1
|
Peng L, Sferruzza G, Yang L, Zhou L, Chen S. CAR-T and CAR-NK as cellular cancer immunotherapy for solid tumors. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:1089-1108. [PMID: 39134804 PMCID: PMC11442786 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-024-01207-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic approach for combating cancers, demonstrating remarkable efficacy in relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies in both pediatric and adult patients. CAR-natural killer (CAR-NK) cell complements CAR-T cell therapy by offering several distinct advantages. CAR-NK cells do not require HLA compatibility and exhibit low safety concerns. Moreover, CAR-NK cells are conducive to "off-the-shelf" therapeutics, providing significant logistic advantages over CAR-T cells. Both CAR-T and CAR-NK cells have shown consistent and promising results in hematological malignancies. However, their efficacy against solid tumors remains limited due to various obstacles including limited tumor trafficking and infiltration, as well as an immuno-suppressive tumor microenvironment. In this review, we discuss the recent advances and current challenges of CAR-T and CAR-NK cell immunotherapies, with a specific focus on the obstacles to their application in solid tumors. We also analyze in depth the advantages and drawbacks of CAR-NK cells compared to CAR-T cells and highlight CAR-NK CAR optimization. Finally, we explore future perspectives of these adoptive immunotherapies, highlighting the increasing contribution of cutting-edge biotechnological tools in shaping the next generation of cellular immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Peng
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Giacomo Sferruzza
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Luojia Yang
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Immunobiology Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sidi Chen
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- System Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA.
- Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Immunobiology Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Liver Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Center for Biomedical Data Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Center for RNA Science and Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yao Z, Zeng Y, Liu C, Jin H, Wang H, Zhang Y, Ding C, Chen G, Wu D. Focusing on CD8 + T-cell phenotypes: improving solid tumor therapy. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:266. [PMID: 39342365 PMCID: PMC11437975 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03195-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Vigorous CD8+ T cells play a crucial role in recognizing tumor cells and combating solid tumors. How T cells efficiently recognize and target tumor antigens, and how they maintain the activity in the "rejection" of solid tumor microenvironment, are major concerns. Recent advances in understanding of the immunological trajectory and lifespan of CD8+ T cells have provided guidance for the design of more optimal anti-tumor immunotherapy regimens. Here, we review the newly discovered methods to enhance the function of CD8+ T cells against solid tumors, focusing on optimizing T cell receptor (TCR) expression, improving antigen recognition by engineered T cells, enhancing signal transduction of the TCR-CD3 complex, inducing the homing of polyclonal functional T cells to tumors, reversing T cell exhaustion under chronic antigen stimulation, and reprogramming the energy and metabolic pathways of T cells. We also discuss how to participate in the epigenetic changes of CD8+ T cells to regulate two key indicators of anti-tumor responses, namely effectiveness and persistence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhouchi Yao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Yayun Zeng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Huimin Jin
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Scientific Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, 121001, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Chengming Ding
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Guodong Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Daichao Wu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ham H, Jing H, Lamborn IT, Kober MM, Koval A, Berchiche YA, Anderson DE, Druey KM, Mandl JN, Isidor B, Ferreira CR, Freeman AF, Ganesan S, Karsak M, Mustillo PJ, Teo J, Zolkipli-Cunningham Z, Chatron N, Lecoquierre F, Oler AJ, Schmid JP, Kuhns DB, Xu X, Hauck F, Al-Herz W, Wagner M, Terhal PA, Muurinen M, Barlogis V, Cruz P, Danielson J, Stewart H, Loid P, Rading S, Keren B, Pfundt R, Zarember KA, Vill K, Potocki L, Olivier KN, Lesca G, Faivre L, Wong M, Puel A, Chou J, Tusseau M, Moutsopoulos NM, Matthews HF, Simons C, Taft RJ, Soldatos A, Masle-Farquhar E, Pittaluga S, Brink R, Fink DL, Kong HH, Kabat J, Kim WS, Bierhals T, Meguro K, Hsu AP, Gu J, Stoddard J, Banos-Pinero B, Slack M, Trivellin G, Mazel B, Soomann M, Li S, Watts VJ, Stratakis CA, Rodriguez-Quevedo MF, Bruel AL, Lipsanen-Nyman M, Saultier P, Jain R, Lehalle D, Torres D, Sullivan KE, Barbarot S, Neu A, Duffourd Y, Similuk M, McWalter K, Blanc P, Bézieau S, Jin T, Geha RS, Casanova JL, Makitie OM, Kubisch C, Edery P, Christodoulou J, Germain RN, Goodnow CC, Sakmar TP, Billadeau DD, Küry S, Katanaev VL, Zhang Y, Lenardo MJ, Su HC. Germline mutations in a G protein identify signaling cross-talk in T cells. Science 2024; 385:eadd8947. [PMID: 39298586 DOI: 10.1126/science.add8947] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Humans with monogenic inborn errors responsible for extreme disease phenotypes can reveal essential physiological pathways. We investigated germline mutations in GNAI2, which encodes Gαi2, a key component in heterotrimeric G protein signal transduction usually thought to regulate adenylyl cyclase-mediated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. Patients with activating Gαi2 mutations had clinical presentations that included impaired immunity. Mutant Gαi2 impaired cell migration and augmented responses to T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. We found that mutant Gαi2 influenced TCR signaling by sequestering the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase)-activating protein RASA2, thereby promoting RAS activation and increasing downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT S6 signaling to drive cellular growth and proliferation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyoungjun Ham
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Huie Jing
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ian T Lamborn
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Megan M Kober
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexey Koval
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yamina A Berchiche
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Eric Anderson
- Advanced Mass Spectrometry Facility, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kirk M Druey
- Lung and Vascular Inflammation Section, Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Judith N Mandl
- Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bertrand Isidor
- Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- L'Institut du Thorax, CHU Nantes, INSERM UMR 1087/CNRS UMR 6291, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Carlos R Ferreira
- Skeletal Genomics Unit, Metabolic Medicine Branch, DIR, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexandra F Freeman
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sundar Ganesan
- Biological Imaging Section, Research Technologies Branch, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Meliha Karsak
- Neuronal and Cellular Signal Transduction, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peter J Mustillo
- Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Juliana Teo
- Department of Haematology, The Children's Hospital Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zarazuela Zolkipli-Cunningham
- Mitochondrial Medicine Frontier Program, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicolas Chatron
- Service de Génétique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - François Lecoquierre
- Université de Rouen Normandie, INSERM U12045 and CHU Rouen, Department of Genetics and Reference Center for Developmental Disorders, FHU-G4 Génomique, Rouen, France
| | - Andrew J Oler
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology (OCICB), NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jana Pachlopnik Schmid
- Division of Immunology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Pediatric Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Douglas B Kuhns
- Neutrophil Monitoring Lab, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Xuehua Xu
- Chemotaxis Signal Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Fabian Hauck
- Division of Pediatric Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Waleed Al-Herz
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Department of Pediatrics, Al-Sabah Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Matias Wagner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich, School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Medicine and Social Pediatrics, University Hospital of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Paulien A Terhal
- Division of Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mari Muurinen
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Genetics Research Program, Helsinki, Finland
- Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vincent Barlogis
- APHM, La Timone Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology, and Oncology, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, EA 3279 Research Unit, Marseille, France
| | - Phillip Cruz
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology (OCICB), NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Danielson
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helen Stewart
- Oxford Centre for Genomic Medicine, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Petra Loid
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Genetics Research Program, Helsinki, Finland
- Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sebastian Rading
- Neuronal and Cellular Signal Transduction, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Boris Keren
- Genetic Departement, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris.Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- SeqOIA Laboratory, FMG2025, Paris, France
| | - Rolph Pfundt
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Kol A Zarember
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katharina Vill
- LMU University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, iSPZ Hauner MUC - Munich University Center for Children with Medical and Developmental Complexity, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Lorraine Potocki
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth N Olivier
- Pulmonary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, DIR, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gaetan Lesca
- Service de Génétique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Laurence Faivre
- Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), UMR 1231, INSERM, Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France
- Centre de Génétique et Centre de Référence "Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs de l'Inter-région Est", FHU TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Melanie Wong
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anne Puel
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Imagine Institute, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Janet Chou
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maud Tusseau
- Genetics Department, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon, France
- The International Center of Research in Infectiology, Lyon University, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR 5308, ENS, UCBL, Lyon, France
| | - Niki M Moutsopoulos
- Oral Immunity and Infection Section, DIR, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helen F Matthews
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Molecular Development of the Immune System Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cas Simons
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ryan J Taft
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ariane Soldatos
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Etienne Masle-Farquhar
- Immunogenomics Laboratory, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stefania Pittaluga
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert Brink
- St. Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- B Cell Biology Laboratory, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Danielle L Fink
- Neutrophil Monitoring Lab, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Heidi H Kong
- Cutaneous Microbiome and Inflammation Section, Dermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juraj Kabat
- Biological Imaging Section, Research Technologies Branch, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Woo Sung Kim
- Chemotaxis Signal Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Tatjana Bierhals
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kazuyuki Meguro
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Amy P Hsu
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jingwen Gu
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology (OCICB), NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Stoddard
- Immunology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benito Banos-Pinero
- Oxford Genetics Laboratories, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Maria Slack
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center and Golisano Children's Hospital, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Giampaolo Trivellin
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics (SEGEN), DIR, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benoît Mazel
- Centre de Génétique et Centre de Référence "Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs de l'Inter-région Est", FHU TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
- Centre de Référence Déficiences Intellectuelles de Causes Rares, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Maarja Soomann
- Division of Immunology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Li
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology (OCICB), NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Val J Watts
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Constantine A Stratakis
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics (SEGEN), DIR, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maria F Rodriguez-Quevedo
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ange-Line Bruel
- Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), UMR 1231, INSERM, Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Marita Lipsanen-Nyman
- Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paul Saultier
- APHM, La Timone Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology, and Oncology, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAe), Cardiovascular and Nutrition Research Center (C2VN), Marseille, France
| | - Rashmi Jain
- Clinical Immunology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Daphne Lehalle
- AP-HP Sorbonne Université, UF de Génétique Clinique, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares des Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Torres
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kathleen E Sullivan
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sébastien Barbarot
- Department of Dermatology, CHU Nantes, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Axel Neu
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yannis Duffourd
- Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), UMR 1231, INSERM, Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Morgan Similuk
- Centralized Sequencing Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Stéphane Bézieau
- Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- L'Institut du Thorax, CHU Nantes, INSERM UMR 1087/CNRS UMR 6291, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Tian Jin
- Chemotaxis Signal Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Raif S Geha
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jean-Laurent Casanova
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U1163, Paris, France
- Imagine Institute, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children, Paris, France
| | - Outi M Makitie
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Genetics Research Program, Helsinki, Finland
- Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Edery
- Service de Génétique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Inserm U1028, UMR CNRS 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - John Christodoulou
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ronald N Germain
- Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher C Goodnow
- Immunogenomics Laboratory, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas P Sakmar
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel D Billadeau
- Division of Oncology Research, Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sébastien Küry
- Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- L'Institut du Thorax, CHU Nantes, INSERM UMR 1087/CNRS UMR 6291, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Vladimir L Katanaev
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Yu Zhang
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael J Lenardo
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Molecular Development of the Immune System Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helen C Su
- Human Immunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Clinical Genomics Program, DIR, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Karginov TA, Ménoret A, Leclair NK, Harrison AG, Chandiran K, Suarez-Ramirez JE, Yurieva M, Karlinsey K, Wang P, O'Neill RJ, Murphy PA, Adler AJ, Cauley LS, Anczuków O, Zhou B, Vella AT. Autoregulated splicing of TRA2β programs T cell fate in response to antigen-receptor stimulation. Science 2024; 385:eadj1979. [PMID: 39265028 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj1979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) sensitivity to peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) dictates T cell fate. Canonical models of TCR sensitivity cannot be fully explained by transcriptional regulation. In this work, we identify a posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism of TCR sensitivity that guides alternative splicing of TCR signaling transcripts through an evolutionarily ultraconserved poison exon (PE) in the RNA-binding protein (RBP) TRA2β in mouse and human. TRA2β-PE splicing, seen during cancer and infection, was required for TCR-induced effector T cell expansion and function. Tra2β-PE skipping enhanced T cell response to antigen by increasing TCR sensitivity. As antigen levels decreased, Tra2β-PE reinclusion allowed T cell survival. Finally, we found that TRA2β-PE was first included in the genome of jawed vertebrates that were capable of TCR gene rearrangements. We propose that TRA2β-PE splicing acts as a gatekeeper of TCR sensitivity to shape T cell fate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timofey A Karginov
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Antoine Ménoret
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Nathan K Leclair
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Andrew G Harrison
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Karthik Chandiran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Jenny E Suarez-Ramirez
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Marina Yurieva
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Keaton Karlinsey
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Penghua Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Rachel J O'Neill
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Patrick A Murphy
- Center for Vascular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Adam J Adler
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Linda S Cauley
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Olga Anczuków
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Beiyan Zhou
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Anthony T Vella
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ma P, Jiang Y, Zhao G, Wang W, Xing S, Tang Q, Miao H, Fang H, Sun C, Fang Y, Jiang N, Huang H, Wang S, Xie X, Li N. Toward a comprehensive solution for treating solid tumors using T-cell receptor therapy: A review. Eur J Cancer 2024; 209:114224. [PMID: 39067370 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.114224] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
T-cell receptor therapy (TCR-T) has demonstrated efficacy, durability, and safety advantages in certain solid tumors (such as human papillomavirus-related tumors, synovial sarcoma, and melanoma). This study aimed to provide careful considerations for developing TCR-T for solid tumors. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the current clinical application, advantage of TCR-T modalities and explored efficacy/safety-related parameters, particularly avidity, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and indications, for solid tumors. Furthermore, we have investigated critical factors related to avidity, including antigen selection, T-cell receptor acquisition, optimization, and co-receptor engagement. Moreover, we have re-examined the expression of tumor antigens for a potentially higher coverage rate of solid tumors based on the current RNA-seq datasets. Finally, we have discussed the current limitations and future directions of TCR-Ts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Ma
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yale Jiang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Guo Zhao
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Wenbo Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Shujun Xing
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Qiyu Tang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Huilei Miao
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Huiyao Huang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Shuhang Wang
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| | - Xingwang Xie
- Building 1, Bohui innovation building, yard 9, Sheng Life Garden Road, Changping District, Beijing, China.
| | - Ning Li
- Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zebley CC, Zehn D, Gottschalk S, Chi H. T cell dysfunction and therapeutic intervention in cancer. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:1344-1354. [PMID: 39025962 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-01896-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in immunotherapy have affirmed the curative potential of T cell-based approaches for treating relapsed and refractory cancers. However, the therapeutic efficacy is limited in part owing to the ability of cancers to evade immunosurveillance and adapt to immunological pressure. In this Review, we provide a brief overview of cancer-mediated immunosuppressive mechanisms with a specific focus on the repression of the surveillance and effector function of T cells. We discuss CD8+ T cell exhaustion and functional heterogeneity and describe strategies for targeting the molecular checkpoints that restrict T cell differentiation and effector function to bolster immunotherapeutic effects. We also delineate the emerging contributions of the tumor microenvironment to T cell metabolism and conclude by highlighting discovery-based approaches for developing future cellular therapies. Continued exploration of T cell biology and engineering hold great promise for advancing therapeutic interventions for cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin C Zebley
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Dietmar Zehn
- Division of Animal Physiology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan and Center for Infection Prevention (ZIP), Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hongbo Chi
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
McCutcheon SR, Rohm D, Iglesias N, Gersbach CA. Epigenome editing technologies for discovery and medicine. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:1199-1217. [PMID: 39075148 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02320-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Epigenome editing has rapidly evolved in recent years, with diverse applications that include elucidating gene regulation mechanisms, annotating coding and noncoding genome functions and programming cell state and lineage specification. Importantly, given the ubiquitous role of epigenetics in complex phenotypes, epigenome editing has unique potential to impact a broad spectrum of diseases. By leveraging powerful DNA-targeting technologies, such as CRISPR, epigenome editing exploits the heritable and reversible mechanisms of epigenetics to alter gene expression without introducing DNA breaks, inducing DNA damage or relying on DNA repair pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean R McCutcheon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dahlia Rohm
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nahid Iglesias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Posey AD, Young RM, June CH. Future perspectives on engineered T cells for cancer. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:687-695. [PMID: 38853073 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.05.007] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a revolutionary treatment for hematological malignancies, but its adaptation to solid tumors is impeded by multiple challenges, particularly T cell dysfunction and exhaustion. The heterogeneity and inhospitableness of the solid tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to diminished CAR T cell efficacy exhibited by reduced cytotoxicity, proliferation, cytokine secretion, and the upregulation of inhibitory receptors, similar to the phenotype of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). In this review, we highlight recent advances in T cell therapy for solid tumors, particularly brain cancer. Innovative strategies, including locoregional delivery and 'armoring' CAR T cells with cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-18, are under investigation to improve efficacy and safety. We also highlight emerging issues with toxicity management of CAR T cell adverse events. This review discusses the obstacles associated with CAR T cell therapy in the context of solid tumors and outlines current and future strategies to overcome these challenges.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Neoplasms/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Animals
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Avery D Posey
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Regina M Young
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carl H June
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
De Castro V, Galaine J, Loyon R, Godet Y. CRISPR-Cas gene knockouts to optimize engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:1124-1134. [PMID: 38609574 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00771-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
While CAR-T and tgTCR-T therapies have exhibited noteworthy and promising outcomes in hematologic and solid tumors respectively, a set of distinct challenges remains. Consequently, the quest for novel strategies has become imperative to safeguard and more effectively release the full functions of engineered T cells. These factors are intricately linked to the success of adoptive cell therapy. Recently, CRISPR-based technologies have emerged as a major breakthrough for maintaining T cell functions. These technologies have allowed the discovery of T cells' negative regulators such as specific cell-surface receptors, cell-signaling proteins, and transcription factors that are involved in the development or maintenance of T cell dysfunction. By employing a CRISPR-genic invalidation approach to target these negative regulators, it has become possible to prevent the emergence of hypofunctional T cells. This review revisits the establishment of the dysfunctional profile of T cells before delving into a comprehensive summary of recent CRISPR-gene invalidations, with each invalidation contributing to the enhancement of engineered T cells' antitumor capacities. The narrative unfolds as we explore how these advancements were discovered and identified, marking a significant advancement in the pursuit of superior adoptive cell therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentine De Castro
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Jeanne Galaine
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Romain Loyon
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Yann Godet
- Université de Franche-Comté, EFS, INSERM, UMR RIGHT, F-25000, Besançon, France.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cao Y, Li X, Pan Y, Wang H, Yang S, Hong L, Ye L. CRISPR-based genetic screens advance cancer immunology. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-023-2571-0. [PMID: 39048715 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2571-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR technologies have revolutionized research areas ranging from fundamental science to translational medicine. CRISPR-based genetic screens offer a powerful platform for unbiased screening in various fields, such as cancer immunology. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has been shown to strongly affect cancer treatment. However, the currently available ICBs are limited and do not work in all cancer patients. Pooled CRISPR screens enable the identification of previously unknown immune regulators that can regulate T-cell activation, cytotoxicity, persistence, infiltration into tumors, cytokine secretion, memory formation, T-cell metabolism, and CD4+ T-cell differentiation. These novel targets can be developed as new immunotherapies or used with the current ICBs as new combination therapies that may yield synergistic efficacy. Here, we review the progress made in the development of CRISPR technologies, particularly technological advances in CRISPR screens and their application in novel target identification for immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanfang Cao
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xueting Li
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yumu Pan
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Huahe Wang
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Siyu Yang
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Lingjuan Hong
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Lupeng Ye
- Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Patel RP, Ghilardi G, Zhang Y, Chiang YH, Xie W, Guruprasad P, Kim KH, Chun I, Angelos MG, Pajarillo R, Hong SJ, Lee YG, Shestova O, Shaw C, Cohen I, Gupta A, Vu T, Qian D, Yang S, Nimmagadda A, Snook AE, Siciliano N, Rotolo A, Inamdar A, Harris J, Ugwuanyi O, Wang M, Carturan A, Paruzzo L, Chen L, Ballard HJ, Blanchard T, Xu C, Abdel-Mohsen M, Gabunia K, Wysocka M, Linette GP, Carreno B, Barrett DM, Teachey DT, Posey AD, Powell DJ, Sauter CT, Pileri S, Pillai V, Scholler J, Rook AH, Schuster SJ, Barta SK, Porazzi P, Ruella M. CD5 deletion enhances the antitumor activity of adoptive T cell therapies. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadn6509. [PMID: 39028827 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adn6509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Most patients treated with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells eventually experience disease progression. Furthermore, CAR T cells have not been curative against solid cancers and several hematological malignancies such as T cell lymphomas, which have very poor prognoses. One of the main barriers to the clinical success of adoptive T cell immunotherapies is CAR T cell dysfunction and lack of expansion and/or persistence after infusion. In this study, we found that CD5 inhibits CAR T cell activation and that knockout (KO) of CD5 using CRISPR-Cas9 enhances the antitumor effect of CAR T cells in multiple hematological and solid cancer models. Mechanistically, CD5 KO drives increased T cell effector function with enhanced cytotoxicity, in vivo expansion, and persistence, without apparent toxicity in preclinical models. These findings indicate that CD5 is a critical inhibitor of T cell function and a potential clinical target for enhancing T cell therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi P Patel
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guido Ghilardi
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yunlin Zhang
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi-Hao Chiang
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei Xie
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Puneeth Guruprasad
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ki Hyun Kim
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Inkook Chun
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mathew G Angelos
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Raymone Pajarillo
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Seok Jae Hong
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yong Gu Lee
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- College of Pharmacy and Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Olga Shestova
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carolyn Shaw
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ivan Cohen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aasha Gupta
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Trang Vu
- viTToria Biotherapeutics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dean Qian
- viTToria Biotherapeutics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Steven Yang
- viTToria Biotherapeutics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Antonia Rotolo
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arati Inamdar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jaryse Harris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ositadimma Ugwuanyi
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael Wang
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alberto Carturan
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Luca Paruzzo
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Linhui Chen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hatcher J Ballard
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tatiana Blanchard
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chong Xu
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Khatuna Gabunia
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria Wysocka
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gerald P Linette
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Beatriz Carreno
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David M Barrett
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David T Teachey
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Avery D Posey
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel J Powell
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - C Tor Sauter
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stefano Pileri
- Division of Haematopathology, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia IRCCS, Italy
| | - Vinodh Pillai
- Division of Hemato-pathology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Scholler
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alain H Rook
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stephen J Schuster
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stefan K Barta
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patrizia Porazzi
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marco Ruella
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mog BJ, Marcou N, DiNapoli SR, Pearlman AH, Nichakawade TD, Hwang MS, Douglass J, Hsiue EHC, Glavaris S, Wright KM, Konig MF, Paul S, Wyhs N, Ge J, Miller MS, Azurmendi P, Watson E, Pardoll DM, Gabelli SB, Bettegowda C, Papadopoulos N, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Zhou S. Preclinical studies show that Co-STARs combine the advantages of chimeric antigen and T cell receptors for the treatment of tumors with low antigen densities. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadg7123. [PMID: 38985855 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adg7123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Two types of engineered T cells have been successfully used to treat patients with cancer, one with an antigen recognition domain derived from antibodies [chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)] and the other derived from T cell receptors (TCRs). CARs use high-affinity antigen-binding domains and costimulatory domains to induce T cell activation but can only react against target cells with relatively high amounts of antigen. TCRs have a much lower affinity for their antigens but can react against target cells displaying only a few antigen molecules. Here, we describe a new type of receptor, called a Co-STAR (for costimulatory synthetic TCR and antigen receptor), that combines aspects of both CARs and TCRs. In Co-STARs, the antigen-recognizing components of TCRs are replaced by high-affinity antibody fragments, and costimulation is provided by two modules that drive NF-κB signaling (MyD88 and CD40). Using a TCR-mimic antibody fragment that targets a recurrent p53 neoantigen presented in a common human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele, we demonstrate that T cells equipped with Co-STARs can kill cancer cells bearing low densities of antigen better than T cells engineered with conventional CARs and patient-derived TCRs in vitro. In mouse models, we show that Co-STARs mediate more robust T cell expansion and more durable tumor regressions than TCRs similarly modified with MyD88 and CD40 costimulation. Our data suggest that Co-STARs may have utility for other peptide-HLA antigens in cancer and other targets where antigen density may limit the efficacy of engineered T cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Mog
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Nikita Marcou
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sarah R DiNapoli
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Alexander H Pearlman
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Tushar D Nichakawade
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Michael S Hwang
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jacqueline Douglass
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Emily Han-Chung Hsiue
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Stephanie Glavaris
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Katharine M Wright
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Maximilian F Konig
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Suman Paul
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Nicolas Wyhs
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jiaxin Ge
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Michelle S Miller
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - P Azurmendi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Evangeline Watson
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Drew M Pardoll
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sandra B Gabelli
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chetan Bettegowda
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Nickolas Papadopoulos
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kenneth W Kinzler
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Bert Vogelstein
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shibin Zhou
- Ludwig Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ramapriyan R, Vykunta VS, Vandecandelaere G, Richardson LGK, Sun J, Curry WT, Choi BD. Altered cancer metabolism and implications for next-generation CAR T-cell therapies. Pharmacol Ther 2024; 259:108667. [PMID: 38763321 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108667] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
This review critically examines the evolving landscape of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in treating solid tumors, with a particular focus on the metabolic challenges within the tumor microenvironment. CAR T-cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable success in hematologic malignancies, yet its efficacy in solid tumors remains limited. A significant barrier is the hostile milieu of the tumor microenvironment, which impairs CAR T-cell survival and function. This review delves into the metabolic adaptations of cancer cells and their impact on immune cells, highlighting the competition for nutrients and the accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites. It also explores emerging strategies to enhance CAR T-cell metabolic fitness and persistence, including genetic engineering and metabolic reprogramming. An integrated approach, combining metabolic interventions with CAR T-cell therapy, has the potential to overcome these constraints and improve therapeutic outcomes in solid tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rishab Ramapriyan
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Vivasvan S Vykunta
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Gust Vandecandelaere
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Leland G K Richardson
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jing Sun
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - William T Curry
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bryan D Choi
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Boutier H, Loureiro LR, Hoffmann L, Arndt C, Bartsch T, Feldmann A, Bachmann MP. UniCAR T-Cell Potency-A Matter of Affinity between Adaptor Molecules and Adaptor CAR T-Cells? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7242. [PMID: 39000348 PMCID: PMC11241561 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Although Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cells have shown high efficacy in hematologic malignancies, they can cause severe to life-threatening side effects. To address these safety concerns, we have developed adaptor CAR platforms, like the UniCAR system. The redirection of UniCAR T-cells to target cells relies on a Target Module (TM), containing the E5B9 epitope and a tumor-specific binding moiety. Appropriate UniCAR-T activation thus involves two interactions: between the TM and the CAR T-cell, and the TM and the target cell. Here, we investigate if and how alterations of the amino acid sequence of the E5B9 UniCAR epitope impact the interaction between TMs and the UniCAR. We identify the new epitope E5B9L, for which the monoclonal antibody 5B9 has the greatest affinity. We then integrate the E5B9L peptide in previously established TMs directed to Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) and assess if such changes in the UniCAR epitope of the TMs affect UniCAR T-cell potency. Binding properties of the newly generated anti-FAP-E5B9L TMs to UniCAR and their ability to redirect UniCAR T-cells were compared side-by-side with the ones of anti-FAP-E5B9 TMs. Despite a substantial variation in the affinity of the different TMs to the UniCAR, no significant differences were observed in the cytotoxic and cytokine-release profiles of the redirected T-cells. Overall, our work indicates that increasing affinity of the UniCAR to the TM does not play a crucial role in such adaptor CAR system, as it does not significantly impact the potency of the UniCAR T-cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Boutier
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
| | - Liliana R. Loureiro
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
| | - Lydia Hoffmann
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
| | - Claudia Arndt
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tabea Bartsch
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
| | - Anja Feldmann
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael P. Bachmann
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany; (H.B.); (L.R.L.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kath J, Franke C, Drosdek V, Du W, Glaser V, Fuster-Garcia C, Stein M, Zittel T, Schulenberg S, Porter CE, Andersch L, Künkele A, Alcaniz J, Hoffmann J, Abken H, Abou-el-Enein M, Pruß A, Suzuki M, Cathomen T, Stripecke R, Volk HD, Reinke P, Schmueck-Henneresse M, Wagner DL. Integration of ζ-deficient CARs into the CD3ζ gene conveys potent cytotoxicity in T and NK cells. Blood 2024; 143:2599-2611. [PMID: 38493479 PMCID: PMC11196866 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023020973] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected immune cells hold significant therapeutic potential for oncology, autoimmune diseases, transplant medicine, and infections. All approved CAR-T therapies rely on personalized manufacturing using undirected viral gene transfer, which results in nonphysiological regulation of CAR-signaling and limits their accessibility due to logistical challenges, high costs and biosafety requirements. Random gene transfer modalities pose a risk of malignant transformation by insertional mutagenesis. Here, we propose a novel approach utilizing CRISPR-Cas gene editing to redirect T cells and natural killer (NK) cells with CARs. By transferring shorter, truncated CAR-transgenes lacking a main activation domain into the human CD3ζ (CD247) gene, functional CAR fusion-genes are generated that exploit the endogenous CD3ζ gene as the CAR's activation domain. Repurposing this T/NK-cell lineage gene facilitated physiological regulation of CAR expression and redirection of various immune cell types, including conventional T cells, TCRγ/δ T cells, regulatory T cells, and NK cells. In T cells, CD3ζ in-frame fusion eliminated TCR surface expression, reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease in allogeneic off-the-shelf settings. CD3ζ-CD19-CAR-T cells exhibited comparable leukemia control to TCRα chain constant (TRAC)-replaced and lentivirus-transduced CAR-T cells in vivo. Tuning of CD3ζ-CAR-expression levels significantly improved the in vivo efficacy. Notably, CD3ζ gene editing enabled redirection of NK cells without impairing their canonical functions. Thus, CD3ζ gene editing is a promising platform for the development of allogeneic off-the-shelf cell therapies using redirected killer lymphocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Kath
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clemens Franke
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vanessa Drosdek
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Weijie Du
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Viktor Glaser
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carla Fuster-Garcia
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maik Stein
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tatiana Zittel
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Schulenberg
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Caroline E. Porter
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Lena Andersch
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joshua Alcaniz
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin Buch GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Hoffmann
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin Buch GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
- Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mohamed Abou-el-Enein
- Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Axel Pruß
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Masataka Suzuki
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Renata Stripecke
- Clinic of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Translational Immune-Oncology, Cancer Research Center Cologne-Essen, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hans-Dieter Volk
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Petra Reinke
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Schmueck-Henneresse
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dimitrios L. Wagner
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Escobar G, Anderson AC. Decoding T cell state-specific regulomes in cancer. Cell Res 2024; 34:399-400. [PMID: 38242943 PMCID: PMC11143291 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-024-00926-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Escobar
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana C Anderson
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- The Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Naik S, Velasquez MP, Gottschalk S. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in childhood acute myeloid leukemia: how far are we from a clinical application? Haematologica 2024; 109:1656-1667. [PMID: 38832421 PMCID: PMC11141645 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2023.283817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recurrent and/or refractory (R/R) pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a recalcitrant disease with poor outcomes. Cell therapy with genetically modified immune effector cells holds the promise to improve outcomes for R/R AML since it relies on cytotoxic mechanisms that are distinct from chemotherapeutic agents. While T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) showed significant anti-AML activity in preclinical models, early phase clinical studies have demonstrated limited activity, irrespective of the targeted AML antigen. Lack of efficacy is most likely multifactorial, including: (i) a limited array of AML-specific targets and target antigen heterogeneity; (ii) the aggressive nature of R/R AML and heavy pretreatment of patients; (iii) T-cell product manufacturing, and (iv) limited expansion and persistence of the CAR T cells, which is in part driven by the immunosuppressive AML microenvironment. Here we review the results of early phase clinical studies with AML-specific CAR T cells, and avenues investigators are exploring to improve their effector function.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Child
- Clinical Trials as Topic
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Treatment Outcome
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
- Animals
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Song P, Zhang Q, Xu Z, Shi Y, Jing R, Luo D. CRISPR/Cas-based CAR-T cells: production and application. Biomark Res 2024; 12:54. [PMID: 38816881 PMCID: PMC11140991 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00602-z] [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: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment approach for cancer, autoimmune disease, and heart disease. The integration of CAR into T cells is typically facilitated by retroviral or lentiviral vectors. However, the random insertion of CARs can lead to issues like clonal expansion, oncogenic transformation, variegated transgene expression, and transcriptional silencing. The advent of precise gene editing technology, like Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), allows for controlled and precise genome modification, facilitating the translation of CAR-T research to the clinical applications. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the application of CRISPR gene editing techniques in the context of precise deletion and insertion methodologies, with a specific focus on their potential for enhancing the development and utilization of CAR-T cell therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Song
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Shangcheng district, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Qiqi Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yueli Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Ruirui Jing
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dingcun Luo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Shangcheng district, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Walsh ZH, Shah P, Kothapalli N, Shah SB, Nikolenyi G, Brodtman DZ, Leuzzi G, Rogava M, Mu M, Ho P, Abuzaid S, Vasan N, AlQuraishi M, Milner JD, Ciccia A, Melms JC, Izar B. Mapping variant effects on anti-tumor hallmarks of primary human T cells with base-editing screens. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02235-x. [PMID: 38783148 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02235-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in key T cell genes can drive clinical pathologies and could be repurposed to improve cellular cancer immunotherapies. Here, we perform massively parallel base-editing screens to generate thousands of variants at gene loci annotated with known or potential clinical relevance. We discover a broad landscape of putative gain-of-function (GOF) and loss-of-function (LOF) mutations, including in PIK3CD and the gene encoding its regulatory subunit, PIK3R1, LCK, SOS1, AKT1 and RHOA. Base editing of PIK3CD and PIK3R1 variants in T cells with an engineered T cell receptor specific to a melanoma epitope or in different generations of CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells demonstrates that discovered GOF variants, but not LOF or silent mutation controls, enhanced signaling, cytokine production and lysis of cognate melanoma and leukemia cell models, respectively. Additionally, we show that generations of CD19 CAR T cells engineered with PIK3CD GOF mutations demonstrate enhanced antigen-specific signaling, cytokine production and leukemia cell killing, including when benchmarked against other recent strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H Walsh
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Parin Shah
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neeharika Kothapalli
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shivem B Shah
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gergo Nikolenyi
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Zack Brodtman
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giuseppe Leuzzi
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meri Rogava
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Mu
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patricia Ho
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sinan Abuzaid
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neil Vasan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mohammed AlQuraishi
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua D Milner
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alberto Ciccia
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Johannes C Melms
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA.
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chi H, Pepper M, Thomas PG. Principles and therapeutic applications of adaptive immunity. Cell 2024; 187:2052-2078. [PMID: 38670065 PMCID: PMC11177542 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive immunity provides protection against infectious and malignant diseases. These effects are mediated by lymphocytes that sense and respond with targeted precision to perturbations induced by pathogens and tissue damage. Here, we review key principles underlying adaptive immunity orchestrated by distinct T cell and B cell populations and their extensions to disease therapies. We discuss the intracellular and intercellular processes shaping antigen specificity and recognition in immune activation and lymphocyte functions in mediating effector and memory responses. We also describe how lymphocytes balance protective immunity against autoimmunity and immunopathology, including during immune tolerance, response to chronic antigen stimulation, and adaptation to non-lymphoid tissues in coordinating tissue immunity and homeostasis. Finally, we discuss extracellular signals and cell-intrinsic programs underpinning adaptive immunity and conclude by summarizing key advances in vaccination and engineering adaptive immune responses for therapeutic interventions. A deeper understanding of these principles holds promise for uncovering new means to improve human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Chi
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Marion Pepper
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Paul G Thomas
- Department of Host-Microbe Interactions and Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kristensen NP, Dionisio E, Bentzen AK, Tamhane T, Kemming JS, Nos G, Voss LF, Hansen UK, Lauer GM, Hadrup SR. Simultaneous analysis of pMHC binding and reactivity unveils virus-specific CD8 T cell immunity to a concise epitope set. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm8951. [PMID: 38608022 PMCID: PMC11014448 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm8951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
CD8 T cells provide immunity to virus infection through recognition of epitopes presented by peptide major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs). To establish a concise panel of widely recognized T cell epitopes from common viruses, we combined analysis of TCR down-regulation upon stimulation with epitope-specific enumeration based on barcode-labeled pMHC multimers. We assess CD8 T cell binding and reactivity for 929 previously reported epitopes in the context of 1 of 25 HLA alleles representing 29 viruses. The prevalence and magnitude of CD8 T cell responses were evaluated in 48 donors and reported along with 137 frequently recognized virus epitopes, many of which were underrepresented in the public domain. Eighty-four percent of epitope-specific CD8 T cell populations demonstrated reactivity to peptide stimulation, which was associated with effector and long-term memory phenotypes. Conversely, nonreactive T cell populations were associated primarily with naive phenotypes. Our analysis provides a reference map of epitopes for characterizing CD8 T cell responses toward common human virus infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaj Pagh Kristensen
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Edoardo Dionisio
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Amalie Kai Bentzen
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Tripti Tamhane
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Janine Sophie Kemming
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Grigorii Nos
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lasse Frank Voss
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ulla Kring Hansen
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Georg Michael Lauer
- Liver Center and Gastrointestinal Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sine Reker Hadrup
- Section for Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Lin CP, Levy PL, Alflen A, Apriamashvili G, Ligtenberg MA, Vredevoogd DW, Bleijerveld OB, Alkan F, Malka Y, Hoekman L, Markovits E, George A, Traets JJH, Krijgsman O, van Vliet A, Poźniak J, Pulido-Vicuña CA, de Bruijn B, van Hal-van Veen SE, Boshuizen J, van der Helm PW, Díaz-Gómez J, Warda H, Behrens LM, Mardesic P, Dehni B, Visser NL, Marine JC, Markel G, Faller WJ, Altelaar M, Agami R, Besser MJ, Peeper DS. Multimodal stimulation screens reveal unique and shared genes limiting T cell fitness. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:623-645.e10. [PMID: 38490212 PMCID: PMC11003465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Genes limiting T cell antitumor activity may serve as therapeutic targets. It has not been systematically studied whether there are regulators that uniquely or broadly contribute to T cell fitness. We perform genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screens in primary CD8 T cells to uncover genes negatively impacting fitness upon three modes of stimulation: (1) intense, triggering activation-induced cell death (AICD); (2) acute, triggering expansion; (3) chronic, causing dysfunction. Besides established regulators, we uncover genes controlling T cell fitness either specifically or commonly upon differential stimulation. Dap5 ablation, ranking highly in all three screens, increases translation while enhancing tumor killing. Loss of Icam1-mediated homotypic T cell clustering amplifies cell expansion and effector functions after both acute and intense stimulation. Lastly, Ctbp1 inactivation induces functional T cell persistence exclusively upon chronic stimulation. Our results functionally annotate fitness regulators based on their unique or shared contribution to traits limiting T cell antitumor activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Pu Lin
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pierre L Levy
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Astrid Alflen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Georgi Apriamashvili
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten A Ligtenberg
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David W Vredevoogd
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Onno B Bleijerveld
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ferhat Alkan
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yuval Malka
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Hoekman
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ettai Markovits
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52612, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Austin George
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joleen J H Traets
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Oscar Krijgsman
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alex van Vliet
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joanna Poźniak
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carlos Ariel Pulido-Vicuña
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Beaunelle de Bruijn
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Susan E van Hal-van Veen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Julia Boshuizen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pim W van der Helm
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judit Díaz-Gómez
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hamdy Warda
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Leonie M Behrens
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Paula Mardesic
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bilal Dehni
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nils L Visser
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gal Markel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel; Davidoff Cancer Center and Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva 4941492, Israel
| | - William J Faller
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Reuven Agami
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michal J Besser
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52612, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel; Davidoff Cancer Center and Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva 4941492, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Daniel S Peeper
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Xiang M, Li H, Zhan Y, Ma D, Gao Q, Fang Y. Functional CRISPR screens in T cells reveal new opportunities for cancer immunotherapies. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:73. [PMID: 38581063 PMCID: PMC10996278 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-01987-z] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
T cells are fundamental components in tumour immunity and cancer immunotherapies, which have made immense strides and revolutionized cancer treatment paradigm. However, recent studies delineate the predicament of T cell dysregulation in tumour microenvironment and the compromised efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. CRISPR screens enable unbiased interrogation of gene function in T cells and have revealed functional determinators, genetic regulatory networks, and intercellular interactions in T cell life cycle, thereby providing opportunities to revamp cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we briefly described the central roles of T cells in successful cancer immunotherapies, comprehensively summarised the studies of CRISPR screens in T cells, elaborated resultant master genes that control T cell activation, proliferation, fate determination, effector function, and exhaustion, and highlighted genes (BATF, PRDM1, and TOX) and signalling cascades (JAK-STAT and NF-κB pathways) that extensively engage in multiple branches of T cell responses. In conclusion, this review bridged the gap between discovering element genes to a specific process of T cell activities and apprehending these genes in the global T cell life cycle, deepened the understanding of T cell biology in tumour immunity, and outlined CRISPR screens resources that might facilitate the development and implementation of cancer immunotherapies in the clinic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minghua Xiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huayi Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhan
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qinglei Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yong Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Li J, Zong Y, Tuo Z, Liu J, Liu J. The role of RASA2 in predicting radioresistance in lung cancer through regulation of p53. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2024; 13:587-602. [PMID: 38601440 PMCID: PMC11002505 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-24-160] [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: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Background One of the most common causes of lung cancer relapse after clinical treatment is radioresistance. However, the mechanism underlying radioresistance remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of Ras p21 protein activator (RASA2) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The messenger RNA (mRNA) of RASA2 was tested via reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) of cancer tissues from patients with NSCLC. Computed tomography (CT) and bioluminescent imaging (BLI) were used to monitor the tumor growth of patients and orthotopic mice, respectively. Protein-protein interaction was quantified via immunoprecipitation and glutathione S transferase (GST) pulldown assay. Western blotting was used to evaluate the phosphorylation and ubiquitination level of p53. Results The results indicated a negative correlation between the mRNA expression levels of RASA2 in tumor tissues with patients' response to radiotherapy. Patients with a high expression of RASA2 had a lower objective response rate (ORR) after 1 month of radiotherapy than patients with low expression of RASA2 after 1 month of radiotherapy. In terms of mechanism, we proved that RASA2 can directly bind to p53 to promote the phosphorylation of p53, which inhibits its transcriptional activity and further promotes its degradation through the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. In this process, the apoptosis of tumor cells is inhibited due to impaired p53 surveillance, which leads to radioresistance. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that RASA2 negatively regulates p53 in cancer cells and therefore promotes radioresistance, providing a new predictive biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for radioresistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Zong
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhan Tuo
- Department of Radiology, Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junwei Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Lv Y, Luo X, Xie Z, Qiu J, Yang J, Deng Y, Long R, Tang G, Zhang C, Zuo J. Prospects and challenges of CAR-T cell therapy combined with ICIs. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1368732. [PMID: 38571495 PMCID: PMC10989075 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1368732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint molecules are a group of molecules expressed on the surface of immune cells that primarily regulate their immune homeostasis. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is an immunotherapeutic technology that realizes tumor-targeted killing by constructing synthetic T cells expressing specific antigens through biotechnology. Currently, CAR-T cell therapy has achieved good efficacy in non-solid tumors, but its treatment of solid tumors has not yielded the desired results. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with CAR-T cell therapy is a novel combination therapy with high expectations to defeat solid tumors. This review addresses the challenges and expectations of this combination therapy in the treatment of solid tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Lv
- The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Xinyu Luo
- The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhuoyi Xie
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jieya Qiu
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jinsai Yang
- Computer Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yuqi Deng
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Rou Long
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Guiyang Tang
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Chaohui Zhang
- The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Jianhong Zuo
- The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Transformation Research Lab, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- Computer Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Li X, Chen Z, Ye W, Yu J, Zhang X, Li Y, Niu Y, Ran S, Wang S, Luo Z, Zhao J, Hao Y, Zong J, Xia C, Xia J, Wu J. High-throughput CRISPR technology: a novel horizon for solid organ transplantation. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1295523. [PMID: 38239344 PMCID: PMC10794540 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1295523] [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: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Organ transplantation is the gold standard therapy for end-stage organ failure. However, the shortage of available grafts and long-term graft dysfunction remain the primary barriers to organ transplantation. Exploring approaches to solve these issues is urgent, and CRISPR/Cas9-based transcriptome editing provides one potential solution. Furthermore, combining CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing with an ex vivo organ perfusion system would enable pre-implantation transcriptome editing of grafts. How to determine effective intervention targets becomes a new problem. Fortunately, the advent of high-throughput CRISPR screening has dramatically accelerated the effective targets. This review summarizes the current advancements, utilization, and workflow of CRISPR screening in various immune and non-immune cells. It also discusses the ongoing applications of CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing in transplantation and the prospective applications of CRISPR screening in solid organ transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhang Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Weicong Ye
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jizhang Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuqing Niu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuan Ran
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zilong Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiulu Zhao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanglin Hao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Junjie Zong
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengkun Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiahong Xia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Center for Translational Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Schmidt R, Ward CC, Dajani R, Armour-Garb Z, Ota M, Allain V, Hernandez R, Layeghi M, Xing G, Goudy L, Dorovskyi D, Wang C, Chen YY, Ye CJ, Shy BR, Gilbert LA, Eyquem J, Pritchard JK, Dodgson SE, Marson A. Base-editing mutagenesis maps alleles to tune human T cell functions. Nature 2024; 625:805-812. [PMID: 38093011 PMCID: PMC11065414 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06835-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-enabled screening is a powerful tool for the discovery of genes that control T cell function and has nominated candidate targets for immunotherapies1-6. However, new approaches are required to probe specific nucleotide sequences within key genes. Systematic mutagenesis in primary human T cells could reveal alleles that tune specific phenotypes. DNA base editors are powerful tools for introducing targeted mutations with high efficiency7,8. Here we develop a large-scale base-editing mutagenesis platform with the goal of pinpointing nucleotides that encode amino acid residues that tune primary human T cell activation responses. We generated a library of around 117,000 single guide RNA molecules targeting base editors to protein-coding sites across 385 genes implicated in T cell function and systematically identified protein domains and specific amino acid residues that regulate T cell activation and cytokine production. We found a broad spectrum of alleles with variants encoding critical residues in proteins including PIK3CD, VAV1, LCP2, PLCG1 and DGKZ, including both gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutations. We validated the functional effects of many alleles and further demonstrated that base-editing hits could positively and negatively tune T cell cytotoxic function. Finally, higher-resolution screening using a base editor with relaxed protospacer-adjacent motif requirements9 (NG versus NGG) revealed specific structural domains and protein-protein interaction sites that can be targeted to tune T cell functions. Base-editing screens in primary immune cells thus provide biochemical insights with the potential to accelerate immunotherapy design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Schmidt
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Carl C Ward
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Rama Dajani
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zev Armour-Garb
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mineto Ota
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Allain
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR976, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Rosmely Hernandez
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Madeline Layeghi
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Galen Xing
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Laine Goudy
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dmytro Dorovskyi
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Charlotte Wang
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yan Yi Chen
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chun Jimmie Ye
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics (IHG), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brian R Shy
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Luke A Gilbert
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
- Arc Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Justin Eyquem
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics (IHG), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Pritchard
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stacie E Dodgson
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexander Marson
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Human Genetics (IHG), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Yang T, Chen R, Zhang M, Jing R, Geng J, Wei G, Luo Y, Xiao P, Hong R, Feng J, Fu S, Zhao H, Cui J, Huang S, Huang H, Hu Y. Relapsed/Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis With UNC13D and CD27 Germline Mutations. Cell Transplant 2024; 33:9636897231221887. [PMID: 38183241 PMCID: PMC10771736 DOI: 10.1177/09636897231221887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe hyperinflammatory disease characterized by familial and acquired forms. Here, we present the case of a 26-year-old male patient with relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma and concurrent HLH. Whole-exon sequencing revealed germline mutations associated with HLH, including those in critical genes such as CD27 and UNC13D and other germline heterozygous variants (NOTCH2, NOTCH3, IL2RA, TYK2, AGL, CFD, and F13A1). CD107a analyses consistently demonstrated impaired degranulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. Examination of the patient's family pedigree revealed that his father and mother harbored UNC13D and CD27 mutations, respectively; his brother carried the same CD27 heterozygous mutation. However, none of them manifested the disease. Despite the missense mutation of CD27 (c.779C>T; p.Pro260Leu) lacking previous documentation in databases, comprehensive analysis suggested non-pathogenic mutations in the CD27 variant, indicating minimal impact on T- and NK-cell functions. These results ultimately supported the option of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as a successful curative therapeutic approach. As of this report, the patient has remained free of lymphoma and quiescent HLH 15.2 months post-HSCT. This study underscores the efficacy of genetic tests in identifying significant mutations and confirming their etiologies, providing an early basis for treatment decisions and the selection of suitable transplant donors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Yang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rongrong Chen
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruirui Jing
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia Geng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoqing Wei
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pingnan Xiao
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruimin Hong
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Feng
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shan Fu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Houli Zhao
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiazhen Cui
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Simao Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongxian Hu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Li YR, Lyu Z, Tian Y, Fang Y, Zhu Y, Chen Y, Yang L. Advancements in CRISPR screens for the development of cancer immunotherapy strategies. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2023; 31:100733. [PMID: 37876793 PMCID: PMC10591018 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2023.100733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR screen technology enables systematic and scalable interrogation of gene function by using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to perturb gene expression. In the field of cancer immunotherapy, this technology has empowered the discovery of genes, biomarkers, and pathways that regulate tumor development and progression, immune reactivity, and the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic interventions. By conducting large-scale genetic screens, researchers have successfully identified novel targets to impede tumor growth, enhance anti-tumor immune responses, and surmount immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we present an overview of CRISPR screens conducted in tumor cells for the purpose of identifying novel therapeutic targets. We also explore the application of CRISPR screens in immune cells to propel the advancement of cell-based therapies, encompassing T cells, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. Furthermore, we outline the crucial components necessary for the successful implementation of immune-specific CRISPR screens and explore potential directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Zibai Lyu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yanxin Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ying Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yichen Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yuning Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Miraki Feriz A, Bahraini F, Khosrojerdi A, Azarkar S, Sajjadi SM, HosseiniGol E, Honardoost MA, Saghafi S, Silvestris N, Leone P, Safarpour H, Racanelli V. Deciphering the immune landscape of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A single-cell transcriptomic analysis of regulatory T cell responses to PD-1 blockade therapy. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295863. [PMID: 38096229 PMCID: PMC10721039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is changing the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) landscape and improving outcomes for patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. A deeper understanding of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is required in light of the limitations of patients' responses to immunotherapy. Here, we aimed to examine how Nivolumab affects infiltrating Tregs in the HNSCC TME. We used single-cell RNA sequencing data from eight tissues isolated from four HNSCC donors before and after Nivolumab treatment. Interestingly, the study found that Treg counts and suppressive activity increased following Nivolumab therapy. We also discovered that changes in the CD44-SSP1 axis, NKG2C/D-HLA-E axis, and KRAS signaling may have contributed to the increase in Treg numbers. Furthermore, our study suggests that decreasing the activity of the KRAS and Notch signaling pathways, and increasing FOXP3, CTLA-4, LAG-3, and GZMA expression, may be mechanisms that enhance the killing and suppressive capacity of Tregs. Additionally, the result of pseudo-temporal analysis of the HNSCC TME indicated that after Nivolumab therapy, the expression of certain inhibitory immune checkpoints including TIGIT, ENTPD1, and CD276 and LY9, were decreased in Tregs, while LAG-3 showed an increased expression level. The study also found that Tregs had a dense communication network with cluster two, and that certain ligand-receptor pairs, including SPP1/CD44, HLA-E/KLRC2, HLA-E/KLRK1, ANXA1/FPR3, and CXCL9/FCGR2A, had notable changes after the therapy. These changes in gene expression and cell interactions may have implications for the role of Tregs in the TME and in response to Nivolumab therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adib Miraki Feriz
- Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), Birjand, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Bahraini
- Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), Birjand, Iran
| | | | - Setareh Azarkar
- Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), Birjand, Iran
| | | | - Edris HosseiniGol
- Department of Computer Engineering, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amin Honardoost
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Data Analytics, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Samira Saghafi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center (CMRC), BUMS, Birjand, Iran
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, BUMS, Birjand, Iran
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Patrizia Leone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | | | - Vito Racanelli
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento and Internal Medicine Division, Santa Chiara Hospital, Provincial Health Care Agency (APSS), Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Walsh ZH, Shah P, Kothapalli N, Nikolenyi G, Shah SB, Leuzzi G, Mu M, Ho P, Abuzaid S, Brodtman ZD, Vasan N, AlQuraishi M, Milner JD, Ciccia A, Melms JC, Izar B. Massively parallel base editing screens to map variant effects on anti-tumor hallmarks of primary human T cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571465. [PMID: 38168306 PMCID: PMC10760091 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Base editing enables generation of single nucleotide variants, but large-scale screening in primary human T cells is limited due to low editing efficiency, among other challenges 1 . Here, we developed a high-throughput approach for high-efficiency and massively parallel adenine and cytosine base-editor screening in primary human T cells. We performed multiple large-scale screens editing 102 genes with central functions in T cells and full-length tiling mutagenesis of selected genes, and read out variant effects on hallmarks of T cell anti-tumor immunity, including activation, proliferation, and cytokine production. We discovered a broad landscape of gain- and loss-of-function mutations, including in PIK3CD and its regulatory subunit encoded by PIK3R1, LCK , AKT1, CTLA-4 and JAK1 . We identified variants that affected several (e.g., PIK3CD C416R) or only selected (e.g. LCK Y505C) hallmarks of T cell activity, and functionally validated several hits by probing downstream signaling nodes and testing their impact on T cell polyfunctionality and proliferation. Using primary human T cells in which we engineered a T cell receptor (TCR) specific to a commonly presented tumor testis antigen as a model for cellular immunotherapy, we demonstrate that base edits identified in our screens can tune specific or broad T cell functions and ultimately improve tumor elimination while exerting minimal off-target activity. In summary, we present the first large-scale base editing screen in primary human T cells and provide a framework for scalable and targeted base editing at high efficiency. Coupled with multi-modal phenotypic mapping, we accurately nominate variants that produce a desirable T cell state and leverage these synthetic proteins to improve models of cellular cancer immunotherapies.
Collapse
|
32
|
Talleur AC, Naik S, Gottschalk S. Preventing relapse after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for pediatric ALL: the role of transplant and enhanced CAR T cells. HEMATOLOGY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEMATOLOGY. EDUCATION PROGRAM 2023; 2023:91-96. [PMID: 38066941 PMCID: PMC10727085 DOI: 10.1182/hematology.2023000424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has become an integral part of our treatment armamentarium for pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, despite initial remission rates of greater than 80%, durable remission occurs in only 40% to 50% of patients. In this review we summarize our current knowledge of the role of consolidative hematopoietic cell transplantation in the management of pediatric patients who achieved a minimal residual disease-negative complete response post CD19 CAR T-cell therapy. In addition, we review approaches to enhance effector function CD19 CAR T cells, focusing on how to improve persistence and prevent the emergence of CD19- B-ALL blasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aimee C Talleur
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Swati Naik
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Klebanoff CA, Chandran SS, Baker BM, Quezada SA, Ribas A. T cell receptor therapeutics: immunological targeting of the intracellular cancer proteome. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:996-1017. [PMID: 37891435 PMCID: PMC10947610 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00809-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The T cell receptor (TCR) complex is a naturally occurring antigen sensor that detects, amplifies and coordinates cellular immune responses to epitopes derived from cell surface and intracellular proteins. Thus, TCRs enable the targeting of proteins selectively expressed by cancer cells, including neoantigens, cancer germline antigens and viral oncoproteins. As such, TCRs have provided the basis for an emerging class of oncology therapeutics. Herein, we review the current cancer treatment landscape using TCRs and TCR-like molecules. This includes adoptive cell transfer of T cells expressing endogenous or engineered TCRs, TCR bispecific engagers and antibodies specific for human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-bound peptides (TCR mimics). We discuss the unique complexities associated with the clinical development of these therapeutics, such as HLA restriction, TCR retrieval, potency assessment and the potential for cross-reactivity. In addition, we highlight emerging clinical data that establish the antitumour potential of TCR-based therapies, including tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, for the treatment of diverse human malignancies. Finally, we explore the future of TCR therapeutics, including emerging genome editing methods to safely enhance potency and strategies to streamline patient identification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Klebanoff
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Smita S Chandran
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, New York, NY, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, ID, USA
- The Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, ID, USA
| | - Sergio A Quezada
- Cancer Immunology Unit, Research Department of Haematology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Achilles Therapeutics, London, UK
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ruella M, Korell F, Porazzi P, Maus MV. Mechanisms of resistance to chimeric antigen receptor-T cells in haematological malignancies. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:976-995. [PMID: 37907724 PMCID: PMC10965011 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00807-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have recently emerged as a powerful therapeutic approach for the treatment of patients with chemotherapy-refractory or relapsed blood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Nevertheless, resistance to CAR-T cell therapies occurs in most patients. In this Review, we summarize the resistance mechanisms to CAR-T cell immunotherapy by analysing CAR-T cell dysfunction, intrinsic tumour resistance and the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. We discuss current research strategies to overcome multiple resistance mechanisms, including optimization of the CAR design, improvement of in vivo T cell function and persistence, modulation of the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment and synergistic combination strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Ruella
- Division of Hematology and Oncology and Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Felix Korell
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrizia Porazzi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology and Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marcela V Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
McCutcheon SR, Swartz AM, Brown MC, Barrera A, McRoberts Amador C, Siklenka K, Humayun L, Ter Weele MA, Isaacs JM, Reddy TE, Allen AS, Nair SK, Antonia SJ, Gersbach CA. Transcriptional and epigenetic regulators of human CD8 + T cell function identified through orthogonal CRISPR screens. Nat Genet 2023; 55:2211-2223. [PMID: 37945901 PMCID: PMC10703699 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01554-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Clinical response to adoptive T cell therapies is associated with the transcriptional and epigenetic state of the cell product. Thus, discovery of regulators of T cell gene networks and their corresponding phenotypes has potential to improve T cell therapies. Here we developed pooled, epigenetic CRISPR screening approaches to systematically profile the effects of activating or repressing 120 transcriptional and epigenetic regulators on human CD8+ T cell state. We found that BATF3 overexpression promoted specific features of memory T cells and attenuated gene programs associated with cytotoxicity, regulatory T cell function, and exhaustion. Upon chronic antigen stimulation, BATF3 overexpression countered phenotypic and epigenetic signatures of T cell exhaustion. Moreover, BATF3 enhanced the potency of CAR T cells in both in vitro and in vivo tumor models and programmed a transcriptional profile that correlates with positive clinical response to adoptive T cell therapy. Finally, we performed CRISPR knockout screens that defined cofactors and downstream mediators of the BATF3 gene network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean R McCutcheon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Adam M Swartz
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael C Brown
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alejandro Barrera
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christian McRoberts Amador
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Keith Siklenka
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lucas Humayun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Maria A Ter Weele
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - James M Isaacs
- Duke Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Timothy E Reddy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrew S Allen
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Smita K Nair
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Scott J Antonia
- Duke Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Giardino Torchia ML, Moody G. DIALing-up the preclinical characterization of gene-modified adoptive cellular immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1264882. [PMID: 38090585 PMCID: PMC10713823 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1264882] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The preclinical characterization of gene modified adoptive cellular immunotherapy candidates for clinical development often requires the use of mouse models. Gene-modified lymphocytes (GML) incorporating chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) and T-cell receptors (TCR) into immune effector cells require in vivo characterization of biological activity, mechanism of action, and preclinical safety. Typically, this characterization involves the assessment of dose-dependent, on-target, on-tumor activity in severely immunocompromised mice. While suitable for the purpose of evaluating T cell-expressed transgene function in a living host, this approach falls short in translating cellular therapy efficacy, safety, and persistence from preclinical models to humans. To comprehensively characterize cell therapy products in mice, we have developed a framework called "DIAL". This framework aims to enable an end-to-end understanding of genetically engineered cellular immunotherapies in vivo, from infusion to tumor clearance and long-term immunosurveillance. The acronym DIAL stands for Distribution, Infiltration, Accumulation, and Longevity, compartmentalizing the systemic attributes of gene-modified cellular therapy and providing a platform for optimization with the ultimate goal of improving therapeutic efficacy. This review will discuss both existent and emerging examples of DIAL characterization in mouse models, as well as opportunities for future development and optimization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gordon Moody
- Cell Therapy Unit, Oncology Research, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Harrer DC, Li SS, Kaljanac M, Barden M, Pan H, Abken H. Fine-tuning the antigen sensitivity of CAR T cells: emerging strategies and current challenges. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1321596. [PMID: 38090558 PMCID: PMC10711209 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1321596] [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: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are "living drugs" that specifically recognize their target antigen through an antibody-derived binding domain resulting in T cell activation, expansion, and destruction of cognate target cells. The FDA/EMA approval of CAR T cells for the treatment of B cell malignancies established CAR T cell therapy as an emerging pillar of modern immunotherapy. However, nearly every second patient undergoing CAR T cell therapy is suffering from disease relapse within the first two years which is thought to be due to downregulation or loss of the CAR target antigen on cancer cells, along with decreased functional capacities known as T cell exhaustion. Antigen downregulation below CAR activation threshold leaves the T cell silent, rendering CAR T cell therapy ineffective. With the application of CAR T cells for the treatment of a growing number of malignant diseases, particularly solid tumors, there is a need for augmenting CAR sensitivity to target antigen present at low densities on cancer cells. Here, we discuss upcoming strategies and current challenges in designing CARs for recognition of antigen low cancer cells, aiming at augmenting sensitivity and finally therapeutic efficacy while reducing the risk of tumor relapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Christoph Harrer
- Deptartment of Hematology and Internal Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sin-Syue Li
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Marcell Kaljanac
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Markus Barden
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hong Pan
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Chair Genetic Immunotherapy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ibanez J, Hebbar N, Thanekar U, Yi Z, Houke H, Ward M, Nevitt C, Tian L, Mack SC, Sheppard H, Chiang J, Velasquez MP, Krenciute G. GRP78-CAR T cell effector function against solid and brain tumors is controlled by GRP78 expression on T cells. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101297. [PMID: 37992682 PMCID: PMC10694756 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101297] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Lack of targetable antigens is a key limitation for developing successful T cell-based immunotherapies. Members of the unfolded protein response (UPR) represent ideal immunotherapy targets because the UPR regulates the ability of cancer cells to resist cell death, sustain proliferation, and metastasize. Glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a key UPR regulator that is overexpressed and translocated to the cell surface of a wide variety of cancers in response to elevated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We show that GRP78 is highly expressed on the cell surface of multiple solid and brain tumors, making cell surface GRP78 a promising chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell target. We demonstrate that GRP78-CAR T cells can recognize and kill GRP78+ brain and solid tumors in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that GRP78 is upregulated on CAR T cells upon T cell activation; however, this expression is tumor-cell-line specific and results in heterogeneous GRP78-CAR T cell therapeutic response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ibanez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Nikhil Hebbar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Unmesha Thanekar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Zhongzhen Yi
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Haley Houke
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Meghan Ward
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Chris Nevitt
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Liqing Tian
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stephen C Mack
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Heather Sheppard
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jason Chiang
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - M Paulina Velasquez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| | - Giedre Krenciute
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Kath J, Franke C, Drosdek V, Du W, Glaser V, Fuster-Garcia C, Stein M, Zittel T, Schulenberg S, Porter CE, Andersch L, Künkele A, Alcaniz J, Hoffmann J, Abken H, Abou-El-Enein M, Pruß A, Suzuki M, Cathomen T, Stripecke R, Volk HD, Reinke P, Schmueck-Henneresse M, Wagner DL. Integration of ζ-deficient CARs into the CD3-zeta gene conveys potent cytotoxicity in T and NK cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.10.565518. [PMID: 38116030 PMCID: PMC10729737 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.565518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-reprogrammed immune cells hold significant therapeutic potential for oncology, autoimmune diseases, transplant medicine, and infections. All approved CAR-T therapies rely on personalized manufacturing using undirected viral gene transfer, which results in non-physiological regulation of CAR-signaling and limits their accessibility due to logistical challenges, high costs and biosafety requirements. Here, we propose a novel approach utilizing CRISPR-Cas gene editing to redirect T cells and natural killer (NK) cells with CARs. By transferring shorter, truncated CAR-transgenes lacking a main activation domain into the human CD3 ζ (CD247) gene, functional CAR fusion-genes are generated that exploit the endogenous CD3 ζ gene as the CAR's activation domain. Repurposing this T/NK-cell lineage gene facilitated physiological regulation of CAR-expression and reprogramming of various immune cell types, including conventional T cells, TCRγ/δ T cells, regulatory T cells, and NK cells. In T cells, CD3 ζ in-frame fusion eliminated TCR surface expression, reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease in allogeneic off-the-shelf settings. CD3 ζ-CD19-CAR-T cells exhibited comparable leukemia control to T cell receptor alpha constant ( TRAC )-replaced and lentivirus-transduced CAR-T cells in vivo . Tuning of CD3 ζ-CAR-expression levels significantly improved the in vivo efficacy. Compared to TRAC -edited CAR-T cells, integration of a Her2-CAR into CD3 ζ conveyed similar in vitro tumor lysis but reduced susceptibility to activation-induced cell death and differentiation, presumably due to lower CAR-expression levels. Notably, CD3 ζ gene editing enabled reprogramming of NK cells without impairing their canonical functions. Thus, CD3 ζ gene editing is a promising platform for the development of allogeneic off-the-shelf cell therapies using redirected killer lymphocytes. Key points Integration of ζ-deficient CARs into CD3 ζ gene allows generation of functional TCR-ablated CAR-T cells for allogeneic off-the-shelf use CD3 ζ-editing platform allows CAR reprogramming of NK cells without affecting their canonical functions.
Collapse
|
40
|
Hoces D, Miguens Blanco J, Hernández-López RA. A synthetic biology approach to engineering circuits in immune cells. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:120-137. [PMID: 37464881 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13244] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
A synthetic circuit in a biological system involves the designed assembly of genetic elements, biomolecules, or cells to create a defined function. These circuits are central in synthetic biology, enabling the reprogramming of cellular behavior and the engineering of cells with customized responses. In cancer therapeutics, engineering T cells with circuits have the potential to overcome the challenges of current approaches, for example, by allowing specific recognition and killing of cancer cells. Recent advances also facilitate engineering integrated circuits for the controlled release of therapeutic molecules at specified locations, for example, in a solid tumor. In this review, we discuss recent strategies and applications of synthetic receptor circuits aimed at enhancing immune cell functions for cancer immunotherapy. We begin by introducing the concept of circuits in networks at the molecular and cellular scales and provide an analysis of the development and implementation of several synthetic circuits in T cells that have the goal to overcome current challenges in cancer immunotherapy. These include specific targeting of cancer cells, increased T-cell proliferation, and persistence in the tumor microenvironment. By harnessing the power of synthetic biology, and the characteristics of certain circuit architectures, it is now possible to engineer a new generation of immune cells that recognize cancer cells, while minimizing off-target toxicities. We specifically discuss T-cell circuits for antigen density sensing. These circuits allow targeting of solid tumors that share antigens with normal tissues. Additionally, we explore designs for synthetic circuits that could control T-cell differentiation or T-cell fate as well as the concept of synthetic multicellular circuits that leverage cellular communication and division of labor to achieve improved therapeutic efficacy. As our understanding of cell biology expands and novel tools for genome, protein, and cell engineering are developed, we anticipate further innovative approaches to emerge in the design and engineering of circuits in immune cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hoces
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jesús Miguens Blanco
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Rogelio A Hernández-López
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, California, USA
- Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Abstract
T cells can acquire a broad spectrum of differentiation states following activation. At the extreme ends of this continuum are short-lived cells equipped with effector machinery and more quiescent, long-lived cells with heightened proliferative potential and stem cell-like developmental plasticity. The latter encompass stem-like exhausted T cells and memory T cells, both of which have recently emerged as key determinants of cancer immunity and response to immunotherapy. Here, we discuss key similarities and differences in the regulation and function of stem-like exhausted CD8+ T cells and memory CD8+ T cells, and consider their context-specific contributions to protective immunity in diverse outcomes of cancer, including tumour escape, long-term control and eradication. Finally, we emphasize how recent advances in the understanding of the molecular regulation of stem-like exhausted T cells and memory T cells are being explored for clinical benefit in cancer immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibition, adoptive cell therapy and vaccination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gebhardt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Simone L Park
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Immunology and Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian A Parish
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Garcia JM, Burnett CE, Roybal KT. Toward the clinical development of synthetic immunity to cancer. Immunol Rev 2023; 320:83-99. [PMID: 37491719 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13245] [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: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology (synbio) tools, such as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), have been designed to target, activate, and improve immune cell responses to tumors. These therapies have demonstrated an ability to cure patients with blood cancers. However, there are significant challenges to designing, testing, and efficiently translating these complex cell therapies for patients who do not respond or have immune refractory solid tumors. The rapid progress of synbio tools for cell therapy, particularly for cancer immunotherapy, is encouraging but our development process should be tailored to increase translational success. Particularly, next-generation cell therapies should be rooted in basic immunology, tested in more predictive preclinical models, engineered for potency with the right balance of safety, educated by clinical findings, and multi-faceted to combat a range of suppressive mechanisms. Here, we lay out five principles for engineering future cell therapies to increase the probability of clinical impact, and in the context of these principles, we provide an overview of the current state of synbio cell therapy design for cancer. Although these principles are anchored in engineering immune cells for cancer therapy, we posit that they can help guide translational synbio research for broad impact in other disease indications with high unmet need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute for Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF Cell Design Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cassandra E Burnett
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute for Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF Cell Design Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kole T Roybal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute for Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF Cell Design Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Johansen KH, Golec DP, Okkenhaug K, Schwartzberg PL. Mind the GAP: RASA2 and RASA3 GTPase-activating proteins as gatekeepers of T cell activation and adhesion. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:917-931. [PMID: 37858490 PMCID: PMC10621891 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Following stimulation, the T cell receptor (TCR) and its coreceptors integrate multiple intracellular signals to initiate T cell proliferation, migration, gene expression, and metabolism. Among these signaling molecules are the small GTPases RAS and RAP1, which induce MAPK pathways and cellular adhesion to activate downstream effector functions. Although many studies have helped to elucidate the signaling intermediates that mediate T cell activation, the molecules and pathways that keep naive T cells in check are less understood. Several recent studies provide evidence that RASA2 and RASA3, which are GAP1-family GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that inactivate RAS and RAP1, respectively, are crucial molecules that limit T cell activation and adhesion. In this review we describe recent data on the roles of RASA2 and RASA3 as gatekeepers of T cell activation and migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristoffer H Johansen
- Cell Signaling and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK; Section of Experimental and Translational Immunology, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Dominic P Golec
- Cell Signaling and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Klaus Okkenhaug
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Pamela L Schwartzberg
- Cell Signaling and Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Zhao L, Liu P, Mao M, Zhang S, Bigenwald C, Dutertre CA, Lehmann CHK, Pan H, Paulhan N, Amon L, Buqué A, Yamazaki T, Galluzzi L, Kloeckner B, Silvin A, Pan Y, Chen H, Tian AL, Ly P, Dudziak D, Zitvogel L, Kepp O, Kroemer G. BCL2 Inhibition Reveals a Dendritic Cell-Specific Immune Checkpoint That Controls Tumor Immunosurveillance. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:2448-2469. [PMID: 37623817 PMCID: PMC7615270 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-1338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
We developed a phenotypic screening platform for the functional exploration of dendritic cells (DC). Here, we report a genome-wide CRISPR screen that revealed BCL2 as an endogenous inhibitor of DC function. Knockout of BCL2 enhanced DC antigen presentation and activation as well as the capacity of DCs to control tumors and to synergize with PD-1 blockade. The pharmacologic BCL2 inhibitors venetoclax and navitoclax phenocopied these effects and caused a cDC1-dependent regression of orthotopic lung cancers and fibrosarcomas. Thus, solid tumors failed to respond to BCL2 inhibition in mice constitutively devoid of cDC1, and this was reversed by the infusion of DCs. Moreover, cDC1 depletion reduced the therapeutic efficacy of BCL2 inhibitors alone or in combination with PD-1 blockade and treatment with venetoclax caused cDC1 activation, both in mice and in patients. In conclusion, genetic and pharmacologic BCL2 inhibition unveils a DC-specific immune checkpoint that restrains tumor immunosurveillance. SIGNIFICANCE BCL2 inhibition improves the capacity of DCs to stimulate anticancer immunity and restrain cancer growth in an immunocompetent context but not in mice lacking cDC1 or mature T cells. This study indicates that BCL2 blockade can be used to sensitize solid cancers to PD-1/PD-L1-targeting immunotherapy. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2293.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Zhao
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Peng Liu
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Misha Mao
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Surgical Oncology Department, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Department of Respiratory and Critical care Medicine, Union Hospital,Wuhan
| | - Camille Bigenwald
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
- Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France
| | - Charles-Antoine Dutertre
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Christian H. K. Lehmann
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen (MICE), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen - European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hui Pan
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Nicolas Paulhan
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Lukas Amon
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen - European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aitziber Buqué
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Takahiro Yamazaki
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benoit Kloeckner
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Aymeric Silvin
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Yuhong Pan
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Hui Chen
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Ai-Ling Tian
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Pierre Ly
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
- Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France
| | - Diana Dudziak
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen (MICE), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen - European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- INSERM U1015, Equipe Labellisée - Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif Cedex, France
- Center of Clinical Investigations in Biotherapies of Cancer (CICBT) 1428, Villejuif, France
| | - Oliver Kepp
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris Saclay, Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Department of Biology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Kohn DB, Chen YY, Spencer MJ. Successes and challenges in clinical gene therapy. Gene Ther 2023; 30:738-746. [PMID: 37935854 PMCID: PMC10678346 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00390-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the ups and downs in the field over three decades, the science of gene therapy has continued to advance and provide enduring treatments for increasing number of diseases. There are active clinical trials approaching a variety of inherited and acquired disorders of different organ systems. Approaches include ex vivo modification of hematologic stem cells (HSC), T lymphocytes and other immune cells, as well as in vivo delivery of genes or gene editing reagents to the relevant target cells by either local or systemic administration. In this article, we highlight success and ongoing challenges in three areas of high activity in gene therapy: inherited blood cell diseases by targeting hematopoietic stem cells, malignant disorders using immune effector cells genetically modified with chimeric antigen receptors, and ophthalmologic, neurologic, and coagulation disorders using in vivo administration of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. In recent years, there have been true cures for many of these diseases, with sustained clinical benefit that exceed those from other medical approaches. Each of these treatments faces ongoing challenges, namely their high one-time costs and the complexity of manufacturing the therapeutic agents, which are biological viruses and cell products, at pharmacologic standards of quality and consistency. New models of reimbursement are needed to make these innovative treatments widely available to patients in need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donald B Kohn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Yvonne Y Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Melissa J Spencer
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Cui Y, Luo M, Gu C, He Y, Yao Y, Li P. CAR designs for solid tumors: overcoming hurdles and paving the way for effective immunotherapy. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2023; 9:279-297. [PMID: 38516299 PMCID: PMC10951476 DOI: 10.52601/bpr.2023.230020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized immunotherapy by modifying patients' immune cells genetically. By expressing CARs, these modified cells can specifically identify and eliminate tumor cells. The success of CAR-T therapy in hematological malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, has been remarkable. Numerous studies have reported improved patient outcomes and increased survival rates. However, the application of CAR-T therapy in treating solid tumors faces significant challenges. Solid tumors possess complex microenvironments containing stromal cells, extracellular matrix components, and blood vessels. These factors can impede the infiltration and persistence of CAR-T cells within the tumor. Additionally, the lack of target antigens exclusively expressed on tumor cells raises concerns about off-target effects and potential toxicity. This review aims to discuss advancements achieved by CAR-T therapy in solid tumors and the clinical outcomes in the realm of solid tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanbin Cui
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Mintao Luo
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Chuanyuan Gu
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yuxian He
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0021, USA
| | - Yao Yao
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Peng Li
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Zhao X, Zhang Z, Wen C, Huang J, Yang S, Liu J, Geng H, Peng B, Li Z, Zhang Y. The safety and anti-tumor effect of multiple peptides-pulsed dendritic cells combined with induced specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes for patients with solid tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1284334. [PMID: 37942324 PMCID: PMC10628471 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1284334] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to explore the safety and efficacy of multiple peptide-pulsed autologous dendritic cells (DCs) combined with cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in patients with cancer. Methods Five patients diagnosed with cancer between November 2020 and June 2021 were enrolled and received DC-CTLs therapy. Peripheral blood was collected and antigenic peptides were analyzed. The phenotype and function of DC-CTLs and the immune status of patients were detected using flow cytometry or IFN-γ ELISPOT analysis. Results DCs acquired a mature phenotype and expressed high levels of CD80, CD86, CD83, and HLA-DR after co-culture with peptides, and the DC-CTLs also exhibited high levels of IFN-γ. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from post-treatment patients showed a stronger immune response to peptides than those prior to treatment. Importantly, four of five patients maintained a favorable immune status, of which one patient's disease-free survival lasted up to 28.2 months. No severe treatment-related adverse events were observed. Conclusion Our results show that multiple peptide-pulsed DCs combined with CTLs therapy has manageable safety and promising efficacy for cancer patients, which might provide a precise immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Zhao
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Chunli Wen
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jianmin Huang
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shuangning Yang
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jinyan Liu
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Huizhen Geng
- Hebei Bio-High Technology Development Co., LTD. Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Bing Peng
- Hebei Bio-High Technology Development Co., LTD. Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Zibo Li
- Hebei Bio-High Technology Development Co., LTD. Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center & Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Hasiuk M, Dölz M, Marone R, Jeker LT. Leveraging microRNAs for cellular therapy. Immunol Lett 2023; 262:27-35. [PMID: 37660892 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2023.08.005] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Owing to Karl Landsteiner's discovery of blood groups, blood transfusions became safe cellular therapies in the early 1900s. Since then, cellular therapy made great advances from transfusions with unmodified cells to today's commercially available chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells requiring complex manufacturing. Modern cellular therapy products can be improved using basic knowledge of cell biology and molecular genetics. Emerging genome engineering tools are becoming ever more versatile and precise and thus catalyze rapid progress towards programmable therapeutic cells that compute input and respond with defined output. Despite a large body of literature describing important functions of non-coding RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs), the vast majority of cell engineering efforts focuses on proteins. However, miRNAs form an important layer of posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Here, we highlight examples of how miRNAs can successfully be incorporated into engineered cellular therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marko Hasiuk
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland; Transplantation Immunology & Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marianne Dölz
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland; Transplantation Immunology & Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Romina Marone
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland; Transplantation Immunology & Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lukas T Jeker
- Department of Biomedicine, Basel University Hospital and University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland; Transplantation Immunology & Nephrology, Basel University Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Rajakaruna H, Desai M, Das J. PASCAR: a multiscale framework to explore the design space of constitutive and inducible CAR T cells. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202302171. [PMID: 37507138 PMCID: PMC10387492 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
CAR T cells are engineered to bind and destroy tumor cells by targeting overexpressed surface antigens. However, healthy cells expressing lower abundances of these antigens can also be lysed by CAR T cells. Various CAR T cell designs increase tumor cell elimination, whereas reducing damage to healthy cells. However, these efforts are costly and labor-intensive, constraining systematic exploration of potential hypotheses. We develop a protein abundance structured population dynamic model for CAR T cells (PASCAR), a framework that combines multiscale population dynamic models and multi-objective optimization approaches with data from cytometry and cytotoxicity assays to systematically explore the design space of constitutive and tunable CAR T cells. PASCAR can quantitatively describe in vitro and in vivo results for constitutive and inducible CAR T cells and can successfully predict experiments outside the training data. Our exploration of the CAR design space reveals that optimal CAR affinities in the intermediate range of dissociation constants effectively reduce healthy cell lysis, whereas maintaining high tumor cell-killing rates. Furthermore, our modeling offers guidance for optimizing CAR expressions in synthetic notch CAR T cells. PASCAR can be extended to other CAR immune cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harshana Rajakaruna
- The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomics, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Milie Desai
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Jayajit Das
- The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomics, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Biophysics Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Wu L, Tan JC, Gascoigne NRJ. Generation of gene-of-interest double allele knockout clones in primary human T cells by CRISPR. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102445. [PMID: 37432856 PMCID: PMC10362176 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102445] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-of-interest (GOI) knockout is an important technique to study the genetic mechanisms of T cells. Here, we present a protocol to generate GOI double allele gene knockouts in primary human T cells by CRISPR, thus depleting proteins of interest expressed intracellularly or extracellularly in primary T cells. We describe steps for gRNA selection and efficiency validation, homology-directed repair (HDR) DNA template design and cloning, and genome editing and HDR gene insertion. We then detail clone isolation and GOI knockout validation. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wu et al.1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wu
- Immunology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore.
| | - Jia Chi Tan
- Immunology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore
| | - Nicholas R J Gascoigne
- Immunology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Cancer Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|