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Li M, Liu D, Lee D, Cheng Y, Baumhover NJ, Marks BM, Sagastume EA, Ballas ZK, Johnson FL, Morris ZS, Schultz MK. Targeted Alpha-Particle Radiotherapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Induces Cooperative Inhibition on Tumor Growth of Malignant Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153676. [PMID: 34359580 PMCID: PMC8345035 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Radiation therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been demonstrated to cooperatively activate adaptive anti-tumor immunity with curative potential in preclinical models of melanoma. Receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy can be systemically injected to selectively deliver ionizing radiation to tumor sites throughout the body, potentially rendering all tumor sites more susceptible to anti-tumor immune response. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of delivering alpha-particle radiation to murine melanoma tumors using a 212Pb radiolabeled peptide [212Pb]VMT01 that targets the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R). Our data showed anti-tumor cooperation between [212Pb]VMT01 and ICIs in melanoma, mediated by induction of tumor-specific immunity. The immunogenicity of [212Pb]VMT01 in melanoma was also evidenced by enhanced tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor vaccination assays. Abstract Radiotherapy can facilitate the immune recognition of immunologically “cold” tumors and enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in melanoma. Systemic administration of receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy has the potential to selectively deliver radionuclides to multiple tumors throughout the body in metastatic settings. By triggering immunologic cell death and increasing the immune susceptibility of surviving tumor cells in these locations, targeted radionuclide therapies may overcome resistance to ICIs and render immunologically “cold” tumors throughout the body responsive to ICIs and immunologically “hot”. Here, we show the anti-tumor cooperation of targeted α-particle radionuclide therapy (α-TRT) and ICIs in preclinical models of melanoma. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R)-targeted radiopeptide [212Pb]VMT01 was employed to deliver α-radiation to melanoma tumors in mice. A single injection of 4.1 MBq [212Pb]VMT01 significantly slowed the tumor growth of B16-F10 melanoma and the combination of [212Pb]VMT01 and ICIs induced a cooperative anti-tumor effect leading to 43% complete tumor response with no sign of malignancy on autopsy. Animals with complete response developed anti-tumor immunity to reject further tumor inoculations. This therapeutic cooperation was completely abolished in RAG1 KO mice, which are deficient in T-cell maturation. In addition, the anti-tumor cooperation was compromised when fractionated [212Pb]VMT01 was used in the combination. We also demonstrated that [212Pb]VMT01 induced immunogenic cell death in tumor vaccination assays and in vitro exposure to [212Pb]VMT01 sensitized immunotolerant melanoma to ICIs treatment in vivo. Enhanced tumor infiltrating CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ lymphocytes were observed following injection of 1.4 MBq [212Pb]VMT01. Overall, we demonstrated anti-tumor cooperation between α-TRT and ICIs in melanoma that is mediated by tumor specific immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengshi Li
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Dijie Liu
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Dongyoul Lee
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Yinwen Cheng
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Baumhover
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Brenna M. Marks
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
| | - Edwin A. Sagastume
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
| | - Zuhair K. Ballas
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Frances L. Johnson
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
| | - Zachary S. Morris
- Department of Human Oncology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Michael K. Schultz
- Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc., Coralville, IA 52241, USA; (M.L.); (D.L.); (N.J.B.); (B.M.M.); (E.A.S.); (F.L.J.)
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(865)-356-1861
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de Paula RFO, Rosa IA, Gafanhão IFM, Fachi JL, Melero AMG, Roque AO, Boldrini VO, Ferreira LAB, Irazusta SP, Ceragioli HJ, de Oliveira EC. Reduced graphene oxide, but not carbon nanotubes, slows murine melanoma after thermal ablation using LED light in B16F10 lineage cells. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2020; 28:102231. [PMID: 32502697 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2020.102231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy is a minimally invasive health technology used to treat cancer and other non-malignant diseases, as well as inactivation of viruses, bacteria and fungi. In this work, we sought to combine the phototherapy technique using low intensity LED (660 nm) to induce ablation in melanoma tumor in mice treated with nanoparticles. In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted, and our results demonstrated that multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) do not destroy tumor cells in vivo, but stimulate the inflammatory process and angiogenesis. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO), has been shown to play a protective role associated with the LED ablation, inducing necrosis, stimulation of immune response by lymphoproliferation, and decreased tumor mass in vivo. We consider that LED alone can be very effective in controlling the growth of melanoma tumors and its association with rGO is potentiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemeire F O de Paula
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ingrid A Rosa
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Semiconductors, Instruments and Photonics, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ingrid F M Gafanhão
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose Luís Fachi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna Maria G Melero
- REDEMAT-Thematic Network in Materials Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Aléxia O Roque
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinícius O Boldrini
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luíz A B Ferreira
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Silvia P Irazusta
- Technology Faculty of Sorocaba (FATEC), Paula Souza State Center of Technological Education, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Helder J Ceragioli
- Department of Semiconductors, Instruments and Photonics, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Elaine C de Oliveira
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology - Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Technology Faculty of Sorocaba (FATEC), Paula Souza State Center of Technological Education, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
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Muralidhar S, Filia A, Nsengimana J, Poźniak J, O'Shea SJ, Diaz JM, Harland M, Randerson-Moor JA, Reichrath J, Laye JP, van der Weyden L, Adams DJ, Bishop DT, Newton-Bishop J. Vitamin D-VDR Signaling Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin-Mediated Melanoma Progression and Promotes Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5986-5998. [PMID: 31690667 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 signals via the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Higher serum vitamin D is associated with thinner primary melanoma and better outcome, although a causal mechanism has not been established. As patients with melanoma commonly avoid sun exposure, and consequent vitamin D deficiency might worsen outcomes, we interrogated 703 primary melanoma transcriptomes to understand the role of vitamin D-VDR signaling and replicated the findings in The Cancer Genome Atlas metastases. VDR expression was independently protective for melanoma-related death in both primary and metastatic disease. High tumor VDR expression was associated with upregulation of pathways mediating antitumor immunity and corresponding with higher imputed immune cell scores and histologically detected tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. High VDR-expressing tumors had downregulation of proliferative pathways, notably Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Deleterious low VDR levels resulted from promoter methylation and gene deletion in metastases. Vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L ∼ 10 ng/mL) shortened survival in primary melanoma in a VDR-dependent manner. In vitro functional validation studies showed that elevated vitamin D-VDR signaling inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling genes. Murine melanoma cells overexpressing VDR produced fewer pulmonary metastases than controls in tail-vein metastasis assays. In summary, vitamin D-VDR signaling contributes to controlling pro-proliferative/immunosuppressive Wnt/β-catenin signaling in melanoma and this is associated with less metastatic disease and stronger host immune responses. This is evidence of a causal relationship between vitamin D-VDR signaling and melanoma survival, which should be explored as a therapeutic target in primary resistance to checkpoint blockade. SIGNIFICANCE: VDR expression could potentially be used as a biomarker to stratify patients with melanoma that may respond better to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathya Muralidhar
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anastasia Filia
- Centre for Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Joanna Poźniak
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sally J O'Shea
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Mater Private Hospital Cork, Citygate, Mahon, Cork, Ireland
| | - Joey M Diaz
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Harland
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jörg Reichrath
- Center for Clinical and Experimental Photodermatology, The Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jonathan P Laye
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Louise van der Weyden
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David J Adams
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - D T Bishop
- University of Leeds School of Medicine, Leeds, United Kingdom
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Xu A, Zhang L, Yuan J, Babikr F, Freywald A, Chibbar R, Moser M, Zhang W, Zhang B, Fu Z, Xiang J. TLR9 agonist enhances radiofrequency ablation-induced CTL responses, leading to the potent inhibition of primary tumor growth and lung metastasis. Cell Mol Immunol 2018; 16:820-832. [PMID: 30467420 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-018-0184-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the most common approach to thermal ablation for cancer therapy. Unfortunately, its efficacy is limited by incomplete ablation, and further optimization of RFA is required. Here, we demonstrate that incubation at 65 °C triggers more EG7 tumor cell death by necrosis than treatment at 45 °C, and the 65 °C-treated cells are more effective at inducing antigen-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses after injection in mice than the 45 °C-treated ones. Dendritic cells (DCs) that phagocytose 65 °C-treated EG7 cells become mature with upregulated MHCII and CD80 expression and are capable of efficiently inducing effector CTLs in mouse tumor models. RFA (65 °C) therapy of EG7 tumors induces large areas of tumor necrosis and stimulates CTL responses. This leads to complete regression of small (~100 mm3) tumors but fails to suppress the growth of larger (~350 mm3) tumors. The administration of the Toll-like receptor-9 (TLR9) agonist unmethylated cytosine-phosphorothioate-guanine oligonucleotide (CpG) to DCs phagocytosing 65 °C-treated EG7 cells enhances the expression of MHCII and CD40 on DCs as well as DC-induced stimulation of CTL responses. Importantly, the intratumoral administration of CpG following RFA also increases the frequencies of tumor-associated immunogenic CD11b-CD11c+CD103+ DC2 and CD11b+F4/80+MHCII+ M1 macrophages and increases CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration, leading to enhanced CD4+ T cell-dependent CTL responses and potent inhibition of primary RFA-treated or distant untreated tumor growth as well as tumor lung metastasis in mice bearing larger tumors. Overall, our data indicate that CpG administration, which enhances RFA-induced CTL responses and ultimately potentiates the inhibition of primary tumor growth and lung metastasis, is a promising strategy for improving RFA treatment, which may assist in optimizing this important cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aizhang Xu
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.,Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jingying Yuan
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.,Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Fatma Babikr
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.,Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Andrew Freywald
- Department of Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Rajni Chibbar
- Department of Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Michael Moser
- Department of Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Bing Zhang
- Biomedical Science and Technology Research Center, School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaoying Fu
- Department of Immunology, College of Medicine, Yian-An University, Yian-An, China
| | - Jim Xiang
- Cancer Research, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. .,Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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