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Maimela PWM, Smith M, Nel AJM, Bernam SDP, Jonas EG, Blackburn JM. Humoral immunoprofiling identifies novel biomarkers and an immune suppressive autoantibody phenotype at the site of disease in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1330419. [PMID: 38450186 PMCID: PMC10917065 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1330419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a heterogeneous cancer, with minimal response to therapeutic intervention and with 85% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage due to lack of early symptoms, highlighting the importance of understanding PDAC immunology in greater detail. Here, we applied an immunoproteomic approach to investigate autoantibody responses against cancer-testis and tumor-associated antigens in PDAC using a high-throughput multiplexed protein microarray platform, comparing humoral immune responses in serum and at the site of disease in order to shed new light on immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. We simultaneously quantified serum or tissue IgG and IgA antibody isotypes and subclasses in a cohort of PDAC, disease control and healthy patients, observing inter alia that subclass utilization in tumor tissue samples was predominantly immune suppressive IgG4 and inflammatory IgA2, contrasting with predominant IgG3 and IgA1 subclass utilization in matched sera and implying local autoantibody production at the site of disease in an immune-tolerant environment. By comparison, serum autoantibody subclass profiling for the disease controls identified IgG4, IgG1, and IgA1 as the abundant subclasses. Combinatorial analysis of serum autoantibody responses identified panels of candidate biomarkers. The top IgG panel included ACVR2B, GAGE1, LEMD1, MAGEB1 and PAGE1 (sensitivity, specificity and AUC values of 0.933, 0.767 and 0.906). Conversely, the top IgA panel included AURKA, GAGE1, MAGEA10, PLEKHA5 and XAGE3aV1 (sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of 1.000, 0.800, and 0.954). Assessment of antigen-specific serum autoantibody glycoforms revealed abundant sialylation on IgA in PDAC, consistent with an immune suppressive IgA response to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Winnie M. Maimela
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Muneerah Smith
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Andrew J. M. Nel
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Eduard G. Jonas
- Department of Surgery, Gastroenterology Unit, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan M. Blackburn
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Sengenics Corporation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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2
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Minz AP, Mohapatra D, Dutta M, Sethi M, Parida D, Mohapatra AP, Mishra S, Kar S, Sasmal PK, Senapati S. Statins abrogate gemcitabine-induced PD-L1 expression in pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells with improved therapeutic outcome. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:4261-4278. [PMID: 37926727 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03562-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
A combination of chemotherapy with immunotherapy has been proposed to have better clinical outcomes in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). On the other hand, chemotherapeutics is known to have certain unwanted effects on the tumor microenvironment that may mask the expected beneficial effects of immunotherapy. Here, we have investigated the effect of gemcitabine (GEM), on two immune checkpoint proteins (PD-L1 and PD-L2) expression in cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs). Findings of in vitro studies conducted by using in-culture activated mouse pancreatic stellate cells (mPSCs) and human PDAC patients derived CAFs demonstrated that GEM significantly induces PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in these cells. Moreover, GEM induced phosphorylation of STAT1 and production of multiple known PD-L1-inducing secretory proteins including IFN-γ in CAFs. Upregulation of PD-L1 in PSCs/CAFs upon GEM treatment caused T cell inactivation and apoptosis in vitro. Importantly, Statins suppressed GEM-induced PD-L1 expression both in CAFs and PCCs while abrogating the inactivation of T-cells caused by GEM-treated PSCs/CAFs. Finally, in an immunocompetent syngeneic orthotopic mouse pancreatic tumor model, simvastatin and GEM combination therapy significantly reduced intra-tumor PD-L1 expression and noticeably reduced the overall tumor burden and metastasis incidence. Together, the findings of this study have provided experimental evidence that illustrates potential unwanted side effects of GEM that could hamper the effectiveness of this drug as mono and/or combination therapy. At the same time the findings also suggest use of statins along with GEM will help in overcoming these shortcomings and warrant further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliva Prity Minz
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Debasish Mohapatra
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- CV Raman Global University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Madhuri Dutta
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
| | - Manisha Sethi
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Deepti Parida
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Amlan Priyadarshee Mohapatra
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Swayambara Mishra
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Salona Kar
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Prakash K Sasmal
- Department of General Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
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3
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Timmer FEF, Geboers B, Scheffer HJ, Bakker J, Ruarus AH, Dijkstra M, van der Lei S, Boon R, Nieuwenhuizen S, van den Bemd BAT, Schouten EAC, van den Tol PM, Puijk RS, de Vries JJJ, de Gruijl TD, Meijerink MR. Tissue Resistance Decrease during Irreversible Electroporation of Pancreatic Cancer as a Biomarker for the Adaptive Immune Response and Survival. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2023; 34:1777-1784.e4. [PMID: 37391072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2023.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To correlate irreversible electroporation (IRE) procedural resistance changes with survival outcomes and the IRE-induced systemic immune response in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data on IRE procedural tissue resistance (R) features and survival outcomes were collected from patients with LAPC treated within the context of 2 prospective clinical trials in a single tertiary center. Preprocedural and postprocedural peripheral blood samples were prospectively collected for immune monitoring. The change (ie, decrease) in R during the first 10 test pulses (ΔR10p) and during the total procedure (ΔRtotal) were calculated. Patients were divided in 2 groups on the basis of the median change in R (large ΔR vs small ΔR) and compared for differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival and immune cell subsets. RESULTS A total of 54 patients were included; of these, 20 underwent immune monitoring. Linear regression modeling showed that the first 10 test pulses reflected the change in tissue resistance during the total procedure appropriately (P < .001; R2 = 0.91). A large change in tissue resistance significantly correlated with a better OS (P = .026) and longer time to disease progression (P = .045). Furthermore, a large change in tissue resistance was associated with CD8+ T cell activation through significant upregulation of Ki-67+ (P = .02) and PD-1+ (P = .047). Additionally, this subgroup demonstrated significantly increased expression of CD80 on conventional dendritic cells (cDC1; P = .027) and PD-L1 on immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (P = .039). CONCLUSIONS IRE procedural resistance changes may serve as a biomarker for survival and IRE-induced systemic CD8+ T cell and cDC1 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentine E F Timmer
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bart Geboers
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Hester J Scheffer
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joyce Bakker
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alette H Ruarus
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Madelon Dijkstra
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Susan van der Lei
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rianne Boon
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Nieuwenhuizen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bente A T van den Bemd
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Evelien A C Schouten
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Robbert S Puijk
- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Onze Lieve Vrouwen Gasthuis, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan J J de Vries
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tanja D de Gruijl
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Meijerink
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Montagne JM, Jaffee EM, Fertig EJ. Multiomics Empowers Predictive Pancreatic Cancer Immunotherapy. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:859-868. [PMID: 36947820 PMCID: PMC10236355 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Advances in cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, have dramatically improved the prognosis for patients with metastatic melanoma and other previously incurable cancers. However, patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) generally do not respond to these therapies. PDAC is exceptionally difficult to treat because of its often late stage at diagnosis, modest mutation burden, and notoriously complex and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Simultaneously interrogating features of cancer, immune, and other cellular components of the PDAC tumor microenvironment is therefore crucial for identifying biomarkers of immunotherapeutic resistance and response. Notably, single-cell and multiomics technologies, along with the analytical tools for interpreting corresponding data, are facilitating discoveries of the systems-level cellular and molecular interactions contributing to the overall resistance of PDAC to immunotherapy. Thus, in this review, we will explore how multiomics and single-cell analyses provide the unprecedented opportunity to identify biomarkers of resistance and response to successfully sensitize PDAC to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle M Montagne
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Elizabeth M Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Bloomberg Kimmel Immunology Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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5
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Revskij D, Runst J, Umstätter C, Ehlers L, Rohde S, Zechner D, Bastian M, Müller-Hilke B, Fuellen G, Henze L, Murua Escobar H, Junghanss C, Kowald A, Walter U, Köhling R, Wolkenhauer O, Jaster R. Uncoupling protein 2 deficiency of non-cancerous tissues inhibits the progression of pancreatic cancer in mice. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2023; 22:190-199. [PMID: 36549966 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a disease of the elderly mostly because its development from preneoplastic lesions depends on the accumulation of gene mutations and epigenetic alterations over time. How aging of non-cancerous tissues of the host affects tumor progression, however, remains largely unknown. METHODS We took advantage of a model of accelerated aging, uncoupling protein 2-deficient (Ucp2 knockout, Ucp2 KO) mice, to investigate the growth of orthotopically transplanted Ucp2 wild-type (WT) PDAC cells (cell lines Panc02 and 6606PDA) in vivo and to study strain-dependent differences of the PDAC microenvironment. RESULTS Measurements of tumor weights and quantification of proliferating cells indicated a significant growth advantage of Panc02 and 6606PDA cells in WT mice compared to Ucp2 KO mice. In tumors in the knockout strain, higher levels of interferon-γ mRNA despite similar numbers of tumor-infiltrating T cells were observed. 6606PDA cells triggered a stronger stromal reaction in Ucp2 KO mice than in WT animals. Accordingly, pancreatic stellate cells from Ucp2 KO mice proliferated at a higher rate than cells of the WT strain when they were incubated with conditioned media from PDAC cells. CONCLUSIONS Ucp2 modulates PDAC microenvironment in a way that favors tumor progression and implicates an altered stromal response as one of the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Revskij
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Jakob Runst
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Camilla Umstätter
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Luise Ehlers
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Sarah Rohde
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zechner
- Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Manuela Bastian
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Brigitte Müller-Hilke
- Facility for Cell Sorting and Cell Analysis and Institute of Immunology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Georg Fuellen
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Larissa Henze
- Department of Medicine, Clinic III, Hematology, Oncology, Palliative Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Hugo Murua Escobar
- Department of Medicine, Clinic III, Hematology, Oncology, Palliative Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Christian Junghanss
- Department of Medicine, Clinic III, Hematology, Oncology, Palliative Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Axel Kowald
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Uwe Walter
- Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Köhling
- Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Olaf Wolkenhauer
- Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Robert Jaster
- Department of Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
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6
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Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas are distinguished by their robust desmoplasia, or fibroinflammatory response. Dominated by non-malignant cells, the mutated epithelium must therefore combat, cooperate with or co-opt the surrounding cells and signalling processes in its microenvironment. It is proposed that an invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma represents the coordinated evolution of malignant and non-malignant cells and mechanisms that subvert and repurpose normal tissue composition, architecture and physiology to foster tumorigenesis. The complex kinetics and stepwise development of pancreatic cancer suggests that it is governed by a discrete set of organizing rules and principles, and repeated attempts to target specific components within the microenvironment reveal self-regulating mechanisms of resistance. The histopathological and genetic progression models of the transforming ductal epithelium must therefore be considered together with a programme of stromal progression to create a comprehensive picture of pancreatic cancer evolution. Understanding the underlying organizational logic of the tumour to anticipate and pre-empt the almost inevitable compensatory mechanisms will be essential to eradicate the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil R Hingorani
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
- Pancreatic Cancer Center of Excellence, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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7
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Geyer M, Gaul LM, D`Agosto SL, Corbo V, Queiroz K. The tumor stroma influences immune cell distribution and recruitment in a PDAC-on-a-chip model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1155085. [PMID: 37205118 PMCID: PMC10185841 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1155085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The dense tumor stroma of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its secreted immune active molecules provide a barrier for chemotherapy treatment as well as for immune cell infiltration to the tumor core, providing a challenge for immunotherapeutic strategies. Consequently, the investigation of processes underlying the interaction between the tumor stroma, particularly activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), and immune cells may offer new therapeutic approaches for PDAC treatment. In this study, we established a 3D PDAC model cultured under flow, consisting of an endothelial tube, PSCs and PDAC organoids. This was applied to study the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on immune cell recruitment and its effect on partly preventing their interaction with pancreatic cancer cells. We observed that stromal cells form a physical barrier, partly shielding the cancer cells from migrating immune cells, as well as a biochemical microenvironment, that seems to attract and influence immune cell distribution. In addition, stromal targeting by Halofuginone led to an increase in immune cell infiltration. We propose that the here developed model setups will support the understanding of the cellular interplay influencing the recruitment and distribution of immune cells, and contribute to the identification of key players in the PDAC immunosuppressive TME as well as support the discovery of new strategies to treat this immune unresponsive tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Corbo
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Karla Queiroz
- Mimetas B.V., Oegstgeest, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Karla Queiroz,
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8
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Hong J, Guo G, Wu S, Lin S, Zhou Z, Chen S, Ye C, Li J, Lin W, Ye Y. Altered MUC1 epitope-specific CTLs: A potential target for immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 112:1577-1590. [PMID: 36222123 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.5ma0922-749r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of conventional treatments for pancreatic cancer remains unsatisfactory, and immunotherapy is an emerging option for adjuvant treatment of this highly deadly disorder. The tumor-associated antigen (TAA) MUC1 is expressed in a variety of human cancers and is overexpressed in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer, which makes it an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. As a self-protein, MUC1 shows a low immunogenicity because of immune tolerance, and the most effective approach to breaking immune tolerance is alteration of the antigen structure. In this study, the altered MUC11068-1076Y1 epitope (YLQRDISEM) by modification of amino acid residues in sequences presented a higher immunogenicity and elicited more CTLs relative to the wild-type (WT) MUC11068-1076 epitope (ELQRDISEM). In addition, the altered MUC11068-1076Y1 epitope was found to cross-recognize pancreatic cancer cells expressing WT MUC1 peptides in an HLA-A0201-restricted manner and trigger stronger immune responses against pancreatic cancer via the perforin/granzyme apoptosis pathway. As a potential HLA-A0201-restricted CTL epitope, the altered MUC11068-1076Y1 epitope is considered as a promising target for immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer. Alteration of epitope residues may be feasible to solve the problem of the low immunogenicity of TAA and break immune tolerance to induce immune responses against human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Hong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China
| | - Guoxiang Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China
| | - Suxin Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China
| | - Shengzhe Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Fujian Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, NO. 29, Xinquan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Zhifeng Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou City, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Shuping Chen
- Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou City, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Chunmei Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China
| | - Jieyu Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou City, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Wansong Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou City, Fujian 350014, China
| | - Yunbin Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xue Yuan Road, University Town, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, China.,Laboratory of Immuno-Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, No. 420, Fuma Road, Jinan District, Fuzhou City, Fujian 350014, China
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9
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Yu W, Diao Y, Zhang Y, Shi Y, Lv X, Zhang C, Zhang K, Yao W, Huang D, Zhang J. Bioinformatic analysis of FOXN3 expression and prognostic value in pancreatic cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1008100. [PMID: 36324573 PMCID: PMC9619050 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1008100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In most cancers, forkhead box N3 (FOXN3) acts as a transcriptional inhibitor to suppress tumor proliferation, but in pancreatic cancer, the opposite effect is observed. To confirm and investigate this phenomenon, FOXN3 expression in various carcinomas was determined using GEPIA2 and was found to be highly expressed in pancreatic cancer. Kaplan-Meier plotter was then used for survival analysis, revealing that high FOXN3 expression in pancreatic cancer might be associated with a poor prognosis. Similarly, clinical samples collected for immunohistochemical staining and survival analysis showed consistent results. The RNA-seq data of pancreatic cancer patients from the TCGA were then downloaded, and the differential expression gene set was obtained using R for gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The intersection of the above gene sets and FOXN3-related genes was defined as related differentially expressed gene sets (DEGs), and enrichment analysis was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Finally, we analyzed the relationship between FOXN3 and immune infiltration in pancreatic cancer. Collectively, our findings reveal that FOXN3 is involved in the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer and may be useful as a prognostic tool in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yu
- Department of Postgraduates, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongkang Diao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Shi
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangkang Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chengwu Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kangjun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weifeng Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Huang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jungang Zhang, ; Dongsheng Huang,
| | - Jungang Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, General Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jungang Zhang, ; Dongsheng Huang,
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10
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Skorupan N, Palestino Dominguez M, Ricci SL, Alewine C. Clinical Strategies Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4209. [PMID: 36077755 PMCID: PMC9454553 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer has a complex tumor microenvironment which engages in extensive crosstalk between cancer cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells. Many of these interactions contribute to tumor resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Here, new therapeutic strategies designed to modulate the cancer-associated fibroblast and immune compartments of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas are described and clinical trials of novel therapeutics are discussed. Continued advances in our understanding of the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment are generating stromal and immune-modulating therapeutics that may improve patient responses to anti-tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nebojsa Skorupan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Medical Oncology Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mayrel Palestino Dominguez
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Samuel L. Ricci
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Christine Alewine
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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11
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Huang X, Feng Y, Ma D, Ding H, Dong G, Chen Y, Huang X, Zhang J, Xu X, Chen C. The molecular, immune features, and risk score construction of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm patients. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:887887. [PMID: 36090038 PMCID: PMC9459388 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.887887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a common pancreatic precancerous lesion, with increasing incidence in recent years. However, the mechanisms of IPMN progression into invasive cancer remain unclear. The mRNA expression data of IPMN/PAAD patients were extracted from the TCGA and GEO databases. First, based on GSE19650, we analyzed the molecular alterations, tumor stemness, immune landscape, and transcriptional regulation of IPMN progression. The results indicated that gene expression changed dramatically, specifically at the intraductal papillary-mucinous adenoma (IPMA) stage. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (GSEA) pathway analyses showed that glycoprotein-related, cell cycle, and P53 pathways displayed the most significant changes during progression. With IPMN progression, tumor stemness increased continuously, and KRAS, ERBB3, RUNX1, and ELF3 are essential driver genes affecting tumor stemness. Motif analysis suggested that KLF4 may be a specific transcription factor that regulates gene expression in the IPMA stage, while MYB and MYBL1 control gene expression in the IPMC and invasive stages, respectively. Then, GSE19650 and GSE71729 transcriptome data were combined to perform the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method and Cox regression analysis to develop an 11-gene prediction model (KCNK1, FHL2, LAMC2, CDCA7, GPX3, C7, VIP, HBA1, BTG2, MT1E, and LYVE1) to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. The reliability of the model was validated in the GSE71729 and TCGA databases. Finally, 11 additional IPMN patients treated in our hospital were included, and the immune microenvironment changes during IPMN progression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC results suggest that Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and macrophages may be key in the formation of immunosuppressive microenvironment of IPMN progression. Our study deepens our understanding of IPMN progression, especially the changes in the immune microenvironment. The findings of this work may contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies for IPMN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Huang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yipeng Feng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanlin Ding
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Gaochao Dong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaochen Huang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Chen Chen, ; Xinyu Xu, ; Jingyuan Zhang,
| | - Xinyu Xu
- Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Chen Chen, ; Xinyu Xu, ; Jingyuan Zhang,
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Chen Chen, ; Xinyu Xu, ; Jingyuan Zhang,
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12
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Dai L, Mugaanyi J, Cai X, Lu C, Lu C. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma associated immune-gene signature as a novo risk factor for clinical prognosis prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11944. [PMID: 35831362 PMCID: PMC9279485 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16155-w] [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: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) has high mortality and a very poor prognosis. Both surgery and chemotherapy have a suboptimal therapeutic effect, and this caused a need to find new approaches such as immunotherapy. Therefore, it is essential to develop a new model to predict patient prognosis and facilitate early intervention. Our study screened out and validated the target molecules based on the TCGA-PAAD dataset. We established the risk signature using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and used GSE62452 and GSE28735 to verify the accuracy and reliability of the model. Expanded application of PAAD-immune-related genes signature (-IRGS) on other datasets was conducted, and the corresponding nomograms were constructed. We also analyzed the correlation between immune-related cells/genes and potential treatments. Our research demonstrated that a high riskscore of PAAD-IRGS in patients with PAAD was correlated with poor overall survival, disease-specific survival and progression free interval. The same results were observed in patients with LIHC. The models constructed were confirmed to be accurate and reliable. We found various correlations between PAAD-IRGS and immune-related cells/genes, and the potential therapeutic agents. These findings indicate that PAAD-IRGS may be a promising indicator for prognosis and of the tumor-immune microenvironment status in PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Dai
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Road, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Joseph Mugaanyi
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Road, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xingchen Cai
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Road, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Caide Lu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Road, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Changjiang Lu
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Centre Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, 1111 Jiangnan Road, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China.
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13
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Rana M, Kansal R, Chaib M, Teng B, Morrrison M, Hayes DN, Stanfill AG, Shibata D, Carson JA, Makowski L, Glazer ES. The pancreatic cancer immune tumor microenvironment is negatively remodeled by gemcitabine while TGF-β receptor plus dual checkpoint inhibition maintains antitumor immune cells. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:549-557. [PMID: 35319799 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) tumors have a highly immunosuppressive desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME) where immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapy has been exceptionally ineffective. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor activation leads to cancer and immune cell proliferation and phenotype, and cytokine production leading to tumor progression and worse overall survival in PDA patients. We hypothesized that TGF-β receptor inhibition may alter PDA progression and antitumor immunity in the TME. Here, we used a syngeneic preclinical murine model of PDA to explore the impact of TGF-β pathway inhibitor galunisertib (GAL), dual checkpoint immunotherapy (anti-PD-L1 and CTLA-4), the chemotherapy gemcitabine (GEM), and their combinations on antitumor immune responses. Blockade of TGF-β and ICI in immune-competent mice bearing orthotopically injected murine PDA cells significantly inhibited tumor growth and was accompanied by antitumor M1 macrophage infiltration. In contrast, GEM treatment resulted in increased PDA tumor growth, decreased antitumor M1 macrophages, and decreased cytotoxic CD8+ T cell subpopulation compared to control mice. Together, these findings demonstrate the ability of TGF-β inhibition with GAL to prime antitumor immunity in the TME and the curative potential of combining GAL with dual ICI. These preclinical results indicate that targeted inhibition of TGF-β may enhance the efficacy of dual immunotherapy in PDA. Optimal manipulation of the immune TME with non-ICI therapy may enhance therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjul Rana
- Department of Surgery, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rita Kansal
- Department of Surgery, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mehdi Chaib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bin Teng
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michelle Morrrison
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - David Neil Hayes
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ansley G Stanfill
- Department of Nursing Science, College of Nursing, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - David Shibata
- Department of Surgery, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - James A Carson
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Liza Makowski
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Evan S Glazer
- Department of Surgery, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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14
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Li TJ, Jin KZ, Li H, Ye LY, Li PC, Jiang B, Lin X, Liao ZY, Zhang HR, Shi SM, Lin MX, Fei QL, Xiao ZW, Xu HX, Liu L, Yu XJ, Wu WD. SIGLEC15 amplifies immunosuppressive properties of tumor-associated macrophages in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 2022; 530:142-155. [PMID: 35077803 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) usually presents infrequent infiltration of T lymphocytes. The known immune-checkpoint inhibitors to date focus on activating T cells and manifest limited effectiveness in PDAC. SIGLEC15 was identified as a novel tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-related immune-checkpoint in other cancer types, while its immunosuppressive role and clinical significance remained unclear in PDAC. In our study, SIGLEC15 presented immunosuppressive relevance in PDAC via bioinformatic analysis and expressed on TAM and PDAC cells. SIGLEC15+ TAM, rather than SIGLEC15+ PDAC cells or SIGLEC15- TAM, correlated with poor prognosis and immunosuppressive microenvironment in the PDAC microarray cohort. Compared with SIGLEC15- TAM, SIGLEC15+ TAM presented an M2-like phenotype that could be modulated by SIGLEC15 in a tumor cell-dependent manner. In mechanism, SIGLEC15 interacted with PDAC-expressed sialic acid, preferentially α-2, 3 sialic acids, to stimulate SYK phosphorylation in TAM, which further promoted its immunoregulatory cytokines and chemokines production. In vivo, SIGLEC15+ TAM also presented an M2-like phenotype, accelerated tumor growth, and facilitated immunosuppressive microenvironment, which was greatly abolished by SYK inhibitor. Our study highlighted a novel M2-promoting function of SIGLEC15 and strongly suggested SIGLEC15 as a potential immunotherapeutic target for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Jiao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Kai-Zhou Jin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Long-Yun Ye
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bruce Jiang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xuan Lin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Liao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hui-Ru Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sai-Meng Shi
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Meng-Xiong Lin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qing-Lin Fei
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhi-Wen Xiao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hua-Xiang Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Xian-Jun Yu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Wei-Ding Wu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Shanghai Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Shanghai, 200032, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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15
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Hsu FT, Tsai CL, Chiang IT, Lan KH, Yueh PF, Liang WY, Lin CS, Chao Y, Lan KL. Synergistic effect of Abraxane that combines human IL15 fused with an albumin-binding domain on murine models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 26:1955-1968. [PMID: 35174623 PMCID: PMC8980892 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nab‐paclitaxel (Abraxane), which is a nanoparticle form of albumin‐bound paclitaxel, is one of the standard chemotherapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study determined the effect of Abraxane in combination with a fusion protein, hIL15‐ABD, on subcutaneous Panc02 and orthotopic KPC C57BL/6 murine PDAC models. Abraxane combined with hIL15‐ABD best suppressed tumour growth and produced a 40%–60% reduction in the tumour size for Panc02 and KPC, compared to the vehicle group. In the combination group, the active form of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ)‐secreting CD8+ T cells and CD11b+CD86+ M1 macrophages in tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were increased. In the tumour drainage lymph nodes (TDLNs) of the combination group, there was a 18% reduction in CD8+IFN‐γ+ T cells and a 0.47% reduction in CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, as opposed to 5.0% and 5.1% reductions, respectively, for the control group. Superior suppression of CD11b+GR‐1+ myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and the induction of M1 macrophages in the spleen and bone marrow of mice were found in the combination group. Abraxane and hIL15‐ABD effectively suppressed NF‐κB‐mediated immune suppressive markers, including indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO), Foxp3 and VEGF. In conclusion, Abraxane combined with hIL15‐ABD stimulates the anticancer activity of effector cells, inhibits immunosuppressive cells within the tumour microenvironment (TME) of PDAC, and produces a greater inhibitory effect than individual monotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Ting Hsu
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chang Liang Tsai
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - I-Tsang Chiang
- Medical administrative center, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Lukang, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Keng-Hsueh Lan
- Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Cancer Research Center, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Fu Yueh
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yi Liang
- Department of Pathology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Shuo Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Yee Chao
- Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Keng-Li Lan
- Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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16
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Smith JP, Cao H, Chen W, Kallakury B, Phillips T, Sutton L, Cato A. Vaccination with Polyclonal Antibody Stimulator (PAS) Prevents Pancreatic Carcinogenesis in the KRAS Mouse Model. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2021; 14:933-944. [PMID: 34429319 PMCID: PMC8525505 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-20-0650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing significantly and will soon become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. We have previously shown that the gastrointestinal peptide gastrin, which is only expressed in the fetal pancreas and not in the adult pancreas, is activated during pancreatic carcinogenesis where it stimulates growth in an autocrine fashion. In this investigation, we used transgenic LSL-KrasG12D/+; P48-Cre mice that develop precancerous pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions and pancreatic cancer over time. Starting at 3 months of age, mice were either left untreated (control) or were treated with a gastrin-targeted vaccine, polyclonal antibody stimulator (PAS 250 μg) followed by a monthly booster until the mice reached 8 months of age when pancreata were excised, and analyzed by histology for PanIN grade in a blinded fashion. High-grade PanIN-3 lesions were significantly less in PAS-treated mice (P = 0.0077), and cancers developed in 33% of the control mice but only in 10% of the PAS-treated mice. Compared with the control mice, fibrosis was reduced by >50%, arginase positive M2 macrophages were reduced by 74%, and CD8+ T cells were increased by 73% in the pancreas extracellular matrix in PAS-treated mice. PREVENTION RELEVANCE: PAS vaccination significantly decreased high-grade PanIN lesions and altered the pancreas microenvironment, rendering it less carcinogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill P Smith
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington D.C
| | - Wenqiang Chen
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington D.C
| | | | | | | | - Allen Cato
- Cancer Advances, Inc. Durham, North Carolina
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17
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Mortezaee K. Enriched cancer stem cells, dense stroma, and cold immunity: Interrelated events in pancreatic cancer. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2021; 35:e22708. [PMID: 33491255 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cold tumors generally show low mutational burden and low infiltration of effector T cells. The pancreas, prostate, ovary, breast, and colon are placed into the category of cold tumors. In such tumors, effector T cells are either excluded from the tumor area or taken away from being in contact with tumor cells. The stromal reaction in the form of desmoplasia is important for the pathogenesis of tumors like the pancreas. Besides acting as a barrier for the penetration of drugs into the tumor area, the dense stroma presumably creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which accounts for low responses from tumor to immunotherapy. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are an important part of the immunosuppressive complex within the TME. The presence of CSCs within the TME is related negatively to the activity of the antitumor immune system. Here, the question is how desmoplastic aggregates can influence the functionality of CSCs for promoting a cold pancreatic tumor immunity? This review is aimed at responding to this question, the disruption of which can be an effective strategy for improving responses from cold tumors to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keywan Mortezaee
- Cancer and Immunology Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
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Ajina R, Malchiodi ZX, Fitzgerald AA, Zuo A, Wang S, Moussa M, Cooper CJ, Shen Y, Johnson QR, Parks JM, Smith JC, Catalfamo M, Fertig EJ, Jablonski SA, Weiner LM. Antitumor T-cell Immunity Contributes to Pancreatic Cancer Immune Resistance. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:386-400. [PMID: 33509790 PMCID: PMC8283778 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Pancreatic tumors are minimally infiltrated by T cells and are largely refractory to immunotherapy. Accordingly, the role of T-cell immunity in pancreatic cancer has been somewhat overlooked. Here, we hypothesized that immune resistance in pancreatic cancer was induced in response to antitumor T-cell immune responses and that understanding how pancreatic tumors respond to immune attack may facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies. We now provide evidence that T-cell-dependent host immune responses induce a PDAC-derived myeloid mimicry phenomenon and stimulate immune resistance. Three KPC mouse models of pancreatic cancer were used: the mT3-2D (Kras+/LSL-G12D; Trp53+/LSL-R172H; Pdx1-Cre) subcutaneous and orthotopic models, as well as the KP1 (p48-CRE/LSL-Kras/Trp53 flox/flox ) subcutaneous model. KPC cancer cells were grown in immunocompetent and immunodeficient C57BL/6 mice and analyzed to determine the impact of adaptive immunity on malignant epithelial cells, as well as on whole tumors. We found that induced T-cell antitumor immunity, via signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), stimulated malignant epithelial pancreatic cells to induce the expression of genes typically expressed by myeloid cells and altered intratumoral immunosuppressive myeloid cell profiles. Targeting the Janus Kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling pathway using the FDA-approved drug ruxolitinib overcame these tumor-protective responses and improved anti-PD-1 therapeutic efficacy. These findings provide future directions for treatments that specifically disable this mechanism of resistance in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham Ajina
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Zoe X Malchiodi
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Allison A Fitzgerald
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Annie Zuo
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Shangzi Wang
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Maha Moussa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Connor J Cooper
- Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Yue Shen
- Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Quentin R Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia
| | - Jerry M Parks
- Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Marta Catalfamo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sandra A Jablonski
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Louis M Weiner
- Department of Oncology and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia.
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