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Gong C, Mu H, Luo J, Zhang R, Hu D, Chen Z, Fang C, Chen Z, Zhu X, Yao C, Wang L, Zhou Y, Zhao W, Zhu S. Euphohelioscopin A enhances NK cell antitumor immunity through GSDME-triggered pyroptosis. J Leukoc Biol 2024; 116:621-631. [PMID: 38456763 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune evasion by cancer cells poses a significant challenge for natural killer cell-based immunotherapy. Pyroptosis, a newly discovered form of programmed cell death, has shown great potential for enhancing the antitumor immunity of natural killer cells. Consequently, targeting pyroptosis has become an attractive strategy for boosting natural killer cell activity against cancer. In this study, various assays were conducted, including natural killer cell cytotoxicity assays, flow cytometry, xenograft tumor models, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, to assess natural killer cell-mediated cell killing, as well as gene and protein expressions. The results indicated that euphohelioscopin A, a potential pyroptosis activator, enhances natural killer cell-mediated lysis of tumor cells, resulting in inhibiting tumor growth that could be reversed by natural killer cell depletion. Furthermore, we found that euphohelioscopin A significantly enhanced IFNγ production in natural killer cells and synergistically upregulated GSDME with IFNγ in cancer cells. Euphohelioscopin A also increased the cleavage of GSDME, promoting granzyme B-induced pyroptosis, which could be reversed by GSDME knockdown and IFNγ blockade. Overall, the findings suggested that euphohelioscopin A enhanced natural killer cell-mediated killing of cancer cells by triggering pyroptosis, making euphohelioscopin A a promising pyroptosis activator with great potential for use in natural killer cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyuan Gong
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongyan Mu
- Natural Product Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaojiao Luo
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Rujun Zhang
- Natural Product Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dan Hu
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhenhua Chen
- Natural Product Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Cheng Fang
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhongxian Chen
- Natural Product Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinxue Zhu
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chao Yao
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yufu Zhou
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Weimin Zhao
- Natural Product Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203, China
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2
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Nagase H, Kato T, Yoshimoto T. State-of-the-Art Cancer Immunotherapies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2532. [PMID: 38473780 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a type of cancer therapy utilizing the immune system to fight against tumors [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Nagase
- Department of Parasitology, Shinshu University School of Medicine 3-1-1, Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Takuma Kato
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
- Department of Immunology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takayuki Yoshimoto
- Department of Immunoregulation, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
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3
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Xu T, Xu M, Xu Y, Cai X, Brenner MJ, Twigg J, Fei Z, Chen C. Developing and validating the model of tumor-infiltrating immune cell to predict survival in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:394-412. [PMID: 38410204 PMCID: PMC10894341 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-2345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Radiotherapy (RT) is a mainstay of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment. Due to the influence of RT on tumor cells and immune/stromal cells in microenvironment, some studies suggest that immunologic landscape could shape treatment response. To better predict the survival based on genomic data, we developed a prognostic model using tumor-infiltrating immune cell (TIIC) signature to predict survival in patients undergoing RT for HNSCC. Methods Gene expression data and clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Data from HNSCC patients undergoing RT were extracted for analysis. TIICs prevalence in HNSCC patients was quantified by gene set variation analysis (GSVA) algorithm. TIICs and post-RT survival were analyzed using univariate Cox regression analysis and used to construct and validate a tumor-infiltrating cells score (TICS). Results Five of 26 immune cells were significantly associated with HNSCC prognosis in the training cohort (all P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves showed that patients in the high TICS group had better survival outcomes (log-rank test, P<0.05). Univariate analyses demonstrated that the TICS had independent prognostic predictive ability for RT outcomes (P<0.05). Patients with high TICS scores showed significantly higher expression of immune-related genes. Functional pathway analyses further showed that the TICS was significantly related to immune-related biological process. Stratified analyses supported integrating TICS and tumor mutation burden (TMB) into individualized treatment planning, as an adjunct to classification by clinical stage and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Conclusions The TICS model supports a personalized medicine approach to RT for HNSCC. Increased prevalence of TIIC within the tumor microenvironment (TME) confers a better prognosis for patients undergoing treatment for HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Mengting Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yiying Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaojun Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Michael J. Brenner
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Joshua Twigg
- School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Zhaodong Fei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuanben Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
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4
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Dobson LJ, Saunderson SC, Smith-Bell SW, McLellan AD. Sleeping Beauty kit sets provide rapid and accessible generation of artificial antigen-presenting cells for natural killer cell expansion. Immunol Cell Biol 2023; 101:847-856. [PMID: 37585342 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12679] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) offer a cost effective and convenient tool for the expansion of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-bearing T cells and NK cells. aAPCs are particularly useful because of their ability to efficiently expand low-frequency antigen-reactive lymphocytes in bulk cultures. Commonly derived from the leukemic cell line K562, these aAPCs lack most major histocompatibility complex expression and are therefore useful for NK cell expansion without triggering allogeneic T-cell proliferation. To combat difficulties in accessing existing aAPC lines, while circumventing the iterative lentiviral gene transfers with antibody-mediated sorting required for the isolation of stable aAPC clones, we developed a single-step technique using Sleeping Beauty (SB)-based vectors with antibiotic selection options. Our SB vectors contain options of two to three genes encoding costimulatory molecules, membrane-bound cytokines as well as the presence of antibiotic-resistance genes that allow for stable transposition-based transfection of feeder cells. Transfection of K562 with SB vectors described in this study allows for the surface expression of CD86, 4-1BBL, membrane-bound (mb) interleukin (IL)-15 and mbIL-21 after simultaneous transposition and antibiotic selection using only two antibiotics. aAPCs successfully expanded NK cells to high purity (80-95%). Expanded NK cells could be further engineered by lentiviral CAR transduction. The multivector kit set is publicly available and will allow convenient and reproducible in-house production of effective aAPCs for the in vitro expansion of primary cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan J Dobson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sarah C Saunderson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Samuel Wj Smith-Bell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Alexander D McLellan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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5
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Zhou Y, Zhang A, Fang C, Yuan L, Shao A, Xu Y, Zhou D. Oxidative stress in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: Affecting the tumor microenvironment and becoming a new target for pituitary neuroendocrine tumor therapy. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023; 29:2744-2759. [PMID: 37341156 PMCID: PMC10493678 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14315] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenomas (PAs), or pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), are commonly found in the anterior pituitary gland. Although the majority of PitNETs are benign and stable, several tumors have malignant characteristics. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the process of tumorigenesis and is composed of several types of cells. Various cells in the TME are significantly affected by oxidative stress. It has been reported that immunotherapeutic strategies have good effects in several cancers. However, the clinical potential of immunotherapies in PitNETs has not yet been fully discussed. Oxidative stress can regulate PitNET cells and immune cells in the TME, thus affecting the immune status of the TME of PitNETs. Therefore, modulation of oxidative stress-regulated immune cells using a combination of several agents and the immune system to suppress PitNETs is a promising therapeutic direction. In this review, we systematically analyzed the oxidative stress process within PitNET cells and various immune cells to elucidate the potential value of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Zhou
- The First Clinical Medical CollegeHeilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
- Health Management CenterTongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
| | - Anke Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Chaoyou Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Ling Yuan
- School of Public Health, School of MedicineShanghai Jiaotong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Anwen Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Yuanzhi Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, School of MedicineFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Danyang Zhou
- Health Management CenterTongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceHangzhouChina
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Golubovskaya V, Sienkiewicz J, Sun J, Zhang S, Huang Y, Zhou H, Harto H, Xu S, Berahovich R, Wu L. CAR-NK Cells Generated with mRNA-LNPs Kill Tumor Target Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13364. [PMID: 37686170 PMCID: PMC10487516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that are critical for the innate immune system. Engineering NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) allows CAR-NK cells to target tumor antigens more effectively. In this report, we present novel CAR mRNA-LNP (lipid nanoparticle) technology to effectively transfect NK cells expanded from primary PBMCs and to generate functional CAR-NK cells. CD19-CAR mRNA and BCMA-CAR mRNA were embedded into LNPs that resulted in 78% and 95% CAR expression in NK cells, respectively. BCMA-CAR-NK cells after transfection with CAR mRNA-LNPs killed multiple myeloma RPMI8226 and MM1S cells and secreted IFN-gamma and Granzyme B in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. In addition, CD19-CAR-NK cells generated with CAR mRNA-LNPs killed Daudi and Nalm-6 cells and secreted IFN-gamma and Granzyme B in a dose-dependent manner. Both BCMA-CAR-NK and CD19-CAR-NK cells showed significantly higher cytotoxicity, IFN-gamma, and Granzyme B secretion compared with normal NK cells. Moreover, CD19-CAR-NK cells significantly blocked Nalm-6 tumor growth in vivo. Thus, non-viral delivery of CAR mRNA-LNPs can be used to generate functional CAR-NK cells with high anti-tumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vita Golubovskaya
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - John Sienkiewicz
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Jinying Sun
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Shiming Zhang
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Yanwei Huang
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Hua Zhou
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Hizkia Harto
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Shirley Xu
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Robert Berahovich
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
| | - Lijun Wu
- Promab Biotechnologies, 2600 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94806, USA; (J.S.); (H.Z.); (H.H.); (R.B.)
- Laboratory for Critical Quality Attributes of Cell Therapy Products, Forevertek Biotechnology, Janshan Road, Changsha Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Changsha 410205, China
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Martin-Iglesias S, Herrera L, Santos S, Vesga MÁ, Eguizabal C, Lanceros-Mendez S, Silvan U. Analysis of the impact of handling and culture on the expansion and functionality of NK cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1225549. [PMID: 37638054 PMCID: PMC10451065 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1225549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system that play a key role in the elimination of tumor and virus-infected cells. Unlike T cells, NK cell activation is governed by their direct interaction with target cells via the inhibitory and activating receptors present on their cytoplasmic membrane. The simplicity of this activation mechanism has allowed the development of immunotherapies based on the transduction of NK cells with CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) constructs for the treatment of cancer. Despite the advantages of CAR-NK therapy over CAR-T, including their inability to cause graft-versus-host disease in allogenic therapies, a deeper understanding of the impact of their handling is needed in order to increase their functionality and applicability. With that in mind, the present work critically examines the steps required for NK cell isolation, expansion and storage, and analyze the response of the NK cells to these manipulations. The results show that magnetic-assisted cell sorting, traditionally used for NK isolation, increases the CD16+ population of NK cultures only if the protocol includes both, antibody incubation and passage through the isolation column. Furthermore, based on the importance of surface potential on cellular responses, the influence of surfaces with different net surface charge on NK cells has been evaluated, showing that NK cells displayed higher proliferation rates on charged surfaces than on non-charged ones. The present work highlights the relevance of NK cells manipulation for improving the applicability and effectiveness of NK cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Martin-Iglesias
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park, Leioa, Spain
| | - Lara Herrera
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Research Unit, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
| | - Silvia Santos
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Research Unit, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV), Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS RD21/0017/0024), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Vesga
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Research Unit, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV), Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS RD21/0017/0024), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Eguizabal
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
- Research Unit, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV), Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS RD21/0017/0024), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Red de Inmunoterapia del Cáncer “REINCA” (RED2022-134831-T), Madrid, Spain
| | - Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park, Leioa, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV), Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS RD21/0017/0024), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Basque Foundation for Science, Ikerbasque, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Unai Silvan
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park, Leioa, Spain
- Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV), Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS RD21/0017/0024), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Basque Foundation for Science, Ikerbasque, Bilbao, Spain
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Jin G, Chang Y, Harris J, Bao X. Adoptive Immunotherapy: A Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Perspective. Cells Tissues Organs 2023; 212:439-467. [PMID: 36599319 PMCID: PMC10318121 DOI: 10.1159/000528838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed significant advances in cancer immunotherapy, particularly through the adoptive transfer of engineered T cells in treating advanced leukemias and lymphomas. Despite these excitements, challenges remain with scale, cost, and ensuring quality control of engineered immune cells, including chimeric antigen receptor T, natural killer cells, and macrophages. The advent of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, has transformed immunotherapy by providing a scalable, off-the-shelf source of any desired immune cells for basic research, translational studies, and clinical interventions. The tractability of hPSCs for gene editing could also generate homogenous, universal cellular products with custom functionality for individual or combinatory therapeutic applications. This review will explore various immune cell types whose directed differentiation from hPSCs has been achieved and recently adapted for translational immunotherapy and feature forward-looking bioengineering techniques shaping the future of the stem cell field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyuhyung Jin
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Yun Chang
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Jackson Harris
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
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Expansion of KRAS hotspot mutations reactive T cells from human pancreatic tumors using autologous T cells as the antigen-presenting cells. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 72:1301-1313. [PMID: 36436020 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03335-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) or TCR gene-modified T cells (TCR-T) that recognize mutant KRAS neo-antigens can mediate tumor regression in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (Tran et al in N Engl J Med, 375:2255-2262, 2016; Leidner et al in N Engl J Med, 386:2112-2119, 2022). The mutant KRAS-targeted ACT holds great potential to achieve durable clinical responses for PDAC, which has had no meaningful improvement over 40 years. However, the wide application of mutant KRAS-centric ACT is currently limited by the rarity of TIL that recognize the mutant KRAS. In addition, PDAC is generally recognized as a poorly immunogenic tumor, and TILs in PDAC are less abundant than in immunogenic tumors such as melanoma. To increase the success rate of TIL production, we adopted a well-utilized K562-based artificial APC (aAPC) that expresses 4-1BBL as the costimulatory molecules to enhance the TIL production from PDCA. However, stimulation with K562-based aAPC led to a rapid loss of specificity to mutant KRAS. To selectively expand neo-antigen-specific T cells, particularly mKRAS, from the TILs, we used tandem mini gene-modified autologous T cells (TMG-T) as the novel aAPC. Using this modified IVS protocol, we successfully generated TIL cultures specifically reactive to mKRAS (G12V). We believe that autologous TMG-T cells provide a reliable source of autologous APC to expand a rare population of neoantigen-specific T cells in TILs.
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10
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Li Z, Simin L, Jian K, Xin G, Youlin K. 4-1BB antibody enhances cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells against prostate cancer cells via NKG2D agonist combined with IL-27. Immunotherapy 2022; 14:1043-1053. [PMID: 35852136 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2021-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: To enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells against prostate cancer cells via NKG2D agonist, with 4-1BB antibody and IL-27 combination. Materials & methods: FACS was used to detect degranulation and cell surface receptors in NK cells isolated from healthy donors. Cytokine concentrations were measured using ELISA. NK-cell cytotoxicity was analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8. Results: NKG2D agonist, 4-1BB antibody and IL-27 combination treatment improved the activating receptor expression and IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion but decreased the suppressive receptor CD158a expression and IL-10 secretion in NK cells. The combined treatment enhanced NK-cell cytotoxicity against both PC3 and DU145 cells with concurrent enhanced STAT3 activation. Conclusion: 4-1BB antibody and IL-27 improved NKG2D agonist function in NK cells against prostate cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Li
- Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Liang Simin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Kang Jian
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Gou Xin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Kuang Youlin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
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11
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Fernández A, Pérez-Martínez A, Escudero A, Mirones I, González B, de Paz R, Matamala N, Clares L, Navarro A, Galán V, Martínez-Romera I, Martínez-López J, Leivas A, Valés-Gómez M, Ferreras C, Fernández L. Infusion of haploidentical NKG2D-CAR-T CD45RA- cells in two pediatric patients with advanced relapsed and refractory acute leukemia was safe but achieved no clinical benefits. Leuk Lymphoma 2022; 63:1970-1974. [DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2022.2057490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Pérez-Martínez
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Translational Research Group in Pediatric Oncology Hematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
- Pediatric Department, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adela Escudero
- Pediatric Molecular Hemato-Oncology Department, Medical and Molecular Genetics Institute (INGEMM), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Mirones
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit, Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service and Pharmacy Service, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Berta González
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel de Paz
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Matamala
- Pediatric Molecular Hemato-Oncology Department, Medical and Molecular Genetics Institute (INGEMM), La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Clares
- Translational Research Group in Pediatric Oncology Hematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Navarro
- Translational Research Group in Pediatric Oncology Hematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor Galán
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Joaquín Martínez-López
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Hematology Department, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandra Leivas
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Hematology Department, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Valés-Gómez
- Tumor Immune Activation and Evasion Group, National Biotechnology Center, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Ferreras
- Translational Research Group in Pediatric Oncology Hematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
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12
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Hong G, Xie S, Guo Z, Zhang D, Ge S, Zhang S, Gao W. Progression-Free Survival of a Patient with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Adoptive Cell Therapy Using Natural Killer Cells: A Case Report. Onco Targets Ther 2022; 15:255-266. [PMID: 35313527 PMCID: PMC8934175 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s344707] [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: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a promising treatment that is considered safe and efficient. Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in the innate immune system and destroy target cells such as tumor cells without prior sensitization. Here, we report a 59-year-old man with advanced diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent 17 courses of NK cell treatment from March 2017 to July 2018. Although he presented with progressive disease, his hydrothorax and ascites decreased, and his state of mind, appetite and quality of life were markedly improved after treatment versus at admission. To date, his survival time is >48 months. Here, we provide evidence that NK cell adoptive therapy has no adverse effects, enhances immune function, and improves the quality of life of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodai Hong
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Shenzhen Luohu People’s Hospital), Shenzhen, 518002, People’s Republic of China
| | - Silun Xie
- Shenzhen Cell Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zikuan Guo
- Beijing Clin- Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100070, People’s Republic of China
| | - Diping Zhang
- Shenzhen Cell Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sihai Ge
- Shenzhen Cell Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, 518054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Suqin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Shenzhen Luohu People’s Hospital), Shenzhen, 518002, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenbin Gao
- Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Shenzhen Luohu People’s Hospital), Shenzhen, 518002, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Wenbin Gao, Department of Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Shenzhen Luohu People’s Hospital), Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518002, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 132 6677 8968, Email
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13
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Schmidt D, Ebrahimabadi S, Gomes KRDS, de Moura Aguiar G, Cariati Tirapelle M, Nacasaki Silvestre R, de Azevedo JTC, Tadeu Covas D, Picanço-Castro V. Engineering CAR-NK cells: how to tune innate killer cells for cancer immunotherapy. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2022; 2:ltac003. [PMID: 35919494 PMCID: PMC9327111 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy is an innovative approach that permits numerous possibilities in the field of cancer treatment. CAR-T cells have been successfully used in patients with hematologic relapsed/refractory. However, the need for autologous sources for T cells is still a major drawback. CAR-NK cells have emerged as a promising resource using allogeneic cells that could be established as an off-the-shelf treatment. NK cells can be obtained from various sources, such as peripheral blood (PB), bone marrow, umbilical cord blood (CB), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), as well as cell lines. Genetic engineering of NK cells to express different CAR constructs for hematological cancers and solid tumors has shown promising preclinical results and they are currently being explored in multiple clinical trials. Several strategies have been employed to improve CAR-NK-cell expansion and cytotoxicity efficiency. In this article, we review the latest achievements and progress made in the field of CAR-NK-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayane Schmidt
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sima Ebrahimabadi
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kauan Ribeiro de Sena Gomes
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Graziela de Moura Aguiar
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Mariane Cariati Tirapelle
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Nacasaki Silvestre
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Júlia Teixeira Cottas de Azevedo
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dimas Tadeu Covas
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology, and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Virginia Picanço-Castro
- Regional Blood Center of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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14
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Yan X, Yao C, Fang C, Han M, Gong C, Hu D, Shen W, Wang L, Li S, Zhu S. Rocaglamide promotes the infiltration and antitumor immunity of NK cells by activating cGAS-STING signaling in non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:585-598. [PMID: 35002511 PMCID: PMC8741839 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.65019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy is clinically limited due to insufficient tumor infiltration in solid tumors. We have previously found that the natural product rocaglamide (RocA) can enhance NK cell-mediated killing of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by inhibiting autophagy, and autophagic inhibition has been shown to increase NK cell tumor infiltration in melanoma. Therefore, we hypothesized that RocA could increase NK cell infiltration in NSCLC by autophagy inhibition. Methods: Flow cytometry, RNA-sequencing, real-time PCR, Western blotting analysis, and xenograft tumor model were utilized to assess the infiltration of NK cells and the underlying mechanism. Results: RocA significantly increased the infiltration of NK cells and the expressions of CCL5 and CXCL10 in NSCLC cells, which could not be reversed by the inhibitions of autophagy/ULK1, JNK and NF-κB. However, such up-regulation could be suppressed by the inhibitions of TKB1 and STING. Furthermore, RocA dramatically activated the cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase)-STING (stimulator of interferon genes) signaling pathway, and the inhibition/depletion of STING ablated the up-regulation of CCL5 and CXCL10, NK cell infiltration, and tumor regression induced by RocA. Besides, RocA damaged mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and promoted the cytoplasmic release of mtDNA. The mPTP inhibitor cyclosporin A could reverse RocA-induced cytoplasmic release of mtDNA. Conclusions: RocA could promote NK cell infiltration by activating cGAS-STING signaling via targeting mtDNA, but not by inhibiting autophagy. Taken together, our current findings suggested that RocA was a potent cGAS-STING agonist and had a promising potential in cancer immunotherapy, especially in NK cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Yan
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yao
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Cheng Fang
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Min Han
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Dan Hu
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Weiming Shen
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Suyun Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Rd. Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
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15
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Poznanski SM, Singh K, Ritchie TM, Aguiar JA, Fan IY, Portillo AL, Rojas EA, Vahedi F, El-Sayes A, Xing S, Butcher M, Lu Y, Doxey AC, Schertzer JD, Hirte HW, Ashkar AA. Metabolic flexibility determines human NK cell functional fate in the tumor microenvironment. Cell Metab 2021; 33:1205-1220.e5. [PMID: 33852875 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
NK cells are central to anti-tumor immunity and recently showed efficacy for treating hematologic malignancies. However, their dysfunction in the hostile tumor microenvironment remains a pivotal barrier for cancer immunotherapies against solid tumors. Using cancer patient samples and proteomics, we found that human NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment is due to suppression of glucose metabolism via lipid peroxidation-associated oxidative stress. Activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway restored NK cell metabolism and function and resulted in greater anti-tumor activity in vivo. Strikingly, expanded NK cells reprogrammed with complete metabolic substrate flexibility not only sustained metabolic fitness but paradoxically augmented their tumor killing in the tumor microenvironment and in response to nutrient deprivation. Our results uncover that metabolic flexibility enables a cytotoxic immune cell to exploit the metabolic hostility of tumors for their advantage, addressing a critical hurdle for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M Poznanski
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Kanwaldeep Singh
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Tyrah M Ritchie
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Aguiar
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Isabella Y Fan
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Ana L Portillo
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Eduardo A Rojas
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Fatemeh Vahedi
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Abdullah El-Sayes
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Sansi Xing
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Martin Butcher
- Juravinski Cancer Centre & McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Yu Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Andrew C Doxey
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Schertzer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Hal W Hirte
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada; Division of Medical Oncology, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, ON L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Ali A Ashkar
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada.
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16
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Sun Y, Gong C, Ni Z, Hu D, Ng W, Zhu X, Wang L, Si G, Yan X, Zhao C, Yao C, Zhu S. Tanshinone IIA enhances susceptibility of non-small cell lung cancer cells to NK cell-mediated lysis by up-regulating ULBP1 and DR5. J Leukoc Biol 2021; 110:315-325. [PMID: 33909909 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.5ma1120-776rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have a great potential in cancer immunotherapy. However, their therapeutic efficacy is clinically limited owing to cancer cell immune escape. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to develop novel method to improve the antitumor immunity of NK cells. In the present study, it was found that the natural product tanshinone IIA (TIIA) enhanced NK cell-mediated killing of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. TIIA in combination with adoptive transfer of NK cells synergistically suppressed the tumor growth of NSCLC cells in an immune-incompetent mouse model. Furthermore, TIIA significantly inhibited the tumor growth of Lewis lung cancer (LLC) in an immune-competent syngeneic mouse model, and such inhibitory effect was reversed by the depletion of NK cells. Moreover, TIIA increased expressions of ULBP1 and DR5 in NSCLC cells, and inhibition of DR5 and ULBP1 reduced the enhancement of NK cell-mediated lysis by TIIA. Besides, TIIA increased the levels of p-PERK, ATF4 and CHOP. Knockdown of ATF4 completely reversed the up-regulation of ULBP1 and DR5 by TIIA in all detected NSCLC cells, while knockdown of CHOP only partly reduced these enhanced expressions in small parts of NSCLC cells. These results demonstrated that TIIA could increase the susceptibility of NSCLC cells to NK cell-mediated lysis by up-regulating ULBP1 and DR5, suggesting that TIIA had a promising potential in cancer immunotherapy, especially in NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufang Sun
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Dan Hu
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wanyi Ng
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowen Zhu
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Guifan Si
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xuewei Yan
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chen Zhao
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yao
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Immunology Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
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17
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Lim SA, Moon Y, Shin MH, Kim TJ, Chae S, Yee C, Hwang D, Park H, Lee KM. Hypoxia-Driven HIF-1α Activation Reprograms Pre-Activated NK Cells towards Highly Potent Effector Phenotypes via ERK/STAT3 Pathways. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081904. [PMID: 33920906 PMCID: PMC8071270 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In patients with advanced cancer, hypoxic stress shapes NK cells toward tumor-resistant and immunosuppressive phenotypes. Therefore, a strategy to restore NK cell function within hypoxia would be crucial for successful tumor immunotherapy. By manipulating pO2 exposure to naïve vs. pre-activated NK cells, we found that HIF-1α-dependent metabolic reprogramming of NK cells is the key to overcoming hypoxia-mediated NK cell impairment. Exposure of pre-activated NK cells to hypoxia with 1.5% pO2 initiated metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis and reduction of p21/p53-dependent apoptotic pathways, with concomitant upregulation of cell cycle-promoting genes and downregulation of cell cycle-arrest genes via HIF-1a/ERK/STAT3 activation. Furthermore, upregulation of NKp44 activating receptor in hypoxia-exposed pre-activated NK cells elevated cytotoxicity of K562, CEM, and A375 tumor cells, in both in-vitro and in-vivo tumor-clearance assays. Therefore, HIF-1α-mediated metabolic reprogramming of NK cells could reverse their impaired phenotype, generating functionally robust NK cells for adoptive therapy and clinical evaluation. Abstract NK cells are the predominant innate lymphocyte subsets specialized to kill malignant tumor cells. In patients with advanced cancer, hypoxic stress shapes NK cells toward tumor-resistant and immunosuppressive phenotypes, hence a strategy to restore NK function is critical for successful tumor immunotherapy. Here, we present evidence that pre-activation and subsequent HIF-1α-dependent metabolic shift of NK cells from oxidative phosphorylation into glycolysis are keys to overcome hypoxia-mediated impairment in NK cell survival, proliferation, and tumor cytotoxicity. Specifically, exposing NK cells to 7–9 days of normoxic culture followed by a pO2 of 1.5% hypoxia led to a highly potent effector phenotype via HIF-1α stabilization and upregulation of its target genes, BNIP3, PDK1, VEGF, PKM2, and LDHA. RNA sequencing and network analyses revealed that concomitant reduction of p21/p53 apoptotic pathways along with upregulation of cell cycle-promoting genes, CCNE1, CDC6, CDC20, and downregulation of cell cycle-arrest genes, CDKN1A, GADD45A, and MDM2 were accountable for superior expansion of NK cells via ERK/STAT3 activation. Furthermore, HIF-1α-dependent upregulation of the NKp44 receptor in hypoxia-exposed NK cells resulted in increased killing against K562, CEM, and A375 tumor targets both in-vitro and in-vivo tumor clearance assays. Therefore, hypoxic exposure on pre-activated proliferating NK cells triggered HIF-1α-dependent pathways to initiate coordinated regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, and cytotoxicity at the global gene transcription level. Our results uncover a previously unidentified role of HIF-1α-mediated metabolic reprogramming that can reverse impaired NK effector phenotypes to generate requisite numbers of functionally robust NK cells for adoptive cellular therapy for clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon Ah Lim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (S.A.L.); (M.H.S.); (T.-J.K.)
| | - Yunwon Moon
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea;
| | - Min Hwa Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (S.A.L.); (M.H.S.); (T.-J.K.)
| | - Tae-Jin Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (S.A.L.); (M.H.S.); (T.-J.K.)
| | - Sehyun Chae
- Korea Brain Bank, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41068, Korea;
| | - Cassian Yee
- Departments of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Immunology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA;
| | - Daehee Hwang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea;
| | - Hyunsung Park
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea;
- Correspondence: (H.P.); (K.-M.L.); Tel.: +82-2-6490-2670 (H.P.); +82-2-920-6251 (K-M.L.)
| | - Kyung-Mi Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (S.A.L.); (M.H.S.); (T.-J.K.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Bio-Integrated Electronics, Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Correspondence: (H.P.); (K.-M.L.); Tel.: +82-2-6490-2670 (H.P.); +82-2-920-6251 (K-M.L.)
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18
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Fernández A, Navarro-Zapata A, Escudero A, Matamala N, Ruz-Caracuel B, Mirones I, Pernas A, Cobo M, Casado G, Lanzarot D, Rodríguez-Antolín C, Vela M, Ferreras C, Mestre C, Viejo A, Leivas A, Martínez J, Fernández L, Pérez-Martínez A. Optimizing the Procedure to Manufacture Clinical-Grade NK Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030577. [PMID: 33540698 PMCID: PMC7867223 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030577] [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: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Natural Killer cells have shown promise to treat different malignancies. Several methods have been described to obtain fully activated NK cells for clinical use. Here, we use different cell culture media and different artificial antigen presenting cells to optimize a GMP compliant manufacturing method to obtain activated and expanded NK cells suitable for clinical use. Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells represent promising tools for cancer immunotherapy. We report the optimization of an NK cell activation–expansion process and its validation on clinical-scale. Methods: RPMI-1640, stem cell growth medium (SCGM), NK MACS and TexMACS were used as culture mediums. Activated and expanded NK cells (NKAE) were obtained by coculturing total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or CD45RA+ cells with irradiated K562mbIL15-41BBL or K562mbIL21-41BBL. Fold increase, NK cell purity, activation status, cytotoxicity and transcriptome profile were analyzed. Clinical-grade NKAE cells were manufactured in CliniMACS Prodigy. Results: NK MACS and TexMACs achieved the highest NK cell purity and lowest T cell contamination. Obtaining NKAE cells from CD45RA+ cells was feasible although PBMC yielded higher total cell numbers and NK cell purity than CD45RA+ cells. The highest fold expansion and NK purity were achieved by using PBMC and K562mbIL21-41BBL cells. However, no differences in activation and cytotoxicity were found when using either NK cell source or activating cell line. Transcriptome profile showed to be different between basal NK cells and NKAE cells expanded with K562mbIL21-41BBL or K562mbIL15-41BBL. Clinical-grade manufactured NKAE cells complied with the specifications from the Spanish Regulatory Agency. Conclusions: GMP-grade NK cells for clinical use can be obtained by using different starting cells and aAPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Alfonso Navarro-Zapata
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Adela Escudero
- Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM), La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Nerea Matamala
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Beatriz Ruz-Caracuel
- Translational Research in Pediatric Oncology, Hematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-Institute of Medical and Molecular Genetics (INGEMM-IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.); (B.R.-C.)
| | - Isabel Mirones
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Alicia Pernas
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Marta Cobo
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Gema Casado
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (I.M.); (A.P.); (M.C.); (G.C.)
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Production Unit, Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service and Pharmacy Service, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Lanzarot
- Applications Department Miltenyi Biotec, 28223 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Carlos Rodríguez-Antolín
- Experimental Therapies and Novel Biomarkers in Cancer, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
| | - María Vela
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Cristina Ferreras
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Carmen Mestre
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
| | - Aurora Viejo
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Alejandra Leivas
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
- Hematology Department 12 de Octubre University Hospital, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Martínez
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
- Hematology Department 12 de Octubre University Hospital, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Hematological Malignancies Lab-H12O Clinical Research Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.F.); (A.L.); (J.M.); (L.F.)
| | - Antonio Pérez-Martínez
- Translational Research Group in Paediatric Oncology Haematopoietic Transplantation & Cell Therapy, La Paz University Hospital Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, 28046 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.-Z.); (M.V.); (C.F.); (C.M.)
- Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department, La Paz University Hospital, 28046 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-912071408 (ext. 41408)
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19
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Xu Z, Zhu X, Su L, Zou C, Chen X, Hou Y, Gong C, Ng W, Ni Z, Wang L, Yan X, Zhu Y, Jiao X, Yao C, Zhu S. A high-throughput assay for screening natural products that boost NK cell-mediated killing of cancer cells. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2020; 58:357-366. [PMID: 32356467 PMCID: PMC7241510 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2020.1748661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Context: Natural killer (NK) cells can eliminate malignant cells and play a vital role in immunosurveillance. Administration of natural compounds represents a promising approach for antitumor immunotherapy, which may enhance the NK cell activity via multiple mechanisms.Objective: Establishing approaches to evaluate the effect of select natural products on NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity.Materials and methods: We selected a natural product library containing 2880 pure compounds, which was provided by the National Centre for Drug Screening of China. 0.1% DMSO was employed as a negative control, and 100 U/mL human recombinant IL-2 was employed as a positive control. To evaluate the % of tumour cells which were killed by NK cells, expanded NK cells were co-cultured with tumour cells and then treated with natural products at the concentration of 10 μM. After 24-h co-incubation, luminescent signal was detected and percent lysis was calculated.Results: We report on the results of a three-round high-throughput screening effort that identified 20-deoxyingenol 3-angelate (DI3A) and its analogue ingenol 3-angelate (I3A) as immuno enhancers which boosts NK cell-mediated killing of non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLCs). Biophotonic cytotoxicity assay and calcein release assay were used as two well-established NK cell cytotoxicity detection assays to validate the immuno-enhancing effects of DI3A and I3A, which was achieved by increasing degranulation and interferon-gamma secretion of NK cells.Conclusions: Our newly established ATP-based method was a valuable and information-rich screening tool to investigate the biological effects of natural products on both NK cells and tumour cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Xu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Su
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunpu Zou
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifei Hou
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanyi Ng
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuewei Yan
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangzhuangzhuang Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoning Jiao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Yao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- CONTACT Chao Yao
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shiguo Zhu Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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20
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Cichocki F, Bjordahl R, Gaidarova S, Mahmood S, Abujarour R, Wang H, Tuininga K, Felices M, Davis ZB, Bendzick L, Clarke R, Stokely L, Rogers P, Ge M, Robinson M, Rezner B, Robbins DL, Lee TT, Kaufman DS, Blazar BR, Valamehr B, Miller JS. iPSC-derived NK cells maintain high cytotoxicity and enhance in vivo tumor control in concert with T cells and anti-PD-1 therapy. Sci Transl Med 2020; 12:eaaz5618. [PMID: 33148626 PMCID: PMC8861807 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz5618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of immunotherapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting checkpoint inhibitory receptors, such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), or their ligands, such as PD-L1, has transformed the oncology landscape. However, durable tumor regression is limited to a minority of patients. Therefore, combining immunotherapies with those targeting checkpoint inhibitory receptors is a promising strategy to bolster antitumor responses and improve response rates. Natural killer (NK) cells have the potential to augment checkpoint inhibition therapies, such as PD-L1/PD-1 blockade, because NK cells mediate both direct tumor lysis and T cell activation and recruitment. However, sourcing donor-derived NK cells for adoptive cell therapy has been limited by both cell number and quality. Thus, we developed a robust and efficient manufacturing system for the differentiation and expansion of high-quality NK cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). iPSC-derived NK (iNK) cells produced inflammatory cytokines and exerted strong cytotoxicity against an array of hematologic and solid tumors. Furthermore, we showed that iNK cells recruit T cells and cooperate with T cells and anti-PD-1 antibody, further enhancing inflammatory cytokine production and tumor lysis. Because the iNK cell derivation process uses a renewable starting material and enables the manufacturing of large numbers of doses from a single manufacture, iNK cells represent an "off-the-shelf" source of cells for immunotherapy with the capacity to target tumors and engage the adaptive arm of the immune system to make a "cold" tumor "hot" by promoting the influx of activated T cells to augment checkpoint inhibitor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Cichocki
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Hongbo Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Katie Tuininga
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Martin Felices
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Zachary B Davis
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Laura Bendzick
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | - Moyar Ge
- Fate Therapeutics, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tom T Lee
- Fate Therapeutics, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Dan S Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Bruce R Blazar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey S Miller
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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21
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Naeimi Kararoudi M, Tullius BP, Chakravarti N, Pomeroy EJ, Moriarity BS, Beland K, Colamartino ABL, Haddad E, Chu Y, Cairo MS, Lee DA. Genetic and epigenetic modification of human primary NK cells for enhanced antitumor activity. Semin Hematol 2020; 57:201-212. [PMID: 33256913 PMCID: PMC7809645 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using genetically modified immune cells such as those expressing chimeric antigen receptors has shown dramatic outcomes in patients with refractory and relapsed malignancies. Natural killer (NK) cells as a member of the innate immune system, possessing both anticancer (cytotoxic) and proinflammatory (cytokine) responses to cancers and rare off-target toxicities have great potential for a wide range of cancer therapeutic settings. Therefore, improving NK cell antitumor activity through genetic modification is of high interest in the field of cancer immunotherapy. However, gene manipulation in primary NK cells has been challenging because of broad resistance to many genetic modification methods that work well in T cells. Here we review recent successful approaches for genetic and epigenetic modification of NK cells including epigenetic remodeling, transposons, mRNA-mediated gene delivery, lentiviruses, and CRISPR gene targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meisam Naeimi Kararoudi
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, Abigail Wexner Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Brian P Tullius
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, Abigail Wexner Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Nitin Chakravarti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Emily J Pomeroy
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | | | - Kathie Beland
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Elie Haddad
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yaya Chu
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Mitchell S Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Dean A Lee
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, Abigail Wexner Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
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22
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Zhao XY, Jiang Q, Jiang H, Hu LJ, Zhao T, Yu XX, Huang XJ. Expanded clinical-grade membrane-bound IL-21/4-1BBL NK cell products exhibit activity against acute myeloid leukemia in vivo. Eur J Immunol 2020; 50:1374-1385. [PMID: 32357256 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201948375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adoptive NK cell infusion is a promising immunotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. The aim of this study was to test the activity of clinical-grade membrane-bound IL-21/4-1BBL-expanded NK cell products against AML in vivo. METHODS Fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were incubated with equal numbers of irradiated membrane-bound IL-21/4-1BBL-expressing K562 cells for 2-3 weeks to induce clinical-grade NK cell expansion. RESULTS Expansion for 2 and 3 weeks produced ∼4 and 8 × 109 NK cells from 2 × 107 PBMCs. The production of CD107a and TNF-α in NK cell products in response to AML cell lines and primary blasts was higher than that observed in resting NK cells. The 2-week expanded NK cell products were xenografted into immunodeficient mice with leukemia and were persistently found in the BM, spleen, liver, lung, and peripheral blood for at least 13 days; furthermore, these expanded products reduced the AML burden in vivo. Compared with matched AML patients with persistent or relapsed minimal residual disease (MRD+ ) who underwent regular consolidation therapy, MRD+ patients who underwent NK treatment had better overall survival and showed no major adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Clinical-grade mbIL-21/4-1BBL-expanded NK cells exhibited antileukemic activity against AML in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Yu Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China.,Beijing Engineering Laboratory for Cellular Therapy, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Juan Hu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China
| | - Xing-Xing Yu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Beijing Engineering Laboratory for Cellular Therapy, Beijing, China
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23
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Mani R, Rajgolikar G, Nunes J, Zapolnik K, Wasmuth R, Mo X, Byrd JC, Lee DA, Muthusamy N, Vasu S. Fc-engineered anti-CD33 monoclonal antibody potentiates cytotoxicity of membrane-bound interleukin-21 expanded natural killer cells in acute myeloid leukemia. Cytotherapy 2020; 22:369-376. [PMID: 32303428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Qualitative and quantitative defects in natural killer (NK) cells have been noted in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), providing rationale for infusion of donor-derived NK cells. We previously showed that decitabine enhances expression of NKG2D ligands in AML with additive cytotoxicity when NK cells and Fc (fragment crystallizable region)-engineered CD33 monoclonal antibody (CD33mAb) was used. We conducted a phase 1 study evaluating decitabine and haploidentical NK cells in relapsed AML. Using patient samples from this study, we evaluated whether ex vivo donor-derived expanded NK cells with or without CD33mAb was effective in decitabine-treated AML. METHODS Bone marrow aspirates were collected from patients at pre- and post-NK cell infusion. NK cells from healthy donors were expanded for 14 days using irradiated K562 feeder cells displaying membrane-bound IL-21 (mbIL-21). Patient samples were used to test in vitro activity of mbIL-21 NK cells ± CD33m Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and AML patient derived xenograft (PDX) mice were developed to test in vivo activity. RESULTS Upon incubation with primary AML blasts, mbIL-21 NK cells showed variable donor-dependent intra-cellular interferon-γ production, which increased with CD33mAb-coated AML. ADCC assays revealed mbIL-21 NK cells effectively lysed primary AML blasts with higher activity on CD33mAb-coated AML. Importantly, CD33mAb-dependent enhanced cytotoxicity by mbIL-21 NK cells was maintained in AML cells from patients even 24 days post-decitabine treatment. In vivo infusion of mbIL-21 NK cells in AML PDX mice, treated with CD33mAb, reduced the tumor burden. DISCUSSION These data show the therapeutic utility of mbIL-21 NK cells that can be further potentiated by addition of CD33mAb in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeswaran Mani
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Girish Rajgolikar
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessica Nunes
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Kevan Zapolnik
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ronni Wasmuth
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiaokui Mo
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - John C Byrd
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Dean A Lee
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Natarajan Muthusamy
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
| | - Sumithira Vasu
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
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24
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Wang CJ, Huang XJ, Gong LZ, Jia JS, Liu XH, Wang Y, Yan CH, Chang YJ, Zhao XS, Shi HX, Lai YY, Jiang H. [Observation on the efficacy of consolidation chemotherapy combined with allogeneic natural killer cell infusion in the treatment of low and moderate risk acute myeloid leukemia]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2019; 40:812-817. [PMID: 31775478 PMCID: PMC7364980 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of consolidation chemotherapy combined with allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell infusion in the treatment of low or intermediate-risk (LIR) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) . Methods: A cohort of 23 LIR AML patients at hematologic complete remission (CR) received NK cell transfusion combined with consolidation chemotherapy after 3 consolidation courses from January 2014 to June 2019 were reviewed. Control group cases were concurrent patients from Department of Hematology, and their gender, age, diagnosis, risk stratification of prognosis, CR and the number of courses of consolidate chemotherapy before NK cell transfusion were matched with LIR AML patients. Results: A total of 45 times of NK cells were injected into 23 LIR AML patients during 4 to 7 courses of chemotherapy. The median NK cell infusion quantity was 7.5 (6.6-8.6) ×10(9)/L, and the median survival rate of NK cells was 95.4% (93.9%-96.9%) . Among them, the median CD3(-)CD56(+) cell number was 5.0 (1.4-6.4) ×10(9)/L, accounting for 76.8% (30.8%-82.9%) ; The number of CD3(+) CD56(+) cells was 0.55 (0.24-1.74) ×10(9)/L, accounting for 8.8% (4.9%-20.9%) . Before NK cell infusion, the number of patients with positive MRD in the treatment and control groups were 9/23 (39.1%) and 19/46 (41.3%) (χ(2)=0.030, P=0.862) respectively. After NK infusion, There was no significant difference in terms of MRD that went from negative to positive between the treatment and the control groups (14.3% vs 22.2%, χ(2)=0.037, P=0.847) . In the treatment group, 66.7% (6/9) of the MRD were converted from positive to negative, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (10.5%, 2/19) (χ(2)=6.811, P=0.009) . Morphological recurrence occurred in 1 case of MRD negative in the treatment group and 2 cases of MRD positive in the control group. By the end of follow-up, the median follow-up was 35 (10-59) months, the number of patients with morphological recurrence in the treatment group was 30.4% (7/23) , which was significantly lower than that in the control group (50.2%, 24/46) (χ(2)=2.929, P=0.087) , although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference on MRD-negative between the treatment and the control groups (43.5% vs 43.5%, χ(2)=1.045, P=0.307) . The 3-year leukemia-free survival was better in the treatment group [ (65.1±11.1) %] than that in the control group [ (50.0±7.4) %] (P=0.047) . The 3-year overall survival in the treatment and control groups were (78.1±10.2) % and (65.8±8.0) % (P=0.212) , respectively. Conclusion: The consolidation of chemotherapy combined with allogeneic NK cell infusion contributed to the further remission of patients with LMR AML and the reduction of long-term recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Wang
- Beijing University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing 100044, China (Wang Chunjian is working on the Peking University International Hospital, Beijing 102206, China)
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25
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Lee DA. Cellular therapy: Adoptive immunotherapy with expanded natural killer cells. Immunol Rev 2019; 290:85-99. [DOI: 10.1111/imr.12793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dean A. Lee
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio
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Kim SH, Park SY, Lim MC, Lee ES, Lee EG, Han SE, Kim YH, Kwon BS, Choi BK. Delayed IL-21 treatment preferentially expands peptide-specific CD8 + T cells by reducing bystander activation of T cells. Immunotherapy 2019; 11:497-513. [PMID: 30760061 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2018-0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM We previously reported a simple and practical procedure to generate peptide-specific CD8+ T cells using peptide and IL-2, which is applied to produce human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)-specific CD8+ T cells for clinical use. We have modified the procedure to enhance the amplification of peptide-specific CD8+ T cells adding IL-21. MATERIALS & METHODS Using human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201-restricted cytomegalovirus/pp65-specific CD8+ T cells of healthy volunteers, we optimized the culture conditions by adjusting the dose and timing of IL-21 treatment. RESULTS & CONCLUSION By adding IL-21, we accelerated the expansion rate of cytomegalovirus/pp65-specific CD8+ T cells by reducing bystander activation of T cells. We expect that the procedure including IL-21 would improve the production rate of hTERT- and Wilms tumor 1 (WT1)-specific CD8+ T cells for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon-Hee Kim
- Immunotherapeutics Branch, Division of Convergence Technology, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Sang-Yoon Park
- Common Cancer Branch, Division of Clinical Research, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea.,Center for Uterine Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Myong Cheol Lim
- Center for Uterine Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea.,Cancer Healthcare Research Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Management, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Eun Sook Lee
- Immunotherapeutics Branch, Division of Convergence Technology, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea.,Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Eun Gyeong Lee
- Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Seoung-Eun Han
- Immunotherapeutics Branch, Division of Convergence Technology, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Young-Ho Kim
- Rare Cancer Branch, Division of Clinical Research, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408, Korea
| | - Byoung S Kwon
- Eutilex, Co., Ltd, Suite# 1401 Daeryung Technotown 17 Gasan digital 1-ro 25, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul 08594, Korea.,Department of Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
| | - Beom K Choi
- Biomedicine Production Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408 Korea
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Neviani P, Wise PM, Murtadha M, Liu CW, Wu CH, Jong AY, Seeger RC, Fabbri M. Natural Killer-Derived Exosomal miR-186 Inhibits Neuroblastoma Growth and Immune Escape Mechanisms. Cancer Res 2018; 79:1151-1164. [PMID: 30541743 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-0779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In neuroblastoma, the interplay between immune cells of the tumor microenvironment and cancer cells contributes to immune escape mechanisms and drug resistance. In this study, we show that natural killer (NK) cell-derived exosomes carrying the tumor suppressor microRNA (miR)-186 exhibit cytotoxicity against MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. The cytotoxic potential of these exosomes was partly dependent upon expression of miR-186. miR-186 was downregulated in high-risk neuroblastoma patients, and its low expression represented a poor prognostic factor that directly correlated with NK activation markers (i.e., NKG2D and DNAM-1). Expression of MYCN, AURKA, TGFBR1, and TGFBR2 was directly inhibited by miR-186. Targeted delivery of miR-186 to MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma or NK cells resulted in inhibition of neuroblastoma tumorigenic potential and prevented the TGFβ1-dependent inhibition of NK cells. Altogether, these data support the investigation of a miR-186-containing nanoparticle formulation to prevent tumor growth and TGFβ1-dependent immune escape in high-risk neuroblastoma patients as well as the inclusion of ex vivo-derived NK exosomes as a potential therapeutic option alongside NK cell-based immunotherapy.Significance: These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of NK cell-derived exosomes containing the tumor suppressor miR-186 that inhibits growth, spreading, and TGFβ-dependent immune escape mechanisms in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Neviani
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Petra M Wise
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mariam Murtadha
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Cathy W Liu
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Chun-Hua Wu
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ambrose Y Jong
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Robert C Seeger
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Muller Fabbri
- Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and Divisions of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USC-Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
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28
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Yao C, Ni Z, Gong C, Zhu X, Wang L, Xu Z, Zhou C, Li S, Zhou W, Zou C, Zhu S. Rocaglamide enhances NK cell-mediated killing of non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting autophagy. Autophagy 2018; 14:1831-1844. [PMID: 29969944 PMCID: PMC6135631 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2018.1489946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting macroautophagy/autophagy is a novel strategy in cancer immunotherapy. In the present study, we showed that the natural product rocaglamide (RocA) enhanced natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in vitro and tumor regression in vivo. Moreover, this effect was not related to the NK cell recognition of target cells or expressions of death receptors. Instead, RocA inhibited autophagy and restored the level of NK cell-derived GZMB (granzyme B) in NSCLC cells, therefore increasing their susceptibility to NK cell-mediated killing. In addition, we further identified that the target of RocA was ULK1 (unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1) that is required for autophagy initiation. Using firefly luciferase containing the 5´ untranslated region of ULK1, we found that RocA inhibited the protein translation of ULK1 in a sequence-specific manner. Taken together, RocA could block autophagic immune resistance to NK cell-mediated killing, and our data suggested that RocA was a promising therapeutic candidate in NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowen Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zihang Xu
- Department of Internal Classic of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chunxian Zhou
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Suyun Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wuxiong Zhou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Chunpu Zou
- Department of Internal Classic of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
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29
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Abouelghar A, Hasnah R, Taouk G, Saad M, Karam M. Prognostic values of the mRNA expression of natural killer receptor ligands and their association with clinicopathological features in breast cancer patients. Oncotarget 2018; 9:27171-27196. [PMID: 29930758 PMCID: PMC6007477 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system that have potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. NK cell recognition and activity towards cancer cells are regulated by an integrated interplay between numerous inhibitory and activating receptors acting in concert to eliminate tumor cells expressing cognate ligands. Despite strong evidence supporting the role of NK cells in breast cancer (BC) control, BC still develops and progresses to form large tumors and metastases. A major mechanism of BC escape from NK immunity is the alteration of the expression of NK receptor ligands. The aim of this study was to determine whether NK receptor ligands' mRNA expression might influence prognosis in BC patients and whether these effects differ by molecular subtypes and clinicopathological features. METHODS We used the KM plotter platform to analyze the correlation between mRNA expression of 32 NK receptor ligands and relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in 3951 and 1402 BC patients, respectively. The association with tumor subtypes and clinicopathological features was determined. BC samples were split into high and low expression groups according to the best cutoff value and the two patient cohorts were compared by Kaplan-Meier survival plots. The hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals and log rank P values were calculated and FDR-adjusted for multiple testing correction. The data was considered to be statistically significant when FDR-adjusted P value < 0.05. RESULTS High mRNA expression of around 80% of ligands for NK activating and inhibitory receptors associated with better RFS, which correlated with longer OS for only about half of the NK-activating ligands but for most NK-inhibitory ligands. Also, five NK-activating ligands correlated with worse prognosis. These prognostic values were differentially associated with the BC clinical criteria. In addition, the favorable prognostic influence of NK-activating ligands' upregulation, as a whole, was mainly significantly associated with HER2-positive and basal-like subtypes, lymph node positive phenotype, and high-grade tumors. CONCLUSIONS NK receptor ligands appear to play an important role in defining BC patient prognosis. Identification of a group of patients with worse prognosis expressing high levels of NK-activating ligands and low levels of NK-inhibitory ligands makes them ideal potential candidates for NK-based immunotherapy to eliminate residual tumor cells, prevent relapse and improve patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Abouelghar
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Reem Hasnah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ghina Taouk
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohamad Saad
- Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Manale Karam
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
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30
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Fernández L, Leivas A, Valentín J, Escudero A, Corral D, de Paz R, Vela M, Bueno D, Rodríguez R, Torres JM, Díaz-Almirón M, López-Collazo E, Martinez-Lopez J, Pérez-Martínez A. How do we manufacture clinical-grade interleukin-15-stimulated natural killer cell products for cancer treatment? Transfusion 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/trf.14573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Fernández
- Clinical Research Department; Spanish National Cancer Research Center, CNIO
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31
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Shenouda MM, Gillgrass A, Nham T, Hogg R, Lee AJ, Chew MV, Shafaei M, Aarts C, Lee DA, Hassell J, Bane A, Dhesy-Thind S, Ashkar AA. Ex vivo expanded natural killer cells from breast cancer patients and healthy donors are highly cytotoxic against breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumours. Breast Cancer Res 2017; 19:76. [PMID: 28668076 PMCID: PMC5493877 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-017-0867-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in cancer immunosurveillance. Recent developments in NK cell ex-vivo expansion makes it possible to generate millions of activated NK cells from a small volume of peripheral blood. We tested the functionality of ex vivo expanded NK cells in vitro against breast cancer cell lines and in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. The study aim was to assess functionality and phenotype of expanded NK cells from breast cancer patients against breast cancer cell lines and autologous primary tumours. METHODS We used a well-established NK cell co-culture system to expand NK cells ex vivo from healthy donors and breast cancer patients and examined their surface marker expression. Moreover, we tested the ability of expanded NK cells to lyse the triple negative breast cancer and HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453, respectively. We also tested their ability to prevent tumour growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. Finally, we tested the cytotoxicity of expanded NK cells against autologous and allogeneic primary breast cancer tumours in vitro. RESULTS After 3 weeks of culture we observed over 1000-fold expansion of NK cells isolated from either breast cancer patients or healthy donors. We also showed that the phenotype of expanded NK cells is comparable between those from healthy donors and cancer patients. Moreover, our results confirm the ability of ex vivo expanded NK cells to lyse tumour cell lines in vitro. While the cell lines examined had differential sensitivity to NK cell killing we found this was correlated with level of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression. In our in vivo model, NK cells prevented tumour establishment and growth in immunocompromised mice. Finally, we showed that NK cells expanded from the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients show high cytotoxicity against allogeneic and autologous patient-derived tumour cells in vitro. CONCLUSION NK cells from breast cancer patients can be expanded similarly to those from healthy donors, have a high cytotoxic ability against breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumour cells, and can be compatible with current cancer treatments to restore NK cell function in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira M. Shenouda
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Amy Gillgrass
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Tina Nham
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Richard Hogg
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Amanda J. Lee
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Marianne V. Chew
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Mahsa Shafaei
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Craig Aarts
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Dean A. Lee
- Cellular Therapy and Cancer Immunology Program, Department of Hematology/Oncology and BMT, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio, USA
| | - John Hassell
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
| | - Anita Bane
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
- Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON Canada
| | | | - Ali A. Ashkar
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, MDCL 4015 Hamilton, ON Canada
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Granzin M, Wagner J, Köhl U, Cerwenka A, Huppert V, Ullrich E. Shaping of Natural Killer Cell Antitumor Activity by Ex Vivo Cultivation. Front Immunol 2017; 8:458. [PMID: 28491060 PMCID: PMC5405078 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are a promising tool for the use in adoptive immunotherapy, since they efficiently recognize and kill tumor cells. In this context, ex vivo cultivation is an attractive option to increase NK cells in numbers and to improve their antitumor potential prior to clinical applications. Consequently, various strategies to generate NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy have been developed. Here, we give an overview of different NK cell cultivation approaches and their impact on shaping the NK cell antitumor activity. So far, the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-21 are used to culture and expand NK cells. The selection of the respective cytokine combination is an important factor that directly affects NK cell maturation, proliferation, survival, distribution of NK cell subpopulations, activation, and function in terms of cytokine production and cytotoxic potential. Importantly, cytokines can upregulate the expression of certain activating receptors on NK cells, thereby increasing their responsiveness against tumor cells that express the corresponding ligands. Apart from using cytokines, cocultivation with autologous accessory non-NK cells or addition of growth-inactivated feeder cells are approaches for NK cell cultivation with pronounced effects on NK cell activation and expansion. Furthermore, ex vivo cultivation was reported to prime NK cells for the killing of tumor cells that were previously resistant to NK cell attack. In general, NK cells become frequently dysfunctional in cancer patients, for instance, by downregulation of NK cell activating receptors, disabling them in their antitumor response. In such scenario, ex vivo cultivation can be helpful to arm NK cells with enhanced antitumor properties to overcome immunosuppression. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on NK cell modulation by different ex vivo cultivation strategies focused on increasing NK cytotoxicity for clinical application in malignant diseases. Moreover, we critically discuss the technical and regulatory aspects and challenges underlying NK cell based therapeutic approaches in the clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Granzin
- Clinical Research, Miltenyi Biotec Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Juliane Wagner
- Division for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, Hospital of the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Cellular Immunology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Innate Immunity Group, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Immunbiochemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Volker Huppert
- R&D Reagents, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Division for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, Hospital of the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Cellular Immunology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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Ni L, Wang L, Yao C, Ni Z, Liu F, Gong C, Zhu X, Yan X, Watowich SS, Lee DA, Zhu S. The histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid inhibits NKG2D expression in natural killer cells through suppression of STAT3 and HDAC3. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45266. [PMID: 28338101 PMCID: PMC5364405 DOI: 10.1038/srep45266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
NKG2D is a major activating receptor of NK cells and plays a critical role in tumor immunosurveillance. NKG2D expression in NK cells is inhibited by the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) and enhanced by the narrow-spectrum HDAC inhibitor entinostat. We previously demonstrated that entinostat enhanced NKG2D transcription by increasing acetylation of Histones H3 and H4. However, the mechanism by which VPA reduces NKG2D expression in NK cells is not known. We have also shown that NKG2D transcription is regulated by STAT3 phosphorylation. In this study, we investigated regulation of NKG2D expression in NK cells by VPA and entinostat by assessing protein expression, phosphorylation, and interaction of HDACs and STAT3. We find that VPA selectively inhibits STAT3 tyrosine705 phosphorylation, but entinostat does not. STAT3 complexes with HDAC3, and HDAC3 inhibition represses STAT3 phosphorylation and therefore NKG2D expression. NK cells from STAT3 wild-type mice downregulate NKG2D in response to VPA, but not NK cells from STAT3 knockout mice. These results show that VPA is a potent inhibitor of STAT3 phosphorylation and demonstrate that histone acetylation and STAT3 tyrosine705 phosphorylation cooperate in regulating NKG2D expression in NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Fei Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Chenyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowen Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Xuewei Yan
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Stephanie S Watowich
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Dean A Lee
- Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, WA4023, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.,Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 CaiLun Rd., Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
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Gong C, Yao C, Xu Z, Ni Z, Zhu X, Wang L, Yan X, Zhou W, Zhu S. Enhancement of NK cell-mediated lysis of non-small lung cancer cells by nPKC activator, ingenol 3,20 dibenzoate. Mol Immunol 2017; 83:23-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2017.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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35
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Selection and expansion of natural killer cells for NK cell-based immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2016; 65:477-84. [PMID: 26810567 PMCID: PMC4826432 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-016-1792-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have been used in several clinical trials as adaptive immunotherapy. The low numbers of these cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) have resulted in various approaches to preferentially expand primary NK cells from PBMC. While some clinical trials have used the addition of interleukin 2 (IL-2) to co-stimulate the expansion of purified NK cells from allogeneic donors, recent studies have shown promising results in achieving in vitro expansion of NK cells to large numbers for adoptive immunotherapy. NK cell expansion requires multiple cell signals for survival, proliferation and activation. Thus, expansion strategies have been focused either to substitute these factors using autologous feeder cells or to use genetically modified allogeneic feeder cells. Recent developments in the clinical use of genetically modified NK cell lines with chimeric antigen receptors, the development of expansion protocols for the clinical use of NK cell from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are challenging improvements for NK cell-based immunotherapy. Transfer of several of these protocols to clinical-grade production of NK cells necessitates adaptation of good manufacturing practice conditions, and the development of freezing conditions to establish NK cell stocks will require some effort and, however, should enhance the therapeutic options of NK cells in clinical medicine.
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36
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Gong C, Ni Z, Yao C, Zhu X, Ni L, Wang L, Zhu S. A High-Throughput Assay for Screening of Natural Products that Enhanced Tumoricidal Activity of NK Cells. Biol Proced Online 2015; 17:12. [PMID: 26516316 PMCID: PMC4625435 DOI: 10.1186/s12575-015-0026-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, immunotherapy has shown a lot of promise in cancer treatment and different immune cell types are involved in this endeavor. Among different immune cell populations, NK cells are also an important component in unleashing the therapeutic activity of immune cells. Therefore, in order to enhance the tumoricidal activity of NK cells, identification of new small-molecule natural products is important. Despite the availability of different screening methods for identification of natural products, a simple, economic and high-throughput method is lacking. Hence, in this study, we have developed a high-throughput assay for screening and indentifying natural products that can enhance NK cell-mediated killing of cancer cells. RESULTS We expanded human NK cell population from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by culturing these PBMCs with membrane-bound IL-21 and CD137L engineered K562 cells. Next, expanded NK cells were co-cultured with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells with or without natural products and after 24 h of co-culturing, harvested supernatants were analyzed for IFN-γ secretions by ELISA method. We screened 502 natural products and identified that 28 candidates has the potential to induce IFN-γ secretion by NK cells to varying degrees. Among the 28 natural product candidates, we further confirmed and analyzed the potential of one molecule, andrographolide. It actually increased IFN-γ secretion by NK cells and enhanced NK cell-mediated killing of NSCLC cells. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated that this IFN-γ based high-throughput assay for screening of natural products for NK cell tumoricidal activity is a simple, economic and reliable method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Zhongya Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Chao Yao
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Xiaowen Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Lulu Ni
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Lixin Wang
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
| | - Shiguo Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cai Lun Road, Shanghai, 201203 P.R. China
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LI XIAOMEI, HE CHENHUI, LIU CHANGZHEN, MA JUAN, MA PAN, CUI HONGLIAN, TAO HUA, GAO BIN. Expansion of NK cells from PBMCs using immobilized 4-1BBL and interleukin-21. Int J Oncol 2015; 47:335-42. [DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2015.3005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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IL-21: a pleiotropic cytokine with potential applications in oncology. J Immunol Res 2015; 2015:696578. [PMID: 25961061 PMCID: PMC4413888 DOI: 10.1155/2015/696578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin- (IL-) 21 is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates the activity of both innate and specific immunity. Indeed, it costimulates T and natural killer (NK) cell proliferation and function and regulates B cell survival and differentiation and the function of dendritic cells. In addition, IL-21 exerts divergent effects on different lymphoid cell leukemia and lymphomas, as it may support cell proliferation or on the contrary induce growth arrest or apoptosis of the neoplastic lymphoid cells. Several preclinical studies showed that IL-21 has antitumor activity in different tumor models, through mechanism involving the activation of NK and T or B cell responses. Moreover, IL-21's antitumor activity can be potentiated by its combination with other immune-enhancing molecules, monoclonal antibodies recognizing tumor antigens, chemotherapy, or molecular targeted agents. Clinical phase I-II studies of IL-21 in cancer patients showed immune stimulatory properties, acceptable toxicity profile, and antitumor effects in a fraction of patients. In view of its tolerability, IL-21 is also suitable for combinational therapeutic regimens with other agents. This review will summarize the biological functions of IL-21, and address its role in lymphoid malignancies and preclinical and clinical studies of cancer immunotherapy.
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Abstract
Current therapy for sarcomas, though effective in treating local disease, is often ineffective for patients with recurrent or metastatic disease. To improve outcomes, novel approaches are needed and cell therapy has the potential to meet this need since it does not rely on the cytotoxic mechanisms of conventional therapies. The recent successes of T-cell therapies for hematological malignancies have led to renewed interest in exploring cell therapies for solid tumors such as sarcomas. In this review, we will discuss current cell therapies for sarcoma with special emphasis on genetic approaches to improve the effector function of adoptively transferred cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda Mata
- Center for Cell & Gene Therapy, Texa Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Center for Cell & Gene Therapy, Texa Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 1102 Bates Street, Suite 1770, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Navabi SS, Doroudchi M, Tashnizi AH, Habibagahi M. Natural Killer Cell Functional Activity After 4-1BB Costimulation. Inflammation 2014; 38:1181-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s10753-014-0082-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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41
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Zhu S, Phatarpekar PV, Denman CJ, Senyukov VV, Somanchi SS, Nguyen-Jackson HT, Mace EM, Freeman AF, Watowich SS, Orange JS, Holland SM, Lee DA. Transcription of the activating receptor NKG2D in natural killer cells is regulated by STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation. Blood 2014; 124:403-11. [PMID: 24891320 PMCID: PMC4102712 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2013-05-499707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is considered a negative regulator of inflammation, as inhibition of STAT3 signaling enhances antitumor immunity. However, STAT3 activation is a key oncogenic pathway in natural killer (NK)-lineage large granular lymphomas, and we recently reported enhanced proliferation and function of human NK cells activated with IL-21, which signals primarily through STAT3. These IL-21-expanded NK cells also have increased NKG2D expression, which led us to focus our investigation on whether STAT3 regulates NKG2D. In this study, we show that modulation of STAT3 phosphorylation with cytokines and small-molecule inhibitors correlates with NKG2D expression on human NK cells, leading to altered NK-cell degranulation. Moreover, NKG2D expression on murine NK cells having conditional STAT3 ablation is lower than on NK cells from wild-type mice, and human NK cells carrying dominant-negative STAT3 mutations have decreased baseline NKG2D expression and blunted responses to IL-10 and IL-21. Lastly, we show binding of STAT3 to a predicted STAT3 binding site upstream of the NKG2D gene, which is enhanced by IL-10 and IL-21 and decreased by STAT3 inhibition. Taken together, these data show that NKG2D expression in NK cells is regulated at the transcriptional level by STAT3, resulting in a functional NK cell defect in patients with STAT3 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiguo Zhu
- Division of Pediatrics, Cell Therapy Section, and
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Emily M Mace
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Immunology, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; and
| | - Alexandra F Freeman
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD
| | - Stephanie S Watowich
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jordan S Orange
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Immunology, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; and
| | - Steven M Holland
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD
| | - Dean A Lee
- Division of Pediatrics, Cell Therapy Section, and
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Bottino C, Dondero A, Bellora F, Moretta L, Locatelli F, Pistoia V, Moretta A, Castriconi R. Natural killer cells and neuroblastoma: tumor recognition, escape mechanisms, and possible novel immunotherapeutic approaches. Front Immunol 2014; 5:56. [PMID: 24575100 PMCID: PMC3921882 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor of childhood and arises from developing sympathetic nervous system. Most primary tumors localize in the abdomen, the adrenal gland, or lumbar sympathetic ganglia. Amplification in tumor cells of MYCN, the major oncogenic driver, patients' age over 18 months, and the presence at diagnosis of a metastatic disease (stage IV, M) identify NB at high risk of treatment failure. Conventional therapies did not significantly improve the overall survival of these patients. Moreover, the limited landscape of somatic mutations detected in NB is hampering the development of novel pharmacological approaches. Major efforts aim to identify novel NB-associated surface molecules that activate immune responses and/or direct drugs to tumor cells and tumor-associated vessels. PVR (Poliovirus Receptor) and B7-H3 are promising targets, since they are expressed by most high-risk NB, are upregulated in tumor vasculature and are essential for tumor survival/invasiveness. PVR is a ligand of DNAM-1 activating receptor that triggers the cytolytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells against NB. In animal models, targeting of PVR with an attenuated oncolytic poliovirus induced tumor regression and elimination. Also B7-H3 was successfully targeted in preclinical studies and is now being tested in phase I/II clinical trials. B7-H3 down-regulates NK cytotoxicity, providing NB with a mechanism of escape from immune response. The immunosuppressive potential of NB can be enhanced by the release of soluble factors that impair NK cell function and/or recruitment. Among these, TGF-β1 modulates the cytotoxicity receptors and the chemokine receptor repertoire of NK cells. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the main cell surface molecules and soluble mediators that modulate the function of NK cells in NB, considering the pros and cons that must be taken into account in the design of novel NK cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Bottino
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy ; Istituto Giannina Gaslini , Genova , Italy
| | - Alessandra Dondero
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Francesca Bellora
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy
| | | | - Franco Locatelli
- Dipartimento di Onco-Ematologia Pediatrica, Ospedale Bambino Gesù , Roma , Italy ; Università di Pavia , Pavia , Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Moretta
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy ; Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy
| | - Roberta Castriconi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy ; Centro di Eccellenza per le Ricerche Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Genova , Genova , Italy
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da Cunha NB, Vianna GR, da Almeida Lima T, Rech E. Molecular farming of human cytokines and blood products from plants: Challenges in biosynthesis and detection of plant-produced recombinant proteins. Biotechnol J 2013; 9:39-50. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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