targeting cancer cells via the generation of chimeric antigen receptors on NK cells which recognize specific cancer antigens. CAR-NK cell therapy is gaining attention nowadays owing to the ability of CAR-NK cells to release potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells without side effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). CAR-NK cells do not require antigen priming, thus enabling them to be used as "off-the-shelf" therapy. Nonetheless, CAR-NK cell therapy still possesses several challenges in eliminating cancer cells which reside in hypoxic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Therefore, this review is envisioned to explore the current advancements and limitations of CAR-NK cell therapy as well as discuss strategies to overcome the challenges faced by CAR-NK cell therapy. This review also aims to dissect the current status of clinical trials on CAR-NK cells and future recommendations for improving the effectiveness and safety of CAR-NK cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Chang Kong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Mohammad Auwal Sa’ad
- Celestialab Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia
| | | | - Manickam Ravichandran
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia
- MyGenome, ALPS Global Holding, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Venugopal Balakrishnan
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Seng Kong Tham
- ALPS Medical Centre, ALPS Global Holding, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
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11
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Page A, Chuvin N, Valladeau-Guilemond J, Depil S. Development of NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies through receptor engineering. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:315-331. [PMID: 38443448 PMCID: PMC10978891 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-024-01145-x] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapies are attracting increasing interest in the field of cancer treatment. Early clinical trials have shown promising outcomes, alongside satisfactory product efficacy and safety. Recent developments have greatly increased the therapeutic potential of NK cells by endowing them with enhanced recognition and cytotoxic capacities. This review focuses on surface receptor engineering in NK cell therapy and discusses its impact, challenges, and future directions.Most approaches are based on engineering with chimeric antigen receptors to allow NK cells to target specific tumor antigens independent of human leukocyte antigen restriction. This approach has increased the precision and potency of NK-mediated recognition and elimination of cancer cells. In addition, engineering NK cells with T-cell receptors also mediates the recognition of intracellular epitopes, which broadens the range of target peptides. Indirect tumor peptide recognition by NK cells has also been improved by optimizing immunoglobulin constant fragment receptor expression and signaling. Indeed, engineered NK cells have an improved ability to recognize and destroy target cells coated with specific antibodies, thereby increasing their antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The ability of NK cell receptor engineering to promote the expansion, persistence, and infiltration of transferred cells in the tumor microenvironment has also been explored. Receptor-based strategies for sustained NK cell functionality within the tumor environment have also been discussed, and these strategies providing perspectives to counteract tumor-induced immunosuppression.Overall, receptor engineering has led to significant advances in NK cell-based cancer immunotherapies. As technical challenges are addressed, these innovative treatments will likely reshape cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Page
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
| | | | - Jenny Valladeau-Guilemond
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Depil
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, UMR INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
- ErVimmune, Lyon, France.
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
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12
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Christiansen JR, Kirkeby A. Clinical translation of pluripotent stem cell-based therapies: successes and challenges. Development 2024; 151:dev202067. [PMID: 38564308 PMCID: PMC11057818 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202067] [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] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The translational stem cell research field has progressed immensely in the past decade. Development and refinement of differentiation protocols now allows the generation of a range of cell types, such as pancreatic β-cells and dopaminergic neurons, from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in an efficient and good manufacturing practice-compliant fashion. This has led to the initiation of several clinical trials using hPSC-derived cells to replace lost or dysfunctional cells, demonstrating evidence of both safety and efficacy. Here, we highlight successes from some of the hPSC-based trials reporting early signs of efficacy and discuss common challenges in clinical translation of cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Rågård Christiansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Agnete Kirkeby
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
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13
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Vivier E, Rebuffet L, Narni-Mancinelli E, Cornen S, Igarashi RY, Fantin VR. Natural killer cell therapies. Nature 2024; 626:727-736. [PMID: 38383621 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06945-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system. A key feature of NK cells is their ability to recognize a wide range of cells in distress, particularly tumour cells and cells infected with viruses. They combine both direct effector functions against their cellular targets and participate in the generation, shaping and maintenance of a multicellular immune response. As our understanding has deepened, several therapeutic strategies focused on NK cells have been conceived and are currently in various stages of development, from preclinical investigations to clinical trials. Here we explore in detail the complexity of NK cell biology in humans and highlight the role of these cells in cancer immunity. We also analyse the harnessing of NK cell immunity through immune checkpoint inhibitors, NK cell engagers, and infusions of preactivated or genetically modified, autologous or allogeneic NK cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vivier
- Innate Pharma Research Laboratories, Innate Pharma, Marseille, France.
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France.
- APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Marseille-Immunopôle, Marseille, France.
- Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Lucas Rebuffet
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Emilie Narni-Mancinelli
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Stéphanie Cornen
- Innate Pharma Research Laboratories, Innate Pharma, Marseille, France
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14
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Nersesian S, Arseneau RJ, Mejia JP, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Griffiths NW, Grantham SR, Meunier L, Communal L, Mukherjee A, Mes-Masson AM, Arnason T, Nelson BH, Boudreau JE. Improved overall survival in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer is associated with CD16a+ immunologic neighborhoods containing NK cells, T cells and macrophages. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1307873. [PMID: 38318505 PMCID: PMC10838965 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1307873] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background For patients with high grade serous carcinoma of the ovary (HGSC), survival rates have remained static for the last half century. Despite the presence of tumor mutations and infiltration of immune cells, existing immunotherapies have achieved little success against HGSC. These observations highlight a gap in the understanding of how the immune system functions and interacts within HGSC tumors. Methods We analyzed duplicate core samples from 939 patients with HGSC to understand patterns of immune cell infiltration, localization, and associations with clinical features. We used high-parameter immunohistochemical/Opal multiplex, digital pathology, computational biology, and multivariate analysis to identify immune cell subsets and their associations with HGSC tumors. Results We defined six patterns of cellular infiltration by spatially restricted unsupervised clustering of cell subsets. Each pattern was represented to some extent in most patient samples, but their specific distributions differed. Overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) corresponded with higher infiltration of CD16a+ cells, and their co-localization with macrophages, T cells, NK cells, in one of six cellular neighborhoods that we defined with our spatial assessment. Conclusions Immune cell neighborhoods containing CD16a+ cells are associated with improved OS and PFS for patients with HGSC. Patterns of immunologic neighborhoods differentiate patient outcomes, and could inform future, more precise approaches to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Riley J. Arseneau
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jorge P. Mejia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Liliane Meunier
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal and Institut du cancer de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laudine Communal
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal and Institut du cancer de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Anne-Marie Mes-Masson
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal and Institut du cancer de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thomas Arnason
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, QEII Health Sciences Centre, Nova Scotia Health (Central Zone), Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Brad H. Nelson
- Deeley Research Centre, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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15
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Snyder KM, Dixon KJ, Davis Z, Hosking M, Hart G, Khaw M, Matson A, Bjordahl R, Hancock B, Shirinbak S, Miller JS, Valamehr B, Wu J, Walcheck B. iPSC-derived natural killer cells expressing the FcγR fusion CD64/16A can be armed with antibodies for multitumor antigen targeting. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007280. [PMID: 38056893 PMCID: PMC10711901 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007280] [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] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibody therapies can direct natural killer (NK) cells to tumor cells, tumor-associated cells, and suppressive immune cells to mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). This antigen-specific effector function of human NK cells is mediated by the IgG Fc receptor CD16A (FcγRIIIA). Preclinical and clinical studies indicate that increasing the binding affinity and avidity of CD16A for antibodies improves the therapeutic potential of ADCC. CD64 (FcγRI), expressed by myeloid cells but not NK cells, is the only high affinity IgG Fc receptor and is uniquely capable of stably binding to free monomeric IgG as a physiological function. We have reported on the generation of the FcγR fusion CD64/16A, consisting of the extracellular region of CD64 and the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions from CD16A, retaining its signaling and cellular activity. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived NK (iNK) cells expressing CD64/16A as a potential adoptive NK cell therapy for increased ADCC potency. METHODS iPSCs were engineered to express CD64/16A as well as an interleukin (IL)-15/IL-15Rα fusion (IL-15RF) protein and differentiated into iNK cells. iNK cells and peripheral blood NK cells were expanded using irradiated K562-mbIL21-41BBL feeder cells and examined. NK cells, ovarian tumor cell lines, and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies were used to assess ADCC in vitro, performed by a DELFIA EuTDA assay or in real-time by IncuCyte assays, and in vivo. For the latter, we developed a xenograft mouse model with high circulating levels of human IgG for more physiological relevance. RESULTS We demonstrate that (1) iNK-CD64/16A cells after expansion or thaw from cryopreservation can be coupled to therapeutic antibodies, creating armed iNK cells; (2) antibody-armed iNK-CD64/16A cells can be redirected by added antibodies to target new tumor antigens, highlighting additional potential of these cells; (3) cytokine-autonomous activity by iNK-CD64/16A cells engineered to express IL-15RF; and that (4) antibody-armed iNK-CD64/16A cells thawed from cryopreservation are capable of sustained and robust ADCC in vitro and in vivo, as determined by using a modified tumor xenograft model with high levels of competing human IgG. CONCLUSIONS iNK cells expressing CD64/16A provide an off-the-shelf multiantigen targeting platform to address tumor heterogeneity and mitigate antigen escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M Snyder
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kate J Dixon
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zachary Davis
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Geoffrey Hart
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Melissa Khaw
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Anders Matson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Jianming Wu
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bruce Walcheck
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
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16
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Guo X, Sun M, Yang P, Meng X, Liu R. Role of mast cells activation in the tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy of cancers. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 960:176103. [PMID: 37852570 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176103] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The mast cell is an important cellular component that plays a crucial role in the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune responses within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, numerous studies have indicated that mast cells related to tumors play a dual role in regulating cancers, with conflicting results seemingly determined by the degranulation medium. As such, mast cells are an ignored but very promising potential target for cancer immunotherapy based on their immunomodulatory function. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the roles and mechanisms of mast cells in diverse cancer types. Firstly, we evaluated the infiltration density and location of mast cells on tumor progression. Secondly, mast cells are activated by the TME and subsequently release a range of inflammatory mediators, cytokines, chemokines, and lipid products that modulate their pro-or anti-tumor functions. Thirdly, activated mast cells engage in intercellular communication with other immune or stromal cells to modulate the immune status or promote tumor development. Finally, we deliberated on the clinical significance of targeting mast cells as a therapeutic approach to restrict tumor initiation and progression. Overall, our review aims to provide insights for future research on the role of mast cells in tumors and their potential as therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, China
| | - Mingjun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peiyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xingchen Meng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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17
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Fetzko SL, Timothy LD, Parihar R. NK Cell Therapeutics for Hematologic Malignancies: from Potential to Fruition. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2023; 18:264-272. [PMID: 37751103 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-023-00711-w] [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] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The current review focuses on the preclinical development and clinical advances of natural killer (NK) cell therapeutics for hematologic malignancies and offers perspective on the unmet challenges that will direct future discovery in the field. RECENT FINDINGS Approaches to improve or re-direct NK cell anti-tumor functions against hematologic malignancies have included transgenic expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), administration of NK cell engagers including BiKEs and TriKEs that enhance antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by co-engaging NK cell CD16 and antigens on tumors, incorporation of a non-cleavable CD16 that results in enhanced ADCC, use of induced memory-like NK cells alone or in combination with CARs, and blockade of NK immune checkpoints to enhance NK cytotoxicity. Recently reported and ongoing clinical trials support the feasibility and safety of these approaches. NK cell-based therapeutic strategies hold great promise as cost-effective, off-the-shelf cell therapies for patients with relapsed and refractory hematologic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Fetzko
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Leander D Timothy
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robin Parihar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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18
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Nersesian S, Carter EB, Lee SN, Westhaver LP, Boudreau JE. Killer instincts: natural killer cells as multifactorial cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269614. [PMID: 38090565 PMCID: PMC10715270 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269614] [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: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells integrate heterogeneous signals for activation and inhibition using germline-encoded receptors. These receptors are stochastically co-expressed, and their concurrent engagement and signaling can adjust the sensitivity of individual cells to putative targets. Against cancers, which mutate and evolve under therapeutic and immunologic pressure, the diversity for recognition provided by NK cells may be key to comprehensive cancer control. NK cells are already being trialled as adoptive cell therapy and targets for immunotherapeutic agents. However, strategies to leverage their naturally occurring diversity and agility have not yet been developed. In this review, we discuss the receptors and signaling pathways through which signals for activation or inhibition are generated in NK cells, focusing on their roles in cancer and potential as targets for immunotherapies. Finally, we consider the impacts of receptor co-expression and the potential to engage multiple pathways of NK cell reactivity to maximize the scope and strength of antitumor activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nersesian
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Emily B. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Stacey N. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Jeanette E. Boudreau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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19
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Vu SH, Pham HH, Pham TTP, Le TT, Vo MC, Jung SH, Lee JJ, Nguyen XH. Adoptive NK Cell Therapy - a Beacon of Hope in Multiple Myeloma Treatment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1275076. [PMID: 38023191 PMCID: PMC10656693 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1275076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Major advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) have been achieved by effective new agents such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, or monoclonal antibodies. Despite significant progress, MM remains still incurable and, recently, cellular immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment for relapsed/refractory MM. The emergence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology has transformed immunotherapy by enhancing the antitumor functions of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, leading to effective control of hematologic malignancies. Recent advancements in gene delivery to NK cells have paved the way for the clinical application of CAR-NK cell therapy. CAR-NK cell therapy strategies have demonstrated safety, tolerability, and substantial efficacy in treating B cell malignancies in various clinical settings. However, their effectiveness in eliminating MM remains to be established. This review explores multiple approaches to enhance NK cell cytotoxicity, persistence, expansion, and manufacturing processes, and highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with CAR-NK cell therapy against MM. By shedding light on these aspects, this review aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of CAR-NK cell therapy as a promising approach for improving the treatment outcomes of MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Son Hai Vu
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Ha Hong Pham
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thao Thi Phuong Pham
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thanh Thien Le
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Manh-Cuong Vo
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hoon Jung
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Jung Lee
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Xuan-Hung Nguyen
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare System, Hanoi, Vietnam
- College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity, Hanoi, Vietnam
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20
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Li Y, Rezvani K, Rafei H. Next-generation chimeric antigen receptors for T- and natural killer-cell therapies against cancer. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:217-235. [PMID: 37548050 PMCID: PMC10841677 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive cellular therapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has led to a paradigm shift in the treatment of various hematologic malignancies. However, the broad application of this approach for myeloid malignancies and solid cancers has been limited by the paucity and heterogeneity of target antigen expression, and lack of bona fide tumor-specific antigens that can be targeted without cross-reactivity against normal tissues. This may lead to unwanted on-target off-tumor toxicities that could undermine the desired antitumor effect. Recent advances in synthetic biology and genetic engineering have enabled reprogramming of immune effector cells to enhance their selectivity toward tumors, thus mitigating on-target off-tumor adverse effects. In this review, we outline the current strategies being explored to improve CAR selectivity toward tumor cells with a focus on natural killer (NK) cells, and the progress made in translating these strategies to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Li
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hind Rafei
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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21
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Lin X, Sun Y, Dong X, Liu Z, Sugimura R, Xie G. IPSC-derived CAR-NK cells for cancer immunotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115123. [PMID: 37406511 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapies (ACT) based on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune cells have made great progress with six CAR-T cell products approved by the U.S. FDA for hematological malignancies. Compared with CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells have attracted increasing attention owing to their multiple killing mechanisms, higher safety profile, and broad sources. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived NK (iPSC-NK) cells possess a mature phenotype and potent cytolytic activity, and can provide a homogeneous population of CAR-NK cells that can be expanded to clinical scale. Thus, iPSC-derived CAR-NK (CAR-iNK) cells could be used as a standardized and "off-the-shelf" product for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the current status of the manufacturing techniques, genetic modification strategies, preclinical and clinical evidence of CAR-iNK cells, and discuss the challenges and future prospects of CAR-iNK cell therapy as a novel cellular immunotherapy in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yao Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xin Dong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zishen Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ryohichi Sugimura
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Guozhu Xie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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22
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Shin E, Bak SH, Park T, Kim JW, Yoon SR, Jung H, Noh JY. Understanding NK cell biology for harnessing NK cell therapies: targeting cancer and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192907. [PMID: 37539051 PMCID: PMC10395517 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-engineered immune cell therapies have partially transformed cancer treatment, as exemplified by the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells in certain hematologic malignancies. However, there are several limitations that need to be addressed to target more cancer types. Natural killer (NK) cells are a type of innate immune cells that represent a unique biology in cancer immune surveillance. In particular, NK cells obtained from heathy donors can serve as a source for genetically engineered immune cell therapies. Therefore, NK-based therapies, including NK cells, CAR-NK cells, and antibodies that induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of NK cells, have emerged. With recent advances in genetic engineering and cell biology techniques, NK cell-based therapies have become promising approaches for a wide range of cancers, viral infections, and senescence. This review provides a brief overview of NK cell characteristics and summarizes diseases that could benefit from NK-based therapies. In addition, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical investigations on the use of adoptive NK cell transfer and agents that can modulate NK cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunju Shin
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Ho Bak
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Park
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ran Yoon
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yoon Noh
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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23
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Goulding J, Yeh WI, Hancock B, Blum R, Xu T, Yang BH, Chang CW, Groff B, Avramis E, Pribadi M, Pan Y, Chu HY, Sikaroodi S, Fong L, Brookhouser N, Dailey T, Meza M, Denholtz M, Diaz E, Martin J, Szabo P, Cooley S, Ferrari de Andrade L, Lee TT, Bjordahl R, Wucherpfennig KW, Valamehr B. A chimeric antigen receptor uniquely recognizing MICA/B stress proteins provides an effective approach to target solid tumors. MED 2023; 4:457-477.e8. [PMID: 37172578 PMCID: PMC10524375 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies has transformed the treatment of hematological malignancies; however, broader therapeutic success of CAR T cells has been limited in solid tumors because of their frequently heterogeneous composition. Stress proteins in the MICA and MICB (MICA/B) family are broadly expressed by tumor cells following DNA damage but are rapidly shed to evade immune detection. METHODS We have developed a novel CAR targeting the conserved α3 domain of MICA/B (3MICA/B CAR) and incorporated it into a multiplexed-engineered induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived natural killer (NK) cell (3MICA/B CAR iNK) that expressed a shedding-resistant form of the CD16 Fc receptor to enable tumor recognition through two major targeting receptors. FINDINGS We demonstrated that 3MICA/B CAR mitigates MICA/B shedding and inhibition via soluble MICA/B while simultaneously exhibiting antigen-specific anti-tumor reactivity across an expansive library of human cancer cell lines. Pre-clinical assessment of 3MICA/B CAR iNK cells demonstrated potent antigen-specific in vivo cytolytic activity against both solid and hematological xenograft models, which was further enhanced in combination with tumor-targeted therapeutic antibodies that activate the CD16 Fc receptor. CONCLUSIONS Our work demonstrated 3MICA/B CAR iNK cells to be a promising multi-antigen-targeting cancer immunotherapy approach intended for solid tumors. FUNDING Funded by Fate Therapeutics and NIH (R01CA238039).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wen-I Yeh
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Robert Blum
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Tianhao Xu
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Bi-Huei Yang
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Brian Groff
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Earl Avramis
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Yijia Pan
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Hui-Yi Chu
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Lauren Fong
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | | | - Miguel Meza
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Evelyn Diaz
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Judy Martin
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Peter Szabo
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | - Sarah Cooley
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Tom T Lee
- Fate Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA 92131, USA
| | | | - Kai W Wucherpfennig
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Neurology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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24
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Kilgour MK, Bastin DJ, Lee SH, Ardolino M, McComb S, Visram A. Advancements in CAR-NK therapy: lessons to be learned from CAR-T therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1166038. [PMID: 37205115 PMCID: PMC10187144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1166038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Advancements in chimeric antigen receptor engineered T-cell (CAR-T) therapy have revolutionized treatment for several cancer types over the past decade. Despite this success, obstacles including the high price tag, manufacturing complexity, and treatment-associated toxicities have limited the broad application of this therapy. Chimeric antigen receptor engineered natural killer cell (CAR-NK) therapy offers a potential opportunity for a simpler and more affordable "off-the-shelf" treatment, likely with fewer toxicities. Unlike CAR-T, CAR-NK therapies are still in early development, with few clinical trials yet reported. Given the challenges experienced through the development of CAR-T therapies, this review explores what lessons we can apply to build better CAR-NK therapies. In particular, we explore the importance of optimizing the immunochemical properties of the CAR construct, understanding factors leading to cell product persistence, enhancing trafficking of transferred cells to the tumor, ensuring the metabolic fitness of the transferred product, and strategies to avoid tumor escape through antigen loss. We also review trogocytosis, an important emerging challenge that likely equally applies to CAR-T and CAR-NK cells. Finally, we discuss how these limitations are already being addressed in CAR-NK therapies, and what future directions may be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa K. Kilgour
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Seung-Hwan Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Michele Ardolino
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Scott McComb
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Alissa Visram
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
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25
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Chen Y, Zhu Y, Kramer A, Fang Y, Wilson M, Li YR, Yang L. Genetic engineering strategies to enhance antitumor reactivity and reduce alloreactivity for allogeneic cell-based cancer therapy. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1135468. [PMID: 37064017 PMCID: PMC10090359 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1135468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The realm of cell-based immunotherapy holds untapped potential for the development of next-generation cancer treatment through genetic engineering of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapies for targeted eradication of cancerous malignancies. Such allogeneic "off-the-shelf" cell products can be advantageously manufactured in large quantities, stored for extended periods, and easily distributed to treat an exponential number of cancer patients. At current, patient risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and host-versus-graft (HvG) allorejection severely restrict the development of allogeneic CAR-T cell products. To address these limitations, a variety of genetic engineering strategies have been implemented to enhance antitumor efficacy, reduce GvHD and HvG onset, and improve the overall safety profile of T-cell based immunotherapies. In this review, we summarize these genetic engineering strategies and discuss the challenges and prospects these approaches provide to expedite progression of translational and clinical studies for adoption of a universal cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yichen Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Adam Kramer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ying Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Matthew Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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26
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Hang S, Wang N, Sugimura R. T, NK, then macrophages: Recent advances and challenges in adaptive immunotherapy from human pluripotent stem cells. Differentiation 2023; 130:51-57. [PMID: 36682340 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive cellular immunotherapy, especially chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy, has advanced the treatment of hematological malignancy. However, major limitations still remain in the source of cells comes from the patients themselves. The use of human pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into immune cells, such as T cells, NK cells, and macrophages, then arm with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to enhance tumor killing has gained major attention. It is expected to solve the low number of immune cells recovery from patients, long waiting periods, and ethical issues(reprogramming somatic cells to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) avoids the ethical issues unique to embryonic stem cells (Lo and Parham, 2009). However, there are still major challenges to be further solved. This review summarizes the progress, challenges, and future direction in human pluripotent stem cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Hang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Nan Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Ryohichi Sugimura
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong.
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