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Wang Z, Li R, Yang G, Wang Y. Cancer stem cell biomarkers and related signalling pathways. J Drug Target 2024; 32:33-44. [PMID: 38095181 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2295222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a distinct subset of neoplastic cells characterised by their heightened capacity for tumorigenesis. These cells are implicated in the facilitation of cancer metastasis, recurrence, and resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions. Extensive scientific research has been devoted to the identification of biomarkers and the elucidation of molecular mechanisms in order to improve targeted therapeutic approaches. Accurate identification of cancer stem cells based on biomarkers can provide a theoretical basis for drug combinations of malignant tumours. Targeted biomarker-based therapies also offer a silver lining for patients with advanced malignancies. This review aims comprehensively to consolidate the latest findings on CSCs biomarkers, targeted agents as well as biomarkers associated signalling pathways in well-established cancer types, thereby contributing to improved prognostic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guilin Yang
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yijin Wang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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Cantero MJ, Bueloni B, Gonzalez Llamazares L, Fiore E, Lameroli L, Atorrasagasti C, Mazzolini G, Malvicini M, Bayo J, García MG. Modified mesenchymal stromal cells by in vitro transcribed mRNA: a therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:208. [PMID: 38992782 PMCID: PMC11241816 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03806-0] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) tropism for tumours allows their use as carriers of antitumoural factors and in vitro transcribed mRNA (IVT mRNA) is a promising tool for effective transient expression without insertional mutagenesis risk. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a cytokine with antitumor properties by stimulating the specific immune response. The aim of this work was to generate modified MSCs by IVT mRNA transfection to overexpress GM-CSF and determine their therapeutic effect alone or in combination with doxorubicin (Dox) in a murine model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS DsRed or GM-CSF IVT mRNAs were generated from a cDNA template designed with specific primers followed by reverse transcription. Lipofectamine was used to transfect MSCs with DsRed (MSC/DsRed) or GM-CSF IVT mRNA (MSC/GM-CSF). Gene expression and cell surface markers were determined by flow cytometry. GM-CSF secretion was determined by ELISA. For in vitro experiments, the J774 macrophage line and bone marrow monocytes from mice were used to test GM-CSF function. An HCC model was developed by subcutaneous inoculation (s.c.) of Hepa129 cells into C3H/HeN mice. After s.c. injection of MSC/GM-CSF, Dox, or their combination, tumour size and mouse survival were evaluated. Tumour samples were collected for mRNA analysis and flow cytometry. RESULTS DsRed expression by MSCs was observed from 2 h to 15 days after IVT mRNA transfection. Tumour growth remained unaltered after the administration of DsRed-expressing MSCs in a murine model of HCC and MSCs expressing GM-CSF maintained their phenotypic characteristic and migration capability. GM-CSF secreted by modified MSCs induced the differentiation of murine monocytes to dendritic cells and promoted a proinflammatory phenotype in the J774 macrophage cell line. In vivo, MSC/GM-CSF in combination with Dox strongly reduced HCC tumour growth in C3H/HeN mice and extended mouse survival in comparison with individual treatments. In addition, the tumours in the MSC/GM-CSF + Dox treated group exhibited elevated expression of proinflammatory genes and increased infiltration of CD8 + T cells and macrophages. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that IVT mRNA transfection is a suitable strategy for obtaining modified MSCs for therapeutic purposes. MSC/GM-CSF in combination with low doses of Dox led to a synergistic effect by increasing the proinflammatory tumour microenvironment, enhancing the antitumoural response in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Cantero
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Barbara Bueloni
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia Gonzalez Llamazares
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Esteban Fiore
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucia Lameroli
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catalina Atorrasagasti
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Mazzolini
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Malvicini
- Cancer Immunobiology Laboratory, IIMT, Universidad Austral - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Bayo
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana G García
- Experimental Hepatology and Gene Therapy Program, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), Universidad Austral - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Zarlashat Y, Mushtaq H, Pham L, Abbas W, Sato K. Advancements in Immunotherapeutic Treatments for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Potential of Combination Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6830. [PMID: 38999940 PMCID: PMC11241106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136830] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer and a significant global health burden, with increasing incidence rates and limited treatment options. Immunotherapy has become a promising approach due to its ability to affect the immune microenvironment and promote antitumor responses. The immune microenvironment performs an essential role in both the progression and the development of HCC, with different characteristics based on specific immune cells and etiological factors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, including programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and durvalumab) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 inhibitors (tremelimumab and ipilimumab), have the potential to treat advanced HCC and overcome adverse effects, such as liver failure and chemoresistance. Phase II and phase III clinical trials highlight the efficacy of pembrolizumab and nivolumab, respectively, in advanced HCC patients, as demonstrated by their positive effects on overall survival and progression-free survival. Tremelimumab has exhibited modest response rates, though it does possess antiviral activity. Thus, it is still being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. Combination therapies with multiple drugs have demonstrated potential benefits in terms of survival and tumor response rates, improving patient outcomes compared to monotherapy, especially for advanced-stage HCC. This review addresses the clinical trials of immunotherapies for early-, intermediate-, and advanced-stage HCC. Additionally, it highlights how combination therapy can significantly enhance overall survival, progression-free survival, and objective response rate in advanced-stage HCC, where treatment options are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusra Zarlashat
- Department of Biochemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Hassan Mushtaq
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering-C (NIBGE), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad 45650, Pakistan
| | - Linh Pham
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Killeen, TX 76549, USA
| | - Wasim Abbas
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering-C (NIBGE), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad 45650, Pakistan
| | - Keisaku Sato
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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Li X, Li W, Xu L, Song Y. Chimeric antigen receptor-immune cells against solid tumors: Structures, mechanisms, recent advances, and future developments. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:1285-1302. [PMID: 37640679 PMCID: PMC11191032 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapies has led to breakthroughs in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, their success in treating solid tumors has been limited. CAR-natural killer (NK) cells have several advantages over CAR-T cells because NK cells can be made from pre-existing cell lines or allogeneic NK cells with a mismatched major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which means they are more likely to become an "off-the-shelf" product. Moreover, they can kill cancer cells via CAR-dependent/independent pathways and have limited toxicity. Macrophages are the most malleable immune cells in the body. These cells can efficiently infiltrate into tumors and are present in large numbers in tumor microenvironments (TMEs). Importantly, CAR-macrophages (CAR-Ms) have recently yielded exciting preclinical results in several solid tumors. Nevertheless, CAR-T, CAR-NK, and CAR-M all have their own advantages and limitations. In this review, we systematically discuss the current status, progress, and the major hurdles of CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells, and CAR-M as they relate to five aspects: CAR structure, therapeutic mechanisms, the latest research progress, current challenges and solutions, and comparison according to the existing research in order to provide a reasonable option for treating solid tumors in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Li
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Linping Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008, China
| | - Yongping Song
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008, China
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
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Ma Y, Lv H, Xing F, Xiang W, Wu Z, Feng Q, Wang H, Yang W. Cancer stem cell-immune cell crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment for liver cancer progression. Front Med 2024; 18:430-445. [PMID: 38600350 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1049-z] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Crosstalk between cancer cells and the immune microenvironment is determinant for liver cancer progression. A tumor subpopulation called liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) significantly accounts for the initiation, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and recurrence of liver cancer. Emerging evidence demonstrates that the interaction between liver CSCs and immune cells plays a crucial role in shaping an immunosuppressive microenvironment and determining immunotherapy responses. This review sheds light on the bidirectional crosstalk between liver CSCs and immune cells for liver cancer progression, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms after presenting an overview of liver CSCs characteristic and their microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the potential application of liver CSCs-targeted immunotherapy for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ma
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Hongwei Lv
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Fuxue Xing
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Zixin Wu
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Qiyu Feng
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China.
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-biliary Tumor Biology, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Wen Yang
- Cancer Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- National Center for Liver Cancer, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 201805, China.
- International Co-operation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepato-biliary Tumor Biology, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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Heumann P, Albert A, Gülow K, Tümen D, Müller M, Kandulski A. Insights in Molecular Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1831. [PMID: 38791911 PMCID: PMC11120383 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16101831] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
We conducted a comprehensive review of the current literature of published data and clinical trials (MEDLINE), as well as published congress contributions and active recruiting clinical trials on targeted therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma. Combinations of different agents and medical therapy along with radiological interventions were analyzed for the setting of advanced HCC. Those settings were also analyzed in combination with adjuvant situations after resection or radiological treatments. We summarized the current knowledge for each therapeutic setting and combination that currently is or has been under clinical evaluation. We further discuss the results in the background of current treatment guidelines. In addition, we review the pathophysiological mechanisms and pathways for each of these investigated targets and drugs to further elucidate the molecular background and underlying mechanisms of action. Established and recommended targeted treatment options that already exist for patients are considered for systemic treatment: atezolizumab/bevacizumab, durvalumab/tremelimumab, sorafenib, lenvatinib, cabozantinib, regorafenib, and ramucirumab. Combination treatment for systemic treatment and local ablative treatment or transarterial chemoembolization and adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment strategies are under clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Heumann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany (K.G.); (D.T.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Arne Kandulski
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany (K.G.); (D.T.)
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7
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Papadopoulos G, Giannousi E, Avdi AP, Velliou RI, Nikolakopoulou P, Chatzigeorgiou A. Τ cell-mediated adaptive immunity in the transition from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis to hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1343806. [PMID: 38774646 PMCID: PMC11106433 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1343806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is the progressed version of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) characterized by inflammation and fibrosis, but also a pathophysiological "hub" that favors the emergence of liver malignancies. Current research efforts aim to identify risk factors, discover disease biomarkers, and aid patient stratification in the context of MASH-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent cancer among MASLD patients. To investigate the tumorigenic transition in MASH-induced HCC, researchers predominantly exploit preclinical animal-based MASH models and studies based on archived human biopsies and clinical trials. Recapitulating the immune response during tumor development and progression is vital to obtain mechanistic insights into MASH-induced HCC. Notably, the advanced complexity behind MASLD and MASH pathogenesis shifted the research focus towards innate immunity, a fundamental element of the hepatic immune niche that is usually altered robustly in the course of liver disease. During the last few years, however, there has been an increasing interest for deciphering the role of adaptive immunity in MASH-induced HCC, particularly regarding the functions of the various T cell populations. To effectively understand the specific role of T cells in MASH-induced HCC development, scientists should urgently fill the current knowledge gaps in this field. Pinpointing the metabolic signature, sketching the immune landscape, and characterizing the cellular interactions and dynamics of the specific T cells within the MASH-HCC liver are essential to unravel the mechanisms that adaptive immunity exploits to enable the emergence and progression of this cancer. To this end, our review aims to summarize the current state of research regarding the T cell functions linked to MASH-induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorios Papadopoulos
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eirini Giannousi
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini P. Avdi
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Rallia-Iliana Velliou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences (AIMES), Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonios Chatzigeorgiou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Zhao H, Ling Y, He J, Dong J, Mo Q, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yu H, Tang C. Potential targets and therapeutics for cancer stem cell-based therapy against drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 74:101084. [PMID: 38640592 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101084] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common digestive malignancyin the world, which is frequently diagnosed at late stage with a poor prognosis. For most patients with advanced HCC, the therapeutic options arelimiteddue to cancer occurrence of drug resistance. Hepatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) account for a small subset of tumor cells with the ability of self-renewal and differentiationin HCC. It is widely recognized that the presence of CSCs contributes to primary and acquired drug resistance. Therefore, hepatic CSCs-targeted therapy is considered as a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance and improve therapeutic outcome in HCC. In this article, we review drug resistance in HCC and provide a summary of potential targets for CSCs-based therapy. In addition, the development of CSCs-targeted therapeuticsagainst drug resistance in HCC is summarized in both preclinical and clinical trials. The in-depth understanding of CSCs-related drug resistance in HCC will favor optimization of the current therapeutic strategies and gain encouraging therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxing Zhao
- Department of Radiology, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuhang Ling
- Central Laboratory, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Huzhou Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Hepatology, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinling Dong
- Department of Hepatology, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qinliang Mo
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Central Laboratory, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Hepatology, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hongbin Yu
- Department of General Surgery, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Chengwu Tang
- Huzhou Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, First affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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9
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Zheng S, Chan SW, Liu F, Liu J, Chow PKH, Toh HC, Hong W. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Drug Therapeutic Status, Advances and Challenges. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1582. [PMID: 38672664 PMCID: PMC11048862 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081582] [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: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for ~90% of liver neoplasms. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Although there have been rapid developments in the treatment of HCC over the past decade, the incidence and mortality rates of HCC remain a challenge. With the widespread use of the hepatitis B vaccine and antiviral therapy, the etiology of HCC is shifting more toward metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Early-stage HCC can be treated with potentially curative strategies such as surgical resection, liver transplantation, and radiofrequency ablation, improving long-term survival. However, most HCC patients, when diagnosed, are already in the intermediate or advanced stages. Molecular targeted therapy, followed by immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, has been a revolution in HCC systemic treatment. Systemic treatment of HCC especially for patients with compromised liver function is still a challenge due to a significant resistance to immune checkpoint blockade, tumor heterogeneity, lack of oncogenic addiction, and lack of effective predictive and therapeutic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunzhen Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Postdoctoral Scientific Research Workstation, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan 250098, China;
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore; (S.W.C.); (W.H.)
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, China;
| | - Siew Wee Chan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore; (S.W.C.); (W.H.)
| | - Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Postdoctoral Scientific Research Workstation, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan 250098, China;
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, China;
| | - Pierce Kah Hoe Chow
- Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore 169610, Singapore;
- Academic Clinical Programme for Surgery, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Han Chong Toh
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore 168583, Singapore;
| | - Wanjin Hong
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore; (S.W.C.); (W.H.)
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10
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Zhu W, Zhang Z, Chen J, Chen X, Huang L, Zhang X, Huang X, Ma N, Xu W, Yi X, Lu X, Fu X, Li S, Mo G, Wang Y, Yuan G, Zang M, Li Q, Jiang X, He Y, Wu S, He Y, Li Y, Hou J. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor arms T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T cells) against hepatocellular carcinoma. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:101. [PMID: 38643203 PMCID: PMC11032311 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01792-6] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Strategies to improve T cell therapy efficacy in solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) family cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, IL-15 and IL-21 play fundamental roles in T cell development, differentiation and effector phases. This study aims to determine the combination effects of IL-21 in T cell therapy against HCC and investigate optimized strategies to utilize the effect of IL-21 signal in T cell therapy. The antitumor function of AFP-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) was augmented by exogenous IL-21 in vitro and in vivo. IL-21 enhanced proliferation capacity, promoted memory differentiation, downregulated PD-1 expression and alleviated apoptosis in TCR-T after activation. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor was established, and TCR-T armed with the novel engineered IL-21 receptors (IL-21R-TCR-T) showed upregulated phosphorylated STAT3 expression without exogenous IL-21 ligand. IL-21R-TCR-T showed better proliferation upon activation and superior antitumor function in vitro and in vivo. IL-21R-TCR-T exhibited a less differentiated, exhausted and apoptotic phenotype than conventional TCR-T upon repetitive tumor antigen stimulation. The novel IL-21 receptor in our study programs powerful TCR-T and can avoid side effects induced by IL-21 systemic utilization. The novel IL-21 receptor creates new opportunities for next-generation TCR-T against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinzhang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle, UK
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Weikang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoheng Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guosheng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengya Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, 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
| | - Yajing He
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Demonstration Center for Experimental Education of Basic Medical Sciences of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yukai He
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yongyin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jinlin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Yu T, Lu Y, Fang J, Jiang X, Lu Y, Zheng J, Shang X, Shen H, Fu P. Chimeric antigen receptor-based immunotherapy in breast cancer: Recent progress in China. Cancer 2024; 130:1378-1391. [PMID: 37950749 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35096] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the fourth most prevalent cancer in China. Despite conventional treatment strategies, BC patients often have poor therapeutic outcomes, leading to significant global cancer mortality rates. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based immunotherapy is a promising and innovative approach for cancer treatment that redirects immune cells to attack tumor cells expressing selected tumor antigens (TAs). T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and macrophages, key components of the immune system, are used in CAR-based immunotherapies. Although remarkable progress has been made with CAR-T cells in hematologic malignancies, the application of CAR-based immunotherapy to BC has lagged. This is partly due to obstacles such as tumor heterogeneity, which is further associated with the TA and BC subtypes, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Several combinatorial approaches, including the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viruses, and antitumor drugs, have been proposed to overcome these obstacles in BC treatment. Furthermore, several CAR-based immunotherapies for BC have been translated into clinical trials. This review provides an overview of the recent progress in CAR-based immunotherapy for BC treatment, including targeting of TAs, consideration of BC subtypes, assessment of the TME, and exploration of combinatorial therapies. The authors focused on preclinical studies and clinical trials of CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells, and CAR-macrophages especially conducted in China, followed by an internal comparison and discussion of current limits. In conclusion, this review elucidates China's contribution to CAR-based immunotherapies for BC and provides inspiration for further research. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Despite conventional treatment strategies, breast cancer (BC) patients in China often have poor therapeutic outcomes. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based immunotherapy, a promising approach, can redirect immune cells to kill tumor cells expressing selected tumor antigens (TAs). However, obstacles such as TA selection, BC subtypes, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment still exist. Therefore, various combinatorial approaches have been proposed. This article elucidates several Chinese CAR-based preclinical and clinical studies in BC treatment with comparisons of foreign research, and CAR-immune cells are analyzed, providing inspiration for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuexin Lu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Fang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaocong Jiang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yue Lu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
| | - Jingyan Zheng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Lishui People's Hospital, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, China
| | - Xi Shang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang University, Taizhou, China
| | - Haixing Shen
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Cixi People's Hospital, Cixi, China
| | - Peifen Fu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Chen T, Wang M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Current challenges and therapeutic advances of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:133. [PMID: 38622705 PMCID: PMC11017638 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03315-3] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors. According to recent studies, optimizing the design of CAR-T cells, implementing logic-gated CAR-T cells and refining the delivery methods of therapeutic agents can all enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, combination therapy shows promise as a way to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. At present, numerous clinical trials involving CAR-T cells for solid tumors are actively in progress. In conclusion, CAR-T cell therapy has both potential and challenges when it comes to treating solid tumors. As CAR-T cell therapy continues to evolve, further innovations will be devised to surmount the challenges associated with this treatment modality, ultimately leading to enhanced therapeutic response for patients suffered solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Mingzhao Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanchao Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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13
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MacLean MR, Walker OL, Arun RP, Fernando W, Marcato P. Informed by Cancer Stem Cells of Solid Tumors: Advances in Treatments Targeting Tumor-Promoting Factors and Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4102. [PMID: 38612911 PMCID: PMC11012648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074102] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subpopulation within tumors that promote cancer progression, metastasis, and recurrence due to their self-renewal capacity and resistance to conventional therapies. CSC-specific markers and signaling pathways highly active in CSCs have emerged as a promising strategy for improving patient outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic targets associated with CSCs of solid tumors across various cancer types, including key molecular markers aldehyde dehydrogenases, CD44, epithelial cellular adhesion molecule, and CD133 and signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, and Sonic Hedgehog. We discuss a wide array of therapeutic modalities ranging from targeted antibodies, small molecule inhibitors, and near-infrared photoimmunotherapy to advanced genetic approaches like RNA interference, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, aptamers, antisense oligonucleotides, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, CAR natural killer cells, bispecific T cell engagers, immunotoxins, drug-antibody conjugates, therapeutic peptides, and dendritic cell vaccines. This review spans developments from preclinical investigations to ongoing clinical trials, highlighting the innovative targeting strategies that have been informed by CSC-associated pathways and molecules to overcome therapeutic resistance. We aim to provide insights into the potential of these therapies to revolutionize cancer treatment, underscoring the critical need for a multi-faceted approach in the battle against cancer. This comprehensive analysis demonstrates how advances made in the CSC field have informed significant developments in novel targeted therapeutic approaches, with the ultimate goal of achieving more effective and durable responses in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya R. MacLean
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (M.R.M.); (O.L.W.); (R.P.A.); (W.F.)
| | - Olivia L. Walker
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (M.R.M.); (O.L.W.); (R.P.A.); (W.F.)
| | - Raj Pranap Arun
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (M.R.M.); (O.L.W.); (R.P.A.); (W.F.)
| | - Wasundara Fernando
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (M.R.M.); (O.L.W.); (R.P.A.); (W.F.)
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Paola Marcato
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; (M.R.M.); (O.L.W.); (R.P.A.); (W.F.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
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Ling RE, Cross JW, Roy A. Aberrant stem cell and developmental programs in pediatric leukemia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1372899. [PMID: 38601080 PMCID: PMC11004259 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1372899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis is a finely orchestrated process, whereby hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all mature blood cells. Crucially, they maintain the ability to self-renew and/or differentiate to replenish downstream progeny. This process starts at an embryonic stage and continues throughout the human lifespan. Blood cancers such as leukemia occur when normal hematopoiesis is disrupted, leading to uncontrolled proliferation and a block in differentiation of progenitors of a particular lineage (myeloid or lymphoid). Although normal stem cell programs are crucial for tissue homeostasis, these can be co-opted in many cancers, including leukemia. Myeloid or lymphoid leukemias often display stem cell-like properties that not only allow proliferation and survival of leukemic blasts but also enable them to escape treatments currently employed to treat patients. In addition, some leukemias, especially in children, have a fetal stem cell profile, which may reflect the developmental origins of the disease. Aberrant fetal stem cell programs necessary for leukemia maintenance are particularly attractive therapeutic targets. Understanding how hijacked stem cell programs lead to aberrant gene expression in place and time, and drive the biology of leukemia, will help us develop the best treatment strategies for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Ling
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joe W. Cross
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anindita Roy
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Haematology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
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15
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Wyszatko K, Janzen N, Silva LR, Kwon L, Komal T, Ventura M, Venugopal C, Singh SK, Valliant JF, Sadeghi S. 89Zr-labeled ImmunoPET targeting the cancer stem cell antigen CD133 using fully-human antibody constructs. EJNMMI Res 2024; 14:29. [PMID: 38498285 PMCID: PMC10948676 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-024-01091-9] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer stem cells play an important role in driving tumor growth and treatment resistance, which makes them a promising therapeutic target to prevent cancer recurrence. Emerging cancer stem cell-targeted therapies would benefit from companion diagnostic imaging probes to aid in patient selection and monitoring response to therapy. To this end, zirconium-89-radiolabeled immunoPET probes that target the cancer stem cell-antigen CD133 were developed using fully human antibody and antibody scFv-Fc scaffolds. RESULTS ImmunoPET probes [89Zr]-DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 0.7 ± 0.1), [89Zr]-DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 3.0 ± 0.3), and [89Zr]-DFO-RW03scFv - Fc (CA = 2.9 ± 0.3) were radiolabeled with zirconium-89 (radiochemical yield 42 ± 5%, 97 ± 2%, 86 ± 12%, respectively) and each was isolated in > 97% radiochemical purity with specific activities of 120 ± 30, 270 ± 90, and 200 ± 60 MBq/mg, respectively. In vitro binding assays showed a low-nanomolar binding affinity of 0.6 to 1.1 nM (95% CI) for DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 0.7 ± 0.1), 0.3 to 1.9 nM (95% CI) for DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 3.0 ± 0.3), and 1.5 to 3.3 nM (95% CI) for DFO-RW03scFv - Fc (C/A = 0.3). Biodistribution studies found that [89Zr]-DFO-RW03scFv - Fc (CA = 2.9 ± 0.3) exhibited the highest tumor uptake (23 ± 4, 21 ± 2, and 23 ± 4%ID/g at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively) and showed low uptake (< 6%ID/g) in all off-target organs at each timepoint (24, 48, and 72 h). Comparatively, [89Zr]-DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 0.7 ± 0.1) and [89Zr]-DFO-RW03IgG (CA = 3.0 ± 0.3) both reached maximum tumor uptake (16 ± 3%ID/g and 16 ± 2%ID/g, respectively) at 96 h p.i. and showed higher liver uptake (10.2 ± 3%ID/g and 15 ± 3%ID/g, respectively) at that timepoint. Region of interest analysis to assess PET images of mice administered [89Zr]-DFO-RW03scFv - Fc (CA = 2.9 ± 0.3) showed that this probe reached a maximum tumor uptake of 22 ± 1%ID/cc at 96 h, providing a tumor-to-liver ratio that exceeded 1:1 at 48 h p.i. Antibody-antigen mediated tumor uptake was demonstrated through biodistribution and PET imaging studies, where for each probe, co-injection of excess unlabeled RW03IgG resulted in > 60% reduced tumor uptake. CONCLUSIONS Fully human CD133-targeted immunoPET probes [89Zr]-DFO-RW03IgG and [89Zr]-DFO-RW03scFv - Fc accumulate in CD133-expressing tumors to enable their delineation through PET imaging. Having identified [89Zr]-DFO-RW03scFv - Fc (CA = 2.9 ± 0.3) as the most attractive construct for CD133-expressing tumor delineation, the next step is to evaluate this probe using patient-derived tumor models to test its detection limit prior to clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Wyszatko
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Nancy Janzen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Luis Rafael Silva
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Luke Kwon
- Spatio-Temporal Targeting and Amplification of Radiation Response Innovation Centre (STTARR), University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Teesha Komal
- Spatio-Temporal Targeting and Amplification of Radiation Response Innovation Centre (STTARR), University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Manuela Ventura
- Spatio-Temporal Targeting and Amplification of Radiation Response Innovation Centre (STTARR), University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chitra Venugopal
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sheila K Singh
- Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - John F Valliant
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Saman Sadeghi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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Shebbo S, Binothman N, Darwaish M, Niaz HA, Abdulal RH, Borjac J, Hashem AM, Mahmoud AB. Redefining the battle against colorectal cancer: a comprehensive review of emerging immunotherapies and their clinical efficacy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1350208. [PMID: 38533510 PMCID: PMC10963412 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1350208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally and presents a significant challenge owing to its high mortality rate and the limitations of traditional treatment options such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. While these treatments are foundational, they are often poorly effective owing to tumor resistance. Immunotherapy is a groundbreaking alternative that has recently emerged and offers new hope for success by exploiting the body's own immune system. This article aims to provide an extensive review of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of various immunotherapies, including CRC vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. We also discuss combining CRC vaccines with monoclonal antibodies, delve into preclinical studies of novel cancer vaccines, and assess the impact of these treatment methods on patient outcomes. This review seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the current state of CRC treatment by evaluating innovative treatments and their potential to redefine the prognosis of patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salima Shebbo
- Strategic Research and Innovation Laboratories, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Debbieh, Lebanon
| | - Najat Binothman
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences and Arts, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manar Darwaish
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Immunology Research Program, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanan A. Niaz
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rwaa H. Abdulal
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamilah Borjac
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Debbieh, Lebanon
| | - Anwar M. Hashem
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Bakur Mahmoud
- Strategic Research and Innovation Laboratories, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawarah, Saudi Arabia
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17
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Aggeletopoulou I, Kalafateli M, Triantos C. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Where Do We Stand? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2631. [PMID: 38473878 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052631] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health challenge that urgently calls for innovative therapeutic strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy has emerged as a promising avenue for HCC treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of CAR T immunotherapy in HCC patients is significantly compromised by some major issues including the immunosuppressive environment within the tumor, antigen heterogeneity, CAR T cell exhaustion, and the advanced risk for on-target/off-tumor toxicity. To overcome these challenges, many ongoing preclinical and clinical trials are underway focusing on the identification of optimal target antigens and the decryption of the immunosuppressive milieu of HCC. Moreover, limited tumor infiltration constitutes a significant obstacle of CAR T cell therapy that should be addressed. The continuous effort to design molecular targets for CAR cells highlights the importance for a more practical approach for CAR-modified cell manufacturing. This review critically examines the current landscape of CAR T cell therapy for HCC, shedding light on the changes in innate and adaptive immune responses in the context of HCC, identifying potential CAR T cell targets, and exploring approaches to overcome inherent challenges. Ongoing advancements in scientific research and convergence of diverse treatment modalities offer the potential to greatly enhance HCC patients' care in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Aggeletopoulou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Maria Kalafateli
- Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital of Patras, 26332 Patras, Greece
| | - Christos Triantos
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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18
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Pessino G, Scotti C, Maggi M, Immuno-Hub Consortium. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Old and Emerging Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:901. [PMID: 38473265 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050901] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), globally ranks sixth in incidence and third in cancer-related deaths. HCC risk factors include non-viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, environmental exposures, and genetic factors. No specific genetic alterations are unequivocally linked to HCC tumorigenesis. Current standard therapies include surgical options, systemic chemotherapy, and kinase inhibitors, like sorafenib and regorafenib. Immunotherapy, targeting immune checkpoints, represents a promising avenue. FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitors, such as atezolizumab and pembrolizumab, show efficacy, and combination therapies enhance clinical responses. Despite this, the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenge, as the complex tumor ecosystem and the immunosuppressive microenvironment associated with it hamper the efficacy of the available therapeutic approaches. This review explores current and advanced approaches to treat HCC, considering both known and new potential targets, especially derived from proteomic analysis, which is today considered as the most promising approach. Exploring novel strategies, this review discusses antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), and engineered antibodies. It then reports a systematic analysis of the main ligand/receptor pairs and molecular pathways reported to be overexpressed in tumor cells, highlighting their potential and limitations. Finally, it discusses TGFβ, one of the most promising targets of the HCC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Pessino
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudia Scotti
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maristella Maggi
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Immuno-Hub Consortium
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Yang K, Yi T. Tumor cell stemness in gastrointestinal cancer: regulation and targeted therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1297611. [PMID: 38455361 PMCID: PMC10918437 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1297611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cancer stem cells are a rare group of self-renewable cancer cells capable of the initiation, progression, metastasis and recurrence of tumors, and also a key contributor to the therapeutic resistance. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of tumor stemness regulation, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, is of great importance for targeting CSC and designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review aims to elucidate current advancements in the understanding of CSC regulation, including CSC biomarkers, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs. We will also provide a comprehensive view on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) display an overall tumor-promoting effect, including the recruitment and impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu, and the induction of angiogenesis and hypoxia. Lastly, this review consolidates mainstream novel therapeutic interventions targeting CSC stemness regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangqi Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tuo Yi
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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20
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Ding G, Yu H, Jin J, Qiao X, Ma J, Zhang T, Cheng X. Reciprocal relationship between cancer stem cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells: implications for tumor progression and therapeutic strategies. Future Oncol 2024; 20:215-228. [PMID: 38390682 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2023-0907] [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] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been an increased focus on cancer stem cells (CSCs) due to their resilience, making them difficult to eradicate. This resilience often leads to tumor recurrence and metastasis. CSCs adeptly manipulate their surroundings to create an environment conducive to their survival. In this environment, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a crucial role in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and bolstering CSCs' stemness. In response, CSCs attract MDSCs, enhancing their infiltration, expansion and immunosuppressive capabilities. This interaction between CSCs and MDSCs increases the difficulty of antitumor therapy. In this paper, we discuss the interplay between CSCs and MDSCs based on current research and highlight recent therapeutic strategies targeting either CSCs or MDSCs that show promise in achieving effective antitumor outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqing Ding
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Jason Jin
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Xi Qiao
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Jinyun Ma
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
| | - Xiaodong Cheng
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Yue-yang Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200437, China
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21
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Soliman N, Saharia A, Abdelrahim M, Connor AA. Molecular profiling in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2024; 29:10-22. [PMID: 38038621 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000001124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to both summarize the current knowledge of hepatocellular carcinoma molecular biology and to suggest a framework in which to prospectively translate this knowledge into patient care. This is timely as recent guidelines recommend increased use of these technologies to advance personalized liver cancer care. RECENT FINDINGS The main themes covered here address germline and somatic genetic alterations recently discovered in hepatocellular carcinoma, largely owing to next generation sequencing technologies, and nascent efforts to translate these into contemporary practice. SUMMARY Early efforts of translating molecular profiling to hepatocellular carcinoma care demonstrate a growing number of potentially actionable alterations. Still lacking are a consensus on what biomarkers and technologies to adopt, at what scale and cost, and how to integrate them most effectively into care.
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22
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Wu D, Li Y. Application of adoptive cell therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunology 2023; 170:453-469. [PMID: 37435926 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health challenge. Novel treatment modalities are urgently needed to extend the overall survival of patients. The liver plays an immunomodulatory function due to its unique physiological structural characteristics. Therefore, following surgical resection and radiotherapy, immunotherapy regimens have shown great potential in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adoptive cell immunotherapy is rapidly developing in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we summarize the latest research on adoptive immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. The focus is on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells. Then tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and macrophages are briefly discussed. The main overview of the application and challenges of adoptive immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. It aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the current status of HCC adoptive immunotherapy and offers some strategies. We hope to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengqiang Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ningbo No. 6 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Clinical Laboratory of Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Zhejiang, Ningbo, China
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23
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Kronig MN, Wehrli M, Salas-Benito D, Maus MV. "Hurdles race for CAR T-cell therapy in digestive tract cancer". Immunol Rev 2023; 320:100-119. [PMID: 37694970 PMCID: PMC10846098 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13273] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Digestive tract cancers (DTC) belong to the most investigated family of tumors. The incidence, prevalence, and mortality rate of DTC remain high, especially for patients with pancreatic cancer. Even though immunotherapy such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized the treatment of solid cancer types, ICI are still restricted to a very small group of patients and seem to be more efficacious in combination with chemotherapy. Cellular immunotherapy such as CAR T-cell therapy has entered clinical routine in hematological malignancies with outstanding results. There is growing interest on translating this kind of immunotherapy and success into patients with solid malignancies, such as DTC. This review attempts to describe the major advances in preclinical and clinical research with CAR T cells in DTC, considering the most relevant hurdles in each subtype of DTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Noelle Kronig
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern
University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc Wehrli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern
University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA, U.S.A
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diego Salas-Benito
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA, U.S.A
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marcela V. Maus
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA, U.S.A
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Center,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, USA
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24
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Cui Y, Luo M, Gu C, He Y, Yao Y, Li P. CAR designs for solid tumors: overcoming hurdles and paving the way for effective immunotherapy. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2023; 9:279-297. [PMID: 38516299 PMCID: PMC10951476 DOI: 10.52601/bpr.2023.230020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized immunotherapy by modifying patients' immune cells genetically. By expressing CARs, these modified cells can specifically identify and eliminate tumor cells. The success of CAR-T therapy in hematological malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, has been remarkable. Numerous studies have reported improved patient outcomes and increased survival rates. However, the application of CAR-T therapy in treating solid tumors faces significant challenges. Solid tumors possess complex microenvironments containing stromal cells, extracellular matrix components, and blood vessels. These factors can impede the infiltration and persistence of CAR-T cells within the tumor. Additionally, the lack of target antigens exclusively expressed on tumor cells raises concerns about off-target effects and potential toxicity. This review aims to discuss advancements achieved by CAR-T therapy in solid tumors and the clinical outcomes in the realm of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanbin Cui
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Mintao Luo
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Chuanyuan Gu
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yuxian He
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0021, USA
| | - Yao Yao
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Peng Li
- China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
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25
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Mai Y, Su J, Yang C, Xia C, Fu L. The strategies to cure cancer patients by eradicating cancer stem-like cells. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:171. [PMID: 37853413 PMCID: PMC10583358 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01867-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), a subpopulation of cancer cells, possess remarkable capability in proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation. Their presence is recognized as a crucial factor contributing to tumor progression and metastasis. CSCs have garnered significant attention as a therapeutic focus and an etiologic root of treatment-resistant cells. Increasing evidence indicated that specific biomarkers, aberrant activated pathways, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), and immunoevasion are considered the culprits in the occurrence of CSCs and the maintenance of CSCs properties including multi-directional differentiation. Targeting CSC biomarkers, stemness-associated pathways, TME, immunoevasion and inducing CSCs differentiation improve CSCs eradication and, therefore, cancer treatment. This review comprehensively summarized these targeted therapies, along with their current status in clinical trials. By exploring and implementing strategies aimed at eradicating CSCs, researchers aim to improve cancer treatment outcomes and overcome the challenges posed by CSC-mediated therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yansui Mai
- Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiyan Su
- Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute; Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Chenglai Xia
- Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Liwu Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute; Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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26
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Noraldeen SAM, Rasulova I, Lalitha R, Hussin F, Alsaab HO, Alawadi AH, Alsaalamy A, Sayyid NH, Alkhafaji AT, Mustafa YF, Shayan SK. Involving stemness factors to improve CAR T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy. Med Oncol 2023; 40:313. [PMID: 37779152 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Treatment with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells indicated remarkable clinical responses with liquid cancers such as hematological malignancies; however, their therapeutic efficacy faced with many challenges in solid tumors due to severe toxicities, antigen evasion, restricted and limited tumor tissue trafficking and infiltration, and, more importantly, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) factors that impair the CAR T-cell function adds support survival of cancer stem cells (CSCs), responsible for tumor recurrence and resistance to current cancer therapies. Therefore, in-depth identification of TME and development of more potent CAR platform targeting CSCs may overcome the raised challenges, as presented in this review. We also discuss recent stemness-based innovations in CAR T-cell production and engineering to improve their efficacy in vivo, and finally, we propose solutions and strategies such as oncolytic virus-based therapy and combination therapy to revive the function of CAR T-cell therapy, especially in TME of solid tumors in future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irodakhon Rasulova
- School of Humanities, Natural & Social Sciences, New Uzbekistan University, 54 Mustaqillik Ave., 100007, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Repudi Lalitha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Chaitanya Deemed to be University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
| | - Farah Hussin
- Medical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Hashem O Alsaab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Taif University, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Hussien Alawadi
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Ali Alsaalamy
- College of Technical Engineering, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Al-Muthanna, 66002, Iraq
| | - Nidhal Hassan Sayyid
- College of Nursing, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | | | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul, 41001, Iraq
| | - Sepideh Karkon Shayan
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
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27
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Gao X, Zuo S. Immune landscape and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: focus on innate and adaptive immune cells. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:1881-1899. [PMID: 36773210 PMCID: PMC10543580 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01015-2] [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: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for roughly 90% of all cases of primary liver cancer, and the cases are on the rise. The treatment of advanced HCC is a serious challenge. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has marked a watershed moment in the history of HCC systemic treatment. Atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab has been approved as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC since 2020; however, the combination therapy is only effective in a limited percentage of patients. Considering that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has a great impact on immunotherapies for HCC, an in-depth understanding of the immune landscape in tumors and the current immunotherapeutic approaches is extremely necessary. We elaborate on the features, functions, and cross talk of the innate and adaptive immune cells in HCC and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of various immunotherapies for advanced HCC, as well as future projections. HCC consists of a heterogeneous group of cancers with distinct etiologies and immune microenvironments. Almost all the components of innate and adaptive immune cells in HCC have altered, showing a decreasing trend in the number of tumor suppressor cells and an increasing trend in the pro-cancer cells, and there is also cross talk between various cell types. Various immunotherapies for HCC have also shown promising efficacy and application prospect. There are multilayered interwoven webs among various immune cell types in HCC, and emerging evidence demonstrates the promising prospect of immunotherapeutic approaches for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqiang Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. 28, Guiyi Street, Guiyang, 550000, Guizhou, China
- Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Shi Zuo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. 28, Guiyi Street, Guiyang, 550000, Guizhou, China.
- Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
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28
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Wang X, Qiu W, Liu H, He M, He W, Li Z, Wu Z, Xu X, Chen P. The inducible secreting TLR5 agonist, CBLB502, enhances the anti-tumor activity of CAR133-NK92 cells in colorectal cancer. Cancer Biol Med 2023; 20:j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0033. [PMID: 37731205 PMCID: PMC10546094 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE CAR-T/NK cells have had limited success in the treatment of solid tumors, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), in part because of the heterogeneous nature of tumor-associated antigens that lead to antigen-negative relapse after the initial response. This barrier might be overcome by enhancing the recruitment and durability of endogenous immune cells. METHODS Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were used to assess the expression of CD133 antigen in tissue microarrays and cell lines, respectively. Retroviral vector transduction was used to generate CBLB502-secreting CAR133-NK92 cells (CAR133-i502-NK92). The tumor killing capacity of CAR133-NK92 cells in vitro and in vivo were quantified via LDH release, the RTCA assay, and the degranulation test, as well as measuring tumor bioluminescence signal intensity in mice xenografts. RESULTS We engineered CAR133-i502-NK92 cells and demonstrated that those cells displayed enhanced proliferation (9.0 × 104 cells vs. 7.0 × 104 cells) and specific anti-tumor activities in vitro and in a xenogeneic mouse model, and were well-tolerated. Notably, CBLB502 secreted by CAR133-i502-NK92 cells effectively activated endogenous immune cells. Furthermore, in hCD133+/hCD133- mixed cancer xenograft models, CAR133-i502-NK92 cells suppressed cancer growth better than the counterparts (n = 5, P = 0.0297). Greater T-cell infiltration was associated with greater anti-tumor potency (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Armed with a CBLB502 TLR5 agonist, CAR133-NK92 cells were shown to be capable of specifically eliminating CD133-positive colon cancer cells in a CAR133-dependent manner and indirectly eradicating CD133-negative colon cancer cells in a CBLB502-specific endogenous immune response manner. This study describes a novel technique for optimizing CAR-T/NK cells for the treatment of antigenically-diverse solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wang
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Haoyu Liu
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Min He
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Wei He
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhan Li
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- Department of Biotherapeutics, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Ping Chen
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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29
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Liang T, Song Y, Gu L, Wang Y, Ma W. Insight into the Progress in CAR-T Cell Therapy and Combination with Other Therapies for Glioblastoma. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:4121-4141. [PMID: 37720174 PMCID: PMC10503554 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s418837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain cancer in adults. It is always resistant to existing treatments, including surgical resection, postoperative radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which leads to a dismal prognosis and a high relapse rate. Therefore, novel curative therapies are urgently needed for GBM. Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has significantly improved life expectancy for hematological malignancies patients, and thus it increases the interest in applying CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. In the recently published research, it is indicated that there are numerous obstacles to achieve clinical benefits for solid tumors, especially for GBM, because of GBM anatomical characteristics (the blood-brain barrier and suppressive tumor microenvironment) and the tumor heterogeneity. CAR-T cells are difficult to penetrate blood-brain barrier, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which induces CAR-T cell exhaustion, impairs CAR-T cell therapy response. Moreover, under the pressure of CAR-T cell therapy, the tumor heterogeneity and tumor plasticity drive tumor evolution and therapy resistance, such as antigen escape. Nonetheless, scientists strive for strategies to overcome these hurdles, including novel CAR-T cell designs and regional delivery. For instance, the structure of multi-antigen-targeted CAR-T cells can enrich CAR-T accumulation in tumor TME and eliminate abundant tumor cells to avoid tumor antigen heterogeneity. Additionally, paired with an immune modifier and one or more stimulating domains, different generation of innovations in the structure and manufacturing of CAR-T cells have improved efficacy and persistence. While single CAR-T cell therapy receives limited clinical survival benefit. Compared with single CAR-T cell therapy, the combination therapies have supplemented the treatment paradigm. Combinatorial treatment methods consolidate the CAR-T cells efficacy by regulating the tumor microenvironment, optimizing the CAR structure, targeting the CAR-T cells to the tumor cells, reversing the tumor-immune escape mechanisms, and represent a promising avenue against GBM, based on multiple impressive research. Moreover, exciting results are also reported to be realized through combining effective therapies with CAR-T cells in preclinical and clinical trials samples, have aroused inspiration to explore the antitumor function of combination therapies. In summary, this study aims to summarize the limitation of CAR-T cell therapies and introduces novel strategies to enhance CAR-T cell function as well as prospect the potential of the therapeutic combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyu Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yixuan Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingui Gu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenbin Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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30
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Fu Q, Zheng Y, Fang W, Zhao Q, Zhao P, Liu L, Zhai Y, Tong Z, Zhang H, Lin M, Zhu X, Wang H, Wang Y, Liu Z, Yuan D, Bao X, Gao W, Dai X, Li Z, Liang T. RUNX-3-expressing CAR T cells targeting glypican-3 in patients with heavily pretreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a phase I trial. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 63:102175. [PMID: 37680942 PMCID: PMC10480529 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a well-characterized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated antigen and a promising target for HCC treatment. CT017 CAR T cells were engineered to co-express CAR-GPC3 and runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3), which triggers CD8+ T-cell infiltration into the cancer microenvironment. Methods This single-center, single-arm, open-label, phase I clinical study enrolled heavily pretreated patients with GPC3-positive HCC between August 2019 and December 2020 (NCT03980288). Patients were treated with CT017 CAR T cells at a dose of 250 × 106 cells. The primary objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of this first-in-human product. Findings Six patients received 7 infusions (one patient received 2 infusions) at the 250 × 106 cells dose. Three patients received CT017 monotherapy, and three patients received CT017-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combination therapy at the first infusion. One patient received CT017-TKI combination therapy at the second infusion after CT017 monotherapy. All patients experienced cytokine release syndrome (CRS), with 50% (3/6) at Grade 2, 50% (3/6) at Grade 3, and all events resolved after treatment. No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome was observed. Dose escalation was not performed due to the investigator's decision regarding safety. Of six evaluable patients, one achieved partial response and two had stable disease for a 16.7% objective response rate, 50% disease control rate, 3.5-month median progression-free survival, 3.2-month median duration of disease control, and 7.9-month median overall survival (OS) with 7.87-month median follow-up. The longest OS was 18.2 months after CT017 infusion. Interpretation Current preliminary phase I data showed a manageable safety profile and promising antitumor activities of CT017 for patients with advanced HCC. These results need to be confirmed in a robust clinical trial. Funding This study was funded by CARsgen Therapeutics Co., Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihan Fu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, China
- The Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijia Fang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, China
- The Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingwei Zhao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Lulu Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - You Zhai
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhou Tong
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangyu Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meihua Lin
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xudong Zhu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Zhen Liu
- CARsgen Therapeutics Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | | | - Xuanwen Bao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Wanwan Gao
- CARsgen Therapeutics Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomeng Dai
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Zonghai Li
- CARsgen Therapeutics Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Tingbo Liang
- The Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China
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Tang C, Ke M, Yu X, Sun S, Luo X, Liu X, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Cui X, Gu C, Yang Y. GART Functions as a Novel Methyltransferase in the RUVBL1/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway to Promote Tumor Stemness in Colorectal Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301264. [PMID: 37439412 PMCID: PMC10477903 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Tumor stemness is associated with the recurrence and incurability of colorectal cancer (CRC), which lacks effective therapeutic targets and drugs. Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GART) fulfills an important role in numerous types of malignancies. The present study aims to identify the underlying mechanism through which GART may promote CRC stemness, as to developing novel therapeutic methods. An elevated level of GART is associated with poor outcomes in CRC patients and promotes the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. CD133+ cells with increased GART expression possess higher tumorigenic and proliferative capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. GART is identified to have a novel methyltransferase function, whose enzymatic activity center is located at the E948 site. GART also enhances the stability of RuvB-like AAA ATPase 1 (RUVBL1) through methylating its K7 site, which consequently aberrantly activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to induce tumor stemness. Pemetrexed (PEM), a compound targeting GART, combined with other chemotherapy drugs greatly suppresses tumor growth both in a PDX model and in CRC patients. The present study demonstrates a novel methyltransferase function of GART and the role of the GART/RUVBL1/β-catenin signaling axis in promoting CRC stemness. PEM may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Tang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210008China
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Mengying Ke
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xichao Yu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Shanliang Sun
- School of PharmacyNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xian Luo
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xin Liu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Yanyan Zhou
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Ze Wang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Xing Cui
- Department of Hematology and OncologyThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese MedicineJinan250001China
| | - Chunyan Gu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210008China
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
| | - Ye Yang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210046China
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Afra F, Mahboobipour AA, Salehi Farid A, Ala M. Recent progress in the immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: Non-coding RNA-based immunotherapy may improve the outcome. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115104. [PMID: 37393866 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most lethal cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) significantly improved the prognosis of HCC; however, the therapeutic response remains unsatisfactory in a substantial proportion of patients or needs to be further improved in responders. Herein, other methods of immunotherapy, including vaccine-based immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy, cytokine delivery, kynurenine pathway inhibition, and gene delivery, have been adopted in clinical trials. Although the results were not encouraging enough to expedite their marketing. A major proportion of human genome is transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Preclinical studies have extensively investigated the roles of ncRNAs in different aspects of HCC biology. HCC cells reprogram the expression pattern of numerous ncRNAs to decrease the immunogenicity of HCC, exhaust the cytotoxic and anti-cancer function of CD8 + T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and M1 macrophages, and promote the immunosuppressive function of T Reg cells, M2 macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Mechanistically, cancer cells recruit ncRNAs to interact with immune cells, thereby regulating the expression of immune checkpoints, functional receptors of immune cells, cytotoxic enzymes, and inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, prediction models based on the tissue expression or even serum levels of ncRNAs could predict response to immunotherapy in HCC. Moreover, ncRNAs markedly potentiated the efficacy of ICIs in murine models of HCC. This review article first discusses recent advances in the immunotherapy of HCC, then dissects the involvement and potential application of ncRNAs in the immunotherapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Afra
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ali Mahboobipour
- Tracheal Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Salehi Farid
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moein Ala
- Experimental Medicine Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Wei W, Chen ZN, Wang K. CRISPR/Cas9: A Powerful Strategy to Improve CAR-T Cell Persistence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12317. [PMID: 37569693 PMCID: PMC10418799 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
As an emerging treatment strategy for malignant tumors, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has been widely used in clinical practice, and its efficacy has been markedly improved in the past decade. However, the clinical effect of CAR-T therapy is not so satisfying, especially in solid tumors. Even in hematologic malignancies, a proportion of patients eventually relapse after receiving CAR-T cell infusions, owing to the poor expansion and persistence of CAR-T cells. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has provided an effective approach to promoting the proliferation and persistence of CAR-T cells in the body. This technology has been utilized in CAR-T cells to generate a memory phenotype, reduce exhaustion, and screen new targets to improve the anti-tumor potential. In this review, we aim to describe the major causes limiting the persistence of CAR-T cells in patients and discuss the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in promoting CAR-T cell persistence and its anti-tumor function. Finally, we investigate clinical trials for CRISPR/Cas9-engineered CAR-T cells for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhi-Nan Chen
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China;
| | - Ke Wang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China;
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Pospieszna J, Dams-Kozlowska H, Udomsak W, Murias M, Kucinska M. Unmasking the Deceptive Nature of Cancer Stem Cells: The Role of CD133 in Revealing Their Secrets. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10910. [PMID: 37446085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, and its complexity poses a significant challenge to effective treatment. Cancer stem cells and their markers have become key players in tumor growth and progression. CD133, a marker in various cancer types, is an active research area as a potential therapeutic target. This article explores the role of CD133 in cancer treatment, beginning with an overview of cancer statistics and an explanation of cancer stem cells and their markers. The rise of CD133 is discussed, including its structure, functions, and occurrence in different cancer types. Furthermore, the article covers CD133 as a therapeutic target, focusing on gene therapy, immunotherapy, and approaches to affect CD133 expression. Nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles and nanoliposomes are also discussed in the context of CD133-targeted therapy. In conclusion, CD133 is a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. As research in this area progresses, it is hoped that CD133-targeted therapies will offer new and effective treatment options for cancer patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Pospieszna
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
| | - Hanna Dams-Kozlowska
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 15 Garbary Street, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
- Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 15 Garbary Street, 61-866 Poznan, Poland
| | - Wachirawit Udomsak
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
| | - Marek Murias
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
- Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 10 Street, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kucinska
- Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd Street, 10 Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego Street, 60-631 Poznan, Poland
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Drougkas K, Karampinos K, Karavolias I, Koumprentziotis IA, Ploumaki I, Triantafyllou E, Trontzas I, Kotteas E. Comprehensive clinical evaluation of CAR-T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors: a path moving forward or a dead end? J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:2709-2734. [PMID: 36564524 PMCID: PMC10129996 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04547-4] [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: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is a form of adoptive cell therapy that has demonstrated tremendous results in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies, leading to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of four CD19-targeted CAR-T cell products. With the unprecedented success of CAR-T cell therapy in hematological malignancies, hundreds of preclinical studies and clinical trials are currently undergoing to explore the translation of this treatment to solid tumors. However, the clinical experience in non-hematologic malignancies has been less encouraging, with only a few patients achieving complete responses. Tumor-associated antigen heterogeneity, inefficient CAR-T cell trafficking and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment are considered as the most pivotal roadblocks in solid tumor CAR-T cell therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed the relevant literature/clinical trials for CAR-T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors from Pubmed and ClinicalTrials.gov. CONCLUSION Herein, we provide an update on solid tumor CAR-T cell clinical trials, focusing on the studies with published results. We further discuss some of the key hurdles that CAR-T cell therapy is encountering for solid tumor treatment as well as the strategies that are exploited to overcome these obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Drougkas
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece.
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece.
| | - Konstantinos Karampinos
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Ioannis Karavolias
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Ioannis-Alexios Koumprentziotis
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Ioanna Ploumaki
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Efthymios Triantafyllou
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Ioannis Trontzas
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA, CT
| | - Elias Kotteas
- Oncology Unit, Sotiria General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 Mesogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens, Greece
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Ozer M, Goksu SY, Akagunduz B, George A, Sahin I. Adoptive Cell Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review of Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061808. [PMID: 36980692 PMCID: PMC10046758 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the new reference standard in first-line HCC treatment, replacing tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as sorafenib. Many clinical trials with different combinations are already in development to validate novel immunotherapies for the treatment of patients with HCC. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT), also known as cellular immunotherapy, with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) or gene-modified T cells expressing novel T cell receptors (TCR) may represent a promising alternative approach to modify the immune system to recognize tumor cells with better clinical outcomes. In this review, we briefly discuss the overview of ACT as a promising treatment modality in HCC, along with recent updates of ongoing clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammet Ozer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Suleyman Yasin Goksu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Baran Akagunduz
- Department of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Erzincan Binali Yildirim University, Erzincan 24100, Turkey
| | - Andrew George
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02915, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02915, USA
- Legorreta Cancer Center, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02915, USA
| | - Ilyas Sahin
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
- University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-352-273-9873
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37
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Köseer AS, Di Gaetano S, Arndt C, Bachmann M, Dubrovska A. Immunotargeting of Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1608. [PMID: 36900399 PMCID: PMC10001158 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051608] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The generally accepted view is that CSCs hijack the signaling pathways attributed to normal stem cells that regulate the self-renewal and differentiation processes. Therefore, the development of selective targeting strategies for CSC, although clinically meaningful, is associated with significant challenges because CSC and normal stem cells share many important signaling mechanisms for their maintenance and survival. Furthermore, the efficacy of this therapy is opposed by tumor heterogeneity and CSC plasticity. While there have been considerable efforts to target CSC populations by the chemical inhibition of the developmental pathways such as Notch, Hedgehog (Hh), and Wnt/β-catenin, noticeably fewer attempts were focused on the stimulation of the immune response by CSC-specific antigens, including cell-surface targets. Cancer immunotherapies are based on triggering the anti-tumor immune response by specific activation and targeted redirecting of immune cells toward tumor cells. This review is focused on CSC-directed immunotherapeutic approaches such as bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug candidates, CSC-targeted cellular immunotherapies, and immune-based vaccines. We discuss the strategies to improve the safety and efficacy of the different immunotherapeutic approaches and describe the current state of their clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayse Sedef Köseer
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | - Simona Di Gaetano
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | - Claudia Arndt
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Bachmann
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Dubrovska
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01309 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology-OncoRay, 01328 Dresden, Germany
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Hu X, Zhu H, He X, Chen J, Xiong L, Shen Y, Li J, Xu Y, Chen W, Liu X, Cao D, Xu X. The application of nanoparticles in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Control Release 2023; 355:85-108. [PMID: 36708880 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.051] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, however, current clinical diagnostic and treatment approaches remain relatively limited, creating an urgent need for the development of effective technologies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a powerful treatment strategy for advanced cancer. The number of clinically approved drugs for HCC immunotherapy has been increasing. However, it remains challenging to improve their transport and therapeutic efficiency, control their targeting and release, and mitigate their adverse effects. Nanotechnology has recently gained attention for improving the effectiveness of precision therapy for HCC. We summarize the key features of HCC associated with nanoparticle (NPs) targeting, release, and uptake, the roles and limitations of several major immunotherapies in HCC, the use of NPs in immunotherapy, the properties of NPs that influence their design and application, and current clinical trials of NPs in HCC, with the aim of informing the design of delivery platforms that have the potential to improve the safety and efficacy of HCC immunotherapy,and thus, ultimately improve the prognosis of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao Hu
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Hua Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xiaoqin He
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Lin Xiong
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yangtao Xu
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Wenliang Chen
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Dedong Cao
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Ximing Xu
- Cancer center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
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Chen J, Niu C, Yang N, Liu C, Zou SS, Zhu S. Biomarker discovery and application-An opportunity to resolve the challenge of liver cancer diagnosis and treatment. Pharmacol Res 2023; 189:106674. [PMID: 36702425 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies, with severe morbidity and mortality. While considerable progress has been made in liver cancer treatment, the 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients has not improved significantly. Reasons include the inadequate capability of early screening and diagnosis, a high incidence of recurrence and metastasis, a high degree of tumor heterogeneity, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Therefore, the identification and validation of specific and robust liver cancer biomarkers are of major importance for early screening, timely diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and the prevention of tumor progression. In this review, we highlight some of the latest research progress and potential applications of liver cancer biomarkers, describing hotspots and prospective directions in biomarker discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtao Chen
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; Laboratory for Tumor Immunology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Chao Niu
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Laboratory for Tumor Immunology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- Laboratory for Tumor Immunology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Shan-Shan Zou
- Laboratory for Tumor Immunology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Shan Zhu
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; Laboratory for Tumor Immunology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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40
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Yan ZJ, Chen L, Wang HY. To be or not to be: The double-edged sword roles of liver progenitor cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188870. [PMID: 36842766 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188870] [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: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Given the liver's remarkable and unique regenerative capacity, researchers have long focused on liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). LPCs can differentiate into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. However, the mechanism underlying cell conversion and its distinct contribution to liver homeostasis and tumorigenesis remain unclear. In this review, we discuss the complicated conversions involving LPCs and LCSCs. As the critical intermediate state in malignant transformation, LPCs play double-edged sword roles. LPCs are not only involved in hepatic wound-healing responses by supplementing liver cells and bile duct cells in the damaged liver but may transform into LCSCs under dysregulation of key signaling pathways, resulting in refractory malignant liver tumors. Because LPC lineages are temporally and spatially dynamic, we discuss crucial LPC subgroups and summarize regulatory factors correlating with the trajectories of LPCs and LCSCs in the liver tumor microenvironment. This review elaborates on the double-edged sword roles of LPCs to help understand the liver's regenerative potential and tumor heterogeneity. Understanding the sources and transformations of LPCs is essential in determining how to exploit their regenerative capacity in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jun Yan
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital/National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Lei Chen
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital/National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), Shanghai 200438, PR China.
| | - Hong-Yang Wang
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital/National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Key Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer (SMMU), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology (EHBH), Shanghai 200438, PR China.
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41
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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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Maher J, Davies DM. CAR Based Immunotherapy of Solid Tumours-A Clinically Based Review of Target Antigens. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020287. [PMID: 36829563 PMCID: PMC9953298 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy with CAR-engineered immune cells has transformed the management of selected haematological cancers. However, solid tumours have proven much more difficult to control using this emerging therapeutic modality. In this review, we survey the clinical impact of solid tumour CAR-based immunotherapy, focusing on specific targets across a range of disease indications Among the many candidates which have been the subject of non-clinical CAR T-cell research, clinical data are available for studies involving 30 of these targets. Here, we map out this clinical experience, highlighting challenges such as immunogenicity and on-target off-tumour toxicity, an issue that has been both unexpected and devastating in some cases. We also summarise how regional delivery and repeated dosing have been used in an effort to enhance impact and safety. Finally, we consider how emerging armouring systems and multi-targeted CAR approaches might be used to enhance tumour access and better enable discrimination between healthy and transformed cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Maher
- CAR Mechanics Group, Guy’s Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Department of Immunology, Eastbourne Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne BN21 2UD, UK
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)207188-1468
| | - David M. Davies
- Leucid Bio Ltd., Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
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Dianat-Moghadam H, Sharifi M, Salehi R, Keshavarz M, Shahgolzari M, Amoozgar Z. Engaging stemness improves cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Lett 2023; 554:216007. [PMID: 36396102 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.216007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intra-tumoral immune cells promote the stemness of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CSCs promote tumor progression, relapse, and resistance to immunotherapy. Cancer stemness induces the expression of neoantigens and neo-properties in CSCs, creating an opportunity for targeted immunotherapies. Isolation of stem-like T cells or retaining stemness in T clonotypes strategies produces exhaustion-resistance T cells with superior re-expansion capacity and long-lasting responses after adoptive cell therapies. Stem cells-derived NK cells may be the next generation of NK cell products for immunotherapy. Here, we have reviewed mechanisms by which stemness factors modulated the immunoediting of the TME and summarized the potentials of CSCs in the development of immunotherapy regimens, including CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells, cancer vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies. We have discussed the natural or genetically engineered stem-like T cells and stem cell-derived NK cells with increased cytotoxicity to tumor cells. Finally, we have provided a perspective on approaches that may improve the therapeutic efficacy of these novel adoptive cell-based products in targeting immunosuppressive TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Dianat-Moghadam
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Mohammadreza Sharifi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Rasoul Salehi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohsen Keshavarz
- The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mehdi Shahgolzari
- Dental Implants Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Zohreh Amoozgar
- Edwin L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Maalej KM, Merhi M, Inchakalody VP, Mestiri S, Alam M, Maccalli C, Cherif H, Uddin S, Steinhoff M, Marincola FM, Dermime S. CAR-cell therapy in the era of solid tumor treatment: current challenges and emerging therapeutic advances. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:20. [PMID: 36717905 PMCID: PMC9885707 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01723-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic approach to fight cancers. This approach consists of genetically engineered immune cells expressing a surface receptor, called CAR, that specifically targets antigens expressed on the surface of tumor cells. In hematological malignancies like leukemias, myeloma, and non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas, adoptive CAR-T cell therapy has shown efficacy in treating chemotherapy refractory patients. However, the value of this therapy remains inconclusive in the context of solid tumors and is restrained by several obstacles including limited tumor trafficking and infiltration, the presence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, as well as adverse events associated with such therapy. Recently, CAR-Natural Killer (CAR-NK) and CAR-macrophages (CAR-M) were introduced as a complement/alternative to CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. CAR-NK cells could be a favorable substitute for CAR-T cells since they do not require HLA compatibility and have limited toxicity. Additionally, CAR-NK cells might be generated in large scale from several sources which would suggest them as promising off-the-shelf product. CAR-M immunotherapy with its capabilities of phagocytosis, tumor-antigen presentation, and broad tumor infiltration, is currently being investigated. Here, we discuss the emerging role of CAR-T, CAR-NK, and CAR-M cells in solid tumors. We also highlight the advantages and drawbacks of CAR-NK and CAR-M cells compared to CAR-T cells. Finally, we suggest prospective solutions such as potential combination therapies to enhance the efficacy of CAR-cells immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karama Makni Maalej
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box: 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box: 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Varghese P. Inchakalody
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box: 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sarra Mestiri
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box: 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Majid Alam
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Dermatology Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar ,grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Cristina Maccalli
- grid.467063.00000 0004 0397 4222Laboratory of Immune and Biological Therapy, Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Honar Cherif
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XDepartment of Hematology, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Dermatology Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Martin Steinhoff
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Dermatology Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar ,grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar ,grid.416973.e0000 0004 0582 4340Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar ,grid.412603.20000 0004 0634 1084College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar ,grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Francesco M. Marincola
- grid.418227.a0000 0004 0402 1634Global Head of Research, Kite Pharma, Santa Monica, California USA
| | - Said Dermime
- grid.413548.f0000 0004 0571 546XTranslational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box: 3050, Doha, Qatar ,grid.452146.00000 0004 1789 3191College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
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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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Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Therapeutic Algorithm for Localized and Advanced Disease. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:3817724. [PMID: 36624801 PMCID: PMC9825221 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3817724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer in patients with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies. In recent years, there has been an advance in the knowledge of molecular mechanisms and a better staging definition of patients which has allowed the development of new therapies that have entered the therapeutic workup of these patients. Deep information on molecular drivers of HCC contributed to the development of targeted therapies with remarkable benefits. The novel strategies of targeting immune evasion using immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T and TCR-T therapeutics have also shown promising results. For advanced diseases, the therapeutic algorithm has been recently updated, thanks to the efficacy of combining immunotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy in the first-line setting, and new drugs, both as single-agents or combinations, are currently under investigation.
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47
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Wang J, Wu R, Sun JY, Lei F, Tan H, Lu X. An overview: Management of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Trends 2022; 16:405-425. [PMID: 36476621 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has constituted a significant health burden worldwide, and patients with advanced HCC, which is stage C as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, have a poor overall survival of 6-8 months. Studies have indicated the significant survival benefit of treatment based on sorafenib, lenvatinib, or atezolizumab-bevacizumab with reliable safety. In addition, the combination of two or more molecularly targeted therapies (first- plus second-line) has become a hot topic recently and is now being extensively investigated in patients with advanced HCC. In addition, a few biomarkers have been investigated and found to predict drug susceptibility and prognosis, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the clinical benefits of current therapies. In addition, many therapies other than tyrosine kinase inhibitors that might have additional survival benefits when combined with other therapeutic modalities, including immunotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, hepatectomy, and chemotherapy, have also been examined. This review provides an overview on the current understanding of disease management and summarizes current challenges with and future perspectives on advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rui Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Yu Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feifei Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Huabing Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Ghazi B, El Ghanmi A, Kandoussi S, Ghouzlani A, Badou A. CAR T-cells for colorectal cancer immunotherapy: Ready to go? Front Immunol 2022; 13:978195. [PMID: 36458008 PMCID: PMC9705989 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.978195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells represent a new genetically engineered cell-based immunotherapy tool against cancer. The use of CAR T-cells has revolutionized the therapeutic approach for hematological malignancies. Unfortunately, there is a long way to go before this treatment can be developed for solid tumors, including colorectal cancer. CAR T-cell therapy for colorectal cancer is still in its early stages, and clinical data are scarce. Major limitations of this therapy include high toxicity, relapses, and an impermeable tumor microenvironment for CAR T-cell therapy in colorectal cancer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge, highlight challenges, and discuss perspectives regarding CAR T-cell therapy in colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bouchra Ghazi
- Faculty of Medicine, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Adil El Ghanmi
- Mohammed VI International University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Sarah Kandoussi
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Amina Ghouzlani
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdallah Badou
- Immuno-Genetics and Human Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
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Damaskos C, Garmpis N, Dimitroulis D, Garmpi A, Psilopatis I, Sarantis P, Koustas E, Kanavidis P, Prevezanos D, Kouraklis G, Karamouzis MV, Marinos G, Kontzoglou K, Antoniou EA. Targeted Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment: A New Era Ahead-A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214117. [PMID: 36430594 PMCID: PMC9698799 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common malignancies and the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with surgery being the best prognostic tool. Among the well-known causative factors of HCC are chronic liver virus infections, chronic virus hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis virus C (HCV), aflatoxins, tobacco consumption, and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). There is a need for the development of efficient molecular markers and alternative therapeutic targets of great significance. In this review, we describe the general characteristics of HCC and present a variety of targeted therapies that resulted in progress in HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Damaskos
- Renal Transplantation Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-694-846-7790
| | - Nikolaos Garmpis
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Dimitroulis
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Garmpi
- First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Iason Psilopatis
- Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt—Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Panagiotis Sarantis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Koustas
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Prodromos Kanavidis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Gregory Kouraklis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Michail V. Karamouzis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Marinos
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kontzoglou
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Efstathios A. Antoniou
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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50
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Ruff SM, Shannon AH, Pawlik TM. Advances in Targeted Immunotherapy for Hepatobiliary Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213961. [PMID: 36430440 PMCID: PMC9698563 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer of the hepatobiliary system can be divided into primary liver cancer and biliary tract cancer (BTC), which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and gallbladder cancer (GBC). These aggressive cancers often present at an advanced stage or among patients with poorly preserved liver function. The primary treatment for HCC and BTC when diagnosed early is surgical resection, but given the high rate of recurrence and often advanced stage at diagnosis, many patients will require systemic therapy. Unfortunately, even with systemic therapy, long-term survival is poor. The immune system plays an important role in preventing cancer progression. The unique immune environment of the liver and subsequent alterations to the immune microenvironment by tumor cells to create a favorable microenvironment plays a key role in the progression of HCC and BTC. Due to the paucity of effective systemic therapies and distinctive immune environment of the liver, research and clinical trials are investigating the use of immunotherapy in HCC and BTC. This review will focus on current immunotherapies and emerging data for the treatment of HCC and BTC.
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