1
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Ren T, Huang Y. Recent advancements in improving the efficacy and safety of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03443-7. [PMID: 39316087 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03443-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
The liver is one of the most frequent sites of primary malignancies in humans. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent solid tumors with poor prognosis. Current treatments showed limited efficacy in some patients, and, therefore, alternative strategies, such as immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and recently chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)-T cells, are developed to offer better efficacy and safety profile in patients with HCC. Unlike other ACTs like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), CAR-T cells are equipped with engineered CAR receptors that effectively identify tumor antigens and eliminate cancer cells without major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction. This process induces intracellular signaling, leading to T lymphocyte recruitment and subsequent activation of other effector cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Until today, novel approaches have been used to develop more potent CAR-T cells with robust persistence, specificity, trafficking, and safety. However, the clinical application of CAR-T cells in solid tumors is still challenging. Therefore, this study aims to review the advancement, prospects, and possible avenues of CAR-T cell application in HCC following an outline of the CAR structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuo Ren
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.58 Zhongsahn 2nd Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yonghui Huang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.58 Zhongsahn 2nd Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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2
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He YL, Liu JY, Almgrami RT, Fan YZ, Zhang Y. Cancer immunotherapy of Wilms tumor: a narrative review. Future Oncol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 39235074 DOI: 10.1080/14796694.2024.2386929] [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: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system in children. Though the traditional treatment of surgery plus radiotherapy and chemotherapy achieves exciting clinical efficacy, in relapsed and refractory cases, the long-term overall survival rates are poor. Besides, chemotherapy and radiation have serious long-term toxic side effects on children. Cancer immunotherapy is a new tumor therapy that works by activating the body's immune system to allow immune cells to kill tumor cells more efficiently. Currently, cancer immunotherapy has been tested in clinical trials or basic studies in WT. This article reviews the current status of clinical trials and basic research of cancer immunotherapy in WT to promote the application of cancer immunotherapy in WT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Lin He
- Second Ward of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jin Yan Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rahma Taher Almgrami
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhong Fan
- Second Ward of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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3
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Derigs P, Schubert ML, Dreger P, Schmitt A, Yousefian S, Haas S, Röthemeier C, Neuber B, Hückelhoven-Krauss A, Brüggemann M, Bernhard H, Kobbe G, Lindemann A, Rummel M, Michels B, Korell F, Ho AD, Müller-Tidow C, Schmitt M. Third-generation anti-CD19 CAR T cells for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a phase 1/2 study. Leukemia 2024:10.1038/s41375-024-02392-7. [PMID: 39192036 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02392-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Third-generation chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CARTs) for relapsed or refractory (r/r) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may improve efficacy compared to second-generation CARTs due to their enhanced CAR design. We performed the first phase 1/2 investigator-initiated trial evaluating escalating doses of third-generation CARTs (HD-CAR-1) targeting CD19 in patients with r/r CLL and B-cell lymphoma. CLL eligibility criteria were failure to two therapy lines including at least one pathway inhibitor and/or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Nine heavily pretreated patients received HD-CAR-1 at dose levels ranging from 1 × 106 to 200 × 106 CART/m2. In-house HD-CAR-1 manufacturing was successful for all patients. While neurotoxicity was absent, one case of grade 3 cytokine release syndrome was observed. By day 90, six patients (67%) attained a CR, five of these (83%) with undetectable MRD. With a median follow-up of 27 months, 2-year PFS and OS were 30% and 69%, respectively. HD-CAR-1 products of responders contained significantly more CD4 + T cells compared to non-responders. In non-responders, a strong enrichment of effector memory-like CD8 + T cells with high expression of CD39 and/or CD197 was observed. HD-CAR-1 demonstrated encouraging efficacy and exceptionally low treatment-specific toxicity, presenting new treatment options for patients with r/r CLL. Trial registration: #NCT03676504.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Derigs
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Maria-Luisa Schubert
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Dreger
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anita Schmitt
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Schayan Yousefian
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Haas
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
- Precision Healthcare University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Caroline Röthemeier
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Brigitte Neuber
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angela Hückelhoven-Krauss
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Monika Brüggemann
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Helga Bernhard
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Guido Kobbe
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Mathias Rummel
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Birgit Michels
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Korell
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anthony D Ho
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carsten Müller-Tidow
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schmitt
- Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Marin JJG, Macias RIR, Asensio M, Romero MR, Temprano AG, Pereira OR, Jimenez S, Mauriz JL, Di Giacomo S, Avila MA, Efferth T, Briz O. Strategies to enhance the response of liver cancer to pharmacological treatments. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C11-C33. [PMID: 38708523 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00176.2024] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In contrast to other types of cancers, there is no available efficient pharmacological treatment to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from major primary liver cancers, i.e., hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. This dismal situation is partly due to the existence in these tumors of many different and synergistic mechanisms of resistance, accounting for the lack of response of these patients, not only to classical chemotherapy but also to more modern pharmacological agents based on the inhibition of tyrosine kinase receptors (TKIs) and the stimulation of the immune response against the tumor using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This review summarizes the efforts to develop strategies to overcome this severe limitation, including searching for novel drugs derived from synthetic, semisynthetic, or natural products with vectorial properties against therapeutic targets to increase drug uptake or reduce drug export from cancer cells. Besides, immunotherapy is a promising line of research that is already starting to be implemented in clinical practice. Although less successful than in other cancers, the foreseen future for this strategy in treating liver cancers is considerable. Similarly, the pharmacological inhibition of epigenetic targets is highly promising. Many novel "epidrugs," able to act on "writer," "reader," and "eraser" epigenetic players, are currently being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, gene therapy is a broad field of research in the fight against liver cancer chemoresistance, based on the impressive advances recently achieved in gene manipulation. In sum, although the present is still dismal, there is reason for hope in the non-too-distant future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose J G Marin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocio I R Macias
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maitane Asensio
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta R Romero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro G Temprano
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Olívia R Pereira
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Research Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (LiveWell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Silvia Jimenez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Farmacia Hospitalaria, Hospital de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jose L Mauriz
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of Leon, Leon, Spain
| | - Silvia Di Giacomo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Matias A Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdisNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oscar Briz
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
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5
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Shaw TI, Wagner J, Tian L, Wickman E, Poudel S, Wang J, Paul R, Koo SC, Lu M, Sheppard H, Fan Y, O'Neill FH, Lau CC, Zhou X, Zhang J, Gottschalk S. Discovery of immunotherapy targets for pediatric solid and brain tumors by exon-level expression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3732. [PMID: 38702309 PMCID: PMC11068777 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47649-y] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor T cells for pediatric solid and brain tumors is constrained by available targetable antigens. Cancer-specific exons present a promising reservoir of targets; however, these have not been explored and validated systematically in a pan-cancer fashion. To identify cancer specific exon targets, here we analyze 1532 RNA-seq datasets from 16 types of pediatric solid and brain tumors for comparison with normal tissues using a newly developed workflow. We find 2933 exons in 157 genes encoding proteins of the surfaceome or matrisome with high cancer specificity either at the gene (n = 148) or the alternatively spliced isoform (n = 9) level. Expression of selected alternatively spliced targets, including the EDB domain of fibronectin 1, and gene targets, such as COL11A1, are validated in pediatric patient derived xenograft tumors. We generate T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors specific for the EDB domain or COL11A1 and demonstrate that these have antitumor activity. The full target list, explorable via an interactive web portal ( https://cseminer.stjude.org/ ), provides a rich resource for developing immunotherapy of pediatric solid and brain tumors using gene or AS targets with high expression specificity in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy I Shaw
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Jessica Wagner
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Liqing Tian
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Elizabeth Wickman
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Suresh Poudel
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Robin Paul
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Selene C Koo
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Meifen Lu
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Heather Sheppard
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Francis H O'Neill
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA
| | - Ching C Lau
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, 06106, USA
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06032, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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6
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Wei H, Dong C, Li X. Treatment Options for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Immunotherapy: Present and Future. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2024; 12:389-405. [PMID: 38638377 PMCID: PMC11022065 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2023.00462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer, and the body's immune responses greatly affect its progression and the prognosis of patients. Immunological suppression and the maintenance of self-tolerance in the tumor microenvironment are essential responses, and these form part of the theoretical foundations of immunotherapy. In this review, we first discuss the tumor microenvironment of HCC, describe immunosuppression in HCC, and review the major biomarkers used to track HCC progression and response to treatment. We then examine antibody-based therapies, with a focus on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), monoclonal antibodies that target key proteins in the immune response (programmed cell death protein 1, anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4, and programmed death-ligand 1) which have transformed the treatment of HCC and other cancers. ICIs may be used alone or in conjunction with various targeted therapies for patients with advanced HCC who are receiving first-line treatments or subsequent treatments. We also discuss the use of different cellular immunotherapies, including T cell receptor (TCR) T cell therapy and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. We then review the use of HCC vaccines, adjuvant immunotherapy, and oncolytic virotherapy, and describe the goals of future research in the development of treatments for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Wei
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Chunlu Dong
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center of Lanzhou University School of Medicine, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Institute of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Clinical Research Center for General Surgery of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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7
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Kumaresan PR, Wurster S, Bavisi K, da Silva TA, Hauser P, Kinnitt J, Albert ND, Bharadwaj U, Neelapu S, Kontoyiannis DP. A novel lentiviral vector-based approach to generate chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2024; 15:e0341323. [PMID: 38415653 PMCID: PMC11005356 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03413-23] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a common and deadly mold infection in immunocompromised patients. As morbidity and mortality of IA are primarily driven by poor immune defense, adjunct immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, are direly needed. Here, we propose a novel approach to generate Aspergillus fumigatus (AF)-CAR T cells using the single-chain variable fragment domain of monoclonal antibody AF-269-5 and a lentiviral vector system. These cells successfully targeted mature hyphal filaments of representative clinical and reference AF isolates and elicited a potent release of cytotoxic effectors and type 1 T cell cytokines. Furthermore, AF-CAR T cells generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of four healthy human donors and expanded with either of three cytokine stimulation regimens (IL-2, IL-2 + IL-21, or IL-7 + IL-15) significantly suppressed mycelial growth of AF-293 after 18 hours of co-culture and synergized with the immunomodulatory antifungal agent caspofungin to control hyphal growth for 36 hours. Moreover, cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed NSG mice with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis that received two doses of 5 million AF-CAR T cells (6 and 48 hours after AF infection) showed significantly reduced morbidity on day 4 post-infection (P < 0.001) and significantly improved 7-day survival (P = 0.049) compared with mice receiving non-targeting control T cells, even without concomitant antifungal chemotherapy. In conclusion, we developed a novel lentiviral strategy to obtain AF-CAR T cells with high targeting efficacy, yielding significant anti-AF activity in vitro and short-term protection in vivo. Our approach could serve as an important steppingstone for future clinical translation of antifungal CAR T-cell therapy after further refinement and thorough preclinical evaluation.IMPORTANCEInvasive aspergillosis (IA) remains a formidable cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Despite the introduction of several new Aspergillus-active antifungals over the last 30 years, the persisting high mortality of IA in the setting of continuous and profound immunosuppression is a painful reminder of the major unmet need of effective antifungal immune enhancement therapies. The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in cancer medicine has inspired researchers to translate this approach to opportunistic infections, including IA. Aiming to refine anti-Aspergillus CAR T-cell therapy and improve its feasibility for future clinical translation, we herein developed and validated a novel antibody-based CAR construct and lentiviral transduction method to accelerate the production of CAR T cells with high targeting efficacy against Aspergillus fumigatus. Our unique approach could provide a promising platform for future clinical translation of CAR T-cell-based antifungal immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pappanaicken R. Kumaresan
- Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sebastian Wurster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karishma Bavisi
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Paul Hauser
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jordan Kinnitt
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nathaniel D. Albert
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Uddalak Bharadwaj
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sattva Neelapu
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
- Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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8
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Steffin D, Ghatwai N, Montalbano A, Rathi P, Courtney AN, Arnett AB, Fleurence J, Sweidan R, Wang T, Zhang H, Masand P, Maris JM, Martinez D, Pogoriler J, Varadarajan N, Thakkar SG, Lyon D, Lapteva N, Mei Z, Patel K, Lopez-Terrada D, Ramos C, Lulla P, Armaghany T, Grilley BJ, Dotti G, Metelitsa LS, Heslop HE, Brenner MK, Sumazin P, Heczey A. Interleukin-15-armored GPC3-CAR T cells for patients with solid cancers. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4103623. [PMID: 38645165 PMCID: PMC11030543 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4103623/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL15) promotes the survival of T lymphocytes and enhances the antitumor properties of CAR T cells in preclinical models of solid neoplasms in which CAR T cells have limited efficacy1-4. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is expressed in a group of solid cancers5-10, and here we report the first evaluation in humans of the effects of IL15 co-expression on GPC3-CAR T cells. Cohort 1 patients (NCT02905188/NCT02932956) received GPC3-CAR T cells, which were safe but produced no objective antitumor responses and reached peak expansion at two weeks. Cohort 2 patients (NCT05103631/NCT04377932) received GPC3-CAR T cells that co-expressed IL15 (15.CAR), which mediated significantly increased cell expansion and induced a disease control rate of 66% and antitumor response rate of 33%. Infusion of 15.CAR T cells was associated with increased incidence of cytokine release syndrome, which was rapidly ameliorated by activation of the inducible caspase 9 safety switch. Compared to non-responders, tumor-infiltrating 15.CAR T cells from responders showed repression of SWI/SNF epigenetic regulators and upregulation of FOS and JUN family members as well as genes related to type I interferon signaling. Collectively, these results demonstrate that IL15 increases the expansion, intratumoral survival, and antitumor activity of GPC3-CAR T cells in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Steffin
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Nisha Ghatwai
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Antonino Montalbano
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Purva Rathi
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Azlann B Arnett
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Julien Fleurence
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ramy Sweidan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Thao Wang
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Prakash Masand
- Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - John M Maris
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel Martinez
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer Pogoriler
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Sachin G Thakkar
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Deborah Lyon
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Natasha Lapteva
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Zhuyong Mei
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Kalyani Patel
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Carlos Ramos
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Premal Lulla
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Tannaz Armaghany
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Bambi J Grilley
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Helen E Heslop
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Malcolm K Brenner
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andras Heczey
- Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Texas Children’s Hospital Liver Tumor Program, Houston, Texas
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9
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Philippova J, Shevchenko J, Sennikov S. GD2-targeting therapy: a comparative analysis of approaches and promising directions. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1371345. [PMID: 38558810 PMCID: PMC10979305 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1371345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Disialoganglioside GD2 is a promising target for immunotherapy with expression primarily restricted to neuroectodermal and epithelial tumor cells. Although its role in the maintenance and repair of neural tissue is well-established, its functions during normal organism development remain understudied. Meanwhile, studies have shown that GD2 plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Its functions include proliferation, invasion, motility, and metastasis, and its high expression and ability to transform the tumor microenvironment may be associated with a malignant phenotype. Structurally, GD2 is a glycosphingolipid that is stably expressed on the surface of tumor cells, making it a suitable candidate for targeting by antibodies or chimeric antigen receptors. Based on mouse monoclonal antibodies, chimeric and humanized antibodies and their combinations with cytokines, toxins, drugs, radionuclides, nanoparticles as well as chimeric antigen receptor have been developed. Furthermore, vaccines and photoimmunotherapy are being used to treat GD2-positive tumors, and GD2 aptamers can be used for targeting. In the field of cell therapy, allogeneic immunocompetent cells are also being utilized to enhance GD2 therapy. Efforts are currently being made to optimize the chimeric antigen receptor by modifying its design or by transducing not only αβ T cells, but also γδ T cells, NK cells, NKT cells, and macrophages. In addition, immunotherapy can combine both diagnostic and therapeutic methods, allowing for early detection of disease and minimal residual disease. This review discusses each immunotherapy method and strategy, its advantages and disadvantages, and highlights future directions for GD2 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sergey Sennikov
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, Novosibirsk, Russia
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10
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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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11
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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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12
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Wang HS, Lao J, Jiang RS, Wang B, Ma XP, Wang JY. Summary of biological research on hepatoblastoma: a scoping review. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1309693. [PMID: 38390281 PMCID: PMC10881832 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1309693] [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: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatoblastoma is the most prevalent primary hepatic malignancy in children, comprising 80% of pediatric hepatic malignancies and 1% of all pediatric malignancies. However, traditional treatments have proven inadequate in effectively curing hepatoblastoma, leading to a poor prognosis. Methods A literature search was conducted on multiple electronic databases (PubMed and Google Scholar). A total of 86 articles were eligible for inclusion in this review. Result This review aims to consolidate recent developments in hepatoblastoma research, focusing on the latest advances in cancer-associated genomics, epigenetic studies, transcriptional programs and molecular subtypes. We also discuss the current treatment approaches and forthcoming strategies to address cancer-associated biological challenges. Conclusion To provide a comprehensive summary of the molecular mechanisms associated with hepatoblastoma occurrence, this review highlights three key aspects: genomics, epigenetics, and transcriptomics. Our review aims to facilitate the exploration of novel molecular mechanisms and the development of innovative clinical treatment strategies for hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Sheng Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital of China Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jing Lao
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital of China Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ren-Sen Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital of ShanTou University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Peng Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jian-Yao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
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13
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Colina AS, Shah V, Shah RK, Kozlik T, Dash RK, Terhune S, Zamora AE. Current advances in experimental and computational approaches to enhance CAR T cell manufacturing protocols and improve clinical efficacy. FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE 2024; 4:1310002. [PMID: 39086435 PMCID: PMC11285593 DOI: 10.3389/fmmed.2024.1310002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Since the FDA's approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in 2017, significant improvements have been made in the design of chimeric antigen receptor constructs and in the manufacturing of CAR T cell therapies resulting in increased in vivo CAR T cell persistence and improved clinical outcome in certain hematological malignancies. Despite the remarkable clinical response seen in some patients, challenges remain in achieving durable long-term tumor-free survival, reducing therapy associated malignancies and toxicities, and expanding on the types of cancers that can be treated with this therapeutic modality. Careful analysis of the biological factors demarcating efficacious from suboptimal CAR T cell responses will be of paramount importance to address these shortcomings. With the ever-expanding toolbox of experimental approaches, single-cell technologies, and computational resources, there is renowned interest in discovering new ways to streamline the development and validation of new CAR T cell products. Better and more accurate prognostic and predictive models can be developed to help guide and inform clinical decision making by incorporating these approaches into translational and clinical workflows. In this review, we provide a brief overview of recent advancements in CAR T cell manufacturing and describe the strategies used to selectively expand specific phenotypic subsets. Additionally, we review experimental approaches to assess CAR T cell functionality and summarize current in silico methods which have the potential to improve CAR T cell manufacturing and predict clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo S. Colina
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Viren Shah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Ravi K. Shah
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Tanya Kozlik
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Ranjan K. Dash
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Scott Terhune
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Anthony E. Zamora
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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14
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Shaw TI, Wagner J, Tian L, Wickman E, Poudel S, Wang J, Paul R, Koo SC, Lu M, Sheppard H, Fan Y, O’Neil F, Lau CC, Zhou X, Zhang J, Gottschalk S. Discovery of immunotherapy targets for pediatric solid and brain tumors by exon-level expression. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3821632. [PMID: 38260279 PMCID: PMC10802740 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3821632/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy with CAR T cells for pediatric solid and brain tumors is constrained by available targetable antigens. Cancer-specific exons (CSE) present a promising reservoir of targets; however, these have not been explored and validated systematically in a pan-cancer fashion. To identify CSE targets, we analyzed 1,532 RNA-seq datasets from 16 types of pediatric solid and brain tumors for comparison with normal tissues using a newly developed workflow. We found 2,933 exons in 157 genes encoding proteins of the surfaceome or matrisome with high cancer specificity either at the gene (n=148) or the alternatively spliced (AS) isoform (n=9) level. Expression of selected AS targets, including the EDB domain of FN1 (EDB), and gene targets, such as COL11A1, were validated in pediatric PDX tumors. We generated CAR T cells specific to EDB or COL11A1 and demonstrated that COL11A1-CAR T-cells have potent antitumor activity. The full target list, explorable via an interactive web portal (https://cseminer.stjude.org/), provides a rich resource for developing immunotherapy of pediatric solid and brain tumors using gene or AS targets with high expression specificity in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy I Shaw
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jessica Wagner
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Liqing Tian
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Elizabeth Wickman
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Suresh Poudel
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Robin Paul
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Selene C. Koo
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Meifen Lu
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Heather Sheppard
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Francis O’Neil
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ching C. Lau
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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15
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Zappa E, Vitali A, Anders K, Molenaar JJ, Wienke J, Künkele A. Adoptive cell therapy in paediatric extracranial solid tumours: current approaches and future challenges. Eur J Cancer 2023; 194:113347. [PMID: 37832507 PMCID: PMC10695178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113347] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has ignited hope to cure paediatric solid tumours that resist traditional therapies. Among the most promising methods is adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Particularly, ACT using T cells equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has moved into the spotlight in clinical studies. However, the efficacy of ACT is challenged by ACT-intrinsic factors, like lack of activation or T cell exhaustion, as well as immune evasion strategies of paediatric solid tumours, such as their highly immunosuppressive microenvironment. Novel strategies, including ACT using innate-like lymphocytes, innovative cell engineering techniques, and ACT combination therapies, are being developed and will be crucial to overcome these challenges. Here, we discuss the main classes of ACT for the treatment of paediatric extracranial solid tumours, reflect on the available preclinical and clinical evidence supporting promising strategies, and address the challenges that ACT is still facing. Ultimately, we highlight state-of-the-art developments and opportunities for new therapeutic options, which hold great potential for improving outcomes in this challenging patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Zappa
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alice Vitali
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Kathleen Anders
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Judith Wienke
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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16
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Tserunyan V, Finley SD. A systems and computational biology perspective on advancing CAR therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 94:34-49. [PMID: 37263529 PMCID: PMC10529846 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.05.009] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In the recent decades, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy signaled a new revolutionary approach to cancer treatment. This method seeks to engineer immune cells expressing an artificially designed receptor, which would endue those cells with the ability to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. While some CAR therapies received FDA approval and others are subject to clinical trials, many aspects of their workings remain elusive. Techniques of systems and computational biology have been frequently employed to explain the operating principles of CAR therapy and suggest further design improvements. In this review, we sought to provide a comprehensive account of those efforts. Specifically, we discuss various computational models of CAR therapy ranging in scale from organismal to molecular. Then, we describe the molecular and functional properties of costimulatory domains frequently incorporated in CAR structure. Finally, we describe the signaling cascades by which those costimulatory domains elicit cellular response against the target. We hope that this comprehensive summary of computational and experimental studies will further motivate the use of systems approaches in advancing CAR therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardges Tserunyan
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stacey D Finley
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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17
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Schubert ML, Schmitt A, Hückelhoven-Krauss A, Neuber B, Kunz A, Waldhoff P, Vonficht D, Yousefian S, Jopp-Saile L, Wang L, Korell F, Keib A, Michels B, Haas D, Sauer T, Derigs P, Kulozik A, Kunz J, Pavel P, Laier S, Wuchter P, Schmier J, Bug G, Lang F, Gökbuget N, Casper J, Görner M, Finke J, Neubauer A, Ringhoffer M, Wolleschak D, Brüggemann M, Haas S, Ho AD, Müller-Tidow C, Dreger P, Schmitt M. Treatment of adult ALL patients with third-generation CD19-directed CAR T cells: results of a pivotal trial. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:79. [PMID: 37481608 PMCID: PMC10363324 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01470-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Third-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells (CARTs) might improve clinical outcome of patients with B cell malignancies. This is the first report on a third-generation CART dose-escalating, phase-1/2 investigator-initiated trial treating adult patients with refractory and/or relapsed (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS Thirteen patients were treated with escalating doses of CD19-directed CARTs between 1 × 106 and 50 × 106 CARTs/m2. Leukapheresis, manufacturing and administration of CARTs were performed in-house. RESULTS For all patients, CART manufacturing was feasible. None of the patients developed any grade of Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) or a higher-grade (≥ grade III) catokine release syndrome (CRS). CART expansion and long-term CART persistence were evident in the peripheral blood (PB) of evaluable patients. At end of study on day 90 after CARTs, ten patients were evaluable for response: Eight patients (80%) achieved a complete remission (CR), including five patients (50%) with minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative CR. Response and outcome were associated with the administered CART dose. At 1-year follow-up, median overall survival was not reached and progression-free survival (PFS) was 38%. Median PFS was reached on day 120. Lack of CD39-expression on memory-like T cells was more frequent in CART products of responders when compared to CART products of non-responders. After CART administration, higher CD8 + and γδ-T cell frequencies, a physiological pattern of immune cells and lower monocyte counts in the PB were associated with response. CONCLUSION In conclusion, third-generation CARTs were associated with promising clinical efficacy and remarkably low procedure-specific toxicity, thereby opening new therapeutic perspectives for patients with r/r ALL. Trial registration This trial was registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS gov as NCT03676504.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Luisa Schubert
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anita Schmitt
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angela Hückelhoven-Krauss
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Brigitte Neuber
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Kunz
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philip Waldhoff
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Vonficht
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Schayan Yousefian
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lea Jopp-Saile
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Korell
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Keib
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Michels
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Haas
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Sauer
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Derigs
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Kulozik
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Kunz
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Petra Pavel
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy (IKTZ), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sascha Laier
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy (IKTZ), German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Wuchter
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, of the Heidelberg University, German Red Cross Blood Service Baden-Württemberg - Hessen, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Gesine Bug
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Fabian Lang
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nicola Gökbuget
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jochen Casper
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Martin Görner
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jürgen Finke
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Neubauer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, University Hospital Giessen und Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Denise Wolleschak
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Center of Internal Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University Medical Center, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Monika Brüggemann
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Simon Haas
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anthony D Ho
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carsten Müller-Tidow
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Dreger
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schmitt
- Department of Internal Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)/National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
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18
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Zhao M, Huang H, He F, Fu X. Current insights into the hepatic microenvironment and advances in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1188277. [PMID: 37275909 PMCID: PMC10233045 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and shows high global incidence and mortality rates. The liver is an immune-tolerated organ with a specific immune microenvironment that causes traditional therapeutic approaches to HCC, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and molecular targeted therapy, to have limited efficacy. The dramatic advances in immuno-oncology in the past few decades have modified the paradigm of cancer therapy, ushering in the era of immunotherapy. Currently, despite the rapid integration of cancer immunotherapy into clinical practice, some patients still show no response to treatment. Therefore, a rational approach is to target the tumor microenvironment when developing the next generation of immunotherapy. This review aims to provide insights into the hepatic immune microenvironment in HCC and summarize the mechanisms of action and clinical usage of immunotherapeutic options for HCC, including immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive therapy, cytokine therapy, vaccine therapy, and oncolytic virus-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Feng He
- *Correspondence: Feng He, ; Xiangsheng Fu,
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19
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Li S, Wang CS, Montel-Hagen A, Chen HC, Lopez S, Zhou O, Dai K, Tsai S, Satyadi W, Botero C, Wong C, Casero D, Crooks GM, Seet CS. Strength of CAR signaling determines T cell versus ILC differentiation from pluripotent stem cells. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112241. [PMID: 36906850 PMCID: PMC10315155 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Generation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) will enable advances in cancer immunotherapy. Understanding how CARs affect T cell differentiation from PSCs is important for this effort. The recently described artificial thymic organoid (ATO) system supports in vitro differentiation of PSCs to T cells. Unexpectedly, PSCs transduced with a CD19-targeted CAR resulted in diversion of T cell differentiation to the innate lymphoid cell 2 (ILC2) lineage in ATOs. T cells and ILC2s are closely related lymphoid lineages with shared developmental and transcriptional programs. Mechanistically, we show that antigen-independent CAR signaling during lymphoid development enriched for ILC2-primed precursors at the expense of T cell precursors. We applied this understanding to modulate CAR signaling strength through expression level, structure, and presentation of cognate antigen to demonstrate that the T cell-versus-ILC lineage decision can be rationally controlled in either direction, providing a framework for achieving CAR-T cell development from PSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwen Li
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Chloe S Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Amélie Montel-Hagen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ho-Chung Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Shawn Lopez
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Olivia Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kristy Dai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Steven Tsai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - William Satyadi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carlos Botero
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Claudia Wong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - David Casero
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Gay M Crooks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Broad Stem Cell Research Center (BSCRC), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christopher S Seet
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Broad Stem Cell Research Center (BSCRC), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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20
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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; 15:1808. [PMID: 36980692 PMCID: PMC10046758 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [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
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21
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Patra T, Cunningham DM, Meyer K, Toth K, Ray RB, Heczey A, Ray R. Targeting Lin28 axis enhances glypican-3-CAR T cell efficacy against hepatic tumor initiating cell population. Mol Ther 2023; 31:715-728. [PMID: 36609146 PMCID: PMC10014222 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.01.002] [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: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of Lin28 is detected in various cancers with involvement in the self-renewal process and cancer stem cell generation. In the present study, we evaluated how the Lin28 axis plays an immune-protective role for tumor-initiating cancer cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our result using HCC patient samples showed a positive correlation between indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1), a kynurenine-producing enzyme with effects on tumor immune escape, and Lin28B. Using in silico prediction, we identified a Sox2/Oct4 transcriptional motif acting as an enhancer for IDO1. Knockdown of Lin28B reduced Sox2/Oct4 and downregulated IDO1 in tumor-initiating hepatic cancer cells. We further observed that inhibition of Lin28 by a small-molecule inhibitor (C1632) suppressed IDO1 expression. Suppression of IDO1 resulted in a decline in kynurenine production from tumor-initiating cells. Inhibition of the Lin28 axis also impaired PD-L1 expression in HCC cells. Consequently, modulating Lin28B enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity of glypican-3 (GPC3)-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T and NK cells. Next, we observed that GPC3-CAR T cell treatment together with C1632 in a HCC xenograft mouse model led to enhanced anti-tumor activity. In conclusion, our results suggest that inhibition of Lin28B reduces IDO1 and PD-L1 expression and enhances immunotherapeutic potential of GPC3-CART cells against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapas Patra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
| | - David M Cunningham
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Keith Meyer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Karoly Toth
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology and Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Ratna B Ray
- Department of Pathology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Andras Heczey
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ranjit Ray
- Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology and Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
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22
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Zang B, Ding L, Liu L, Arun Kumar S, Liu W, Zhou C, Duan Y. The immunotherapy advancement targeting malignant blastomas in early childhood. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1015115. [PMID: 36874100 PMCID: PMC9978522 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1015115] [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: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant blastomas develop relentlessly in all functional body organs inflicting severe health ailments in younger children. Malignant blastomas exhibit diverse clinical characteristics in compliance with their emergence in functional body organs. Surprisingly, neither of these preferred treatment types (surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) showed promise or were effective in treating malignant blastomas among child patients. N ew, innovative immunotherapeutic procedures including monoclonal antibodies and chimeric-antigen based receptor (CAR) cell therapy, coupled with the clinical study of reliable therapeutic targets and immune regulatory pathways targeting malignant blastomas, have attracted the attention of clinicians recently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bolun Zang
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Luyue Ding
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Linlin Liu
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Senthil Arun Kumar
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chongchen Zhou
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yongtao Duan
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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23
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Li N, Dong T, Wang P, Li Q, Nie F. Predicting glypican-3 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: A comprehensive analysis using combined contrast-enhanced ultrasound and clinical factors. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2023; 85:407-420. [PMID: 37638421 DOI: 10.3233/ch-231912] [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] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glypican-3 (GPC3) has emerged as a significant marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has garnered considerable attention as an immunotherapeutic target. In this study, we propose a combination of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging features and clinical factors to predict the positive expression of GPC3 in HCC patients. METHODS We retrospectively included 30 cases of GPC3-negative HCC and 115 cases of GPC3-positive HCC patients who underwent conventional ultrasound and CEUS evaluation. We assessed and compared the clinical characteristics, conventional ultrasound features, and CEUS features between the two groups of HCC patients. Based on the clinical and ultrasound features between the two groups, we developed a binary logistic regression model for predicting GPC3-positive HCC. RESULTS A total of 145 HCC patients were included in this study. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that AFP > 20 ng/mL (OR = 4.047; 95% CI: 1.467-11.16; p = 0.007), arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) (OR = 12.557; 95% CI: 3.608-43.706; p < 0.001), and asynchronous perfusion (OR = 4.209; 95% CI: 1.206-14.691; p = 0.024) were predictive factors for GPC3-positive HCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to predict GPC3-positive expression. The model combining the three independent predictive factors showed good predictive performance (AUC 0.817, 95% CI: 0.731-0.902, sensitivity: 91.3%, specificity: 60.0%). This combined model demonstrated excellent discriminatory ability to predict GPC3-positive HCC. CONCLUSION Preoperative integration of CEUS features and clinical factors can non-invasively and effectively identify GPC3-positive HCC patients, providing valuable assistance in making personalized treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Li
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Tiantian Dong
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Peihua Wang
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Qi Li
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Fang Nie
- Ultrasound Medical Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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24
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Zhu LR, Zheng W, Gao Q, Chen T, Pan ZB, Cui W, Cai M, Fang H. Epigenetics and genetics of hepatoblastoma: Linkage and treatment. Front Genet 2022; 13:1070971. [PMID: 36531231 PMCID: PMC9748487 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1070971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma is a malignant embryonal tumor with multiple differentiation modes and is the clearest liver malignancy in children. However, little is known about genetic and epigenetic events in Hepatoblastoma. Increased research has recently demonstrated, unique genetic and epigenetic events in Hepatoblastoma, providing insights into its origin and precise treatment. Some genetic disorders and congenital factors are associated with the risk of Hepatoblastoma development, such as the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Familial Adenomatous polyposis, and Hemihypertrophy. Epigenetic modifications such as DNA modifications, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation are also essential in the development of Hepatoblastoma. Herein, we reviewed genetic and epigenetic events in Hepatoblastoma, focusing on the relationship between these events and cancer susceptibility, tumor growth, and prognosis. By deciphering the genetic and epigenetic associations in Hepatoblastoma, tumor pathogenesis can be clarified, and guide the development of new anti-cancer drugs and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-ran Zhu
- Anhui Institute of Pediatric Research, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
- Science Island Branch, Graduate School of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wanqun Zheng
- Department of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qun Gao
- Department of Pediatric Oncology Surgery, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Tianping Chen
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Zhu-bin Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Scientific Research and Education, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Anhui Institute of Pediatric Research, Hefei, China
| | - Ming Cai
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Anhui Institute of Pediatric Research, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
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25
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Guizhen Z, Guanchang J, Liwen L, Huifen W, Zhigang R, Ranran S, Zujiang Y. The tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma and its targeting strategy by CAR-T cell immunotherapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:918869. [PMID: 36093115 PMCID: PMC9452721 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.918869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype of liver cancer, which ranks sixth in cancer incidence and third in mortality. Although great strides have been made in novel therapy for HCC, such as immunotherapy, the prognosis remains less than satisfactory. Increasing evidence demonstrates that the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) exerts a significant role in the evolution of HCC and has a non-negligible impact on the efficacy of HCC treatment. In the past two decades, the success in hematological malignancies made by chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cell therapy leveraging it holds great promise for cancer treatment. However, in the face of a hostile TME in solid tumors like HCC, the efficacy of CAR-T cells will be greatly compromised. Here, we provide an overview of TME features in HCC, discuss recent advances and challenges of CAR-T immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Guizhen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ji Guanchang
- Department of Urology People’s Hospital of Puyang, Puyang, China
| | - Liu Liwen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wang Huifen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ren Zhigang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sun Ranran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yu Zujiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Presion Medicine Cencter Gene Hospital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
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26
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Wang H, Wang X, Ye X, Ju Y, Cao N, Wang S, Cai J. Nonviral mcDNA-mediated bispecific CAR T cells kill tumor cells in an experimental mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:814. [PMID: 35879685 PMCID: PMC9310485 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09861-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the adoptive immunotherapy of which is worth studying. CD133, a kind of cancer stem cell (CSC) antigen, together with glypican-3 (GPC3) has been proved to be highly expressed in HCC cells and both of them are used as targets to generate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. But there are limitations like “off-target” toxicity, low transfection efficacy and weak antitumor ability in CAR T cells treatment. Methods The peripheral blood was acquired from healthy donors and T cells were separated by density-gradient centrifugation. We used an electroporation system to deliver anti-CD133 and anti-GPC3 single chain Fragment variable (scFv) structures as target genes into the T cells. The cell membrane was opened by the momentary electric current effect, and the target gene was delivered into the cell by non-viral minicircle DNA (mcDNA) vector. The flow cytometry and western blot assays were used to detect whether the two scFv were simultaneously transfected and the transfection efficacy of this bispecific CAR T cell generation method. We respectively detected the in vitro and in vivo tumor-suppression efficacy of CAR T cells through the CCK-8 assays and the HCC xenograft mice models. The CoG133-CAR T cells containing both CD133 and GPC3 antigen recognition sites were the effector cells. CD133-CAR T cells and GPC3-CAR T cells were defined as single-targeted control groups, normal T and mock T cells were defined as blank control groups. Results The mcDNA vector accommodated two target gene structures successfully transfected to generate bispecific CAR T cells. The detection methods on gene level and protein level confirmed that CoG133-CAR T cells had considerable transfection efficiency and exhibited both antigen-binding capacity of CD133 and GPC3. Compared to single-targeted CAR T cells or control T cells, CoG133-CAR T cells performed enhanced eliminated efficacy against CD133 and GPC3 double-positive HCC cell line in vitro and HCC xenograft mice in vivo. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining indicated no fatal “off-target” combination existed on CoG133-CAR T cells and major organs. Conclusion Our study suggests that it is with higher efficiency and more safety to prepare bispecific CAR T cells through non-viral mcDNA vectors. CoG133-CAR T cells have enhanced tumor-suppression capacity through dual antigen recognition and internal activation. It provides an innovative strategy for CAR T therapy of HCC, even solid tumors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09861-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hezhi Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, 518109, China
| | - Xueshuai Ye
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Yi Ju
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056002, China
| | - Nana Cao
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Shuqi Wang
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Shijiazhuang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Jianhui Cai
- Department of Surgery, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China. .,Department of Surgery & Oncology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China. .,Hebei Medical University, 361 East Zhongshan Road, Shijiazhuang, 050017, Hebei, China.
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27
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Mu-Mosley H, Ostermann L, Muftuoglu M, Vaidya A, Bonifant CL, Velasquez MP, Gottschalk S, Andreeff M. Transgenic Expression of IL15 Retains CD123-Redirected T Cells in a Less Differentiated State Resulting in Improved Anti-AML Activity in Autologous AML PDX Models. Front Immunol 2022; 13:880108. [PMID: 35615350 PMCID: PMC9124830 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.880108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with T-cells expressing bispecific T-cell engagers (ENG T-cells) is a promising approach to improve the outcomes for patients with recurrent/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, similar to T-cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), their antitumor activity is limited in the setting of chronic antigen stimulation. We therefore set out to explore whether transgenic expression of IL15 improves the effector function of ENG T-cells targeting CD123-positive AML. T-cells expressing CD123-specific ENG (CD123-ENG) ± IL15 were generated by retroviral transduction from peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors or patients with AML. In this study, we characterized in detail the phenotype and effector functions of ENG T-cell populations in vitro and in vivo. IL15-expressing CD123-ENG (CD123-ENG.IL15) T-cells retained their antigen-specificity and effector function in the setting of chronic antigen exposure for more 30 days of coculture with AML blasts in contrast to CD123-ENG T-cells, whose effector function rapidly eroded. Furthermore, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells remained in a less differentiated state as judged by a high frequency of naïve/memory stem T-cell-like cells (CD45RA+CCR7+/CD45RO−CD62L+ cells) without evidence of T-cell exhaustion. Single cell cytokine profiling using IsoPlexis revealed enhanced T-cell polyfunctionality of CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells as judged by effector cytokine production, including, granzyme B, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, perforin, TNF-α, and TNF-β. In vivo, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells exhibited superior antigen-specific anti-AML activity and T-cell persistence in both peripheral blood and tissues (BM, spleens, and livers), resulting in a significant survival advantage in one AML xenograft model and two autologous AML PDX models. In conclusion, we demonstrate here that the expansion, persistence, and anti-AML activity of CD123-ENG T-cells can be significantly improved by transgenic expression of IL15, which promotes a naïve/TSCM-like phenotype. However, we also highlight that targeting a single tumor antigen (CD123) can lead to immune escape, reinforcing the need to develop approaches to target multiple antigens. Likewise, our study demonstrates that it is feasible to evaluate autologous T cells in AML PDX models, which will be critical for future preclinical evaluations of next generation AML-redirected T-cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Mu-Mosley
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren Ostermann
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Muharrem Muftuoglu
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Abishek Vaidya
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Challice L. Bonifant
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mireya Paulina Velasquez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
| | - Michael Andreeff
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
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28
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Wu PV, Rangaswami A. Current Approaches in Hepatoblastoma-New Biological Insights to Inform Therapy. Curr Oncol Rep 2022; 24:1209-1218. [PMID: 35438389 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-022-01230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW As the most common pediatric primary liver cancer with rising incidence, hepatoblastoma remains challenging to treat. Here, we review the current understanding of the biology of hepatoblastoma and discuss how recent advances may lead to new treatment modalities. RECENT FINDINGS Standard chemotherapy regimens including cisplatin, in addition to surgery, have led to high cure rates among patients with low stage hepatoblastoma; however, metastatic and relapsed disease continue to have poor outcomes. Recent genomics and functional studies in cell lines and mouse models have established a central role for the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in tumorigenesis. Targeted agents and immunotherapy approaches are emerging as potential treatment avenues. With recent gains in knowledge of the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of hepatoblastoma, new therapeutic mechanisms can now be explored to improve outcomes for metastatic and relapsed hepatoblastoma and to reduce the toxicity of current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng V Wu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1000 Welch Rd. Suite 300, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Arun Rangaswami
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St., 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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29
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Roddy H, Meyer T, Roddie C. Novel Cellular Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:504. [PMID: 35158772 PMCID: PMC8833505 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide. Most patients present with advanced disease, and current gold-standard management using tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offers modest clinical benefit. Cellular immune therapies targeting HCC are currently being tested in the laboratory and in clinical trials. Here, we review the landscape of cellular immunotherapy for HCC, defining antigenic targets, outlining the range of cell therapy products being applied in HCC (such as CAR-T and TCR-T), and exploring how advanced engineering solutions may further enhance this therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Roddy
- UCL Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK; (H.R.); (T.M.)
| | - Tim Meyer
- UCL Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK; (H.R.); (T.M.)
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 2BU, UK
- Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Claire Roddie
- UCL Cancer Institute, London WC1E 6DD, UK; (H.R.); (T.M.)
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 2BU, UK
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30
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Prinzing B, Zebley CC, Petersen CT, Fan Y, Anido AA, Yi Z, Nguyen P, Houke H, Bell M, Haydar D, Brown C, Boi SK, Alli S, Crawford JC, Riberdy JM, Park JJ, Zhou S, Velasquez MP, DeRenzo C, Lazzarotto CR, Tsai SQ, Vogel P, Pruett-Miller SM, Langfitt DM, Gottschalk S, Youngblood B, Krenciute G. Deleting DNMT3A in CAR T cells prevents exhaustion and enhances antitumor activity. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabh0272. [PMID: 34788079 PMCID: PMC8733956 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abh0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy for patients with B cell malignancies and is now being developed for solid tumors and chronic viral infections. Although clinical trials have demonstrated the curative potential of CAR T cell therapy, a substantial and well-established limitation is the heightened contraction and transient persistence of CAR T cells during prolonged antigen exposure. The underlying mechanism(s) for this dysfunctional state, often termed CAR T cell exhaustion, remains poorly defined. Here, we report that exhaustion of human CAR T cells occurs through an epigenetic repression of the T cell’s multipotent developmental potential. Deletion of the de novo DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A) in T cells expressing first- or second-generation CARs universally preserved the cells’ ability to proliferate and mount an antitumor response during prolonged tumor exposure. The increased functionality of the exhaustion-resistant DNMT3A knockout CAR T cells was coupled to an up-regulation of interleukin-10, and genome-wide DNA methylation profiling defined an atlas of genes targeted for epigenetic silencing. This atlas provides a molecular definition of CAR T cell exhaustion, which includes many transcriptional regulators that limit the “stemness” of immune cells, including CD28, CCR7, TCF7, and LEF1. Last, we demonstrate that this epigenetically regulated multipotency program is firmly coupled to the clinical outcome of prior CAR T cell therapies. These data document the critical role epigenetic mechanisms play in limiting the fate potential of human T cells and provide a road map for leveraging this information for improving CAR T cell efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Prinzing
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Caitlin C. Zebley
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Department of Oncology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Christopher T. Petersen
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yiping Fan
- Department of Bioinformatics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Alejandro Allo Anido
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Zhongzhen Yi
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Phuong Nguyen
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Haley Houke
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Matthew Bell
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dalia Haydar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Charmaine Brown
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shannon K. Boi
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shanta Alli
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jeremy Chase Crawford
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Janice M. Riberdy
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jeoungeun J. Park
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Sheng Zhou
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Mireya Paulina Velasquez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Chris DeRenzo
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Cicera R. Lazzarotto
- Department of Hematology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shengdar Q. Tsai
- Department of Hematology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Peter Vogel
- Department of Pathology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shondra M. Pruett-Miller
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Deanna M. Langfitt
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ben Youngblood
- Department of Immunology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Giedre Krenciute
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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31
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Chen X, Chen Y, Liang R, Xiang L, Li J, Zhu Y, He H, Huang L, Zuo D, Li W, Liang X, Dong S, Hu S, Ho M, Feng M. Combination Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by GPC3-Targeted Bispecific Antibody and Irinotecan is Potent in Suppressing Tumor Growth in Mice. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 21:149-158. [PMID: 34725191 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-1025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a world leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and currently no curative treatment for advanced HCC is available. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is an attractive target for HCC immunotherapy. This study explored the efficacy of six GPC3-targeted bispecific antibodies, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drug Irinotecan, for the treatment of HCC. The bispecific antibodies were constructed using three different structures, knob-into-hole (KH), scFv-scFv-hFc, and scFv-hFc-scFv, where CD3-targeting mAb OKT3 (scFv) was paired with two representative GPC3 mAbs hYP7 (scFv) and HN3 (VH only) that target different epitopes. The In vitro cell killing assay revealed that all bispecific antibodies efficiently killed GPC3 positive cancer cells, with hYP7-KH, hYP7-OKT3-hFc, and HN3-KH being most potent. In vivo xenograft mouse studies demonstrated that all bispecific antibodies suppressed tumor growth similarly, with hYP7-OKT3-hFc performing slightly better. Combination of hYP7-OKT3-hFc with Irinotecan dramatically improved the efficacy and arrested tumor growth of HepG2, Hep3B, and G1 in xenograft mice. Our results demonstrated that the cell surface proximal bispecific antibody hYP7-OKT3-hFc was superior in terms of potency and the GPC3-targeted bispecific antibody combined with Irinotecan was much potent to control HCC growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanmin Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Rong Liang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lanxin Xiang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jingwen Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuankui Zhu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huixia He
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Le Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dianbao Zuo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Weihang Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Xinjun Liang
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuang Dong
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sheng Hu
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Mingqian Feng
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China. .,College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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32
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Roselli E, Boucher JC, Li G, Kotani H, Spitler K, Reid K, Cervantes EV, Bulliard Y, Tu N, Lee SB, Yu B, Locke FL, Davila ML. 4-1BB and optimized CD28 co-stimulation enhances function of human mono-specific and bi-specific third-generation CAR T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003354. [PMID: 34706886 PMCID: PMC8552146 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Co-stimulatory signals regulate the expansion, persistence, and function of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Most studies have focused on the co-stimulatory domains CD28 or 4-1BB. CAR T cell persistence is enhanced by 4-1BB co-stimulation leading to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, while resistance to exhaustion is enhanced by mutations of the CD28 co-stimulatory domain. Methods We hypothesized that a third-generation CAR containing 4-1BB and CD28 with only PYAP signaling motif (mut06) would provide beneficial aspects of both. We designed CD19-specific CAR T cells with either 4-1BB or mut06 together with the combination of both and evaluated their immune-phenotype, cytokine secretion, real-time cytotoxic ability and polyfunctionality against CD19-expressing cells. We analyzed lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) recruitment by the different constructs by immunoblotting. We further determined their ability to control growth of Raji cells in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice. We also engineered bi-specific CARs against CD20/CD19 combining 4-1BB and mut06 and performed repeated in vitro antigenic stimulation experiments to evaluate their expansion, memory phenotype and phenotypic (PD1+CD39+) and functional exhaustion. Bi-specific CAR T cells were transferred into Raji or Nalm6-bearing mice to study their ability to eradicate CD20/CD19-expressing tumors. Results Co-stimulatory domains combining 4-1BB and mut06 confers CAR T cells with an increased central memory phenotype, expansion, and LCK recruitment to the CAR. This enhanced function was dependent on the positioning of the two co-stimulatory domains. A bi-specific CAR targeting CD20/CD19, incorporating 4-1BB and mut06 co-stimulation, showed enhanced antigen-dependent in vitro expansion with lower exhaustion-associated markers. Bi-specific CAR T cells exhibited improved in vivo antitumor activity with increased persistence and decreased exhaustion. Conclusion These results demonstrate that co-stimulation combining 4-1BB with an optimized form of CD28 is a valid approach to optimize CAR T cell function. Cells with both mono-specific and bi-specific versions of this design showed enhanced in vitro and in vivo features such as expansion, persistence and resistance to exhaustion. Our observations validate the approach and justify clinical studies to test the efficacy and safety of this CAR in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Roselli
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Justin C Boucher
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Gongbo Li
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Hiroshi Kotani
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kristen Spitler
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kayla Reid
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Nhan Tu
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sae Bom Lee
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.,University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Frederick L Locke
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Marco L Davila
- Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
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33
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Szöőr Á, Szöllősi J, Vereb G. From antibodies to living drugs: Quo vadis cancer immunotherapy? Biol Futur 2021; 72:85-99. [PMID: 34554498 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-021-00072-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In the last few decades, monoclonal antibodies targeting various receptors and ligands have shown significant advance in cancer therapy. However, still a great percentage of patients experiences tumor relapse despite persistent antigen expression. Immune cell therapy with adoptively transferred modified T cells that express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) is an engaging option to improve disease outcome. Designer T cells have been applied with remarkable success in the treatment for acute B cell leukemias, yielding unprecedented antitumor activity and significantly improved overall survival. Relying on the success of CAR T cells in leukemias, solid tumors are now emerging potential targets; however, their complexity represents a significant challenge. In preclinical models, CAR T cells recognized and efficiently killed the wide spectrum of tumor xenografts; however, in human clinical trials, limited antitumor efficacy and serious side effects, including cytokine release syndrome, have emerged as potential limitations. The next decade will be an exciting time to further optimize this novel cellular therapeutics to improve effector functions and, at the same time, keep adverse events in check. Moreover, we need to establish whether gene-modified T cells which are yet exclusively used for cancer patients could also be successful in the treatment for other diseases. Here, we provide a concise overview about the transition from monoclonal antibodies to the generation of chimeric antigen receptor T cells. We summarize lessons learned from preclinical models, including our own HER2-positive tumor models, as well as from clinical trials worldwide. We also discuss the challenges we are facing today and outline future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Árpád Szöőr
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - János Szöllősi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- MTA-DE Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - György Vereb
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
- MTA-DE Cell Biology and Signaling Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
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34
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Zam W, Assaad A. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CARs) in cancer treatment. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:532-546. [PMID: 34382510 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210811150255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and stem cell transplantation were the main cancer treatment approaches for several years but due to their limited effectiveness, there was a constant search for new therapeutic approaches. Cancer immunotherapy that utilizes and enhances the normal capacity of the patient's immune system was used to fight against cancer. Genetically engineered T-cells that express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) showed remarkable anti-tumor activity against hematologic malignancies and is now being investigated in a variety of solid tumors. The use of this therapy in the last few years has been successful, achieving a great success in improving the quality of life and prolonging the survival time of patients with a reduction in remission rates. However, many challenges still need to be resolved in order for this technology to gain widespread adoption. <P> Objective: This review summarizes various experimental approaches towards the use of CAR T-cells in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. <P> Conclusion: Finally, we address the challenges posed by CAR T-cells and discuss strategies for improving the performance of these T cells in fighting cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wissam Zam
- Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Wadi International University, Homs. Syrian Arab Republic
| | - Amany Assaad
- 2. Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy,Tartous University, Tartous. Syrian Arab Republic
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35
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Xiong X, Xi J, Liu Q, Wang C, Jiang Z, Yue SY, Shi L, Rong Y. Co-expression of IL-7 and PH20 promote anti-GPC3 CAR-T tumour suppressor activity in vivo and in vitro. Liver Int 2021; 41:1033-1043. [PMID: 33347692 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While CAR-T therapy has successfully treated haematological malignancies, it has proved sub-optimal for solid tumours. The main limitation is the inability of CAR-T cells to infiltrate and then proliferate within tumours. METHOD We co-expressed IL-7 and PH20, a type of hyaluronidase, with CAR targeting GPC3 (G3CAR-7 × 20). We test the anti-tumour ability in vitro and in vivo. Moreover the capacity of infiltration and proliferation of G3CAR-7 × 20 was measured. RESULT We found (G3CAR-7 × 20) exhibited better proliferation in vivo and in vitro than G3CAR, reduced the level of apoptosis after stimulation by tumour cells, and maintained the memory phenotype of CAR-T cells. G3CAR-7 × 20 also increased the ability of CAR-T cells to infiltrate tumour tissue. CONCLUSION co-expressed IL-7 and PH20 may significantly enhance the efficacy of targeted GPC3 CAR-T cells in solid tumours treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingcheng Xiong
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Juanli Xi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Wuhan Third Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Cixiao Wang
- Nephrology Department II, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zeyou Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Su-Yang Yue
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, Huaian, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuping Rong
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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36
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Gerlza T, Trojacher C, Kitic N, Adage T, Kungl AJ. Development of Molecules Antagonizing Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans. Semin Thromb Hemost 2021; 47:316-332. [PMID: 33794555 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) occur in almost every tissue of the human body and consist of a protein core, with covalently attached glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide chains. These glycosaminoglycans are characterized by their polyanionic nature, due to sulfate and carboxyl groups, which are distributed along the chain. These chains can be modified by different enzymes at varying positions, which leads to huge diversity of possible structures with the complexity further increased by varying chain lengths. According to their location, HSPGs are divided into different families, the membrane bound, the secreted extracellular matrix, and the secretory vesicle family. As members of the extracellular matrix, they take part in cell-cell communication processes on many levels and with different degrees of involvement. Of particular therapeutic interest is their role in cancer and inflammation as well as in infectious diseases. In this review, we give an overview of the current status of medical approaches to antagonize HSPG function in pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Gerlza
- Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Christina Trojacher
- Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Nikola Kitic
- Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Andreas J Kungl
- Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graz, Austria.,Antagonis Biotherapeutics GmbH, Graz, Austria
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Abstract
ABSTRACT The US Food and Drug Administration has approved 3 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. For continued breakthroughs, novel CAR designs are needed. This includes different antigen-binding domains such as antigen-ligand binding partners and variable lymphocyte receptors. Another recent advancement in CAR design is Boolean logic gates that can minimize on-target, off-tumor toxicities. Recent studies on the optimization of costimulatory signaling have also shown how CAR design can impact function. By using specific signaling pathways and transcription factors, CARs can impact T-cell gene expression to enhance function. By using these techniques, the promise of CAR T-cell therapies for solid tumors can be fulfilled.
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Adoptive Cell Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Biological Rationale and First Results in Early Phase Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020271. [PMID: 33450845 PMCID: PMC7828372 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is quickly increasing worldwide. In unresectable HCC, the cornerstone of systemic treatments is switching from tyrosine kinase inhibitors to immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICI). Next to ICI, adoptive cell transfer represents another promising field of immunotherapy. Targeting tumor associated antigens such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), glypican-3 (GPC3), or New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-1 (NY-ESO-1), T cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells and chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) engineered T cells are emerging as potentially effective therapies, with objective responses reported in early phase trials. In this review, we address the biological rationale of TCR/CAR engineered T cells in advanced HCC, their mechanisms of action, and results from recent clinical trials.
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Boroughs AC, Larson RC, Marjanovic ND, Gosik K, Castano AP, Porter CBM, Lorrey SJ, Ashenberg O, Jerby L, Hofree M, Smith-Rosario G, Morris R, Gould J, Riley LS, Berger TR, Riesenfeld SJ, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Choi BD, Regev A, Maus MV. A Distinct Transcriptional Program in Human CAR T Cells Bearing the 4-1BB Signaling Domain Revealed by scRNA-Seq. Mol Ther 2020; 28:2577-2592. [PMID: 32755564 PMCID: PMC7704462 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting CD19 have produced impressive outcomes for the treatment of B cell malignancies, but different products vary in kinetics, persistence, and toxicity profiles based on the co-stimulatory domains included in the CAR. In this study, we performed transcriptional profiling of bulk CAR T cell populations and single cells to characterize the transcriptional states of human T cells transduced with CD3ζ, 4-1BB-CD3ζ (BBζ), or CD28-CD3ζ (28ζ) co-stimulatory domains at rest and after activation by triggering their CAR or their endogenous T cell receptor (TCR). We identified a transcriptional signature common across CARs with the CD3ζ signaling domain, as well as a distinct program associated with the 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain at rest and after activation. CAR T cells bearing BBζ had increased expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes, ENPP2, and interleukin (IL)-21 axis genes, and decreased PD1 compared to 28ζ CAR T cells. Similar to previous studies, we also found BBζ CAR CD8 T cells to be enriched in a central memory cell phenotype and fatty acid metabolism genes. Our data uncovered transcriptional signatures related to costimulatory domains and demonstrated that signaling domains included in CARs uniquely shape the transcriptional programs of T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela C Boroughs
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rebecca C Larson
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nemanja D Marjanovic
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kirk Gosik
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ana P Castano
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Caroline B M Porter
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Selena J Lorrey
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Orr Ashenberg
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Livnat Jerby
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matan Hofree
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Robert Morris
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA
| | - Joshua Gould
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lauren S Riley
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Trisha R Berger
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Samantha J Riesenfeld
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Orit Rozenblatt-Rosen
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Bryan D Choi
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA.
| | - Marcela V Maus
- Cellular Immunotherapy Program and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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The Landscape of CAR-T Cell Clinical Trials against Solid Tumors-A Comprehensive Overview. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092567. [PMID: 32916883 PMCID: PMC7563774 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Certain immune cells, namely T cells, of cancer patients can be genetically manipulated to express so-called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which enables these cells to kill the tumor cells after recognition by the receptor. This therapy is very successful in the treatment of hematologic tumors such as lymphoma or leukemia. However, tumors growing as a solid mass are less susceptible to this kind of treatment. This review summarizes known data of all clinical trials using this therapy against solid tumors that are registered at clinicaltrials.gov. Abstract CAR-T cells showed great potential in the treatment of patients with hematologic tumors. However, the clinical efficacy of CAR-T cells against solid tumors lags behind. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the landscape of CAR-T cell clinical trials against this type of cancer, this review summarizes all the 196 studies registered at clinicaltrials.gov. Special focus is on: (1) geographical distribution; (2) targeted organs, tumor entities, and antigens; (3) CAR transfer methods, CAR formats, and extra features introduced into the T cells; and (4) patient pretreatments, injection sites, and safety measurements. Finally, the few data on clinical outcome are reported. The last assessment of clinicaltrials.gov for the data summarized in this paper was on 4 August 2020.
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Abstract
Glypicans are a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are attached to the cell membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Glypicans interact with multiple ligands, including morphogens, growth factors, chemokines, ligands, receptors, and components of the extracellular matrix through their heparan sulfate chains and core protein. Therefore, glypicans can function as coreceptors to regulate cell proliferation, cell motility, and morphogenesis. In addition, some glypicans are abnormally expressed in cancers, possibly involved in tumorigenesis, and have the potential to be cancer-specific biomarkers. Here, we provide a brief review focusing on the expression of glypicans in various cancers and their potential to be targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Madeline R Spetz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Li D, Li N, Zhang YF, Fu H, Feng M, Schneider D, Su L, Wu X, Zhou J, Mackay S, Kramer J, Duan Z, Yang H, Kolluri A, Hummer AM, Torres MB, Zhu H, Hall MD, Luo X, Chen J, Wang Q, Abate-Daga D, Dropulic B, Hewitt SM, Orentas RJ, Greten TF, Ho M. Persistent Polyfunctional Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells That Target Glypican 3 Eliminate Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinomas in Mice. Gastroenterology 2020; 158:2250-2265.e20. [PMID: 32060001 PMCID: PMC7282931 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Glypican 3 (GPC3) is an oncofetal antigen involved in Wnt-dependent cell proliferation that is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated whether the functions of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that target GPC3 are affected by their antibody-binding properties. METHODS We collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors and patients with HCC and used them to create CAR T cells, based on the humanized YP7 (hYP7) and HN3 antibodies, which have high affinities for the C-lobe and N-lobe of GPC3, respectively. NOD/SCID/IL-2Rgcnull (NSG) mice were given intraperitoneal injections of luciferase-expressing (Luc) Hep3B or HepG2 cells and after xenograft tumors formed, mice were given injections of saline or untransduced T cells (mock control), or CAR (HN3) T cells or CAR (hYP7) T cells. In other NOD/SCID/IL-2Rgcnull (NSG) mice, HepG2-Luc or Hep3B-Luc cells were injected into liver, and after orthotopic tumors formed, mice were given 1 injection of CAR (hYP7) T cells or CD19 CAR T cells (control). We developed droplet digital polymerase chain reaction and genome sequencing methods to analyze persistent CAR T cells in mice. RESULTS Injections of CAR (hYP7) T cells eliminated tumors in 66% of mice by week 3, whereas CAR (HN3) T cells did not reduce tumor burden. Mice given CAR (hYP7) T cells remained tumor free after re-challenge with additional Hep3B cells. The CAR T cells induced perforin- and granzyme-mediated apoptosis and reduced levels of active β-catenin in HCC cells. Mice injected with CAR (hYP7) T cells had persistent expansion of T cells and subsets of polyfunctional CAR T cells via antigen-induced selection. These T cells were observed in the tumor microenvironment and spleen for up to 7 weeks after CAR T-cell administration. Integration sites in pre-infusion CAR (HN3) and CAR (hYP7) T cells were randomly distributed, whereas integration into NUPL1 was detected in 3.9% of CAR (hYP7) T cells 5 weeks after injection into tumor-bearing mice and 18.1% of CAR (hYP7) T cells at week 7. There was no common site of integration in CAR (HN3) or CD19 CAR T cells from tumor-bearing mice. CONCLUSIONS In mice with xenograft or orthoptic liver tumors, CAR (hYP7) T cells eliminate GPC3-positive HCC cells, possibly by inducing perforin- and granzyme-mediated apoptosis or reducing Wnt signaling in tumor cells. GPC3-targeted CAR T cells might be developed for treatment of patients with HCC.
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MESH Headings
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Animals
- Apoptosis
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy
- Cell Proliferation
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Glypicans/genetics
- Glypicans/immunology
- Glypicans/metabolism
- Granzymes/metabolism
- Hep G2 Cells
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/therapy
- Male
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Mice, SCID
- Middle Aged
- Perforin/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/transplantation
- Tumor Burden
- Tumor Microenvironment
- Wnt Signaling Pathway
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yi-Fan Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Haiying Fu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Immunology, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingqian Feng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dina Schneider
- Lentingen, a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - Ling Su
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Jing Zhou
- IsoPlexis Corporation, Branford, Connecticut
| | - Sean Mackay
- IsoPlexis Corporation, Branford, Connecticut
| | - Josh Kramer
- Animal Facility, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zhijian Duan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hongjia Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Aarti Kolluri
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alissa M Hummer
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Madeline B Torres
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hu Zhu
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Matthew D Hall
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Xiaoling Luo
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jinqiu Chen
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Qun Wang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Daniel Abate-Daga
- Departments of Immunology, Cutaneous Oncology, and Gastrointestinal Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Boro Dropulic
- Lentingen, a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - Stephen M Hewitt
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Tim F Greten
- Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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Tan AT, Schreiber S. Adoptive T-cell therapy for HBV-associated HCC and HBV infection. Antiviral Res 2020; 176:104748. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a malignant embryonal tumor of the sympathetic nervous system that is most commonly diagnosed in the abdomen, often presenting with signs and symptoms of metastatic spread. Three decades ago, high-risk NB metastatic to bone and bone marrow in children was not curable. Today, with multimodality treatment, 50% of these patients will survive, but most suffer from debilitating treatment-related complications. Novel targeted therapies to improve cure rates while minimizing toxicities are urgently needed. Recent molecular discoveries in oncology have spawned the development of an impressive array of targeted therapies for adult cancers, yet the paucity of recurrent somatic mutations or activated oncogenes in pediatric cancers poses a major challenge to the evolving paradigm of personalized medicine. Although low tumor mutational burden is a major hurdle for immune checkpoint inhibitors, an immature or impaired immune system and inhibitory tumor microenvironment can further complicate the prospects for successful immunotherapy. In this regard, despite the poor immunogenic properties of NB, the success of antibody-based immunotherapy and radioimmunotherapy directed at single targets (eg, GD2 and B7-H3) is both encouraging and surprising, given that most solid tumor antibodies that use Fc-dependent mechanisms or radioimmunotargeting have largely failed. Here, we summarize the current information on the immunologic properties of this tumor, its potential immunotherapeutic targets, and novel antibody-based strategies on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong A Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Nai-Kong V Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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45
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Batra SA, Rathi P, Guo L, Courtney AN, Fleurence J, Balzeau J, Shaik RS, Nguyen TP, Wu MF, Bulsara S, Mamonkin M, Metelitsa LS, Heczey A. Glypican-3-Specific CAR T Cells Coexpressing IL15 and IL21 Have Superior Expansion and Antitumor Activity against Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 8:309-320. [PMID: 31953246 PMCID: PMC10765595 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the world, and curative systemic therapies are lacking. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-expressing T cells induce robust antitumor responses in patients with hematologic malignancies but have limited efficacy in patients with solid tumors, including HCC. IL15 and IL21 promote T-cell expansion, survival, and function and can improve the antitumor properties of T cells. We explored whether transgenic expression of IL15 and/or IL21 enhanced glypican-3-CAR (GPC3-CAR) T cells' antitumor properties against HCC. We previously optimized the costimulation in GPC3-CARs and selected a second-generation GPC3-CAR incorporating a 4-1BB costimulatory endodomain (GBBz) for development. Here, we generated constructs encoding IL15, IL21, or both with GBBz (15.GBBz, 21.GBBz, and 21.15.GBBz, respectively) and examined the ability of transduced T cells to kill, produce effector cytokines, and expand in an antigen-dependent manner. We performed gene-expression and phenotypic analyses of GPC3-CAR T cells and CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of the TCF7 gene. Finally, we measured GPC3-CAR T-cell antitumor activity in murine xenograft models of GPC3+ tumors. The increased proliferation of 21.15.GBBz T cells was at least in part dependent on the upregulation and maintenance of TCF-1 (encoded by TCF7) and associated with a higher percentage of stem cell memory and central memory populations after manufacturing. T cells expressing 21.15.GBBz had superior in vitro and in vivo expansion and persistence, and the most robust antitumor activity in vivo These results provided preclinical evidence to support the clinical evaluation of 21.15.GPC3-CAR T cells in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Arun Batra
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Purva Rathi
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Linjie Guo
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Julien Fleurence
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Julien Balzeau
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rahamthulla S Shaik
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Thao P Nguyen
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Meng-Fen Wu
- Dan L Duncan Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Shaun Bulsara
- Dan L Duncan Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Maksim Mamonkin
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Andras Heczey
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Texas Children's Hospital Liver Tumor Center, Houston, Texas
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Caraballo Galva LD, Cai L, Shao Y, He Y. Engineering T cells for immunotherapy of primary human hepatocellular carcinoma. J Genet Genomics 2020; 47:1-15. [PMID: 32089500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancers, majority of which are primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), continue to be on the rise in the world. Furthermore, due to the lack of effective treatments, liver cancer ranks the 4th most common cause of male cancer deaths. Novel therapies are urgently needed. Over the last few years, immunotherapies, especially the checkpoint blockades and adoptive cell therapies of engineered T cells, have demonstrated a great potential for treating malignant tumors including HCC. In this review, we summarize the current ongoing research of antigen-specific immunotherapies including cancer vaccines and adoptive cell therapies for HCC. We briefly discuss the HCC cancer vaccine and then focus on the antigen-specific T cells genetically engineered with the T cell receptor genes (TCRTs) and the chimeric antigen receptor genes (CARTs). We first review the current options of TCRTs and CARTs immunotherapies for HCC, and then analyze the factors and parameters that may help to improve the design of TCRTs and CARTs to enhance their antitumor efficacy and safety. Our goals are to render readers a panoramic view of the current stand of HCC immunotherapies and provide some strategies to design better TCRTs and CARTs to achieve more effective and durable antitumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leidy D Caraballo Galva
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Lun Cai
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yanxia Shao
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Yukai He
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA; Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
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47
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Elgundi Z, Papanicolaou M, Major G, Cox TR, Melrose J, Whitelock JM, Farrugia BL. Cancer Metastasis: The Role of the Extracellular Matrix and the Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Perlecan. Front Oncol 2020; 9:1482. [PMID: 32010611 PMCID: PMC6978720 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is the dissemination of tumor cells to new sites, resulting in the formation of secondary tumors. This process is complex and is spatially and temporally regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. One important extrinsic factor is the extracellular matrix, the non-cellular component of tissues. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are constituents of the extracellular matrix, and through their heparan sulfate chains and protein core, modulate multiple events that occur during the metastatic cascade. This review will provide an overview of the role of the extracellular matrix in the events that occur during cancer metastasis, primarily focusing on perlecan. Perlecan, a basement membrane HSPG is a key component of the vascular extracellular matrix and is commonly associated with events that occur during the metastatic cascade. Its contradictory role in these events will be discussed and we will highlight the recent advances in cancer therapies that target HSPGs and their modifying enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehra Elgundi
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Papanicolaou
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gretel Major
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas R Cox
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James Melrose
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Whitelock
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brooke L Farrugia
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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48
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Zhao Z, Xiao X, Saw PE, Wu W, Huang H, Chen J, Nie Y. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells in solid tumors: a war against the tumor microenvironment. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2019; 63:180-205. [PMID: 31883066 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-9665-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell is a novel approach, which utilizes anti-tumor immunity for cancer treatment. As compared to the traditional cell-mediated immunity, CAR-T possesses the improved specificity of tumor antigens and independent cytotoxicity from major histocompatibility complex molecules through a monoclonal antibody in addition to the T-cell receptor. CAR-T cell has proven its effectiveness, primarily in hematological malignancies, specifically where the CD 19 CAR-T cells were used to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B-cell lymphomas. Nevertheless, there is little progress in the treatment of solid tumors despite the fact that many CAR agents have been created to target tumor antigens such as CEA, EGFR/EGFRvIII, GD2, HER2, MSLN, MUC1, and other antigens. The main obstruction against the progress of research in solid tumors is the tumor microenvironment, in which several elements, such as poor locating ability, immunosuppressive cells, cytokines, chemokines, immunosuppressive checkpoints, inhibitory metabolic factors, tumor antigen loss, and antigen heterogeneity, could affect the potency of CAR-T cells. To overcome these hurdles, researchers have reconstructed the CAR-T cells in various ways. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current research in this field, analyze the mechanisms of the major barriers mentioned above, outline the main solutions, and discuss the outlook of this novel immunotherapeutic modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijun Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Xiaoyun Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Phei Er Saw
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hongyan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Jiewen Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yan Nie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
- Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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49
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Li N, Wei L, Liu X, Bai H, Ye Y, Li D, Li N, Baxa U, Wang Q, Lv L, Chen Y, Feng M, Lee B, Gao W, Ho M. A Frizzled-Like Cysteine-Rich Domain in Glypican-3 Mediates Wnt Binding and Regulates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Growth in Mice. Hepatology 2019; 70:1231-1245. [PMID: 30963603 PMCID: PMC6783318 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling is one of the key regulators of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor progression. In addition to the classical receptor frizzled (FZD), various coreceptors including heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are involved in Wnt activation. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is an HSPG that is overexpressed in HCC and functions as a Wnt coreceptor that modulates HCC cell proliferation. These features make GPC3 an attractive target for liver cancer therapy. However, the precise interaction of GPC3 and Wnt and how GPC3, Wnt, and FZD cooperate with each other are poorly understood. In this study, we established a structural model of GPC3 containing a putative FZD-like cysteine-rich domain at its N-terminal lobe. We found that F41 and its surrounding residues in GPC3 formed a Wnt-binding groove that interacted with the middle region located between the lipid thumb domain and the index finger domain of Wnt3a. Mutating residues in this groove significantly inhibited Wnt3a binding, β-catenin activation, and the transcriptional activation of Wnt-dependent genes. In contrast with the heparan sulfate chains, the Wnt-binding groove that we identified in the protein core of GPC3 seemed to promote Wnt signaling in conditions when FZD was not abundant. Specifically, blocking this domain using an antibody inhibited Wnt activation. In HCC cells, mutating residue F41 on GPC3 inhibited activation of β-catenin in vitro and reduced xenograft tumor growth in nude mice compared with cells expressing wild-type GPC3. Conclusion: Our investigation demonstrates a detailed interaction of GPC3 and Wnt3a, reveals the precise mechanism of GPC3 acting as a Wnt coreceptor, and provides a potential target site on GPC3 for Wnt blocking and HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, P.R. China
| | - Liwen Wei
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, P.R. China.,Bio-medical Center, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, P.R. China
| | - Hongjun Bai
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yvonne Ye
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, P.R. China
| | - Nan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ulrich Baxa
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Qun Wang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, P.R. China
| | - Ling Lv
- Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, P.R. China
| | - Yun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, P.R. China
| | - Mingqian Feng
- Bio-medical Center, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, P.R. China
| | - Byungkook Lee
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, P.R. China.,Corresponding to: Dr. Wei Gao, School of Basic Medical Science, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Road, Xuehai Building, Room A110, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, P.R. China. Tel: 86-25-86869471; Fax: 86-25-86869471, . Dr. Mitchell Ho, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Room 5002, Bethesda, MD 20892-4264. Tel: (240)760-7848; Fax: (301)402-1344;
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Corresponding to: Dr. Wei Gao, School of Basic Medical Science, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Road, Xuehai Building, Room A110, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, P.R. China. Tel: 86-25-86869471; Fax: 86-25-86869471, . Dr. Mitchell Ho, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Room 5002, Bethesda, MD 20892-4264. Tel: (240)760-7848; Fax: (301)402-1344;
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50
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Wang P, Qin W, Liu T, Jiang D, Cui L, Liu X, Fang Y, Tang X, Jin H, Qian Q. PiggyBac-engineered T cells expressing a glypican-3-specific chimeric antigen receptor show potent activities against hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunobiology 2019; 225:151850. [PMID: 31522780 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC3) is an attractive target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, as it is overexpressed in most hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues but shows restricted expression in healthy adult tissues. Herein, we generated GPC3-specific CAR-T cells for HCC therapy by electroporation with plasmid DNA encoding the piggyBac (PB) transposon and the hyperactive piggyBac transposase simultaneously instead of by commonly-used viral vectors. Our results demonstrated that GPC3CAR gene was efficiently integrated into the genome of T cells utilizing the PB transposon system. Upon stimulation with GPC3 antigen, GPC3CAR-T cells could be effectively activated, proliferate strongly and secrete high levels of cytokines. It also was demonstrated that GPC3CAR-T cells displayed potent cytotoxicity against GPC3-positive HCC cell lines in vitro by using real-time cell analyser (RTCA) system and the JuLI™ Stage Cell History Recorder. More importantly, in a Huh-7 xenograft mouse model, GPC3CAR-T cells significantly reduced the tumour burden companied with the secretion of high levels of IFN-γ. Moreover, T cells in mice treated with GPC3CAR-T cells could infiltrate into tumour tissues and persist as effector memory T cells (TEM). Overall, our study suggests that the use of PB system-based GPC3CAR-T cell therapy could be a promising clinical strategy for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wang
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Wenxia Qin
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Duqing Jiang
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Lianzhen Cui
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Xiangzhen Liu
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xi Tang
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Huajun Jin
- Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China; Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, The Second Military University, Shanghai 201805, China.
| | - Qijun Qian
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Shanghai Cell Therapy Research Institute, Shanghai Cell Therapy Group, Shanghai 201805, China; Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, The Second Military University, Shanghai 201805, China.
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