1
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Kazim M, Yoo E. Recent Advances in the Development of Non-Invasive Imaging Probes for Cancer Immunotherapy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202310694. [PMID: 37843426 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202310694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The last two decades have witnessed a major revolution in the field of tumor immunology including clinical progress using various immunotherapy strategies. These advances have highlighted the potential for approaches that harness the power of the immune system to fight against cancer. While cancer immunotherapies have shown significant clinical successes, patient responses vary widely due to the complex and heterogeneous nature of tumors and immune responses, calling for reliable biomarkers and therapeutic strategies to maximize the benefits of immunotherapy. Especially, stratifying responding individuals from non-responders during the early stages of treatment could help avoid long-term damage and tailor personalized treatments. In efforts to develop non-invasive means for accurately evaluating and predicting tumor response to immunotherapy, multiple affinity-based agents targeting immune cell markers and checkpoint molecules have been developed and advanced to clinical trials. In addition, researchers have recently turned their attention to substrate and activity-based imaging probes that can provide real-time, functional assessment of immune response to treatment. Here, we highlight some of those recently designed probes that image functional proteases as biomarkers of cancer immunotherapy with a focus on their chemical design and detection modalities and discuss challenges and opportunities for the development of imaging tools utilized in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kazim
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Euna Yoo
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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2
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Goettig P, Koch NG, Budisa N. Non-Canonical Amino Acids in Analyses of Protease Structure and Function. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14035. [PMID: 37762340 PMCID: PMC10531186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
All known organisms encode 20 canonical amino acids by base triplets in the genetic code. The cellular translational machinery produces proteins consisting mainly of these amino acids. Several hundred natural amino acids serve important functions in metabolism, as scaffold molecules, and in signal transduction. New side chains are generated mainly by post-translational modifications, while others have altered backbones, such as the β- or γ-amino acids, or they undergo stereochemical inversion, e.g., in the case of D-amino acids. In addition, the number of non-canonical amino acids has further increased by chemical syntheses. Since many of these non-canonical amino acids confer resistance to proteolytic degradation, they are potential protease inhibitors and tools for specificity profiling studies in substrate optimization and enzyme inhibition. Other applications include in vitro and in vivo studies of enzyme kinetics, molecular interactions and bioimaging, to name a few. Amino acids with bio-orthogonal labels are particularly attractive, enabling various cross-link and click reactions for structure-functional studies. Here, we cover the latest developments in protease research with non-canonical amino acids, which opens up a great potential, e.g., for novel prodrugs activated by proteases or for other pharmaceutical compounds, some of which have already reached the clinical trial stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Goettig
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Paracelsus Medical University, Strubergasse 21, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nikolaj G. Koch
- Biocatalysis Group, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany;
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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3
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Bednar C, Kübel S, Cordsmeier A, Scholz B, Menschikowski H, Ensser A. A Genetically Encoded Dark-to-Bright Biosensor for Visualisation of Granzyme-Mediated Cytotoxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13589. [PMID: 37686395 PMCID: PMC10487497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Granzyme B (GZMB) is a key enzyme released by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells to induce apoptosis in target cells. We designed a novel fluorogenic biosensor which is able to assess GZMB activity in a specific and sensitive manner. This cleavage-responsive sensor for T cell activity level (CRSTAL) is based on a fluorescent protein that is only activated upon cleavage by GZMB or caspase-8. CRSTAL was tested in stable cell lines and demonstrated a strong and long-lasting fluorescence signal upon induction with GZMB. It can detect GZMB activity not only by overexpression of GZMB in target cells but also following transfer of GZMB and perforin from effector cells during cytotoxicity. This feature has significant implications for cancer immunotherapy, particularly in monitoring the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells. CAR-T cells are a promising therapy option for various cancer types, but monitoring their activity in vivo is challenging. The development of biosensors like CRSTAL provides a valuable tool for monitoring of CAR-T cell activity. In summary, CRSTAL is a highly sensitive biosensor that can detect GZMB activity in target cells, providing a means for evaluating the cytotoxic activity of immune cells and monitoring T cell activity in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Armin Ensser
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (C.B.); (S.K.); (A.C.); (B.S.); (H.M.)
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4
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Lee I, Tantisirivat P, Edgington-Mitchell LE. Chemical Tools to Image the Activity of PAR-Cleaving Proteases. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2023; 3:295-304. [PMID: 37599791 PMCID: PMC10436261 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Protease-activated receptors (PARs) comprise a family of four G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that have broad functions in health and disease. Unlike most GPCRs, PARs are uniquely activated by proteolytic cleavage of their extracellular N termini. To fully understand PAR activation and function in vivo, it is critical to also study the proteases that activate them. As proteases are heavily regulated at the post-translational level, measures of total protease abundance have limited utility. Measures of protease activity are instead required to inform their function. This review will introduce several classes of chemical probes that have been developed to measure the activation of PAR-cleaving proteases. Their strengths, weaknesses, and applications will be discussed, especially as applied to image protease activity at the whole organism, tissue, and cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene
Y. Lee
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology
Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia
| | - Piyapa Tantisirivat
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology
Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia
| | - Laura E. Edgington-Mitchell
- Department
of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology
Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052 Australia
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5
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Bertolini M, Wong MS, Mendive-Tapia L, Vendrell M. Smart probes for optical imaging of T cells and screening of anti-cancer immunotherapies. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:5352-5372. [PMID: 37376918 PMCID: PMC10424634 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00928e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
T cells are an essential part of the immune system with crucial roles in adaptive response and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Depending on their microenvironment, T cells can be differentiated into multiple states with distinct functions. This myriad of cellular activities have prompted the development of numerous smart probes, ranging from small molecule fluorophores to nanoconstructs with variable molecular architectures and fluorescence emission mechanisms. In this Tutorial Review, we summarize recent efforts in the design, synthesis and application of smart probes for imaging T cells in tumors and inflammation sites by targeting metabolic and enzymatic biomarkers as well as specific surface receptors. Finally, we briefly review current strategies for how smart probes are employed to monitor the response of T cells to anti-cancer immunotherapies. We hope that this Review may help chemists, biologists and immunologists to design the next generation of molecular imaging probes for T cells and anti-cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bertolini
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK.
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Man Sing Wong
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK.
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorena Mendive-Tapia
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK.
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK.
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, UK
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6
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Aybay E, Ryu J, Fu Z, Akula S, Enriquez EM, Hallgren J, Wernersson S, Olsson AK, Hellman L. Extended cleavage specificities of human granzymes A and K, two closely related enzymes with conserved but still poorly defined functions in T and NK cell-mediated immunity. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1211295. [PMID: 37497217 PMCID: PMC10366535 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1211295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Granzymes A and K are two highly homologous serine proteases expressed by mammalian cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and natural killer cells (NK). Granzyme A is the most abundant of the different granzymes (gzms) expressed by these two cell types. Gzms A and K are found in all jawed vertebrates and are the most well conserved of all hematopoietic serine proteases. Their potential functions have been studied extensively for many years, however, without clear conclusions. Gzm A was for many years thought to serve as a key component in the defense against viral infection by the induction of apoptosis in virus-infected cells, similar to gzm B. However, later studies have questioned this role and instead indicated that gzm A may act as a potent inducer of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Gzms A and K form clearly separate branches in a phylogenetic tree indicating separate functions. Transcriptional analyses presented here demonstrate the presence of gzm A and K transcripts in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. To enable screening for their primary biological targets we have made a detailed analysis of their extended cleavage specificities. Phage display analysis of the cleavage specificity of the recombinant enzymes showed that both gzms A and K are strict tryptases with high selectivity for Arg over Lys in the P1 position. The major differences in the specificities of these two enzymes are located N-terminally of the cleavage site, where gzm A prefers small amino acids such as Gly in the P3 position and shows a relatively relaxed selectivity in the P2 position. In contrast, gzm K prefers large amino acids such as Phe, Tyr, and Trp in both the P2 and P3 positions and does not tolerate negatively charged residues in the P2 position. This major distinction in extended specificities is likely reflected also in preferred in vivo targets of these two enzymes. This information can now be utilized for high-precision screening of primary targets for gzms A and K in search of their highly conserved but still poorly defined functions in vertebrate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erdem Aybay
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jinhye Ryu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zhirong Fu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Srinivas Akula
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erika Mendez Enriquez
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jenny Hallgren
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sara Wernersson
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna-Karin Olsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Hellman
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden
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7
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Modrzycka S, Kołt S, Adams TE, Potoczek S, Huntington JA, Kasperkiewicz P, Drąg M. Fluorescent Activity-Based Probe To Image and Inhibit Factor XIa Activity in Human Plasma. J Med Chem 2023; 66:3785-3797. [PMID: 36898159 PMCID: PMC10041521 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulation therapy is a mainstay of the treatment of thrombotic disorders; however, conventional anticoagulants trade antithrombotic benefits for bleeding risk. Factor (f) XI deficiency, known as hemophilia C, rarely causes spontaneous bleeding, suggesting that fXI plays a limited role in hemostasis. In contrast, individuals with congenital fXI deficiency display a reduced incidence of ischemic stroke and venous thromboembolism, indicating that fXI plays a role in thrombosis. For these reasons, there is intense interest in pursuing fXI/factor XIa (fXIa) as targets for achieving antithrombotic benefit with reduced bleeding risk. To obtain selective inhibitors of fXIa, we employed libraries of natural and unnatural amino acids to profile fXIa substrate preferences. We developed chemical tools for investigating fXIa activity, such as substrates, inhibitors, and activity-based probes (ABPs). Finally, we demonstrated that our ABP selectively labels fXIa in the human plasma, making this tool suitable for further studies on the role of fXIa in biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Modrzycka
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Sonia Kołt
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Ty E Adams
- Department of Haematology, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, U.K
| | - Stanisław Potoczek
- Department of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms, and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Wrocław Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland
| | - James A Huntington
- Department of Haematology, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, U.K
| | - Paulina Kasperkiewicz
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marcin Drąg
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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8
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Cheng Z, Thompson EJ, Mendive‐Tapia L, Scott JI, Benson S, Kitamura T, Senan‐Salinas A, Samarakoon Y, Roberts EW, Arias MA, Pardo J, Galvez EM, Vendrell M. Fluorogenic Granzyme A Substrates Enable Real-Time Imaging of Adaptive Immune Cell Activity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216142. [PMID: 36562327 PMCID: PMC10108010 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic immune cells, including T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells, are essential components of the host response against tumors. CTLs and NK cells secrete granzyme A (GzmA) upon recognition of cancer cells; however, there are very few tools that can detect physiological levels of active GzmA with high spatiotemporal resolution. Herein, we report the rational design of the near-infrared fluorogenic substrates for human GzmA and mouse GzmA. These activity-based probes display very high catalytic efficiency and selectivity over other granzymes, as shown in tissue lysates from wild-type and GzmA knock-out mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the probes can image how adaptive immune cells respond to antigen-driven recognition of cancer cells in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiming Cheng
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Emily J Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | - Jamie I Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Sam Benson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | | | | | - Maykel A Arias
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
- Aragón Health Research InstituteBiomedical Research Centre of Aragón and Dpt of MicrobiologyPreventive Medicine and Public HealthZaragozaSpain
| | - Julian Pardo
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
- Aragón Health Research InstituteBiomedical Research Centre of Aragón and Dpt of MicrobiologyPreventive Medicine and Public HealthZaragozaSpain
| | - Eva M Galvez
- Instituto de CarboquimicaCSICZaragozaSpain
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
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9
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Cheng Z, Thompson EJ, Mendive‐Tapia L, Scott JI, Benson S, Kitamura T, Senan‐Salinas A, Samarakoon Y, Roberts EW, Arias MA, Pardo J, Galvez EM, Vendrell M. Fluorogenic Granzyme A Substrates Enable Real-Time Imaging of Adaptive Immune Cell Activity. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 135:e202216142. [PMID: 38515764 PMCID: PMC10953043 DOI: 10.1002/ange.202216142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic immune cells, including T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells, are essential components of the host response against tumors. CTLs and NK cells secrete granzyme A (GzmA) upon recognition of cancer cells; however, there are very few tools that can detect physiological levels of active GzmA with high spatiotemporal resolution. Herein, we report the rational design of the near-infrared fluorogenic substrates for human GzmA and mouse GzmA. These activity-based probes display very high catalytic efficiency and selectivity over other granzymes, as shown in tissue lysates from wild-type and GzmA knock-out mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the probes can image how adaptive immune cells respond to antigen-driven recognition of cancer cells in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiming Cheng
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Emily J Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | - Jamie I Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Sam Benson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | | | | | - Maykel A Arias
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
- Aragón Health Research InstituteBiomedical Research Centre of Aragón and Dpt of MicrobiologyPreventive Medicine and Public HealthZaragozaSpain
| | - Julian Pardo
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
- Aragón Health Research InstituteBiomedical Research Centre of Aragón and Dpt of MicrobiologyPreventive Medicine and Public HealthZaragozaSpain
| | - Eva M Galvez
- Instituto de CarboquimicaCSICZaragozaSpain
- CIBERINFECInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIZaragozaSpain
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
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10
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Ćwilichowska N, Świderska KW, Dobrzyń A, Drąg M, Poręba M. Diagnostic and therapeutic potential of protease inhibition. Mol Aspects Med 2022; 88:101144. [PMID: 36174281 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Proteases are enzymes that hydrolyze peptide bonds in proteins and peptides; thus, they control virtually all biological processes. Our understanding of protease function has advanced considerably from nonselective digestive enzymes to highly specialized molecular scissors that orchestrate complex signaling networks through a limited proteolysis. The catalytic activity of proteases is tightly regulated at several levels, ranging from gene expression through trafficking and maturation to posttranslational modifications. However, when this delicate balance is disturbed, many diseases develop, including cancer, inflammatory disorders, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. This new understanding of the role of proteases in pathologic physiology indicates that these enzymes represent excellent molecular targets for the development of therapeutic inhibitors, as well as for the design of chemical probes to visualize their redundant activity. Recently, numerous platform technologies have been developed to identify and optimize protease substrates and inhibitors, which were further used as lead structures for the development of chemical probes and therapeutic drugs. Due to this considerable success, the clinical potential of proteases in therapeutics and diagnostics is rapidly growing and is still not completely explored. Therefore, small molecules that can selectively target aberrant protease activity are emerging in diseases cells. In this review, we describe modern trends in the design of protease drugs as well as small molecule activity-based probes to visualize selected proteases in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ćwilichowska
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wyb, Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Karolina W Świderska
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wyb, Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Dobrzyń
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Drąg
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wyb, Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Marcin Poręba
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wyb, Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, Poland.
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11
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Xu L, Liu N, Zhan W, Deng Y, Chen Z, Liu X, Gao G, Chen Q, Liu Z, Liang G. Granzyme B Turns Nanoparticle Fluorescence "On" for Imaging Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Activity in Vivo. ACS NANO 2022; 16:19328-19334. [PMID: 36282211 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are important immune cells, and their activation is a key step for cancer immunotherapy. Precise evaluation of CTL activity in vivo provides a powerful tool for monitoring cancer-immunotherapeutic outcomes, yet it faces tremendous challenges. Herein, by rationally designing a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe Cys(StBu)-Ile-Glu-Phe-Asp-Lys(Cy5.5)-CBT (Cy5.5-CBT) and employing a reduction-instructed CBT-Cys click condensation reaction, we developed the fluorescence "dual quenched" nanoparticles Cy5.5-CBT-NPs for imaging of granzyme B (GraB), a biomarker tightly associated with the tumoricidal activity of CTLs. Upon GraB cleavage, Cy5.5-CBT-NPs disassembled, subtly turning the fluorescence signal "on". With this fluorescence "turn-on" property, Cy5.5-CBT-NPs enabled sensitive and real-time monitoring of GraB-mediated CTL responses against cancer cells in vitro. Animal experiments demonstrated that, at 16 h post injection, the fluorescence imaging signal of Cy5.5-CBT-NPs showed a 3.1-fold increase on the tumor sites of mice treated by an immune-activating drug S-(2-boronoethyl)-L-cysteine hydrochloride. We envision that Cy5.5-CBT-NPs may provide a powerful tool for noninvasive and sensitive evaluation of immunotherapeutic efficacy of cancer in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Nanhui Liu
- Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Wenjun Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yu Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhaoxia Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xiaoyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Ge Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhuang Liu
- Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Gaolin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China
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12
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Chen M, Zhou K, Dai SY, Tadepalli S, Balakrishnan PB, Xie J, Rami FEI, Dai T, Cui L, Idoyaga J, Rao J. In vivo bioluminescence imaging of granzyme B activity in tumor response to cancer immunotherapy. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:1556-1567.e6. [PMID: 36103874 PMCID: PMC9588750 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer, but only a small subset of patients benefits from this new treatment regime. Imaging tools are useful for early detection of tumor response to immunotherapy and probing the dynamic and complex immune system. Here, we report a bioluminescence probe (GBLI-2) for non-invasive, real-time, longitudinal imaging of granzyme B activity in tumors receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. GBLI-2 is made of the mouse granzyme B tetrapeptide IEFD substrate conjugated to D-luciferin through a self-immolative group. GBLI-2 was evaluated for imaging the dynamics of the granzyme B activity and predicting therapeutic efficacy in a syngeneic mouse model of CT26 murine colorectal carcinoma. The GBLI-2 signal correlated with the change in the population of PD-1- and granzyme B-expressing CD8+ T cells in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kaixiang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sheng-Yao Dai
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sirimuvva Tadepalli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Preethi Bala Balakrishnan
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jinghang Xie
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Fadi E I Rami
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tingting Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liyang Cui
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Juliana Idoyaga
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jianghong Rao
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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13
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Ma X, Zhang MJ, Wang J, Zhang T, Xue P, Kang Y, Sun ZJ, Xu Z. Emerging Biomaterials Imaging Antitumor Immune Response. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2204034. [PMID: 35728795 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202204034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is one of the most promising clinical modalities for the treatment of malignant tumors and has shown excellent therapeutic outcomes in clinical settings. However, it continues to face several challenges, including long treatment cycles, high costs, immune-related adverse events, and low response rates. Thus, it is critical to predict the response rate to immunotherapy by using imaging technology in the preoperative and intraoperative. Here, the latest advances in nanosystem-based biomaterials used for predicting responses to immunotherapy via the imaging of immune cells and signaling molecules in the immune microenvironment are comprehensively summarized. Several imaging methods, such as fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography imaging, ultrasound imaging, and photoacoustic imaging, used in immune predictive imaging, are discussed to show the potential of nanosystems for distinguishing immunotherapy responders from nonresponders. Nanosystem-based biomaterials aided by various imaging technologies are expected to enable the effective prediction and diagnosis in cases of tumors, inflammation, and other public diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianbin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Jie Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Jingting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
| | - Peng Xue
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
| | - Yuejun Kang
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Zhigang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, School of Materials and Energy and Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Micro-Nano Biomedical Materials and Devices, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, P. R. China
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14
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Xie J, El Rami F, Zhou K, Simonetta F, Chen Z, Zheng X, Chen M, Balakrishnan PB, Dai SY, Murty S, Alam IS, Baker J, Negrin RS, Gambhir SS, Rao J. Multiparameter Longitudinal Imaging of Immune Cell Activity in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell and Checkpoint Blockade Therapies. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:590-602. [PMID: 35647285 PMCID: PMC9136971 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Longitudinal multimodal imaging presents unique opportunities for noninvasive surveillance and prediction of treatment response to cancer immunotherapy. In this work we first designed a novel granzyme B activated self-assembly small molecule, G-SNAT, for the assessment of cytotoxic T lymphocyte mediated cancer cell killing. G-SNAT was found to specifically detect the activity of granzyme B within the cytotoxic granules of activated T cells and engaged cancer cells in vitro. In lymphoma tumor-bearing mice, the retention of cyanine 5 labeled G-SNAT-Cy5 correlated to CAR T cell mediated granzyme B exocytosis and tumor eradication. In colorectal tumor-bearing transgenic mice with hematopoietic cells expressing firefly luciferase, longitudinal bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging revealed that after combination treatment of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4, the dynamics of immune cell trafficking, tumor infiltration, and cytotoxic activity predicted the therapeutic outcome before tumor shrinkage was evident. These results support further development of G-SNAT for imaging early immune response to checkpoint blockade and CAR T-cell therapy in patients and highlight the utility of multimodality imaging for improved mechanistic insights into cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghang Xie
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Fadi El Rami
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Kaixiang Zhou
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Division
of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Zixin Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Materials Science
& Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Xianchuang Zheng
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Min Chen
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Preethi B. Balakrishnan
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sheng-Yao Dai
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Surya Murty
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Materials Science
& Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Israt S. Alam
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jeanette Baker
- Division
of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Robert S. Negrin
- Division
of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sanjiv S. Gambhir
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Materials Science
& Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jianghong Rao
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Materials Science
& Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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15
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Lauwerys L, Smits E, Van den Wyngaert T, Elvas F. Radionuclide Imaging of Cytotoxic Immune Cell Responses to Anti-Cancer Immunotherapy. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051074. [PMID: 35625811 PMCID: PMC9139020 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051074] [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: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is an evolving and promising cancer treatment that takes advantage of the body’s immune system to yield effective tumor elimination. Importantly, immunotherapy has changed the treatment landscape for many cancers, resulting in remarkable tumor responses and improvements in patient survival. However, despite impressive tumor effects and extended patient survival, only a small proportion of patients respond, and others can develop immune-related adverse events associated with these therapies, which are associated with considerable costs. Therefore, strategies to increase the proportion of patients gaining a benefit from these treatments and/or increasing the durability of immune-mediated tumor response are still urgently needed. Currently, measurement of blood or tissue biomarkers has demonstrated sampling limitations, due to intrinsic tumor heterogeneity and the latter being invasive. In addition, the unique response patterns of these therapies are not adequately captured by conventional imaging modalities. Consequently, non-invasive, sensitive, and quantitative molecular imaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using specific radiotracers, have been increasingly used for longitudinal whole-body monitoring of immune responses. Immunotherapies rely on the effector function of CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells (NK) at tumor lesions; therefore, the monitoring of these cytotoxic immune cells is of value for therapy response assessment. Different immune cell targets have been investigated as surrogate markers of response to immunotherapy, which motivated the development of multiple imaging agents. In this review, the targets and radiotracers being investigated for monitoring the functional status of immune effector cells are summarized, and their use for imaging of immune-related responses are reviewed along their limitations and pitfalls, of which multiple have already been translated to the clinic. Finally, emerging effector immune cell imaging strategies and future directions are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Lauwerys
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp (MICA), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (L.L.); (T.V.d.W.)
| | - Evelien Smits
- Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium;
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Tim Van den Wyngaert
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp (MICA), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (L.L.); (T.V.d.W.)
- Nuclear Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 655, B-2650 Edegem, Belgium
| | - Filipe Elvas
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp (MICA), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (L.L.); (T.V.d.W.)
- Correspondence:
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16
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Scott JI, Mendive-Tapia L, Gordon D, Barth ND, Thompson EJ, Cheng Z, Taggart D, Kitamura T, Bravo-Blas A, Roberts EW, Juarez-Jimenez J, Michel J, Piet B, de Vries IJ, Verdoes M, Dawson J, Carragher NO, Connor RAO, Akram AR, Frame M, Serrels A, Vendrell M. A fluorogenic probe for granzyme B enables in-biopsy evaluation and screening of response to anticancer immunotherapies. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2366. [PMID: 35501326 PMCID: PMC9061857 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29691-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy promotes the attack of cancer cells by the immune system; however, it is difficult to detect early responses before changes in tumor size occur. Here, we report the rational design of a fluorogenic peptide able to detect picomolar concentrations of active granzyme B as a biomarker of immune-mediated anticancer action. Through a series of chemical iterations and molecular dynamics simulations, we synthesize a library of FRET peptides and identify probe H5 with an optimal fit into granzyme B. We demonstrate that probe H5 enables the real-time detection of T cell-mediated anticancer activity in mouse tumors and in tumors from lung cancer patients. Furthermore, we show image-based phenotypic screens, which reveal that the AKT kinase inhibitor AZD5363 shows immune-mediated anticancer activity. The reactivity of probe H5 may enable the monitoring of early responses to anticancer treatments using tissue biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I Scott
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorena Mendive-Tapia
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Doireann Gordon
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nicole D Barth
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emily J Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zhiming Cheng
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David Taggart
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | | | - Jordi Juarez-Jimenez
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Julien Michel
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Berber Piet
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - I Jolanda de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn Verdoes
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - John Dawson
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neil O Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Richard A O' Connor
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ahsan R Akram
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Margaret Frame
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alan Serrels
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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17
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Abstract
![]()
Optical
imaging has become an essential tool to study biomolecular
processes in live systems with unprecedented spatial resolution. New
fluorescent technologies and advances in optical microscopy have revolutionized
the ways in which we can study immune cells in real time. For example,
activatable fluorophores that emit signals after target recognition
have enabled direct imaging of immune cell function with enhanced
readouts and minimal background. In this Account, we summarize recent
advances in the chemical synthesis and implementation of activatable
fluorescent probes to monitor the activity and the role of immune
cells in different pathological processes, from infection to inflammatory
diseases or cancer. In addition to the contributions that our group
has made to this field, we review the most relevant literature disclosed
over the past decade, providing examples of different activatable
architectures and their application in diagnostics and drug discovery.
This Account covers the imaging of the three major cell types in the
immune system, that is, neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes.
Attracted by the tunability and target specificity of peptides, many
groups have designed strategies based on fluorogenic peptides whose
fluorescence emission is regulated by the reaction with enzymes (e.g.,
MMPs, cathepsins, granzymes), or through Förster resonance
energy transfer (FRET) mechanisms. Selective imaging of immune cells
has been also achieved by targeting different intracellular metabolic
routes, such as lipid biogenesis. Other approaches involve the implementation
of diversity-oriented fluorescence libraries or the use of environmentally
sensitive fluorescent scaffolds (e.g., molecular rotors). Our group
has made important progress by constructing probes to image metastasis-associated
macrophages in tumors, apoptotic neutrophils, or cytotoxic natural
killer (NK) cells against cancer cells, among other examples. The
chemical probes covered in this Account have been successfully validated
in vitro in cell culture systems, and in vivo in relevant models of
inflammation and cancer. Overall, the range of chemical structures
and activation mechanisms reported to sense immune cell function is
remarkable. However, the emergence of new strategies based on new
molecular targets or activatable mechanisms that are yet to be discovered
will open the door to track unexplored roles of immune cells in different
biological systems. We anticipate that upcoming generations of activatable
probes will find applications in the clinic to help assessing immunotherapies
and advance precision medicine. We hope that this Account will evoke
new ideas and innovative work in the design of fluorescent probes
for imaging cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Mendive-Tapia
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, U.K
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, U.K
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18
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High-throughput optical assays for sensing serine hydrolases in living systems and their applications. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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19
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Rodriguez-Rios M, Megia-Fernandez A, Norman DJ, Bradley M. Peptide probes for proteases - innovations and applications for monitoring proteolytic activity. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:2081-2120. [PMID: 35188510 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00798j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Proteases are excellent biomarkers for a variety of diseases, offer multiple opportunities for diagnostic applications and are valuable targets for therapy. From a chemistry-based perspective this review discusses and critiques the most recent advances in the field of substrate-based probes for the detection and analysis of proteolytic activity both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rodriguez-Rios
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Alicia Megia-Fernandez
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Daniel J Norman
- Technical University of Munich, Trogerstrasse, 30, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Mark Bradley
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
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20
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Muir RK, Guerra M, Bogyo MM. Activity-Based Diagnostics: Recent Advances in the Development of Probes for Use with Diverse Detection Modalities. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:281-291. [PMID: 35026106 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal enzyme expression and activity is a hallmark of many diseases. Activity-based diagnostics are a class of chemical probes that aim to leverage this dysregulated metabolic signature to produce a detectable signal specific to diseased tissue. In this Review, we highlight recent methodologies employed in activity-based diagnostics that provide exquisite signal sensitivity and specificity in complex biological systems for multiple disease states. We divide these examples based upon their unique signal readout modalities and highlight those that have advanced into clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan K. Muir
- Department of Pathology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Matteo Guerra
- Department of Pathology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Matthew M. Bogyo
- Department of Pathology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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21
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Tagirasa R, Yoo E. Role of Serine Proteases at the Tumor-Stroma Interface. Front Immunol 2022; 13:832418. [PMID: 35222418 PMCID: PMC8873516 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.832418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
During tumor development, invasion and metastasis, the intimate interaction between tumor and stroma shapes the tumor microenvironment and dictates the fate of tumor cells. Stromal cells can also influence anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern this complex and dynamic interplay, thus is important for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Proteolytic enzymes that are expressed and secreted by both cancer and stromal cells play important roles in modulating tumor-stromal interaction. Among, several serine proteases such as fibroblast activation protein, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, kallikrein-related peptidases, and granzymes have attracted great attention owing to their elevated expression and dysregulated activity in the tumor microenvironment. This review highlights the role of serine proteases that are mainly derived from stromal cells in tumor progression and associated theranostic applications.
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22
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Scott J, Deng Q, Vendrell M. Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Cancer-Associated Proteases. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1304-1317. [PMID: 34315210 PMCID: PMC8383269 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Proteases are enzymes capable of catalyzing protein breakdown, which is critical across many biological processes. There are several families of proteases, each of which perform key functions through the degradation of specific proteins. As our understanding of cancer improves, it has been demonstrated that several proteases can be overactivated during the progression of cancer and contribute to malignancy. Optical imaging systems that employ near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes to detect protease activity offer clinical promise, both for early detection of cancer as well as for the assessment of personalized therapy. In this Review, we review the design of NIR probes and their successful application for the detection of different cancer-associated proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie
I. Scott
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Qinyi Deng
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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23
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Kasperkiewicz P. Peptidyl Activity-Based Probes for Imaging Serine Proteases. Front Chem 2021; 9:639410. [PMID: 33996745 PMCID: PMC8117214 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.639410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteases catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds. Products of this breakdown mediate signaling in an enormous number of biological processes. Serine proteases constitute the most numerous group of proteases, accounting for 40%, and they are prevalent in many physiological functions, both normal and disease-related functions, making them one of the most important enzymes in humans. The activity of proteases is controlled at the expression level by posttranslational modifications and/or endogenous inhibitors. The study of serine proteases requires specific reagents not only for detecting their activity but also for their imaging. Such tools include inhibitors or substrate-related chemical molecules that allow the detection of proteolysis and visual observation of active enzymes, thus facilitating the characterization of the activity of proteases in the complex proteome. Peptidyl activity-based probes (ABPs) have been extensively studied recently, and this review describes the basic principles in the design of peptide-based imaging agents for serine proteases, provides examples of activity-based probe applications and critically discusses their strengths, weaknesses, challenges and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Kasperkiewicz
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
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24
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Kim HR, Tagirasa R, Yoo E. Covalent Small Molecule Immunomodulators Targeting the Protease Active Site. J Med Chem 2021; 64:5291-5322. [PMID: 33904753 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cells of the immune system utilize multiple proteases to regulate cell functions and orchestrate innate and adaptive immune responses. Dysregulated protease activities are implicated in many immune-related disorders; thus, protease inhibitors have been actively investigated for pharmaceutical development. Although historically considered challenging with concerns about toxicity, compounds that covalently modify the protease active site represent an important class of agents, emerging not only as chemical probes but also as approved drugs. Here, we provide an overview of technologies useful for the study of proteases with the focus on recent advances in chemoproteomic methods and screening platforms. By highlighting covalent inhibitors that have been designed to target immunomodulatory proteases, we identify opportunities for the development of small molecule immunomodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Rae Kim
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Ravichandra Tagirasa
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Euna Yoo
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
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25
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Scott JI, Gutkin S, Green O, Thompson EJ, Kitamura T, Shabat D, Vendrell M. A Functional Chemiluminescent Probe for in Vivo Imaging of Natural Killer Cell Activity Against Tumours. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 133:5763-5767. [PMID: 38505495 PMCID: PMC10946790 DOI: 10.1002/ange.202011429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune cells that can kill certain types of cancer cells. Adoptive transfer of NK cells represents a promising immunotherapy for malignant tumours; however, there is a lack of methods to validate anti-tumour activity of NK cells in vivo. Herein, we report a new chemiluminescent probe to image in situ the granzyme B-mediated killing activity of NK cells against cancer cells. We have optimised a granzyme B-specific construct using an activatable phenoxydioxetane reporter so that enzymatic cleavage of the probe results in bright chemiluminescence. The probe shows high selectivity for active granzyme B over other proteases and higher signal-to-noise ratios than commercial fluorophores. Finally, we demonstrate that the probe can detect NK cell activity in mouse models, being the first chemiluminescent probe for in vivo imaging of NK cell activity in live tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I. Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Sara Gutkin
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Ori Green
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Emily J. Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Doron Shabat
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
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26
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Scott JI, Gutkin S, Green O, Thompson EJ, Kitamura T, Shabat D, Vendrell M. A Functional Chemiluminescent Probe for in Vivo Imaging of Natural Killer Cell Activity Against Tumours. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:5699-5703. [PMID: 33300671 PMCID: PMC7986153 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202011429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune cells that can kill certain types of cancer cells. Adoptive transfer of NK cells represents a promising immunotherapy for malignant tumours; however, there is a lack of methods to validate anti-tumour activity of NK cells in vivo. Herein, we report a new chemiluminescent probe to image in situ the granzyme B-mediated killing activity of NK cells against cancer cells. We have optimised a granzyme B-specific construct using an activatable phenoxydioxetane reporter so that enzymatic cleavage of the probe results in bright chemiluminescence. The probe shows high selectivity for active granzyme B over other proteases and higher signal-to-noise ratios than commercial fluorophores. Finally, we demonstrate that the probe can detect NK cell activity in mouse models, being the first chemiluminescent probe for in vivo imaging of NK cell activity in live tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie I. Scott
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Sara Gutkin
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Ori Green
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Emily J. Thompson
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- MRC Centre for Reproductive HealthThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
| | - Doron Shabat
- Tel Aviv UniversityDpt of Organic ChemistrySchool of Chemistry, Faculty of Exact SciencesTel Aviv69978Israel
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe University of Edinburgh47 Little France CrescentEdinburghEH16 4TJUK
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