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Ami D, Franco AR, Artusa V, Romerio A, Shaik MM, Italia A, Anguita J, Pasco S, Mereghetti P, Peri F, Natalello A. Vibrational spectroscopy coupled with machine learning sheds light on the cellular effects induced by rationally designed TLR4 agonists. Talanta 2024; 275:126104. [PMID: 38677166 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126104] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we present the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to compare on whole cells, in an unbiased and untargeted way, the capacity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and two rationally designed molecules (FP20 and FP20Rha) to activate molecular circuits of innate immunity. These compounds are important drug hits in the development of vaccine adjuvants and tumor immunotherapeutics. The biological assays indicated that FP20Rha was more potent than FP20 in inducing cytokine production in cells and in stimulating IgG antibody production post-vaccination in mice. Accordingly, the overall significant IR spectral changes induced by the treatment with LPS and FP20Rha were similar, lipids and glycans signals being the most diagnostic, while the effect of the less potent molecule FP20 on cells resulted to be closer to control untreated cells. We propose here the use of FTIR spectroscopy supported by artificial intelligence (AI) to achieve a more holistic understanding of the cell response to new drug candidates while screening them in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Ami
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Ana Rita Franco
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Valentina Artusa
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessio Romerio
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Mohammed Monsoor Shaik
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Alice Italia
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Juan Anguita
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, 48009, Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Samuel Pasco
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | | | - Francesco Peri
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy.
| | - Antonino Natalello
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 2, 20126, Milano, Italy.
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Su C, Kim SK, Wang CX, Kirsch DG, Monjazeb AM. Radiotherapy Combined with Intralesional Immunostimulatory Agents for Soft Tissue Sarcomas. Semin Radiat Oncol 2024; 34:243-257. [PMID: 38508788 PMCID: PMC11216412 DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has shifted the treatment paradigm for many types of cancer. Unfortunately, the most commonly used immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), have yielded limited benefit for most types of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Radiotherapy (RT) is a mainstay of sarcoma therapy and can induce immune modulatory effects. Combining immunotherapy and RT in STS may be a promising strategy to improve sarcoma response to RT and increase the efficacy of immunotherapy. Most combination strategies have employed immunotherapies, such as ICI, that derepress immune suppressive networks. These have yielded only modest results, possibly due to the limited immune stimulatory effects of RT. Combining RT with immune stimulatory agents has yielded promising preclinical and clinical results but can be limited by the toxic nature of systemic administration of immune stimulants. Using intralesional immune stimulants may generate stronger RT immune modulation and less systemic toxicity, which may be a feasible strategy in accessible tumors such as STS. In this review, we summarize the immune modulatory effects of RT, the mechanism of action of various immune stimulants, including toll-like receptor agonists, and data for combinatorial strategies utilizing these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Su
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Soo Kyoung Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Davis Health, Davis, CA
| | - Charles X Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Davis Health, Davis, CA
| | - David G Kirsch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC; Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arta M Monjazeb
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Davis Health, Davis, CA.
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Usaite I, Biswas D, Dijkstra K, Watkins TB, Pich O, Puttick C, Angelova M, Thakkar K, Hiley C, Birkbak N, Kok M, Zaccaria S, Wu Y, Litchfield K, Swanton C, Kanu N. Quantifying the impact of immunotherapy on RNA dynamics in cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007870. [PMID: 37914385 PMCID: PMC10626770 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) immunotherapies have provided durable clinical responses across a range of solid tumor types for some patients with cancer. Nonetheless, response rates to CPI vary greatly between cancer types. Resolving intratumor transcriptomic changes induced by CPI may improve our understanding of the mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance. METHODS We assembled a cohort of longitudinal pre-therapy and on-therapy samples from 174 patients treated with CPI across six cancer types by leveraging transcriptomic sequencing data from five studies. RESULTS Meta-analyses of published RNA markers revealed an on-therapy pattern of immune reinvigoration in patients with breast cancer, which was not discernible pre-therapy, providing biological insight into the impact of CPI on the breast cancer immune microenvironment. We identified 98 breast cancer-specific correlates of CPI response, including 13 genes which are known IO targets, such as toll-like receptors TLR1, TLR4, and TLR8, that could hold potential as combination targets for patients with breast cancer receiving CPI treatment. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a subset of response genes identified in breast cancer are already highly expressed pre-therapy in melanoma, and additionally we establish divergent RNA dynamics between breast cancer and melanoma following CPI treatment, which may suggest distinct immune microenvironments between the two cancer types. CONCLUSIONS Overall, delineating longitudinal RNA dynamics following CPI therapy sheds light on the mechanisms underlying diverging response trajectories, and identifies putative targets for combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ieva Usaite
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Dhruva Biswas
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Bill Lyons Informatics Centre, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Krijn Dijkstra
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bk Watkins
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Oriol Pich
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Clare Puttick
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Mihaela Angelova
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Krupa Thakkar
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Tumour Immunogenomics and Immunosurveillance Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Crispin Hiley
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Nicolai Birkbak
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marleen Kok
- Division of Tumor Biology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simone Zaccaria
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Computational Cancer Genomics Research Group, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology and Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Litchfield
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Tumour Immunogenomics and Immunosurveillance Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Charles Swanton
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
- Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Nnennaya Kanu
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
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Mukherjee S, Patra R, Behzadi P, Masotti A, Paolini A, Sarshar M. Toll-like receptor-guided therapeutic intervention of human cancers: molecular and immunological perspectives. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1244345. [PMID: 37822929 PMCID: PMC10562563 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1244345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve as the body's first line of defense, recognizing both pathogen-expressed molecules and host-derived molecules released from damaged or dying cells. The wide distribution of different cell types, ranging from epithelial to immune cells, highlights the crucial roles of TLRs in linking innate and adaptive immunity. Upon stimulation, TLRs binding mediates the expression of several adapter proteins and downstream kinases, that lead to the induction of several other signaling molecules such as key pro-inflammatory mediators. Indeed, extraordinary progress in immunobiological research has suggested that TLRs could represent promising targets for the therapeutic intervention of inflammation-associated diseases, autoimmune diseases, microbial infections as well as human cancers. So far, for the prevention and possible treatment of inflammatory diseases, various TLR antagonists/inhibitors have shown to be efficacious at several stages from pre-clinical evaluation to clinical trials. Therefore, the fascinating role of TLRs in modulating the human immune responses at innate as well as adaptive levels directed the scientists to opt for these immune sensor proteins as suitable targets for developing chemotherapeutics and immunotherapeutics against cancer. Hitherto, several TLR-targeting small molecules (e.g., Pam3CSK4, Poly (I:C), Poly (A:U)), chemical compounds, phytocompounds (e.g., Curcumin), peptides, and antibodies have been found to confer protection against several types of cancers. However, administration of inappropriate doses of such TLR-modulating therapeutics or a wrong infusion administration is reported to induce detrimental outcomes. This review summarizes the current findings on the molecular and structural biology of TLRs and gives an overview of the potency and promises of TLR-directed therapeutic strategies against cancers by discussing the findings from established and pipeline discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suprabhat Mukherjee
- Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, India
| | - Ritwik Patra
- Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, India
| | - Payam Behzadi
- Department of Microbiology, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Andrea Masotti
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Paolini
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Meysam Sarshar
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Mazzio E, Barnes A, Badisa R, Council S, Soliman KFA. Plants against cancer: the immune-boosting herbal microbiome: not of the plant, but in the plant. Basic concepts, introduction, and future resource for vaccine adjuvant discovery. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1180084. [PMID: 37588095 PMCID: PMC10426289 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1180084] [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: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of microorganism communities (MOCs) comprised of bacteria, fungi, archaea, algae, protozoa, viruses, and the like, are ubiquitous in all living tissue, including plant and animal. MOCs play a significant role in establishing innate and acquired immunity, thereby influencing susceptibility and resistance to disease. This understanding has fostered substantial advancements in several fields such as agriculture, food science/safety, and the development of vaccines/adjuvants, which rely on administering inactivated-attenuated MOC pathogens. Historical evidence dating back to the 1800s, including reports by Drs Busch, Coley, and Fehleisen, suggested that acute febrile infection in response to "specific microbes" could trigger spontaneous tumor remission in humans. This discovery led to the purposeful administration of the same attenuated strains, known as "Coley's toxin," marking the onset of the first microbial (pathogen) associated molecular pattern (MAMPs or PAMPs)-based tumor immunotherapy, used clinically for over four decades. Today, these same MAMPS are consumed orally by billions of consumers around the globe, through "specific" mediums (immune boosting "herbal supplements") as carriers of highly concentrated MOCs accrued in roots, barks, hulls, sea algae, and seeds. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) mandates microbial reduction in botanical product processing but does not necessitate the removal of dead MAMP laden microbial debris, which we ingest. Moreover, while existing research has focused on the immune-modulating role of plant phytochemicals, the actual immune-boosting properties might instead reside solely in the plant's MOC MAMP laden biomass. This assertion is logical, considering that antigenic immune-provoking epitopes, not phytochemicals, are known to stimulate immune response. This review explores a neglected area of research regarding the immune-boosting effects of the herbal microbiome - a presence which is indirectly corroborated by various peripheral fields of study and poses a fundamental question: Given that food safety focuses on the elimination of harmful pathogens and crop science acknowledges the existence of plant microbiomes, what precisely are the immune effects of ingesting MAMPs of diverse structural composition and concentration, and where are these distributed in our botanicals? We will discuss the topic of concentrated edible MAMPs as acid and thermally stable motifs found in specific herbs and how these would activate cognate pattern recognition receptors (PPRs) in the upper gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), including Peyer's patches and the lamina propria, to boost antibody titers, CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, NK activity, hematopoiesis, and facilitating M2 to M1 macrophage phenotype transition in a similar manner as vaccines. This new knowledge could pave the way for developing bioreactor-grown/heat-inactivated MOC therapies to boost human immunity against infections and improve tumor surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Mazzio
- Divison of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Andrew Barnes
- Divison of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Ramesh Badisa
- Divison of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Stevie Council
- John Gnabre Science Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Karam F. A. Soliman
- Divison of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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Wei D, Yang Y, Xi R, He Y, Igbe I, Wang F, Zhang G, Luo Y. Hunteriasines A - D, tryptamine-derived alkaloids from Hunteria umbellata. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2023; 213:113752. [PMID: 37330032 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Four undescribed tryptamine-derived alkaloids, hunteriasines A - D, were isolated and identified from Hunteria umbellata (Apocynaceae), together with fifteen known indole alkaloids. The chemical structure and absolute configuration of hunteriasine A were determined by spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic data analyses. Hunteriasine A, featuring with a unique scaffold comprised of tryptamine and an unprecedented "12-carbon unit" moiety, is a zwitterionic indole-derived and pyridinium-containing alkaloid. Hunteriasines B - D were identified by spectroscopic data analyses and theoretical calculations. A plausible biogenetic pathway for hunteriasines A and B was proposed. The lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line J774A.1 cell-based bioactivity assays revealed that (+)-eburnamine, strictosidinic acid, and (S)-decarbomethoxydihydrogambirtannine enhance the release of interleukin-1β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daijing Wei
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yun Yang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ruiying Xi
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunqing He
- Process Analysis and Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Provincial Universities, Yibin University, Yibing, 644000, China
| | - Ighodaro Igbe
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001, Nigeria
| | - Fei Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guolin Zhang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Yinggang Luo
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Aryee KE, Shultz LD, Burzenski LM, Greiner DL, Brehm MA. NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice lacking TLR4 support human immune system development and the study of human-specific innate immunity. J Leukoc Biol 2023; 113:418-433. [PMID: 36801998 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Agents that induce inflammation have been used since the 18th century for the treatment of cancer. The inflammation induced by agents such as Toll-like receptor agonists is thought to stimulate tumor-specific immunity in patients and augment control of tumor burden. While NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice lack murine adaptive immunity (T cells and B cells), these mice maintain a residual murine innate immune system that responds to Toll-like receptor agonists. Here we describe a novel NOD-scid IL2rγnull mouse lacking murine TLR4 that fails to respond to lipopolysaccharide. NSG-Tlr4null mice support human immune system engraftment and enable the study of human-specific responses to TLR4 agonists in the absence of the confounding effects of a murine response. Our data demonstrate that specific stimulation of TLR4 activates human innate immune systems and delays the growth kinetics of a human patient-derived xenograft melanoma tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Edwin Aryee
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, AS7-2053, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Leonard D Shultz
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States
| | - Lisa M Burzenski
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States
| | - Dale L Greiner
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, AS7-2053, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Michael A Brehm
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, AS7-2053, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
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Yang J, Zhang J, Yan P, Zhang Z, Gao W, Xu M, Xu X, Liu B, Chen Z. Asymmetric Assembly and Self-Adjuvanted Antigen Delivery Platform for Improved Antigen Uptake and Antitumor Effect. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:856-865. [PMID: 37083372 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
The development of effective tumor vaccines is an important direction in the field of cancer prevention/immunotherapy. Efficient antigen delivery is essential for inducing effective antitumor responses for tumor vaccines. Lumazine synthase (BLS) from Brucella spp. is a decameric protein with delivery and adjuvant properties, but its application in tumor vaccines is limited. Here, we developed an antigen delivery platform by combining a BLS asymmetric assembly and the Plug-and-Display system of SpyCatcher/SpyTag. An asymmetric assembly system consisting of BLSke and BLSdr was developed to equally assemble two molecules. Then, the MHC-I-restricted ovalbumin peptide (OVA(257-264) SIINFEKL) was conjugated with BLSke, and a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) KALA was conjugated with BLSdr using the SpyCatcher/SpyTag system. KALA modification enhanced internalization of OVA peptides by DCs as well as promoted the maturation of DCs and the cross-presentation of SIINFEKL. Moreover, the immunotherapy of a KALA-modified vaccine suppressed tumor growth and enhanced CD8+ T cell responses in E.G7-OVA tumor-bearing mice. In the prophylactic model, KALA-modified vaccination showed the most significant protective effect and significantly prolonged the survival period of tumor challenged mice. In conclusion, the asymmetric assembly platform equally assembles two proteins or peptides, avoiding their spatial or functional interference. This asymmetric assembly and Plug-and-Display technology provide a universal platform for rapid development of personalized tumor vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghua Yang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Jinsong Zhang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, School of public health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Weiyu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Man Xu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Xinling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Baoshan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
| | - Zeliang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110866, P. R. China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, School of public health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Zoonose Prevention and Control at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Innovative Institute of Zoonoses, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, P. R. China
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Zhou C, Yang ZF, Sun BY, Yi Y, Wang Z, Zhou J, Fan J, Gan W, Ren N, Qiu SJ. Lenvatinib Induces Immunogenic Cell Death and Triggers Toll-Like Receptor-3/4 Ligands in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:697-712. [PMID: 37138764 PMCID: PMC10149778 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s401639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a cell death modality that plays a vital role in anticancer therapy. In this study, we investigated whether lenvatinib induces ICD in hepatocellular carcinoma and how it affects cancer cell behavior. Patients and Methods Hepatoma cells were treated with 0.5 μM lenvatinib for two weeks, and damage-associated molecular patterns were assessed using the expression of calreticulin, high mobility group box 1, and ATP secretion. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to investigate the effects of lenvatinib on hepatocellular carcinoma. Additionally, CU CPT 4A and TAK-242 were used to inhibit TLR3 and TLR4 expressions, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to assess PD-L1 expression. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were applied for prognosis assessment. Results After treatment with lenvatinib, there was a significant increase in ICD-associated damage-associated molecular patterns, such as calreticulin on the cell membrane, extracellular ATP, and high mobility group box 1, in hepatoma cells. Following treatment with lenvatinib, there was a significant increase in the downstream immunogenic cell death receptors, including TLR3 and TLR4. Furthermore, lenvatinib increased the expression of PD-L1, which was later inhibited by TLR4. Interestingly, inhibiting TLR3 in MHCC-97H and Huh7 cells strengthened their proliferative capacity. Moreover, TLR3 inhibition was identified as an independent risk factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion Our study revealed that lenvatinib induced ICD in hepatocellular carcinoma and upregulated PD-L1 expression through TLR4 while promoting cell apoptosis through TLR3. Antibodies against PD-1/PD-L1 can enhance the efficacy of lenvatinib in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhang-Fu Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bao-Ye Sun
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong Yi
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Gan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ning Ren
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Fudan Minhang Academic Health System & Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuang-Jian Qiu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion (Ministry of Education), Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Shuang-Jian Qiu, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13916625289, Email
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Jena S, Tulsiyan KD, Kumari A, Das R, Biswal HS. Thiolumazines as Heavy-Atom-Free Photosensitizers for Applications in Daylight Photodynamic Therapy: Insights from Ultrafast Excited-State Dynamics. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:6083-6094. [PMID: 35938784 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c03489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Finding appropriate photosensitizers (PSs) for daylight photodynamic therapy (dPDT) applications is extremely challenging, even though heavy-atom-free photosensitizers (HAFPSs) such as thiocarbonyl-modified nucleobases have shown a ray of hope. Few attempts have been made to find alternative natural products for dPDT applications. Pteridine heterocycles consisting of a pyrazine ring and a pyrimidine ring, such as lumazine, which exhibit many structural similarities to the alloxazine ring of the flavin molecule, could be an option for HAFPSs. The photophysical and quantum mechanical studies of the thio-modified lumazines revealed that sequential thiomodifications in lumazine result in a bathochromic shift. Additionally, higher tissue penetration depths were observed for thiolumazines. The fluorescence quenching in the case of thiomodified lumazines was explained using triplet state formation, whereas the contribution from the photoinduced electron transfer process cannot be ignored. It was also noticed that a strong one-photon absorption influenced the two-photon absorption (TPA) process, leading to a self-focusing effect in the visible spectral region. The higher tissue penetration and larger TPA cross section are the hallmark characteristics of the thiolumazines to be considered as potential HAFPSs for dPDT applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhrakant Jena
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), PO- Bhimpur-Padanpur, Via-Jatni, District- Khurda, PIN - 752050, Bhubaneswar, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Kiran Devi Tulsiyan
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), PO- Bhimpur-Padanpur, Via-Jatni, District- Khurda, PIN - 752050, Bhubaneswar, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Anupa Kumari
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India.,School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), PO- Bhimpur-Padanpur, Via-Jatni, District- Khurda, PIN - 752050, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ritwick Das
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India.,School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), PO- Bhimpur-Padanpur, Via-Jatni, District- Khurda, PIN - 752050, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Himansu S Biswal
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), PO- Bhimpur-Padanpur, Via-Jatni, District- Khurda, PIN - 752050, Bhubaneswar, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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11
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Judge SJ, Bloomstein JD, Sholevar CJ, Darrow MA, Stoffel KM, Vick LV, Dunai C, Cruz SM, Razmara AM, Monjazeb AM, Rebhun RB, Murphy WJ, Canter RJ. Transcriptome Analysis of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Identifies NK Cell Gene Signatures Associated With Lymphocyte Infiltration and Survival in Soft Tissue Sarcomas. Front Immunol 2022; 13:893177. [PMID: 35874727 PMCID: PMC9300876 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.893177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Clinical successes using current T-cell based immunotherapies have been limited in soft tissue sarcomas (STS), while pre-clinical studies have shown evidence of natural killer (NK) cell activity. Since tumor immune infiltration, especially tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, is associated with improved survival in most solid tumors, we sought to evaluate the gene expression profile of tumor and blood NK and T cells, as well as tumor cells, with the goal of identifying potential novel immune targets in STS. Experimental Design Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, we isolated blood and tumor-infiltrating CD3-CD56+ NK and CD3+ T cells and CD45- viable tumor cells from STS patients undergoing surgery. We then evaluated differential gene expression (DGE) of these purified populations with RNA sequencing analysis. To evaluate survival differences and validate primary DGE results, we also queried The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to compare outcomes stratified by bulk gene expression. Results Sorted intra-tumoral CD3+ T cells showed significant upregulation of established activating (CD137) and inhibitory genes (TIM-3) compared to circulating T cells. In contrast, intra-tumoral NK cells did not exhibit upregulation of canonical cytotoxic genes (IFNG, GZMB), but rather significant DGE in mitogen signaling (DUSP4) and metabolic function (SMPD3, SLC7A5). Tumors with higher NK and T cell infiltration exhibited significantly increased expression of the pro-inflammatory receptor TLR4 in sorted CD45- tumor cells. TCGA analysis revealed that tumors with high TLR4 expression (P = 0.03) and low expression of STMN1 involved in microtubule polymerization (P < 0.001) were associated with significantly improved survival. Conclusions Unlike T cells, which demonstrate significant DGE consistent with upregulation of both activating and inhibiting receptors in tumor-infiltrating subsets, NK cells appear to have more stable gene expression between blood and tumor subsets, with alterations restricted primarily to metabolic pathways. Increased immune cell infiltration and improved survival were positively correlated with TLR4 expression and inversely correlated with STMN1 expression within tumors, suggesting possible novel therapeutic targets for immunotherapy in STS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J. Judge
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Joshua D. Bloomstein
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Cyrus J. Sholevar
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Morgan A. Darrow
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Kevin M. Stoffel
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Logan V. Vick
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Cordelia Dunai
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Sylvia M. Cruz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Aryana M. Razmara
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Arta M. Monjazeb
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Robert B. Rebhun
- Center for Companion Animal Health, Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - William J. Murphy
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Robert J. Canter
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Robert J. Canter,
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12
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TLR4 and pSTAT3 Expression on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) and Immune Cells in the Peripheral Blood of Breast Cancer Patients: Prognostic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14041053. [PMID: 35205801 PMCID: PMC8869985 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14041053] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
TLR4 and pSTAT3 are key players in cancer inflammation and immune evasion; however, their role in the peripheral blood (PB) is largely unexplored. Herein we evaluated their expression in the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with early (n = 99) and metastatic (n = 100) breast cancer (BC). PB samples obtained prior to adjuvant and first-line therapy, were immunofluorescently stained for Cytokeratins/TLR4/pSTAT3/DAPI and analyzed via Ariol microscopy. TLR4+ CTCs were detected in 50% and 68% of early and metastatic CTC-positive patients, respectively, and pSTAT3+ CTCs in 83% and 68%, respectively. In metastatic patients, CTC detection was associated with a high risk of death (HR: 1.764, p = 0.038), while TLR4+ CTCs correlated with a high risk of disease progression (HR: 1.964, p = 0.030). Regarding PBMCs, TLR4 expression prevailed in metastatic disease (p = 0.029), while pSTAT3 expression was more frequent in early disease (p = 0.014). In early BC, TLR4 expression on PBMCs independently predicted for high risk of relapse (HR: 3.549; p = 0.009), whereas in metastatic BC, TLR4+/pSTAT3- PBMCs independently predicted for high risk of death (HR: 2.925; p = 0.012). These results suggest that TLR4/pSTAT3 signaling on tumor- and immune-cell compartments in the PB could play a role in BC progression, and may hold independent prognostic implications for BC patients.
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13
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Jeong S, Choi Y, Kim K. Engineering Therapeutic Strategies in Cancer Immunotherapy via Exogenous Delivery of Toll-like Receptor Agonists. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1374. [PMID: 34575449 PMCID: PMC8466827 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
As a currently spotlighted method for cancer treatment, cancer immunotherapy has made a lot of progress in recent years. Among tremendous cancer immunotherapy boosters available nowadays, Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists were specifically selected, because of their effective activation of innate and adaptive immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and macrophages. TLR agonists can activate signaling pathways of DCs to express CD80 and CD86 molecules, and secrete various cytokines and chemokines. The maturation of DCs stimulates naïve T cells to differentiate into functional cells, and induces B cell activation. Although TLR agonists have anti-tumor ability by activating the immune system of the host, their drawbacks, which include poor efficiency and remarkably short retention time in the body, must be overcome. In this review, we classify and summarize the recently reported delivery strategies using (1) exogenous TLR agonists to maintain the biological and physiological signaling activities of cargo agonists, (2) usage of multiple TLR agonists for synergistic immune responses, and (3) co-delivery using the combination with other immunomodulators or stimulants. In contrast to naked TLR agonists, these exogenous TLR delivery strategies successfully facilitated immune responses and subsequently mediated anti-tumor efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kyobum Kim
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University, 30, Pildong-ro 1-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul 22012, Korea; (S.J.); (Y.C.)
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