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Steenbrugge J, Pauwelyn G, Demeyere K, Devriendt N, de Rooster H, Sanders NN, Spaas JH, Meyer E. Xenogeneic equine stem cells activate anti-tumor adaptive immunity in a 4T1-based intraductal mouse model for triple-negative breast cancer: proof-of-principle. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1252374. [PMID: 37928528 PMCID: PMC10623058 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1252374] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains difficult to treat, especially due to ineffective immune responses. Current treatments mainly aim at a cytotoxic effect, whereas (stem) cell therapies are being investigated for their immune stimulatory capacities to initiate the anti-tumor immunity. Here, a thoroughly characterized, homogenous and non-tumorigenic mixture of equine mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) harvested from horse peripheral blood as innovative xenogeneic immunomodulators were tested in a 4T1-based intraductal mouse model for TNBC. The eMSCs significantly reduced 4T1 progression upon systemic injection, with induction of inflammatory mediators and T-cell influx in primary tumors, already after a single dose. These xenogeneic anti-cancer effects were not restricted to MSCs as systemic treatment with alternative equine epithelial stem cells (eEpSCs) mimicked the reported disease reduction. Mechanistically, effective eMSC treatment did not rely on the spleen as systemic entrapment site, whereas CD4+ and CD8α+ T-cell infiltration and activation were critical. These results show that eMSCs and potentially also other equine stem cell types can be a valuable TNBC treatment strategy for further (pre)clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Steenbrugge
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Glenn Pauwelyn
- Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Medicine Belgium, Evergem, Belgium
| | - Kristel Demeyere
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Nausikaa Devriendt
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hilde de Rooster
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Niek N. Sanders
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jan H. Spaas
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health USA, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Evelyne Meyer
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
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Zheng C, Xu X, Wu M, Xue L, Zhu J, Xia H, Ding S, Fu S, Wang X, Wang Y, He G, Liu X, Deng X. Neutrophils in triple-negative breast cancer: an underestimated player with increasingly recognized importance. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:88. [PMID: 37496019 PMCID: PMC10373263 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01676-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal subtype of breast cancer, with limited therapeutic options readily available. Immunotherapy such as immune checkpoint inhibition has been investigated in TNBC but still encounters low overall response. Neutrophils, the most abundant leukocytes in the body, are increasingly recognized as an active cancer-modulating entity. In the bloodstream, neutrophils escort circulating tumor cells to promote their survival and stimulate their proliferation and metastasis. In the tumor microenvironment, neutrophils modulate the immune milieu through polarization between the anti-tumor and the pro-tumor phenotypes. Through a comprehensive review of recently published literature, it is evident that neutrophils are an important player in TNBC immunobiology and can be used as an important prognostic marker of TNBC. Particularly, in their pro-tumor form, neutrophils facilitate TNBC metastasis through formation of neutrophil extracellular traps and the pre-metastatic niche. These findings will help advance the potential utilization of neutrophils as a therapeutic target in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanjuan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Muyao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lian Xue
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jianyu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jishou University, Jishou, Hunan, China
| | - Hongzhuo Xia
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Siyu Ding
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shujun Fu
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guangchun He
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Xiyun Deng
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Steenbrugge J, Bellemans J, Vander Elst N, Demeyere K, De Vliegher J, Perera T, De Wever O, Van Den Broeck W, De Spiegelaere W, Sanders NN, Meyer E. One cisplatin dose provides durable stimulation of anti-tumor immunity and alleviates anti-PD-1 resistance in an intraductal model for triple-negative breast cancer. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2103277. [PMID: 35898705 PMCID: PMC9311321 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2103277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is classically treated with chemotherapy. Besides direct tumor cell killing, some chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin provide additional disease reduction through stimulation of anti-tumor immunity. The cisplatin-induced immunomodulation in TNBC was here investigated in-depth using immunocompetent intraductal mouse models. Upon primary tumor transition to invasive carcinoma, cisplatin was injected systemically and significantly reduced tumor progression. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping was corroborated by immunohistochemical analyses and revealed both differential immune cell compositions and positivity for their programmed death (PD)-1 and PD-ligand (L)1 markers across body compartments, including the primary tumor, axillary lymph nodes and spleen. As key findings, a significant decrease in immunosuppressive and a concomitant increase in anti-tumor lymphocytic cell numbers were observed in the axillary lymph nodes and spleen, highlighting their importance in cisplatin-stimulated anti-tumor immunity. These immunomodulatory effects were already established following the first cisplatin dose, indicating that early cisplatin-mediated events may determine (immuno)therapeutic outcome. Furthermore, a single cisplatin dose sufficed to alleviate anti-PD-1 resistance in a 4T1-based model, providing add-on disease reduction without toxic side effects as seen upon multiple cisplatin dosing. Overall, these results highlight cisplatin as immunotherapeutic ally in TNBC, providing durable immunostimulation, even after a single dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Steenbrugge
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Julie Bellemans
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Niels Vander Elst
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kristel Demeyere
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Josephine De Vliegher
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | - Olivier De Wever
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Van Den Broeck
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Ward De Spiegelaere
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Niek N. Sanders
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Evelyne Meyer
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
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Zhang Y, Wang G, Li Q, Jiang Y, Chen W, Zhao M, Liang G, Miao Q. Acidity-Activated Charge Conversion of 177Lu-Labeled Nanoagent for the Enhanced Photodynamic Radionuclide Therapy of Cancer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:3875-3884. [PMID: 35021621 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nanomaterials in combination with radionuclide therapy (RNT) provide new opportunities for cancer treatment. However, nanomaterials with efficient tumor accumulation have been less exploited for effective radionuclide-based therapy. Here, we report glycol chitosan-based nanoparticles (GCP-NPs) with acidic pH-dependent surface charge conversion for efficient radionuclide-based combination therapy. The nanoplatform can change the surface charge of nanoparticles from slight negative to positive in the acidic tumor microenvironment, which facilitates cellular internalization and penetration and thus improves the tumor accumulation efficiency of nanomaterials. Radiolabeling of GCP-NPs with 99mTc enables in vivo radioactive imaging in the mouse subcutaneous tumor model, showing 8.1-fold enhanced tumor uptake relative to pH-insensitive control nanoparticles (termed as GCOP-NPs). Afterward, therapeutic radioisotope 177Lu-labeled GCP-NPs (177Lu-GCP-NPs) that utilize RNT synergistic with photodynamic therapy (PDT) derived from conjugated pyropheophorbide-a within nanoparticles endow superior antitumor efficacy in living cells and tumor-bearing mouse model. More importantly, the combination of RNT and PDT using 177Lu-GCP-NPs can effectively inhibit lung metastasis and eliminate splenomegaly, which is not possible for individual RNT or PDT. Therefore, this study proposes a facile radionuclide-based combination therapy strategy toward complete cancer remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhang
- State 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, China
| | - Guanglin Wang
- State 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, China
| | - Qing Li
- State 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, China
| | - Yue Jiang
- State 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, China
| | - Wan Chen
- State 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, China
| | - Min Zhao
- State 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, China
| | - Gaolin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Qingqing Miao
- State 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, China
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