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Yang Q, Zhu X, Huang P, Li C, Han L, Han Y, Gan R, Xin B, Tu Y, Zhou S, Yuan T, Hao J, Li C, Zhang L, Shi L, Guo C. BCKDK modification enhances the anticancer efficacy of CAR-T cells by reprogramming branched chain amino acid metabolism. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00319-8. [PMID: 38734897 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.05.017] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Altered branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are frequently observed in patients with advanced cancer. We evaluated the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell-mediated cancer cell lysis potential in the immune microenvironment of BCAA supplementation and deletion. BCAA supplementation increased cancer cell killing percentage, while accelerating BCAA catabolism and decreasing BCAA transporter decreased cancer cell lysis efficacy. We thus designed BCKDK engineering CAR T cells for the reprogramming of BCAA metabolism in the tumor microenvironment based on the genotype and phenotype modification. BCKDK overexpression (OE) in CAR-T cells significantly improved cancer cell lysis, while BCKDK knockout (KO) resulted in inferior lysis potential. In an in vivo experiment, BCKDK-OE CAR-T cell treatment significantly prolonged the survival of mice bearing NALM6-GL cancer cells, with the differentiation of central memory cells and an increasing proportion of CAR-T cells in the peripheral circulation. BCKDK-KO CAR-T cell treatment resulted in shorter survival and a decreasing percentage of CAR-T cells in the peripheral circulation. In conclusion, BCKDK-engineered CAR-T cells exert a distinct phenotype for superior anticancer efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanjun Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Xinting Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Center for Chemical Glycobiology, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology Institute of Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Leng Han
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Yonglong Han
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Run Gan
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Bo Xin
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Yixing Tu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Shumin Zhou
- Institution of Microsurgery on Extremities, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Ting Yuan
- Department of Bone Oncology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Juan Hao
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 230 Baoding Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Chunqiong Li
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Cheng Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China.
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2
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Liu S, Zhao Y, Gao Y, Li F, Zhang Y. Targeting metabolism to improve CAR-T cells therapeutic efficacy. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:909-920. [PMID: 38501360 PMCID: PMC11046027 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000003046] [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: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy achieved advanced progress in the treatment of hematological tumors. However, the application of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors still faces many challenges. Competition with tumor cells for metabolic resources in an already nutrient-poor tumor microenvironment is a major contributing cause to CAR-T cell therapy's low effectiveness. Abnormal metabolic processes are now acknowledged to shape the tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by increased interstitial fluid pressure, low pH level, hypoxia, accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These factors are important contributors to restriction of T cell proliferation, cytokine release, and suppression of tumor cell-killing ability. This review provides an overview of how different metabolites regulate T cell activity, analyzes the current dilemmas, and proposes key strategies to reestablish the CAR-T cell therapy's effectiveness through targeting metabolism, with the aim of providing new strategies to surmount the obstacle in the way of solid tumor CAR-T cell treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Liu
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Yuyu Zhao
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Yaoxin Gao
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Feng Li
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Engineering Key Laboratory for Cell Therapy of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center and Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Engineering Key Laboratory for Cell Therapy of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
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3
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Cox JR, Fox A, Lenahan C, Pivnik L, Manion M, Blazeck J. Engineering CREB-activated promoters for adenosine-induced gene expression. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300446. [PMID: 38403442 PMCID: PMC10901447 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300446] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Accumulation of the ribonucleoside, adenosine (ADO), triggers a cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-mediated signaling pathway to suppress the function of immune cells in tumors. Here, we describe a collection of CREB-activated promoters that allow for strong and tunable ADO-induced gene expression in human cells. By optimizing number of CREB transcription factor binding sites and altering the core promoter region of CREB-based hybrid promoters, we created synthetic constructs that drive gene expression to higher levels than strong, endogenous mammalian promoters in the presence of ADO. These synthetic promoters are induced up to 47-fold by ADO, with minimal expression in their "off" state. We further determine that our CREB-based promoters are activated by other compounds that act as signaling analogs, and that combinatorial addition of ADO and these compounds has a synergistic impact on gene expression. Surprisingly, we also detail how background ADO degradation caused by the common cell culture media additive, fetal bovine serum (FBS), confounds experiments designed to determine ADO dose-responsiveness. We show that only after long-term heat deactivation of FBS can our synthetic promoters enable gene expression induction at physiologically relevant levels of ADO. Finally, we demonstrate that the strength of a CREB-based promoter is enhanced by incorporating other transcription factor binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Robert Cox
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrea Fox
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Conor Lenahan
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Liza Pivnik
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Matthew Manion
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - John Blazeck
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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4
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León-Letelier RA, Dou R, Vykoukal J, Sater AHA, Ostrin E, Hanash S, Fahrmann JF. The kynurenine pathway presents multi-faceted metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1256769. [PMID: 37876966 PMCID: PMC10591110 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1256769] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The kynurenine pathway (KP) and associated catabolites play key roles in promoting tumor progression and modulating the host anti-tumor immune response. To date, considerable focus has been on the role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and its catabolite, kynurenine (Kyn). However, increasing evidence has demonstrated that downstream KP enzymes and their associated metabolite products can also elicit tumor-microenvironment immune suppression. These advancements in our understanding of the tumor promotive role of the KP have led to the conception of novel therapeutic strategies to target the KP pathway for anti-cancer effects and reversal of immune escape. This review aims to 1) highlight the known biological functions of key enzymes in the KP, and 2) provide a comprehensive overview of existing and emerging therapies aimed at targeting discrete enzymes in the KP for anti-cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A. León-Letelier
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rongzhang Dou
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jody Vykoukal
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ali Hussein Abdel Sater
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Edwin Ostrin
- Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Samir Hanash
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Johannes F. Fahrmann
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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5
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Stone TW, Williams RO. Modulation of T cells by tryptophan metabolites in the kynurenine pathway. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:442-456. [PMID: 37248103 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Lymphocytes maturing in the thymus (T cells) are key factors in adaptive immunity and the regulation of inflammation. The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism includes several enzymes and compounds that can modulate T cell function, but manipulating these pharmacologically has not achieved the expected therapeutic activity for the treatment of autoimmune disorders and cancer. With increasing knowledge of other pathways interacting with kynurenines, the expansion of screening methods, and the application of virtual techniques to understanding enzyme structures and mechanisms, details of interactions between kynurenines and other pathways are being revealed. This review surveys some of these alternative approaches to influence T cell function indirectly via the kynurenine pathway and summarizes the most recent work on the development of compounds acting directly on the kynurenine pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W Stone
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Richard O Williams
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK.
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Xu H, Hu C, Wang Y, Shi Y, Yuan L, Xu J, Zhang Y, Chen J, Wei Q, Qin J, Xu Z, Cheng X. Glutathione peroxidase 2 knockdown suppresses gastric cancer progression and metastasis via regulation of kynurenine metabolism. Oncogene 2023:10.1038/s41388-023-02708-4. [PMID: 37138031 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02708-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most lethal malignancies due to its poor early diagnosis and high metastasis rate, and new therapeutic targets are urgently needed to develop effective anti-GC drugs. Glutathione peroxidase-2 (GPx2) plays various roles in tumor progression and patient survival. Herein, we found that GPx2 was overexpressed and negatively correlated with poor prognosis by using clinical GC samples for validation. GPx2 knockdown suppressed GC proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and in vivo. In addition, proteomic analysis revealed that GPx2 expression regulated kynureninase (KYNU)-mediated metabolism. As one of the key proteins involved in tryptophan catabolism, KYNU can degrade the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine (kyn), which is an endogenous ligand for AhR. Next, we revealed that the activation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated KYNU-kyn-AhR signaling pathway caused by GPx2 knockdown was involved in GC progression and metastasis. In conclusion, our results showed that GPx2 acted as an oncogene in GC and that GPx2 knockdown suppressed GC progression and metastasis by suppressing the KYNU-kyn-AhR signaling pathway, which was caused by the accumulation of ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Handong Xu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Can Hu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Yunfu Shi
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy Combining Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Yuan
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Jingli Xu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Yanqiang Zhang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Qin Wei
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Jiangjiang Qin
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
| | - Xiangdong Cheng
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
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7
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León-Letelier RA, Abdel Sater AH, Chen Y, Park S, Wu R, Irajizad E, Dennison JB, Katayama H, Vykoukal JV, Hanash S, Ostrin EJ, Fahrmann JF. Kynureninase Upregulation Is a Prominent Feature of NFR2-Activated Cancers and Is Associated with Tumor Immunosuppression and Poor Prognosis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030834. [PMID: 36765792 PMCID: PMC9913753 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030834] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is frequently activated in various cancer types. Aberrant activation of NRF2 in cancer is attributed to gain-of-function mutations in the NRF2-encoding gene NFE2L2 or a loss of function of its suppressor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1). NRF2 activation exerts pro-tumoral effects in part by altering cancer cell metabolism. Previously, we reported a novel mechanism of NRF2 tumoral immune suppression through the selective upregulation of the tryptophan-metabolizing enzyme kynureninase (KYNU) in lung adenocarcinoma. In the current study, we explored the relevance of NRF2-mediated KYNU upregulation across multiple cancer types. Specifically, using a gene expression dataset for 9801 tumors representing 32 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we demonstrated that elevated KYNU parallels increased gene-based signatures of NRF2-activation and that elevated tumoral KYNU mRNA expression is strongly associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, marked by high expression of gene-based signatures of Tregs as well as the immune checkpoint blockade-related genes CD274 (PDL-1), PDCD1 (PD-1), and CTLA4, regardless of the cancer type. Cox proportional hazard models further revealed that increased tumoral KYNU gene expression was prognostic for poor overall survival in several cancer types, including thymoma, acute myeloid leukemia, low-grade glioma, kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using PDAC as a model system, we confirmed that siRNA-mediated knockdown of NRF2 reduced KYNU mRNA expression, whereas activation of NFE2L2 (the coding gene for NRF2) through either small-molecule agonists or siRNA-mediated knockdown of KEAP1 upregulated KYNU in PDAC cells. Metabolomic analyses of the conditioned medium from PDAC cell lines revealed elevated levels of KYNU-derived anthranilate, confirming that KYNU was enzymatically functional. Collectively, our study highlights the activation of the NRF2-KYNU axis as a multi-cancer phenomenon and supports the relevance of tumoral KYNU as a marker of tumor immunosuppression and as a prognostic marker for poor overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A. León-Letelier
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ali H. Abdel Sater
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yihui Chen
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Soyoung Park
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ranran Wu
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ehsan Irajizad
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer B. Dennison
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Katayama
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jody V. Vykoukal
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Samir Hanash
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Edwin J. Ostrin
- Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: (E.J.O.); (J.F.F.)
| | - Johannes F. Fahrmann
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: (E.J.O.); (J.F.F.)
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8
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Liang C, Yu Y, Tang Q, Shen L. Discovering KYNU as a feature gene in hidradenitis suppurativa. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2023; 37:3946320231216317. [PMID: 37997679 PMCID: PMC10668573 DOI: 10.1177/03946320231216317] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic auto-inflammatory skin condition characterized by nodules, abscesses, and fistulae in skin folds. The underlying pathogenesis of HS remains unclear, and effective therapeutic drugs are limited. METHODS We acquired mRNA expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and conducted differential expression analysis between control and HS samples using R software. Four machine learning algorithms (SVM, RF, ANN, and lasso) and WCGNA were utilized to identify feature genes. GO, KEGG, Metascape, and GSVA were utilized for the enrichment analysis. CIBERSORT and ssGSEA were employed to analyze immune infiltration. RESULTS A total of 29 DEGs were identified, with the majority showing up-regulation in HS. Enrichment analysis revealed their involvement in immune responses and cytokine activities. KEGG analysis highlighted pathways such as IL-17 signaling, rheumatoid arthritis, and TNF signaling in HS. Immune infiltration analysis revealed the predominant presence of neutrophils, monocytes, and CD8 T cells. Machine learning algorithms and WCGNA identified KYNU as a feature gene associated with HS. We have also identified 59 potential drugs for HS based on the DEGs. Additionally, ceRNA network analysis identified the MUC19_hsa-miR-382-5p_KYNU pathway as a potential regulatory pathway. CONCLUSIONS KYNU emerged as a feature gene associated with HS, and the ceRNA network analysis identified the MUC19_hsa-miR-382-5p_KYNU pathway as a potential regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liang
- Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinyu Tang
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Liangliang Shen
- Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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9
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Huang J, Huang X, Huang J. CAR-T cell therapy for hematological malignancies: Limitations and optimization strategies. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1019115. [PMID: 36248810 PMCID: PMC9557333 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1019115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, the emergence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has led to a cellular immunotherapy revolution against various cancers. Although CAR-T cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable efficacy for patients with certain B cell driven hematological malignancies, further studies are required to broaden the use of CAR-T cell therapy against other hematological malignancies. Moreover, treatment failure still occurs for a significant proportion of patients. CAR antigen loss on cancer cells is one of the most common reasons for cancer relapse. Additionally, immune evasion can arise due to the hostile immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the impaired CAR-T cells in vivo persistence. Other than direct antitumor activity, the adverse effects associated with CAR-T cell therapy are another major concern during treatment. As a newly emerged treatment approach, numerous novel preclinical studies have proposed different strategies to enhance the efficacy and attenuate CAR-T cell associated toxicity in recent years. The major obstacles that impede promising outcomes for patients with hematological malignancies during CAR-T cell therapy have been reviewed herein, along with recent advancements being made to surmount them.
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10
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Zhang X, Zhu L, Zhang H, Chen S, Xiao Y. CAR-T Cell Therapy in Hematological Malignancies: Current Opportunities and Challenges. Front Immunol 2022; 13:927153. [PMID: 35757715 PMCID: PMC9226391 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.927153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy represents a major breakthrough in cancer treatment, and it has achieved unprecedented success in hematological malignancies, especially in relapsed/refractory (R/R) B cell malignancies. At present, CD19 and BCMA are the most common targets in CAR-T cell therapy, and numerous novel therapeutic targets are being explored. However, the adverse events related to CAR-T cell therapy might be serious or even life-threatening, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), CAR-T-cell-related encephalopathy syndrome (CRES), infections, cytopenia, and CRS-related coagulopathy. In addition, due to antigen escape, the limited CAR-T cell persistence, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, a considerable proportion of patients relapse after CAR-T cell therapy. Thus, in this review, we focus on the progress and challenges of CAR-T cell therapy in hematological malignancies, such as attractive therapeutic targets, CAR-T related toxicities, and resistance to CAR-T cell therapy, and provide some practical recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingling Zhu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Pilot Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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