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Wu H, Lin J, Ling N, Zhang Y, He Y, Qiu L, Tan W. Functional Nucleic Acid-Based Immunomodulation for T Cell-Mediated Cancer Therapy. ACS NANO 2024; 18:119-135. [PMID: 38117770 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
T cell-mediated immunity plays a pivotal role in cancer immunotherapy. The anticancer actions of T cells are coordinated by a sequence of biological processes, including the capture and presentation of antigens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), the activation of T cells by APCs, and the subsequent killing of cancer cells by activated T cells. However, cancer cells have various means to evade immune responses. Meanwhile, these vulnerabilities provide potential targets for cancer treatments. Functional nucleic acids (FNAs) make up a class of synthetic nucleic acids with specific biological functions. With their diverse functionality, good biocompatibility, and high programmability, FNAs have attracted widespread interest in cancer immunotherapy. This Review focuses on recent research progress in employing FNAs as molecular tools for T cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy, including corresponding challenges and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wu
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Jie Lin
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Neng Ling
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yutong Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yao He
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Liping Qiu
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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2
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Pandya A, Shah Y, Kothari N, Postwala H, Shah A, Parekh P, Chorawala MR. The future of cancer immunotherapy: DNA vaccines leading the way. Med Oncol 2023; 40:200. [PMID: 37294501 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02060-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Immuno-oncology has revolutionized cancer treatment and has opened up new opportunities for developing vaccination methods. DNA-based cancer vaccines have emerged as a promising approach to activating the bodily immune system against cancer. Plasmid DNA immunizations have shown a favorable safety profile and there occurs induction of generalized as well as tailored immune responses in preclinical and early-phase clinical experiments. However, these vaccines have notable limitations in immunogenicity and heterogeneity and these require refinements. DNA vaccine technology has been focusing on improving vaccine efficacy and delivery, with parallel developments in nanoparticle-based delivery systems and gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9. This approach has showcased great promise in enhancing and tailoring the immune response to vaccination. Strategies to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines include the selection of appropriate antigens, optimizing insertion in a plasmid, and studying combinations of vaccines with conventional strategies and targeted therapies. Combination therapies have attenuated immunosuppressive activities in the tumor microenvironment and enhanced the capability of immune cells. This review provides an overview of the current framework of DNA vaccines in oncology and focuses on novel strategies, including established combination therapies and those still under development.The challenges that oncologists, scientists, and researchers need to overcome to establish DNA vaccines as an avant-garde approach to defeating cancer, are also emphasized. The clinical implications of the immunotherapeutic approaches and the need for predictive biomarkers have also been reviewed upon. We have also tried to extend the role of Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to the DNA vaccines. The clinical implications of the immunotherapeutic approaches have also been reviewed upon. Ultimately, refining and optimizing DNA vaccines will enable harnessing the immune system's natural ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, leading the world towards a revolution in cancer cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aanshi Pandya
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India
| | - Yesha Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India
| | - Nirjari Kothari
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India
| | - Humzah Postwala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India
| | - Aayushi Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India
| | - Priyajeet Parekh
- AV Pharma LLC, 1545 University Blvd N Ste A, Jacksonville, FL, 32211, USA
| | - Mehul R Chorawala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice, L. M. College of Pharmacy, Opp. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India.
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3
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Liu X, Yang Y, Zheng X, Liu M, Wang G. Enhancedanti-tumor efficacy through a combination of intramuscularly expressed DNA vaccine and plasmid-encoded PD-1 antibody. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1169850. [PMID: 37138873 PMCID: PMC10150030 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1169850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune check inhibitors (ICIs) have moderate response rates (~20%-30%) in some malignancies clinically, and, when used in combination with other immunotherapeutic strategies such as DNA tumor vaccines, there is evidence to suggest that they could optimize the efficacy of cancer treatment. In this study, we validated that intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding OVA combined with pDNA encoding α-PD-1 (abbreviated as α-PD-1 in the following treatment groups) may enhance therapeutic efficacy by means of in situ gene delivery and enhanced muscle-specific potent promoter. Mice treated with pDNA-OVA or pDNA-α-PD-1 alone showed weak tumor inhibition in the MC38-OVA-bearing model. In comparison, the combined treatment of pDNA-OVA and pDNA-α-PD-1 resulted in superior tumor growth inhibition and a significantly improved survival rate of over 60% on day 45. In the B16-F10-OVA metastasis model, the addition of the DNA vaccine enhanced resistance to tumor metastasis and increased the populations of CD8+ T cells in blood and spleen. In conclusion, the current research shows that a combination of pDNA-encoded PD-1 antibody and DNA vaccine expressed in vivo is an efficient, safe, and economical strategy for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yueyao Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiufeng Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology/Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology/Gastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Gang Wang, ; Ming Liu,
| | - Gang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Gang Wang, ; Ming Liu,
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4
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Lu Q, Chen R, Du S, Chen C, Pan Y, Luan X, Yang J, Zeng F, He B, Han X, Song Y. Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway combined with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing triggering long-term immunotherapy. Biomaterials 2022; 291:121871. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Martínez-Puente DH, Pérez-Trujillo JJ, Zavala-Flores LM, García-García A, Villanueva-Olivo A, Rodríguez-Rocha H, Valdés J, Saucedo-Cárdenas O, Montes de Oca-Luna R, Loera-Arias MDJ. Plasmid DNA for Therapeutic Applications in Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091861. [PMID: 36145609 PMCID: PMC9503848 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the interest in using nucleic acids for therapeutic applications has been increasing. DNA molecules can be manipulated to express a gene of interest for gene therapy applications or vaccine development. Plasmid DNA can be developed to treat different diseases, such as infections and cancer. In most cancers, the immune system is limited or suppressed, allowing cancer cells to grow. DNA vaccination has demonstrated its capacity to stimulate the immune system to fight against cancer cells. Furthermore, plasmids for cancer gene therapy can direct the expression of proteins with different functions, such as enzymes, toxins, and cytotoxic or proapoptotic proteins, to directly kill cancer cells. The progress and promising results reported in animal models in recent years have led to interesting clinical results. These DNA strategies are expected to be approved for cancer treatment in the near future. This review discusses the main strategies, challenges, and future perspectives of using plasmid DNA for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Juan Pérez-Trujillo
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
| | - Laura Mireya Zavala-Flores
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Northeast Biomedical Research Center (CIBIN) of IMSS, Nuevo Leon Delegation, Monterrey 64720, Mexico
| | - Aracely García-García
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
| | - Arnulfo Villanueva-Olivo
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
| | - Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
| | - Jesús Valdés
- Departamento de Bioquímica, CINVESTAV-México, Av. IPN 2508, Colonia San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
| | - Roberto Montes de Oca-Luna
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
- Correspondence: (R.M.d.O.-L.); (M.d.J.L.-A.); Tel.: +52-81-8329-4195 (R.M.d.O.-L. & M.d.J.L.-A.)
| | - María de Jesús Loera-Arias
- Histology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey 64460, Mexico
- Correspondence: (R.M.d.O.-L.); (M.d.J.L.-A.); Tel.: +52-81-8329-4195 (R.M.d.O.-L. & M.d.J.L.-A.)
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6
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Yu J, Wang L, Kong X, Cao Y, Zhang M, Sun Z, Liu Y, Wang J, Shen B, Bo X, Feng J. CAD v1.0: Cancer Antigens Database Platform for Cancer Antigen Algorithm Development and Information Exploration. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:819583. [PMID: 35646870 PMCID: PMC9133807 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.819583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines have gradually attracted attention for their tremendous preclinical and clinical performance. With the development of next-generation sequencing technologies and related algorithms, pipelines based on sequencing and machine learning methods have become mainstream in cancer antigen prediction; of particular focus are neoantigens, mutation peptides that only exist in tumor cells that lack central tolerance and have fewer side effects. The rapid prediction and filtering of neoantigen peptides are crucial to the development of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines. However, due to the lack of verified neoantigen datasets and insufficient research on the properties of neoantigens, neoantigen prediction algorithms still need to be improved. Here, we recruited verified cancer antigen peptides and collected as much relevant peptide information as possible. Then, we discussed the role of each dataset for algorithm improvement in cancer antigen research, especially neoantigen prediction. A platform, Cancer Antigens Database (CAD, http://cad.bio-it.cn/), was designed to facilitate users to perform a complete exploration of cancer antigens online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jijun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Luoxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangya Kong
- Beijing Geneworks Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Capital Agribusiness Future Biotechnology Co, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaolin Sun
- Beijing Capital Agribusiness Future Biotechnology Co, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Beifen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Bo
- Department of Biotechnology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaochen Bo, ; Jiannan Feng,
| | - Jiannan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Gene Engineering Antibody, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaochen Bo, ; Jiannan Feng,
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7
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Tarone L, Giacobino D, Camerino M, Ferrone S, Buracco P, Cavallo F, Riccardo F. Canine Melanoma Immunology and Immunotherapy: Relevance of Translational Research. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:803093. [PMID: 35224082 PMCID: PMC8873926 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.803093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In veterinary oncology, canine melanoma is still a fatal disease for which innovative and long-lasting curative treatments are urgently required. Considering the similarities between canine and human melanoma and the clinical revolution that immunotherapy has instigated in the treatment of human melanoma patients, special attention must be paid to advancements in tumor immunology research in the veterinary field. Herein, we aim to discuss the most relevant knowledge on the immune landscape of canine melanoma and the most promising immunotherapeutic approaches under investigation. Particular attention will be dedicated to anti-cancer vaccination, and, especially, to the encouraging clinical results that we have obtained with DNA vaccines directed against chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), which is an appealing tumor-associated antigen with a key oncogenic role in both canine and human melanoma. In parallel with advances in therapeutic options, progress in the identification of easily accessible biomarkers to improve the diagnosis and the prognosis of melanoma should be sought, with circulating small extracellular vesicles emerging as strategically relevant players. Translational advances in melanoma management, whether achieved in the human or veterinary fields, may drive improvements with mutual clinical benefits for both human and canine patients; this is where the strength of comparative oncology lies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Tarone
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Davide Giacobino
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Soldano Ferrone
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paolo Buracco
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Riccardo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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8
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Vafaei S, Zekiy AO, Khanamir RA, Zaman BA, Ghayourvahdat A, Azimizonuzi H, Zamani M. Combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); a new frontier. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:2. [PMID: 34980128 PMCID: PMC8725311 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02407-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy has become a promising therapeutic strategy with encouraging therapeutic outcomes due to their durable anti-tumor effects. Though, tumor inherent or acquired resistance to ICIs accompanied with treatment-related toxicities hamper their clinical utility. Overall, about 60-70% of patients (e.g., melanoma and lung cancer) who received ICIs show no objective response to intervention. The resistance to ICIs mainly caused by alterations in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which in turn, supports angiogenesis and also blocks immune cell antitumor activities, facilitating tumor cells' evasion from host immunosurveillance. Thereby, it has been supposed and also validated that combination therapy with ICIs and other therapeutic means, ranging from chemoradiotherapy to targeted therapies as well as cancer vaccines, can capably compromise tumor resistance to immune checkpoint blocked therapy. Herein, we have focused on the therapeutic benefits of ICIs as a groundbreaking approach in the context of tumor immunotherapy and also deliver an overview concerning the therapeutic influences of the addition of ICIs to other modalities to circumvent tumor resistance to ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Vafaei
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Angelina O. Zekiy
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ramadhan Ado Khanamir
- Internal Medicine and Surgery Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Burhan Abdullah Zaman
- Basic Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | | | | | - Majid Zamani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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9
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Liu C, Cong X, Wang Y, Guo Q, Xie Y, Geng F, Guo J, Dong L, Zhou Y, Wu H, Yu B, Wu J, Zhang H, Yu X, Kong W. Fast DNA Vaccination Strategy Elicits a Stronger Immune Response Dependent on CD8 +CD11c + Cell Accumulation. Front Oncol 2021; 11:752444. [PMID: 34950581 PMCID: PMC8691261 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.752444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional DNA vaccine strategies usually employ a regimen of immunizations at 2-week or longer intervals to induce effective memory cell-dependent immune responses. Clinical cancer treatment requires a faster immunization strategy to contend with tumor progression. In this study, a novel fast immunization strategy was established, wherein a DNA vaccine was intramuscularly administered on days 0, 2, and 5 in a murine lung cancer model. Effector cells peaked 7 to 10 days after the last vaccination. Compared with traditional 2-week-interval immunization strategies, antigen-specific cytolysis and INF-γ secretion were significantly enhanced under the fast vaccination approach. As a result, the rapidly administered DNA vaccine elicited stronger and more prompt antitumor effects. The probable underlying mechanism of fast immunization was the accumulation of CD8+CD11c+ antigen-presenting cells at the injection site, which enhanced subsequent antigen presentation. In conclusion, the fast DNA vaccination strategy shortened vaccination time to 5 days and elicited a stronger antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlu Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Biobank, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianling Cong
- Biobank, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuqian Wang
- Biobank, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yu Xie
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fei Geng
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jie Guo
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ling Dong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hui Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bin Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiaxin Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Haihong Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianghui Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Kong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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10
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Lee EJ, Jang GY, Lee SE, Lee JW, Han HD, Park YM, Kang TH. A novel form of immunotherapy using antigen peptides conjugated on PD-L1 antibody. Immunol Lett 2021; 240:137-148. [PMID: 34710507 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 have shown promising cancer clinical outcomes. However, IC therapy has low patient response rates (10%-15%). Thus, ICIs and sufficient antigen combinations into the tumor microenvironment (TME) is important to produce strong tumor-specific adaptive immune responses. Mice were treated with cisplatin, and human cancer cells were exposed to inflammatory cytokines, to confirm increased PD-L1 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I expression by tumor cells or dendritic cells. TC-1, CT26, B16-F1, or B16-F10 tumor cells, and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells, were treated with interferon (IFN)-β, IFN-γ, or tumor necrosis factor-α to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor PD-L1 and MHC I upregulation, and to examine MHC I, CD40, CD80, CD86, or PD-L1 levels, respectively. For synergistic combination therapy, αPD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) covalently linked to the long E7 peptide was generated. Chemotherapy shifted the TME to express high PD-L1 and MHC I, resulting in targeted ICI cargo delivery and enhanced generation and activation of tumor antigen-specific T cells. Synergistic effects of vaccination and IC blockade in the TME were demonstrated using an anti-PD-L1 mAb covalently conjugated to the E7 long peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Ji Lee
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Gun-Young Jang
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Eun Lee
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Won Lee
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Dong Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong-Min Park
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero, Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Heung Kang
- Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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Hoteit M, Oneissi Z, Reda R, Wakim F, Zaidan A, Farran M, Abi-Khalil E, El-Sibai M. Cancer immunotherapy: A comprehensive appraisal of its modes of application. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:655. [PMID: 34386077 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy have reached their therapeutic potential, leaving a gap for developing more effective cancer therapeutics. Cancer cells evade the immune system using various mechanisms of immune tolerance, underlying the potential impact of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer. Immunotherapy includes several approaches such as activating the immune system in a cytokine-dependent manner, manipulating the feedback mechanisms involved in the immune response, enhancing the immune response via lymphocyte expansion and using cancer vaccines to elicit long-lasting, robust responses. These techniques can be used as monotherapies or combination therapies. The present review describes the immune-based mechanisms involved in tumor cell proliferation and maintenance and the rationale underlying various treatment methods. In addition, the present review provides insight into the potential of immunotherapy used alone or in combination with various types of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Hoteit
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Zeina Oneissi
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Ranim Reda
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Fadi Wakim
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Amar Zaidan
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Mohammad Farran
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Elie Abi-Khalil
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Mirvat El-Sibai
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
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12
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Delivering Two Tumour Antigens Survivin and Mucin-1 on Virus-Like Particles Enhances Anti-Tumour Immune Responses. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9050463. [PMID: 34066318 PMCID: PMC8148150 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, with many patients experiencing recurrence following treatment. Antigens delivered on virus-like particles (VLPs) induce a targeted immune response and here we investigated whether the co-delivery of multiple antigens could induce a superior anti-cancer response for BC immunotherapy. VLPs were designed to recombinantly express murine survivin and conjugated with an aberrantly glycosylated mucin-1 (MUC1) peptide using an intracellular cleavable bis-arylhydrazone linker. Western blotting, electron microscopy and UV absorption confirmed survivin-VLP expression and MUC1 conjugation. To assess the therapeutic efficacy of VLPs, orthotopic BC tumours were established by injecting C57mg.MUC1 cells into the mammary fat pad of mice, which were then vaccinated with surv.VLP-SS-MUC1 or VLP controls. While wild-type mice vaccinated with surv.VLP-SS-MUC1 showed enhanced survival compared to VLPs delivering either antigen alone, MUC1 transgenic mice vaccinated with surv.VLP-SS-MUC1 showed no enhanced survival compared to controls. Hence, while co-delivery of two tumour antigens on VLPs can induce a superior anti-tumour immune response compared to the delivery of single antigens, additional strategies must be employed to break tolerance when targeted tumour antigens are expressed as endogenous self-proteins. Using VLPs for the delivery of multiple antigens represents a promising approach to improving BC immunotherapy, and has the potential to be an integral part of combination therapy in the future.
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13
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Jang GY, Kim YS, Lee SE, Lee JW, Han HD, Kang TH, Park YM. Improvement of DC-based vaccines using adjuvant TLR4-binding 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 70:1075-1088. [PMID: 33113002 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02759-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has fewer side effects and higher efficiency than conventional methods. Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccine, a cancer immunotherapeutic, is prepared by processing mature DCs and pulsing with tumor antigen peptide ex vivo, to induce the activation of tumor-specific T lymphocytes followed by tumor clearance in vivo. Unfortunately, clinical trials of this method mostly failed due to low patient response, possibly due to the absence of novel adjuvants that induce DC maturation through Toll-like receptor (TLR) signals. Interestingly, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has shown remarkable anti-tumor efficacy when combined with cancer vaccines. In this study, we identified 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 (RPLP2) through pull-down assay using human cancer cells derived proteins that binds to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Recombinant RPLP2 induced maturation and activation of DCs in vitro. This DC-based vaccine, followed by pulsing with tumor-specific antigen, has shown to significantly increase tumor-specific CD8+IFN-γ+ T cells, and improved both tumor prevention and tumor treatment effects in vivo. The adjuvant effects of RPLP2 were shown to be dependent on TLR4 using TLR4 knockout mice. Moreover, ICIs that suppress the tumor evasion mechanism showed synergistic effects on tumor treatment when combined with these vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gun-Young Jang
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Seob Kim
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Eun Lee
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji Won Lee
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hee Dong Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Tae Heung Kang
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Yeong-Min Park
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 268 Chungwon-daero Chungju-si Chungcheongbuk-do 27478, Seoul, South Korea.
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14
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Cheng R, Fontana F, Xiao J, Liu Z, Figueiredo P, Shahbazi MA, Wang S, Jin J, Torrieri G, Hirvonen JT, Zhang H, Chen T, Cui W, Lu Y, Santos HA. Recombination Monophosphoryl Lipid A-Derived Vacosome for the Development of Preventive Cancer Vaccines. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:44554-44562. [PMID: 32960566 PMCID: PMC7549091 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Recently, there has been an increasing interest for utilizing the host immune system to fight against cancer. Moreover, cancer vaccines, which can stimulate the host immune system to respond to cancer in the long term, are being investigated as a promising approach to induce tumor-specific immunity. In this work, we prepared an effective cancer vaccine (denoted as "vacosome") by reconstructing the cancer cell membrane, monophosphoryl lipid A as a toll-like receptor 4 agonist, and egg phosphatidylcholine. The vacosome triggered and enhanced bone marrow dendritic cell maturation as well as stimulated the antitumor response against breast cancer 4T1 cells in vitro. Furthermore, an immune memory was established in BALB/c mice after three-time preimmunization with the vacosome. After that, the immunized mice showed inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival period (longer than 50 days). Overall, our results demonstrate that the vacosome can be a potential candidate for clinical translation as a cancer vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Cheng
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Flavia Fontana
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Junyuan Xiao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment
of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Second Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zehua Liu
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Patrícia Figueiredo
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mohammad-Ali Shahbazi
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, 45139-56184 Zanjan, Iran
| | - Shiqi Wang
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jing Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment
of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Second Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Giulia Torrieri
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jouni T. Hirvonen
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hongbo Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment
of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Second Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory and
Turku Center for Biotechnology, Åbo
Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Tongtong Chen
- Radiology Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Wenguo Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment
of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Second Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yong Lu
- Radiology Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, 200025 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Hélder A. Santos
- Drug Research Program,
Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Insititute of Life Science, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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15
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Gamat-Huber M, Jeon D, Johnson LE, Moseman JE, Muralidhar A, Potluri HK, Rastogi I, Wargowski E, Zahm CD, McNeel DG. Treatment Combinations with DNA Vaccines for the Treatment of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC). Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102831. [PMID: 33008010 PMCID: PMC7601088 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The only vaccine approved by FDA as a treatment for cancer is sipuleucel-T, a therapy for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Most investigators studying anti-tumor vaccines believe they will be most effective as parts of combination therapies, rather than used alone. Unfortunately, the cost and complexity of sipuleucel-T makes it difficult to feasibly be used in combination with many other agents. In this review article we discuss the use of DNA vaccines as a simpler vaccine approach that has demonstrated efficacy in several animal species. We discuss the use of DNA vaccines in combination with traditional treatments for mCRPC, and other immune-modulating treatments, in preclinical and early clinical trials for patients with mCRPC. Abstract Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a challenging disease to treat, with poor outcomes for patients. One antitumor vaccine, sipuleucel-T, has been approved as a treatment for mCRPC. DNA vaccines are another form of immunotherapy under investigation. DNA immunizations elicit antigen-specific T cells that cause tumor cell lysis, which should translate to meaningful clinical responses. They are easily amenable to design alterations, scalable for large-scale manufacturing, and thermo-stable for easy transport and distribution. Hence, they offer advantages over other vaccine formulations. However, clinical trials with DNA vaccines as a monotherapy have shown only modest clinical effects against tumors. Standard therapies for CRPC including androgen-targeted therapies, radiation therapy and chemotherapy all have immunomodulatory effects, which combined with immunotherapies such as DNA vaccines, could potentially improve treatment. In addition, many investigational drugs are being developed which can augment antitumor immunity, and together with DNA vaccines can further enhance antitumor responses in preclinical models. We reviewed the literature available prior to July 2020 exploring the use of DNA vaccines in the treatment of prostate cancer. We also examined various approved and experimental therapies that could be combined with DNA vaccines to potentially improve their antitumor efficacy as treatments for mCRPC.
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Ramos MB, Araújo AEVD, Pestana CP, Ano Bom APD, Bastos RC, de Almeida Oliveira A, da Costa Neves PC, da Silva Junior HC. Initial development of biosimilar immune checkpoint blockers using HEK293 cells. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 170:105596. [PMID: 32036001 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies that block interaction of immune checkpoint receptors with its ligands have revolutionized the treatment of several cancers. Despite the success of this approach, the high cost has been restricted the use of this class of drugs. In this context, the development of biosimilar can be an important strategy for reducing prices and expanding access after patent has been dropped. Here, we evaluated the use of HEK293 cells for transient expression of an immune checkpoint-blocking antibody as a first step for biosimilar development. Antibody light and heavy chain genes were cloned into pCI-neo vector and transiently expressed in HEK293 cells. The culture supernatant was then subjected to protein A affinity chromatography, which allowed to obtain the antibody with high homogeneity. For physicochemical comparability, biosimilar antibody and reference drug were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, isoelectric focusing, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results indicated that the both antibodies have a high degree of structural similarity. Lastly, the biosimilar antibody binding capacity to target receptor was shown to be similar to reference product in ELISA and flow cytometry assays. These data demonstrate that the HEK293 system can be used as an important tool for candidate selection and early development of biosimilar antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bernardes Ramos
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Anna Erika Vieira de Araújo
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Pinheiro Pestana
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Dinis Ano Bom
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Renata Chagas Bastos
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline de Almeida Oliveira
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Haroldo Cid da Silva Junior
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos (Bio-Manguinhos), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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17
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Lopes A, Feola S, Ligot S, Fusciello M, Vandermeulen G, Préat V, Cerullo V. Oncolytic adenovirus drives specific immune response generated by a poly-epitope pDNA vaccine encoding melanoma neoantigens into the tumor site. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:174. [PMID: 31291991 PMCID: PMC6621971 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0644-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background DNA vaccines against cancer held great promises due to the generation of a specific and long-lasting immune response. However, when used as a single therapy, they are not able to drive the generated immune response into the tumor, because of the immunosuppressive microenvironment, thus limiting their use in humans. To enhance DNA vaccine efficacy, we combined a new poly-epitope DNA vaccine encoding melanoma tumor associated antigens and B16F1-specific neoantigens with an oncolytic virus administered intratumorally. Methods Genomic analysis were performed to find specific mutations in B16F1 melanoma cells. The antigen gene sequences were designed according to these mutations prior to the insertion in the plasmid vector. Mice were injected with B16F1 tumor cells (n = 7–9) and therapeutically vaccinated 2, 9 and 16 days after the tumor injection. The virus was administered intratumorally at day 10, 12 and 14. Immune cell infiltration analysis and cytokine production were performed by flow cytometry, PCR and ELISPOT in the tumor site and in the spleen of animals, 17 days after the tumor injection. Results The combination of DNA vaccine and oncolytic virus significantly increased the immune activity into the tumor. In particular, the local intratumoral viral therapy increased the NK infiltration, thus increasing the production of different cytokines, chemokines and enzymes involved in the adaptive immune system recruitment and cytotoxic activity. On the other side, the DNA vaccine generated antigen-specific T cells in the spleen, which migrated into the tumor when recalled by the local viral therapy. The complementarity between these strategies explains the dramatic tumor regression observed only in the combination group compared to all the other control groups. Conclusions This study explores the immunological mechanism of the combination between an oncolytic adenovirus and a DNA vaccine against melanoma. It demonstrates that the use of a rational combination therapy involving DNA vaccination could overcome its poor immunogenicity. In this way, it will be possible to exploit the great potential of DNA vaccination, thus allowing a larger use in the clinic. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0644-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Feola
- University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, Viikinkari 5E, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sophie Ligot
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Manlio Fusciello
- University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, Viikinkari 5E, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Vincenzo Cerullo
- University of Helsinki, Biocenter 2, Viikinkari 5E, Helsinki, Finland.
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18
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Uludag H, Ubeda A, Ansari A. At the Intersection of Biomaterials and Gene Therapy: Progress in Non-viral Delivery of Nucleic Acids. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:131. [PMID: 31214586 PMCID: PMC6558074 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomaterials play a critical role in technologies intended to deliver therapeutic agents in clinical settings. Recent explosion of our understanding of how cells utilize nucleic acids has garnered excitement to develop a range of older (e.g., antisense oligonucleotides, plasmid DNA and transposons) and emerging (e.g., short interfering RNA, messenger RNA and non-coding RNAs) nucleic acid agents for therapy of a wide range of diseases. This review will summarize biomaterials-centered advances to undertake effective utilization of nucleic acids for therapeutic purposes. We first review various types of nucleic acids and their unique abilities to deliver a range of clinical outcomes. Using recent advances in T-cell based therapy as a case in point, we summarize various possibilities for utilizing biomaterials to make an impact in this exciting therapeutic intervention technology, with the belief that this modality will serve as a therapeutic paradigm for other types of cellular therapies in the near future. We subsequently focus on contributions of biomaterials in emerging nucleic acid technologies, specifically focusing on the design of intelligent nanoparticles, deployment of mRNA as an alternative to plasmid DNA, long-acting (integrating) expression systems, and in vitro/in vivo expansion of engineered T-cells. We articulate the role of biomaterials in these emerging nucleic acid technologies in order to enhance the clinical impact of nucleic acids in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Uludag
- Department of Chemical and Materinals Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Anyeld Ubeda
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Aysha Ansari
- Department of Chemical and Materinals Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Kos S, Lopes A, Preat V, Cemazar M, Lampreht Tratar U, Ucakar B, Vanvarenberg K, Sersa G, Vandermeulen G. Intradermal DNA vaccination combined with dual CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade provides robust tumor immunity in murine melanoma. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217762. [PMID: 31150505 PMCID: PMC6544376 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to explore whether the combination of intradermal DNA vaccination, to boost immune response against melanoma antigens, and immune checkpoint blockade, to alleviate immunosuppression, improves antitumor effectiveness in a murine B16F10 melanoma tumor model. Compared to single treatments, a combination of intradermal DNA vaccination (ovalbumin or gp100 plasmid adjuvanted with IL12 plasmid) and immune checkpoint CTLA-4/PD-1 blockade resulted in a significant delay in tumor growth and prolonged survival of treated mice. Strong activation of the immune response induced by combined treatment resulted in a significant antigen-specific immune response, with elevated production of antigen-specific IgG antibodies and increased intratumoral CD8+ infiltration. These results indicate a potential application of the combined DNA vaccination and immune checkpoint blockade, specifically, to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines and to overcome the resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in certain cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spela Kos
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alessandra Lopes
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Veronique Preat
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail: (GS); (VP)
| | - Maja Cemazar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Ursa Lampreht Tratar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bernard Ucakar
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanvarenberg
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gregor Sersa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (GS); (VP)
| | - Gaelle Vandermeulen
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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20
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Lopes A, Vandermeulen G, Préat V. Cancer DNA vaccines: current preclinical and clinical developments and future perspectives. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2019; 38:146. [PMID: 30953535 PMCID: PMC6449928 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1154-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent developments in immuno-oncology have opened an unprecedented avenue for the emergence of vaccine strategies. Therapeutic DNA cancer vaccines are now considered a very promising strategy to activate the immune system against cancer. In the past, several clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines demonstrated a good safety profile and the activation of a broad and specific immune response. However, these vaccines often demonstrated only modest therapeutic effects in clinical trials due to the immunosuppressive mechanisms developed by the tumor. To enhance the vaccine-induced immune response and the treatment efficacy, DNA vaccines could be improved by using two different strategies. The first is to increase their immunogenicity by selecting and optimizing the best antigen(s) to be inserted into the plasmid DNA. The second strategy is to combine DNA vaccines with other complementary therapies that could improve their activity by attenuating immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment or by increasing the activity/number of immune cells. A growing number of preclinical and clinical studies are adopting these two strategies to better exploit the potential of DNA vaccination. In this review, we analyze the last 5-year preclinical studies and 10-year clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines for cancer therapy. We also investigate the strategies that are being developed to overcome the limitations in cancer DNA vaccination, revisiting the rationale for different combinations of therapy and the different possibilities in antigen choice. Finally, we highlight the most promising developments and critical points that need to be addressed to move towards the approval of therapeutic cancer DNA vaccines as part of the standard of cancer care in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
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Johanns TM, Miller CA, Liu CJ, Perrin RJ, Bender D, Kobayashi DK, Campian JL, Chicoine MR, Dacey RG, Huang J, Fritsch EF, Gillanders WE, Artyomov MN, Mardis ER, Schreiber RD, Dunn GP. Detection of neoantigen-specific T cells following a personalized vaccine in a patient with glioblastoma. Oncoimmunology 2019; 8:e1561106. [PMID: 30906654 PMCID: PMC6422384 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1561106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoantigens represent promising targets for personalized cancer vaccine strategies. However, the feasibility of this approach in lower mutational burden tumors like glioblastoma (GBM) remains unknown. We have previously reported the use of an immunogenomics pipeline to identify candidate neoantigens in preclinical models of GBM. Here, we report the application of the same immunogenomics pipeline to identify candidate neoantigens and guide screening for neoantigen-specific T cell responses in a patient with GBM treated with a personalized synthetic long peptide vaccine following autologous tumor lysate DC vaccination. Following vaccination, reactivity to three HLA class I- and five HLA class II-restricted candidate neoantigens were detected by IFN-γ ELISPOT in peripheral blood. A similar pattern of reactivity was observed among isolated post-treatment tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Genomic analysis of pre- and post-treatment GBM reflected clonal remodeling. These data demonstrate the feasibility and translational potential of a therapeutic neoantigen-based vaccine approach in patients with primary CNS tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanner M Johanns
- Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christopher A Miller
- The McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Connor J Liu
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Richard J Perrin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Diane Bender
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dale K Kobayashi
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jian L Campian
- Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael R Chicoine
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ralph G Dacey
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jiayi Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - William E Gillanders
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Surgery, Section of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N Artyomov
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elaine R Mardis
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Robert D Schreiber
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gavin P Dunn
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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