1
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Wang X, Lu J. Immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:1765-1776. [PMID: 38855876 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000003060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Its high recurrence rate and lack of effective control drugs result in a 5-year survival rate of only about 10%. HCC is a tumor regulated by the immune system. Significant breakthroughs have occurred in treating solid tumors with immunotherapy in recent years. Various immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including combination therapies, have demonstrated promising therapeutic effects in both clinical applications and research. Other immunotherapies, such as adoptive cell therapies and oncolytic viruses, are also emerging, offering hope for addressing long-term survival issues in HCC. This article reviews current commonly used immunotherapy strategies and the latest research findings for reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
- Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
- Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University
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2
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Yin Y, Feng W, Chen J, Chen X, Wang G, Wang S, Xu X, Nie Y, Fan D, Wu K, Xia L. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in the progression, metastasis, and therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: from bench to bedside. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:72. [PMID: 39085965 PMCID: PMC11292955 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00539-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy with high incidence, recurrence, and metastasis rates. The emergence of immunotherapy has improved the treatment of advanced HCC, but problems such as drug resistance and immune-related adverse events still exist in clinical practice. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of HCC restricts the efficacy of immunotherapy and is essential for HCC progression and metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms behind immunosuppressive TME to develop and apply immunotherapy. This review systematically summarizes the pathogenesis of HCC, the formation of the highly heterogeneous TME, and the mechanisms by which the immunosuppressive TME accelerates HCC progression and metastasis. We also review the status of HCC immunotherapy and further discuss the existing challenges and potential therapeutic strategies targeting immunosuppressive TME. We hope to inspire optimizing and innovating immunotherapeutic strategies by comprehensively understanding the structure and function of immunosuppressive TME in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Weibo Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xilang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Oncology and Intelligent Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Yongzhan Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Daiming Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Kaichun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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3
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Sadagopan N, He AR. Recent Progress in Systemic Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1259. [PMID: 38279258 PMCID: PMC10816205 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021259] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have several systemic treatment options. There are many known risk factors for HCC, and although some, such as hepatitis C, are now treatable, others are not. For example, metabolic dysfunction-related chronic liver disease is increasing in incidence and has no specific treatment. Underlying liver disease, drug resistance, and an increasing number of treatment options without specific biomarkers are all challenges in selecting the best treatment for each patient. Conventional chemotherapy is almost never used for advanced-stage disease, which instead is treated with immunotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and VEGF inhibitors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting various receptors have been or are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. Ongoing trials with three-drug regimens may be the future of advanced-stage HCC treatment. Other immune-modulatory approaches of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells, bispecific antibodies, cytokine-induced killer cells, natural killer cells, and vaccines are in early-stage clinical trials. Targeted therapies remain limited for HCC but represent an area of potential growth. As we shift away from first-line sorafenib for advanced HCC, clinical trial control arms should comprise a standard treatment other than sorafenib, one that is a better comparator for advancing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayanan Sadagopan
- MedStar Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA;
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Carloni R, Sabbioni S, Rizzo A, Ricci AD, Palloni A, Petrarota C, Cusmai A, Tavolari S, Gadaleta-Caldarola G, Brandi G. Immune-Based Combination Therapies for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:1445-1463. [PMID: 37701562 PMCID: PMC10493094 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s390963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. HCC frequently presents as advanced disease at diagnosis, and disease relapse following radical surgery is frequent. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced HCC, particularly with the introduction of atezolizumab/bevacizumab as the new standard of care for first-line treatment. Recently, dual immune checkpoint blockade with durvalumab plus tremelimumab has also emerged as an effective first-line treatment for advanced HCC and most of the research is currently focused on developing combination treatments based mainly on ICIs. In this review, we will discuss the rationale and ongoing clinical trials of immune-based combination therapies for the treatment of advanced HCC, also focusing on new immunotherapy strategies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) and anti-cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Carloni
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Sabbioni
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rizzo
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Angela Dalia Ricci
- Medical Oncology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “Saverio de Bellis” Research Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Andrea Palloni
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cataldo Petrarota
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Cusmai
- Struttura Semplice Dipartimentale di Oncologia Medica per la Presa in Carico Globale del Paziente Oncologico “Don Tonino Bello”, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Simona Tavolari
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Brandi
- Department of Specialized, Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Division of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Li X, Pak HS, Huber F, Michaux J, Taillandier-Coindard M, Altimiras ER, Bassani-Sternberg M. A microfluidics-enabled automated workflow of sample preparation for MS-based immunopeptidomics. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100479. [PMID: 37426762 PMCID: PMC10326370 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry (MS)-based immunopeptidomics is an attractive antigen discovery method with growing clinical implications. However, the current experimental approach to extract HLA-restricted peptides requires a bulky sample source, which remains a challenge for obtaining clinical specimens. We present an innovative workflow that requires a low sample volume, which streamlines the immunoaffinity purification (IP) and C18 peptide cleanup on a single microfluidics platform with automated liquid handling and minimal sample transfers, resulting in higher assay sensitivity. We also demonstrate how the state-of-the-art data-independent acquisition (DIA) method further enhances the depth of tandem MS spectra-based peptide sequencing. Consequently, over 4,000 and 5,000 HLA-I-restricted peptides were identified from as few as 0.2 million RA957 cells and a melanoma tissue of merely 5 mg, respectively. We also identified multiple immunogenic tumor-associated antigens and hundreds of peptides derived from non-canonical protein sources. This workflow represents a powerful tool for identifying the immunopeptidome of sparse samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokang Li
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hui Song Pak
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Florian Huber
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Justine Michaux
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marie Taillandier-Coindard
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Emma Ricart Altimiras
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michal Bassani-Sternberg
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Agora Cancer Research Centre, Rue du Bugnon 25A, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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6
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Li W, Wang Q, Lu J, Zhao B, Geng Y, Wu X, Chen X. Machine learning-based prognostic modeling of lysosome-related genes for predicting prognosis and immune status of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1169256. [PMID: 37275878 PMCID: PMC10237352 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1169256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Lysosomes are organelles that play an important role in cancer progression by breaking down biomolecules. However, the molecular mechanisms of lysosome-related genes in HCC are not fully understood. Methods We downloaded HCC datasets from TCGA and GEO as well as lysosome-related gene sets from AIMGO. After univariate Cox screening of the set of lysosome-associated genes differentially expressed in HCC and normal tissues, risk models were built by machine learning. Model effects were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). Additionally, we explored the biological function and immune microenvironment between the high- and low-risk groups, and analyzed the response of the high- and low-risk groups to immunotherapy responsiveness and chemotherapeutic agents. Finally, we explored the function of a key gene (RAMP3) at the cellular level. Results Univariate Cox yielded 46 differentially and prognostically significant lysosome-related genes, and risk models were constructed using eight genes (RAMP3, GPLD1, FABP5, CD68, CSPG4, SORT1, CSPG5, CSF3R) derived from machine learning. The risk model was a better predictor of clinical outcomes, with the higher risk group having worse clinical outcomes. There were significant differences in biological function, immune microenvironment, and responsiveness to immunotherapy and drug sensitivity between the high and low-risk groups. Finally, we found that RAMP3 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and correlated with the sensitivity of HCC cells to Idarubicin. Conclusion Lysosome-associated gene risk models built by machine learning can effectively predict patient prognosis and offer new prospects for chemotherapy and immunotherapy in HCC. In addition, cellular-level experiments suggest that RAMP3 may be a new target for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Li
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Qianwen Wang
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Junxia Lu
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Yuqing Geng
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Xiangwei Wu
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Xueling Chen
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of High Morbidity in Central Asia, National Health and Health Commission, Shihezi, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
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7
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Zhao M, Huang H, He F, Fu X. Current insights into the hepatic microenvironment and advances in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1188277. [PMID: 37275909 PMCID: PMC10233045 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and shows high global incidence and mortality rates. The liver is an immune-tolerated organ with a specific immune microenvironment that causes traditional therapeutic approaches to HCC, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and molecular targeted therapy, to have limited efficacy. The dramatic advances in immuno-oncology in the past few decades have modified the paradigm of cancer therapy, ushering in the era of immunotherapy. Currently, despite the rapid integration of cancer immunotherapy into clinical practice, some patients still show no response to treatment. Therefore, a rational approach is to target the tumor microenvironment when developing the next generation of immunotherapy. This review aims to provide insights into the hepatic immune microenvironment in HCC and summarize the mechanisms of action and clinical usage of immunotherapeutic options for HCC, including immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive therapy, cytokine therapy, vaccine therapy, and oncolytic virus-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Feng He
- *Correspondence: Feng He, ; Xiangsheng Fu,
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8
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Zhu L, Yu X, Cao T, Deng H, Tang X, Lin Q, Zhou Q. Immune cell membrane-based biomimetic nanomedicine for treating cancer metastasis. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
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9
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Shapiro IE, Bassani-Sternberg M. The impact of immunopeptidomics: From basic research to clinical implementation. Semin Immunol 2023; 66:101727. [PMID: 36764021 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
The immunopeptidome is the set of peptides presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, in humans also known as the human leukocyte antigen (HLA), on the surface of cells that mediate T-cell immunosurveillance. The immunopeptidome is a sampling of the cellular proteome and hence it contains information about the health state of cells. The peptide repertoire is influenced by intra- and extra-cellular perturbations - such as in the case of drug exposure, infection, or oncogenic transformation. Immunopeptidomics is the bioanalytical method by which the presented peptides are extracted from biological samples and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS), resulting in a deep qualitative and quantitative snapshot of the immunopeptidome. In this review, we discuss published immunopeptidomics studies from recent years, grouped into three main domains: i) basic, ii) pre-clinical and iii) clinical research and applications. We review selected fundamental immunopeptidomics studies on the antigen processing and presentation machinery, on HLA restriction and studies that advanced our understanding of various diseases, and how exploration of the antigenic landscape allowed immune targeting at the pre-clinical stage, paving the way to pioneering exploratory clinical trials where immunopeptidomics is directly implemented in the conception of innovative treatments for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilja E Shapiro
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Agora Cancer Research Centre, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michal Bassani-Sternberg
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Agora Cancer Research Centre, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Oncology, Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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10
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Mandlik DS, Mandlik SK, Choudhary HB. Immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: Current status and future perspectives. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:1054-1075. [PMID: 36844141 PMCID: PMC9950866 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i6.1054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the world’s deadliest and fastest-growing tumors, with a poor prognosis. HCC develops in the context of chronic liver disease. Curative resection, surgery (liver transplantation), trans-arterial chemoembolization, radioembolization, radiofrequency ablation and chemotherapy are common treatment options for HCC, however, they will only assist a limited percentage of patients. Current treatments for advanced HCC are ineffective and aggravate the underlying liver condition. Despite promising preclinical and early-phase clinical trials for some drugs, existing systemic therapeutic methods for advanced tumor stages remain limited, underlining an unmet clinical need. In current years, cancer immunotherapy has made significant progress, opening up new treatment options for HCC. HCC, on the other hand, has a variety of causes and can affects the body’s immune system via a variety of mechanisms. With the speedy advancement of synthetic biology and genetic engineering, a range of innovative immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors [anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, and anti-PD ligand 1 cell death antibodies], therapeutic cancer vaccines, engineered cytokines, and adoptive cell therapy have all been used for the treatment of advanced HCC. In this review, we summarize the present clinical and preclinical landscape of immunotherapies in HCC, critically discuss recent clinical trial outcomes, and address future perspectives in the field of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa S Mandlik
- Department of Pharmacology, BVDU, Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India
| | - Satish K Mandlik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, BVDU, Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India
| | - Heena B Choudhary
- Department of Pharmacology, BVDU, Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India
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11
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Immunotherapy and the Combination with Targeted Therapies for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030654. [PMID: 36765612 PMCID: PMC9913568 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important abilities of a tumor is to establish a state of immunosuppression inside the tumor microenvironment. This is made possible through numerous mechanisms of tumor immune escape that have been identified in experimental studies during the last decades. In addition, the hepatic microenvironment is commonly oriented towards a state of immune tolerance because the liver receives blood from the hepatic arteries and portal veins containing a variety of endogenous antigens. Therefore, the hepatic microenvironment establishes an autoimmune tolerance, preventing an autoimmune reaction in the liver. On this basis, hepatic tumor cells may escape the immune system, avoiding being recognized and destroyed by immune cells. Moreover, since the etiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is often related to cirrhosis, and hepatitis B or C, this tumor develops in the context of chronic inflammation. Thus, the HCC microenvironment is characterized by important immune cell infiltration. Given these data and the poor prognosis of advanced HCC, different immunotherapeutic strategies have been developed and evaluated for these patients. In this review, we describe all the clinical applications of immunotherapy for advanced HCC, from the drugs that have already been approved to the ongoing clinical trials.
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12
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Salani F, Genovesi V, Vivaldi C, Massa V, Cesario S, Bernardini L, Caccese M, Graziani J, Berra D, Fornaro L, Masi G. Primary Resistance to Immunotherapy-Based Regimens in First Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Perspectives on Jumping the Hurdle. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194896. [PMID: 36230819 PMCID: PMC9563015 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) had been explored extensively in patients affected by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. These agents were expected to be the keystones of the disease’s first-line treatment because they were theoretically able to revert the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment of the cancerous liver, and because of their manageable safety profile. However, when used as monotherapies, they showed important activity and efficacy limitations. In this mini-review, we summarize the characteristics of the different ICIs-based regimens which constitute the present gold standard of first-line treatment, then, moving from their shortcomings, we discuss the rationale supporting the strategies currently under investigation: systemic triplets and new paradigms of immune-therapeutic agents such as CAR-T and vaccines. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a key component of different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, particularly in the first line of treatment. A lesson on the primary resistance which hampers their efficacy and activity was learned from the failure of the trials which tested them as first-line mono-therapies. Despite the combination of anti-PD(L)1 agents with anti-VEGF, anti CTLA4, or TKIs demonstrating relevant improvements in efficacy, the “doublets strategy” still shows room for improvement, due to a limited overall survival benefit and a high rate of progressive disease as best response. In this review, we discuss the results from the currently tested doublet strategies (i.e., atezolizumab+bevacizumab, durvalumab+tremelimumab with a mention to the newly presented ICIs/TKIs combinations), which highlight the need for therapeutic improvement. Furthermore, we examine the rationale and provide an overview of the ongoing trials testing the treatment intensification strategy with triplet drugs: anti-PD1+anti-CTLA4+anti-VEGF/TKIs and anti-PD1+anti-VEGF+alternative immunity targets. Lastly, we report on the alternative strategy to integrate ICIs into the new paradigm of immune therapeutics constituted by CAR-T and anti-cancer vaccines. This review provides up-to-date knowledge of ongoing clinical trials of the aforementioned strategies and critical insight into their mechanistic premises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Salani
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research “Health Science”, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Virginia Genovesi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valentina Massa
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Cesario
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Bernardini
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Miriam Caccese
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jessica Graziani
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Dario Berra
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fornaro
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Masi
- Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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13
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Li S, Zhao R, Zheng D, Qin L, Cui Y, Li Y, Jiang Z, Zhong M, Shi J, Li M, Wang X, Tang Z, Wu Q, Long Y, Hu D, Wang S, Yao Y, Liu S, Yang LH, Zhang Z, Tang Q, Liu P, Li Y, Li P. DAP10 integration in CAR-T cells enhances the killing of heterogeneous tumors by harnessing endogenous NKG2D. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 26:15-26. [PMID: 35784403 PMCID: PMC9218287 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Although chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells have achieved remarkable successes in hematological malignancies, the efficacies of CAR-T cells against solid tumors remains unsatisfactory. Heterogeneous antigen expression is one of the obstacles on its effective elimination of solid cancer cells. DNAX-activating protein 10 (DAP10) interacts with natural killer group 2D (NKG2D), acting as an adaptor that targets various malignant cells for surveillance. Here, we designed a DAP10 chimeric receptor that utilized native NKG2D on T cells to target NKG2D ligand-expressing cancer cells. We then tandemly incorporated it with anti-glypican 3 (GPC3) single-chain variable fragment (scFv) to construct a dual-antigen-targeting system. T cells expressing DAP10 chimeric receptor (DAP10-T cells) displayed with an enhancement on both cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion against solid cancer cell lines, and its tandem connection with anti-GPC3 scFv (CAR GPC3-DAP10-T cells) exhibited a dual-antigen-targeting capacity on eliminating heterogeneous cancer cells in vitro and suppressing the growth of heterogeneous cancer in vivo. Thus, this novel dual-targeting system enabled a high efficacy on killing cancer cells and extended the recognition profile of CAR-T cells toward tumors, which providing a potential strategy on treatment of solid cancer clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanglin Li
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruocong Zhao
- Institute of Hematology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Diwei Zheng
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Le Qin
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanbin Cui
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Li
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwu Jiang
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengjun Zhong
- Institute of Hematology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingxuan Shi
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Xindong Wang
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyang Tang
- Guangdong Zhaotai InVivo Biomedicine Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Zhaotai Cell Biology Technology, Ltd., Foshan, China
| | - Qiting Wu
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youguo Long
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Duo Hu
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suna Wang
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao Yao
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Hua Yang
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenfeng Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Translational Provincial Education Department Key Laboratory of Nano-Immmunoregulation Tumor Microenvironment, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiannan Tang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Consortium, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pentao Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Consortium, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Institute of Hematology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Li
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.,Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong SAR, China
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14
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Treatment of allergic eosinophilic asthma through engineered IL-5-anchored chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Cell Discov 2022; 8:80. [PMID: 35973984 PMCID: PMC9381771 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00433-y] [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: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) is a therapy-resistant respiratory condition with poor clinical control. Treatment efficacy and patient compliance of current therapies remain unsatisfactory. Here, inspired by the remarkable success of chimeric antigen receptor-based cellular adoptive immunotherapies demonstrated for the treatment of a variety of malignant tumors, we engineered a cytokine-anchored chimeric antigen receptor T (CCAR-T) cell system using a chimeric IL-5-CD28-CD3ζ receptor to trigger T-cell-mediated killing of eosinophils that are elevated during severe asthma attacks. IL-5-anchored CCAR-T cells exhibited selective and effective killing capacity in vitro and restricted eosinophil differentiation with apparent protection against allergic airway inflammation in two mouse models of asthma. Notably, a single dose of IL-5-anchored CCAR-T cells resulted in persistent protection against asthma-related conditions over three months, significantly exceeding the typical therapeutic window of current mAb-based treatments in the clinics. This study presents a cell-based treatment strategy for SEA and could set the stage for a new era of precision therapies against a variety of intractable allergic diseases in the future.
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15
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Giardino Torchia ML, Letizia M, Gilbreth R, Merlino A, Sult E, Monks N, Chesebrough J, Tammali R, Chu N, Tong J, Meekin J, Schifferli K, Vashisht K, DaCosta K, Clarke L, Gesse C, Yao XT, Bridges C, Moody G. Rational design of chimeric antigen receptor T cells against glypican 3 decouples toxicity from therapeutic efficacy. Cytotherapy 2022; 24:720-732. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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16
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Zheng X, Liu X, Lei Y, Wang G, Liu M. Glypican-3: A Novel and Promising Target for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:824208. [PMID: 35251989 PMCID: PMC8889910 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.824208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a membrane-associated proteoglycan that is specifically up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) although rarely or not expressed in normal liver tissues, making it a perfect diagnostic and treatment target for HCC. Several GPC3-based clinical trials are ongoing and recently several innovative GPC3-targeted therapeutic methods have emerged with exciting results, including GPC3 vaccine, anti-GPC3 immunotoxin, combined therapy with immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T or NK cells. Here, we review the value of GPC3 in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, together with its signaling pathways, with a specific focus on GPC3-targeted treatments of HCC and some prospects for the future GPC3-based therapeutic strategies in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufeng Zheng
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xun Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanna Lei
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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17
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Fan Y, Xue H, Zheng H. Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Updates and Outlook. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:233-263. [PMID: 35388357 PMCID: PMC8977221 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s358082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged the culprit of cancer-related mortality worldwide with its dismal prognosis climbing. In recent years, ground-breaking progress has been made in systemic therapy for HCC. Targeted therapy based on specific signaling molecules, including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab, has been widely used for advanced HCC (aHCC). Immunotherapies such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab greatly improve the survival of aHCC patients. More recently, synergistic combination therapy has boosted first-line (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab) and second-line (ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab) therapeutic modalities for aHCC. This review aims to summarize recent updates of systemic therapy relying on the biological mechanisms of HCC, particularly highlighting the approved agents for aHCC. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy, as well as a combination with locoregional therapies (LRTs), are also discussed. Additionally, we describe the promising effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as systemic therapy on HCC. In this setting, the challenges and future directions of systemic therapy for HCC are also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinjie Fan
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110847, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hang Xue
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huachuan Zheng
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Huachuan Zheng, Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0314-2279458, Fax +86-0314-2279458, Email
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18
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Jin X, Liu X, Zhou Z, Ding Y, Wu Y, Qiu J, Shen C. Identification of HLA-A2 restricted epitopes of glypican-3 and induction of CTL responses in HLA-A2 transgenic mice. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 71:1569-1582. [PMID: 34724090 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-03096-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with high mortality, but lacks effective treatments. Carcinoembryonic antigen glypican-3 (GPC3) is a tumor-associated antigen overexpressed in HCC but rarely expressed in healthy individuals and thus is one of the most promising therapeutic targets. T cell epitope-based vaccines may bring light to HCC patients, especially to the patients at a late stage. However, few epitopes from GPC3 were identified to date, which limited the application of GPC3-derived epitopes in immunotherapy and T cell function detection. In this study, a total of 25 HLA-A0201 restricted GPC3 epitopes were in silico predicted and selected as candidate epitopes. Then, HLA-A0201+/GPC3+ HCC patients' PBMCs were collected and co-stimulated with the candidate epitope peptides in ex vivo IFN-γ Elispot assay, by which five epitopes were identified as real-world epitopes. Their capacity to elicit specific CD8+ T cells activation and proliferation was further confirmed by in vitro co-cultures of patients' PBMCs with peptide, in vitro co-cultures of healthy donors' PBLs with DCs and peptide, T2 cell binding assay as well as HLA-A2 molecule stability assay. Moreover, the in vivo immunogenicity of the five validated epitopes was confirmed by peptides cocktail/poly(I:C) vaccination in HLA-A0201/DR1 transgenic mice. Robust epitope-specific CD8+ T cell responses and cytotoxicity targeting HepG2 cells were observed as detected by IFN-γ Elispot, intracellular IFN-γ staining and cytolysis assay. This study provided novel GPC3 CTL epitopes for the development of T cell epitope vaccines and evaluation of GPC3 specific T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Jin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaotao Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zining Zhou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Ding
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yandan Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Qiu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing Affiliated To Southeast University, Nanjing, 210003, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Chuanlai Shen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
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19
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Liu Z, Liu X, Liang J, Liu Y, Hou X, Zhang M, Li Y, Jiang X. Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Status and Future Prospects. Front Immunol 2021; 12:765101. [PMID: 34675942 PMCID: PMC8524467 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.765101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer with poor prognosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation are three conventional therapeutic options that will help only a limited percentage of HCC patients. Cancer immunotherapy has achieved dramatic advances in recent years and provides new opportunities to treat HCC. However, HCC has various etiologies and can evade the immune system through multiple mechanisms. With the rapid development of genetic engineering and synthetic biology, a variety of novel immunotherapies have been employed to treat advanced HCC, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, engineered cytokines, and therapeutic cancer vaccines. In this review, we summarize the current landscape and research progress of different immunotherapy strategies in the treatment of HCC. The challenges and opportunities of this research field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoyan Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxin Liang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yixin Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaorui Hou
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meichuan Zhang
- R&D Department, Caleb BioMedical Technology Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongyin Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaotao Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Schoenberg MB, Li X, Li X, Han Y, Börner N, Koch D, Guba MO, Werner J, Bazhin AV. The interactions between major immune effector cells and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A systematic review. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108220. [PMID: 34673334 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver neoplasm with high morbidity and mortality. Tumor immunotherapy might be promising adjuvant therapy for HCC after surgery. To better develop HCC immunotherapy, comprehensive understanding of cell-cell interactions between immune effector cells and HCC cells remains crucial. AIM To review the existing studies to summarize the cell-cell interactions between major immune effector cells and HCC cells providing new data for HCC immunotherapy. METHODS A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed database covering all papers published in recent five years up to January 2020. The guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews were firmly followed. RESULTS There are 9 studies researching the interactions between CD8+ T lymphocytes and HCC cells and 22 studies researching that between natural killer (NK) cells and HCC cells. Among the 9 studies, 6 studies reported that CD8+ T lymphocytes showed cytotoxicity towards HCC cells while 3 studies found CD8+ T lymphocytes were impaired by HCC cells. Among the 22 studies, 20 studies presented that NK cells could inhibit HCC cells. Two studies were found to report NK cell dysfunction in HCC. CONCLUSION Based on the systematic analysis, we concluded that CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells can inhibit HCC cells. While in turn, HCC cells can also result in the dysfunction of those effector cells through various mechanisms. Organoids and direct contact cell co-culture with primary HCC cells and TILs should be the most innovative way to investigate the interactions and develop novel immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Bo Schoenberg
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Xiaokang Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yongsheng Han
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Börner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominik Koch
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Otto Guba
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Transplantation Center Munich, Hospital of the LMU, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | - Jens Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany; Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Alexandr V Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.
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21
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Guo T, He K, Wang Y, Sun J, Chen Y, Yang Z. Prognostic Signature of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Analysis of Immune Infiltration Based on m6A-Related lncRNAs. Front Oncol 2021; 11:691372. [PMID: 34527575 PMCID: PMC8435865 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.691372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between m6A-related lncRNAs and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not yet clear. We used Lasso regression to establish a prognostic signature based on m6A-related lncRNAs using a training set from TCGA, and then verified the signature efficacy in a test set. Fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), Survival analysis, clinical risk difference analysis, immune-related analysis, and drug-sensitivity analysis were conducted. The results revealed that 1,651 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in HCC tissues, among which, 163 were m6A-related. Univariate analysis showed that 87 lncRNAs were associated with the overall survival. Six differential m6A-related lncRNAs were validated and selected via Lasso regression to construct a prognostic signature which demonstrated a satisfactory predictive efficacy. In the clinically relevant pathologic stage, histologic grade, and T stage, the risk scores obtained based on this signature showed a statistically significant difference. The high- and low-risk groups exhibited a difference in the tumor immune infiltrating cells, immune checkpoint gene expression, and sensitivity to chemotherapy. In summary, the prognostic signature based on the m6A-related lncRNAs can effectively predict the prognosis of patients and might provide a new vista for the chemotherapy and immunotherapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Guo
- Department of Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kun He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zelong Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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22
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Liu G, Wu D, Wen Y, Cang S. Immune-associated molecular occurrence and prognosis predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma: an integrated analysis of GEO datasets. Bioengineered 2021; 12:5253-5265. [PMID: 34424809 PMCID: PMC8806587 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1962147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. As immune response failure is the main factor in the occurrence and poor prognosis of HCC, our study aimed to develop an immune-associated molecular occurrence and prognosis predictor (IMOPP) of HCC. To that end, we discovered a 4-gene immune-associated gene signature: C-C motif chemokine ligand 14 (CCL14), kallikrein B1 (KLKB1), vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 (VIPR1), and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4). When tested on three cohorts as an immune-associated molecular occurrence predictor (IMOP), it had high sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve. When tested as an immune-associated molecular prognosis predictor (IMPP), it stratified the HCC prognosis for overall survival (Kaplan-Meier analysis, log rank P = 0.0016; Cox regression, HR = 1.832, 95% CI = 1.173-2.859, P = 0.008) and disease-free survival (Kaplan-Meier analysis, log rank P = 0.0227). IMPP also significantly correlated with the clinicopathological characteristics of HCC; integrating it with clinicopathological characteristics improved the accuracy of a nomogram for overall survival prediction (C-index: 0.7097 vs. 0.6631). In HCC tumor microenviroments, the proportion of CD8+ T cells significantly differed between IMOP-stratified groups. We conclude that IMOPP can potentially predict the occurrence of HCC in high-risk populations and improve prognostic accuracy by providing new biomarkers for risk stratification. In addition, we believe that the IMOP mechanism may be related to its effect on the proportion of CD8+ T cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanjun Liu
- Department of Oncology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Dongmei Wu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Xinxiang Center Hospital, Xinxiang, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Yiyang Wen
- Department of Oncology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Shundong Cang
- Department of Oncology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.,Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
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23
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Devan AR, Kumar AR, Nair B, Anto NP, Muraleedharan A, Mathew B, Kim H, Nath LR. Insights into an Immunotherapeutic Approach to Combat Multidrug Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14070656. [PMID: 34358082 PMCID: PMC8308499 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged as one of the most lethal cancers worldwide because of its high refractoriness and multi-drug resistance to existing chemotherapies, which leads to poor patient survival. Novel pharmacological strategies to tackle HCC are based on oral multi-kinase inhibitors like sorafenib; however, the clinical use of the drug is restricted due to the limited survival rate and significant side effects, suggesting the existence of a primary or/and acquired drug-resistance mechanism. Because of this hurdle, HCC patients are forced through incomplete therapy. Although multiple approaches have been employed in parallel to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR), the results are varying with insignificant outcomes. In the past decade, cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a breakthrough approach and has played a critical role in HCC treatment. The liver is the main immune organ of the lymphatic system. Researchers utilize immunotherapy because immune evasion is considered a major reason for rapid HCC progression. Moreover, the immune response can be augmented and sustained, thus preventing cancer relapse over the post-treatment period. In this review, we provide detailed insights into the immunotherapeutic approaches to combat MDR by focusing on HCC, together with challenges in clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aswathy R. Devan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India; (A.R.D.); (A.R.K.); (B.N.)
| | - Ayana R. Kumar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India; (A.R.D.); (A.R.K.); (B.N.)
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India; (A.R.D.); (A.R.K.); (B.N.)
| | - Nikhil Ponnoor Anto
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (N.P.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Amitha Muraleedharan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; (N.P.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Bijo Mathew
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India;
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, and Research Institute of Life Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea
- Correspondence: (H.K.); (L.R.N.)
| | - Lekshmi R. Nath
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS Health Science Campus, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India; (A.R.D.); (A.R.K.); (B.N.)
- Correspondence: (H.K.); (L.R.N.)
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24
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Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Based Combination Immunotherapy to Boost Antigen-Specific CD8 + T Cell Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081922. [PMID: 33923463 PMCID: PMC8073815 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The cytotoxic T cell response against hepatocellular carcinoma antigens is exhausted and fails in its task of deleting tumoral cells. These cells are featured by the expression of negative immune checkpoints that can be modulated to restore T cell function. The blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has shown promising results in rescuing hepatocellular carcinoma-specific CD8 T cells but only a reduced group of cases is sensitive to this treatment and the effect is usually temporary. Therefore, new anti-PD-1 based combinatory strategies are underway to increase the response by adding the effect of blocking neo-angiogenesis and other negative immune checkpoints, boosting positive immune checkpoints, blocking suppressive cytokines, or inducing the expression of tumoral neoantigens. The restoration of T cell responses with these anti-PD-1 based combinatory therapies will change the outcome of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Thirty to fifty percent of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) display an immune class genetic signature. In this type of tumor, HCC-specific CD8 T cells carry out a key role in HCC control. Those potential reactive HCC-specific CD8 T cells recognize either HCC immunogenic neoantigens or aberrantly expressed host’s antigens, but they become progressively exhausted or deleted. These cells express the negative immunoregulatory checkpoint programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) which impairs T cell receptor signaling by blocking the CD28 positive co-stimulatory signal. The pool of CD8 cells sensitive to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment is the PD-1dim memory-like precursor pool that gives rise to the effector subset involved in HCC control. Due to the epigenetic imprints that are transmitted to the next generation, the effect of PD-1 blockade is transient, and repeated treatments lead to tumor resistance. During long-lasting disease, besides the TCR signaling impairment, T cells develop other failures that should be also set-up to increase T cell reactivity. Therefore, several PD-1 blockade-based combinatory therapies are currently under investigation such as adding antiangiogenics, anti-TGFβ1, blockade of other negative immune checkpoints, or increasing HCC antigen presentation. The effect of these combinations on CD8+ T cells is discussed in this review.
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25
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Krieger TG, Tirier SM, Park J, Jechow K, Eisemann T, Peterziel H, Angel P, Eils R, Conrad C. Modeling glioblastoma invasion using human brain organoids and single-cell transcriptomics. Neuro Oncol 2021; 22:1138-1149. [PMID: 32297954 PMCID: PMC7594554 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noaa091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) consists of devastating neoplasms with high invasive capacity, which have been difficult to study in vitro in a human-derived model system. Therapeutic progress is also limited by cellular heterogeneity within and between tumors, among other factors such as therapy resistance. To address these challenges, we present an experimental model using human cerebral organoids as a scaffold for patient-derived GBM cell invasion. METHODS This study combined tissue clearing and confocal microscopy with single-cell RNA sequencing of GBM cells before and after co-culture with organoid cells. RESULTS We show that tumor cells within organoids extend a network of long microtubes, recapitulating the in vivo behavior of GBM. Transcriptional changes implicated in the invasion process are coherent across patient samples, indicating that GBM cells reactively upregulate genes required for their dispersion. Potential interactions between GBM and organoid cells identified by an in silico receptor-ligand pairing screen suggest functional therapeutic targets. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our model has proven useful for studying GBM invasion and transcriptional heterogeneity in vitro, with applications for both pharmacological screens and patient-specific treatment selection on a time scale amenable to clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa G Krieger
- Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephan M Tirier
- Division of Chromatin Networks, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jeongbin Park
- Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina Jechow
- Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Eisemann
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heike Peterziel
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.,Present affiliation: Hopp Children's Tumor Center Heidelberg and Clinical Cooperation Unit Paediatric Oncology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Angel
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roland Eils
- Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Health Data Science Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Conrad
- Digital Health Center, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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26
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Jha A, Nikam AN, Kulkarni S, Mutalik SP, Pandey A, Hegde M, Rao BSS, Mutalik S. Biomimetic nanoarchitecturing: A disguised attack on cancer cells. J Control Release 2020; 329:413-433. [PMID: 33301837 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
With the changing face of healthcare, there is a demand for drug delivery systems that have increased efficacy and biocompatibility. Nanotechnology derived drug carrier systems were found to be ideal candidates to meet these demands. Among the vast number of nanosized delivery systems, biomimetic nanoparticles have been researched at length. These nanoparticles mimic cellular functions and are highly biocompatible. They are also able to avoid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system which increases the time spent by them in the systemic circulation. Additionally, their low immunogenicity and targeting ability increase their significance as drug carriers. Based on their core material we have summarized them as biomimetic inorganic nanoparticles, biomimetic polymeric nanoparticles, and biomimetic lipid nanoparticles. The core then may be coated using membranes derived from erythrocytes, cancer cells, leukocytes, stem cells, and other membranes to endow them with biomimetic properties. They can be used for personalized therapy and diagnosis of a large number of diseases, primarily cancer. This review summarizes the various therapeutic approaches using biomimetic nanoparticles along with their applications in the field of cancer imaging, nucleic acid therapy and theranostic properties. A brief overview about toxicity concerns related to these nanoconstructs has been added to provide knowledge about biocompatibility of such nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrija Jha
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | - Ajinkya Nitin Nikam
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | - Sanjay Kulkarni
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | - Sadhana P Mutalik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | - Abhijeet Pandey
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | - Manasa Hegde
- Department of Radiation Biology & Toxicology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Srinivas Mutalik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576106, Karnataka, India.
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27
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Kim E, Viatour P. Hepatocellular carcinoma: old friends and new tricks. Exp Mol Med 2020; 52:1898-1907. [PMID: 33268834 PMCID: PMC8080814 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-020-00527-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Ninety percent of HCC cases arise from cirrhosis, during which liver cells undergo chronic cycles of necrosis and regeneration. The complex genomic landscape of HCC has been extensively investigated to draw correlations between recurrently mutated pathways and patient prognosis. However, our limited success with targeted therapy shows that knowing the presence of somatic mutations alone is insufficient for us to gauge the full spectrum of their functional consequences in the context of tumor evolution. In addition, the current molecular classification of HCC offers little information on the relationship between the molecular features and immunological properties of HCC tumors and their immune microenvironment. This review introduces current challenges and advancements made in HCC surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment. We also discuss the suite of HCC-associated genetic changes and describe recent studies that provide evidence for an evolving functional model and its implications for understanding and targeting HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunsun Kim
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Patrick Viatour
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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28
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Hepatocellular carcinoma immunotherapy: The impact of epigenetic drugs and the gut microbiome. LIVER RESEARCH 2020; 4:191-198. [PMID: 33343967 PMCID: PMC7746137 DOI: 10.1016/j.livres.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been increasing for decades. This disease has now risen to become the sixth most common malignancy overall, while ranking as the third most frequent cause of cancer mortality. While several surgical interventions and loco-regional treatment options are available, up to 80% of patients present with advanced disease not amenable to standard therapies. Indeed, traditional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents are notoriously ineffective and essentially play no role in the management of affected patients. This has led to an enormous need for more effective systemic therapeutic options. In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a potentially viable and exciting new alternative for the treatment of HCC. Although the current immunotherapeutic options remain imperfect, various strategies can be employed to further improve their efficacy. New findings have revealed epigenetic modulation can be effective as a new approach for improving HCC immunotherapy. Studying the gut microbiome (gut-liver axis) can also be an interesting subject in this regard. Here, we explore the latest insights into the role of immunotherapy treatmenting HCC, both mono and in combination with other agents. We also focus on the impact of epigenetic drugs and the microbiome in the overall effectiveness of HCC immunotherapy.
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29
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Atypical immunometabolism and metabolic reprogramming in liver cancer: Deciphering the role of gut microbiome. Adv Cancer Res 2020; 149:171-255. [PMID: 33579424 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Much recent research has delved into understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of HCC pathogenesis, which has revealed to be heterogenous and complex. Two major hallmarks of HCC include: (i) a hijacked immunometabolism and (ii) a reprogramming in metabolic processes. We posit that the gut microbiota is a third component in an entanglement triangle contributing to HCC progression. Besides metagenomic studies highlighting the diagnostic potential in the gut microbiota profile, recent research is pinpointing the gut microbiota as an instigator, not just a mere bystander, in HCC. In this chapter, we discuss mechanistic insights on atypical immunometabolism and metabolic reprogramming in HCC, including the examination of tumor-associated macrophages and neutrophils, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (e.g., T-cell exhaustion, regulatory T-cells, natural killer T-cells), the Warburg effect, rewiring of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and glutamine addiction. We further discuss the potential involvement of the gut microbiota in these characteristics of hepatocarcinogenesis. An immediate highlight is that microbiota metabolites (e.g., short chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids) can impair anti-tumor responses, which aggravates HCC. Lastly, we describe the rising 'new era' of immunotherapies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive T-cell transfer) and discuss for the potential incorporation of gut microbiota targeted therapeutics (e.g., probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation) to alleviate HCC. Altogether, this chapter invigorates for continuous research to decipher the role of gut microbiome in HCC from its influence on immunometabolism and metabolic reprogramming.
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30
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Heinrich S, Castven D, Galle PR, Marquardt JU. Translational Considerations to Improve Response and Overcome Therapy Resistance in Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2495. [PMID: 32899197 PMCID: PMC7563159 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, progress in systemic therapies significantly improved the outcome of primary liver cancer. More recently, precision oncological and immunotherapeutic approaches became the focus of intense scientific and clinical research. Herein, preclinical studies showed promising results with high response rates and improvement of overall survival. However, results of phase III clinical trials revealed that only a subfraction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients respond to therapy and display only moderate objective response rates. Further, predictive molecular characteristics are largely missing. In consequence, suitable trial design has emerged as a crucial factor for the success of a novel compound. In addition, increasing knowledge from translational studies indicate the importance of targeting the tumor immune environment to overcome resistance to immunotherapy. Thus, combination of different immunotherapies with other treatment modalities including antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or local therapies is highly promising. However, the mechanisms of failure to respond to immunotherapy in liver cancer are still not fully understood and the modulation of the immune system and cellular tumor composition is particularly relevant in this context. Altogether, it is increasingly clear that tailoring of immunotherapy and individualized approaches are required to improve efficacy and patient outcome in liver cancer. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge as well as translational considerations to overcome therapy resistance in immunotherapy of primary liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Heinrich
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Liver Carcinogenesis Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
- Department of Medicine I, Lichtenberg Research Group for Molecular Hepatocarcinogenesis, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Darko Castven
- Department of Medicine I, Lichtenberg Research Group for Molecular Hepatocarcinogenesis, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- Lichtenberg Research Group for Molecular Hepatocarcinogenesis, Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany
| | - Peter R. Galle
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jens U. Marquardt
- Department of Medicine I, Lichtenberg Research Group for Molecular Hepatocarcinogenesis, University Medical Center, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- Lichtenberg Research Group for Molecular Hepatocarcinogenesis, Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, 23538 Luebeck, Germany
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31
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Abstract
Glypicans are a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are attached to the cell membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Glypicans interact with multiple ligands, including morphogens, growth factors, chemokines, ligands, receptors, and components of the extracellular matrix through their heparan sulfate chains and core protein. Therefore, glypicans can function as coreceptors to regulate cell proliferation, cell motility, and morphogenesis. In addition, some glypicans are abnormally expressed in cancers, possibly involved in tumorigenesis, and have the potential to be cancer-specific biomarkers. Here, we provide a brief review focusing on the expression of glypicans in various cancers and their potential to be targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Madeline R Spetz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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32
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Li T, Qin X, Li Y, Shen X, Li S, Yang H, Wu C, Zheng C, Zhu J, You F, Liu Y. Cell Membrane Coated-Biomimetic Nanoplatforms Toward Cancer Theranostics. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:371. [PMID: 32411690 PMCID: PMC7202082 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research of nanotechnology for cancer therapy and diagnosis extends beyond drug delivery into the targeted site or surveillance the distribution of nanodrugs in vivo or distinction tumor tissue from normal tissue. To satisfy the clinic needs, nanotheranostic platform should hide the surveillance by immune system and the sequestration by filtration organs (i.e., liver and spleen). Use of biologically derived cellular components in the fabrication of nanoparticles can hide these barriers. In this review, we update the recent progress on cell membrane-coated nanoparticles for cancer theranostics. We hope this review paper can inspire further innovations in biomimetic nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Center for Information in Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Qin
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Center for Information in Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yichao Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Shen
- Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shun Li
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Center for Information in Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Center for Information in Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunhui Wu
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Center for Information in Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Zheng
- Department of Cancer Research, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Department of Cancer Research, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fengming You
- Department of Cancer Research, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiyao Liu
- Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cancer Research, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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33
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Tan AT, Schreiber S. Adoptive T-cell therapy for HBV-associated HCC and HBV infection. Antiviral Res 2020; 176:104748. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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34
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Recent Advances in Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040775. [PMID: 32218257 PMCID: PMC7226090 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death since most patients are diagnosed at advanced stage and the current systemic treatment options using molecular-targeted drugs remain unsatisfactory. However, the recent success of cancer immunotherapies has revolutionized the landscape of cancer therapy. Since HCC is characterized by metachronous multicentric occurrence, immunotherapies that induce systemic and durable responses could be an appealing treatment option. Despite the suppressive milieu of the liver and tumor immunosurveillance escape mechanisms, clinical studies of checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced HCC have yielded promising results. Here, we provide an update on recent advances in HCC immunotherapies. First, we describe the unique tolerogenic properties of hepatic immunity and its interaction with HCC and then review the status of already or nearly available immune checkpoint blockade-based therapies as well as other immunotherapy strategies at the preclinical or clinical trial stage.
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35
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Caraballo Galva LD, Cai L, Shao Y, He Y. Engineering T cells for immunotherapy of primary human hepatocellular carcinoma. J Genet Genomics 2020; 47:1-15. [PMID: 32089500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancers, majority of which are primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), continue to be on the rise in the world. Furthermore, due to the lack of effective treatments, liver cancer ranks the 4th most common cause of male cancer deaths. Novel therapies are urgently needed. Over the last few years, immunotherapies, especially the checkpoint blockades and adoptive cell therapies of engineered T cells, have demonstrated a great potential for treating malignant tumors including HCC. In this review, we summarize the current ongoing research of antigen-specific immunotherapies including cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapies for HCC. We briefly discuss the HCC cancer vaccine and then focus on the antigen-specific T cells genetically engineered with the T cell receptor genes (TCRTs) and the chimeric antigen receptor genes (CARTs). We first review the current options of TCRTs and CARTs immunotherapies for HCC, and then analyze the factors and parameters that may help to improve the design of TCRTs and CARTs to enhance their antitumor efficacy and safety. Our goals are to render readers a panoramic view of the current stand of HCC immunotherapies and provide some strategies to design better TCRTs and CARTs to achieve more effective and durable antitumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leidy D Caraballo Galva
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Lun Cai
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yanxia Shao
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yukai He
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA; Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
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36
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Elgundi Z, Papanicolaou M, Major G, Cox TR, Melrose J, Whitelock JM, Farrugia BL. Cancer Metastasis: The Role of the Extracellular Matrix and the Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Perlecan. Front Oncol 2020; 9:1482. [PMID: 32010611 PMCID: PMC6978720 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is the dissemination of tumor cells to new sites, resulting in the formation of secondary tumors. This process is complex and is spatially and temporally regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. One important extrinsic factor is the extracellular matrix, the non-cellular component of tissues. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are constituents of the extracellular matrix, and through their heparan sulfate chains and protein core, modulate multiple events that occur during the metastatic cascade. This review will provide an overview of the role of the extracellular matrix in the events that occur during cancer metastasis, primarily focusing on perlecan. Perlecan, a basement membrane HSPG is a key component of the vascular extracellular matrix and is commonly associated with events that occur during the metastatic cascade. Its contradictory role in these events will be discussed and we will highlight the recent advances in cancer therapies that target HSPGs and their modifying enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehra Elgundi
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Papanicolaou
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gretel Major
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas R Cox
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James Melrose
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Whitelock
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brooke L Farrugia
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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37
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Ma W, Zhu D, Li J, Chen X, Xie W, Jiang X, Wu L, Wang G, Xiao Y, Liu Z, Wang F, Li A, Shao D, Dong W, Liu W, Yuan Y. Coating biomimetic nanoparticles with chimeric antigen receptor T cell-membrane provides high specificity for hepatocellular carcinoma photothermal therapy treatment. Theranostics 2020; 10:1281-1295. [PMID: 31938065 PMCID: PMC6956810 DOI: 10.7150/thno.40291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world. Apart from traditional surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, more recent techniques such as nano-photothermal therapy and biotherapy are gradually being adopted for the treatment of HCC. This project intends to combine the advantages of nanoscale drug delivery systems with the targeting ability of CAR-T cells. Method: Based on cell membrane-coated nanoparticles and cell membrane-targeting modifications, a novel nanomaterial was prepared by coating CAR-T cell membranes specifically recognizing GPC3+ HCC cells onto mesoporous silica containing IR780 nanoparticles. Subsequently, the physical properties were characterized, and the in vitro and in vivo targeting abilities of this nanoparticle were verified. Results: CAR-T cells were constructed which could recognize GPC3 expressed on the cell surface of HCC cells. Then the isolated CAR-T cell membrane was successfully coated on the IR780 loaded mesoporous silica materials, as verified by transmission electron microscopy. The superior targeting ability of CAR-T cell membrane coated nanoparticles compared to IR780 loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles was verified, both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: This new nanomaterial exhibits photothermal antitumor abilities along with enhanced targeting abilities, suggesting a promising strategy for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Daoming Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Jinghua Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Xiang Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Long Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ganggang Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yusha Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhisu Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Andrew Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Dan Shao
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Wenfei Dong
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yufeng Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
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38
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Hou J, Zhang H, Sun B, Karin M. The immunobiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in humans and mice: Basic concepts and therapeutic implications. J Hepatol 2020; 72:167-182. [PMID: 31449859 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Basic and clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of immunotherapy, a technical and conceptual breakthrough that has revolutionised cancer treatment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a deadly malignancy with aetiologic diversity and a chronic course, is strongly influenced by the immune system, and was recently found to partially benefit from immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Notably, HCC onco-immunology depends on diverse genetic and environmental factors that together shape cancer-promoting inflammation and immune dysfunction - critical processes that control HCC malignant progression and response to therapy. Herein, we summarise the current understanding of liver and HCC onco-immunology obtained through basic studies with mouse models and clinical practice in humans. In particular, we discuss preclinical and clinical findings that implicate immunomodulation as a major factor in HCC development and explain the basis for HCC-targeting immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajie Hou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Beicheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China; Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Michael Karin
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Departments of Pharmacology and Pathology, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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39
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Perez MAS, Bassani-Sternberg M, Coukos G, Gfeller D, Zoete V. Analysis of Secondary Structure Biases in Naturally Presented HLA-I Ligands. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2731. [PMID: 31824508 PMCID: PMC6883762 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent clinical developments in antitumor immunotherapy involving T-cell related therapeutics have led to a renewed interest for human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) binding peptides, given their potential use as peptide vaccines. Databases of HLA-I binding peptides hold therefore information on therapeutic targets essential for understanding immunity. In this work, we use in depth and accurate HLA-I peptidomics datasets determined by mass-spectrometry (MS) and analyze properties of the HLA-I binding peptides with structure-based computational approaches. HLA-I binding peptides are studied grouping all alleles together or in allotype-specific contexts. We capitalize on the increasing number of structurally determined proteins to (1) map the 3D structure of HLA-I binding peptides into the source proteins for analyzing their secondary structure and solvent accessibility in the protein context, and (2) search for potential differences between these properties in HLA-I binding peptides and in a reference dataset of HLA-I motif-like peptides. This is performed by an in-house developed heuristic search that considers peptides across all the human proteome and converges to a collection of peptides that exhibit exactly the same motif as the HLA-I peptides. Our results, based on 9-mers matched to protein 3D structures, clearly show enriched sampling for HLA-I presentation of helical fragments in the source proteins. This enrichment is significant, as compared to 9-mer HLA-I motif-like peptides, and is not entirely explained by the helical propensity of the preferred residues in the HLA-I motifs. We give possible hypothesis for the secondary structure biases observed in HLA-I peptides. This contribution is of potential interest for researchers working in the field of antigen presentation and proteolysis. This knowledge refines the understanding of the rules governing antigen presentation and could be added to the parameters of the current peptide-MHC class I binding predictors to increase their antigen predictive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta A S Perez
- Computer-Aided Molecular Engineering, Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michal Bassani-Sternberg
- Human Integrated Tumor Immunology Discovery Engine, Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Human Integrated Tumor Immunology Discovery Engine, Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Gfeller
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Computational Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Zoete
- Computer-Aided Molecular Engineering, Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
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40
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Chen K, Wu Z, Zhao H, Wang Y, Ge Y, Wang D, Li Z, An C, Liu Y, Wang F, Bi X, Wang H, Cai J, Ma C, Qu C. XCL1/ Glypican-3 Fusion Gene Immunization Generates Potent Antitumor Cellular Immunity and Enhances Anti-PD-1 Efficacy. Cancer Immunol Res 2019; 8:81-93. [PMID: 31666238 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cancer vaccines can amplify existing antitumor responses or prime naïve T cells to elicit effector T-cell functions in patients through immunization. Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells are crucial for the rejection of established tumors. We constructed XCL1-GPC3 fusion molecules as a liver cancer vaccine by linking the XCL1 chemokine to glypican-3 (GPC3), which is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cells expressing XCL1-GPC3 chemoattracted murine XCR1+CD8α+ dendritic cells (DC) and human XCR1+CD141+ DCs in vitro and promoted their IL12 production. After subcutaneous mXcl1-GPC3 plasmid injection, mXCL1-GPC3 was mainly detected in CD8α+ DCs of mouse draining lymph nodes. XCL1-GPC3-targeted DCs enhanced antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell proliferation and induced the de novo generation of GPC3-specific CD8+ T cells, which abolished GPC3-expressing tumor cells in mouse and human systems. We immunized a murine autochthonous liver cancer model, with a hepatitis B background, with the mXcl1-GPC3 plasmid starting at 6 weeks, when malignant hepatocyte clusters formed, or at 14 weeks, when liver tumor nodules developed, after diethylnitrosamine administration. mXcl1-GPC3-immunized mice displayed significantly inhibited tumor formation and growth compared with GPC3-immunized mice. After mXcl1-GPC3 immunization, mouse livers showed elevated production of IFNγ, granzyme B, IL18, CCL5, CXCL19, and Xcl1 and increased infiltration of GPC3-specific CD8+ T cells, activated natural killer (NK) cells, and NKT cells. The antitumor effects of these immune cells were further enhanced by the administration of anti-PD-1. Anti-HCC effects induced by hXCL1-GPC3 were confirmed in an HCC-PDX model from 3 patients. Thus, XCL1-GPC3 might be a promising cancer vaccine to compensate for the deficiency of the checkpoint blockades in HCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Chen
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Wu
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yanmei Wang
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yutong Ge
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education and Department of Immunology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Dongmei Wang
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengjiang Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Changming An
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuying Liu
- Department of Immunology and National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feifei Wang
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Bi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongying Wang
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianqiang Cai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chunhong Ma
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education and Department of Immunology, Shandong University School of Basic Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Chunfeng Qu
- State Key Lab of Molecular Oncology & Immunology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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41
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Zhang X, Qi Y, Zhang Q, Liu W. Application of mass spectrometry-based MHC immunopeptidome profiling in neoantigen identification for tumor immunotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 120:109542. [PMID: 31629254 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the challenges for cancer vaccine and adoptive T-cell-based immunotherapy is to identify the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated non-self neoantigens recognized by T cells. T cell epitope in silico prediction algorithms have been widely used for neoantigen prediction; nonetheless, this platform lacks the experimental evidence of directly identification of the presented epitopes on cell surface. Currently, mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics is an advanced analytical technology for large-scale peptide sequencing, which has become a powerful tool for directly profiling the immunopeptidome presented by MHC molecules. Integrating with next-generation sequencing, proteogenomic analysis provides the "gold standard" for neoantigen identification at protein level. This method discovers the tumor-specific neoantigens derived from somatic mutations, proteasome splicing, noncoding RNA, and post-translational modified antigens. Herein, we review basis of antigen processing and presentation, tumor antigen classification, existing approaches for neoantigen discovery, quantitative proteomics, epitope prediction programs, and advantages and drawbacks of proteomics workflow for MHC immunopeptidome profiling. Furthermore, we summarize 40 recently published reports addressing the fundamental theory, breakthrough and most advanced updates for the mass spectrometry-based neoantigen discovery for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Yue Qi
- Thoracic & GI oncology branch, National Cancer Institute, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Qi Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China; Cell-Gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China; Thoracic & GI oncology branch, National Cancer Institute, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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Hendrickson PG, Olson M, Luetkens T, Weston S, Han T, Atanackovic D, Fine GC. The promise of adoptive cellular immunotherapies in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2019; 9:1673129. [PMID: 32002284 PMCID: PMC6959455 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2019.1673129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Current systemic therapies result only in modest benefits and new therapeutic options are critically needed. Some patients show promising clinical responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors, however, additional immunotherapeutic approaches, such as adoptive cell therapies (ACT), need to be developed. This review summarizes recent ACT studies and discusses the promise and obstacles of this approach. We further discuss ways of improving the efficacy of ACT in HCC including the use of combination therapies and locoregional delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter G. Hendrickson
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Michael Olson
- Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies, University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tim Luetkens
- Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies, University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Siani Weston
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tiffany Han
- Department of Radiology, Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT, USA
| | - Djordje Atanackovic
- Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies, University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Gabriel C. Fine
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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43
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Chen J, Gingold JA, Su X. Immunomodulatory TGF-β Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:1010-1023. [PMID: 31353124 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-induced and chemotherapy-resistant cancer. Dysregulated signaling in the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) pathway plays a central role in inflammation, fibrogenesis, and immunomodulation in the HCC microenvironment. This review dissects the genetic landscape of the TGF-β superfamily genes in HCC and discusses the essential effects of this pathway on the tumor immune microenvironment. We highlight the TGF-β signature as a potential biomarker for identifying individualized immunotherapeutic approaches in HCC. An improved understanding of the detailed mechanisms of liver cancer immunogenicity and the specific role of TGF-β in mediating immunotherapy resistance in HCC will provide important insights into HCC immune escape and promote the development of biomarker-derived combination immunotherapies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Julian A Gingold
- Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Xiaoping Su
- Departments of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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44
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Xu W, Liu K, Chen M, Sun JY, McCaughan GW, Lu XJ, Ji J. Immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: recent advances and future perspectives. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2019; 11:1758835919862692. [PMID: 31384311 PMCID: PMC6651675 DOI: 10.1177/1758835919862692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of immunotherapies has been a major development in the treatment of many advanced cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We are entering a new era of systemic therapy for advanced HCC associated with an explosion of clinical trial activity. Data from phase I/II studies of checkpoint inhibitors in advanced HCC have been promising, with durable objective response rates of approximately 20% seen (in both first- and second-line settings) and acceptable safety profiles (including immune-mediated hepatitis). Phase III studies evaluating anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) and anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) antibodies compared with sorafenib are already underway. The potential synergistic effects of anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 when used in combination with agents against other checkpoint molecules, systemic therapies, as well as conventional surgical and locoregional therapies are also being explored in upcoming clinical trials. Aside from this, other strategies to harness the immune system, including chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cells, natural killer cell therapies, and peptide vaccines directed against HCC antigens have entered phase I/II studies. Current limitations of immunotherapies and areas of future research include the accurate assessment and prediction of tumor response, overcoming the immunosuppressive effects of a hypoxic microenvironment, and the management of immune-related hepatitis in patients who already have limited liver reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Xu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Department of Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Medical College, China
| | - Ken Liu
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia; and Liver Injury and Cancer Program, The Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Minjiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research and Department of Radiology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University; and The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, China
| | - Jin-Yu Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China, and Sparkfire Scientific Research Group, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Geoffrey W McCaughan
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia; and Liver Injury and Cancer Program, The Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Xiao-Jie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 210029 China
| | - Jiansong Ji
- Department of Radiology and Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive Intervention Research, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University; Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University; and The Central Hospital of Zhejiang Lishui, China
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45
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Neureiter D, Stintzing S, Kiesslich T, Ocker M. Hepatocellular carcinoma: Therapeutic advances in signaling, epigenetic and immune targets. World J Gastroenterol 2019; 25:3136-3150. [PMID: 31333307 PMCID: PMC6626722 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i25.3136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global medical burden with rising incidence due to chronic viral hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Treatment of advanced disease stages is still unsatisfying. Besides first and second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors have become central for the treatment of HCC. New modalities like epigenetic therapy using histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) and cell therapy approaches with chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) are currently under investigation in clinical trials. Development of such novel drugs is closely linked to the availability and improvement of novel preclinical and animal models and the identification of predictive biomarkers. The current status of treatment options for advanced HCC, emerging novel therapeutic approaches and different preclinical models for HCC drug discovery and development are reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Neureiter
- Institute of Pathology, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Sebastian Stintzing
- Medical Department, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Tobias Kiesslich
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK) and Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Matthias Ocker
- Translational Medicine Oncology, Bayer AG, Berlin 13353, Germany
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
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46
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Mizukoshi E, Kaneko S. Immune cell therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:52. [PMID: 31142330 PMCID: PMC6542133 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0742-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the success of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in clinical settings, the host immune system plays an important role in the recognition and targeting of tumor cells in cancer immunotherapy. As a result, there have been numerous advancements in immune cell therapy using human immune cells. However, recent evidence suggests that one type of immunotherapy alone is not effective for the treatment of cancer, particularly solid tumors. Thus, effective immunotherapy combinations, such as the combination of checkpoint inhibitors and immune cell therapy, are needed. This review focuses on hepatocellular carcinoma among other solid tumors and discusses the current status and future of immune cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eishiro Mizukoshi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, 920-8641, Japan.
| | - Shuichi Kaneko
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, 920-8641, Japan
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47
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Owusu Sekyere S, Schlevogt B, Mettke F, Kabbani M, Deterding K, Wirth TC, Vogel A, Manns MP, Falk CS, Cornberg M, Wedemeyer H. HCC Immune Surveillance and Antiviral Therapy of Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Liver Cancer 2019; 8:41-65. [PMID: 30815394 PMCID: PMC6388568 DOI: 10.1159/000490360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HCV clearance by current antiviral therapies improves clinical outcomes but falls short in eliminating the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) emergence. As the HCC immune surveillance establishment is vital for the control of neoplastic development and growth, we investigated its correlation with on-/post-treatment HCC emergence, and further analyzed the influence of viral eradication on this setup in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. DESIGN PBMC isolated at baseline and longitudinally during therapy were analyzed for tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-specific CD8+ T cell responses against glypican-3 overlapping peptides in vitro using high-definition flow cytometry. Multianalyte profiling of fifty soluble inflammatory mediators (SIM) in the plasma was also performed using Luminex-based multiplex technology. RESULTS Cirrhosis patients were characterized by an altered profile of distinct SIMs at baseline. At this time point, immune-surveilling T cells targeting specific HCC-associated antigens were readily detectable in HCV-free cirrhosis patients whilst being rather weak in such patients who further developed HCC upon virus eradication. Therapy-induced cure of HCV infection analogously reduced the strength of the prevailing HCC immune surveillance machinery, particularly by CD8+ T cells in cirrhosis patients. These results were further validated by T cell reactivities to six immuno-dominant HCC-associated HLA-A2-restricted epi-topes. Further, we demonstrated that this phenomenon was likely orchestrated by alterations in SIMs - with evidence of IL-12 being a major culprit. CONCLUSION Given the relationship between the baseline HCC-specific immune surveilling T cell responses and therapy-associated HCC emergence, and the impact of HCV clearance on its strength and magnitude, we recommend a continued HCC screening in cirrhotic HCV patients despite HCV resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Owusu Sekyere
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schlevogt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany,Department of Medicine B, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Friederike Mettke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mohammad Kabbani
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katja Deterding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Christian Wirth
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arndt Vogel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Peter Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany,TTU-IICH, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany,Department of General, Abdominal, and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Christine Susanne Falk
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany,Institute of Transplantation Immunology (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany,TTU-IICH, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany,TTU-IICH, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany,Department of General, Abdominal, and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany,*Prof. Dr. med. Heiner Wedemeyer, Klinik für Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, DE–45147 Essen (Germany), E-Mail
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48
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Zhu J, Yin T, Xu Y, Lu XJ. Therapeutics for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent advances, current dilemma, and future directions. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:12122-12132. [PMID: 30644100 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and is a serious threat to people's health worldwide. The prognosis of advanced HCC is dim if left untreated. In the clinic, the treatment options for advanced HCC include surgery, radiotherapy, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and so forth. In recent years, molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy have also made great progress, bringing new hope to patients with advanced HCC. In this study, therapeutic advances, current dilemma, and future directions of advanced HCC are reviewed, which might serve as a summary for clinicians and may stimulate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Sparkfire Scientific Research Group of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tailang Yin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Nephrology, Huai'an Second People's Hospital and The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, China
| | - Xiao-Jie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Sparkfire Scientific Research Group of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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49
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Marino F, Chong C, Michaux J, Bassani-Sternberg M. High-Throughput, Fast, and Sensitive Immunopeptidomics Sample Processing for Mass Spectrometry. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1913:67-79. [PMID: 30666599 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8979-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Comprehensive knowledge of the HLA class I and class II peptides presented to T cells is crucial for designing innovative therapeutics against cancer and other diseases. So far, methodologies for recovery of HLA class I and II peptides for subsequent mass spectrometry-based analysis have been a major limitation. In this chapter we describe a detailed protocol for a high-throughput, reproducible, and sensitive immunoaffinity-purification of HLA-I and HLA-II peptides from up to 96 samples in a plate format, suitable for tissue samples and cell lines. Our methodology reduces sample handling, has a competitive peptide yield, and can be completed within 5 h. This simplified pipeline is applicable for basic and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Marino
- Ludwig Centre for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chloe Chong
- Ludwig Centre for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Justine Michaux
- Ludwig Centre for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michal Bassani-Sternberg
- Ludwig Centre for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland. .,Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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50
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Greten TF, Lai CW, Li G, Staveley-O'Carroll KF. Targeted and Immune-Based Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:510-524. [PMID: 30287171 PMCID: PMC6340758 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.09.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Treatment options for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are rapidly changing based on positive results from phase 3 trials of targeted and immune-based therapies. More agents designed to target specific pathways and immune checkpoints are in clinical development. Some agents have already been shown to improve outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, as first- and second-line therapies, and are awaiting approval by the Food and Drug Administration or have been recently approved. We summarize the targeted and immune-based agents in trials of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and discuss the future of these strategies for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim F Greten
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; National Cancer Institute CCR Liver Cancer Program, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Chunwei Walter Lai
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Liver Disease Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Guangfu Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri; Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri
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