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Zhang C, Yang K, Yang G. Design strategies for enhancing antitumor efficacy through tumor microenvironment exploitation using albumin-based nanosystems: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:129070. [PMID: 38163506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129070] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and dynamic system that plays a crucial role in regulating cancer progression, treatment response, and the emergence of acquired resistance mechanisms. The TME is usually featured by severe hypoxia, low pH values, high hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations, and overproduction of glutathione (GSH). The current development of intelligent nanosystems that respond to TME has shown great potential to enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment. As one of the functional macromolecules explored in this field, albumin-based nanocarriers, known for their inherent biocompatibility, serves as a cornerstone for constructing diverse therapeutic platforms. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the design strategies of albumin nanosystems, aiming to enhance cancer therapy by harnessing various features of solid tumors, including tumor hypoxia, acidic pH, the condensed extracellular matrix (ECM) network, excessive GSH, high glucose levels, and tumor immune microenvironment. Furthermore, we highlight representative designs of albumin-based nanoplatforms by exploiting the TME that enhance a broad range of cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, phototherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and other tumor therapies. Finally, we discuss the existing challenges and future prospects in direction of albumin-based nanosystems for the practical applications in advancing enhanced cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection & School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Kai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection & School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Guangbao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection & School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
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2
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Shekari N, Shanehbandi D, Kazemi T, Zarredar H, Baradaran B, Jalali SA. VISTA and its ligands: the next generation of promising therapeutic targets in immunotherapy. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:265. [PMID: 37936192 PMCID: PMC10631023 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03116-0] [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: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a novel negative checkpoint receptor (NCR) primarily involved in maintaining immune tolerance. It has a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and cancer and has shown promising results as a therapeutic target. However, there is still some ambiguity regarding the ligands of VISTA and their interactions with each other. While V-Set and Immunoglobulin domain containing 3 (VSIG-3) and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1(PSGL-1) have been extensively studied as ligands for VISTA, the others have received less attention. It seems that investigating VISTA ligands, reviewing their functions and roles, as well as outcomes related to their interactions, may allow an understanding of their full functionality and effects within the cell or the microenvironment. It could also help discover alternative approaches to target the VISTA pathway without causing related side effects. In this regard, we summarize current evidence about VISTA, its related ligands, their interactions and effects, as well as their preclinical and clinical targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najibeh Shekari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Dariush Shanehbandi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tohid Kazemi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Habib Zarredar
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Seyed Amir Jalali
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Niu X, Wu M, Li G, Zhou X, Cao W, Zhai W, Wu A, Zhou X, Jin S, Chen G, Li Y, Du J, Wu Y, Qiu L, Zhao W, Gao Y. Identification and optimization of peptide inhibitors to block VISTA/PSGL-1 interaction for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4511-4522. [PMID: 37969728 PMCID: PMC10638518 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.003] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing new therapeutic agents for cancer immunotherapy is highly demanding due to the low response ratio of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in cancer patients. Here, we discovered that the novel immune checkpoint VISTA is highly expressed on a variety of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, especially myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and CD8+ T cells. Then, peptide C1 with binding affinity to VISTA was developed by phage displayed bio-panning technique, and its mutant peptide VS3 was obtained by molecular docking based mutation. Peptide VS3 could bind VISTA with high affinity and block its interaction with ligand PSGL-1 under acidic condition, and elicit anti-tumor activity in vivo. The peptide DVS3-Pal was further designed by d-amino acid substitution and fatty acid modification, which exhibited strong proteolytic stability and significant anti-tumor activity through enhancing CD8+ T cell function and decreasing MDSCs infiltration. This is the first study to develop peptides to block VISTA/PSGL-1 interaction, which could act as promising candidates for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshuang Niu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Menghan Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Guodong Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Wenpeng Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Aijun Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shengzhe Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Guanyu Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yanying Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jiangfeng Du
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yahong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lu Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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4
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Xu S, Wang C, Yang L, Wu J, Li M, Xiao P, Xu Z, Xu Y, Wang K. Targeting immune checkpoints on tumor-associated macrophages in tumor immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1199631. [PMID: 37313405 PMCID: PMC10258331 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Unprecedented breakthroughs have been made in cancer immunotherapy in recent years. Particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors have fostered hope for patients with cancer. However, immunotherapy still exhibits certain limitations, such as a low response rate, limited efficacy in certain populations, and adverse events in certain tumors. Therefore, exploring strategies that can improve clinical response rates in patients is crucial. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the predominant immune cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment and express a variety of immune checkpoints that impact immune functions. Mounting evidence indicates that immune checkpoints in TAMs are closely associated with the prognosis of patients with tumors receiving immunotherapy. This review centers on the regulatory mechanisms governing immune checkpoint expression in macrophages and strategies aimed at improving immune checkpoint therapies. Our review provides insights into potential therapeutic targets to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade and key clues to developing novel tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Chenyang Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Lingge Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Jiaji Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Mengshu Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
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5
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Mortezaee K, Majidpoor J, Najafi S. VISTA immune regulatory effects in bypassing cancer immunotherapy: Updated. Life Sci 2022; 310:121083. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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6
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Gaikwad S, Agrawal MY, Kaushik I, Ramachandran S, Srivastava SK. Immune checkpoint proteins: Signaling mechanisms and molecular interactions in cancer immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:137-150. [PMID: 35341913 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint proteins (ICP) are currently one of the most novel and promising areas of immune-oncology research. This novel way of targeting tumor cells has shown favorable success over the past few years with some FDA approvals such as Ipilimumab, Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab etc. Currently, more than 3000 clinical trials of immunotherapeutic agents are ongoing with majority being ICPs. However, as the number of trials increase so do the challenges. Some challenges such as adverse side effects, non-specific binding on healthy tissues and absence of response in some subset populations are critical obstacles. For a safe and effective further therapeutic development of molecules targeting ICPs, understanding their mechanism at molecular level is crucial. Since ICPs are mostly membrane bound receptors, a number of downstream signaling pathways divaricate following ligand-receptor binding. Most ICPs are expressed on more than one type of immune cell populations. Further, the expression varies within a cell type. This naturally varied expression pattern adds to the difficulty of targeting specific effector immune cell types against cancer. Hence, understanding the expression pattern and cellular mechanism helps lay out the possible effect of any immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the signaling mechanism, expression pattern among various immune cells and molecular interactions derived using interaction database analysis (BioGRID).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Gaikwad
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Manas Yogendra Agrawal
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Itishree Kaushik
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sharavan Ramachandran
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sanjay K Srivastava
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, and Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA.
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7
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Petterson SA, Sørensen MD, Burton M, Thomassen M, Kruse TA, Michaelsen SR, Kristensen BW. Differential expression of checkpoint markers in the normoxic and hypoxic microenvironment of glioblastomas. Brain Pathol 2022; 33:e13111. [PMID: 36093941 PMCID: PMC9836374 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13111] [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: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults with an overall survival of only 14.6 months. Hypoxia is known to play a role in tumor aggressiveness but the influence of hypoxia on the immune microenvironment is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of immune-related proteins in normoxic and hypoxic tumor areas by digital spatial profiling. Tissue samples from 10 glioblastomas were stained with a panel of 40 antibodies conjugated to photo-cleavable oligonucleotides. The free oligo-tags from normoxic and hypoxic areas were hybridized to barcodes for digital counting. Differential expression patterns were validated by Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas Project (GAP) data and an independent patient cohort. We found that CD44, Beta-catenin and B7-H3 were upregulated in hypoxia, whereas VISTA, CD56, KI-67, CD68 and CD11c were downregulated. PD-L1 and PD-1 were not affected by hypoxia. Focusing on the checkpoint-related markers CD44, B7-H3 and VISTA, our findings for CD44 and VISTA could be confirmed with Ivy GAP RNA sequencing data. Immunohistochemical staining and digital quantification of CD44, B7-H3 and VISTA in an independent cohort confirmed our findings for all three markers. Additional stainings revealed fewer T cells and high but equal amounts of tumor-associated microglia and macrophages in both hypoxic and normoxic regions. In conclusion, we found that CD44 and B7-H3 were upregulated in areas with hypoxia whereas VISTA was downregulated together with the presence of fewer T cells. This heterogeneous expression should be taken into consideration when developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Asferg Petterson
- Department of PathologyOdense University HospitalOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Mia Dahl Sørensen
- Department of PathologyOdense University HospitalOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Mark Burton
- Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical GeneticsOdense University HospitalOdense CDenmark
| | - Mads Thomassen
- Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical GeneticsOdense University HospitalOdense CDenmark
| | - Torben A. Kruse
- Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical GeneticsOdense University HospitalOdense CDenmark
| | - Signe Regner Michaelsen
- Department of Pathology, The Bartholin Institute, RigshospitaletCopenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Clinical Medicine and Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC)University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Bjarne Winther Kristensen
- Department of PathologyOdense University HospitalOdenseDenmark,Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark,Department of Pathology, The Bartholin Institute, RigshospitaletCopenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Clinical Medicine and Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC)University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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8
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Tang Y, Kwiatkowski DJ, Henske EP. Midkine expression by stem-like tumor cells drives persistence to mTOR inhibition and an immune-suppressive microenvironment. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5018. [PMID: 36028490 PMCID: PMC9418323 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32673-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
mTORC1 is hyperactive in multiple cancer types1,2. Here, we performed integrative analysis of single cell transcriptomic profiling, paired T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, and spatial transcriptomic profiling on Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) associated tumors with mTORC1 hyperactivity, and identified a stem-like tumor cell state (SLS) linked to T cell dysfunction via tumor-modulated immunosuppressive macrophages. Rapamycin and its derivatives (rapalogs) are the primary treatments for TSC tumors, and the stem-like tumor cells showed rapamycin resistance in vitro, reminiscent of the cytostatic effects of these drugs in patients. The pro-angiogenic factor midkine (MDK) was highly expressed by the SLS population, and associated with enrichment of endothelial cells in SLS-dominant samples. Inhibition of MDK showed synergistic benefit with rapamycin in reducing the growth of TSC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. In aggregate, this study suggests an autocrine rapamycin resistance mechanism and a paracrine tumor survival mechanism via immune suppression adopted by the stem-like state tumor cells with mTORC1 hyperactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David J Kwiatkowski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Elizabeth P Henske
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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9
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Tang XY, Xiong YL, Shi XG, Zhao YB, Shi AP, Zheng KF, Liu YJ, Jiang T, Ma N, Zhao JB. IGSF11 and VISTA: a pair of promising immune checkpoints in tumor immunotherapy. Biomark Res 2022; 10:49. [PMID: 35831836 PMCID: PMC9277907 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00394-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has become the major treatment for tumors in clinical practice, but some intractable problems such as the low response rate and high rates of immune-related adverse events still hinder the progress of tumor immunotherapy. Hence, it is essential to explore additional immunotherapy treatment targets. In this review, we focus on the structure, expression and expression-related mechanisms, interactions, biological functions and the progress in preclinical/clinical research of IGSF11 and VISTA in tumors. We cover the progress in recent research with this pair of immune checkpoints in tumor immune regulation, proliferation, immune resistance and predictive prognosis. Both IGSF11 and VISTA are highly expressed in tumors and are modulated by various factors. They co-participate in the functional regulation of immune cells and the inhibition of cytokine production. Besides, in the downregulation of IGSF11 and VISTA, both inhibit the growth of some tumors. Preclinical and clinical trials all emphasize the predictive role of IGSF11 and VISTA in the prognosis of tumors, and that the predictive role of the same gene varies from tumor to tumor. At present, further research is proving the enormous potential of IGSF11 and VISTA in tumors, and especially the role of VISTA in tumor immune resistance. This may prove to be a breakthrough to solve the current clinical immune resistance, and most importantly, since research has focused on VISTA but less on IGSF11, IGSF11 may be the next candidate for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Yang Tang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan-Lu Xiong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xian-Gui Shi
- College of Basic Medicine, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ya-Bo Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - An-Ping Shi
- Department of Radiology & Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Lab of Shaanxi Province, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University (Air Force Medical University), 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kai-Fu Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu-Jian Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Nan Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, 710038, Xi'an, China.
| | - Jin-Bo Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
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10
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Thakkar D, Paliwal S, Dharmadhikari B, Guan S, Liu L, Kar S, Tulsian NK, Gruber JJ, DiMascio L, Paszkiewicz KH, Ingram PJ, D Boyd-Kirkup J. Rationally targeted anti-VISTA antibody that blockades the C-C' loop region can reverse VISTA immune suppression and remodel the immune microenvironment to potently inhibit tumor growth in an Fc independent manner. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003382. [PMID: 35131861 PMCID: PMC8823246 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite significant progress in cancer immunotherapy in recent years, resistance to existing immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) is common. V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), a predominantly myeloid immune checkpoint regulator, represents a promising therapeutic target due to its role in suppressing proinflammatory antitumor responses in myeloid-enriched tumor microenvironments. However, uncertainty around the cognate VISTA ligand has made the development of effective anti-VISTA antibodies challenging. The expression of VISTA on normal immune cell subtypes argues for a neutralizing non-depleting antibody, however, previous reported anti-VISTA antibodies use IgG1 Fc isotypes that deplete VISTA+ cells by antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity/complement dependent cytotoxicity and these antibodies have shown fast serum clearance and immune toxicities. Method Here we used a rational antibody discovery approach to develop the first Fc-independent anti-VISTA antibody, HMBD-002, that binds a computationally predicted functional epitope within the C-C-loop, distinct from other known anti-VISTA antibodies. This epitope is species-conserved allowing robust in vitro and in vivo testing of HMBD-002 in human and murine models of immune activation and cancer including humanized mouse models. Results We demonstrate here that blockade by HMBD-002 inhibits VISTA binding to potential partners, including V-Set and Immunoglobulin domain containing 3, to reduce myeloid-derived suppression of T cell activity and prevent neutrophil migration. Analysis of immune cell milieu suggests that HMBD-002 treatment stimulates a proinflammatory phenotype characterized by a Th1/Th17 response, recapitulating a phenotype previously noted in VISTA knockout models. This mechanism of action is further supported by immune-competent syngenic and humanized mouse models of colorectal, breast and lung cancer where neutralizing VISTA, without depleting VISTA expressing cells, significantly inhibited tumor growth while decreasing infiltration of suppressive myeloid cells and increasing T cell activity. Finally, we did not observe either the fast serum clearance or immune toxicities that have been reported for IgG1 antibodies. Conclusion In conclusion, we have shown that VISTA-induced immune suppression can be reversed by blockade of the functional C-C’ loop region of VISTA with a first-in-class rationally targeted and non-depleting IgG4 isotype anti-VISTA antibody, HMBD-002. This antibody represents a highly promising novel therapy in the VISTA-suppressed ICT non-responder population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipti Thakkar
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Shalini Paliwal
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Siyu Guan
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Lillian Liu
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Shreya Kar
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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11
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Im E, Sim DY, Lee HJ, Park JE, Park WY, Ko S, Kim B, Shim BS, Kim SH. Immune functions as a ligand or a receptor, cancer prognosis potential, clinical implication of VISTA in cancer immunotherapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 86:1066-1075. [PMID: 34428551 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Since cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors of PD/PDL-1 and CTLA-4 limited efficacy to the patients due to resistance during the current decade, novel target is required for customized treatment due to tumor heterogeneity. V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), a programmed death protein-1(PD-1) homolog expressed on T cells and on antigen presenting cells(APC), has emerged as a new target in several cancers. Though VISTA inhibitors including CA-170 are considered attractive in cancer immunotherapy to date, the information on VISTA as a potent biomarker of cancer prognosis and its combination therapy is still lacking to date. Thus, in this review, we discussed extracellular domain, ligands, expression, immune functions and clinical implications of VISTA and finally suggested conclusion and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunji Im
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Deok Yong Sim
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Jung Lee
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Eon Park
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Woon Yi Park
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - SeongGyu Ko
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Bonglee Kim
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Bum Sang Shim
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung-Hoon Kim
- Cancer Molecular Target Herbal Research Lab, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
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12
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VISTA: A Mediator of Quiescence and a Promising Target in Cancer Immunotherapy. Trends Immunol 2021; 42:209-227. [PMID: 33495077 PMCID: PMC8088836 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a B7 family member that maintains T cell and myeloid quiescence and is a promising target for combination cancer immunotherapy. During inflammatory challenges, VISTA activity reprograms macrophages towards reduced production of proinflammatory cytokines and increased production of interleukin (IL)-10 and other anti-inflammatory mediators. The interaction of VISTA with its ligands is regulated by pH, and the acidic pH ~6.0 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) facilitates VISTA binding to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1). Targeting intratumoral pH might be a way to reduce the immunoinhibitory activity of the VISTA pathway and enhance antitumor immune responses. We review differences among VISTA therapeutics under development as candidate immunotherapies, focusing on VISTA binding partners and the unique structural features of this interaction.
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13
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Koltai T. Targeting the pH Paradigm at the Bedside: A Practical Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9221. [PMID: 33287221 PMCID: PMC7730959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The inversion of the pH gradient in malignant tumors, known as the pH paradigm, is increasingly becoming accepted by the scientific community as a hallmark of cancer. Accumulated evidence shows that this is not simply a metabolic consequence of a dysregulated behavior, but rather an essential process in the physiopathology of accelerated proliferation and invasion. From the over-simplification of increased lactate production as the cause of the paradigm, as initially proposed, basic science researchers have arrived at highly complex and far-reaching knowledge, that substantially modified that initial belief. These new developments show that the paradigm entails a different regulation of membrane transporters, electrolyte exchangers, cellular and membrane enzymes, water trafficking, specialized membrane structures, transcription factors, and metabolic changes that go far beyond fermentative glycolysis. This complex world of dysregulations is still shuttered behind the walls of experimental laboratories and has not yet reached bedside medicine. However, there are many known pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals that are capable of targeting the pH paradigm. Most of these products are well known, have low toxicity, and are also inexpensive. They need to be repurposed, and this would entail shorter clinical studies and enormous cost savings if we compare them with the time and expense required for the development of a new molecule. Will targeting the pH paradigm solve the "cancer problem"? Absolutely not. However, reversing the pH inversion would strongly enhance standard treatments, rendering them more efficient, and in some cases permitting lower doses of toxic drugs. This article's goal is to describe how to reverse the pH gradient inversion with existing drugs and nutraceuticals that can easily be used in bedside medicine, without adding toxicity to established treatments. It also aims at increasing awareness among practicing physicians that targeting the pH paradigm would be able to improve the results of standard therapies. Some clinical cases will be presented as well, showing how the pH gradient inversion can be treated at the bedside in a simple manner with repurposed drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Koltai
- Centro de Diagnostico y Tratamiento de la Obra Social del Personal de la Alimentacion, Talar de Pacheco, Buenos Aires 1617, Argentina
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14
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Zhu Y, Yang Z, Dong Z, Gong Y, Hao Y, Tian L, Yang X, Liu Z, Feng L. CaCO 3-Assisted Preparation of pH-Responsive Immune-Modulating Nanoparticles for Augmented Chemo-Immunotherapy. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2020; 13:29. [PMID: 34138248 PMCID: PMC8187673 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-020-00549-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Due to the negative roles of tumor microenvironment (TME) in compromising therapeutic responses of various cancer therapies, it is expected that modulation of TME may be able to enhance the therapeutic responses during cancer treatment. Herein, we develop a concise strategy to prepare pH-responsive nanoparticles via the CaCO3-assisted double emulsion method, thereby enabling effective co-encapsulation of both doxorubicin (DOX), an immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducer, and alkylated NLG919 (aNLG919), an inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). The obtained DOX/aNLG919-loaded CaCO3 nanoparticles (DNCaNPs) are able to cause effective ICD of cancer cells and at the same time restrict the production of immunosuppressive kynurenine by inhibiting IDO1. Upon intravenous injection, such DNCaNPs show efficient tumor accumulation, improved tumor penetration of therapeutics and neutralization of acidic TME. As a result, those DNCaNPs can elicit effective anti-tumor immune responses featured in increased density of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ cytotoxic T cells as well as depletion of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs), thus effectively suppressing the growth of subcutaneous CT26 and orthotopic 4T1 tumors on the Balb/c mice through combined chemotherapy & immunotherapy. This study presents a compendious strategy for construction of pH-responsive nanoparticles, endowing significantly enhanced chemo-immunotherapy of cancer by overcoming the immunosuppressive TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijuan Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziliang Dong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yimou Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Hao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Longlong Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianzhu Yang
- Institutes for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Liangzhu Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Sui X, Jin T, Liu T, Wu S, Wu Y, Tang Z, Ren Y, Ni D, Yao Z, Zhang H. Tumor Immune Microenvironments (TIMEs): Responsive Nanoplatforms for Antitumor Immunotherapy. Front Chem 2020; 8:804. [PMID: 33094098 PMCID: PMC7508192 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in cancer immunotherapy has rapidly risen since it offers many advantages over traditional approaches, such as high efficiency and prevention of metastasis. Efforts have primarily focused on two major strategies for regulating the body's antitumor immune response mechanisms: “enhanced immunotherapy” that aims to amplify the immune activation, and “normalized immunotherapy” that corrects the defective immune mechanism in the tumor immune microenvironments (TIMEs), which returns to the normal immune trajectory. However, due to the complexity and heterogeneity of the TIMEs, and lack of visualization research on the immunotherapy process, cancer immunotherapy has not been widely used in clinical setting. Recently, through the design and modification of nanomaterials, intelligent TIME-responsive nanoplatforms were developed from which encouraging results in many aspects of immunotherapy have been achieved. In this mini review, the status of designed nanomaterials for nanoplatform-based immune regulation of TIMEs has been emphasized, particularly with respect to the aforementioned approaches. It is envisaged that future prospects will focus on a combination of multiple immunotherapies for more efficient cancer inhibition and elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Sui
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Teng Jin
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tonghui Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shiman Wu
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongmin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of High-Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Ren
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dalong Ni
- Departments of Radiology, Medical Physics, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Zhenwei Yao
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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