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Di L, Li M, Lei X, Xie W, Liu G, Wang Y, Zhang W, Zhu WG. Caspase-4 in glioma indicates deterioration and unfavorable prognosis by affecting tumor cell proliferation and immune cell recruitment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17443. [PMID: 39075190 PMCID: PMC11286837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65018-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system, accounting for approximately 80% of all malignant brain tumors. Accumulating evidence suggest that pyroptosis plays an essential role in the progression of cancer. Unfortunately, the effect of the pyroptosis-related factor caspase-4 (CASP4) on immunotherapy and drug therapy for tumors has not been comprehensively investigated. In this study, we systematically screened six hub genes by pooling differential pyroptosis-related genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) glioma data and the degree of centrality of index-related genes in the protein-protein interaction network. We performed functional and pathway enrichment analyses of the six hub genes to explore their biological functions and potential molecular mechanisms. We then investigated the importance of CASP4 using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of glioma patients. TCGA and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases showed that reduced CASP4 expression leads to the potent clinical deterioration of glioma patients. Computational analysis of the effect of CASP4 on the infiltration level and recruitment of glioma immune cells revealed that CASP4 expression was closely associated with a series of tumor-suppressive immune checkpoint molecules, chemokines, and chemokine receptors. We also found that aberrant CASP4 expression correlated with chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. Finally, analysis at the cellular and tissue levels indicated an increase in CASP4 expression in glioma, and that CASP4 inhibition significantly inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells. Thus, CASP4 is implicated as a new prognostic biomarker for gliomas with the potential to further guide immunotherapy and chemotherapy strategies for glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longjiang Di
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Mengyan Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Genomic Instability and Human Disease Prevention, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xianli Lei
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Wenting Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guoqiang Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yongqing Wang
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Wei-Guo Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Genomic Instability and Human Disease Prevention, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Wan Nan Medical College, Wuhu, 241006, China.
- International Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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2
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Ten A, Kumeiko V, Farniev V, Gao H, Shevtsov M. Tumor Microenvironment Modulation by Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles. Cells 2024; 13:682. [PMID: 38667297 PMCID: PMC11049026 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080682] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the process of tumorigenesis, regulating the growth, metabolism, proliferation, and invasion of cancer cells, as well as contributing to tumor resistance to the conventional chemoradiotherapies. Several types of cells with relatively stable phenotypes have been identified within the TME, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), neutrophils, and natural killer (NK) cells, which have been shown to modulate cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and interaction with the immune system, thus promoting tumor heterogeneity. Growing evidence suggests that tumor-cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), via the transfer of various molecules (e.g., RNA, proteins, peptides, and lipids), play a pivotal role in the transformation of normal cells in the TME into their tumor-associated protumorigenic counterparts. This review article focuses on the functions of EVs in the modulation of the TME with a view to how exosomes contribute to the transformation of normal cells, as well as their importance for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Ten
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; (A.T.); (V.K.); (V.F.)
| | - Vadim Kumeiko
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; (A.T.); (V.K.); (V.F.)
| | - Vladislav Farniev
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; (A.T.); (V.K.); (V.F.)
| | - Huile Gao
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
| | - Maxim Shevtsov
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia; (A.T.); (V.K.); (V.F.)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Nanotechnologies, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave., 4, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Personalized Medicine Centre, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Akkuratova Str., 2, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Technishe Universität München (TUM), Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Str., 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
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Kaur K, Jewett A. Osteoclasts and Probiotics Mediate Significant Expansion, Functional Activation and Supercharging in NK, γδ T, and CD3+ T Cells: Use in Cancer Immunotherapy. Cells 2024; 13:213. [PMID: 38334605 PMCID: PMC10854567 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030213] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Our previous studies have introduced osteoclasts (OCs) as major activators of NK cells. It was found that OCs exhibit the capabilities of inducing cell expansion as well as increasing the cytotoxic activity of NK cells by granule release and increasing the secretion of TNF-α and TRAIL, leading to increased lysis of tumors in short-term as well as long-term periods, respectively. OC- induced expanded NK cells were named supercharged NK cells (sNK) due to their significantly high functional activity as well as their significantly higher cell expansion rate. It is, however, unclear whether the OC-mediated effect in NK cells is specific or whether other cytotoxic immune cells can also be expanded and activated by OCs. We chose to focus on γδ T cells and pan T cells, which also include CD8+ T cells. In this paper, we report that OCs are capable of expanding and functionally activating both γδ T cells and pan T cells. Expanded γδ T and pan T cells were capable of secreting high levels of INF-γ, albeit with different dynamics to those of NK cells, and, moreover, they are unable to kill NK-specific targets. Since we used humanized-BLT (hu-BLT) mice as a model of human disease, we next determined whether NK and T cell activation through OCs is also evident in cells obtained from hu-BLT mice. Similar to humans, OCs were capable of increasing the cell expansion and secretion of IFN-γ in the culture of either NK or T cells from hu-BLT mice, providing yet further evidence that these mice are appropriate models to study human disease. Therefore, these studies indicated that CD3+ T or γδ T cells can proliferate and be supercharged by OCs similar to the NK cells; thus, they can be used individually or in combination in the cell therapy of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawaljit Kaur
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Anahid Jewett
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Dentistry and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Peng X, Zheng J, Liu T, Zhou Z, Song C, Geng Y, Wang Z, Huang Y. Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity, Potential Therapeutic Avenues, and Emerging Therapies. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:288-307. [PMID: 37537777 DOI: 10.2174/1568009623666230712095021] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This review describes the comprehensive portrait of tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, we provided a panoramic perspective on the transformation and functions of the diverse constituents in TME, and the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance, beginning with the immune cells and metabolic dynamics within TME. Lastly, we summarized the most auspicious potential therapeutic strategies. RESULTS TME is a unique realm crafted by malignant cells to withstand the onslaught of endogenous and exogenous therapies. Recent research has revealed many small-molecule immunotherapies exhibiting auspicious outcomes in preclinical investigations. Furthermore, some pro-immune mechanisms have emerged as a potential avenue. With the advent of nanosystems and precision targeting, targeted therapy has now transcended the "comfort zone" erected by cancer cells within TME. CONCLUSION The ceaseless metamorphosis of TME fosters the intransigent resilience and proliferation of tumors. However, existing therapies have yet to surmount the formidable obstacles posed by TME. Therefore, scientists should investigate potential avenues for therapeutic intervention and design innovative pharmacological and clinical technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Peng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jingfan Zheng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Tianzi Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Ziwen Zhou
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Chen Song
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yan Geng
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Zichuan Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
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Trujillo-Cirilo L, Weiss-Steider B, Vargas-Angeles CA, Corona-Ortega MT, Rangel-Corona R. Immune microenvironment of cervical cancer and the role of IL-2 in tumor promotion. Cytokine 2023; 170:156334. [PMID: 37598478 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156334] [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: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a heterogeneous mixture of resident and tumor cells that maintain close communication through their secretion products. The composition of the TME is dynamic and complex among the different types of cancer, where the immune cells play a relevant role in the elimination of tumor cells, however, under certain circumstances they contribute to tumor development. In cervical cancer (CC) the human papilloma virus (HPV) shapes the microenvironment in order to mediate persistent infections that favors transformation and tumor development. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an important TME cytokine that induces CD8+ effector T cells and NKs to eliminate tumor cells, however, IL-2 can also suppress the immune response through Treg cells. Recent studies have shown that CC cells express the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R), that are induced to proliferate at low concentrations of exogenous IL-2 through alterations in the JAK/STAT pathway. This review provides an overview of the main immune cells that make up the TME in CC, as well as the participation of IL-2 in the tumor promotion. Finally, it is proposed that the low density of IL-2 produced by immunocompetent cells is used by tumor cells through its IL-2R as a mechanism to proliferate simultaneously depleting this molecule in order to evade immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Trujillo-Cirilo
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Research Unit Cell Differentiation and Cancer, L-4 P.B. FES Zaragoza, National University of Mexico, Av., Guelatao No. 66 Col. Ejercito de Oriente, Iztapalapa, C.P. 09230 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Benny Weiss-Steider
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Research Unit Cell Differentiation and Cancer, L-4 P.B. FES Zaragoza, National University of Mexico, Av., Guelatao No. 66 Col. Ejercito de Oriente, Iztapalapa, C.P. 09230 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Adrian Vargas-Angeles
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Research Unit Cell Differentiation and Cancer, L-4 P.B. FES Zaragoza, National University of Mexico, Av., Guelatao No. 66 Col. Ejercito de Oriente, Iztapalapa, C.P. 09230 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maria Teresa Corona-Ortega
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Research Unit Cell Differentiation and Cancer, L-4 P.B. FES Zaragoza, National University of Mexico, Av., Guelatao No. 66 Col. Ejercito de Oriente, Iztapalapa, C.P. 09230 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rosalva Rangel-Corona
- Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Research Unit Cell Differentiation and Cancer, L-4 P.B. FES Zaragoza, National University of Mexico, Av., Guelatao No. 66 Col. Ejercito de Oriente, Iztapalapa, C.P. 09230 Mexico City, Mexico
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Singh S, Barik D, Arukha AP, Prasad S, Mohapatra I, Singh A, Singh G. Small Molecule Targeting Immune Cells: A Novel Approach for Cancer Treatment. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2621. [PMID: 37892995 PMCID: PMC10604364 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional and cancer immunotherapies encompass diverse strategies to address various cancer types and stages. However, combining these approaches often encounters limitations such as non-specific targeting, resistance development, and high toxicity, leading to suboptimal outcomes in many cancers. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is orchestrated by intricate interactions between immune and non-immune cells dictating tumor progression. An innovative avenue in cancer therapy involves leveraging small molecules to influence a spectrum of resistant cell populations within the TME. Recent discoveries have unveiled a phenotypically diverse cohort of innate-like T (ILT) cells and tumor hybrid cells (HCs) exhibiting novel characteristics, including augmented proliferation, migration, resistance to exhaustion, evasion of immunosurveillance, reduced apoptosis, drug resistance, and heightened metastasis frequency. Leveraging small-molecule immunomodulators to target these immune players presents an exciting frontier in developing novel tumor immunotherapies. Moreover, combining small molecule modulators with immunotherapy can synergistically enhance the inhibitory impact on tumor progression by empowering the immune system to meticulously fine-tune responses within the TME, bolstering its capacity to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. This review outlines strategies involving small molecules that modify immune cells within the TME, potentially revolutionizing therapeutic interventions and enhancing the anti-tumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpi Singh
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Debashis Barik
- Center for Computational Natural Science and Bioinformatics, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad 500032, Telangana, India
| | | | | | - Iteeshree Mohapatra
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Amar Singh
- Schulze Diabetes Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Gatikrushna Singh
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Zhong NN, Li SR, Man QW, Liu B. Identification of Immune Infiltration in Odontogenic Keratocyst by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis. BMC Oral Health 2023; 23:454. [PMID: 37415178 PMCID: PMC10324234 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-03175-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a relatively common odontogenic lesion characterized by local invasion in the maxillary and mandibular bones. In the pathological tissue slices of OKC, immune cell infiltrations are frequently observed. However, the immune cell profile and the molecular mechanism for immune cell infiltration of OKC are still unclear. We aimed to explore the immune cell profile of OKC and to explore the potential pathogenesis for immune cell infiltration in OKC. METHODS The microarray dataset GSE38494 including OKC and oral mucosa (OM) samples were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OKC were analyzed by R software. The hub genes of OKC were performed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The differential immune cell infiltration and the potential relationship between immune cell infiltration and the hub genes were performed by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). The expression of COL1A1 and COL1A3 were confirmed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry in 17 OKC and 8 OM samples. RESULTS We detected a total of 402 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 247 were upregulated and 155 were downregulated. DEGs were mainly involved in collagen-containing extracellular matrix pathways, external encapsulating structure organization, and extracellular structure organization. We identified ten hub genes, namely FN1, COL1A1, COL3A1, COL1A2, BGN, POSTN, SPARC, FBN1, COL5A1, and COL5A2. A significant difference was observed in the abundances of eight types of infiltrating immune cells between the OM and OKC groups. Both COL1A1 and COL3A1 exhibited a significant positive correlation with natural killer T cells and memory B cells. Simultaneously, they demonstrated a significant negative correlation with CD56dim natural killer cells, neutrophils, immature dendritic cells, and activated dendritic cells. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that COL1A1 (P = 0.0131) and COL1A3 (P < 0.001) were significantly elevated in OKC compared with OM. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into the pathogenesis of OKC and illuminate the immune microenvironment within these lesions. The key genes, including COL1A1 and COL1A3, may significantly impact the biological processes associated with OKC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian-Nian Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Su-Ran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi-Wen Man
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial - Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial - Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Liao Z, Li M, Wen G, Wang K, Yao D, Chen E, Liang Y, Xing T, Su K, Liang C, Che Z, Ning Q, Tang J, Yan W, Li Y, Huang L. Comprehensive analysis of angiogenesis pattern and related immune landscape for individual treatment in osteosarcoma. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023; 7:62. [PMID: 37386055 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-023-00415-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Postoperative recurrence and metastasis are the main reasons for the poor prognosis of osteosarcoma (OS). Currently, an ideal predictor for not only prognosis but also drug sensitivity and immunotherapy responses in OS patients is urgently needed. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in tumour progression, which suggests its immense potential for predicting prognosis and responses to immunotherapy for OS. Angiogenesis patterns in OS were explored in depth in this study to construct a prognostic model called ANGscore and clarify the underlying mechanism involved in the immune microenvironment. The efficacy and robustness of the model were validated in multiple datasets, including bulk RNA-seq datasets (TARGET-OS, GSE21257), a single-cell RNA-seq dataset (GSE152048) and immunotherapy-related datasets (GSE91061, GSE173839). OS patients with a high ANGscore had a worse prognosis, accompanied by the immune desert phenotype. Pseudotime and cellular communication analyses in scRNA-seq data revealed that as the ANGscore increased, the malignant degree of cells increased, and IFN-γ signalling was involved in tumour progression and regulation of the tumour immune microenvironment. Furthermore, the ANGscore was associated with immune cell infiltration and the response rate to immunotherapy. OS patients with high ANGscore might be resistant to uprosertib, and be sensitive to VE821, AZD6738 and BMS.345541. In conclusion, we established a novel ANGscore system by comprehensively analysing the expression pattern of angiogenesis genes, which can accurately differentiate the prognosis and immune characteristics of OS populations. Additionally, the ANGscore can be used for patient stratification during immunotherapy, and guide individualized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuangyao Liao
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoming Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dengbo Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Enming Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuwei Liang
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tong Xing
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kaihui Su
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Changchun Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Che
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Ning
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Tang
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenbin Yan
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxi Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Lin Huang
- Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Yin B, Wong WK, Ng YM, Yang M, Leung FKC, Wong DSH. Smart Design of Nanostructures for Boosting Tumor Immunogenicity in Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051427. [PMID: 37242669 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although tumor immunotherapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic method for oncology, it encounters several limitations, especially concerning low response rates and potential off-targets that elicit side effects. Furthermore, tumor immunogenicity is the critical factor that predicts the success rate of immunotherapy, which can be boosted by the application of nanotechnology. Herein, we introduce the current approach of cancer immunotherapy and its challenges and the general methods to enhance tumor immunogenicity. Importantly, this review highlights the integration of anticancer chemo/immuno-based drugs with multifunctional nanomedicines that possess imaging modality to determine tumor location and can respond to stimuli, such as light, pH, magnetic field, or metabolic changes, to trigger chemotherapy, phototherapy, radiotherapy, or catalytic therapy to upregulate tumor immunogenicity. This promotion rouses immunological memory, such as enhanced immunogenic cell death, promoted maturation of dendritic cells, and activation of tumor-specific T cells against cancer. Finally, we express the related challenges and personal perspectives of bioengineered nanomaterials for future cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohan Yin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Wai-Ki Wong
- State Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yip-Ming Ng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Mo Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Franco King-Chi Leung
- State Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Dexter Siu-Hong Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
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Ganesh S, Dharmalingam P, Das S, Venkatakrishnan K, Tan B. Mapping Immune-Tumor Bidirectional Dialogue Using Ultrasensitive Nanosensors for Accurate Diagnosis of Lung Cancer. ACS NANO 2023; 17:8026-8040. [PMID: 37093561 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers with high mortality worldwide despite the development of molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies. A significant challenge in managing lung cancer is the accurate diagnosis of cancerous lesions owing to the lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers. The current procedure necessitates an invasive tissue biopsy for diagnosis and molecular subtyping, which presents patients with risk, morbidity, anxiety, and high false-positive rates. The high-risk diagnostic approach has highlighted the need to search for a reliable, low-risk noninvasive diagnostic approach to capture lung cancer heterogeneity precisely. The immune interaction profile of lung cancer is driven by immune cells' distinctive, precise interactions with the tumor microenvironment. Here, we hypothesize that immune cells, particularly T cells, can be used for accurate lung cancer diagnosis by exploiting the distinctive immune-tumor interaction by detecting the immune-diagnostic signature. We have developed an ultrasensitive T-sense nanosensor to probe these specific diagnostic signatures using the physical synthesis process of multiphoton ionization. Our research employed predictive in vitro models of lung cancers, cancer-associated T cells (PCAT, MCAT) and CSC-associated T cells (PCSCAT, MCSCAT), from primary and metastatic lung cancer patients to reveal the immune-diagnostic signature and uncover the molecular, functional, and phenotypic separation between patient-derived T cells (PDT) and healthy samples. We demonstrated this by adopting a machine learning model trained with SERS data obtained using cocultured T cells with preclinical models (CAT, CSCAT) of primary (H69AR) and metastatic lung cancer (H1915). Interrogating these distinct signatures with PDT captured the complexity and diversity of the tumor-associated T cell signature across the patient population, exposing the clinical feasibility of immune diagnosis in an independent cohort of patient samples. Thus, our predictive approach using T cells from the patient peripheral blood showed a highly accurate diagnosis with a specificity and sensitivity of 94.1% and 100%, respectively, for primary lung cancer and 97.9% and 94.4% for metastatic lung cancer. Our results prove that the immune-diagnostic signature developed in this study could be used as a clinical technology for cancer diagnosis and determine the course of clinical management with T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarna Ganesh
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (I BEST), Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Ultrashort Laser Nanomanufacturing Research Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Priya Dharmalingam
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (I BEST), Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Ultrashort Laser Nanomanufacturing Research Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Sunit Das
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8 Canada
| | - Krishnan Venkatakrishnan
- Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Ultrashort Laser Nanomanufacturing Research Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Bo Tan
- Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Nano Characterization Laboratory, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
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11
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Wang L, Wei X, Wang Y. Promoting Angiogenesis Using Immune Cells for Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts. Ann Biomed Eng 2023; 51:660-678. [PMID: 36774426 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03158-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Implantable tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) usually trigger the host reaction which is inextricably linked with the immune system, including blood-material interaction, protein absorption, inflammation, foreign body reaction, and so on. With remarkable progress, the immune response is no longer considered to be entirely harmful to TEVGs, but its therapeutic and impaired effects on angiogenesis and tissue regeneration are parallel. Although the implicated immune mechanisms remain elusive, it is certainly worthwhile to gain detailed knowledge about the function of the individual immune components during angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. This review provides a general overview of immune cells with an emphasis on macrophages in light of the current literature. To the extent possible, we summarize state-of-the-art approaches to immune cell regulation of the vasculature and suggest that future studies are needed to better define the timing of the activity of each cell subpopulation and to further reveal key regulatory switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University) of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xinbo Wei
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University) of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China.
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University) of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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12
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An Angiogenesis-Related lncRNA Signature Is Associated with Prognosis and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Breast Cancer. J Pers Med 2023; 13:jpm13030513. [PMID: 36983695 PMCID: PMC10057494 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13030513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is crucial in the development and progression of tumors. This study examined the relationship between angiogenesis-related lncRNAs (AR-lncRNAs) and breast cancer (BC) immunity and prognosis. We used univariate Cox regression analysis to obtain AR-lncRNAs closely related to BC prognosis. Cluster analysis of BC patients was performed using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) analysis according to the expression of AR-lncRNAs that were prognostically relevant. An AR-lncRNA risk model (AR-lncM) was created using LASSO regression analysis to predict the prognosis and survival of BC patients. Subsequently, the effect of LINC01614 on cell migration and invasion was verified by Transwell and Western blot assays, and the CCK-8 assay detected its impact on cell sensitivity to tamoxifen. Finally, we obtained 17 AR-lncRNAs from the TCGA database that were closely associated with the prognosis of BC patients. Based on the expression of these AR-lncRNAs, BC patients were divided into five clusters using NMF analysis. Cluster 1 was found to have a better prognosis, higher expression of immune checkpoints, and higher levels of immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, an AR-LncM model was created using ten prognostic-related AR-lncRNAs. The model’s risk predictive performance was validated using survival analysis, timeROC curves, and univariate and multivariate Cox analysis. The most interesting gene in the model, LINC01614, was found to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tamoxifen sensitivity in BC cells, implying that LINC01614 could be a potential therapeutic target for BC patients.
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13
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Wang Y, Jiang Y, Guo W, Tang K, Fu Y, Liu R, Chen L. dl-THP recovered the decreased NKp44 expression level on CD56 dim CD16 + natural killer cells partially in choriocarcinoma microenvironment. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152363. [PMID: 36870142 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer cell-based immunotherapy has become a leading-edge tool against cancer, but still faces a variety of challenges, such as phenotype shift and dysfunction of NK cells in tumor microenvironment. Thus, finding potent agents that could inhibit the phenotype shift and incapacity of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment is essential for improving antitumor effects. dl-tetrahydropalmatine (dl-THP), one of the active alkaloids of Chinese herb Corydalis Rhizoma, has been proven to possess antitumor activity. However, whether dl-THP acts on NK cells to enhance antitumor activity remains unknown. In this study, we found that the proportion of blood CD56dimCD16+ NK cells was decreased while the proportion of CD56brightCD16- NK cells was increased when the cells were cultured in conditional medium (CM, medium from the human choriocarcinoma cell lines JEG-3). dl-THP could alter the varied proportion of CD56dimCD16+ NK cells and CD56brightCD16- NK cells in CM respectively. Importantly, the expression level of NKp44 on CD56dimCD16+ NK cells was dramatically reduced when the cells were cultured in CM, which could also be reversed by dl-THP. Furthermore, dl-THP increased the decreased NK-cell cytotoxicity when cells were cultured in CM. In summary, our study demonstrated that dl-THP could recover the decreased NKp44 expression level on CD56dimCD16+ NK cells and restore the cytotoxicity of NK cells in tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazhen Wang
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China; School of Medical Technology, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenwei Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Gongli Hospital, The Second Military Medical University. Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Kang Tang
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yue Fu
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruiyan Liu
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lihua Chen
- Department of Immunology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China.
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Zhou Y, Cheng L, Liu L, Li X. NK cells are never alone: crosstalk and communication in tumour microenvironments. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:34. [PMID: 36797782 PMCID: PMC9933398 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer. The dynamic and heterogeneous tumour microenvironment (TME) causes insufficient infiltration and poor efficacy of natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy, which becomes a key factor triggering tumour progression. Understanding the crosstalk between NK cells and the TME provides new insights for optimising NK cell-based immunotherapy. Here, we present new advances in direct or indirect crosstalk between NK cells and 9 specialised TMEs, including immune, metabolic, innervated niche, mechanical, and microbial microenvironments, summarise TME-mediated mechanisms of NK cell function inhibition, and highlight potential targeted therapies for NK-TME crosstalk. Importantly, we discuss novel strategies to overcome the inhibitory TME and provide an attractive outlook for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhou
- grid.32566.340000 0000 8571 0482The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000 China ,grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China ,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- grid.412643.60000 0004 1757 2902Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. .,Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.
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15
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Gao Q, Mo S, Han C, Liao X, Yang C, Wang X, Liang T, He Y, Chen Z, Zhu G, Su H, Ye X, Peng T. Comprehensive analysis of LILR family genes expression and tumour-infiltrating immune cells in early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. IET Syst Biol 2023; 17:39-57. [PMID: 36748687 PMCID: PMC10116025 DOI: 10.1049/syb2.12058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Leucocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILRs) are closely related to tumourigenesis, but their clinical value in early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) after pancreaticoduodenectomy remains unknown. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression models is used to investigate the association between LILR expression and prognosis in tumour biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Risk score was calculated for each patient based on the prognostic model. DAVID, STRING, GeneMANIA, and GSEA were used to conduct pathway and functional analyses. The CIBERSORT algorithm is used to analyse tumour-infiltrating immune cells. Survival analysis showed that high levels of LILRA4 (p = 0.006) and LILRB4 (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with better overall survival. High levels of LILRA2 (p = 0.008) and LILRB4 (p = 0.038) were significantly associated with better relapse-free survival. JAK-STAT signalling pathway, regulation of T cell activation, regulation of the immune effector process, and tumour necrosis factor superfamily cytokine production were involved in molecular mechanisms that affected poor prognoses in the high-risk group in GSEA. CIBERSORT demonstrated that the high-risk group had significantly higher infiltrating fraction of memory-activated CD4 T cells and activated NK cells and lower fraction of resting dendritic cells and neutrophils. LILRB4 plays crucial roles in affecting the clinical outcomes of early-stage PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Shutian Mo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Chuangye Han
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Nanning, China
| | - Xiwen Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Chengkun Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiangkun Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Tianyi Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yongfei He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Zijun Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Guangzhi Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Nanning, China
| | - Hao Su
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Nanning, China
| | - Xinping Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Nanning, China
| | - Tao Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Nanning, China
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16
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Kaur K, Jewett A. Supercharged NK Cell-Based Immuotherapy in Humanized Bone Marrow Liver and Thymus (Hu-BLT) Mice Model of Oral, Pancreatic, Glioblastoma, Hepatic, Melanoma and Ovarian Cancers. Crit Rev Immunol 2023; 43:13-25. [PMID: 37938193 DOI: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2023050618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we review a number of in vitro and in vivo studies regarding the efficacy of supercharged NK (sNK) cell therapy in elimination or treatment of cancer. We have performed studies using six different types of cancer models of oral, pancreatic, glioblastoma, melanoma, hepatic and ovarian cancers using hu-BLT mice. Our in vitro studies demonstrated that primary NK cells preferentially target cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/poorly differentiated tumors whereas sNK cells target both CSCs/poorly-differentiated and well-differentiated tumors significantly higher than primary activated NK cells. Our in vivo studies in humanized-BLT mice showed that sNK cells alone or in combination with other cancer therapeutics prevented tumor growth and metastasis. In addition, sNK cells were able to increase IFN-γ secretion and cytotoxic function by the immune cells in bone marrow, spleen, gingiva, pancreas and peripheral blood. Furthermore, sNK cells were able to increase the expansion and function of CD8+ T cells both in in vitro and in vivo studies. Overall, our studies demonstrated that sNK cells alone or in combination with other cancer therapeutics were not only effective against eliminating aggressive cancers, but were also able to increase the expansion and function of CD8+ T cells to further target cancer cells, providing a successful approach to eradicate and cure cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawaljit Kaur
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, University of California School of Dentistry, 10833 Le Conte Ave, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anahid Jewett
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, University of California School of Dentistry, 10833 Le Conte Ave, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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17
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Marangio A, Biccari A, D’Angelo E, Sensi F, Spolverato G, Pucciarelli S, Agostini M. The Study of the Extracellular Matrix in Chronic Inflammation: A Way to Prevent Cancer Initiation? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235903. [PMID: 36497384 PMCID: PMC9741172 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235903] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Bidirectional communication between cells and their microenvironment has a key function in normal tissue homeostasis, and in disease initiation, progression and a patient's prognosis, at the very least. The extracellular matrix (ECM), as an element of all tissues and cellular microenvironment, is a frequently overlooked component implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of several diseases. In the inflammatory microenvironment (IME), different alterations resulting from remodeling processes can affect ECM, progressively inducing cancer initiation and the passage toward a tumor microenvironment (TME). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that altered ECM components interact with a variety of surface receptors triggering intracellular signaling that affect cellular pathways in turn. This review aims to support the notion that the ECM and its alterations actively participate in the promotion of chronic inflammation and cancer initiation. In conclusion, some data obtained in cancer research with the employment of decellularized ECM (dECM) models are described. The reported results encourage the application of dECM models to investigate the short circuits contributing to the creation of distinct IME, thus representing a potential tool to avoid the progression toward a malignant lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asia Marangio
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica, Città della Speranza, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Biccari
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica, Città della Speranza, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Edoardo D’Angelo
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica, Città della Speranza, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Sensi
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica, Città della Speranza, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Gaya Spolverato
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pucciarelli
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Agostini
- General Surgery 3, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica, Città della Speranza, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-049-964-0160
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The Influence of the Ketogenic Diet on the Immune Tolerant Microenvironment in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225550. [PMID: 36428642 PMCID: PMC9688691 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) represents an aggressive and immune-resistant cancer. Preclinical investigations have identified anti-tumor activity of a ketogenic diet (KD) potentially being used to target GBM's glycolytic phenotype. Since immune cells in the microenvironment have a similar reliance upon nutrients to perform their individual functions, we sought to determine if KD influenced the immune landscape of GBM. Consistent with previous publications, KD improved survival in GBM in an immune-competent murine model. Immunophenotyping of tumors identified KD-influenced macrophage polarization, with a paradoxical 50% increase in immune-suppressive M2-like-macrophages and a decrease in pro-inflammatory M1-like-macrophages. We recapitulated KD in vitro using a modified cell culture based on metabolomic profiling of serum in KD-fed mice, mechanistically linking the observed changes in macrophage polarization to PPARγ-activation. We hypothesized that parallel increases in M2-macrophage polarization tempered the therapeutic benefit of KD in GBM. To test this, we performed investigations combining KD with the CSF-1R inhibitor (BLZ945), which influences macrophage polarization. The combination demonstrated a striking improvement in survival and correlative studies confirmed BLZ945 normalized KD-induced changes in macrophage polarization. Overall, KD demonstrates antitumor activity in GBM; however, its efficacy is attenuated by promoting an immunosuppressive phenotype in macrophages. Combinatorial strategies designed to modulate macrophage polarization represent a rational approach to improve the anti-tumor activity of KD in GBM.
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Tumino N, Fiore PF, Pelosi A, Moretta L, Vacca P. Myeloid derived suppressor cells in tumor microenvironment: Interaction with innate lymphoid cells. Semin Immunol 2022; 61-64:101668. [PMID: 36370673 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101668] [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: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Human myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) represent a stage of immature myeloid cells and two main subsets can be identified: monocytic and polymorphonuclear. MDSC contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The presence and the activity of MDSC in patients with different tumors correlate with poor prognosis. As previously reported, MDSC promote tumor growth and use different mechanisms to suppress the immune cell-mediated anti-tumor activity. Immunosuppression mechanisms used by MDSC are broad and depend on their differentiation stage and on the pathological context. It is known that some effector cells of the immune system can play an important role in the control of tumor progression and metastatic spread. In particular, innate lymphoid cells (ILC) contribute to control tumor growth representing a potential, versatile and, immunotherapeutic tool. Despite promising results obtained by using new cellular immunotherapeutic approaches, a relevant proportion of patients do not benefit from these therapies. Novel strategies have been investigated to overcome the detrimental effect exerted by the immunosuppressive component of TME (i.e. MDSC). In this review, we summarized the characteristics and the interactions occurring between MDSC and ILC in different tumors discussing how a deeper knowledge on MDSC biology could represent an important target for tumor immunotherapy capable of decreasing immunosuppression and enhancing anti-tumor activity exerted by immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Tumino
- Innate lymphoid cells Unit, Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Andrea Pelosi
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Vacca
- Innate lymphoid cells Unit, Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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20
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PD-1 expression on mouse intratumoral NK cells and its effects on NK cell phenotype. iScience 2022; 25:105137. [PMID: 36185379 PMCID: PMC9523278 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Although PD-1 was shown to be a hallmark of T cells exhaustion, controversial studies have been reported on the role of PD-1 on NK cells. Here, we found by flow cytometry and single cell RNA sequencing analysis that PD-1 can be expressed on MHC class I-deficient tumor-infiltrating NK cells in vivo. We also demonstrate distinct alterations in the phenotype of PD-1-deficient NK cells and a more mature phenotype which might reduce their capacity to migrate and kill in vivo. Tumor-infiltrating NK cells that express PD-1 were highly associated with the expression of CXCR6. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that PD-L1 molecules in membranes of PD-1-deficient NK cells migrate faster than in NK cells from wild-type mice, suggesting that PD-1 and PD-L1 form cis interactions with each other on NK cells. These data demonstrate that there may be a role for the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in tumor-infiltrating NK cells in vivo. NK cells from PD-1 deficient mice have a more mature phenotype Elimination of MHC-I-deficient cells is impaired in PD-1−/− mice PD-1 expression on NK cells is associated with surface expression of CXCR6 PD-1/PD-L1 interactions on NK cells may occur in cis
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21
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Hossain SM, Gimenez G, Stockwell PA, Tsai P, Print CG, Rys J, Cybulska-Stopa B, Ratajska M, Harazin-Lechowska A, Almomani S, Jackson C, Chatterjee A, Eccles MR. Innate immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance is associated with melanoma sub-types exhibiting invasive and de-differentiated gene expression signatures. Front Immunol 2022; 13:955063. [PMID: 36248850 PMCID: PMC9554309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.955063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer, which, although highly immunogenic, frequently escapes the body’s immune defences. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), such as anti-PD1, anti-PDL1, and anti-CTLA4 antibodies lead to reactivation of immune pathways, promoting rejection of melanoma. However, the benefits of ICI therapy remain limited to a relatively small proportion of patients who do not exhibit ICI resistance. Moreover, the precise mechanisms underlying innate and acquired ICI resistance remain unclear. Here, we have investigated differences in melanoma tissues in responder and non-responder patients to anti-PD1 therapy in terms of tumour and immune cell gene-associated signatures. We performed multi-omics investigations on melanoma tumour tissues, which were collected from patients before starting treatment with anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitors. Patients were subsequently categorized into responders and non-responders to anti-PD1 therapy based on RECIST criteria. Multi-omics analyses included RNA-Seq and NanoString analysis. From RNA-Seq data we carried out HLA phenotyping as well as gene enrichment analysis, pathway enrichment analysis and immune cell deconvolution studies. Consistent with previous studies, our data showed that responders to anti-PD1 therapy had higher immune scores (median immune score for responders = 0.1335, median immune score for non-responders = 0.05426, p-value = 0.01, Mann-Whitney U two-tailed exact test) compared to the non-responders. Responder melanomas were more highly enriched with a combination of CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells (p-value = 0.03) and an M1 subtype of macrophages (p-value = 0.001). In addition, melanomas from responder patients exhibited a more differentiated gene expression pattern, with high proliferative- and low invasive-associated gene expression signatures, whereas tumours from non-responders exhibited high invasive- and frequently neural crest-like cell type gene expression signatures. Our findings suggest that non-responder melanomas to anti-PD1 therapy exhibit a de-differentiated gene expression signature, associated with poorer immune cell infiltration, which establishes a gene expression pattern characteristic of innate resistance to anti-PD1 therapy. Improved understanding of tumour-intrinsic gene expression patterns associated with response to anti-PD1 therapy will help to identify predictive biomarkers of ICI response and may help to identify new targets for anticancer treatment, especially with a capacity to function as adjuvants to improve ICI outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultana Mehbuba Hossain
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gregory Gimenez
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter A. Stockwell
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter Tsai
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cristin G. Print
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Janusz Rys
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Krakow, Poland
| | - Bozena Cybulska-Stopa
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magda Ratajska
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Harazin-Lechowska
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Krakow, Poland
| | - Suzan Almomani
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Christopher Jackson
- Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Aniruddha Chatterjee
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michael R. Eccles
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
- *Correspondence: Michael R. Eccles,
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22
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Wahlen S, Matthijssens F, Van Loocke W, Taveirne S, Kiekens L, Persyn E, Van Ammel E, De Vos Z, De Munter S, Matthys P, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Taghon T, Vandekerckhove B, Van Vlierberghe P, Leclercq G. The transcription factor RUNX2 drives the generation of human NK cells and promotes tissue residency. eLife 2022; 11:e80320. [PMID: 35793229 PMCID: PMC9259014 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that eliminate virus-infected and cancer cells by cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. In addition to circulating NK cells, distinct tissue-resident NK subsets have been identified in various organs. Although transcription factors regulating NK cell development and function have been extensively studied in mice, the role of RUNX2 in these processes has not been investigated, neither in mice nor in human. Here, by manipulating RUNX2 expression with either knockdown or overexpression in human haematopoietic stem cell-based NK cell differentiation cultures, combined with transcriptomic and ChIP-sequencing analyses, we established that RUNX2 drives the generation of NK cells, possibly through induction of IL-2Rβ expression in NK progenitor cells. Importantly, RUNX2 promotes tissue residency in human NK cells. Our findings have the potential to improve existing NK cell-based cancer therapies and can impact research fields beyond NK cell biology, since tissue-resident subsets have also been described in other lymphocyte subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Wahlen
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Filip Matthijssens
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Wouter Van Loocke
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Sylvie Taveirne
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Laura Kiekens
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Eva Persyn
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Els Van Ammel
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Zenzi De Vos
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Stijn De Munter
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Patrick Matthys
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | - Tom Taghon
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Bart Vandekerckhove
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
| | - Pieter Van Vlierberghe
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Georges Leclercq
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
- Cancer Research Institute GhentGhentBelgium
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23
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Witalisz-Siepracka A, Klein K, Zdársky B, Stoiber D. The Multifaceted Role of STAT3 in NK-Cell Tumor Surveillance. Front Immunol 2022; 13:947568. [PMID: 35865518 PMCID: PMC9294167 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.947568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a member of the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT pathway, which is one of the key pathways contributing to cancer. STAT3 regulates transcription downstream of many cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. In cancer, STAT3 is mainly described as a tumor promoter driving tumor cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis and aberrant activation of STAT3 is associated with poor prognosis. STAT3 is also an important driver of immune evasion. Among many other immunosuppressive mechanisms, STAT3 aids tumor cells to escape natural killer (NK) cell-mediated immune surveillance. NK cells are innate lymphocytes, which can directly kill malignant cells but also regulate adaptive immune responses and contribute to the composition of the tumor microenvironment. The inborn ability to lyse transformed cells renders NK cells an attractive tool for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we provide an overview of the role of STAT3 in the dynamic interplay between NK cells and tumor cells. On the one hand, we summarize the current knowledge on how tumor cell-intrinsic STAT3 drives the evasion from NK cells. On the other hand, we describe the multiple functions of STAT3 in regulating NK-cell cytotoxicity, cytokine production and their anti-tumor responses in vivo. In light of the ongoing research on STAT3 inhibitors, we also discuss how targeting STAT3 would affect the two arms of STAT3-dependent regulation of NK cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Understanding the complexity of this interplay in the tumor microenvironment is crucial for future implementation of NK cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Witalisz-Siepracka
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Division Pharmacology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
| | - Klara Klein
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Zdársky
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Division Pharmacology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
| | - Dagmar Stoiber
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Division Pharmacology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
- *Correspondence: Dagmar Stoiber,
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24
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He T, Zhang Y, Li X, Liu C, Zhu G, Yin X, Zhang Z, Zhao K, Wang Z, Zhao P, Wang K. Collective analysis of the expression and prognosis for LEM-domain proteins in prostate cancer. World J Surg Oncol 2022; 20:174. [PMID: 35650630 PMCID: PMC9161513 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-022-02640-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammalian LEM-domain proteins (LEMs) are encoded by seven genes, including LAP2, EMD, LEMD1, LEMD2, LEMD3, ANKLE1, and ANKLE2. Though some LEMs were involved in various tumor progression, the expression and prognostic values of LEMs in prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) have yet to be analyzed. METHODS Herein, we investigated the expression, survival data, and immune infiltration levels of LEMs in PRAD patients from ATCG, TIMER, LinkedOmics, and TISIDB databases. We also further validated the mRNA and protein expression levels of ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 in human prostate tumor specimens by qPCR, WB, and IHC. RESULTS We found that all LEM expressions, except for that of LAP2, were markedly altered in PRAD compared to the normal samples. Among all LEMs, only the expressions of ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 were correlated with advanced tumor stage and survival prognosis in PRAD. Consistent with the predicted computational results, the mRNA and protein expression levels of these genes were markedly increased in the PRAD group. We then found that ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 expressions were markedly correlated with immune cell infiltration levels. High ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 expressions predicted a worse prognosis in PRAD based on immune cells. DNA methylation or/and copy number variations may contribute to the abnormal upregulation of ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 in PRAD. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, this study implied that ANKLE1, EMD, and LEMD2 were promising prognosis predictors and potential immunotherapy targets for PRAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianzhen He
- Institute of Special Environmental Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
| | - Yulian Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xueyu Li
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Caihong Liu
- Western Administrative Office Center, Qingdao West Coast New District Health Bureau, No. 166 Shuangzhu Road, Huangdao District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Guanqun Zhu
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xinbao Yin
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zongliang Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zhenlin Wang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Faculty of Sport Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.
- Athletics Department, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, 215316, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China.
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25
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Corvino D, Kumar A, Bald T. Plasticity of NK cells in Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:888313. [PMID: 35619715 PMCID: PMC9127295 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.888313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial to various facets of human immunity and function through direct cytotoxicity or via orchestration of the broader immune response. NK cells exist across a wide range of functional and phenotypic identities. Murine and human studies have revealed that NK cells possess substantial plasticity and can alter their function and phenotype in response to external signals. NK cells also play a critical role in tumor immunity and form the basis for many emerging immunotherapeutic approaches. NK cells can directly target and lyse malignant cells with their inherent cytotoxic capabilities. In addition to direct targeting of malignant cells, certain subsets of NK cells can mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) which is integral to some forms of immune checkpoint-blockade immunotherapy. Another important feature of various NK cell subsets is to co-ordinate anti-tumor immune responses by recruiting adaptive and innate leukocytes. However, given the diverse range of NK cell identities it is unsurprising that both pro-tumoral and anti-tumoral NK cell subsets have been described. Here, NK cell subsets have been shown to promote angiogenesis, drive inflammation and immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment. To date, the signals that drive tumor-infiltrating NK cells towards the acquisition of a pro- or anti-tumoral function are poorly understood. The notion of tumor microenvironment-driven NK cell plasticity has substantial implications for the development of NK-based immunotherapeutics. This review will highlight the current knowledge of NK cell plasticity pertaining to the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, this review will pose critical and relevant questions that need to be addressed by the field in coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon Corvino
- Tumor-Immunobiology, Institute for Experimental Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ananthi Kumar
- Tumor-Immunobiology, Institute for Experimental Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tobias Bald
- Tumor-Immunobiology, Institute for Experimental Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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26
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Gemelli M, Noonan DM, Carlini V, Pelosi G, Barberis M, Ricotta R, Albini A. Overcoming Resistance to Checkpoint Inhibitors: Natural Killer Cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:886440. [PMID: 35712510 PMCID: PMC9194506 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.886440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatments over the last 10 years, with even increasing indications in many neoplasms. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is considered highly immunogenic, and ICIs have found a wide set of applications in this area, in both early and advanced lines of treatment, significantly changing the prognosis of these patients. Unfortunately, not all patients can benefit from the treatment, and resistance to ICIs can develop at any time. In addition to T lymphocytes, which are the major target, a variety of other cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME) act in a complex cross-talk between tumor, stromal, and immune cells. An imbalance between activating and inhibitory signals can shift TME from an “anti-” to a “pro-tumorigenic” phenotype and vice versa. Natural killer cells (NKs) are able to recognize cancer cells, based on MHC I (self and non-self) and independently from antigen presentation. They represent an important link between innate and adaptive immune responses. Little data are available about the role of pro-inflammatory NKs in NSCLC and how they can influence the response to ICIs. NKs express several ligands of the checkpoint family, such as PD-1, TIGIT, TIM-3, LAG3, CD96, IL1R8, and NKG2A. We and others have shown that TME can also shape NKs, converting them into a pro-tumoral, pro-angiogenic “nurturing” phenotype through “decidualization.” The features of these NKs include expression of CD56, CD9, CD49a, and CXCR3; low CD16; and poor cytotoxicity. During ICI therapy, tumor-infiltrating or associated NKs can respond to the inhibitors or counteract the effect by acting as pro-inflammatory. There is a growing interest in NKs as a promising therapeutic target, as a basis for adoptive therapy and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK technology. In this review, we analyzed current evidence on NK function in NSCLC, focusing on their possible influence in response to ICI treatment and resistance development, addressing their prognostic and predictive roles and the rationale for exploiting NKs as a tool to overcome resistance in NSCLC, and envisaging a way to repolarize decidual NK (dNK)-like cells in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gemelli
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milan, Italy
| | - Douglas M. Noonan
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica Science and Technology Park, Milan, Italy
- Immunology and General Pathology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Valentina Carlini
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica Science and Technology Park, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pelosi
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica Science and Technology Park, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Barberis
- Department of Pathology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Ricotta
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Adriana Albini, ; Riccardo Ricotta,
| | - Adriana Albini
- European Institute of Oncology (IEO) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Adriana Albini, ; Riccardo Ricotta,
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27
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Chen T, Kim KY, Oh Y, Jeung HC, Chung KY, Roh MR, Zhang X. Implication of COPB2 Expression on Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14082038. [PMID: 35454945 PMCID: PMC9029015 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14082038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of COPB2 expression on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) pathogenesis. cSCC, a common category of skin cancer, is marked by a reasonably favorable prognosis. However, there has been a steady rise in the annual incidence of cases; in particular, a subset of cases showed aggressive progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of cSCC pathogenesis is largely unknown. In the present study, we found that COPB2 may act as a potential oncogene and modulator of the tumor immune microenvironment in cSCC pathogenesis. Therefore, COPB2 can serve as a novel predictive prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target in cSCC patients. Abstract The underlying molecular mechanisms of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) pathogenesis are largely unknown. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) expression on cSCC pathogenesis. Clinicopathological significance of COPB2 in cSCC was investigated by analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and through a retrospective cohort study of 95 cSCC patients. The effect of COPB2 expression on the biological behavior of cSCC cells was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. We found that COPB2 expression was significantly higher in cSCC samples than in normal skin samples. In our cohort, a considerable association was found between COPB2 expression and indicators of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), such as histocompatibility complex class (MHC) I, and MHC II, CD4+/ CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Additionally, COPB2 expression had an independent impact on worsened recurrence-free survival in our cohort. Furthermore, decreased proliferation, invasion, tumorigenic activities, and increased apoptosis were observed after COPB2 knockdown in cSCC cells. COPB2 may act as a potential oncogene and candidate modulator of the TIME in cSCC. Therefore, it can serve as a novel predictive prognostic biomarker and candidate immunotherapeutic target in cSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiqin Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji 133000, China;
| | - Ki-Yeol Kim
- Department of Dental Education, BK21 PLuS Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Yeongjoo Oh
- Department of Dermatology, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 16995, Korea;
| | - Hei Cheul Jeung
- Cancer Metastasis Research Center, Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06273, Korea;
| | - Kee Yang Chung
- Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Mi Ryung Roh
- Department of Dermatology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06273, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.R.R.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +82-2-2019-3360 (M.R.R.); +82-2-2228-3034 (X.Z.)
| | - Xianglan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji 133000, China
- Oral Cancer Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.R.R.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +82-2-2019-3360 (M.R.R.); +82-2-2228-3034 (X.Z.)
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28
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Zhu J, Song G, Zhou X, Han TL, Yu X, Chen H, Mansell T, Novakovic B, Baker PN, Cannon RD, Saffery R, Chen C, Zhang H. CD39/CD73 Dysregulation of Adenosine Metabolism Increases Decidual Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity: Implications in Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion. Front Immunol 2022; 13:813218. [PMID: 35222389 PMCID: PMC8866181 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.813218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) is believed to be associated with impaired immunosuppression at the maternal-fetal interface, but the detailed molecular mechanism remains unclear. The ATP-adenosine metabolic pathway regulated by CD39/CD73 has recently been recognized to be important in immunosuppression. This study aimed to investigate the regulation of decidual natural killer (dNK) cells and fetal extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells by CD39 and CD73 in URSA, as well as the possible regulatory mechanism of CD39/CD73 via the TGF-β-mTOR-HIF-1α pathway using clinical samples and cell models. Fewer CD39+ and CD73+ cells were found in the URSA decidual and villous tissue, respectively. Inhibition of CD39 on dNK cells transformed the cells to an activated state with increased toxicity and decreased apoptosis, and changed their cytokine secretion, leading to impaired invasion and proliferation of the co-cultured HTR8/SVneo cells. Similarly, inhibition of CD73 on HTR8/SVneo cells decreased the adenosine concentration in the cell culture media, increased the proportion of CD107a+ dNK cells, and decreased the invasion and proliferation capabilities of the HTR8/SVneo cells. In addition, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) triggered phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Smad2/Smad3, which subsequently activated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) to induce the CD73 expression on the HTR8/SVneo cells. In summary, reduced numbers of CD39+ and CD73+ cells at the maternal-fetal interface, which may be due to downregulated TGF-β-mTOR-HIF-1α pathway, results in reduced ATP-adenosine metabolism and increased dNK cytotoxicity, and potentially contributes to URSA occurrences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,The Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Major Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guangmin Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,The Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Major Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ting-Li Han
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyang Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,The Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Major Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Toby Mansell
- Molecular Immunity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Boris Novakovic
- Molecular Immunity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Philip N Baker
- College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Richard D Cannon
- Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richard Saffery
- Molecular Immunity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Chang Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Canada-China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Palano MT, Cucchiara M, Gallazzi M, Riccio F, Mortara L, Gensini GF, Spinetti G, Ambrosio G, Bruno A. When a Friend Becomes Your Enemy: Natural Killer Cells in Atherosclerosis and Atherosclerosis-Associated Risk Factors. Front Immunol 2022; 12:798155. [PMID: 35095876 PMCID: PMC8793801 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.798155] [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: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis (ATS), the change in structure and function of arteries with associated lesion formation and altered blood flow, is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, the number one killer worldwide. Beyond dyslipidemia, chronic inflammation, together with aberrant phenotype and function of cells of both the innate and adaptive immune system, are now recognized as relevant contributors to atherosclerosis onset and progression. While the role of macrophages and T cells in atherosclerosis has been addressed in several studies, Natural Killer cells (NKs) represent a poorly explored immune cell type, that deserves attention, due to NKs’ emerging contribution to vascular homeostasis. Furthermore, the possibility to re-polarize the immune system has emerged as a relevant tool to design new therapies, with some succesfull exmples in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Thus, a deeper knowledge of NK cell pathophysiology in the context of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-associated risk factors could help developing new preventive and treatment strategies, and decipher the complex scenario/history from “the risk factors for atherosclerosis” Here, we review the current knowledge about NK cell phenotype and activities in atherosclerosis and selected atherosclerosis risk factors, namely type-2 diabetes and obesity, and discuss the related NK-cell oriented environmental signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Palano
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Unit of Molecular Pathology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milano, Italy
| | - Martina Cucchiara
- Laboratory of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Matteo Gallazzi
- Laboratory of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Federica Riccio
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiopathology-Regenerative Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mortara
- Laboratory of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Gian Franco Gensini
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milano, Italy
| | - Gaia Spinetti
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiopathology-Regenerative Medicine, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Bruno
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Unit of Molecular Pathology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) MultiMedica, Milano, Italy
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30
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De Lerma Barbaro A, Palano MT, Cucchiara M, Gallazzi M, Mortara L, Bruno A. Metabolic Rewiring in the Tumor Microenvironment to Support Immunotherapy: A Focus on Neutrophils, Polymorphonuclear Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Natural Killer Cells. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9101178. [PMID: 34696286 PMCID: PMC8539473 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leukocytes often undergo rapid changes in cell phenotype, for example, from a resting to an activated state, which places significant metabolic demands on the cell. These rapid changes in metabolic demand need to be tightly regulated to support immune cell effector functions during the initiation and downregulation of an immune response. Prospects for implementing cancer immunotherapy also rest on the idea of optimizing the metabolic profile of immune cell effectors. Here, we examine this issue by focusing on neutrophils and NK cells as cells of increasing interest in cancer immunology and tumor immunometabolism, because they can be targeted or, in the case of NK, used as effectors in immunotherapy. In addition, neutrophils and NK cells have been shown to functionally interact. In the case of neutrophils, we also extended our interest to polymorphonuclear MDSC (PMN-MDSCs), since the granulocytic subset of MDSCs share many phenotypes and are functionally similar to pro-tumor neutrophils. Finally, we reviewed relevant strategies to target tumor metabolism, focusing on neutrophils and NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea De Lerma Barbaro
- Laboratory of Comparative Physiopathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.D.L.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Maria Teresa Palano
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Unit of Molecular Pathology, Biochemistry and Immunology, IRCCS MultiMedica, 20100 Milan, Italy; (M.T.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Martina Cucchiara
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Unit of Molecular Pathology, Biochemistry and Immunology, IRCCS MultiMedica, 20100 Milan, Italy; (M.T.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Matteo Gallazzi
- Laboratory of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Lorenzo Mortara
- Laboratory of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy; (M.G.); (L.M.)
| | - Antonino Bruno
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Unit of Molecular Pathology, Biochemistry and Immunology, IRCCS MultiMedica, 20100 Milan, Italy; (M.T.P.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (A.D.L.B.); (A.B.)
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31
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TIMP1 and TIMP2 Downregulate TGFβ Induced Decidual-like Phenotype in Natural Killer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194955. [PMID: 34638439 PMCID: PMC8507839 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer patients are characterized by NK cells with altered surface markers, such as CD56 brightness, CD9, CD49a (pro-angiogenic) and PD-1, and TIM-3 (exhaustion), that favor immune escape. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) is a major tumor-derived cytokine that favors cancer growth and supports pro-angiogenic activities in NK cells by inducing pro-angiogenic molecules. TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 play a crucial role in extracellular matrix (ECM) regulation, wound healing, pregnancy and cancer, and there is increasing evidence that they are immune-modulatory. We found that recombinant TIMP-1 and -2 can partially contrast the induction of pro-tumor/pro-angiogenic decidual-like polarization of NK cells by TGFβ. Abstract Natural Killer (NK) cells have been found to be anergic, exhausted and pro-angiogenic in cancers. NK cell from healthy donors, exposed to TGFβ, acquire the CD56brightCD9+CD49a+ decidual-like-phenotype, together with decreased levels of NKG2D activation marker, increased levels of TIM-3 exhaustion marker, similar to cancer-associated NK cells. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs) exert dual roles in cancer. The role of TIMPs in modulating immune cells is a very novel concept, and the present is the first report studying their ability to contrast TGFβ action on NK cells. Here, we investigated the effects of TIMP1 and TIMP2 recombinant proteins in hindering decidual-like markers in NK cells, generated by polarizing cytolytic NK cells with TGFβ. The effects of TIMP1 or TIMP2 on NK cell surface antigens were determined by multicolor flow cytometry. We found that TIMP1 and TIMP2 were effective in interfering with TGFβ induced NK cell polarization towards a decidual-like-phenotype. TIMP1 and TIMP2 counteracted the effect of TGFβ in increasing the percentage of CD56bright, CD16−, CD9+ and CD49a+, and restoring normal levels for TIMP 1 and 2 also inhibited decrease levels of the activation marker NKG2D induced by TGFβ and decreased the TGFβ upregulated exhaustion marker TIM-3. NK cell degranulation capabilities against K562 cells were also decreased by TGFβ and not by TIMP1 or TIMP2. TIMP1 treatment could partially restore degranulation marker CD107a expression. Treatment with recombinant TIMP-1 or TIMP-2 showed a trend, although not statistically significant, to decrease CD49a+ and TIM-3+ expression and increase NKG2D in peripheral blood NK cells exposed to conditioned media from colon cancer cell lines. Our results suggest a potential role of TIMPs in controlling the tumor-associated cytokine TGFβ-induced NK cell polarization. Given the heterogeneity of released factors within the TME, it is clear that TGFβ stimulation represents a model to prove TIMP’s new properties, but it cannot be envisaged as a soloist NK cell polarizing agent. Therefore, further studies from the scientific community will help defining TIMPs immunomodulatory activities of NK cells in cancer, and their possible future diagnostic–therapeutic roles.
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32
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Landscape of innate lymphoid cells in human head and neck cancer reveals divergent NK cell states in the tumor microenvironment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2101169118. [PMID: 34244432 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101169118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells comprise one subset of the innate lymphoid cell (ILC) family. Despite reported antitumor functions of NK cells, their tangible contribution to tumor control in humans remains controversial. This is due to incomplete understanding of the NK cell states within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we demonstrate that peripheral circulating NK cells differentiate down two divergent pathways within the TME, resulting in different end states. One resembles intraepithelial ILC1s (ieILC1) and possesses potent in vivo antitumor activity. The other expresses genes associated with immune hyporesponsiveness and has poor antitumor functional capacity. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) and direct contact between the tumor cells and NK cells are required for the differentiation into CD49a+CD103+ cells, resembling ieILC1s. These data explain the similarity between ieILC1s and tissue-resident NK cells, provide insight into the origin of ieILC1s, and identify the ieILC1-like cell state within the TME to be the NK cell phenotype with the greatest antitumor activity. Because the proportions of the different ILC states vary between tumors, these findings provide a resource for the clinical study of innate immune responses against tumors and the design of novel therapy.
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33
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Marofi F, Saleh MM, Rahman HS, Suksatan W, Al-Gazally ME, Abdelbasset WK, Thangavelu L, Yumashev AV, Hassanzadeh A, Yazdanifar M, Motavalli R, Pathak Y, Naimi A, Baradaran B, Nikoo M, Khiavi FM. CAR-engineered NK cells; a promising therapeutic option for treatment of hematological malignancies. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:374. [PMID: 34215336 PMCID: PMC8252313 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02462-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy has received a great deal of interest in the treatment of advanced cancers that are resistant to traditional therapy. The tremendous success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cells in the treatment of cancer, especially hematological cancers, has exposed CAR's potential. However, the toxicity and significant limitations of CAR-T cell immunotherapy prompted research into other immune cells as potential candidates for CAR engineering. NK cells are a major component of the innate immune system, especially for tumor immunosurveillance. They have a higher propensity for immunotherapy in hematologic malignancies because they can detect and eliminate cancerous cells more effectively. In comparison to CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells can be prepared from allogeneic donors and are safer with a lower chance of cytokine release syndrome and graft-versus-host disease, as well as being a more efficient antitumor activity with high efficiency for off-the-shelf production. Moreover, CAR-NK cells may be modified to target various antigens while also increasing their expansion and survival in vivo. Extensive preclinical research has shown that NK cells can be effectively engineered to express CARs with substantial cytotoxic activity against both hematological and solid tumors, establishing evidence for potential clinical trials of CAR-NK cells. In this review, we discuss recent advances in CAR-NK cell engineering in a variety of hematological malignancies, as well as the main challenges that influence the outcomes of CAR-NK cell-based tumor immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faroogh Marofi
- Immunology Research Center (IRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Marwan Mahmood Saleh
- Department of Biophysics, College of Applied Science, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq
| | - Heshu Sulaiman Rahman
- College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology, Chaq-Chaq Qularaise, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq
| | - Wanich Suksatan
- Faculty of Nursing, HRH Princess Chulabhorn College of Medical Science, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, 10210 Thailand
| | | | - Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Lakshmi Thangavelu
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | | | - Ali Hassanzadeh
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Roza Motavalli
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yashwant Pathak
- Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL USA
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Adel Naimi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center (IRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Marzieh Nikoo
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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34
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Angiogenic Properties of NK Cells in Cancer and Other Angiogenesis-Dependent Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071621. [PMID: 34209508 PMCID: PMC8303392 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of many serious diseases, including cancer, is closely related to disturbances in the angiogenesis process. Angiogenesis is essential for the progression of tumor growth and metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has immunosuppressive properties, which contribute to tumor expansion and angiogenesis. Similarly, the uterine microenvironment (UME) exerts a tolerogenic (immunosuppressive) and proangiogenic effect on its cells, promoting implantation and development of the embryo and placenta. In the TME and UME natural killer (NK) cells, which otherwise are capable of killing target cells autonomously, enter a state of reduced cytotoxicity or anergy. Both TME and UME are rich with factors (e.g., TGF-β, glycodelin, hypoxia), which support a conversion of NK cells to the low/non-cytotoxic, proangiogenic CD56brightCD16low phenotype. It is plausible that the phenomenon of acquiring proangiogenic and low cytotoxic features by NK cells is not only limited to cancer but is a common feature of different angiogenesis-dependent diseases (ADDs). In this review, we will discuss the role of NK cells in angiogenesis disturbances associated with cancer and other selected ADDs. Expanding the knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis and its disorders contributes to a better understanding of ADDs and may have therapeutic implications.
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35
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Yang Y, Wu G, Li Q, Zheng Y, Liu M, Zhou L, Chen Z, Wang Y, Guo Q, Ji R, Zhou Y. Angiogenesis-Related Immune Signatures Correlate With Prognosis, Tumor Microenvironment, and Therapeutic Sensitivity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:690206. [PMID: 34262941 PMCID: PMC8273615 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.690206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the highly heterogeneous cancers that lacks an effective risk model for prognosis prediction. Therefore, we searched for angiogenesis-related immune genes that affected the prognosis of HCC to construct a risk model and studied the role of this model in HCC. Methods: In this study, we collected the transcriptome data of HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to identify the association between immune genes and angiogenesis-related genes. Consensus clustering was applied to divide patients into clusters A and B. Subsequently, we studied the differentially expressed angiogenesis-related immune genes (DEari-genes) that affected the prognosis of HCC. The most significant features were identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and a risk model was constructed. The reliability of the risk model was evaluated in the TCGA discovery cohort and the ICGC validation cohort. In addition, we compared the novel risk model to the previous models based on ROC analysis. ssGSEA analysis was used for function evaluation, and pRRophetic was utilized to predict the sensitivity of administering chemotherapeutic agents. Results: Cluster A patients had favorable survival rates. A total of 23 DEari-genes were correlated with the prognosis of HCC. A five-gene (including BIRC5, KITLG, PGF, SPP1, and SHC1) signature-based risk model was constructed. After regrouping the HCC patients by the median score, we could effectively discriminate between them based on the adverse survival outcome, the unique tumor immune microenvironment, and low chemosensitivity. Conclusion: The five-gene signature-based risk score established by ari-genes showed a promising clinical prediction value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guozhi Wu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lingshan Zhou
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhaofeng Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qinghong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Rui Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongning Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Diseases of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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36
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Chung KPS, Leung RWH, Lee TKW. Hampering Stromal Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment as a Therapeutic Strategy to Destem Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3191. [PMID: 34202411 PMCID: PMC8268361 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the tumor bulk play crucial roles in tumor initiation, recurrence and therapeutic resistance. In addition to intrinsic regulation, a growing body of evidence suggests that the phenotypes of CSCs are also regulated extrinsically by stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we discuss the current knowledge of the interplay between stromal cells and cancer cells with a special focus on how stromal cells drive the stemness of cancer cells and immune evasive mechanisms of CSCs. Knowledge gained from the interaction between CSCs and stromal cells will provide a mechanistic basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Po Sin Chung
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; (K.P.S.C.); (R.W.H.L.)
| | - Rainbow Wing Hei Leung
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; (K.P.S.C.); (R.W.H.L.)
| | - Terence Kin Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; (K.P.S.C.); (R.W.H.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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37
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Cordone I, Masi S, Giannarelli D, Pasquale A, Conti L, Telera S, Pace A, Papa E, Marino M, de Fabritiis P, Mengarelli A. Major Differences in Lymphocyte Subpopulations Between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Peripheral Blood in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Without Leptomeningeal Involvement: Flow Cytometry Evidence of a Cerebral Lymphatic System. Front Oncol 2021; 11:685786. [PMID: 34150651 PMCID: PMC8210665 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.685786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow cytometry has a crucial role in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal disease in onco-hematology. This report describes the flow cytometry characterization of 138 CSF samples from patients affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma, negative for disease infiltration. The aim was to focus on the CSF non-neoplastic population, to compare the cellular composition of the CSF with paired peripheral blood samples and to document the feasibility of flow cytometry in hypocellular samples. Despite the extremely low cell count (1 cell/µl, range 1.0-35) the study was successfully conducted in 95% of the samples. T lymphocytes were the most abundant subset in CSF (77%; range 20-100%) with a predominance of CD4-positive over CD8-positive T cells (CD4/CD8 ratio = 2) together with a minority of monocytes (15%; range 0-70%). No B cells were identified in 90% of samples. Of relevance, a normal, non-clonal B-cell population was documented in 5/7 (71%) patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma at diagnosis (p<0.0001), suggesting a possible involvement of blood-brain barrier cell permeability in the pathogenesis of cerebral B-cell lymphomas. The highly significant differences between CSF and paired peripheral blood lymphoid phenotype (p<0.0001) confirms the existence of an active mechanism of lymphoid migration through the meninges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iole Cordone
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Masi
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Diana Giannarelli
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Pasquale
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Conti
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Telera
- Department of Research and Clinical Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Pace
- Department of Research and Clinical Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Papa
- Department of Research and Clinical Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Mirella Marino
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo de Fabritiis
- Hematology, S Eugenio Hospital, ASL Roma2, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Mengarelli
- Department of Research and Clinical Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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38
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Tu Z, Schmoellerl J, Mariani O, Zheng Y, Hu Y, Vincent-Salomon A, Karnoub AE. The LINC01119-SOCS5 axis as a critical theranostic in triple-negative breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2021; 7:69. [PMID: 34059683 PMCID: PMC8166834 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-021-00259-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is critically regulated by certain tumor-microenvironment-associated cells called mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), which we and others have shown promote TNBC progression by activating pro-malignant signaling in neighboring cancer cells. Characterization of these cascades would better our understanding of TNBC biology and bring about therapeutics that eliminate the morbidity and mortality associated with advanced disease. Here, we focused on the emerging class of RNAs called long non-coding RNAs or lncRNAs and utilized a MSC-supported TNBC progression model to identify specific family members of functional relevance to TNBC pathogenesis. Indeed, although some have been described to play functional roles in TNBC, activities of lncRNAs as mediators of tumor-microenvironment-driven TNBC development remain to be fully explored. We report that MSCs stimulate robust expression of LINC01119 in TNBC cells, which in turn induces suppressor of cytokine signaling 5 (SOCS5), leading to accelerated cancer cell growth and tumorigenesis. We show that LINC01119 and SOCS5 exhibit tight correlation across multiple breast cancer gene sets and that they are highly enriched in TNBC patient cohorts. Importantly, we present evidence that the LINC01119-SOCS5 axis represents a powerful prognostic indicator of adverse outcomes in TNBC patients, and demonstrate that its repression severely impairs cancer cell growth. Altogether, our findings identify LINC01119 as a major driver of TNBC development and delineate critical non-coding RNA theranostics of potential translational utility in the management of advanced TNBC, a class of tumors in most need of effective and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenbo Tu
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johannes Schmoellerl
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Yurong Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Antoine E Karnoub
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Zalfa C, Paust S. Natural Killer Cell Interactions With Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment and Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:633205. [PMID: 34025641 PMCID: PMC8133367 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.633205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and heterogeneous environment composed of cancer cells, tumor stroma, a mixture of tissue-resident and infiltrating immune cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in fighting tumors, but chronic stimulation and immunosuppression in the TME lead to NK cell exhaustion and limited antitumor functions. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid cells with potent immunosuppressive activity that gradually accumulate in tumor tissues. MDSCs interact with innate and adaptive immune cells and play a crucial role in negatively regulating the immune response to tumors. This review discusses MDSC-mediated NK cell regulation within the TME, focusing on critical cellular and molecular interactions. We review current strategies that target MDSC-mediated immunosuppression to enhance NK cell cytotoxic antitumor activity. We also speculate on how NK cell-based antitumor immunotherapy could be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silke Paust
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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40
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Wang X, Zhao XY. Transcription Factors Associated With IL-15 Cytokine Signaling During NK Cell Development. Front Immunol 2021; 12:610789. [PMID: 33815365 PMCID: PMC8013977 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.610789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes primarily involved in innate immunity and possess important functional properties in anti-viral and anti-tumor responses; thus, these cells have broad potential for clinical utilization. NK cells originate from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) through the following two independent and continuous processes: early commitment from HSCs to IL-15-responsive NK cell progenitors (NKPs) and subsequent differentiation into mature NK cells in response to IL-15. IL-15 is the most important cytokine for NK cell development, is produced by both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells, and functions through a distinct delivery process termed transpresentation. Upon being transpresented to NK cells, IL-15 contributes to NK cell development via the activation of several downstream signaling pathways, including the Ras-MEK-MAPK, JAK-STAT5, and PI3K-ATK-mTOR pathways. Nonetheless, the exact role of IL-15 in NK cell development has not been discussed in a consecutive and comprehensive manner. Here, we review current knowledge about the indispensable role of IL-15 in NK cell development and address which cells produce IL-15 to support NK cell development and when IL-15 exerts its function during multiple developmental stages. Specifically, we highlight how IL-15 supports NK cell development by elucidating the distinct transpresentation of IL-15 to NK cells and revealing the downstream target of IL-15 signaling during NK cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing, China.,Beijing Engineering Laboratory for Cellular Therapy, Beijing, China
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41
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Ruth JH, Gurrea-Rubio M, Athukorala KS, Rasmussen SM, Weber DP, Randon PM, Gedert RJ, Lind ME, Amin MA, Campbell PL, Tsou PS, Mao-Draayer Y, Wu Q, Lanigan TM, Keshamouni VG, Singer NG, Lin F, Fox DA. CD6 is a target for cancer immunotherapy. JCI Insight 2021; 6:145662. [PMID: 33497367 PMCID: PMC8021120 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.145662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Limitations of checkpoint inhibitor cancer immunotherapy include induction of autoimmune syndromes and resistance of many cancers. Since CD318, a novel CD6 ligand, is associated with the aggressiveness and metastatic potential of human cancers, we tested the effect of an anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody, UMCD6, on killing of cancer cells by human lymphocytes. UMCD6 augmented killing of breast, lung, and prostate cancer cells through direct effects on both CD8+ T cells and NK cells, increasing cancer cell death and lowering cancer cell survival in vitro more robustly than monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitors that interrupt the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis. UMCD6 also augmented in vivo killing by human peripheral blood lymphocytes of a human breast cancer line xenotransplanted into immunodeficient mice. Mechanistically, UMCD6 upregulated the expression of the activating receptor NKG2D and downregulated expression of the inhibitory receptor NKG2A on both NK cells and CD8+ T cells, with concurrent increases in perforin and granzyme B production. The combined capability of an anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody to control autoimmunity through effects on CD4+ lymphocyte differentiation while enhancing killing of cancer cells through distinct effects on CD8+ and NK cells opens a potential new approach to cancer immunotherapy that would suppress rather than instigate autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qi Wu
- Department of Neurology, and
| | | | | | - Nora G Singer
- Case Western Reserve University.,Division of Rheumatology, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Feng Lin
- Department of Immunity and Inflammation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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42
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Pan C, Wang Y, Liu Q, Hu Y, Fu J, Xie X, Zhang S, Xi M, Wen J. Phenotypic profiling and prognostic significance of immune infiltrates in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1883890. [PMID: 33628625 PMCID: PMC7889084 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1883890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) impacts tumor progression but is poorly understood. We obtained tumor tissues from 279 patients after esophagectomy and characterized the TME in intraepithelial and stromal regions using multiplex fluorescent immunohistochemistry (mfIHC). A heterogeneous immune population infiltrating tumor and the uninvolved esophageal tissue were observed. The infiltration of intraepithelial programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and stromal granzyme B+ activated cytotoxic T cells (aCTLs) correlated with both prolonged overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The intraepithelial memory T cell infiltration predicted longer OS, while intraepithelial and stromal regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration was associated with shortened OS and DFS, respectively. Multivariate models combining immune infiltrates and clinicopathological factors outperformed tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage in predicting OS and DFS at 3 and 5 years. The infiltration of Treg inversely correlated with that of the antitumor effectors including CTLs, aCTLs, and natural killer (NK) cells. Intraepithelial memory T cell infiltration also negatively correlated with PD-L1 expression. In spatial analysis, intraepithelial dendritic cell (DC)-memory T cell engagement increased in high PD-L1+ TAM infiltration group. The characterization of the TME revealed a complex interplay between immune populations and may be employed to stratify patient for prognosis prediction and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuqing Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qianwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yihuai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuying Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuishen Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mian Xi
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Department of Radiotherapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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43
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Rudolph J, Roberts G, Luger K. Histone Parylation factor 1 contributes to the inhibition of PARP1 by cancer drugs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:736. [PMID: 33531508 PMCID: PMC7854685 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20998-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 and 2 (PARP1 and PARP2) are key enzymes in the DNA damage response. Four different inhibitors (PARPi) are currently in the clinic for treatment of ovarian and breast cancer. Recently, histone PARylation Factor 1 (HPF1) has been shown to play an essential role in the PARP1- and PARP2-dependent poly-(ADP-ribosylation) (PARylation) of histones, by forming a complex with both enzymes and altering their catalytic properties. Given the proximity of HPF1 to the inhibitor binding site both PARPs, we hypothesized that HPF1 may modulate the affinity of inhibitors toward PARP1 and/or PARP2. Here we demonstrate that HPF1 significantly increases the affinity for a PARP1 - DNA complex of some PARPi (i.e., olaparib), but not others (i.e., veliparib). This effect of HPF1 on the binding affinity of Olaparib also holds true for the more physiologically relevant PARP1 - nucleosome complex but does not extend to PARP2. Our results have important implications for the interpretation of PARP inhibition by current PARPi as well as for the design and analysis of the next generation of clinically relevant PARP inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Rudolph
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Genevieve Roberts
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Karolin Luger
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA.
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44
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Yao X, Matosevic S. Chemokine networks modulating natural killer cell trafficking to solid tumors. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2021; 59:36-45. [PMID: 33495094 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-based cell therapy has been emerging as a powerful weapon in the treatment of multiple malignancies. However, the inadequate infiltration of the therapeutic NK cells into solid tumors remains a big challenge to their clinical utility. Chemokine networks, which play essential roles in the migration of lymphocytes, have been recognized as critical in driving the intratumoral infiltration of NK cells via interactions between soluble chemokines and their receptors. Often, such interactions are complex and disease-specific. In the context of NK cells, chemokine receptors of note have included CCR2, CCR5, CCR7, CXCR3, and CX3CR1. The immunobiology of chemokine-receptor interactions has fueled the development of approaches that hope to improve the infiltration of NK cells into the microenvironment of solid tumors. Stimulation of NK cells ex vivo in the presence of various cytokines (such as IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21) and genetic engineering of NK cells have been utilized to alter the chemokine receptor profile and generate NK cells with higher infiltrating capacity. Additionally, the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment has also been targeted, by introducing, either directly or indirectly, chemokine ligands which NK cells are able to respond to, ultimately creating a more hospitable niche for NK cell trafficking. Such strategies have promoted the infiltration and activity of infused NK cells into multiple solid tumors. In this review, we discuss how chemokine receptors and their ligands coordinate and how they can be manipulated to regulate the trafficking, distribution, and residence of NK cells in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yao
- Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Sandro Matosevic
- Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907 USA.
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45
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ADCC against MICA/B Is Mediated against Differentiated Oral and Pancreatic and Not Stem-Like/Poorly Differentiated Tumors by the NK Cells; Loss in Cancer Patients due to Down-Modulation of CD16 Receptor. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020239. [PMID: 33440654 PMCID: PMC7826810 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells are known to upregulate major histocompatibility complex-class I chain related proteins A and B (MICA/B) expression under stress conditions or due to radiation exposure. However, it is not clear whether there are specific stages of cellular maturation in which these ligands are upregulated or whether the natural killer (NK) cells differentially target these tumors in direct cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC). We used freshly isolated primary and osteoclast (OCs)-expanded NK cells to determine the degree of direct cytotoxicity or of ADCC using anti-MICA/B monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against oral stem-like/poorly-differentiated oral squamous cancer stem cells (OSCSCs) and Mia PaCa-2 (MP2) pancreatic tumors as well as their well-differentiated counterparts: namely, oral squamous carcinoma cells (OSCCs) and pancreatic PL12 tumors. By using phenotypic and functional analysis, we demonstrated that OSCSCs and MP2 tumors were primary targets of direct cytotoxicity by freshly isolated NK cells and not by ADCC mediated by anti-MICA/B mAbs, which was likely due to the lower surface expression of MICA/B. However, the inverse was seen when their MICA/B-expressing differentiated counterparts, OSCCs and PL12 tumors, were used in direct cytotoxicity and ADCC, in which there was lower direct cytotoxicity but higher ADCC mediated by the NK cells. Differentiation of the OSCSCs and MP2 tumors by NK cell-supernatants abolished the direct killing of these tumors by the NK cells while enhancing NK cell-mediated ADCC due to the increased expression of MICA/B on the surface of these tumors. We further report that both direct killing and ADCC against MICA/B expressing tumors were significantly diminished by cancer patients' NK cells. Surprisingly, OC-expanded NK cells, unlike primary interleukin-2 (IL-2) activated NK cells, were found to kill OSCCs and PL12 tumors, and under these conditions, we did not observe significant ADCC using anti-MICA/B mAbs, even though the tumors expressed a higher surface expression of MICA/B. In addition, differentiated tumor cells also expressed higher levels of surface epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and programmed death-ligand 1(PDL1) and were more susceptible to NK cell-mediated ADCC in the presence of anti-EGFR and anti-PDL1 mAbs compared to their stem-like/poorly differentiated counterparts. Overall, these results suggested the possibility of CD16 receptors mediating both direct cytotoxicity and ADCC, resulting in the competitive use of these receptors in either direct killing or ADCC, depending on the differentiation status of tumor cells and the stage of maturation and activation of NK cells.
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46
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Lipid Metabolism in Tumor-Associated Natural Killer Cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1316:71-85. [PMID: 33740244 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-33-6785-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Accumulative data demonstrate that during the initiation and progression of tumors, several types of cellular components in tumor microenvironment, including tumor cells and immune cells, exhibit malfunctions in cellular energy metabolism. For instance, lipid metabolism impairments in immune cells are crucial in coordinating immunosuppression and tumor immune escape. In particular, excessive lipids have been shown to exhibit negative effects on innate immunity. Previous studies on lipid metabolism in immune cells are mainly focused on macrophages and T lymphocytes. Although natural killer (NK) cells are major players in the innate elimination of virus, bacteria, and tumor cells, available literature reports related with lipid metabolism in NK cells and tumor-associated NK (TANK) cells are very sparse. Despite these, the importance and clinical relevance of the crosstalk among lipid metabolism, NK/TANK cells, and tumors have been clearly indicated. In this chapter, following a general description of NK and TANK cells, our knowledge on the regulation of lipid metabolism in NK cells is reviewed, with an emphasis on the roles of mTOR and SREBP signaling. Then the interactions between lipid metabolism and NK/TANK cells under pathological conditions, e.g., obesity and cancer, were carefully introduced. As there is an urgent need to reveal more regulators and to clarify detailed molecular mechanisms by which lipid metabolism interacts with NK/TANK cells, several categories of potential regulators/pathways, as well as the challenges and perspectives in this emerging field, are discussed.
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47
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Albini A, Noonan DM. Decidual-Like NK Cell Polarization: From Cancer Killing to Cancer Nurturing. Cancer Discov 2020; 11:28-33. [PMID: 33277305 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells accumulate at the fetal-maternal interface and represent 70% of immune cells in the decidua (dNK) at first-trimester pregnancy; they are immune-tolerant toward the semiallogenic fetus and are "nurturing" and nonkilling NK cells. A subset of NK cells in patients with cancer have features in common with dNK, which include expressing CD56, CD9, CD49a, and CXCR3, being poorly cytotoxic and proangiogenic, and mimicking the decidual nurturing role. In the oncologic patient, several factors can "decidualize" NK cells, turning them into immune-suppressant, growth-promoting proangiogenic cells. Here, we suggest ways to sharpen their blunted blades and intercept and curb their cancer-nurturing attitudes to restore their cytotoxic capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Albini
- Scientific and Technology Pole, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy.
| | - Douglas M Noonan
- Scientific and Technology Pole, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
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48
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Kaur K, Ko MW, Ohanian N, Cook J, Jewett A. Osteoclast-expanded super-charged NK-cells preferentially select and expand CD8+ T cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20363. [PMID: 33230147 PMCID: PMC7683603 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76702-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoclasts (OCs) and much less dendritic cells (DCs) induce significant expansion and functional activation of NK cells, and furthermore, the OC-expanded NK cells preferentially increase the expansion and activation of CD8+ T cells by targeting CD4+ T cells. When autologous OCs were used to expand patient NK cells much lower percentages of expanded CD8+ T cells, decreased numbers of expanded NK cells and decreased functions of NK cells could be observed, and the addition of allogeneic healthy OCs increased the patients' NK function. Mechanistically, OC-expanded NK cells were found to lyse CD4+ T cells but not CD8+ T cells suggesting potential selection of CD8+ T cells before their expansion by OC activated NK cells. In agreement, Increased IFN-γ secretion, and NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and higher percentages of CD8+ T cells, in various tissue compartments of oral tumor-bearing hu-BLT mice in response to immunotherapy by OC-expanded NK cells were observed. Thus, our results indicate an important relationship between NK and CD8+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawaljit Kaur
- Division of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Meng-Wei Ko
- Division of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nick Ohanian
- Division of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jessica Cook
- Division of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Anahid Jewett
- Division of Oral Biology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry and Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry and Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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49
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Baci D, Bosi A, Parisi L, Buono G, Mortara L, Ambrosio G, Bruno A. Innate Immunity Effector Cells as Inflammatory Drivers of Cardiac Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7165. [PMID: 32998408 PMCID: PMC7583949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite relevant advances made in therapies for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), they still represent the first cause of death worldwide. Cardiac fibrosis and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling are common end-organ features in diseased hearts, leading to tissue stiffness, impaired myocardial functional, and progression to heart failure. Although fibrosis has been largely recognized to accompany and complicate various CVDs, events and mechanisms driving and governing fibrosis are still not entirely elucidated, and clinical interventions targeting cardiac fibrosis are not yet available. Immune cell types, both from innate and adaptive immunity, are involved not just in the classical response to pathogens, but they take an active part in "sterile" inflammation, in response to ischemia and other forms of injury. In this context, different cell types infiltrate the injured heart and release distinct pro-inflammatory cytokines that initiate the fibrotic response by triggering myofibroblast activation. The complex interplay between immune cells, fibroblasts, and other non-immune/host-derived cells is now considered as the major driving force of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we review and discuss the contribution of inflammatory cells of innate immunity, including neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer cells, eosinophils and mast cells, in modulating the myocardial microenvironment, by orchestrating the fibrogenic process in response to tissue injury. A better understanding of the time frame, sequences of events during immune cells infiltration, and their action in the injured inflammatory heart environment, may provide a rationale to design new and more efficacious therapeutic interventions to reduce cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denisa Baci
- Immunology and General Pathology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Bosi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| | - Luca Parisi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Buono
- Unit of Immunology, IRCCS MultiMedica, 20138 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Mortara
- Immunology and General Pathology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Ambrosio
- Division of Cardiology, University of Perugia School of Medicine, 06123 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Antonino Bruno
- Unit of Immunology, IRCCS MultiMedica, 20138 Milan, Italy;
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Piqué DG, Greally JM, Mar JC. Identification of a novel subgroup of endometrial cancer patients with loss of thyroid hormone receptor beta expression and improved survival. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:857. [PMID: 32894083 PMCID: PMC7487950 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07325-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic cancer in women, and the incidence of EC has increased by about 1% per year in the U. S over the last 10 years. Although 5-year survival rates for early-stage EC are around 80%, certain subtypes of EC that lose nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) expression are associated with poor survival rates. For example, estrogen receptor (ER)-negative EC typically harbors a worse prognosis compared to ER-positive EC. The molecular basis for the loss of NHR expression in endometrial tumors and its contribution to poor survival is largely unknown. Furthermore, there are no tools to systematically identify tumors that lose NHR mRNA expression relative to normal tissue. The development of such an approach could identify sets of NHR-based biomarkers for classifying patients into subgroups with poor survival outcomes. METHODS Here, a new computational method, termed receptLoss, was developed for identifying NHR expression loss in endometrial cancer relative to adjacent normal tissue. When applied to gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), receptLoss identified 6 NHRs that were highly expressed in normal tissue and exhibited expression loss in a subset of endometrial tumors. RESULTS Three of the six identified NHRs - estrogen, progesterone, and androgen receptors - that are known to lose expression in ECs were correctly identified by receptLoss. Additionally, a novel association was found between thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRB) expression loss, increased expression of miRNA-146a, and increased rates of 5-year survival in the EC TCGA patient cohort. THRB expression loss occurs independently of estrogen and progesterone expression loss, suggesting the discovery of a distinct, clinically-relevant molecular subgroup. CONCLUSION ReceptLoss is a novel, open-source software tool to systematically identify NHR expression loss in cancer. The application of receptLoss to endometrial cancer gene expression data identified THRB, a previously undescribed biomarker of survival in endometrial cancer. Applying receptLoss to expression data from additional cancer types could lead to the development of biomarkers of disease progression for patients with any other tumor type. ReceptLoss can be applied to expression data from additional cancer types with the goal of identifying biomarkers of differential survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Piqué
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - John M. Greally
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - Jessica C. Mar
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Building 75, Cnr. College Rd & Cooper Rd, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia
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