1
|
Grant M, Ni Lee L, Chinnakannan S, Tong O, Kwok J, Cianci N, Tillman L, Saha A, Pereira Almeida V, Leung C. Unlocking cancer vaccine potential: What are the key factors? Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2331486. [PMID: 38564321 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2331486] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a global health challenge, with changing demographics and lifestyle factors producing an increasing burden worldwide. Screening advancements are enabling earlier diagnoses, but current cancer immunotherapies only induce remission in a small proportion of patients and come at a high cost. Cancer vaccines may offer a solution to these challenges, but they have been mired by poor results in past decades. Greater understanding of tumor biology, coupled with the success of vaccine technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic, has reinvigorated cancer vaccine development. With the first signs of efficacy being reported, cancer vaccines may be beginning to fulfill their potential. Solid tumors, however, present different hurdles than infectious diseases. Combining insights from previous cancer vaccine clinical development and contemporary knowledge of tumor immunology, we ask: who are the 'right' patients, what are the 'right' targets, and which are the 'right' modalities to maximize the chances of cancer vaccine success?
Collapse
|
2
|
Kong N, Chen D, Liang J, Wu B, Wang H. Reprogramming Macrophages toward Pro-inflammatory Polarization by Peptide Hydrogel. Biomacromolecules 2024. [PMID: 39159395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Macrophages play crucial roles in the innate immune response, exhibiting context-dependent behaviors. Within the tumor microenvironment, macrophages exist as tumor-associated or M2-like macrophages, presenting reprogramming challenges. In this study, we develop a peptide hydrogel that is able to polarize M0 macrophages into pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages through the activation of NF-κB signaling pathways. Importantly, this system is also found to be capable of reprogramming M2 macrophages into pro-inflammatory M1-like macrophages by activating CD206 receptors. The nanofibrous hydrogel self-assembles from a short peptide that contains an innate defense regulator peptide and a self-assembly promoting motif, presenting densely arrayed regulators that multivalently engage with macrophage membrane receptors to not only polarize M0 macrophages but also repolarize M2 macrophages into M1-like macrophages. Overall, this work offers a promising strategy for reprogramming macrophages, holding the potential to enhance immunotherapy by remodeling immune-resistant microenvironments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Kong
- Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Dinghao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Juan Liang
- Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bihan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huaimin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, No. 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Han B, Cheng D, Luo H, Li J, Wu J, Jia X, Xu M, Sun P, Cheng S. Peptidomic analysis reveals novel peptide PDLC promotes cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma via Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18757. [PMID: 39138279 PMCID: PMC11322383 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69789-3] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still presents poor prognosis with low overall survival rates and limited therapeutic options available. Recently, attention has been drawn to peptidomic analysis, an emerging field of proteomics for the exploration of new potential peptide drugs for the treatment of various diseases. However, research on the potential function of HCC peptides is lacking. Here, we analyzed the peptide spectrum in HCC tissues using peptidomic techniques and explored the potentially beneficial peptides involved in HCC. Changes in peptide profiles in HCC were examined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Analyze the physicochemical properties and function of differently expressed peptides using bioinformatics. The effect of candidate functional peptides on HCC cell growth and migration was evaluated using the CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell assays. Transcriptome sequencing analysis and western blot were employed to delve into the mode of action of potential peptide on HCC. Peptidomic analysis of HCC tissue yielded a total of 8683 peptides, of which 452 exhibited up-regulation and 362 showed down-regulation. The peptides that were differentially expressed, according to bioinformatic analysis, were closely linked to carbon metabolism and the mitochondrial inner membrane. The peptide functional validation identified a novel peptide, PDLC (peptide derived from liver cancer), which was found to dramatically boost HCC cell proliferation through the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade. Our research defined the peptide's properties and pattern of expression in HCC and identified a novel peptide, PDLC, with a function in encouraging HCC progression, offering an entirely new potential therapeutic target the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Han
- Key Laboratory for Translational Research and Innovative Therapeutics of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Daqing Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huizhao Luo
- Rehabilitation Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jutang Li
- Key Laboratory for Translational Research and Innovative Therapeutics of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaoxiang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Translational Research and Innovative Therapeutics of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Jia
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Sheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Translational Research and Innovative Therapeutics of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Department of General Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
D'Aniello A, Del Bene A, Mottola S, Mazzarella V, Cutolo R, Campagna E, Di Maro S, Messere A. The bright side of chemistry: Exploring synthetic peptide-based anticancer vaccines. J Pept Sci 2024; 30:e3596. [PMID: 38571326 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3596] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The present review focuses on synthetic peptide-based vaccine strategies in the context of anticancer intervention, paying attention to critical aspects such as peptide epitope selection, adjuvant integration, and nuanced classification of synthetic peptide cancer vaccines. Within this discussion, we delve into the diverse array of synthetic peptide-based anticancer vaccines, each derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), including melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 (Melan-A or MART-1), mucin 1 (MUC1), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), tumor protein 53 (p53), human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), survivin, folate receptor (FR), cancer-testis antigen 1 (NY-ESO-1), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). We also describe the synthetic peptide-based vaccines developed for cancers triggered by oncovirus, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Additionally, the potential synergy of peptide-based vaccines with common therapeutics in cancer was considered. The last part of our discussion deals with the realm of the peptide-based vaccines delivery, highlighting its role in translating the most promising candidates into effective clinical strategies. Although this discussion does not cover all the ongoing peptide vaccine investigations, it aims at offering valuable insights into the chemical modifications and the structural complexities of anticancer peptide-based vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia D'Aniello
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Alessandra Del Bene
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mottola
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mazzarella
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Roberto Cutolo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Erica Campagna
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Salvatore Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
- Interuniversity Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPEB), Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Messere
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
- Interuniversity Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPEB), Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zeng YY, Gu Q, Li D, Li AX, Liu RM, Liang JY, Liu JY. Immunocyte membrane-derived biomimetic nano-drug delivery system: a pioneering platform for tumour immunotherapy. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01355-z. [PMID: 39085407 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01355-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy characterized by its high specificity and minimal side effects has achieved revolutionary progress in the field of cancer treatment. However, the complex mechanisms of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and the individual variability of patients' immune system still present significant challenges to its clinical application. Immunocyte membrane-coated nanocarrier systems, as an innovative biomimetic drug delivery platform, exhibit remarkable advantages in tumor immunotherapy due to their high targeting capability, good biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. In this review we summarize the latest research advances in biomimetic delivery systems based on immune cells for tumor immunotherapy. We outline the existing methods of tumor immunotherapy including immune checkpoint therapy, adoptive cell transfer therapy and cancer vaccines etc. with a focus on the application of various immunocyte membranes in tumor immunotherapy and their prospects and challenges in drug delivery and immune modulation. We look forward to further exploring the application of biomimetic delivery systems based on immunocyte membrane-coated nanoparticles, aiming to provide a new framework for the clinical treatment of tumor immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Ye Zeng
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qing Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, Jingan District Zhabei Central Hospital, Shanghai, 200070, China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ai-Xue Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Rong-Mei Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian-Ying Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Ji-Yong Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kim J, Kang S, Kim J, Yong SB, Lahiji SF, Kim YH. Dual Adjuvant-Loaded Peptide Antigen Self-Assembly Potentiates Dendritic Cell-Mediated Tumor Immunotherapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2403663. [PMID: 39073756 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202403663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Clinical translation of current cancer vaccine research has been hampered by limited antitumor immune responses due to inefficient antigen delivery and presentation, suboptimal DC and T cell activation. Biomaterial-based nanovaccine offers targeted antigen delivery, protection from degradation in vivo, and prolonged tumor therapeutic efficacy. This study introduces a lipid-coated deoxycholic acid-survivin nanoassembly (DA-L-DSA). Survivin, overexpressed in several cancer cells and involved in cancer cell growth and immune evasion, is selected as a tumor-associated antigen. An major histocompatibility complex class I binding epitope of survivin is engineered into the nanoassembly. R848, TLR 7/8 agonist, and SD-208, TGF-beta receptor1 kinase inhibitor, are coencapsulated into the nanoassembly as potent adjuvants to boost DC maturation and enhance antigen presentation. The DA-L-DSA effectively stimulates the maturation of dendritic cells, migrates into lymph nodes, and enhances T-cell activation and Th1 response. A substantial influx of cytotoxic T lymphocytes into primary tumors is observed in a murine melanoma model and demonstrates anti-metastatic effects in a spontaneous breast cancer metastasis model. Furthermore, DA-L-DSA exhibits a remarkable synergistic effect in the combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors alleviating immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Taken together, these findings suggest DA-L-DSA as a promising immuno-therapeutic platform that could be applicable to diverse intractable cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyun Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Seyoung Kang
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisu Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Beom Yong
- Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Chungcheongbuk-do, 28116, Republic of Korea
| | - Shayan Fakhraei Lahiji
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Cursus Bio Inc. Icure Tower, Seoul, 06170, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Hee Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Cursus Bio Inc. Icure Tower, Seoul, 06170, Republic of Korea
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutical Research (IBBR), Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kim J, Maharjan R, Park J. Current Trends and Innovative Approaches in Cancer Immunotherapy. AAPS PharmSciTech 2024; 25:168. [PMID: 39044047 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-024-02883-x] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is one of the most promising therapeutic approaches in the field of cancer treatment. As a tumor progresses, tumor cells employ an array of immune-regulatory mechanisms to suppress immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. Using our understanding of these mechanisms, cancer immunotherapy has been developed to enhance the immune system's effectiveness in treating cancer. Numerous cancer immunotherapies are currently in clinical use, yet many others are either in different stages of development or undergoing clinical studies. In this paper, we briefly discuss the features and current status of cancer immunotherapies. This includes the application of monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, cytokine therapy, cancer vaccines, and gene therapy, all of which have gained significant recognition in clinical practice. Additionally, we discuss limitations that may hinder successful clinical utilization and promising strategies, such as combining immunotherapy with nanotechnology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaechang Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Ruby Maharjan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Jonghyuck Park
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yu JC, Ni K, Chen CT. ENCAP: Computational prediction of tumor T cell antigens with ensemble classifiers and diverse sequence features. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307176. [PMID: 39024250 PMCID: PMC11257298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy enhances the body's natural immune system to combat cancer, offering the advantage of lowered side effects compared to traditional treatments because of its high selectivity and efficacy. Utilizing computational methods to identify tumor T cell antigens (TTCAs) is valuable in unraveling the biological mechanisms and enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy. In this study, we present ENCAP, a predictor for TTCA based on ensemble classifiers and diverse sequence features. Sequences were encoded as a feature vector of 4349 entries based on 57 different feature types, followed by feature engineering and hyperparameter optimization for machine learning models, respectively. The selected feature subsets of ENCAP are primarily composed of physicochemical properties, with several features specifically related to hydrophobicity and amphiphilicity. Two publicly available datasets were used for performance evaluation. ENCAP yields an AUC (Area Under the ROC Curve) of 0.768 and an MCC (Matthew's Correlation Coefficient) of 0.522 on the first independent test set. On the second test set, it achieves an AUC of 0.960 and an MCC of 0.789. Performance evaluations show that ENCAP generates 4.8% and 13.5% improvements in MCC over the state-of-the-art methods on two popular TTCA datasets, respectively. For the third test dataset of 71 experimentally validated TTCAs from the literature, ENCAP yields prediction accuracy of 0.873, achieving improvements ranging from 12% to 25.7% compared to three state-of-the-art methods. In general, the prediction accuracy is higher for sequences of fewer hydrophobic residues, and more hydrophilic and charged residues. The source code of ENCAP is freely available at https://github.com/YnnJ456/ENCAP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Chieh Yu
- Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Kuan Ni
- Graduate Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Tai Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Center for Precision Health Research, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lin Z, Assaraf YG, Kwok HF. Peptides for microbe-induced cancers: latest therapeutic strategies and their advanced technologies. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024:10.1007/s10555-024-10197-4. [PMID: 39008152 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10197-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a significant global health concern associated with multiple distinct factors, including microbial and viral infections. Numerous studies have elucidated the role of microorganisms, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), as well as viruses for example human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), in the development of human malignancies. Substantial attention has been focused on the treatment of these microorganism- and virus-associated cancers, with promising outcomes observed in studies employing peptide-based therapies. The current paper provides an overview of microbe- and virus-induced cancers and their underlying molecular mechanisms. We discuss an assortment of peptide-based therapies which are currently being developed, including tumor-targeting peptides and microbial/viral peptide-based vaccines. We describe the major technological advancements that have been made in the design, screening, and delivery of peptides as anticancer agents. The primary focus of the current review is to provide insight into the latest research and development in this field and to provide a realistic glimpse into the future of peptide-based therapies for microbe- and virus-induced neoplasms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Lin
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Lab, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Instituteof Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR.
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Savsani K, Dakshanamurthy S. Novel Methodology for the Design of Personalized Cancer Vaccine Targeting Neoantigens: Application to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Diseases 2024; 12:149. [PMID: 39057120 PMCID: PMC11276509 DOI: 10.3390/diseases12070149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Personalized cancer vaccines have emerged as a promising avenue for cancer treatment or prevention strategies. This approach targets the specific genetic alterations in individual patient's tumors, offering a more personalized and effective treatment option. Previous studies have shown that generalized peptide vaccines targeting a limited scope of gene mutations were ineffective, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches. While studies have explored personalized mRNA vaccines, personalized peptide vaccines have not yet been studied in this context. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains challenging in oncology, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we developed a personalized peptide vaccine design methodology, employing RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to identify prevalent gene mutations underlying PDAC development in a patient solid tumor tissue. We performed RNAseq analysis for trimming adapters, read alignment, and somatic variant calling. We also developed a Python program called SCGeneID, which validates the alignment of the RNAseq analysis. The Python program is freely available to download. Using chromosome number and locus data, SCGeneID identifies the target gene along the UCSC hg38 reference set. Based on the gene mutation data, we developed a personalized PDAC cancer vaccine that targeted 100 highly prevalent gene mutations in two patients. We predicted peptide-MHC binding affinity, immunogenicity, antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity for each epitope. Then, we selected the top 50 and 100 epitopes based on our previously published vaccine design methodology. Finally, we generated pMHC-TCR 3D molecular model complex structures, which are freely available to download. The designed personalized cancer vaccine contains epitopes commonly found in PDAC solid tumor tissue. Our personalized vaccine was composed of neoantigens, allowing for a more precise and targeted immune response against cancer cells. Additionally, we identified mutated genes, which were also found in the reference study, where we obtained the sequencing data, thus validating our vaccine design methodology. This is the first study designing a personalized peptide cancer vaccine targeting neoantigens using human patient data to identify gene mutations associated with the specific tumor of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kush Savsani
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
| | - Sivanesan Dakshanamurthy
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Adams SC, Nambiar AK, Bressler EM, Raut CP, Colson YL, Wong WW, Grinstaff MW. Immunotherapies for locally aggressive cancers. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 210:115331. [PMID: 38729264 PMCID: PMC11228555 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Improving surgical resection outcomes for locally aggressive tumors is key to inducing durable locoregional disease control and preventing progression to metastatic disease. Macroscopically complete resection of the tumor is the standard of care for many cancers, including breast, ovarian, lung, sarcoma, and mesothelioma. Advancements in cancer diagnostics are increasing the number of surgically eligible cases through early detection. Thus, a unique opportunity arises to improve patient outcomes with decreased recurrence rates via intraoperative delivery treatments using local drug delivery strategies after the tumor has been resected. Of the current systemic treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies), immunotherapies are the latest approach to offer significant benefits. Intraoperative strategies benefit from direct access to the tumor microenvironment which improves drug uptake to the tumor and simultaneously minimizes the risk of drug entering healthy tissues thereby resulting in fewer or less toxic adverse events. We review the current state of immunotherapy development and discuss the opportunities that intraoperative treatment provides. We conclude by summarizing progress in current research, identifying areas for exploration, and discussing future prospects in sustained remission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Adams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Arun K Nambiar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eric M Bressler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Chandrajit P Raut
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yolonda L Colson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Wilson W Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Mark W Grinstaff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston MA 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hao Q, Long Y, Yang Y, Deng Y, Ding Z, Yang L, Shu Y, Xu H. Development and Clinical Applications of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines with Individualized and Shared Neoantigens. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:717. [PMID: 39066355 PMCID: PMC11281709 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12070717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neoantigens, presented as peptides on the surfaces of cancer cells, have recently been proposed as optimal targets for immunotherapy in clinical practice. The promising outcomes of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines have inspired enthusiasm for their broader clinical applications. However, the individualized tumor-specific antigens (TSA) entail considerable costs and time due to the variable immunogenicity and response rates of these neoantigens-based vaccines, influenced by factors such as neoantigen response, vaccine types, and combination therapy. Given the crucial role of neoantigen efficacy, a number of bioinformatics algorithms and pipelines have been developed to improve the accuracy rate of prediction through considering a series of factors involving in HLA-peptide-TCR complex formation, including peptide presentation, HLA-peptide affinity, and TCR recognition. On the other hand, shared neoantigens, originating from driver mutations at hot mutation spots (e.g., KRASG12D), offer a promising and ideal target for the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines. A series of clinical practices have established the efficacy of these vaccines in patients with distinct HLA haplotypes. Moreover, increasing evidence demonstrated that a combination of tumor associated antigens (TAAs) and neoantigens can also improve the prognosis, thus expand the repertoire of shared neoantigens for cancer vaccines. In this review, we provide an overview of the complex process involved in identifying personalized neoantigens, their clinical applications, advances in vaccine technology, and explore the therapeutic potential of shared neoantigen strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
| | - Yuhang Long
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
| | - Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
| | - Yiqi Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
- Colorectal Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhenyu Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
| | - Li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
| | - Yang Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
- Gastric Cancer Center, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Institute of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Heng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; (Q.H.); (Y.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.D.); (Z.D.); (L.Y.)
- Institute of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Research Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zheng J, Li X, Masci AM, Kahn H, Huffman A, Asfaw E, Pan Y, Guo J, He V, Song J, Seleznev AI, Lin AY, He Y. Empowering standardization of cancer vaccines through ontology: enhanced modeling and data analysis. J Biomed Semantics 2024; 15:12. [PMID: 38890666 PMCID: PMC11186274 DOI: 10.1186/s13326-024-00312-3] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exploration of cancer vaccines has yielded a multitude of studies, resulting in a diverse collection of information. The heterogeneity of cancer vaccine data significantly impedes effective integration and analysis. While CanVaxKB serves as a pioneering database for over 670 manually annotated cancer vaccines, it is important to distinguish that a database, on its own, does not offer the structured relationships and standardized definitions found in an ontology. Recognizing this, we expanded the Vaccine Ontology (VO) to include those cancer vaccines present in CanVaxKB that were not initially covered, enhancing VO's capacity to systematically define and interrelate cancer vaccines. RESULTS An ontology design pattern (ODP) was first developed and applied to semantically represent various cancer vaccines, capturing their associated entities and relations. By applying the ODP, we generated a cancer vaccine template in a tabular format and converted it into the RDF/OWL format for generation of cancer vaccine terms in the VO. '12MP vaccine' was used as an example of cancer vaccines to demonstrate the application of the ODP. VO also reuses reference ontology terms to represent entities such as cancer diseases and vaccine hosts. Description Logic (DL) and SPARQL query scripts were developed and used to query for cancer vaccines based on different vaccine's features and to demonstrate the versatility of the VO representation. Additionally, ontological modeling was applied to illustrate cancer vaccine related concepts and studies for in-depth cancer vaccine analysis. A cancer vaccine-specific VO view, referred to as "CVO," was generated, and it contains 928 classes including 704 cancer vaccines. The CVO OWL file is publicly available on: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/vo/cvo.owl , for sharing and applications. CONCLUSION To facilitate the standardization, integration, and analysis of cancer vaccine data, we expanded the Vaccine Ontology (VO) to systematically model and represent cancer vaccines. We also developed a pipeline to automate the inclusion of cancer vaccines and associated terms in the VO. This not only enriches the data's standardization and integration, but also leverages ontological modeling to deepen the analysis of cancer vaccine information, maximizing benefits for researchers and clinicians. AVAILABILITY The VO-cancer GitHub website is: https://github.com/vaccineontology/VO/tree/master/CVO .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Xingxian Li
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Anna Maria Masci
- Data Impact and Governance, Technology Data and Innovation, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hayleigh Kahn
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Anthony Huffman
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Eliyas Asfaw
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Yuanyi Pan
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jinjing Guo
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Virginia He
- The College of Brown University, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Justin Song
- College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Andrey I Seleznev
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Asiyah Yu Lin
- Axle Research and Technology, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Yongqun He
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Iyer K, Ivanov J, Tenchov R, Ralhan K, Rodriguez Y, Sasso JM, Scott S, Zhou QA. Emerging Targets and Therapeutics in Immuno-Oncology: Insights from Landscape Analysis. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8519-8544. [PMID: 38787632 PMCID: PMC11181335 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In the ever-evolving landscape of cancer research, immuno-oncology stands as a beacon of hope, offering novel avenues for treatment. This study capitalizes on the vast repository of immuno-oncology-related scientific documents within the CAS Content Collection, totaling over 350,000, encompassing journals and patents. Through a pioneering approach melding natural language processing with the CAS indexing system, we unveil over 300 emerging concepts, depicted in a comprehensive "Trend Landscape Map". These concepts, spanning therapeutic targets, biomarkers, and types of cancers among others, are hierarchically organized into eight major categories. Delving deeper, our analysis furnishes detailed quantitative metrics showcasing growth trends over the past three years. Our findings not only provide valuable insights for guiding future research endeavors but also underscore the merit of tapping the vast and unparalleled breadth of existing scientific information to derive profound insights.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julian Ivanov
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Rumiana Tenchov
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | | | - Yacidzohara Rodriguez
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Janet M. Sasso
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Sabina Scott
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Deng C, Li ZX, Xie CJ, Zhang QL, Hu BS, Wang MD, Mei J, Yang C, Zhong Z, Wang KW. Pan-cancer analysis of CDKN2A alterations identifies a subset of gastric cancer with a cold tumor immune microenvironment. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:55. [PMID: 38822443 PMCID: PMC11143690 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00615-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although CDKN2A alteration has been explored as a favorable factor for tumorigenesis in pan-cancers, the association between CDKN2A point mutation (MUT) and intragenic deletion (DEL) and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is still disputed. This study aims to determine the associations of CDKN2A MUT and DEL with overall survival (OS) and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors treatment (ICIs) among pan-cancers and the clinical features of CDKN2A-altered gastric cancer. METHODS This study included 45,000 tumor patients that underwent tumor sequencing across 33 cancer types from four cohorts, the MSK-MetTropism, MSK-IMPACT, OrigiMed2020 and TCGA cohorts. Clinical outcomes and genomic factors associated with response to ICIs, including tumor mutational burden, copy number alteration, neoantigen load, microsatellite instability, tumor immune microenvironment and immune-related gene signatures, were collected in pan-cancer. Clinicopathologic features and outcomes were assessed in gastric cancer. Patients were grouped based on the presence of CDKN2A wild type (WT), CDKN2A MUT, CDKN2A DEL and CDKN2A other alteration (ALT). RESULTS Our research showed that CDKN2A-MUT patients had shorter survival times than CDKN2A-WT patients in the MSK MetTropism and TCGA cohorts, but longer OS in the MSK-IMPACT cohort with ICIs treatment, particularly in patients having metastatic disease. Similar results were observed among pan-cancer patients with CDKN2A DEL and other ALT. Notably, CDKN2A ALT frequency was positively related to tumor-specific objective response rates to ICIs in MSK MetTropism and OrigiMed 2020. Additionally, individuals with esophageal carcinoma or stomach adenocarcinoma who had CDKN2A MUT had poorer OS than patients from the MSK-IMPACT group, but not those with adenocarcinoma. We also found reduced levels of activated NK cells, T cells CD8 and M2 macrophages in tumor tissue from CDKN2A-MUT or DEL pan-cancer patients compared to CDKN2A-WT patients in TCGA cohort. Gastric cancer scRNA-seq data also showed that CDKN2A-ALT cancer contained less CD8 T cells but more exhausted T cells than CDKN2A-WT cancer. A crucial finding of the pathway analysis was the inhibition of three immune-related pathways in the CDKN2A ALT gastric cancer patients, including the interferon alpha response, inflammatory response, and interferon gamma response. CONCLUSIONS This study illustrates the CDKN2A MUT and DEL were associated with a poor outcome across cancers. CDKN2A ALT, on the other hand, have the potential to be used as a biomarker for choosing patients for ICI treatment, notably in esophageal carcinoma and stomach adenocarcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Deng
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zi-Xi Li
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China
| | - Chen-Jun Xie
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China
| | - Qing-Lin Zhang
- Departments of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Ben-Shun Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Mei-Dan Wang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China
| | - Jie Mei
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China
| | - Zhangfeng Zhong
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China.
| | - Ke-Wei Wang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, No. 1000, Hefeng Rd, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, 214122, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mørk SK, Skadborg SK, Albieri B, Draghi A, Bol K, Kadivar M, Westergaard MCW, Stoltenborg Granhøj J, Borch A, Petersen NV, Thuesen N, Rasmussen IS, Andreasen LV, Dohn RB, Yde CW, Noergaard N, Lorentzen T, Soerensen AB, Kleine-Kohlbrecher D, Jespersen A, Christensen D, Kringelum J, Donia M, Hadrup SR, Marie Svane I. Dose escalation study of a personalized peptide-based neoantigen vaccine (EVX-01) in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008817. [PMID: 38782542 PMCID: PMC11116868 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-008817] [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] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neoantigens can serve as targets for T cell-mediated antitumor immunity via personalized neopeptide vaccines. Interim data from our clinical study NCT03715985 showed that the personalized peptide-based neoantigen vaccine EVX-01, formulated in the liposomal adjuvant, CAF09b, was safe and able to elicit EVX-01-specific T cell responses in patients with metastatic melanoma. Here, we present results from the dose-escalation part of the study, evaluating the feasibility, safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of EVX-01 in addition to anti-PD-1 therapy. METHODS Patients with metastatic melanoma on anti-PD-1 therapy were treated in three cohorts with increasing vaccine dosages (twofold and fourfold). Tumor-derived neoantigens were selected by the AI platform PIONEER and used in personalized therapeutic cancer peptide vaccines EVX-01. Vaccines were administered at 2-week intervals for a total of three intraperitoneal and three intramuscular injections. The study's primary endpoint was safety and tolerability. Additional endpoints were immunological responses, survival, and objective response rates. RESULTS Compared with the base dose level previously reported, no new vaccine-related serious adverse events were observed during dose escalation of EVX-01 in combination with an anti-PD-1 agent given according to local guidelines. Two patients at the third dose level (fourfold dose) developed grade 3 toxicity, most likely related to pembrolizumab. Overall, 8 out of the 12 patients had objective clinical responses (6 partial response (PR) and 2 CR), with all 4 patients at the highest dose level having a CR (1 CR, 3 PR). EVX-01 induced peptide-specific CD4+ and/or CD8+T cell responses in all treated patients, with CD4+T cells as the dominating responses. The magnitude of immune responses measured by IFN-γ ELISpot assay correlated with individual peptide doses. A significant correlation between the PIONEER quality score and induced T cell immunogenicity was detected, while better CRs correlated with both the number of immunogenic EVX-01 peptides and the PIONEER quality score. CONCLUSION Immunization with EVX-01-CAF09b in addition to anti-PD-1 therapy was shown to be safe and well tolerated and elicit vaccine neoantigen-specific CD4+and CD8+ T cell responses at all dose levels. In addition, objective tumor responses were observed in 67% of patients. The results encourage further assessment of the antitumor efficacy of EVX-01 in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Kirial Mørk
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | | | - Benedetta Albieri
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Arianna Draghi
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Kalijn Bol
- Medical Oncology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammad Kadivar
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Joachim Stoltenborg Granhøj
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Annie Borch
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | - Rebecca Bach Dohn
- Center for Vaccine Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Nis Noergaard
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Torben Lorentzen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Dennis Christensen
- Center for Vaccine Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Marco Donia
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| | - Sine Reker Hadrup
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Inge Marie Svane
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Herlev, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Niu Y, Li Z, Chen Z, Huang W, Tan J, Tian F, Yang T, Fan Y, Wei J, Mu J. Efficient screening of pharmacological broad-spectrum anti-cancer peptides utilizing advanced bidirectional Encoder representation from Transformers strategy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30373. [PMID: 38765108 PMCID: PMC11101728 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30373] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the vanguard of oncological advancement, this investigation delineates the integration of deep learning paradigms to refine the screening process for Anticancer Peptides (ACPs), epitomizing a new frontier in broad-spectrum oncolytic therapeutics renowned for their targeted antitumor efficacy and specificity. Conventional methodologies for ACP identification are marred by prohibitive time and financial exigencies, representing a formidable impediment to the evolution of precision oncology. In response, our research heralds the development of a groundbreaking screening apparatus that marries Natural Language Processing (NLP) with the Pseudo Amino Acid Composition (PseAAC) technique, thereby inaugurating a comprehensive ACP compendium for the extraction of quintessential primary and secondary structural attributes. This innovative methodological approach is augmented by an optimized BERT model, meticulously calibrated for ACP detection, which conspicuously surpasses existing BERT variants and traditional machine learning algorithms in both accuracy and selectivity. Subjected to rigorous validation via five-fold cross-validation and external assessment, our model exhibited exemplary performance, boasting an average Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.9726 and an F1 score of 0.9385, with external validation further affirming its prowess (AUC of 0.9848 and F1 of 0.9371). These findings vividly underscore the method's unparalleled efficacy and prospective utility in the precise identification and prognostication of ACPs, significantly ameliorating the financial and temporal burdens traditionally associated with ACP research and development. Ergo, this pioneering screening paradigm promises to catalyze the discovery and clinical application of ACPs, constituting a seminal stride towards the realization of more efficacious and economically viable precision oncology interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Niu
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Zhenghao Li
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Ziao Chen
- College of Law, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Wenyuan Huang
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Jingxuan Tan
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Fa Tian
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Tao Yang
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Yamin Fan
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Jiangshu Wei
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| | - Jiong Mu
- College of Information Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
- Artificial intelligence laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625000, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Moon DO. Deciphering the Role of BCAR3 in Cancer Progression: Gene Regulation, Signal Transduction, and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1674. [PMID: 38730626 PMCID: PMC11083344 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This review comprehensively explores the gene BCAR3, detailing its regulation at the gene, mRNA, and protein structure levels, and delineating its multifunctional roles in cellular signaling within cancer contexts. The discussion covers BCAR3's involvement in integrin signaling and its impact on cancer cell migration, its capability to induce anti-estrogen resistance, and its significant functions in cell cycle regulation. Further highlighted is BCAR3's modulation of immune responses within the tumor microenvironment, a novel area of interest that holds potential for innovative cancer therapies. Looking forward, this review outlines essential future research directions focusing on transcription factor binding studies, isoform-specific expression profiling, therapeutic targeting of BCAR3, and its role in immune cell function. Each segment builds towards a holistic understanding of BCAR3's operational mechanisms, presenting a critical evaluation of its therapeutic potential in oncology. This synthesis aims to not only extend current knowledge but also catalyze further research that could pivotally influence the development of targeted cancer treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Oh Moon
- Department of Biology Education, Daegu University, 201 Daegudae-ro, Gyeongsan-si 38453, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Chen P, Chu Y, Liu R. Tumour-reactive plasma cells in antitumour immunity: current insights and future prospects. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2024; 4:ltae003. [PMID: 38736973 PMCID: PMC11088280 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumour-reactive plasma cells (TRPCs) have been reported to be positively associated with the long-term survival of patients with various cancers. However, unlike tumour-specific antigen (TSA)-induced T cells which have precise effects against tumours, plasma cells require TSA to obtain specific responses. Therefore, the search for a TSA suitable for B-cell recognition is urgent. In this review, we discuss the functions of tumour-reactive plasma cells. Further, this review also explores the concept of screening for neoantigen-reactive plasma cells, drawing inspiration from T-cell screening methods. While challenges exist, such as epitope prediction and efficient screening, the development of novel techniques may lead to the discovery of highly specific plasma cells for adoptive cell therapy. In conclusion, tumour-reactive plasma cells are emerging as powerful players in cancer immunotherapy. Their ability to produce antibodies against a variety of antigens, especially neoantigens, opens new avenues for personalised treatments. Overcoming challenges in epitope prediction and screening will be crucial in harnessing the full potential of these plasma cells for the benefit of cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chen
- Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital and Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiwei Chu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ronghua Liu
- Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital and Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Song Y, Lei L, Cai X, Wei H, Yu CY. Immunomodulatory Peptides for Tumor Treatment. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2400512. [PMID: 38657003 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Peptides exhibit various biological activities, including biorecognition, cell targeting, and tumor penetration, and can stimulate immune cells to elicit immune responses for tumor immunotherapy. Peptide self-assemblies and peptide-functionalized nanocarriers can reduce the effect of various biological barriers and the degradation by peptidases, enhancing the efficiency of peptide delivery and improving antitumor immune responses. To date, the design and development of peptides with various functionalities have been extensively reviewed for enhanced chemotherapy; however, peptide-mediated tumor immunotherapy using peptides acting on different immune cells, to the knowledge, has not yet been summarized. Thus, this work provides a review of this emerging subject of research, focusing on immunomodulatory anticancer peptides. This review introduces the role of peptides in the immunomodulation of innate and adaptive immune cells, followed by a link between peptides in the innate and adaptive immune systems. The peptides are discussed in detail, following a classification according to their effects on different innate and adaptive immune cells, as well as immune checkpoints. Subsequently, two delivery strategies for peptides as drugs are presented: peptide self-assemblies and peptide-functionalized nanocarriers. The concluding remarks regarding the challenges and potential solutions of peptides for tumor immunotherapy are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Song
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Longtianyang Lei
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Xingyu Cai
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Hua Wei
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Cui-Yun Yu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
- Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410013, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Amanzadeh Jajin E, Oraee Yazdani S, Zali A, Esmaeili A. Efficacy and Safety of Vaccines After Conventional Treatments for Survival of Gliomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Oncol Rev 2024; 18:1374513. [PMID: 38707486 PMCID: PMC11066223 DOI: 10.3389/or.2024.1374513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Malignant gliomas are known with poor prognosis and low rate of survival among brain tumors. Resection surgery is followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treatment of gliomas which is known as the conventional treatment. However, this treatment method results in low survival rate. Vaccination has been suggested as a type of immunotherapy to increase survival rate of glioma patients. Different types of vaccines have been developed that are mainly classified in two groups including peptide vaccines and cell-based vaccines. However, there are still conflicts about which type of vaccines is more efficient for malignant glioma treatment. Methods Phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ clinical trials which compared the efficacy and safety of various vaccines with conventional treatments were searched in databases through November 2022. Overall survival (OS) rate, progression free survival (PFS), and OS duration were used for calculation of pooled risk ratio (RR). In addition, fatigue, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and flu-like syndrome were used for evaluating the safety of vaccines therapy in glioma patients. Results A total of twelve articles were included in the present meta-analysis. Comparison of OS rate between vaccinated groups and control groups who underwent only conventional treatments showed a significant increase in OS rate in vaccinated patients (I2 = 0%, RR = 11.17, 95% CI: 2.460-50.225). PFS rate was better in vaccinated glioma patients (I2 = 83%, RR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.63-5.03). Assessment of safety demonstrated that skin reaction (I2 = 0.0%, RR = 3.654; 95% CI: 1.711-7.801, p-value = 0.0058) and flu-like syndrome were significantly more frequent adverse effects win vaccinated groups compared to the control group. Subgroup analysis also showed that vaccination leads to better OS duration in recurrent gliomas than primary gliomas, and in LGG than HGG (p-value = 0). On the other hand, personalized vaccines showed better OS duration than non-personalized vaccines (p-value = 0). Conclusion Vaccination is a type of immunotherapy which shows promising efficacy in treatment of malignant glioma patients in terms of OS, PFS and duration of survival. In addition, AFTV, peptide, and dendritic cell-based vaccines are among the most efficient vaccines for gliomas. Personalized vaccines also showed considerable efficacy for glioma treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Saeed Oraee Yazdani
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Zali
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolghasem Esmaeili
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Eskandari A, Leow TC, Rahman MBA, Oslan SN. Advances in Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Their Obstacles, and Prospects Toward Tumor Immunotherapy. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3. [PMID: 38625508 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, cancer immunotherapy has experienced a significant revolution due to the advancements in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), along with their regulatory approvals. In recent times, there has been hope in the effectiveness of cancer vaccines for therapy as they have been able to stimulate de novo T-cell reactions against tumor antigens. These tumor antigens include both tumor-associated antigen (TAA) and tumor-specific antigen (TSA). Nevertheless, the constant quest to fully achieve these abilities persists. Therefore, this review offers a broad perspective on the existing status of cancer immunizations. Cancer vaccine design has been revolutionized due to the advancements made in antigen selection, the development of antigen delivery systems, and a deeper understanding of the strategic intricacies involved in effective antigen presentation. In addition, this review addresses the present condition of clinical tests and deliberates on their approaches, with a particular emphasis on the immunogenicity specific to tumors and the evaluation of effectiveness against tumors. Nevertheless, the ongoing clinical endeavors to create cancer vaccines have failed to produce remarkable clinical results as a result of substantial obstacles, such as the suppression of the tumor immune microenvironment, the identification of suitable candidates, the assessment of immune responses, and the acceleration of vaccine production. Hence, there are possibilities for the industry to overcome challenges and enhance patient results in the coming years. This can be achieved by recognizing the intricate nature of clinical issues and continuously working toward surpassing existing limitations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Eskandari
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Siti Nurbaya Oslan
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Chen X, Cui Y, Zou L. Treatment advances in high-grade gliomas. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1287725. [PMID: 38660136 PMCID: PMC11039916 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1287725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
High-grade gliomas (HGG) pose significant challenges in modern tumour therapy due to the distinct biological properties and limitations of the blood-brain barrier. This review discusses recent advancements in HGG treatment, particularly in the context of immunotherapy and cellular therapy. Initially, treatment strategies focus on targeting tumour cells guided by the molecular characteristics of various gliomas, encompassing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy for enhanced precision. Additionally, technological enhancements are augmenting traditional treatment modalities. Furthermore, immunotherapy, emphasising comprehensive tumour management, has gained widespread attention. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines and CAR-T cells exhibit promising efficacy against recurrent HGG. Moreover, emerging therapies such as tumour treating fields (TTFields) offer additional treatment avenues for patients with HGG. The combination of diverse treatments holds promise for improving the prognosis of HGG, particularly in cases of recurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liqun Zou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bautista E, Jung YH, Jaramillo M, Ganesh H, Varma A, Savsani K, Dakshanamurthy S. AutoPepVax, a Novel Machine-Learning-Based Program for Vaccine Design: Application to a Pan-Cancer Vaccine Targeting EGFR Missense Mutations. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:419. [PMID: 38675381 PMCID: PMC11053815 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The current epitope selection methods for peptide vaccines often rely on epitope binding affinity predictions, prompting the need for the development of more sophisticated in silico methods to determine immunologically relevant epitopes. Here, we developed AutoPepVax to expedite and improve the in silico epitope selection for peptide vaccine design. AutoPepVax is a novel program that automatically identifies non-toxic and non-allergenic epitopes capable of inducing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes by considering various epitope characteristics. AutoPepVax employs random forest classification and linear regression machine-learning-based models, which are trained with datasets derived from tumor samples. AutoPepVax, along with documentation on how to run the program, is freely available on GitHub. We used AutoPepVax to design a pan-cancer peptide vaccine targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) missense mutations commonly found in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRAD), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). These mutations have been previously targeted in clinical trials for EGFR-specific peptide vaccines in GBM and LUAD, and they show promise but lack demonstrated clinical efficacy. Using AutoPepVax, our analysis of 96 EGFR mutations identified 368 potential MHC-I-restricted epitope-HLA pairs from 49,113 candidates and 430 potential MHC-II-restricted pairs from 168,669 candidates. Notably, 19 mutations presented viable epitopes for MHC I and II restrictions. To evaluate the potential impact of a pan-cancer vaccine composed of these epitopes, we used our program, PCOptim, to curate a minimal list of epitopes with optimal population coverage. The world population coverage of our list ranged from 81.8% to 98.5% for MHC Class II and Class I epitopes, respectively. From our list of epitopes, we constructed 3D epitope-MHC models for six MHC-I-restricted and four MHC-II-restricted epitopes, demonstrating their epitope binding potential and interaction with T-cell receptors. AutoPepVax's comprehensive approach to in silico epitope selection addresses vaccine safety, efficacy, and broad applicability. Future studies aim to validate the AutoPepVax-designed vaccines with murine tumor models that harbor the studied mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Bautista
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | | | | | - Harrish Ganesh
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 22043, USA
| | - Aryaan Varma
- The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Kush Savsani
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 22043, USA
| | - Sivanesan Dakshanamurthy
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Baljon J, Kwiatkowski AJ, Pagendarm HM, Stone PT, Kumar A, Bharti V, Schulman JA, Becker KW, Roth EW, Christov PP, Joyce S, Wilson JT. A Cancer Nanovaccine for Co-Delivery of Peptide Neoantigens and Optimized Combinations of STING and TLR4 Agonists. ACS NANO 2024; 18:6845-6862. [PMID: 38386282 PMCID: PMC10919087 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized cancer treatment and led to complete and durable responses, but only for a minority of patients. Resistance to ICB can largely be attributed to insufficient number and/or function of antitumor CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Neoantigen targeted cancer vaccines can activate and expand the antitumor T cell repertoire, but historically, clinical responses have been poor because immunity against peptide antigens is typically weak, resulting in insufficient activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Herein, we describe a nanoparticle vaccine platform that can overcome these barriers in several ways. First, the vaccine can be reproducibly formulated using a scalable confined impingement jet mixing method to coload a variety of physicochemically diverse peptide antigens and multiple vaccine adjuvants into pH-responsive, vesicular nanoparticles that are monodisperse and less than 100 nm in diameter. Using this approach, we encapsulated synergistically acting adjuvants, cGAMP and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), into the nanocarrier to induce a robust and tailored innate immune response that increased peptide antigen immunogenicity. We found that incorporating both adjuvants into the nanovaccine synergistically enhanced expression of dendritic cell costimulatory markers, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and peptide antigen cross-presentation. Additionally, the nanoparticle delivery increased lymph node accumulation and uptake of peptide antigen by dendritic cells in the draining lymph node. Consequently, nanoparticle codelivery of peptide antigen, cGAMP, and MPLA enhanced the antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response and delayed tumor growth in several mouse models. Finally, the nanoparticle platform improved the efficacy of ICB immunotherapy in a murine colon carcinoma model. This work establishes a versatile nanoparticle vaccine platform for codelivery of peptide neoantigens and synergistic adjuvants to enhance responses to cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessalyn
J. Baljon
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Alexander J. Kwiatkowski
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Hayden M. Pagendarm
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Payton T. Stone
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Amrendra Kumar
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Vijaya Bharti
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Jacob A. Schulman
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Kyle W. Becker
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Eric W. Roth
- Northwestern
University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE)
Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Plamen P. Christov
- Vanderbilt
Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Sebastian Joyce
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department
of Veteran Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - John T. Wilson
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt-Ingram
Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical
Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Kenoosh HA, Pallathadka H, Hjazi A, Al-Dhalimy AMB, Zearah SA, Ghildiyal P, Al-Mashhadani ZI, Mustafa YF, Hizam MM, Elawady A. Recent advances in mRNA-based vaccine for cancer therapy; bench to bedside. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3954. [PMID: 38403905 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have progressed from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality over the last few decades. Compared to conventional vaccination methods, these vaccines have a number of benefits, such as substantial potency, rapid growth, inexpensive production, and safe administration. Nevertheless, their usefulness was restricted up to now due to worries about the erratic and ineffective circulation of mRNA in vivo. Thankfully, these worries have largely been allayed by recent technological developments, which have led to the creation of multiple mRNA vaccination platforms for cancer and viral infections. The mRNA vaccines have been demonstrated as a powerful alternative to traditional conventional vaccines because of their high potency, safety and efficacy, capacity for rapid clinical development, and potential for rapid, low-cost manufacturing. The paper will examine the present status of mRNA vaccine technology and suggest future paths for the advancement and application of this exciting vaccine platform as a common therapeutic choice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hadeel Ahmed Kenoosh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, AL-Anbar, Iraq
| | | | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Pallavi Ghildiyal
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
| | - Manar Mohammed Hizam
- College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Elawady
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Al-Hawary SIS, Jasim SA, Hjazi A, Oghenemaro EF, Kaur I, Kumar A, Al-Ani AM, Alwaily ER, Redhee AH, Mustafa YF. Nucleic acid-based vaccine for ovarian cancer cells; bench to bedside. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3978. [PMID: 38515237 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3978] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer continues to be a difficult medical issue that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Important platforms for cancer immunotherapy include checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific antibodies, cancer vaccines, and other cell-based treatments. To avoid numerous infectious illnesses, conventional vaccinations based on synthetic peptides, recombinant subunit vaccines, and live attenuated and inactivated pathogens are frequently utilized. Vaccine manufacturing processes, however, are not entirely safe and carry a significant danger of contaminating living microorganisms. As a result, the creation of substitute vaccinations is required for both viral and noninfectious illnesses, including cancer. Recently, there has been testing of nucleic acid vaccines, or NAVs, as a cancer therapeutic. Tumor antigens (TAs) are genetically encoded by DNA and mRNA vaccines, which the host uses to trigger immune responses against ovarian cancer cells that exhibit the TAs. Despite being straightforward, safe, and easy to produce, NAVs are not currently thought to be an ideal replacement for peptide vaccines. Some obstacles to this strategy include selecting the appropriate therapeutic agents (TAs), inadequate immunogenicity, and the immunosuppressive characteristic of ovarian cancer. We focus on strategies that have been employed to increase NAVs' effectiveness in the fight against ovarian cancer in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Saade Abdalkareem Jasim
- Medical Laboratory Techniques Department, Al-maarif University College, Anbar, Iraq
- Biotechnology Department, College of Applied Science, Fallujah University, Fallujah, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Enwa Felix Oghenemaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
| | - Irwanjot Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Abhinav Kumar
- Department of Nuclear and Renewable Energy, Ural Federal University Named after The First President of Russia, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | | | - Enas R Alwaily
- Microbiology Research Group, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Huseen Redhee
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ghosh A, Maske P, Patel V, Dubey J, Aniket K, Srivastava R. Theranostic applications of peptide-based nanoformulations for growth factor defective cancers. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 260:129151. [PMID: 38181914 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.129151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Growth factors play a pivotal role in orchestrating cellular growth and division by binding to specific cell surface receptors. Dysregulation of growth factor production or activity can contribute to the uncontrolled cell proliferation observed in cancer. Peptide-based nanoformulations (PNFs) have emerged as promising therapeutic strategies for growth factor-deficient cancers. PNFs offer multifaceted capabilities including targeted delivery, imaging modalities, combination therapies, resistance modulation, and personalized medicine approaches. Nevertheless, several challenges remain, including limited specificity, stability, pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, toxicity, and immunogenicity. To address these challenges and optimize PNFs for clinical translation, in-depth investigations are warranted. Future research should focus on elucidating the intricate interplay between peptides and nanoparticles, developing robust spectroscopic and computational methodologies, and establishing a comprehensive understanding of the structure-activity relationship governing peptide-nanoparticle interactions. Bridging these knowledge gaps will propel the translation of peptide-nanoparticle therapies from bench to bedside. While a few peptide-nanoparticle drugs have obtained FDA approval for cancer treatment, the integration of nanostructured platforms with peptide-based medications holds tremendous potential to expedite the implementation of innovative anticancer interventions. Therefore, growth factor-deficient cancers present both challenges and opportunities for targeted therapeutic interventions, with peptide-based nanoformulations positioned as a promising avenue. Nonetheless, concerted research and development endeavors are essential to optimize the specificity, stability, and safety profiles of PNFs, thereby advancing the field of peptide-based nanotherapeutics in the realm of oncology research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Ghosh
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| | - Priyanka Maske
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Vinay Patel
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Jyoti Dubey
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India
| | - Kundu Aniket
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| | - Rohit Srivastava
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, NanoBios lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Mumbai, India.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Brišar N, Šuster K, Brezar SK, Vidmar R, Fonović M, Cör A. An Engineered M13 Filamentous Nanoparticle as an Antigen Carrier for a Malignant Melanoma Immunotherapeutic Strategy. Viruses 2024; 16:232. [PMID: 38400008 PMCID: PMC10893169 DOI: 10.3390/v16020232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, prokaryotic viruses, hold great potential in genetic engineering to open up new avenues for vaccine development. Our study aimed to establish engineered M13 bacteriophages expressing MAGE-A1 tumor peptides as a vaccine for melanoma treatment. Through in vivo experiments, we sought to assess their ability to induce robust immune responses. Using phage display technology, we engineered two M13 bacteriophages expressing MAGE-A1 peptides as fusion proteins with either pVIII or pIIII coat proteins. Mice were intraperitoneally vaccinated three times, two weeks apart, using two different engineered bacteriophages; control groups received a wild-type bacteriophage. Serum samples taken seven days after each vaccination were analyzed by ELISA assay, while splenocytes harvested seven days following the second boost were evaluated by ex vivo cytotoxicity assay. Fusion proteins were confirmed by Western blot and nano-LC-MS/MS. The application of bacteriophages was safe, with no adverse effects on mice. Engineered bacteriophages effectively triggered immune responses, leading to increased levels of anti-MAGE-A1 antibodies in proportion to the administered bacteriophage dosage. Anti-MAGE-A1 antibodies also exhibited a binding capability to B16F10 tumor cells in vitro, as opposed to control samples. Splenocytes demonstrated enhanced CTL cytotoxicity against B16F10 cells. We have demonstrated the immunogenic capabilities of engineered M13 bacteriophages, emphasizing their potential for melanoma immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuša Brišar
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katja Šuster
- Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital, 6280 Ankaran, Slovenia;
| | - Simona Kranjc Brezar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Robert Vidmar
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.V.); (M.F.)
| | - Marko Fonović
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.V.); (M.F.)
| | - Andrej Cör
- Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital, 6280 Ankaran, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Education, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Cai M, Zhao J, Ding Q, Wei J. Oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate regulates anti-tumor immunity. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24454. [PMID: 38293535 PMCID: PMC10826830 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24454] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
"Oncometabolite" 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) is an aberrant metabolite found in tumor cells, exerting a pivotal influence on tumor progression. Recent studies have unveiled its impact on the proliferation, activation, and differentiation of anti-tumor T cells. Moreover, 2-HG regulates the function of innate immune components, including macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and the complement system. Elevated levels of 2-HG hinder α-KG-dependent dioxygenases (α-KGDDs), contributing to tumorigenesis by disrupting epigenetic regulation, genome integrity, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) signaling, and cellular metabolism. The chiral molecular structure of 2-HG produces two enantiomers: D-2-HG and L-2-HG, each with distinct origins and biological functions. Efforts to inhibit D-2-HG and leverage the potential of L-2-HG have demonstrated efficacy in cancer immunotherapy. This review delves into the metabolism, biological functions, and impacts on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of 2-HG, providing a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between 2-HG and antitumor immunity. Additionally, we examine the potential clinical applications of targeted therapy for 2-HG, highlighting recent breakthroughs as well as the existing challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Cai
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianyi Zhao
- Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Jiangsu Breast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jifu Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Stefanik O, Majerova P, Kovac A, Mikus P, Piestansky J. Capillary electrophoresis in the analysis of therapeutic peptides-A review. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:120-164. [PMID: 37705480 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300141] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides are a growing class of innovative drugs with high efficiency and a low risk of adverse effects. These biomolecules fall within the molecular mass range between that of small molecules and proteins. However, their inherent instability and potential for degradation underscore the importance of reliable and effective analytical methods for pharmaceutical quality control, therapeutic drug monitoring, and compliance testing. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has long time been the "gold standard" conventional method for peptide analysis, but capillary electrophoresis (CE) is increasingly being recognized as a complementary and, in some cases, superior, highly efficient, green, and cost-effective alternative technique. CE can separate peptides composed of different amino acids owing to differences in their net charge and size, determining their migration behavior in an electric field. This review provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic peptides that have been used in the clinical environment for the last 25 years. It describes the properties, classification, current trends in development, and clinical use of therapeutic peptides. From the analytical point of view, it discusses the challenges associated with the analysis of therapeutic peptides in pharmaceutical and biological matrices, as well as the evaluation of CE as a whole and the comparison with LC methods. The article also highlights the use of microchip electrophoresis, nonaqueous CE, and nonconventional hydrodynamically closed CE systems and their applications. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of developing new CE-based analytical methods to ensure the high quality, safety, and efficacy of therapeutic peptides in clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Stefanik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Petra Majerova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Andrej Kovac
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Mikus
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Juraj Piestansky
- Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Department of Galenic Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zheng X, Song X, Zhu G, Pan D, Li H, Hu J, Xiao K, Gong Q, Gu Z, Luo K, Li W. Nanomedicine Combats Drug Resistance in Lung Cancer. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308977. [PMID: 37968865 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy are currently available as treatment methods. However, drug resistance is a significant factor in the failure of lung cancer treatments. Novel therapeutics have been exploited to address complicated resistance mechanisms of lung cancer and the advancement of nanomedicine is extremely promising in terms of overcoming drug resistance. Nanomedicine equipped with multifunctional and tunable physiochemical properties in alignment with tumor genetic profiles can achieve precise, safe, and effective treatment while minimizing or eradicating drug resistance in cancer. Here, this work reviews the discovered resistance mechanisms for lung cancer chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy, and outlines novel strategies for the development of nanomedicine against drug resistance. This work focuses on engineering design, customized delivery, current challenges, and clinical translation of nanomedicine in the application of resistant lung cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuli Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaohai Song
- Department of General Surgery, Gastric Cancer Center and Laboratory of Gastric Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guonian Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Dayi Pan
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Haonan Li
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiankun Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Gastric Cancer Center and Laboratory of Gastric Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Kai Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, China
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Kui Luo
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Weimin Li
- Department of Radiology, Department of Respiratory, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC) and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health, Precision Medicine Center, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Al-Jipouri A, Eritja À, Bozic M. Unraveling the Multifaceted Roles of Extracellular Vesicles: Insights into Biology, Pharmacology, and Pharmaceutical Applications for Drug Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:485. [PMID: 38203656 PMCID: PMC10779093 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoparticles released from various cell types that have emerged as powerful new therapeutic option for a variety of diseases. EVs are involved in the transmission of biological signals between cells and in the regulation of a variety of biological processes, highlighting them as potential novel targets/platforms for therapeutics intervention and/or delivery. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate new aspects of EVs' biogenesis, biodistribution, metabolism, and excretion as well as safety/compatibility of both unmodified and engineered EVs upon administration in different pharmaceutical dosage forms and delivery systems. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of essential physiological and pathological roles of EVs in different organs and organ systems. We provide an overview regarding application of EVs as therapeutic targets, therapeutics, and drug delivery platforms. We also explore various approaches implemented over the years to improve the dosage of specific EV products for different administration routes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Al-Jipouri
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45147 Essen, Germany;
| | - Àuria Eritja
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLLEIDA), 25196 Lleida, Spain;
| | - Milica Bozic
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45147 Essen, Germany;
- Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLLEIDA), 25196 Lleida, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Gambirasi M, Safa A, Vruzhaj I, Giacomin A, Sartor F, Toffoli G. Oral Administration of Cancer Vaccines: Challenges and Future Perspectives. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 12:26. [PMID: 38250839 PMCID: PMC10821404 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines, a burgeoning strategy in cancer treatment, are exploring innovative administration routes to enhance patient and medical staff experiences, as well as immunological outcomes. Among these, oral administration has surfaced as a particularly noteworthy approach, which is attributed to its capacity to ignite both humoral and cellular immune responses at systemic and mucosal tiers, thereby potentially bolstering vaccine efficacy comprehensively and durably. Notwithstanding this, the deployment of vaccines through the oral route in a clinical context is impeded by multifaceted challenges, predominantly stemming from the intricacy of orchestrating effective oral immunogenicity and necessitating strategic navigation through gastrointestinal barriers. Based on the immunogenicity of the gastrointestinal tract, this review critically analyses the challenges and recent advances and provides insights into the future development of oral cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gambirasi
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.G.); (I.V.); (F.S.)
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Amin Safa
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.G.); (I.V.); (F.S.)
- Doctoral School in Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol 98616-15881, Iran
| | - Idris Vruzhaj
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.G.); (I.V.); (F.S.)
- Doctoral School in Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Aurora Giacomin
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Franca Sartor
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.G.); (I.V.); (F.S.)
| | - Giuseppe Toffoli
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (M.G.); (I.V.); (F.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Tan Y, Chen H, Gou X, Fan Q, Chen J. Tumor vaccines: Toward multidimensional anti-tumor therapies. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2271334. [PMID: 37905395 PMCID: PMC10760370 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2271334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, immunotherapies have offered hope for patients with advanced cancer. However, they show distinct benefits and limited clinical effects. Tumor vaccines have the potential to prime tumor-antigen-specific T cells and induce broad subsets of immune responses, ultimately eradicating tumor cells. Here, we classify tumor vaccines by their anti-tumor mechanisms, which include boosting the immune system, overcoming tumor immunosuppression, and modulating tumor angiogenesis. We focus on multidimensional tumor vaccine strategies using combinations of two or three of the above mechanisms, as these are superior to single-dimensional treatments. This review offers a perspective on tumor vaccine strategies and the future role of vaccine therapies in cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanfang Tan
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Huiyuan Chen
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xi Gou
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiuying Fan
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Juanjuan Chen
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Fan T, Zhang M, Yang J, Zhu Z, Cao W, Dong C. Therapeutic cancer vaccines: advancements, challenges, and prospects. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:450. [PMID: 38086815 PMCID: PMC10716479 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01674-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development and regulatory approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, cancer immunotherapy has undergone a profound transformation over the past decades. Recently, therapeutic cancer vaccines have shown promise by eliciting de novo T cell responses targeting tumor antigens, including tumor-associated antigens and tumor-specific antigens. The objective was to amplify and diversify the intrinsic repertoire of tumor-specific T cells. However, the complete realization of these capabilities remains an ongoing pursuit. Therefore, we provide an overview of the current landscape of cancer vaccines in this review. The range of antigen selection, antigen delivery systems development the strategic nuances underlying effective antigen presentation have pioneered cancer vaccine design. Furthermore, this review addresses the current status of clinical trials and discusses their strategies, focusing on tumor-specific immunogenicity and anti-tumor efficacy assessment. However, current clinical attempts toward developing cancer vaccines have not yielded breakthrough clinical outcomes due to significant challenges, including tumor immune microenvironment suppression, optimal candidate identification, immune response evaluation, and vaccine manufacturing acceleration. Therefore, the field is poised to overcome hurdles and improve patient outcomes in the future by acknowledging these clinical complexities and persistently striving to surmount inherent constraints.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Fan
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingna Zhang
- Postgraduate Training Base, Shanghai East Hospital, Jinzhou Medical University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Jingxian Yang
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhounan Zhu
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanlu Cao
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunyan Dong
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Panya A, Thepmalee C, Sawasdee N, Saengmuang S, Luangwattananun P, Yenchitsomanus PT. Enhancing cholangiocarcinoma immunotherapy with adoptive T cells targeting HLA-restricted neoantigen peptides derived from driver gene mutations. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115827. [PMID: 37939617 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115827] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision immunotherapy, driven by genomic and bioinformatic advancements, has emerged as a promising and viable approach to combat cancer. Targeting neoantigens offers the advantage of specific immune responses with minimal off-tumor toxicity. In this study, we investigated the potential of adoptive T cells activated by HLA-restricted neoantigen peptides from driver gene mutations for treating cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a highly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Through whole exome sequencing of CCA cell lines, KKU-213A and KKU-100, we identified mutations in common driver genes and predicted corresponding HLA-restricted peptides. Peptides from KRAS, RNF43, and TP53 mutations exhibited strong binding affinity to HLA-A11, as validated through molecular docking and T2-cell binding assays. Dendritic cells (DCs) from healthy donors expressing HLA-A* 11:01, pulsed with individual or pooled peptides, showed comparable levels of costimulatory molecules (CD11c, CD40, CD86, and HLA-DR) to conventional DCs but higher expression of maturation markers, CD80 and CD86. Autologous HLA-A* 11:01-restricted T cells, activated by peptide-pulsed DCs, effectively lysed KKU-213A (HLA-A*11:01) cells, outperforming conventional tumor lysate-pulsed DCs. This effect was specific to HLA-A* 11:01-restricted T cells and not observed in KKU-100 (HLA-A*33:03) cells. Moreover, HLA-A* 11:01-restricted T cells exhibited elevated levels of IFN-gamma, granulysin, and granzyme B, indicating their potent anti-tumor capabilities. These findings underscore the specificity and efficiency of HLA-A* 11:01-restricted T cells targeting KRAS, RNF43, TP53 mutated CCA cells, and offer valuable insights for developing immunotherapeutic strategies and therapeutic peptide-vaccines for CCA treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aussara Panya
- Cell Engineering for Cancer Therapy Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Chutamas Thepmalee
- Division of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Nunghathai Sawasdee
- Siriraj Center of Research Excellence for Cancer Immunotherapy (SiCORE-CIT), Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Sasithorn Saengmuang
- Master of Science Program in Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Piriya Luangwattananun
- Siriraj Center of Research Excellence for Cancer Immunotherapy (SiCORE-CIT), Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Pa-Thai Yenchitsomanus
- Siriraj Center of Research Excellence for Cancer Immunotherapy (SiCORE-CIT), Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Raza A, Uddin J, Almuhaimeed A, Akbar S, Zou Q, Ahmad A. AIPs-SnTCN: Predicting Anti-Inflammatory Peptides Using fastText and Transformer Encoder-Based Hybrid Word Embedding with Self-Normalized Temporal Convolutional Networks. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6537-6554. [PMID: 37905969 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation is a biologically resistant response to harmful stimuli, such as infection, damaged cells, toxic chemicals, or tissue injuries. Its purpose is to eradicate pathogenic micro-organisms or irritants and facilitate tissue repair. Prolonged inflammation can result in chronic inflammatory diseases. However, wet-laboratory-based treatments are costly and time-consuming and may have adverse side effects on normal cells. In the past decade, peptide therapeutics have gained significant attention due to their high specificity in targeting affected cells without affecting healthy cells. Motivated by the significance of peptide-based therapies, we developed a highly discriminative prediction model called AIPs-SnTCN to predict anti-inflammatory peptides accurately. The peptide samples are encoded using word embedding techniques such as skip-gram and attention-based bidirectional encoder representation using a transformer (BERT). The conjoint triad feature (CTF) also collects structure-based cluster profile features. The fused vector of word embedding and sequential features is formed to compensate for the limitations of single encoding methods. Support vector machine-based recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) is applied to choose the ranking-based optimal space. The optimized feature space is trained by using an improved self-normalized temporal convolutional network (SnTCN). The AIPs-SnTCN model achieved a predictive accuracy of 95.86% and an AUC of 0.97 by using training samples. In the case of the alternate training data set, our model obtained an accuracy of 92.04% and an AUC of 0.96. The proposed AIPs-SnTCN model outperformed existing models with an ∼19% higher accuracy and an ∼14% higher AUC value. The reliability and efficacy of our AIPs-SnTCN model make it a valuable tool for scientists and may play a beneficial role in pharmaceutical design and research academia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Raza
- Department of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 25124, Pakistan
- Department of Computer Science, MY University, Islamabad 45750, Pakistan
| | - Jamal Uddin
- Department of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 25124, Pakistan
| | - Abdullah Almuhaimeed
- Digital Health Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shahid Akbar
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Department of Computer Science, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23200, Pakistan
| | - Quan Zou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Quzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Quzhou 324000, PR China
| | - Ashfaq Ahmad
- Department of Computer Science, MY University, Islamabad 45750, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abstract
The use of cancer vaccines is considered a promising therapeutic strategy in clinical oncology, which is achieved by stimulating antitumor immunity with tumor antigens delivered in the form of cells, peptides, viruses, and nucleic acids. The ideal cancer vaccine has many advantages, including low toxicity, specificity, and induction of persistent immune memory to overcome tumor heterogeneity and reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Many therapeutic vaccines have entered clinical trials for a variety of cancers, including melanoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, and others. However, many challenges, including single antigen targeting, weak immunogenicity, off-target effects, and impaired immune response, have hindered their broad clinical translation. In this review, we introduce the principle of action, components (including antigens and adjuvants), and classification (according to applicable objects and preparation methods) of cancer vaccines, summarize the delivery methods of cancer vaccines, and review the clinical and theoretical research progress of cancer vaccines. We also present new insights into cancer vaccine technologies, platforms, and applications as well as an understanding of potential next-generation preventive and therapeutic vaccine technologies, providing a broader perspective for future vaccine design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nian Liu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiangyu Xiao
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ziqiang Zhang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chun Mao
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mimi Wan
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jian Shen
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, No. 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Truex N, Rondon A, Rössler SL, Hanna CC, Cho Y, Wang BY, Backlund CM, Lutz EA, Irvine DJ, Pentelute BL. Enhanced Vaccine Immunogenicity Enabled by Targeted Cytosolic Delivery of Tumor Antigens into Dendritic Cells. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:1835-1845. [PMID: 37780364 PMCID: PMC10540291 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Molecular vaccines comprising antigen peptides and inflammatory cues make up a class of therapeutics that promote immunity against cancer and pathogenic diseases but often exhibit limited efficacy. Here, we engineered an antigen peptide delivery system to enhance vaccine efficacy by targeting dendritic cells and mediating cytosolic delivery. The delivery system consists of the nontoxic anthrax protein, protective antigen (PA), and a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) that recognizes the XCR1 receptor on dendritic cells (DCs). Combining these proteins enabled selective delivery of the N-terminus of lethal factor (LFN) into XCR1-positive cross-presenting DCs. Incorporating immunogenic epitope sequences into LFN showed selective protein translocation in vitro and enhanced the priming of antigen-specific T cells in vivo. Administering DC-targeted constructs with tumor antigens (Trp1/gp100) into mice bearing aggressive B16-F10 melanomas improved mouse outcomes when compared to free antigen, including suppressed tumor growth up to 58% at 16 days post tumor induction (P < 0.0001) and increased survival (P = 0.03). These studies demonstrate that harnessing DC-targeting anthrax proteins for cytosolic antigen delivery significantly enhances the immunogenicity and antitumor efficacy of cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas
L. Truex
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of South Carolina, 631
Sumter Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Aurélie Rondon
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Simon L. Rössler
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Cameron C. Hanna
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yehlin Cho
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Bin-You Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Coralie M. Backlund
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Emi A. Lutz
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Darrell J. Irvine
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department
of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Ragon Institute
of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and Harvard University, 400 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, United States
| | - Bradley L. Pentelute
- Department
of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Center
for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Broad
Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Wang B, Pei J, Xu S, Liu J, Yu J. Recent advances in mRNA cancer vaccines: meeting challenges and embracing opportunities. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1246682. [PMID: 37744371 PMCID: PMC10511650 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1246682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the successful application of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines in preventing COVID-19, researchers have been striving to develop mRNA vaccines for clinical use, including those exploited for anti-tumor therapy. mRNA cancer vaccines have emerged as a promising novel approach to cancer immunotherapy, offering high specificity, better efficacy, and fewer side effects compared to traditional treatments. Multiple therapeutic mRNA cancer vaccines are being evaluated in preclinical and clinical trials, with promising early-phase results. However, the development of these vaccines faces various challenges, such as tumor heterogeneity, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and practical obstacles like vaccine administration methods and evaluation systems for clinical application. To address these challenges, we highlight recent advances from preclinical studies and clinical trials that provide insight into identifying obstacles associated with mRNA cancer vaccines and discuss potential strategies to overcome them. In the future, it is crucial to approach the development of mRNA cancer vaccines with caution and diligence while promoting innovation to overcome existing barriers. A delicate balance between opportunities and challenges will help guide the progress of this promising field towards its full potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bolin Wang
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinli Pei
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shengnan Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Fattahi P, Salehi N, Azizi Z, Mohammadi J, Norouzy A, Moazzeni SM. Fluorescence labeling of anchor-modified Mart-1 peptide for increasing its affinity for HLA-A*0201: Hit two targets with one arrow. J Pept Sci 2023; 29:e3480. [PMID: 36662516 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3480] [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: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
One of the most successful strategies in designing peptide-based cancer vaccines is modifying natural epitope peptides to increase their binding strength to human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Anchor-modified Mart-1 peptide (ELAGIGILTV) is among the artificial epitope peptides with the highest binding affinity for HLA-A*0201. In this study, by fluorescence labeling of its either C- or N-terminus with Nε -(5-carboxyfluorescein)-l-lysine, we not only made it traceable but also drastically increased its binding strength to HLA-A*0201. HLA streptamer, for the first time, is introduced for measuring the binding constants (Ka ) of the labeled peptides. The affinity of the labeled peptides for the HLA-A*201 of the MCF-7 cells was extraordinarily high and co-incubating them with the highest possible amount of the unlabeled peptide, as a competitor, did not significantly prohibit them from binding to the HLA. The reproducibility of the obtained results was confirmed by using the T2 cell line. The HLA-deficient K562 cell line was used as the negative control. With in silico simulations, we found two hydrophobic pockets on both sides of HLA-A*0201 for anchoring the C- or N-terminal 5-carboxyfluorescein probe, which can explain the extraordinary affinity of the labeled peptides for the HLA-A*0201.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pooya Fattahi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Najmeh Salehi
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Azizi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Mohammadi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Norouzy
- Bioprocess Engineering Department, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Moazzeni
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Kaczmarek M, Poznańska J, Fechner F, Michalska N, Paszkowska S, Napierała A, Mackiewicz A. Cancer Vaccine Therapeutics: Limitations and Effectiveness-A Literature Review. Cells 2023; 12:2159. [PMID: 37681891 PMCID: PMC10486481 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in tumor microenvironment-associated cancer vaccine therapies. These innovative treatments aim to activate and enhance the body's natural immune response against cancer cells by utilizing specific antigens present in the tumor microenvironment. The goal is to achieve a complete clinical response, where all measurable cancer cells are either eliminated or greatly reduced in size. With their potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, these therapies represent a promising avenue for researchers and clinicians alike. Despite over 100 years of research, the success of therapeutic cancer vaccines has been variable, particularly in advanced cancer patients, with various limitations, including the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment, the presence of immunosuppressive cells, and the potential for tumor escape mechanisms. Additionally, the effectiveness of these therapies may be limited by the variability of the patient's immune system response and the difficulty in identifying appropriate antigens for each patient. Despite these challenges, tumor microenvironment-targeted vaccine cancer therapies have shown promising results in preclinical and clinical studies and have the potential to become a valuable addition to current cancer treatment and "curative" options. While chemotherapeutic and monoclonal antibody treatments remain popular, ongoing research is needed to optimize the design and delivery of these therapies and to identify biomarkers that can predict response and guide patient selection. This comprehensive review explores the mechanisms of cancer vaccines, various delivery methods, and the role of adjuvants in improving treatment outcomes. It also discusses the historical background of cancer vaccine research and examines the current state of major cancer vaccination immunotherapies. Furthermore, the limitations and effectiveness of each vaccine type are analyzed, providing insights into the future of cancer vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Kaczmarek
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland
- Department of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Center, 61-866 Poznań, Poland
| | - Justyna Poznańska
- Scientific Society of Cancer Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland; (J.P.)
| | - Filip Fechner
- Scientific Society of Cancer Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland; (J.P.)
| | - Natasza Michalska
- Scientific Society of Cancer Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland; (J.P.)
| | - Sara Paszkowska
- Scientific Society of Cancer Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland; (J.P.)
| | - Adrianna Napierała
- Scientific Society of Cancer Immunology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland; (J.P.)
| | - Andrzej Mackiewicz
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-866 Poznań, Poland
- Department of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Center, 61-866 Poznań, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Rui R, Zhou L, He S. Cancer immunotherapies: advances and bottlenecks. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1212476. [PMID: 37691932 PMCID: PMC10484345 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1212476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has ushered in a new era in cancer treatment, and cancer immunotherapy continues to be rejuvenated. The clinical goal of cancer immunotherapy is to prime host immune system to provide passive or active immunity against malignant tumors. Tumor infiltrating leukocytes (TILs) play an immunomodulatory role in tumor microenvironment (TME) which is closely related to immune escape of tumor cells, thus influence tumor progress. Several cancer immunotherapies, include immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), cancer vaccine, adoptive cell transfer (ACT), have shown great efficacy and promise. In this review, we will summarize the recent research advances in tumor immunotherapy, including the molecular mechanisms and clinical effects as well as limitations of immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Rui
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- The Institution of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, China
- National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- The Institution of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, China
- National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Shiming He
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- The Institution of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urogenital Diseases (Male) Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Beijing, China
- National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Zhou Y. HER2/neu-based vaccination with li-Key hybrid, GM-CSF immunoadjuvant and trastuzumab as a potent triple-negative breast cancer treatment. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:6711-6718. [PMID: 36692548 PMCID: PMC10356871 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04574-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Constituting 15 to 20% of breast cancer cases, the triple-negative subtype lacks effective treatments as being less responsive to hormone-associated therapies. Alternatively, a more powerful immunotherapeutic vaccination can trigger immune recognition and destruction against breast cancer by incorporating oncological antigens such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu). Currently, HER2/neu-based vaccines have finished three phases with breast cancer patients, in conjunction with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that was proven to be a promising vaccine adjuvant in other cancer trials previously. METHODS Completed HER2/neu-based vaccine trials with GM-CSF immunoadjuvants for breast cancer were summarised, and additionally, the article discussed prominent findings of vaccine effectiveness in triple-negative breast cancer, regarding li-Key hybrid in vaccine design and co-administration of anti-HER2/neu trastuzumab. RESULTS Nine clinical trials of three HER2/neu epitopes, one with li-Key hybrid, were analysed with or without the presence of trastuzumab. Immunological responses and minimal toxicities were observed in these epitopes, and disease-free survival was especially improved in the triple-negative population. CONCLUSION HER2/neu-based peptide vaccine is a safe and effective approach against breast cancer, and its benefits can be potentially furthered by combining the li-Key hybrid vaccine with targeted drugs and adjuvants selected to enhance cross-presentation for exogenous vaccine antigens. Graphical abstract was created with Biorender.com (license number: HA24UHRBV4 and FP24UHRGDD).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yihan Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Lekshmy M, Dhanya CR, Smrithi JS, Sindhurani JA, Vandanamthadathil JJ, Veettil JT, Anila L, Lathakumari VS, Nayar AM, Madhavan M. Peptide Vaccines as Therapeutic and Prophylactic Agents for Female-Specific Cancers: The Current Landscape. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1054. [PMID: 37513965 PMCID: PMC10383774 DOI: 10.3390/ph16071054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast and gynecologic cancers are significant global threats to women's health and those living with the disease require lifelong physical, financial, and social support from their families, healthcare providers, and society as a whole. Cancer vaccines offer a promising means of inducing long-lasting immune response against the disease. Among various types of cancer vaccines available, peptide vaccines offer an effective strategy to elicit specific anti-tumor immune responses. Peptide vaccines have been developed based on tumor associated antigens (TAAs) and tumor specific neoantigens which can also be of viral origin. Molecular alterations in HER2 and non-HER2 genes are established to be involved in the pathogenesis of female-specific cancers and hence were exploited for the development of peptide vaccines against these diseases, most of which are in the latter stages of clinical trials. However, prophylactic vaccines for viral induced cancers, especially those against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection are well established. This review discusses therapeutic and prophylactic approaches for various types of female-specific cancers such as breast cancer and gynecologic cancers with special emphasis on peptide vaccines. We also present a pipeline for the design and evaluation of a multiepitope peptide vaccine that can be active against female-specific cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manju Lekshmy
- Department of Botany and Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College, Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram 695586, Kerala, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Leelamma Anila
- Department of Biochemistry, NSS College, Nilamel, Kollam 691535, Kerala, India
| | - Vishnu Sasidharan Lathakumari
- Department of Biochemistry and Industrial Microbiology, Sree Narayana College for Women, Kollam 691001, Kerala, India
| | - Adhira M Nayar
- Department of Zoology, Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram 695004, Kerala, India
| | - Maya Madhavan
- Department of Biochemistry, Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Wang Y, Zhong X, He X, Hu Z, Huang H, Chen J, Chen K, Zhao S, Wei P, Li D. Liver metastasis from colorectal cancer: pathogenetic development, immune landscape of the tumour microenvironment and therapeutic approaches. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:177. [PMID: 37480104 PMCID: PMC10362774 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) is one of the leading causes of death among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Although immunotherapy has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in CRC, its benefits are minimal in CRLM. The complex immune landscape of the hepatic tumour microenvironment is essential for the development of a premetastatic niche and for the colonisation and metastasis of CRC cells; thus, an in-depth understanding of these mechanisms can provide effective immunotherapeutic targets for CRLM. This review summarises recent studies on the immune landscape of the tumour microenvironment of CRLM and highlights therapeutic prospects for targeting the suppressive immune microenvironment of CRLM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaxian Wang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyang Zhong
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefeng He
- ZJU-UCLA Joint Center for Medical Education and Research, Cancer Institute, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zijuan Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huixia Huang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Keji Chen
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Senlin Zhao
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Cancer Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dawei Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Kang W, Liu Y, Wang W. Light-responsive nanomedicine for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:2346-2368. [PMID: 37425044 PMCID: PMC10326299 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.016] [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: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy emerged as a paradigm shift in cancer treatments, which can effectively inhibit cancer progression by activating the immune system. Remarkable clinical outcomes have been achieved through recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, including checkpoint blockades, adoptive cellular therapy, cancer vaccine, and tumor microenvironment modulation. However, extending the application of immunotherapy in cancer patients has been limited by the low response rate and side effects such as autoimmune toxicities. With great progress being made in nanotechnology, nanomedicine has been exploited to overcome biological barriers for drug delivery. Given the spatiotemporal control, light-responsive nanomedicine is of great interest in designing precise modality for cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we summarized current research utilizing light-responsive nanoplatforms to enhance checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, facilitate targeted delivery of cancer vaccines, activate immune cell functions, and modulate tumor microenvironment. The clinical translation potential of those designs is highlighted and challenges for the next breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weirong Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Engineering and Nanomedicine, Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Engineering and Nanomedicine, Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Weiping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Engineering and Nanomedicine, Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Jones AC, Brown KH, Guan T, Smith LA, Formslag CR, Farjado ED, Bai Q, Luechtefeld HD, Wakefield MR, Dong L, Fang Y. The past, present, and future of immunotherapy for endometrial adenocarcinoma. Med Oncol 2023; 40:186. [PMID: 37219649 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02040-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Incidences of endometrial adenocarcinoma are increasing in the USA with poor prognosis for patients with advanced disease. The current treatment standard is surgery including total hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy with surgical staging and adjunct treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation. However, these methods do not present as an effective treatment option for poorly differentiated advanced cancers. Advancements in immunotherapy now offer a new approach for various types of cancer and specifically show promise in the treatment of endometrial adenocarcinoma. This review summarizes immunotherapeutic treatment options relevant to endometrial adenocarcinoma, such as immune checkpoint blockades, bispecific T-cell engager antibodies, vaccinations, and adoptive cell transfer. This study could be helpful for clinicians to identify treatment options more suitable for women with late-stage endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Jones
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, IA, 50312, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Karah H Brown
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, IA, 50312, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Tianyun Guan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Nanhua Hospital Affiliated to Nanhua University, Hengyang, China
| | - Luke A Smith
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Cole R Formslag
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, IA, 50312, USA
| | - Emerson D Farjado
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Qian Bai
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Harrison D Luechtefeld
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Mark R Wakefield
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Lijun Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Nanhua Hospital Affiliated to Nanhua University, Hengyang, China.
| | - Yujiang Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, IA, 50312, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Neth BJ, Webb MJ, Parney IF, Sener UT. The Current Status, Challenges, and Future Potential of Therapeutic Vaccination in Glioblastoma. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041134. [PMID: 37111620 PMCID: PMC10141140 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor and confers a dismal prognosis. With only two FDA-approved therapeutics showing modest survival gains since 2005, there is a great need for the development of other disease-targeted therapies. Due, in part, to the profound immunosuppressive microenvironment seen in GBMs, there has been a broad interest in immunotherapy. In both GBMs and other cancers, therapeutic vaccines have generally yielded limited efficacy, despite their theoretical basis. However, recent results from the DCVax-L trial provide some promise for vaccine therapy in GBMs. There is also the potential that future combination therapies with vaccines and adjuvant immunomodulating agents may greatly enhance antitumor immune responses. Clinicians must remain open to novel therapeutic strategies, such as vaccinations, and carefully await the results of ongoing and future trials. In this review of GBM management, the promise and challenges of immunotherapy with a focus on therapeutic vaccinations are discussed. Additionally, adjuvant therapies, logistical considerations, and future directions are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Neth
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Mason J Webb
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Ian F Parney
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Ugur T Sener
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| |
Collapse
|