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Feng HR, Shen XN, Zhu XM, Zhong WT, Zhu DX, Zhao J, Chen YJ, Shen F, Liu K, Liang L. Unveiling major histocompatibility complex-mediated pan-cancer immune features by integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing. Cancer Lett 2024; 597:217062. [PMID: 38878852 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer therapy, yet persistent challenges such as low response rate and significant heterogeneity necessitate attention. The pivotal role of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in ICI efficacy, its intricate impacts and potentials as a prognostic marker, warrants comprehensive exploration. This study integrates single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), bulk RNA-seq, and spatial transcriptomic analyses to unveil pan-cancer immune characteristics governed by the MHC transcriptional feature (MHC.sig). Developed through scRNA-seq analysis of 663,760 cells across diverse cohorts and validated in 30 solid cancer types, the MHC.sig demonstrates a robust correlation between immune-related genes and infiltrating immune cells, highlighting its potential as a universal pan-cancer marker for anti-tumor immunity. Screening the MHC.sig for therapeutic targets using CRISPR data identifies potential genes for immune therapy synergy and validates its predictive efficacy for ICIs responsiveness across diverse datasets and cancer types. Finally, analysis of cellular communication patterns reveals interactions between C1QC+macrophages and malignant cells, providing insights into potential therapeutic agents and their sensitivity characteristics. This comprehensive analysis positions the MHC.sig as a promising marker for predicting immune therapy outcomes and guiding combinatorial therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Ran Feng
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Nan Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ming Zhu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200082, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Tao Zhong
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510030, People's Republic of China
| | - De-Xiang Zhu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Zhao
- Department of Breast Surgery, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Jie Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, People's Republic of China; Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feng Shen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Li Liang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
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Chavanton A, Mialhe F, Abrey J, Baeza Garcia A, Garrido C. LAG-3 : recent developments in combinational therapies in cancer. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:2494-2505. [PMID: 38702996 PMCID: PMC11309939 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16205] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of anticancer immune responses and in particular the action of immune checkpoint inhibitors that overcome T cell inhibition has revolutionized metastatic patients' care. Unfortunately, many patients are resistant to these innovative immunotherapies. Over the last decade, several immune checkpoint inhibitors, currently available in the clinic, have been developed, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4. More recently, other immune checkpoints have been characterized, among them lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3). LAG-3 has been the subject of numerous therapeutic studies and may be involved in cancer-associated immune resistance phenomena. This review summarizes the latest knowledge on LAG-3 as an immunotherapeutic target, particularly in combination with standard or innovative therapies. Indeed, many studies are looking at combining LAG-3 inhibitors with chemotherapeutic, immunotherapeutic, radiotherapeutic treatments, or adoptive cell therapies to potentiate their antitumor effects and/or to overcome patients' resistance. We will particularly focus on the association therapies that are currently in phase III clinical trials and innovative combinations in preclinical phase. These new discoveries highlight the possibility of developing other types of therapeutic combinations currently unavailable in the clinic, which could broaden the therapeutic spectrum of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Chavanton
- INSERM, UMR 1231Laboratoire d'Excellence LipSTIC and « Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer »DijonFrance
- Faculty of MedicineUniversité de BourgogneDijonFrance
| | - Flavie Mialhe
- INSERM, UMR 1231Laboratoire d'Excellence LipSTIC and « Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer »DijonFrance
- Faculty of MedicineUniversité de BourgogneDijonFrance
| | - Jimena Abrey
- INSERM, UMR 1231Laboratoire d'Excellence LipSTIC and « Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer »DijonFrance
- Faculty of MedicineUniversité de BourgogneDijonFrance
| | - Alvaro Baeza Garcia
- INSERM, UMR 1231Laboratoire d'Excellence LipSTIC and « Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer »DijonFrance
- Faculty of MedicineUniversité de BourgogneDijonFrance
| | - Carmen Garrido
- INSERM, UMR 1231Laboratoire d'Excellence LipSTIC and « Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer »DijonFrance
- Faculty of MedicineUniversité de BourgogneDijonFrance
- Center for Cancer Georges‐François LeclercDijonFrance
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3
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Boumelha J, de Castro A, Bah N, Cha H, de Carné Trécesson S, Rana S, Tomaschko M, Anastasiou P, Mugarza E, Moore C, Goldstone R, East P, Litchfield K, Lee SH, Molina-Arcas M, Downward J. CRISPR-Cas9 Screening Identifies KRAS-Induced COX2 as a Driver of Immunotherapy Resistance in Lung Cancer. Cancer Res 2024; 84:2231-2246. [PMID: 38635884 PMCID: PMC11247323 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-2627] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Oncogenic KRAS impairs antitumor immune responses. As effective strategies to combine KRAS inhibitors and immunotherapies have so far proven elusive, a better understanding of the mechanisms by which oncogenic KRAS drives immune evasion is needed to identify approaches that could sensitize KRAS-mutant lung cancer to immunotherapy. In vivo CRISPR-Cas9 screening in an immunogenic murine lung cancer model identified mechanisms by which oncogenic KRAS promotes immune evasion, most notably via upregulation of immunosuppressive COX2 in cancer cells. Oncogenic KRAS potently induced COX2 in both mouse and human lung cancer, which was suppressed using KRAS inhibitors. COX2 acted via prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to promote resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in lung adenocarcinoma. Targeting COX2/PGE2 remodeled the tumor microenvironment by inducing proinflammatory polarization of myeloid cells and influx of activated cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, which increased the efficacy of ICB. Restoration of COX2 expression contributed to tumor relapse after prolonged KRAS inhibition. These results provide the rationale for testing COX2/PGE2 pathway inhibitors in combination with KRASG12C inhibition or ICB in patients with KRAS-mutant lung cancer. Significance: COX2 signaling via prostaglandin E2 is a major mediator of immune evasion driven by oncogenic KRAS that promotes immunotherapy and KRAS-targeted therapy resistance, suggesting effective combination treatments for KRAS-mutant lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Boumelha
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrea de Castro
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Nourdine Bah
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Hongui Cha
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Sareena Rana
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Mona Tomaschko
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Edurne Mugarza
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Christopher Moore
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert Goldstone
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Phil East
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kevin Litchfield
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Se-Hoon Lee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Miriam Molina-Arcas
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Julian Downward
- Oncogene Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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4
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He Y, Yang D, Lin X, Zhang J, Cheng R, Cao L, Yang L, Zhang M, Shi X, Jin X, Sun H, Sun H, Zang J, Li Y, Ma J, Nie H. Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy improves clinical outcomes of patients with esophageal cancer by mediating anti-tumor immunity of CD8+ T (Tc1) and CD16+ NK cells. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1412693. [PMID: 39076970 PMCID: PMC11284045 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1412693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Esophageal cancer (ESCA) is one of the most common tumors in the world, and treatment using neoadjuvant therapy (NT) based on radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy has still unsatisfactory results. Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT) has also become an effective treatment strategy nowadays. However, its impact on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and regulatory mechanisms on T cells and NK cells needs to be further elucidated. Methods A total of 279 cases of ESCA who underwent surgery alone [non-neoadjuvant therapy (NONE)], neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT), and NICT were collected, and their therapeutic effect and survival period were compared. Further, RNA sequencing combined with biological information was used to analyze the expression of immune-related genes. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were used to verify the activation and infiltration status of CD8+ T and CD16+ NK cells, as well as the function and regulatory pathway of killing tumor cells. Results Patients with ESCA in the NICT group showed better clinical response, median survival, and 2-year survival rates (p < 0.05) compared with the NCT group. Our RNA sequencing data revealed that NICT could promote the expression of immune-related genes. The infiltration and activation of immune cells centered with CD8+ T cells were significantly enhanced. CD8+ T cells activated by PD-1 inhibitors secreted more IFN-γ and cytotoxic effector factor cells through the transcription factor of EOMES and TBX21. At the same time, activated CD8+ T cells mediated the CD16+ NK cell activation and secreted more IFN-γ to kill ESCA cells. In addition, the immunofluorescence co-staining results showed that more CD276+ tumor cells and CD16+ NK cells were existed in pre-NCT and pre-NICT group. However, CD276+ tumor cells were reduced significantly in the post-NICT group, while they still appeared in the post-NCT group, which means that CD16+ NK cells can recognize and kill CD276+ tumor cells after immune checkpoint blocker (ICB) treatment. Conclusion NICT can improve the therapeutic effect and survival period of resectable ESCA patients. NICT could promote the expression of immune-related genes and activate CD8+ T and CD16+ NK cells to secrete more IFN-γ to kill ESCA cells. It provides a theoretical basis and clinical evidence for its potential as an NT strategy in ESCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong He
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Depeng Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Lin
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinfeng Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Esophagus and Mediastinum, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Rui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource and School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Liangyu Cao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lijun Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinyue Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiyun Jin
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Handi Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Haoxiu Sun
- School of Interdisciplinary Medicine and Engineering, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jingyu Zang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yu Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jianqun Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Esophagus and Mediastinum, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Huan Nie
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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5
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Mannion J, Gifford V, Bellenie B, Fernando W, Ramos Garcia L, Wilson R, John SW, Udainiya S, Patin EC, Tiu C, Smith A, Goicoechea M, Craxton A, Moraes de Vasconcelos N, Guppy N, Cheung KMJ, Cundy NJ, Pierrat O, Brennan A, Roumeliotis TI, Benstead-Hume G, Alexander J, Muirhead G, Layzell S, Lyu W, Roulstone V, Allen M, Baldock H, Legrand A, Gabel F, Serrano-Aparicio N, Starling C, Guo H, Upton J, Gyrd-Hansen M, MacFarlane M, Seddon B, Raynaud F, Roxanis I, Harrington K, Haider S, Choudhary JS, Hoelder S, Tenev T, Meier P. A RIPK1-specific PROTAC degrader achieves potent antitumor activity by enhancing immunogenic cell death. Immunity 2024; 57:1514-1532.e15. [PMID: 38788712 PMCID: PMC11236506 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.04.025] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) functions as a critical stress sentinel that coordinates cell survival, inflammation, and immunogenic cell death (ICD). Although the catalytic function of RIPK1 is required to trigger cell death, its non-catalytic scaffold function mediates strong pro-survival signaling. Accordingly, cancer cells can hijack RIPK1 to block necroptosis and evade immune detection. We generated a small-molecule proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) that selectively degraded human and murine RIPK1. PROTAC-mediated depletion of RIPK1 deregulated TNFR1 and TLR3/4 signaling hubs, accentuating the output of NF-κB, MAPK, and IFN signaling. Additionally, RIPK1 degradation simultaneously promoted RIPK3 activation and necroptosis induction. We further demonstrated that RIPK1 degradation enhanced the immunostimulatory effects of radio- and immunotherapy by sensitizing cancer cells to treatment-induced TNF and interferons. This promoted ICD, antitumor immunity, and durable treatment responses. Consequently, targeting RIPK1 by PROTACs emerges as a promising approach to overcome radio- or immunotherapy resistance and enhance anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Mannion
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Valentina Gifford
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Benjamin Bellenie
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Winnie Fernando
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Laura Ramos Garcia
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Rebecca Wilson
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Sidonie Wicky John
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Savita Udainiya
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Emmanuel C Patin
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Crescens Tiu
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Angel Smith
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Maria Goicoechea
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Andrew Craxton
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | | | - Naomi Guppy
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Kwai-Ming J Cheung
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Nicholas J Cundy
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Olivier Pierrat
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Alfie Brennan
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | | | - Graeme Benstead-Hume
- Functional Proteomics Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - John Alexander
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Gareth Muirhead
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Scott Layzell
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London NW3 2PP, UK
| | - Wenxin Lyu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Victoria Roulstone
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Mark Allen
- Biological Services Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Holly Baldock
- Biological Services Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Arnaud Legrand
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Florian Gabel
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | | | - Chris Starling
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Hongyan Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Jason Upton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Mads Gyrd-Hansen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marion MacFarlane
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Benedict Seddon
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London NW3 2PP, UK
| | - Florence Raynaud
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Ioannis Roxanis
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Kevin Harrington
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Syed Haider
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Jyoti S Choudhary
- Functional Proteomics Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Swen Hoelder
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery at the Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Tencho Tenev
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK.
| | - Pascal Meier
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK.
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Guasp P, Reiche C, Sethna Z, Balachandran VP. RNA vaccines for cancer: Principles to practice. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:1163-1184. [PMID: 38848720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Vaccines are the most impactful medicines to improve health. Though potent against pathogens, vaccines for cancer remain an unfulfilled promise. However, recent advances in RNA technology coupled with scientific and clinical breakthroughs have spurred rapid discovery and potent delivery of tumor antigens at speed and scale, transforming cancer vaccines into a tantalizing prospect. Yet, despite being at a pivotal juncture, with several randomized clinical trials maturing in upcoming years, several critical questions remain: which antigens, tumors, platforms, and hosts can trigger potent immunity with clinical impact? Here, we address these questions with a principled framework of cancer vaccination from antigen detection to delivery. With this framework, we outline features of emergent RNA technology that enable rapid, robust, real-time vaccination with somatic mutation-derived neoantigens-an emerging "ideal" antigen class-and highlight latent features that have sparked the belief that RNA could realize the enduring vision for vaccines against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Guasp
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charlotte Reiche
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zachary Sethna
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vinod P Balachandran
- Immuno-Oncology Service, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Hepatopancreatobiliary Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Gupta R, Chauhan A, Kaur T, Kuanr BK, Sharma D. Enhancing Magnetic Hyperthermia Efficacy through Targeted Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibition: Unveiling Immune-Mediated Therapeutic Synergy in Glioma Treatment. ACS NANO 2024; 18:17145-17161. [PMID: 38906828 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
The induction of heat stress response (HSR) mediated by the generation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) on exposure to magnetic hyperthermia-mediated cancer therapy (MHCT) decreases the efficacy of localized heat treatment at the tumor site, and thus therapy remains a significant challenge. Hence, the present study examined differential HSR elicited in glioma cells post-MHCT under different tumor microenvironment conditions (2D monolayers, 3D monoculture, and coculture spheroids) to recognize target genes that, when downregulated, could enhance the therapeutic effect of MHCT. Gene expression analysis following MHCT revealed that HSP90 was upregulated as compared to HSP70. Hence, to enhance the efficacy of the treatment, a combinatorial strategy using 17-DMAG as an inhibitor of HSP90 following MHCT was investigated. The effects of combinatorial therapy in terms of cell viability, HSP levels by immunofluorescence and gene expression analysis, oxidative stress generation, and alterations in cellular integrity were evaluated, where combinatorial therapy demonstrated an enhanced therapeutic outcome with maximum glioma cell death. Further, in the murine glioma model, a rapid tumor inhibition of 65 and 53% was observed within 8 days at the primary and secondary tumor sites, respectively, in the MCHT + 17-DMAG group, with abscopal effect-mediated complete tumor inhibition at both the tumor sites within 20 days of MHCT. The extracellularly released HSP90 from dying tumor cells further suggested the induction of immune response supported by the upregulation of IFN-γ and calreticulin genes in the MHCT + 17-DMAG group. Overall, our findings indicate that MHCT activates host immune systems and efficiently cooperates with the HSP90 blockade to inhibit the growth of distant metastatic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Gupta
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
- Department of Physiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Anjali Chauhan
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
- Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Tashmeen Kaur
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Bijoy Kumar Kuanr
- Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Deepika Sharma
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
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8
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Yang C, Jiang Y, Zhang K, Zhu X, Li J, Yu H, Chen J, Gu X, Gan Z, Yu Q. Photodynamic Therapy Derived Personalized Whole Cell Tumor Vaccine Prevents Postsurgery Tumor Recurrence and Metastasis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2308456. [PMID: 38342675 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308456] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
In order to avoid the time-consuming and laborious identification of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) during the traditional vaccine fabrication process, a versatile photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based method is developed to construct a whole-tumor antigen tumor vaccine (TV) from surgically resected tumor tissues for personalized immunotherapy. Mucoadhesive nanoparticles containing small-molecular photosensitizer are fabricated and directly co-incubated with suspended tumor cells obtained after cytoreduction surgery. After irradiation with a 405 nm laser, potent immunogenic cell death of cancer cells could be induced. Along with the release of TSAs, the as-prepared TV could activate safe and robust tumor-specific immune responses, leading to efficient suppression of postsurgery tumor recurrence and metastasis. The as-prepared TV cannot only be applied alone through various administration routes but also synergize with immunoadjuvant, chemotherapeutics, and immune checkpoint blockers to exert more potent immune responses. This work provides an alternative way to promote the clinical translation of PDT, which is generally restricted by the limited penetration of light. Moreover, the versatile strategy of vaccine fabrication also facilitates the clinical application of personalized whole-cell tumor vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Yang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yitong Jiang
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Kaixin Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xianqi Zhu
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jianlin Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Haiwang Yu
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jiawei Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xinggui Gu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhihua Gan
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qingsong Yu
- The State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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Wei R, Xiao S, Zhao S, Guo W, Liu Y, Mullor MDMR, Rodrìguez RA, Wei Q, Wu Y. Pan-cancer analysis of T-cell proliferation regulatory genes as potential immunotherapeutic targets. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:11224-11247. [PMID: 39068665 PMCID: PMC11315386 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
T cells are the key to killing tumor cells. However, the exact mechanism of their role in cancer is not fully understood. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the role of T-cell proliferation regulatory genes in tumors is needed. In our study, we investigated the expression levels of genes controlling T-cell proliferation, their impact on prognosis, and their genetic variations. Additionally, we explored their associations with TMB, MSI, ESTIMATEScore, ImmuneScore, StromalScore, and immune cell infiltration. We examined the role of these genes in cancer-related pathways using GSEA. Furthermore, we calculated their activity levels across various types of cancer. Drug analysis was also conducted targeting these genes. Single-cell analysis, LASSO Cox model construction, and prognosis analysis were performed. We observed distinct expression patterns of T-cell proliferation regulatory genes across different malignant tumors. Their abnormal expression may be caused by CNA and DNA methylation. In certain cancers, they also showed complex associations with TMB and MSI. Moreover, in many tumors, they exhibited significant positive correlations with ESTIMATEScores, ImmuneScore, and StromalScore. Additionally, in most tumors, their GSVA scores were significantly positively correlated with various T-cell subtypes. GSEA analysis revealed their involvement in multiple immune pathways. Furthermore, we found that model scores were associated with patient prognosis and related to tumor malignancy progression. T-cell proliferation regulatory genes are closely associated with the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM), especially T cells. Targeting them may be an essential approach for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqiong Wei
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Shihui Xiao
- Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Shijian Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Kunming Medical University (Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital), Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Wenliang Guo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang, Guangxi 537100, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | | | - Raquel Alarcòn Rodrìguez
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Almerìa, Carretera de Sacramento, Almeria 04120, Spain
| | - Qingjun Wei
- Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Yinteng Wu
- Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
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10
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Chen Q, Gao F, Wu J, Zhang K, Du T, Chen Y, Cai R, Zhao D, Deng R, Tang J. Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation activity reveals positive immunomodulation and assists in identifying potential therapeutic targets for immunotherapy resistance. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1735. [PMID: 38899748 PMCID: PMC11187817 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1735] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation (MOMP) plays a pivotal role in cellular death and immune activation. A deeper understanding of the impact of tumour MOMP on immunity will aid in guiding more effective immunotherapeutic strategies. METHODS A comprehensive pan-cancer dataset comprising 30 cancer-type transcriptomic cohorts, 20 immunotherapy transcriptomic cohorts and three immunotherapy scRNA-seq datasets was collected and analysed to determine the influence of tumour MOMP activity on clinical prognosis, immune infiltration and immunotherapy effectiveness. Leveraging 65 scRNA-Seq datasets, the MOMP signature (MOMP.Sig) was developed to accurately reflect tumour MOMP activity. The clinical predictive value of MOMP.Sig was explored through machine learning models. Integration of the MOMP.Sig model and a pan-cancer immunotherapy CRISPR screen further investigated potential targets to overcome immunotherapy resistance, which subsequently underwent clinical validation. RESULTS Our research revealed that elevated MOMP activity reduces mortality risk in cancer patients, drives the formation of an anti-tumour immune environment and enhances the response to immunotherapy. This finding emphasises the potential clinical application value of MOMP activity in immunotherapy. MOMP.Sig, offering a more precise indicator of tumour cell MOMP activity, demonstrated outstanding predictive efficacy in machine-learning models. Moreover, with the assistance of the MOMP.Sig model, FOXO1 was identified as a core modulator that promotes immune resistance. Finally, these findings were successfully validated in clinical immunotherapy cohorts of skin cutaneous melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS This study enhances our understanding of MOMP activity in immune modulation, providing valuable insights for more effective immunotherapeutic strategies across diverse tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Fenglin Gao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Junwan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Biotherapy Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Tian Du
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Yuhong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Ruizhao Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Dechang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Rong Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Jun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for CancerSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
- Department of Breast OncologySun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
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11
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Miranda A, Shirley CA, Jenkins RW. Emerging roles of TBK1 in cancer immunobiology. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:531-540. [PMID: 38519366 PMCID: PMC11168882 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.02.007] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a versatile serine/threonine protein kinase with established roles in innate immunity, metabolism, autophagy, cell death, and inflammation. While best known for its role in regulating innate immunity, TBK1 has emerged as a cancer cell-intrinsic immune evasion gene by virtue of its role in modulating cellular responses to inflammatory signals emanating from the immune system. Beyond its effect on cancer cells, TBK1 appears to regulate lymphoid and myeloid cells in the tumor immune microenvironment. In this review, we detail recent advances in our understanding of the tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic roles and regulation of TBK1 in tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Miranda
- Mass General Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Carl A Shirley
- Mass General Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Russell W Jenkins
- Mass General Cancer Center, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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12
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Liang R, Li P, Yang N, Xiao X, Gong J, Zhang X, Bai Y, Chen Y, Xie Z, Liao Q. Parabacteroides distasonis-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles Enhance Antitumor Immunity Against Colon Tumors by Modulating CXCL10 and CD8 + T Cells. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:1833-1853. [PMID: 38828018 PMCID: PMC11144014 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s457338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Given the potent immunostimulatory effects of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and the significant anti-colon tumor properties of Parabacteroides distasonis (Pd), this study aimed to elucidate the role and potential mechanisms of Pd-derived OMVs (Pd-OMVs) against colon cancer. Methods This study isolated and purified Pd-OMVs from Pd cultures and assessed their characteristics. The effects of Pd-OMVs on CT26 cell uptake, proliferation, and invasion were investigated in vitro. In vivo, a CT26 colon tumor model was used to investigate the anti-colon tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Pd-OMVs. Finally, we evaluated the biosafety of Pd-OMVs. Results Purified Pd-OMVs had a uniform cup-shaped structure with an average size of 165.5 nm and a zeta potential of approximately -9.56 mV, and their proteins were associated with pathways related to immunity and apoptosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CT26 cells internalized the Pd-OMVs, resulting in a significant decrease in their proliferation and invasion abilities. Further in vivo studies confirmed the accumulation of Pd-OMVs in tumor tissues, which significantly inhibited the growth of colon tumors. Mechanistically, Pd-OMVs increased the expression of CXCL10, promoting infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumor tissues and expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Notably, Pd-OMVs demonstrated a high level of biosafety. Conclusion This paper elucidates that Pd-OMVs can exert significant anti-colon tumor effects by upregulating the expression of the chemokine CXCL10, thereby increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumors and enhancing antitumor immune responses. This suggests that Pd-OMVs may be developed as a novel nanoscale potent immunostimulant with great potential for application in tumor immunotherapy. As well as developed as a novel nano-delivery carrier for combination with other antitumor drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyao Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Na Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyi Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Gong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingyuan Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunuan Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanlong Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiongfeng Liao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
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13
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Yang P, He S, Ye L, Weng H. Transcription Factor ETV4 Activates AURKA to Promote PD-L1 Expression and Mediate Immune Escape in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38781935 DOI: 10.1159/000537754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The occurrence and progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) impair T-cell immune responses, causing immune escape and subsequently affecting the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients. Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is upregulated in varying cancers, but its role in LUAD immune escape is elusive. This work attempted to explore molecular mechanisms of AURKA regulation in LUAD immune escape. METHODS Through bioinformatics analysis, AURKA level in LUAD was evaluated, and potential upstream transcription factors of AURKA were predicted using hTFtarget. ETS variant transcription factor 4 (ETV4) expression in LUAD was analyzed through The Cancer Genome Atlas. Pearson's correlation analysis was then utilized to test the correlation between AURKA and ETV4. Interaction and binding between AURKA and ETV4 were validated through dual-luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) tested relative mRNA expression of AURKA and ETV4 in LUAD cells, cell counting kit-8 assayed cell viability, and Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the protein level of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Coculture of LUAD cells with activated CD8+ T cells was carried out, and an LDH assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells against LUAD cells. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in the coculture system were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot assessed protein levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3. RESULTS Compared to normal tissues, AURKA and ETV4 were upregulated in tumor tissues, and AURKA presented a negative association with CD8+ T-cell immune infiltration but a positive association with PD-L1. qRT-PCR unveiled significantly upregulated mRNA of AURKA and ETV4 in LUAD cells compared to normal lung epithelial cells. Knockdown of AURKA significantly decreased cell viability and PD-L1 protein level in LUAD cells, enhanced cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells against LUAD cells and IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α expression, while overexpression of AURKA yielded opposite results. Furthermore, the knockdown of ETV4 could reverse the oncogenic characteristics of cells caused by AURKA overexpression. CONCLUSION Our study illustrated that ETV4/AURKA axis promoted PD-L1 expression, suppressed CD8+ T-cell activity, and mediated immune escape in LUAD by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, People's Hospital of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shangxiang He
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Artemed Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Ye
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, People's Hospital of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
| | - Heng Weng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, People's Hospital of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, China
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14
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Li Y, Wu X, Sheng C, Liu H, Liu H, Tang Y, Liu C, Ding Q, Xie B, Xiao X, Zheng R, Yu Q, Guo Z, Ma J, Wang J, Gao J, Tian M, Wang W, Zhou J, Jiang L, Gu M, Shi S, Paull M, Yang G, Yang W, Landau S, Bao X, Hu X, Liu XS, Xiao T. IGSF8 is an innate immune checkpoint and cancer immunotherapy target. Cell 2024; 187:2703-2716.e23. [PMID: 38657602 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.039] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Antigen presentation defects in tumors are prevalent mechanisms of adaptive immune evasion and resistance to cancer immunotherapy, whereas how tumors evade innate immunity is less clear. Using CRISPR screens, we discovered that IGSF8 expressed on tumors suppresses NK cell function by interacting with human KIR3DL2 and mouse Klra9 receptors on NK cells. IGSF8 is normally expressed in neuronal tissues and is not required for cell survival in vitro or in vivo. It is overexpressed and associated with low antigen presentation, low immune infiltration, and worse clinical outcomes in many tumors. An antibody that blocks IGSF8-NK receptor interaction enhances NK cell killing of malignant cells in vitro and upregulates antigen presentation, NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and T cell signaling in vivo. In syngeneic tumor models, anti-IGSF8 alone, or in combination with anti-PD1, inhibits tumor growth. Our results indicate that IGSF8 is an innate immune checkpoint that could be exploited as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Li
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiangyang Wu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Caibin Sheng
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Hailing Liu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huizhu Liu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yixuan Tang
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qingyang Ding
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Bin Xie
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xi Xiao
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Rongbin Zheng
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Quan Yu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zengdan Guo
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jian Ma
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jinghong Gao
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Mei Tian
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jia Zhou
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Mengmeng Gu
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Sailing Shi
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Michael Paull
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Guanhua Yang
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Yang
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Steve Landau
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xingfeng Bao
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xihao Hu
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - X Shirley Liu
- GV20 Therapeutics LLC, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Tengfei Xiao
- Shanghai Xunbaihui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., 3rd floor of Building 4, No. 3728, Jinke Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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15
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Sukocheva OA, Neganova ME, Aleksandrova Y, Burcher JT, Chugunova E, Fan R, Tse E, Sethi G, Bishayee A, Liu J. Signaling controversy and future therapeutical perspectives of targeting sphingolipid network in cancer immune editing and resistance to tumor necrosis factor-α immunotherapy. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:251. [PMID: 38698424 PMCID: PMC11064425 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01626-6] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Anticancer immune surveillance and immunotherapies trigger activation of cytotoxic cytokine signaling, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathways. The pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α may be secreted by stromal cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and by cancer cells, indicating a prominent role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, tumors manage to adapt, escape immune surveillance, and ultimately develop resistance to the cytotoxic effects of TNF-α. The mechanisms by which cancer cells evade host immunity is a central topic of current cancer research. Resistance to TNF-α is mediated by diverse molecular mechanisms, such as mutation or downregulation of TNF/TRAIL receptors, as well as activation of anti-apoptotic enzymes and transcription factors. TNF-α signaling is also mediated by sphingosine kinases (SphK1 and SphK2), which are responsible for synthesis of the growth-stimulating phospholipid, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Multiple studies have demonstrated the crucial role of S1P and its transmembrane receptors (S1PR) in both the regulation of inflammatory responses and progression of cancer. Considering that the SphK/S1P/S1PR axis mediates cancer resistance, this sphingolipid signaling pathway is of mechanistic significance when considering immunotherapy-resistant malignancies. However, the exact mechanism by which sphingolipids contribute to the evasion of immune surveillance and abrogation of TNF-α-induced apoptosis remains largely unclear. This study reviews mechanisms of TNF-α-resistance in cancer cells, with emphasis on the pro-survival and immunomodulatory effects of sphingolipids. Inhibition of SphK/S1P-linked pro-survival branch may facilitate reactivation of the pro-apoptotic TNF superfamily effects, although the role of SphK/S1P inhibitors in the regulation of the TME and lymphocyte trafficking should be thoroughly assessed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Sukocheva
- Department of Hepatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | - Margarita E Neganova
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
- Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Federal Research Center, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420088, Russian Federation
| | - Yulia Aleksandrova
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
- Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Federal Research Center, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420088, Russian Federation
| | - Jack T Burcher
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, 34211, USA
| | - Elena Chugunova
- Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Federal Research Center, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan, 420088, Russian Federation
| | - Ruitai Fan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Edmund Tse
- Department of Hepatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore
| | - Anupam Bishayee
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, 34211, USA.
| | - Junqi Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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16
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Chen D, Liu P, Lu X, Li J, Qi D, Zang L, Lin J, Liu Y, Zhai S, Fu D, Weng Y, Li H, Shen B. Pan-cancer analysis implicates novel insights of lactate metabolism into immunotherapy response prediction and survival prognostication. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:125. [PMID: 38664705 PMCID: PMC11044366 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03042-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy has emerged as a potent clinical approach for cancer treatment, but only subsets of cancer patients can benefit from it. Targeting lactate metabolism (LM) in tumor cells as a method to potentiate anti-tumor immune responses represents a promising therapeutic strategy. METHODS Public single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-seq) cohorts collected from patients who received immunotherapy were systematically gathered and scrutinized to delineate the association between LM and the immunotherapy response. A novel LM-related signature (LM.SIG) was formulated through an extensive examination of 40 pan-cancer scRNA-seq cohorts. Then, multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms were employed to validate the capacity of LM.SIG for immunotherapy response prediction and survival prognostication based on 8 immunotherapy transcriptomic cohorts and 30 The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pan-cancer datasets. Moreover, potential targets for immunotherapy were identified based on 17 CRISPR datasets and validated via in vivo and in vitro experiments. RESULTS The assessment of LM was confirmed to possess a substantial relationship with immunotherapy resistance in 2 immunotherapy scRNA-seq cohorts. Based on large-scale pan-cancer data, there exists a notably adverse correlation between LM.SIG and anti-tumor immunity as well as imbalance infiltration of immune cells, whereas a positive association was observed between LM.SIG and pro-tumorigenic signaling. Utilizing this signature, the ML model predicted immunotherapy response and prognosis with an AUC of 0.73/0.80 in validation sets and 0.70/0.87 in testing sets respectively. Notably, LM.SIG exhibited superior predictive performance across various cancers compared to published signatures. Subsequently, CRISPR screening identified LDHA as a pan-cancer biomarker for estimating immunotherapy response and survival probability which was further validated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) datasets. Furthermore, experiments demonstrated that LDHA deficiency in pancreatic cancer elevated the CD8+ T cell antitumor immunity and improved macrophage antitumoral polarization, which in turn enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS We unveiled the tight correlation between LM and resistance to immunotherapy and further established the pan-cancer LM.SIG, holds the potential to emerge as a competitive instrument for the selection of patients suitable for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongjie Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Pengyi Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xiongxiong Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jingfeng Li
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Debin Qi
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China
| | - Longjun Zang
- Department of General Surgery, Taiyuan Central Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030009, China
| | - Jiayu Lin
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yihao Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Shuyu Zhai
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Da Fu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Yuanchi Weng
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Hongzhe Li
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Baiyong Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Pancreatic Neoplasms, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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17
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Xu MY, Zeng N, Liu CQ, Sun JX, An Y, Zhang SH, Xu JZ, Zhong XY, Ma SY, He HD, Hu J, Xia QD, Wang SG. Enhanced cellular therapy: revolutionizing adoptive cellular therapy. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:47. [PMID: 38664743 PMCID: PMC11046957 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00506-6] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhanced cellular therapy has emerged as a novel concept following the basis of cellular therapy. This treatment modality applied drugs or biotechnology to directly enhance or genetically modify cells to enhance the efficacy of adoptive cellular therapy (ACT). Drugs or biotechnology that enhance the killing ability of immune cells include immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) / antibody drugs, small molecule inhibitors, immunomodulatory factors, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC), oncolytic virus (OV), etc. Firstly, overcoming the inhibitory tumor microenvironment (TME) can enhance the efficacy of ACT, which can be achieved by blocking the immune checkpoint. Secondly, cytokines or cytokine receptors can be expressed by genetic engineering or added directly to adoptive cells to enhance the migration and infiltration of adoptive cells to tumor cells. Moreover, multi-antigen chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) can be designed to enhance the specific recognition of tumor cell-related antigens, and OVs can also stimulate antigen release. In addition to inserting suicide genes into adoptive cells, PROTAC technology can be used as a safety switch or degradation agent of immunosuppressive factors to enhance the safety and efficacy of adoptive cells. This article comprehensively summarizes the mechanism, current situation, and clinical application of enhanced cellular therapy, describing potential improvements to adoptive cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yao Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Na Zeng
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Chen-Qian Liu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jian-Xuan Sun
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ye An
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Si-Han Zhang
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jin-Zhou Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xing-Yu Zhong
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Si-Yang Ma
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hao-Dong He
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jia Hu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qi-Dong Xia
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Shao-Gang Wang
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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18
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Deng D, Wang M, Su Y, Fang H, Chen Y, Su Z. Iridium(III)-Based PD-L1 Agonist Regulates p62 and ATF3 for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6810-6821. [PMID: 38613772 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, a new lung cancer treatment, is limited to a few patients due to low PD-L1 expression and tumor immunosuppression. To address these challenges, the upregulation of PD-L1 has the potential to elevate the response rate and efficiency of anti-PD-L1 and alleviate the immunosuppression of the tumor microenvironment. Herein, we developed a novel usnic acid-derived Iridium(III) complex, Ir-UA, that boosts PD-L1 expression and converts "cold tumors" to "hot". Subsequently, we administered Ir-UA combined with anti-PD-L1 in mice, which effectively inhibited tumor growth and promoted CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration. To our knowledge, Ir-UA is the first iridium-based complex to stimulate the expression of PD-L1 by explicitly regulating its transcription factors, which not only provides a promising platform for immune checkpoint blockade but, more importantly, provides an effective treatment strategy for patients with low PD-L1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongping Deng
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan Su
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, China
| | - Hongbao Fang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuncong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhi Su
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
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19
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Martin KE, Hammer Q, Perica K, Sadelain M, Malmberg KJ. Engineering immune-evasive allogeneic cellular immunotherapies. Nat Rev Immunol 2024:10.1038/s41577-024-01022-8. [PMID: 38658708 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-024-01022-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Allogeneic cellular immunotherapies hold a great promise for cancer treatment owing to their potential cost-effectiveness, scalability and on-demand availability. However, immune rejection of adoptively transferred allogeneic T and natural killer (NK) cells is a substantial obstacle to achieving clinical responses that are comparable to responses obtained with current autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies. In this Perspective, we discuss strategies to confer cell-intrinsic, immune-evasive properties to allogeneic T cells and NK cells in order to prevent or delay their immune rejection, thereby widening the therapeutic window. We discuss how common viral and cancer immune escape mechanisms can serve as a blueprint for improving the persistence of off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapies. The prospects of harnessing genome editing and synthetic biology to design cell-based precision immunotherapies extend beyond programming target specificities and require careful consideration of innate and adaptive responses in the recipient that may curtail the biodistribution, in vivo expansion and persistence of cellular therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Martin
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, The University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Quirin Hammer
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karlo Perica
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Cell Therapy Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michel Sadelain
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karl-Johan Malmberg
- Precision Immunotherapy Alliance, The University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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20
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Zhuang X, Woods J, Ji Y, Scheich S, Mo F, Rajagopalan S, Coulibaly ZA, Voss M, Urlaub H, Staudt LM, Pan KT, Long EO. Functional genomics identifies N-acetyllactosamine extension of complex N-glycans as a mechanism to evade lysis by natural killer cells. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114105. [PMID: 38619967 PMCID: PMC11170631 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114105] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are primary defenders against cancer precursors, but cancer cells can persist by evading immune surveillance. To investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying this evasion, we perform a genome-wide CRISPR screen using B lymphoblastoid cells. SPPL3, a peptidase that cleaves glycosyltransferases in the Golgi, emerges as a top hit facilitating evasion from NK cytotoxicity. SPPL3-deleted cells accumulate glycosyltransferases and complex N-glycans, disrupting not only binding of ligands to NK receptors but also binding of rituximab, a CD20 antibody approved for treating B cell cancers. Notably, inhibiting N-glycan maturation restores receptor binding and sensitivity to NK cells. A secondary CRISPR screen in SPPL3-deficient cells identifies B3GNT2, a transferase-mediating poly-LacNAc extension, as crucial for resistance. Mass spectrometry confirms enrichment of N-glycans bearing poly-LacNAc upon SPPL3 loss. Collectively, our study shows the essential role of SPPL3 and poly-LacNAc in cancer immune evasion, suggesting a promising target for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Zhuang
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA; Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - James Woods
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Yanlong Ji
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bioanalytics, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sebastian Scheich
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fei Mo
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sumati Rajagopalan
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Zana A Coulibaly
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthias Voss
- Institute of Biochemistry, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bioanalytics, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Louis M Staudt
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kuan-Ting Pan
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eric O Long
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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21
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Wilbur HC, Le DT, Agarwal P. Immunotherapy of MSI Cancer: Facts and Hopes. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1438-1447. [PMID: 38015720 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-1935] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a tumor molecular phenotype that evolves from loss of function in the mismatch repair (MMR) proteins through deleterious germline mutations, epigenetic inactivation, or somatic biallelic mutations. This phenotype is characterized by genomic hyper-mutability, increased neoantigen expression, and a favorable, immune-rich tumor microenvironment. These features confer a greater likelihood of response to treatment with the class of agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and, potentially, other immune-based therapeutics. MSI as a predictive biomarker for response to treatment with ICIs ultimately led to the first tissue-agnostic approval of pembrolizumab for advanced, previously treated MSI or deficient MMR (dMMR) tumors. Nevertheless, response to ICIs in dMMR/MSI tumors is not universal. Identifying predictors of response and elucidating mechanisms of immune escape will be crucial to continued successful treatment of this subset. In this review, we aim to describe the pathogenesis and key immunologic features of dMMR/MSI tumors, provide a brief overview of the currently approved treatments, and discuss promising novel immune-based therapeutics currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Catherine Wilbur
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Dung T Le
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Parul Agarwal
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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22
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Lin CP, Levy PL, Alflen A, Apriamashvili G, Ligtenberg MA, Vredevoogd DW, Bleijerveld OB, Alkan F, Malka Y, Hoekman L, Markovits E, George A, Traets JJH, Krijgsman O, van Vliet A, Poźniak J, Pulido-Vicuña CA, de Bruijn B, van Hal-van Veen SE, Boshuizen J, van der Helm PW, Díaz-Gómez J, Warda H, Behrens LM, Mardesic P, Dehni B, Visser NL, Marine JC, Markel G, Faller WJ, Altelaar M, Agami R, Besser MJ, Peeper DS. Multimodal stimulation screens reveal unique and shared genes limiting T cell fitness. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:623-645.e10. [PMID: 38490212 PMCID: PMC11003465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Genes limiting T cell antitumor activity may serve as therapeutic targets. It has not been systematically studied whether there are regulators that uniquely or broadly contribute to T cell fitness. We perform genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screens in primary CD8 T cells to uncover genes negatively impacting fitness upon three modes of stimulation: (1) intense, triggering activation-induced cell death (AICD); (2) acute, triggering expansion; (3) chronic, causing dysfunction. Besides established regulators, we uncover genes controlling T cell fitness either specifically or commonly upon differential stimulation. Dap5 ablation, ranking highly in all three screens, increases translation while enhancing tumor killing. Loss of Icam1-mediated homotypic T cell clustering amplifies cell expansion and effector functions after both acute and intense stimulation. Lastly, Ctbp1 inactivation induces functional T cell persistence exclusively upon chronic stimulation. Our results functionally annotate fitness regulators based on their unique or shared contribution to traits limiting T cell antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Pu Lin
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pierre L Levy
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Astrid Alflen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Georgi Apriamashvili
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten A Ligtenberg
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David W Vredevoogd
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Onno B Bleijerveld
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ferhat Alkan
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yuval Malka
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Hoekman
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ettai Markovits
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52612, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Austin George
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joleen J H Traets
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Oscar Krijgsman
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alex van Vliet
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joanna Poźniak
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carlos Ariel Pulido-Vicuña
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Beaunelle de Bruijn
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Susan E van Hal-van Veen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Julia Boshuizen
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pim W van der Helm
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judit Díaz-Gómez
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hamdy Warda
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Leonie M Behrens
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Paula Mardesic
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bilal Dehni
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nils L Visser
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gal Markel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel; Davidoff Cancer Center and Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva 4941492, Israel
| | - William J Faller
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Reuven Agami
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michal J Besser
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-oncology and Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52612, Israel; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel; Davidoff Cancer Center and Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva 4941492, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Daniel S Peeper
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Zhang P, Ying P, Li H, Zhao N, Liu R, Li S, Xu W, Tang Y, Tang Y. A novel safer CD19CAR with shRNA interference of IFN-γ can reduce multiple cytokine levels without significantly compromising its killing efficacy. Apoptosis 2024; 29:556-567. [PMID: 38114800 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-023-01925-2] [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: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a great challenge for the application of anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of knocking down interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by shRNA as a potential strategy to reduce the cytokine storms. A newly designed short hairpin interference RNA of IFN-γ (shIFN-γ) in CD19CAR gene was constructed. Several cellular model systems of approach using Nalm-6 cell lines including Nalm-6CD19pos and Nalm-6CD19neg with or without monocytes and endothelial cells were used to analyze the different levels of cytokines after shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T cell targeted therapy. The activity of this novel CD19CAR-T was evaluated both in vitro and in NSG mouse model. The killing efficacy of shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T at the E:T ratio of 2:1 was similar to that of regular anti-CD19CAR-T at the E:T ratio of 1:1. The IFN-γ level in the shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T cell group was (2673.1 ± 307.4) pg/ml at the E:T ratio of 2:1 which was significantly lower than that ((8261.5 ± 345.5) pg/ml) in the regular anti-CD19CAR-T group at the E:T ratio of 1:1. Cytotoxicity experiments in vitro showed significantly reduced concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-6 and TNFα in the shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T cell group compared to regular anti-CD19CAR-T cell group. Both regular anti-CD19CAR and shIFN-γ-CD19CAR-T exerted bystander killing effect in vitro. We conclude that shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T cells can reduce the generation of cytokine storms without significantly compromising their therapeutic efficacy in the preclinical setting. In mouse model, 3 × 106 shIFN-γ-anti-CD19CAR-T cells/mouse generated the similar killing efficacy to that with 2 × 106 regular anti-CD19CAR-T cells/mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Peiting Ying
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Hongzhe Li
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Rongrong Liu
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Sisi Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, No. 50, Huzhou Street, Gongshu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310015, PR China
| | - Weiqun Xu
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China
| | - Yang Tang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevetion and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Medical Sciences), The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310009, PR China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for CANCER, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, No. 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Yongmin Tang
- Department/Center of Hematology-oncology, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China.
- Pediatric Leukemia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Research Center of Zhejiang Province, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, #57 Zhuganxiang Road, Yan-an Street, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China.
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Djajawi TM, Wichmann J, Vervoort SJ, Kearney CJ. Tumor immune evasion: insights from CRISPR screens and future directions. FEBS J 2024; 291:1386-1399. [PMID: 37971319 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17003] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite the clinical success of cancer immunotherapies including immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cellular therapies across a variety of cancer types, many patients do not respond or ultimately relapse; however, the molecular underpinnings of this are not fully understood. Thus, a system-level understating of the routes to tumor immune evasion is required to inform the design of the next generation of immunotherapy approaches. CRISPR screening approaches have proved extremely powerful in identifying genes that promote tumor immune evasion or sensitize tumor cells to destruction by the immune system. These large-scale efforts have brought to light decades worth of fundamental immunology and have uncovered the key immune-evasion pathways subverted in cancers in an acquired manner in patients receiving immune-modulatory therapies. The comprehensive discovery of the main pathways involved in immune evasion has spurred the development and application of novel immune therapies to target this process. Although successful, conventional CRISPR screening approaches are hampered by a number of limitations, which obfuscate a complete understanding of the precise molecular regulation of immune evasion in cancer. Here, we provide a perspective on screening approaches to interrogate tumor-lymphocyte interactions and their limitations, and discuss further development of technologies to improve such approaches and discovery capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirta Mario Djajawi
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Vic., Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Johannes Wichmann
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Stephin J Vervoort
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Conor J Kearney
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Vic., Australia
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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25
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Djajawi TM, Pijpers L, Srivaths A, Chisanga D, Chan KF, Hogg SJ, Neil L, Rivera SM, Bartonicek N, Ellis SL, Lim Kam Sian TCC, Faridi P, Liao Y, Pal B, Behren A, Shi W, Vervoort SJ, Johnstone RW, Kearney CJ. PRMT1 acts as a suppressor of MHC-I and anti-tumor immunity. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113831. [PMID: 38401121 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113831] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies have demonstrated remarkable success; however, the majority of patients do not respond or develop resistance. Here, we conduct epigenetic gene-targeted CRISPR-Cas9 screens to identify epigenomic factors that limit CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. We identify that PRMT1 suppresses interferon gamma (Ifnγ)-induced MHC-I expression, thus dampening CD8+ T cell-mediated killing. Indeed, PRMT1 knockout or pharmacological targeting of type I PRMT with the clinical inhibitor GSK3368715 enhances Ifnγ-induced MHC-I expression through elevated STAT1 expression and activation, while re-introduction of PRMT1 in PRMT1-deficient cells reverses this effect. Importantly, loss of PRMT1 enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, and The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis reveals that PRMT1 expression in human melanoma is inversely correlated with expression of human leukocyte antigen molecules, infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and overall survival. Taken together, we identify PRMT1 as a negative regulator of anti-tumor immunity, unveiling clinical type I PRMT inhibitors as immunotherapeutic agents or as adjuncts to existing immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirta M Djajawi
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Lizzy Pijpers
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Akash Srivaths
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - David Chisanga
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Kok Fei Chan
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Simon J Hogg
- Oncology Discovery, AbbVie, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Liam Neil
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Sarahi Mendoza Rivera
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Nenad Bartonicek
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Sarah L Ellis
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Terry C C Lim Kam Sian
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Pouya Faridi
- Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Yang Liao
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Bhupinder Pal
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Wei Shi
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Stephin J Vervoort
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ricky W Johnstone
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Conor J Kearney
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
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26
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Li T, Zhang W, Niu M, Wu Y, Deng X, Zhou J. STING agonist inflames the cervical cancer immune microenvironment and overcomes anti-PD-1 therapy resistance. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1342647. [PMID: 38550593 PMCID: PMC10972971 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1342647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer poses a significant global threat to women's health. However, current therapeutic interventions, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical resection, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, face limitations in the advanced stages of the disease. Given the immunosuppressive microenvironment in cervical cancer, it is imperative to explore novel perspectives. In this regard, STING agonists have emerged as promising candidates. Methods The expression profiles and clinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Prognostic analysis of STING downstream genes (CCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10) and immune infiltration analysis were conducted using Kaplan-Meier Plotter, ESTIMATE, and deconvo_CIBERSOR. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential of MSA-2 in cervical cancer treatment employing SingleR, chi-squared test, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Cellular interaction analysis utilized the CellChat package to assess the potentiation of cellular interaction following MSA-2 administration. Murine tumor models involving U14 and TC-1, were conducted, and the IF of tissue was subsequently conducted to assess the tumor microenvironment status after treatment. Results Prognosis in cervical cancer correlated with elevated expression of STING downstream genes, indicating prolonged survival and reduced recurrence. These genes positively correlated with immune infiltration, influencing stromal scores, immune scores, and estimate scores. Specific immune cell populations, including CD8+ T cells, M1-type macrophages, NK cells, and T follicular helper cells, were associated with STING downstream genes. scRNA-seq in a classic immune-excluded model revealed that MSA-2 exerts priming and activating functions on vital components within TME, and intensifies their intercellular communications. The in vivo assay ultimately demonstrated that MSA-2, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with anti-PD-1, effectively suppressed the growth of subcutaneous cervical tumors. Moreover, the combination strategy significantly augmented efficacy compared to anti-PD-1 monotherapy by eliciting a robust antitumor immune response. Conclusion This study highlights the pivotal role of the STING pathway and the potential of MSA-2 in reshaping the immune microenvironment in cervical cancer. Combining MSA-2 with immune checkpoint inhibitors presents a transformative approach, holding promise for improved prognosis. Further investigations are warranted to explore the broader immune landscape and potential long-term effects of MSA-2 in cervical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijiang Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuze Wu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinyue Deng
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hangzhou, China
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27
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Preedy MK, White MRH, Tergaonkar V. Cellular heterogeneity in TNF/TNFR1 signalling: live cell imaging of cell fate decisions in single cells. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:202. [PMID: 38467621 PMCID: PMC10928192 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06559-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Cellular responses to TNF are inherently heterogeneous within an isogenic cell population and across different cell types. TNF promotes cell survival by activating pro-inflammatory NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways but may also trigger apoptosis and necroptosis. Following TNF stimulation, the fate of individual cells is governed by the balance of pro-survival and pro-apoptotic signalling pathways. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving heterogenous responses to TNF, quantifying TNF/TNFR1 signalling at the single-cell level is crucial. Fluorescence live-cell imaging techniques offer real-time, dynamic insights into molecular processes in single cells, allowing for detection of rapid and transient changes, as well as identification of subpopulations, that are likely to be missed with traditional endpoint assays. Whilst fluorescence live-cell imaging has been employed extensively to investigate TNF-induced inflammation and TNF-induced cell death, it has been underutilised in studying the role of TNF/TNFR1 signalling pathway crosstalk in guiding cell-fate decisions in single cells. Here, we outline the various opportunities for pathway crosstalk during TNF/TNFR1 signalling and how these interactions may govern heterogenous responses to TNF. We also advocate for the use of live-cell imaging techniques to elucidate the molecular processes driving cell-to-cell variability in single cells. Understanding and overcoming cellular heterogeneity in response to TNF and modulators of the TNF/TNFR1 signalling pathway could lead to the development of targeted therapies for various diseases associated with aberrant TNF/TNFR1 signalling, such as rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus K Preedy
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, D3308, Dover Street, Manchester, M13 9PT, England, UK
| | - Michael R H White
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, D3308, Dover Street, Manchester, M13 9PT, England, UK.
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), 8 Medical Drive, MD7, Singapore, 117596, Singapore.
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28
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Cho JW, Cao J, Hemberg M. Joint analysis of mutational and transcriptional landscapes in human cancer reveals key perturbations during cancer evolution. Genome Biol 2024; 25:65. [PMID: 38459554 PMCID: PMC10921788 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03201-1] [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: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumors are able to acquire new capabilities, including traits such as drug resistance and metastasis that are associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Single-cell technologies have made it possible to study both mutational and transcriptomic profiles, but as most studies have been conducted on model systems, little is known about cancer evolution in human patients. Hence, a better understanding of cancer evolution could have important implications for treatment strategies. RESULTS Here, we analyze cancer evolution and clonal selection by jointly considering mutational and transcriptomic profiles of single cells acquired from tumor biopsies from 49 lung cancer samples and 51 samples with chronic myeloid leukemia. Comparing the two profiles, we find that each clone is associated with a preferred transcriptional state. For metastasis and drug resistance, we find that the number of mutations affecting related genes increases as the clone evolves, while changes in gene expression profiles are limited. Surprisingly, we find that mutations affecting ligand-receptor interactions with the tumor microenvironment frequently emerge as clones acquire drug resistance. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that lung cancer and chronic myeloid leukemia maintain a high clonal and transcriptional diversity, and we find little evidence in favor of clonal sweeps. This suggests that for these cancers selection based solely on growth rate is unlikely to be the dominating driving force during cancer evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Won Cho
- The Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jingyi Cao
- The Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martin Hemberg
- The Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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29
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Tang L, Zhang H, Zhou F, Wei Q, Du M, Wu J, Li C, Luo W, Zhou J, Wang X, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Huang Z, Wu Z, Wen Y, Jiang H, Liao D, Kou H, Xiong W, Mei H, Hu Y. Targeting autophagy overcomes cancer-intrinsic resistance to CAR-T immunotherapy in B-cell malignancies. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2024; 44:408-432. [PMID: 38407943 PMCID: PMC10958674 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12525] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy has substantially revolutionized the clinical outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies, but the cancer-intrinsic mechanisms underlying resistance to CAR-T cells remain yet to be fully understood. This study aims to explore the molecular determinants of cancer cell sensitivity to CAR-T cell-mediated killing and to provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and potential modulation to improve clinical efficacy. METHODS The human whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout screening was conducted to identify key genes that enable cancer cells to evade CD19 CAR-T-cell-mediated killing. The in vitro cytotoxicity assays and evaluation of tumor tissue and bone marrow specimens were further conducted to confirm the role of the key genes in cancer cell susceptibility to CAR-T cells. In addition, the specific mechanisms influencing CAR-T cell-mediated cancer clearance were elucidated in mouse and cellular models. RESULTS The CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout screening showed that the enrichment of autophagy-related genes (ATG3, BECN1, and RB1CC1) provided protection of cancer cells from CD19 CAR-T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. These findings were further validated by in vitro cytotoxicity assays in cells with genetic and pharmacological inhibition of autophagy. Notably, higher expression of the three autophagy-related proteins in tumor samples was correlated with poorer responsiveness and worse survival in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma after CD19 CAR-T therapy. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis of bone marrow samples from B-cell leukemia patients also suggested the clinical relevance of autophagy to the therapeutic response and relapse after CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy and knockout of RB1CC1 could dramatically sensitize tumor cells to CD19 CAR-T cell-mediated killing in mouse models of both B-cell leukemia and lymphoma. Moreover, our study revealed that cancer-intrinsic autophagy mediates evasion of CAR-T cells via the TNF-α-TNFR1 axis-mediated apoptosis and STAT1/IRF1-induced chemokine signaling activation. CONCLUSIONS These findings confirm that autophagy signaling in B-cell malignancies is essential for the effective cytotoxic function of CAR-T cells and thereby pave the way for the development of autophagy-targeting strategies to improve the clinical efficacy of CAR-T cell immunotherapy.
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30
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Qian L, Xie L, Zhu Y, Huang C, Meng Z. Potent induction of antitumor immunity by combining cryo-thermal ablation with immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver Int 2024; 44:723-737. [PMID: 38111027 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The low response rate of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) prompts the exploration of novel combination therapies for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we aimed to examine the efficiency and potential mechanism of cryo-thermal ablation (Cryo-A) combined with anti-programmed death protein 1 (αPD1) and/or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (αCTLA4) inhibitors in a murine hepatoma model. METHOD Immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice inoculated with unilateral or bilateral H22 hepatic tumour cells were treated with Cryo-A and/or ICIs (αPD1 and/or αCTLA4). Flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, ELISpot assay, time-of-flight cytometry, tumour rechallenging, and T-cell depletion assay were used to assess the dynamic changes of immune cell subsets following therapy. RESULTS We found Cryo-A resulted in immunogenic cell death of tumour cells, activation of dendritic cells, and enhancement of antitumor immunity. Cryo-A alone was insufficient to extend survival, combining Cryo-A with αPD1 and αCTLA4 further modulated the tumour microenvironment, inducing a durable antitumor immune response by tumour-reactive CD8+ T cells and significantly prolonged survival. Time-of-flight cytometry (CyTOF) data revealed that combination therapies reshaped the tumour microenvironment by the increase of intratumoral CD8+ T cells expressed higher levels of cytotoxic markers and immune checkpoint molecules, and by downregulation of intratumoral granulocytes. The combination also resulted in the eradication of remote unablated tumours (abscopal effect). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggested that Cryo-A turned HCC from "cold" tumours to "hot" tumours and the combination of Cryo-A with αPD1 and αCTLA4 may be a promising approach to improve the prognosis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Qian
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Xie
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changjing Huang
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Meng
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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31
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Kim IK, Diamond MS, Yuan S, Kemp SB, Kahn BM, Li Q, Lin JH, Li J, Norgard RJ, Thomas SK, Merolle M, Katsuda T, Tobias JW, Baslan T, Politi K, Vonderheide RH, Stanger BZ. Plasticity-induced repression of Irf6 underlies acquired resistance to cancer immunotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1532. [PMID: 38378697 PMCID: PMC10879147 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46048-7] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Acquired resistance to immunotherapy remains a critical yet incompletely understood biological mechanism. Here, using a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) to study tumor relapse following immunotherapy-induced responses, we find that resistance is reproducibly associated with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), with EMT-transcription factors ZEB1 and SNAIL functioning as master genetic and epigenetic regulators of this effect. Acquired resistance in this model is not due to immunosuppression in the tumor immune microenvironment, disruptions in the antigen presentation machinery, or altered expression of immune checkpoints. Rather, resistance is due to a tumor cell-intrinsic defect in T-cell killing. Molecularly, EMT leads to the epigenetic and transcriptional silencing of interferon regulatory factor 6 (Irf6), rendering tumor cells less sensitive to the pro-apoptotic effects of TNF-α. These findings indicate that acquired resistance to immunotherapy may be mediated by programs distinct from those governing primary resistance, including plasticity programs that render tumor cells impervious to T-cell killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mark S Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Salina Yuan
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samantha B Kemp
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin M Kahn
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qinglan Li
- Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Lin
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jinyang Li
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert J Norgard
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stacy K Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria Merolle
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Takeshi Katsuda
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John W Tobias
- Penn Genomic Analysis Core, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timour Baslan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katerina Politi
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Vonderheide
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Ben Z Stanger
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Abramson Cancer Center and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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32
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Alim LF, Keane C, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Molecular mechanisms of tumour necrosis factor signalling via TNF receptor 1 and TNF receptor 2 in the tumour microenvironment. Curr Opin Immunol 2024; 86:102409. [PMID: 38154421 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102409] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a primary mediator of inflammatory processes by facilitating cell death, immune cell activation and triggering of inflammation. In the cancer context, research has revealed TNF as a multifaceted cytokine that can be both pro- or anti-tumorigenic depending on what context is observed. We explore the plethora of ways that TNF and its receptors manipulate the functional and phenotypic characteristics in the tumour microenvironment (TME) on both tumour cells and immune cells, promoting either tumour elimination or progression. Here, we discuss the latest cutting-edge TNF-focused biologics currently in clinical translation that modifies the TME to derive greater immune responses and therapeutic outcomes, and further give perspectives on the future of targeting TNF in the context of cancer by emerging technological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa F Alim
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Colm Keane
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
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33
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Rosenbaum SR, Caksa S, Stefanski CD, Trachtenberg IV, Wilson HP, Wilski NA, Ott CA, Purwin TJ, Haj JI, Pomante D, Kotas D, Chervoneva I, Capparelli C, Aplin AE. SOX10 Loss Sensitizes Melanoma Cells to Cytokine-Mediated Inflammatory Cell Death. Mol Cancer Res 2024; 22:209-220. [PMID: 37847239 PMCID: PMC10842433 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-23-0290] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor, SOX10, plays an important role in the differentiation of neural crest precursors to the melanocytic lineage. Malignant transformation of melanocytes leads to the development of melanoma, and SOX10 promotes melanoma cell proliferation and tumor formation. SOX10 expression in melanomas is heterogeneous, and loss of SOX10 causes a phenotypic switch toward an invasive, mesenchymal-like cell state and therapy resistance; hence, strategies to target SOX10-deficient cells are an active area of investigation. The impact of cell state and SOX10 expression on antitumor immunity is not well understood but will likely have important implications for immunotherapeutic interventions. To this end, we tested whether SOX10 status affects the response to CD8+ T cell-mediated killing and T cell-secreted cytokines, TNFα and IFNγ, which are critical effectors in the cytotoxic killing of cancer cells. We observed that genetic ablation of SOX10 rendered melanoma cells more sensitive to CD8+ T cell-mediated killing and cell death induction by either TNFα or IFNγ. Cytokine-mediated cell death in SOX10-deficient cells was associated with features of caspase-dependent pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death that has the potential to increase immune responses. IMPLICATIONS These data support a role for SOX10 expression altering the response to T cell-mediated cell death and contribute to a broader understanding of the interaction between immune cells and melanoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheera R. Rosenbaum
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Signe Caksa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Casey D. Stefanski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Isabella V. Trachtenberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Haley P. Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Nicole A. Wilski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Connor A. Ott
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J. Purwin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Jelan I. Haj
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Danielle Pomante
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Daniel Kotas
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Inna Chervoneva
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrew E. Aplin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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Shin GC, Lee HM, Kim N, Seo SU, Kim KP, Kim KH. PRKCSH contributes to TNFSF resistance by extending IGF1R half-life and activation in lung cancer. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:192-209. [PMID: 38200153 PMCID: PMC10834952 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01147-1] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor superfamily (TNFSF) resistance contributes to the development and progression of tumors and resistance to various cancer therapies. Tumor-intrinsic alterations involved in the adaptation to the TNFSF response remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that protein kinase C substrate 80K-H (PRKCSH) abundance in lung cancers boosts oncogenic IGF1R activation, leading to TNFSF resistance. PRKCSH abundance is correlated with IGF1R upregulation in lung cancer tissues. Specifically, PRKCSH interacts with IGF1R and extends its half-life. The PRKCSH-IGF1R axis in tumor cells impairs caspase-8 activation, increases Mcl-1 expression, and inhibits caspase-9, leading to an imbalance between cell death and survival. PRKCSH deficiency augmented the antitumor effects of natural killer (NK) cells, representative TNFSF effector cells, in a tumor xenograft IL-2Rg-deficient NOD/SCID (NIG) mouse model. Our data suggest that PRKCSH plays a critical role in TNFSF resistance and may be a potential target to improve the efficacy of NK cell-based cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gu-Choul Shin
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyeong Min Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Natural Science, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kyung Hee Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayeon Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Uk Seo
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pyo Kim
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Natural Science, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kyung Hee Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyun-Hwan Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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35
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Wang X, Chan S, Chen J, Xu Y, Dai L, Han Q, Wang Z, Zuo X, Yang Y, Zhao H, Wang M, Wang C, Li Z, Zhang H, Chen W. Robust machine-learning based prognostic index using cytotoxic T lymphocyte evasion genes highlights potential therapeutic targets in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:52. [PMID: 38297270 PMCID: PMC10829178 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03239-y] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A minute fraction of patients stands to derive substantial benefits from immunotherapy, primarily attributable to immune evasion. Our objective was to formulate a predictive signature rooted in genes associated with cytotoxic T lymphocyte evasion (CERGs), with the aim of predicting outcomes and discerning immunotherapeutic response in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS 101 machine learning algorithm combinations were applied to calculate the CERGs prognostic index (CERPI) under the cross-validation framework, and patients with CRC were separated into high- and low-CERPI groups. Relationship between immune cell infiltration levels, immune-related scores, malignant phenotypes and CERPI were further analyzed. Various machine learning methods were used to identify key genes related to both patient survival and immunotherapy benefits. Expression of HOXC6, G0S2, and MX2 was evaluated and the effects of HOXC6 and G0S2 on the viability and migration of a CRC cell line were in-vitro verified. RESULTS The CERPI demonstrated robust prognostic efficacy in predicting the overall survival of CRC patients, establishing itself as an independent predictor of patient outcomes. The low-CERPI group exhibited elevated levels of immune cell infiltration and lower scores for tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion, indicative of a greater potential benefit from immunotherapy. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between CERPI levels and malignant tumor phenotypes, suggesting that heightened CERPI expression contributes to both the occurrence and progression of tumors. Thirteen key genes were identified, and their expression patterns were scrutinized through the analysis of single-cell datasets. Notably, HOXC6, G0S2, and MX2 exhibited upregulation in both CRC cell lines and tissues. Subsequent knockdown experiments targeting G0S2 and HOXC6 resulted in a significant suppression of CRC cell viability and migration. CONCLUSION We developed the CERPI for effectively predicting survival and response to immunotherapy in patients, and these results may provide guidance for CRC diagnosis and precise treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Shixin Chan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiajie Chen
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yuanmin Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Longfei Dai
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Qijun Han
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zhenglin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xiaomin Zuo
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hu Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zichen Li
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Metabolic Disease Research Center, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- The First Affiliated Chuzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Chuzhou, 239000, Anhui, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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36
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Ibáñez-Molero S, Pruijs JTM, Atmopawiro A, Wang F, Terry AM, Altelaar M, Peeper DS, Stecker KE. Phosphoprotein dynamics of interacting T cells and tumor cells by HySic. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113598. [PMID: 38150364 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional interactions between cytotoxic T cells and tumor cells are central to anti-cancer immunity. However, our understanding of the proteins involved is limited. Here, we present HySic (hybrid quantification of stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture [SILAC]-labeled interacting cells) as a method to quantify protein and phosphorylation dynamics between and within physically interacting cells. Using co-cultured T cells and tumor cells, we directly measure the proteome and phosphoproteome of engaged cells without the need for physical separation. We identify proteins whose abundance or activation status changes upon T cell:tumor cell interaction and validate our method with established signal transduction pathways including interferon γ (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Furthermore, we identify the RHO/RAC/PAK1 signaling pathway to be activated upon cell engagement and show that pharmacologic inhibition of PAK1 sensitizes tumor cells to T cell killing. Thus, HySic is a simple method to study rapid protein signaling dynamics in physically interacting cells that is easily extended to other biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Ibáñez-Molero
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joannes T M Pruijs
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alisha Atmopawiro
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Fujia Wang
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alexandra M Terry
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Daniel S Peeper
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, 3521 AL Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Kelly E Stecker
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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37
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Bawden EG, Wagner T, Schröder J, Effern M, Hinze D, Newland L, Attrill GH, Lee AR, Engel S, Freestone D, de Lima Moreira M, Gressier E, McBain N, Bachem A, Haque A, Dong R, Ferguson AL, Edwards JJ, Ferguson PM, Scolyer RA, Wilmott JS, Jewell CM, Brooks AG, Gyorki DE, Palendira U, Bedoui S, Waithman J, Hochheiser K, Hölzel M, Gebhardt T. CD4 + T cell immunity against cutaneous melanoma encompasses multifaceted MHC II-dependent responses. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadi9517. [PMID: 38241401 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adi9517] [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: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Whereas CD4+ T cells conventionally mediate antitumor immunity by providing help to CD8+ T cells, recent clinical studies have implied an important role for cytotoxic CD4+ T cells in cancer immunity. Using an orthotopic melanoma model, we provide a detailed account of antitumoral CD4+ T cell responses and their regulation by major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) in the skin. Intravital imaging revealed prominent interactions of CD4+ T cells with tumor debris-laden MHC II+ host antigen-presenting cells that accumulated around tumor cell nests, although direct recognition of MHC II+ melanoma cells alone could also promote CD4+ T cell control. CD4+ T cells stably suppressed or eradicated tumors even in the absence of other lymphocytes by using tumor necrosis factor-α and Fas ligand (FasL) but not perforin-mediated cytotoxicity. Interferon-γ was critical for protection, acting both directly on melanoma cells and via induction of nitric oxide synthase in myeloid cells. Our results illustrate multifaceted and context-specific aspects of MHC II-dependent CD4+ T cell immunity against cutaneous melanoma, emphasizing modulation of this axis as a potential avenue for immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Bawden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Teagan Wagner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jan Schröder
- Computational Sciences Initiative, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Maike Effern
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Daniel Hinze
- Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Lewis Newland
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Grace H Attrill
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ariane R Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sven Engel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Freestone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marcela de Lima Moreira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Elise Gressier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nathan McBain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Annabell Bachem
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashraful Haque
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruining Dong
- Computational Sciences Initiative, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Angela L Ferguson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation theme, School of Medical Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jarem J Edwards
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter M Ferguson
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Tissue Oncology and Diagnostic Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard A Scolyer
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Tissue Oncology and Diagnostic Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James S Wilmott
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher M Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, College Park, MD, USA
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew G Brooks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David E Gyorki
- Division of Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Umaimainthan Palendira
- Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sammy Bedoui
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jason Waithman
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Katharina Hochheiser
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Hölzel
- Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Thomas Gebhardt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Newton K, Strasser A, Kayagaki N, Dixit VM. Cell death. Cell 2024; 187:235-256. [PMID: 38242081 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Cell death supports morphogenesis during development and homeostasis after birth by removing damaged or obsolete cells. It also curtails the spread of pathogens by eliminating infected cells. Cell death can be induced by the genetically programmed suicide mechanisms of apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, or it can be a consequence of dysregulated metabolism, as in ferroptosis. Here, we review the signaling mechanisms underlying each cell-death pathway, discuss how impaired or excessive activation of the distinct cell-death processes can promote disease, and highlight existing and potential therapies for redressing imbalances in cell death in cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Newton
- Physiological Chemistry Department, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Andreas Strasser
- WEHI: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Nobuhiko Kayagaki
- Physiological Chemistry Department, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Vishva M Dixit
- Physiological Chemistry Department, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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Huang KCY, Chiang SF, Lin PC, Hong WZ, Yang PC, Chang HP, Peng SL, Chen TW, Ke TW, Liang JA, Chen WTL, Chao KSC. TNFα modulates PANX1 activation to promote ATP release and enhance P2RX7-mediated antitumor immune responses after chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:24. [PMID: 38195677 PMCID: PMC10776587 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06408-5] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
ATP and its receptor P2RX7 exert a pivotal effect on antitumor immunity during chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD). Here, we demonstrated that TNFα-mediated PANX1 cleavage was essential for ATP release in response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC). TNFα promoted PANX1 cleavage via a caspase 8/3-dependent pathway to enhance cancer cell immunogenicity, leading to dendritic cell maturation and T-cell activation. Blockade of the ATP receptor P2RX7 by the systemic administration of small molecules significantly attenuated the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy and decreased the infiltration of immune cells. In contrast, administration of an ATP mimic markedly increased the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy and enhanced the infiltration of immune cells in vivo. High PANX1 expression was positively correlated with the recruitment of DCs and T cells within the tumor microenvironment and was associated with favorable survival outcomes in CRC patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Furthermore, a loss-of-function P2RX7 mutation was associated with reduced infiltration of CD8+ immune cells and poor survival outcomes in patients. Taken together, these results reveal that TNFα-mediated PANX1 cleavage promotes ATP-P2RX7 signaling and is a key determinant of chemotherapy-induced antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chih-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
- Translation Research Core, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Shu-Fen Chiang
- Lab of Precision Medicine, Feng-Yuan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung, 42055, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Chun Lin
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Ze Hong
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Chen Yang
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hui-Ping Chang
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shin-Lei Peng
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tsung-Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Asia University Hospital, Asia University, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tao-Wei Ke
- School of Chinese Medicine and Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ji-An Liang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - William Tzu-Liang Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, China Medical University HsinChu Hospital, China Medical University, HsinChu, 302, Taiwan, ROC
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC
| | - K S Clifford Chao
- Proton Therapy and Science Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
- Department of Radiotherapy, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
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40
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Wang Y, Khalil A, Kamar A, Du M, Dinh T, McFarland C, Wang Z. Unveiling immune checkpoint regulation: exploring the power of in vivo CRISPR screenings in cancer immunotherapy. Front Genet 2023; 14:1304425. [PMID: 38162677 PMCID: PMC10755878 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1304425] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy by reinvigorating antitumor immune responses, but their efficacy remains limited in most patients. To address this challenge and optimize Immune check inhibitor treatment, understanding the underlying molecular intricacies involved is crucial. The emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 technology has empowered researchers to precisely investigate gene function and has introduced transformative shifts in identifying key genes for various physiological and pathological processes. CRISPR screenings, particularly in vivo CRISPR screenings, have become invaluable tools in deciphering molecular networks and signaling pathways governing suppressive immune checkpoint molecules. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of in vivo CRISPR screenings in cancer immunotherapy, exploring how this cutting-edge technology has unraveled potential novel therapeutic targets and combination strategies. We delve into the latest findings and advancements, shedding light on immune checkpoint regulation and offering exciting prospects for the development of innovative and effective treatments for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Athar Khalil
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Amina Kamar
- Centre for Digital Transformation, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mengyan Du
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Trang Dinh
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Christopher McFarland
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Zhenghe Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and Case Comprehesive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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41
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Yakubovich E, Cook DP, Rodriguez GM, Vanderhyden BC. Mesenchymal ovarian cancer cells promote CD8 + T cell exhaustion through the LGALS3-LAG3 axis. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:61. [PMID: 38086828 PMCID: PMC10716312 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00322-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells often metastasize by undergoing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although abundance of CD8+ T-cells in the tumor microenvironment correlates with improved survival, mesenchymal cancer cells acquire greater resistance to antitumor immunity in some cancers. We hypothesized the EMT modulates the immune response to ovarian cancer. Here we show that cancer cells from infiltrated/inflamed tumors possess more mesenchymal cells, than excluded and desert tumors. We also noted high expression of LGALS3 is associated with EMT in vivo, a finding validated with in vitro EMT models. Dissecting the cellular communications among populations in the tumor revealed that mesenchymal cancer cells in infiltrated tumors communicate through LGALS3 to LAG3 receptor expressed by CD8+ T cells. We found CD8+ T cells express high levels of LAG3, a marker of T cell exhaustion. The results indicate that EMT in ovarian cancer cells promotes interactions between cancer cells and T cells through the LGALS3 - LAG3 axis, which could increase T cell exhaustion in infiltrated tumors, dampening antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Yakubovich
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - David P Cook
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Galaxia M Rodriguez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara C Vanderhyden
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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42
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Dufva O, Gandolfi S, Huuhtanen J, Dashevsky O, Duàn H, Saeed K, Klievink J, Nygren P, Bouhlal J, Lahtela J, Näätänen A, Ghimire BR, Hannunen T, Ellonen P, Lähteenmäki H, Rumm P, Theodoropoulos J, Laajala E, Härkönen J, Pölönen P, Heinäniemi M, Hollmén M, Yamano S, Shirasaki R, Barbie DA, Roth JA, Romee R, Sheffer M, Lähdesmäki H, Lee DA, De Matos Simoes R, Kankainen M, Mitsiades CS, Mustjoki S. Single-cell functional genomics reveals determinants of sensitivity and resistance to natural killer cells in blood cancers. Immunity 2023; 56:2816-2835.e13. [PMID: 38091953 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.11.008] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells can evade natural killer (NK) cell activity, thereby limiting anti-tumor immunity. To reveal genetic determinants of susceptibility to NK cell activity, we examined interacting NK cells and blood cancer cells using single-cell and genome-scale functional genomics screens. Interaction of NK and cancer cells induced distinct activation and type I interferon (IFN) states in both cell types depending on the cancer cell lineage and molecular phenotype, ranging from more sensitive myeloid to less sensitive B-lymphoid cancers. CRISPR screens in cancer cells uncovered genes regulating sensitivity and resistance to NK cell-mediated killing, including adhesion-related glycoproteins, protein fucosylation genes, and transcriptional regulators, in addition to confirming the importance of antigen presentation and death receptor signaling pathways. CRISPR screens with a single-cell transcriptomic readout provided insight into underlying mechanisms, including regulation of IFN-γ signaling in cancer cells and NK cell activation states. Our findings highlight the diversity of mechanisms influencing NK cell susceptibility across different cancers and provide a resource for NK cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Dufva
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sara Gandolfi
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jani Huuhtanen
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Olga Dashevsky
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hanna Duàn
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Khalid Saeed
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jay Klievink
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petra Nygren
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jonas Bouhlal
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenni Lahtela
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Näätänen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bishwa R Ghimire
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Hannunen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pekka Ellonen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna Lähteenmäki
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pauliina Rumm
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jason Theodoropoulos
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Essi Laajala
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jouni Härkönen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Petri Pölönen
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Maija Hollmén
- Medicity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Shizuka Yamano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ryosuke Shirasaki
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jennifer A Roth
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rizwan Romee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michal Sheffer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Harri Lähdesmäki
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Dean A Lee
- Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Ricardo De Matos Simoes
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matti Kankainen
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Laboratory of Genetics, HUS Diagnostic Center, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusima (HUS), 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Constantine S Mitsiades
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Satu Mustjoki
- Hematology Research Unit Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Translational Immunology Research Program and Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
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Zhang J, Zhou K, Lin J, Yao X, Ju D, Zeng X, Pang Z, Yang W. Ferroptosis-enhanced chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer with magnetic composite nanoparticles. Biomaterials 2023; 303:122395. [PMID: 37988899 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122395] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) causes great suffering to patients because of its heterogeneity, poor prognosis, and chemotherapy resistance. Ferroptosis is characterized by iron-dependent oxidative damage by accumulating intracellular lipid peroxides to lethal levels, and plays a vital role in the treatment of TNBC based on its intrinsic characteristics. To identify the relationship between chemotherapy resistance and ferroptosis in TNBC, we analyzed the single cell RNA-sequencing public dataset of GSE205551. It was found that the expression of Gpx4 in DOX-resistant TNBC cells was significantly higher than that in DOX-sensitive TNBC cells. Based on this finding, we hypothesize that inducing ferroptosis by inhibiting the expression of Gpx4 can reduce the resistance of TNBC to DOX and enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy on TNBC. Herein, dihydroartemisinin (DHA)-loaded polyglutamic acid-stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-PGA-DHA) was combined with DOX-loaded polyaspartic acid-stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-PASP-DOX) for ferroptosis-enhanced chemotherapy of TNBC. Compared with Fe3O4-PASP-DOX, Fe3O4-PGA-DHA + Fe3O4-PASP-DOX demonstrated significantly stronger cytotoxicity against different TNBC cell lines and achieved significantly more intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxides. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that Fe3O4-PASP-DOX-induced apoptosis could be enhanced by Fe3O4-PGA-DHA-induced ferroptosis and Fe3O4-PGA-DHA + Fe3O4-PASP-DOX might trigger ferroptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/GPX4 pathway. Fe3O4-PGA-DHA + Fe3O4-PASP-DOX showed superior anti-tumor efficacy on MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice, providing great potential for improving the therapeutic effect of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Kaicheng Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jingbo Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xianxian Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Dianwen Ju
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xian Zeng
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Zhiqing Pang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Wuli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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44
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Cai H, Lv M, Wang T. PANoptosis in cancer, the triangle of cell death. Cancer Med 2023; 12:22206-22223. [PMID: 38069556 PMCID: PMC10757109 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6803] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PANoptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death (PCD) found in 2019 that is regulated by the PANoptosome. PANoptosis combines essential features of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, forming a "death triangle" of cells. While apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis have been extensively studied for their roles in human inflammatory diseases and many other clinical conditions, historically they were considered as independent processes. However, emerging evidence indicates that these PCDs exhibit cross talk and interactions, resulting in the development of the concept of PANoptosis. METHODS In this review, we offer a concise summary of the fundamental mechanisms of apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. We subsequently introduce the notion of PANoptosis and detail the assembly mechanism of the PANoptosome complex which is responsible for inducing cell death. We also describe some regulatory networks of PANoptosis. RESULTS PANoptosis now has been associated with various human diseases including cancer. Although the exact function of PANoptosis in each tumor is not fully understood, it represents a prospective avenue for cancer therapy, offering promise for advancements in cancer therapy. CONCLUSIONS In the future, in-depth study of PANoptosis will continue to help us in understanding the fundamental processes underlying cell death and provide scientific support for cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hantao Cai
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingming Lv
- Department of Breast, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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45
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Zefferino R, Conese M. A Vaccine against Cancer: Can There Be a Possible Strategy to Face the Challenge? Possible Targets and Paradoxical Effects. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1701. [PMID: 38006033 PMCID: PMC10674257 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111701] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Is it possible to have an available vaccine that eradicates cancer? Starting from this question, this article tries to verify the state of the art, proposing a different approach to the issue. The variety of cancers and different and often unknown causes of cancer impede, except in some cited cases, the creation of a classical vaccine directed at the causative agent. The efforts of the scientific community are oriented toward stimulating the immune systems of patients, thereby preventing immune evasion, and heightening chemotherapeutic agents effects against cancer. However, the results are not decisive, because without any warning signs, metastasis often occurs. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on a vaccine that must be administered to a patient in order to prevent metastasis; metastasis is an event that leads to death, and thus, preventing it could transform cancer into a chronic disease. We underline the fact that the field has not been studied in depth, and that the complexity of metastatic processes should not be underestimated. Then, with the aim of identifying the target of a cancer vaccine, we draw attention to the presence of the paradoxical actions of different mechanisms, pathways, molecules, and immune and non-immune cells characteristic of the tumor microenvironment at the primary site and pre-metastatic niche in order to exclude possible vaccine candidates that have opposite effects/behaviors; after a meticulous evaluation, we propose possible targets to develop a metastasis-targeting vaccine. We conclude that a change in the current concept of a cancer vaccine is needed, and the efforts of the scientific community should be redirected toward a metastasis-targeting vaccine, with the increasing hope of eradicating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Zefferino
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Massimo Conese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
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Siegmund D, Zaitseva O, Wajant H. Fn14 and TNFR2 as regulators of cytotoxic TNFR1 signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1267837. [PMID: 38020877 PMCID: PMC10657838 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1267837] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1 (TNFR1), TNFR2 and fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) belong to the TNF receptor superfamily (TNFRSF). From a structural point of view, TNFR1 is a prototypic death domain (DD)-containing receptor. In contrast to other prominent death receptors, such as CD95/Fas and the two TRAIL death receptors DR4 and DR5, however, liganded TNFR1 does not instruct the formation of a plasma membrane-associated death inducing signaling complex converting procaspase-8 into highly active mature heterotetrameric caspase-8 molecules. Instead, liganded TNFR1 recruits the DD-containing cytoplasmic signaling proteins TRADD and RIPK1 and empowers these proteins to trigger cell death signaling by cytosolic complexes after their release from the TNFR1 signaling complex. The activity and quality (apoptosis versus necroptosis) of TNF-induced cell death signaling is controlled by caspase-8, the caspase-8 regulatory FLIP proteins, TRAF2, RIPK1 and the RIPK1-ubiquitinating E3 ligases cIAP1 and cIAP2. TNFR2 and Fn14 efficiently recruit TRAF2 along with the TRAF2 binding partners cIAP1 and cIAP2 and can thereby limit the availability of these molecules for other TRAF2/cIAP1/2-utilizing proteins including TNFR1. Accordingly, at the cellular level engagement of TNFR2 or Fn14 inhibits TNFR1-induced RIPK1-mediated effects reaching from activation of the classical NFκB pathway to induction of apoptosis and necroptosis. In this review, we summarize the effects of TNFR2- and Fn14-mediated depletion of TRAF2 and the cIAP1/2 on TNFR1 signaling at the molecular level and discuss the consequences this has in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Harald Wajant
- Division of Molecular Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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47
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Clucas J, Meier P. Roles of RIPK1 as a stress sentinel coordinating cell survival and immunogenic cell death. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:835-852. [PMID: 37568036 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00623-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell death and inflammation are closely linked arms of the innate immune response to combat infection and tissue malfunction. Recent advancements in our understanding of the intricate signals originating from dying cells have revealed that cell death serves as more than just an end point. It facilitates the exchange of information between the dying cell and cells of the tissue microenvironment, particularly immune cells, alerting and recruiting them to the site of disturbance. Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) is emerging as a critical stress sentinel that functions as a molecular switch, governing cellular survival, inflammatory responses and immunogenic cell death signalling. Its tight regulation involves multiple layers of post-translational modifications. In this Review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that regulate RIPK1 to maintain homeostasis and cellular survival in healthy cells, yet drive cell death in a context-dependent manner. We address how RIPK1 mutations or aberrant regulation is associated with inflammatory and autoimmune disorders and cancer. Moreover, we tease apart what is known about catalytic and non-catalytic roles of RIPK1 and discuss the successes and pitfalls of current strategies that aim to target RIPK1 in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarama Clucas
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Pascal Meier
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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Herzfeldt AK, Gamez MP, Martin E, Boryn LM, Baskaran P, Huber HJ, Schuler M, Park JE, Swee LK. Complementary CRISPR screen highlights the contrasting role of membrane-bound and soluble ICAM-1 in regulating antigen-specific tumor cell killing by cytotoxic T cells. eLife 2023; 12:e84314. [PMID: 37732732 PMCID: PMC10586807 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84314] [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: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8 +T lymphocytes (CTLs) are key players of adaptive anti-tumor immunity based on their ability to specifically recognize and destroy tumor cells. Many cancer immunotherapies rely on unleashing CTL function. However, tumors can evade killing through strategies which are not yet fully elucidated. To provide deeper insight into tumor evasion mechanisms in an antigen-dependent manner, we established a human co-culture system composed of tumor and primary immune cells. Using this system, we systematically investigated intrinsic regulators of tumor resistance by conducting a complementary CRISPR screen approach. By harnessing CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) and CRISPR knockout (KO) technology in parallel, we investigated gene gain-of-function as well as loss-of-function across genes with annotated function in a colon carcinoma cell line. CRISPRa and CRISPR KO screens uncovered 187 and 704 hits, respectively, with 60 gene hits overlapping between both. These data confirmed the role of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and autophagy pathways and uncovered novel genes implicated in tumor resistance to killing. Notably, we discovered that ILKAP encoding the integrin-linked kinase-associated serine/threonine phosphatase 2 C, a gene previously unknown to play a role in antigen specific CTL-mediated killing, mediate tumor resistance independently from regulating antigen presentation, IFN-γ or TNF-α responsiveness. Moreover, our work describes the contrasting role of soluble and membrane-bound ICAM-1 in regulating tumor cell killing. The deficiency of membrane-bound ICAM-1 (mICAM-1) or the overexpression of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) induced resistance to CTL killing, whereas PD-L1 overexpression had no impact. These results highlight the essential role of ICAM-1 at the immunological synapse between tumor and CTL and the antagonist function of sICAM-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Herzfeldt
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - Marta Puig Gamez
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - Eva Martin
- Department of Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | | | - Praveen Baskaran
- Department of Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - Heinrich J Huber
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - Michael Schuler
- Department of Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - John E Park
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
| | - Lee Kim Swee
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer IngelheimBiberach an der RissGermany
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Wu L, Jin Y, Zhao X, Tang K, Zhao Y, Tong L, Yu X, Xiong K, Luo C, Zhu J, Wang F, Zeng Z, Pan D. Tumor aerobic glycolysis confers immune evasion through modulating sensitivity to T cell-mediated bystander killing via TNF-α. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1580-1596.e9. [PMID: 37506695 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer malignancy. The molecular mechanisms by which the tumor glycolysis pathway promotes immune evasion remain to be elucidated. Here, by performing genome-wide CRISPR screens in murine tumor cells co-cultured with cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), we identified that deficiency of two important glycolysis enzymes, Glut1 (glucose transporter 1) and Gpi1 (glucose-6-phosphate isomerase 1), resulted in enhanced killing of tumor cells by CTLs. Mechanistically, Glut1 inactivation causes metabolic rewiring toward oxidative phosphorylation, which generates an excessive amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Accumulated ROS potentiate tumor cell death mediated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in a caspase-8- and Fadd-dependent manner. Genetic and pharmacological inactivation of Glut1 sensitizes tumors to anti-tumor immunity and synergizes with anti-PD-1 therapy through the TNF-α pathway. The mechanistic interplay between tumor-intrinsic glycolysis and TNF-α-induced killing provides new therapeutic strategies to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijian Wu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yiteng Jin
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xi Zhao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kaiyang Tang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yaoning Zhao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Linjie Tong
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xuerong Yu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ke Xiong
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ce Luo
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiajun Zhu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science (CLS), Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Zexian Zeng
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science (CLS), Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Deng Pan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science (CLS), Beijing 100084, China.
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50
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Tian YM, Holdship P, To TQ, Ratcliffe PJ, Keeley TP. Comparative analysis of N-terminal cysteine dioxygenation and prolyl-hydroxylation as oxygen-sensing pathways in mammalian cells. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105156. [PMID: 37572852 PMCID: PMC10506105 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105156] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In animals, adaptation to changes in cellular oxygen levels is coordinated largely by 2-oxoglutarate-dependent prolyl-hydroxylase domain (PHD) dioxygenase family members, which regulate the stability of their hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) substrates to promote expression of genes that adapt cells to hypoxia. Recently, 2-aminoethanethiol dioxygenase (ADO) was identified as a novel O2-sensing enzyme in animals. Through N-terminal cysteine dioxygenation and the N-degron pathway, ADO regulates the stability of a set of non-transcription factor substrates; the regulators of G-protein signaling 4, 5. and 16 and interleukin-32. Here, we set out to compare and contrast the in cellulo characteristics of ADO and PHD enzymes in an attempt to better understand their co-evolution in animals. We find that ADO operates to regulate the stability of its substrates rapidly and with similar O2-sensitivity to the PHD/HIF pathway. ADO appeared less sensitive to iron chelating agents or transition metal exposure than the PHD enzymes, possibly due to tighter catalytic-site Fe2+ coordination. Unlike the PHD/HIF pathway, the ADO/N-degron pathway was not subject to feedback by hypoxic induction of ADO, and induction of ADO substrates was well sustained in response to prolonged hypoxia. The data also reveal strong interactions between proteolytic regulation of targets by ADO and transcriptional induction of those targets, that shape integrated cellular responses to hypoxia. Collectively, our comparative analysis provides further insight into ADO/N-degron-mediated oxygen sensing and its integration into established mechanisms of oxygen homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Min Tian
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip Holdship
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Trang Quynh To
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter J Ratcliffe
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Thomas P Keeley
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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